Wasn't the Black Knight "None shall pass," though?
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2 yrs ago
You ever realize that you haven't changed your status in months, go back to change it, and then wonder what the *fuck* your previous status was even talking about?
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2 yrs ago
No, no, they clearly are referring to Ohio -- which Georgia is geographically south of, so the theory is still sound.
@IzurichAh, yeah, this is also true. Julian is very smol. Prolly like 5 foot 2 or something. Still has a little room to grow but she's probably gonna stay a bratty half pint compared to everybody else, particularly Liese.
Also, in another amusing inversion... Liese is a girl's name, but identifies as male. Julian is still very much a girl, but goes by a boy's name and... honestly might keep doing it even once her true identity is uncovered? Like, I feel like she'd just be used to being called Julian at that point. Might change it to Julie or Julia or Juliet or something, I guess, but I dunno.
the commonfolk can totally be outnumbered in institutions that favour the noble or the wealthy.
This, pretty much. I was going to make the whole "debut spar" thing into sort of a showcase for that. Candidates from powerful, established families are welcomed first after a basic exam, and then they serve as opponents from those who don't have any such reputation to vouch for them, giving them a chance to prove themselves... which also gives the nobles some "easy" opponents to show off their own skills by trouncing the incompetent. However, in that sense, the deck is sort of stacked against the commoners, since they actually have to show that they can hold their own in a fight one way or the other in order to get noticed. The nobility just sort of has to show up.
That's still not to say it's untenably hard to get accepted as a commoner, because the knights do generally accept a lot of candidates and then cull the herd as they go -- it's just they have to work a bit harder than most, so there's probably fewer of them as a result.
Posting again so the mention goes out properly, but...
@Izurich It just occurred to me. Since Liese's birth was recorded as the only child and heir apparent by default the family, then does that mean that the identity of "Liese" the knight candidate isn't a secret? I mean, just by being a rare genius in the form of an Absolute, the knights probably wouldn't risk losing that kind of talent by saying "no," but it would definitely cause some controversy and a lot of people assuming that it's just the childish whims of a spoiled girl and "she'll give up soon enough." Could be a good reason, too, why your chara ends up sorted into the misfit squad with our gang of doofuses -- it's just another way of quietly encouraging "her" to give up and go study under the royal magicians for the good of the country rather than chasing weird dreams of knighthood, or something.
Also also, I actually REALLY like the cosmic coincidence of the Null and the Absolute who might be a reincarnation of Alexander himself looking like they're twins. Makes for some fun plot and themes and stuff. :3
Was also wondering, Fey. Are we still sticking to the whole reverse harem otome game vibe, or does a larger cast mean that we go more for general fantasy RPG hijinks?
I feel like a lot of the early stages of the RP will still have that goofy otome game sort of vibe, with lots of comic misunderstandings and general hijinks to sort of establish the characters and get them to work together and learn the POWER OF FRIENDSHIP! (and maybe start getting a few crushes too idk)
However, with a larger group, I think I'll start to move towards a more Tales of series-esque plotline with actual important stuff going on the further we go, and big revelations about the world... and our cast of wacky weirdos getting tossed headlong into it.
But, well, that also depends on how well the RP does. I find it's best not to worry about long term stuff too much early on, since things will change in countless ways you can't predict by the time you actually get there. Suffice to say, the kid arc is gonna be mostly goofy and fun, with maybe a little bit of shoujo plot on the side with love triangles and misunderstandings and other stuff popping up -- but it may get more serious as we go, so don't feel restricted to just solely doing rom-com stuff.
Was also wondering, Fey. In the General Interest Thread, you said that you were looking for a group of 1-3 other RPers, with a maximum of maybe 5. Are you sticking with that?
Probably not. There's been a LOT more interest than expected, but I've had good feedback and ideas from people so far, and a lot of people linking characters together in interesting ways, so I feel like I'll probably expand it to somewhere around 6-8 total players if need be, so as not to lose any of that. This may still mean that some people's sheets end up rejected, though, simply because I don't think I can run a compelling plot and keep things moving along if things get spread too thin.
Also, love your character, and the way you fleshed out stuff around the royal family. I think he'll fit in wonderfully with the rest of this squad of lovable weirdos!
