Expllo — Roleplayer Guild

Introduction:

This roleplay is set in an alternative universe of Bleach where the original characters do not exist, however the clans remain the same. My goal is to expand on the world-building that’s influenced by the actions of the characters within the story.

Everyone will be starting off as UNSEATED Shinigami, fresh graduates after four years in the academy. This will give everyone the chance to progress equally, both in power and individual story arcs. Whatever the reason your character joined, there are rumors of a rebellion brewing within the Gotei 13 based on riots in Rukongai from the fiftieth district and beyond. There is also a steady increase of Hollows attacking in the Human World, and new leads have been found as to why. An incursion into Heuco Mundo left five Shinigami slaughtered, but the wounds didn’t resemble Hollow wounds. All three of these storylines will be able to be explored to start us off.

Sorry if this is info-dumping, I just would prefer to be thorough before I go into making a proper ooc.

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This is intended to be a Character-Driven game influenced by the actions of the characters. There will be a mixture of Round Posting and Free Posting depending on what Mode we are on.
Main Story:

This is where Round Posting will come into play. This is the bread and butter of the game, and where the plot moves forward. Round Posting is when I post once, you reply once. I post again, and you can reply again, and so on. This keeps the IC less cluttered. That’s not to say you can’t post more than once or have a reaction to another character’s post, just be wary that trying to do too many actions at once can decrease the chance of success.

My writing expectations for Round Posting is Once, maybe Twice, a week depending on engagement. I’m not requiring you to write a novella or even a paragraph. I understand we all may have limits on time, writer’s block, or even the fact that not every character has a reaction to everything. All I require is a cohesive post that takes action and helps push the narrative forward. Writers and Roleplayers of all levels are welcomed here, and exceptions can always be made.

Free Mode:

This is wind-down time in between main missions. This is where players are free to interact how they choose without GM interference, and this is where I largely encourage collaborating with one another to grow character relationships and show more about your character’s life outside of the Gotei 13. Side-missions will be given out here, as well as progression with player’s personal stories. This is also another cheeky way for your GM to have time to brew the next Main Story.

There will be a healthy mix of the two as both tie into the power system of the game. Characters will automatically level up and gain new abilities and attributes after every Main Story, a reward for helping progress the story. Free Mode is where things get more interesting as good roleplay moments, training posts, and NPC interactions can all earn rewards. These rewards will be given based on general consistency and if it makes sense in the story, so participation is heavily encouraged.

Edit: I’m thinking of making a separate IC for the Main Story Missions to not restrict players from posting or collabing as freely as they like. If you’re interested, please let me know how you feel about this. The game will start off in Free Mode to get everyone acquainted with one another, and the setting.

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Characters are able to start off with a Shikai up to four abilities to begin with. Abilities will come with Post Cooldowns. For example, if I have an ability that’s a simple slashing attack (Getsuga Tensho) then the ability cooldown will be two, so you would have to post two more times before you can use said ability again. This keeps combat orderly and reduces ability spam, and gives a fair pre-approved guideline on how to proceed if a PvP battle occurs. Post durations as well.

Example: “I get a power up and it lasts for five posts, with a six post cooldown.”

I’m giving leeway on powerful abilities as long as you can make it make sense, in the sense of cooldowns and drawbacks as well as narratively. So, in other words, let’s be creative but reasonable.

Players will be awarded points via level up or rewards. They are split into two groups; points for Zanpakuto abilities and points for attributes. Attributes are Hoho, Kido, Zanjutsu, and Hakudo. Attributes are ranked from Unseated level to Captain level and can be bought as the game proceeds, or used to create custom Attributes. I will be releasing the canon list of abilities, their skill levels, and costs later.

As for Zanpakuto abilities, say you earn 6 points after a Main Mission. You can use individual points (1) to upgrade existing abilities, or use 3 points to create an entirely new ability. Once again, this will be further explained in the official ooc.

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Q: Can I Die?
A: Simply put, yes. That’s not to say this will be a slaughter-fest but as you can kill your enemies, they can also kill and wound you. The Main Story requires you to be smart and use teamwork, actions have consequences so don’t do anything dumb like blindly rush in to strike the main villain and you’re unseated level. Think realistically, but take risks as well.

Q: Can I be a (Vizard, Quincy, Fullbringer, etc.)?
A: I don’t want anything to be a full on no as I encourage creativity. I’m always willing to hear an idea, but for the purpose of how the game starts everyone will be strictly Shinigami. PM me privately if you have ideas for things down the road regarding alternative or half races.

Q: How does the Shinigami Age work?
A: It’s surprisingly a question that gets asked a lot in Bleach RPs. It’s confusing but we’ll keep it simple and say add a 0 to whatever normal age they’d be. So if you were 19 you’d be 190. However, that’s for people born within the Spirit World compared to Human age. You can start as a Shinigami that died in the Human world, and go by normal human age. I encourage creativity in this aspect. However, age doesn’t play too much of a role in the spirit world.

Q: Can I have more than one character?
A: New players start off with one character only. As there are multiple squads and multiple storylines, multiple characters will be accepted down the line as we determine engagement.

Q: Can we join any squad?
A: In this universe new recruits are sent to Squad Ten for first missions and evaluations. That’s the in-verse explanation to determine how many players we have and which Squads will be open to join. While the Main Story missions will grab PCs from multiple squads, choosing your squad will open up unique interactions and abilities/items to gain in Free Posting.