@Izurich Sorry it took me so long to respond. Only just got back from work. I'd say that's... probably more trouble than it's worth for you, to be honest? Like, I really don't want to reveal much info on my character's backstory because plot stuff, so having them be related, even unknowingly, would probably leave you sort of high and dry as far as knowing even what your family history is. I'm really sorry to be so uncooperative on this, but honestly, I'd sooner suggest just making your character appear how you want and not worry too much about justifying the images looking similar or whatever. >_<
You know, after a workout session and a good refreshing shower, one of those "so crazy, it just might work" ideas came to me.
What about we double down on this cosmic coincidence and make our PCs actually twins? They both agreed that gender roles are a whole load of BS and pulled this scheme together to attend the academy as the "Baker Twins".
To add spice to the formula, I think my PC will be an Absolute, so they might be physically identical, but their magical affinities are direct opposites. I think based on what I've read about Julian, we can have sort of a "sibling jealousy" dynamic with Julian seeing [Insert Twin Name] as basically herself, but better in every way (which is not true, of course, but teenage drama and all that).
I'm just spitballing wild ideas here, none of these is set in stone, let me know what you think.
This does sound like a fun ride, and I could definitely see Julian getting that sort of inferiority complex in that kind of situation, but unfortunately I'm not sure if I can make it work with Julian's whole secret backstory and reason for becoming a knight. I've got some secret family drama for her down the line and other stuff I'm sitting on, which would make her having a twin kind of difficult to pull off.
Though, I do very much like the idea of having an Absolute character to serve as a foil to miss magic-less over here, so... hmm. Honestly, we could maybe just have them coincidentally be lookalikes and try to take advantage of it by claiming to be family? Not sure...
On another humorous note, I also just realized that even our profile pictures look similar -- straight bangs, long silver hair, yellow eyes. Talk about a wacky coincidence. XD
See, that’s what I was afraid would happen. The GMPC even has Baker for a last name, and here I am calling Dime a commoner with a name like that… I can rewrite or put out someone entirely different if needed, just not right away. Or if I don’t have to respect reality that much, that’s great. I can do something like make her a foreigner, whatever - background’s fully flexible, I did it all in like an hour as I went.
Honestly, don't worry about it. I was just trying to make her alias sound... well, like an obvious pseudonym, albeit one with a weird sort of rationale behind it. I'm not overly worried about "realistic peasant names" or whatever, so don't feel obligated to go down that line. XD
Also, I think it's funny that Dime is the daughter of a baker but sucks at it, whereas Julian is all mysterious and stuff but despite her identity obviously being fake is actually a master chef. Just an amusing little bit of irony.
Still, if you want to expand on your bio or redo stuff, go right ahead! No worries either way~.
Reality in a JPRG Fantasy universe? We're here to escape reality, damn it.
On related note regarding said GMPC, by some pure cosmic coincidence and/or perhaps Lady Fate had a twisted sense of humor, Julian Baker's concept and looks are pretty much identical to the PC I'm working on.
You see this and try telling to my face that they don't look identical, sans clothes sure, but people have more than one clothes.
And I'm certainly not going to spoil Fey's fun by applying an identical twin from another mother, so unless I come up with something new, take my current stance as amicably withdrawing my interest. I will inform you should my muse take me somewhere, but don't hold your breath for me.
Don't worry, I'm not even mad, it's an amazing freak coincidence.
OOF. You're right, they literally look almost identical aside from parting their hair on the opposite side. I'm really sorry about that. Didn't mean to steal your aesthetic or anything. >_<
At any rate, I'm sorry to see you go, since you seemed really enthusiastic about everything, but, well, at any rate, if you do come up with any new ideas or decide to come back, feel free! And thanks so much for showing so much interest in stuff. :3
EDIT: Also, oh my god, I woke up this morning and realized that I should have added another S and made the subtitle "A Chivalric (Miss)Adventure." I can't believe I missed such an obvious opportunity to make a painfully bad pun.
Full Name - "Julian Baker" Age - 14 Gender - Female, disguised as Male Heritage - Unknown. Claims to be a commoner refugee. Magical Affinity - None. Absolutely hopeless with all four elements.
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P E R S O N A L I T Y
Just a Little Bit Shy The first impression one tends to get of "Julian," is that "he" is a very quiet and reclusive person. This couldn't be farther from the truth, but, since it helps with her disguise, the girl behind the act doesn't necessarily do much to dissuade people from this opinion at first -- at least, not intentionally. Put simply, she doesn't really go out of her way to draw attention to herself, and even if she wanted to... well, truth be told, she's not exactly the most experienced at dealing with boys. Anyone would be a little awkward in her shoes, right? So, she generally doesn't really speak unless spoken to, unless there's something she absolutely can't stand, or if she's in the company of those she regards as dear friends.