Q: How many players are allowed?
A: I only need four-five to get the game started. If there are further interests I’ll be willing to open up more slots as multiple storylines are happening at once, creating enough involvement for more than five players.

Q: Do you have experience as a GM?
A: Most of my roleplay experience is as a GM. I helped run a successful Bleach RP that ran for a little over two years, and helped run arcs in games that I was a player in.

Q: Your Q&A didn’t answer my question!
A: Feel free to ask here or PM me.

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The different squads and their responsibilities have always been left ambiguous in the show. Therefore, this information is a mix between my own ideas and what the series has given us.

First Division: Led by the Captain-Commander, the First Division is made up of the most versatile and model Shinigami. The head of the Gotei 13, in cases of emergencies this division is able to ascertain situations and mobilize quickly without given orders. Most missions are sent out through them. Think about internal affairs, as well.

Second Division: This is the Stealth and Information department. Alongside Squad Twelve and Five, not much is known about this squad outside of basic information. They specialize in covert missions. Stealth and high battle skill is a known requirement for this squad. Unbeknownst to most Shinigami, the commander of this squad also leads the Onmitsukidō and carries out assassin missions.

Third Division: Information and Gathering. This division is responsible for sending Shinigami to gather information, and often works with the second and thirteenth division to ensure safety. They often work with Squad 12 as well in order to send information and work out conclusions. Monitoring and communication systems are run through them as well.

Fourth Division: Medical Assistance & Supply. As simple as it sounds. They deal with the brunt of injuries and are usually sent to the battlefield after the fact or act as support on missions if requested by other divisions.

Fifth Division: Kidō Tactics & Control. This division is responsible for creating, ranking, and monitoring the use of Kidō within the Soul Society. Most, if not all, of their members are accepted based on their skill in Kidō. It’s said to be one of the more difficult squads to move up in rank as it’s not determined by mission success, but by advancements made in the Kidō field. It’s known that the Fifth Division Captain is the head of the Kidō corps as well, however that group works in the shadows as well.

Sixth Division: Internal Affairs. This division is responsible for monitoring Shinigami activity and apprehending Shinigami that break the law. This squad works closest with Squad One, reporting directly to them as well as Central 46. Their barracks contain the largest number of holding cells. Think of your modern day police, but for Shinigami.

Seventh Division: Diplomatic Relations. This squad is responsible for maintaining peace within the Rukongai, and are the go to guys if the residents have problems. This is the closest residents get to interacting with the Gotei 13, bar an invasion or large scale attack.

Eighth Division: Reserves. This squad is similar to Squad Eleven in terms of being a combat squad. However, instead of specializing in anything, these members are generally well-rounded in order to fit any role needed. They are the first squad called if reinforcements are needed.

Ninth Division: Counter Intelligence. This squad works closely with Squad Twelve as well as the Sixth Division. On occasion, they also receive information from Squad Two. Their job is to prevent information from leaking, whether that’s to the Rukongai, Human World, or Seireitei. They also help the Fifth Division Captain store away forbidden Kidō, although this is a lesser known fact. If anything, speculation.

Tenth Division: Large-Scale Operations. The entry-division that every Shinigami joins upon graduating the academy. This squad is in charge of analyzing and assessing every new applicant. As such, most new applicants end up finding a home here and stay or wait a year or two before requesting transfers. As such, Squad Ten remains the squad with the highest number of Shinigami at any given time. On a larger scale, they are in charge of offensive tactics and get handed missions directly from Squad One in order to assess which Squad would be best for said mission.

Eleventh division: Frontlines. If you’ve watched the show, no further explanation is needed. If not, this is the second largest division in the Gotei 13. General meatheads that specialize in physical combat, often butting heads with members of the Fifth Division for their use in ranged combat. The Captain of this squad holds the title of Kenpachi, given only to the strongest Shinigami. The only way to become Captain of this squad is to kill the current captain in front of the entire division.

Twelfth Division: Research and Development. Once again, as simple as it sounds. This squad is in charge of technological advancements, as well as researching information sent to them from the various squads they work with. The Captain is said to be, as well as expected to be, the most intelligent Shinigami in the Soul Society. Ranking up in this squad is said to be the most difficult, and becoming Captain of this squad is second only to becoming Captain-Commander.

Thirteenth Division: Defensive Tactics. While Squad Seven is responsible for maintaining peace in the Rukongai, Squad Thirteen maintains peace within the Seireitei and the Human World. They often work in tandem with Squad Three to do patrols within the Human World.

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If you’re interested, here’s a skeleton to help brainstorm. Be aware, this is a temporary template and is likely to change upon posting the official ooc so don’t feel pressured to fill it all out. Attributes and other features will be added later once a list is provided.

~Basic~

Name:

Appearance: 
[Even if you use a FC try to describe height, weight, additional features]

Age: 
[Q&A #3]

Squad/Rank: 
[Squad Ten/Unseated]

Biography: 
[Personality + History]

Squad Interests:
[Choose at least 3 from most to least]

~Zanpakuto~

Zanpakuto Name: 
[Every weapon has a spirit, therefore a name]

Type: 
[Kido, Power, Elemental, etc.]

Kaigo: 
[What do you say to release your Shikai?]

Zanpakuto Appearance: 
[Describe the basic form, Shikai form, Zanpakuto Spirit, & Inner World]

Shikai Skills:
[You can start off with no Shikai or up to 4 Abilities. Passive abilities are welcomed, although increases in physical abilities and spiritual pressure is assumed for everyone. Add post cooldowns and post durations as well]
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