Compensating for Nothing ...Which turns out to be a lot of things, surprisingly. It wasn't necessarily her intention to play her character as an insecure brat with a Napoleon complex, but, well, she fits the role perfectly. Her fears of being outed as a girl translate surprisingly well to the insecurities that a particularly girlish boy of her age would probably have, and she tends to react with outrage whenever somebody makes fun of her for being small, or for her somewhat delicate features. This means that it's not only easy to rile her up, but also pretty easy to get her to do some rather stupid things, since, once challenged, she's usually all too eager to prove her masculinity. In order to fit in amongst men, you have to be the manliest of them all! Well, she probably read something like that once, at any rate, and so thinks she's being perfectly normal, but her exaggerated character tends to just make her seem like a brat.
Little Hero Her only barely hidden bluster and vigor, and only barely contained childish curiosity aren't necessarily bad traits, though. To those who approach her first, even if they tease her a bit, she's capable of being surprisingly amicable, seeming to just relish the fact that people are actually willing to talk to her at all, so long as they're at least mostly well-meaning. "Julian" is the type of person to change moods quickly, going from righteous indignation to joking and teasing right back with a great big grin in the blink of an eye. Forgive, forget, and forge ahead is her way of life, and despite how many layers of secrecy she's currently living under, for the most part she just follows her heart and hopes for the best.
She's blunt, but honest and charming in her own way, finding ways to appreciate something about almost anybody -- even those who most would disregard or deride as useless. If somebody has a unique talent, you can bet she'll dig it up and praise it for all it's worth, even if the person in question never even noticed they had it. Everyone everywhere has at least one lesson to teach, and she's all too eager to learn.
Still, even she has her lines she won't cross. With a strong sense of justice, she absolutely can't stand cruelty or injustice, and, like a little Don Quixote, will do her darndest to right just about any wrongs she encounters. And if you ask her why, well...
"Because, a Knight is supposed to be a hero!"
S K I L L S E T
That's Not How a Knight Should Fight! "Julian" is, perhaps unsurprisingly, woefully underequipped to actually become a knight. She possesses no training in how to fight or use weapons of any kind -- or at least, no training more extensive than valiantly and enthusiastically swinging sticks to slay imaginary ogres. What's more, her physical strength is laughable, and, although she's at least rather flexible and somewhat light on her feet, that doesn't actually help too much at keeping up with the scions of noble houses who've been training in swordsmanship practically since they could walk. But, she has to win somehow, otherwise she'll never be able to achieve her goals -- and what she does have going for her is a surfeit of determination. So, she's just got to even the playing field, right?
...Practically speaking, this means she fights in a manner so dirty and dishonorable that even an angry drunkard in Grayle's filthiest slums would blush and look away. Cheap shots to the groin, fistfuls of sand, spitting in eyes, biting hands, and pulling hair -- she does it all with the sort of gusto and desperation that can only come from having a dream you must fulfill at all costs.
Wasn't a Knight supposed to be a hero, Julian?
Didn't Hear No Bell As mentioned above, what "Julian" lacks in skill -- as she's completely hopeless at both swordsmanship and magic -- she makes up for with sheer tenacity. Surprisingly, for someone so scrawny and lacking in physical ability, her stamina is quite good, and so long as she paces herself, she can keep pushing ahead without tiring herself out -- though she may look like she's about to collapse at any given moment despite her stubborn insistence on continuing. What's more, her tolerance for pain is surprisingly high for somebody so small -- though given that she claims to be a refugee and fights like a gutter urchin, that probably comes as no surprise for most of her fellow cadets.
At any rate, what all this boils down to is that she might get slapped around and knocked on her butt, but like a bad penny, she just keeps coming back. Which is... actually kind of worrying, given how blase she seems to be about getting herself injured, and how quickly she ends up back on her feet when really, maybe she should just lie down. Determination and the desire to achieve one's dreams is good, but one doesn't become a knight in a day -- and trying to push yourself hard enough to catch up with those who have several years of a head start will only end in tragedy.
The Name "Baker" Isn't Just For Show! While her name is, obviously, assumed for the purposes of her disguise, at the very least she picked something that matches her skillset. She's quite at home in the kitchen, and whenever it's her turn on mess duty, the quality of the food noticeably improves -- to the point that some of her fellow cadets may end up wondering if that, rather than her dismal combat abilities, is why she hasn't been kicked out yet.
...Well, she's a little proud of it, but she's trying to become a knight, not a chef! Aaaaagh, this doesn't help at all!
Physical Description
There are some girls who could, perhaps, pass easily as a boy of about the same age. And "Julian" is... just barely one of them, but probably not for the right reasons. She's perhaps the shortest cadet in any of the Four Houses, let alone just her own, and is quite scrawny to boot, in some places having barely any meat on her bones. She stubbornly insists that she'll get taller and she's just a late bloomer, but actually fears that these claims may be true, since she's only recently started growing in ways that, given her current predicament, she'd really rather not. She doesn't need curves, she needs muscle!
But, for the time being at least, just binding her chest and adding some padding around her thin waist has at least managed to fit her into her new uniform without quite looking like a child wearing her father's clothes, so that's... better than nothing. And, given that her cover story of being a street urchin is pretty well known after a rather... memorable debut spar, most people for now write off her frail, petite build as the results of undernourishment. Which, technically speaking... isn't untrue? Yeah, let's just go with that. The best lies always have at least a grain of truth to them, after all.
Her face, thankfully, benefits from rather strongly defined cheekbones, which, with her hair cut short and messed up properly, makes her look at least passably masculine, though her long eyelashes are somewhat less than desirable in this regard. At any rate, she's got a few more years where her youthfulness will help her go unnoticed before her real gender becomes obvious, so she'll surely be able to figure something out in that time... right?
The oddest thing about her appearance, however, is that... well... lustrous golden-blonde hair and eyes as blue as a clear summer sky aren't exactly features one normally associates with commoners, let alone with homeless ruffian children from the frontier. She's scrawny, yes -- but she really doesn't look mangy enough to fit the part she's set out for herself. But then, if she's a disguised noble, why would she look like she got half-starved at some point? Is she secretly an unwanted child of some high aristocrat? Maybe an Alexandrian fugitive on the run from the Sages' Tower? It's just enough of an abnormality that it makes her the source of some... shall we say, unique rumors, but she usually just laughs such things off. After all, that'd be ridiculous, right? Almost as ridiculous as a girl pretending to be a boy as part of some childhood dream of being a hero.
Too unfortunate to be a proper noble, too refined to be some nameless pauper, too honest to sell her lies quite as convincingly as she'd like, and too... female to fulfill her dreams, Julian appears to be many things, while embodying none of them. She isn't what she seems, and is what she doesn't, and just when you might think you know the truth about her... Well, let's just say she's full of surprises.
Character Conceptualization
Whenever the Knights open for recruitment, they always end up with a few odd ducks. Cadets with conveniently unverifiable pasts applying under obvious pseudonyms are more common than one might think, and the order -- despite its reputation for taking all comers -- does its due diligence in confirming that they're not a threat. Cadets are often treated in a very hands-off manner during their initial days in training, to encourage them to relax and let their guard down -- all while being shadowed and observed quite carefully for any signs of danger. Some end up being criminals trying to make a break from their old lives, others spies from foreign countries looking for information on the inner workings of the order -- these undesirables tend to swiftly find their way to a nice, dark cell, and, for the most part, none of their fellows notice that one out of the many has stopped showing up.
Of course, the girl now known by the name "Julian" didn't know any of that. All she knew was that her name, her past, her very self -- such things were more of a burden than they were a blessing. She needed shelter -- a place where nobody would ever find her. A place where she could truly be herself. A place where she could make her dreams come true. In this sense, her motives for joining the Knights were wholly selfish and contemptible... But on the other hand, she really did want to help people -- to make a difference. Her earnest devotion wasn't a lie -- and it was this dedication, perhaps, that stayed the hands of those who would otherwise be inclined to banish a suspicious, noble-looking youth with an obvious fake identity. That's not to say that she isn't still under some degree of scrutiny, or that she's favored by any means, but... well, she has a chance, and though she's blissfully unaware of the full extent of the risks she's already undertaken, she's determined not to waste it.
And so, it was quietly, discreetly passed along. "Julian" is a child from the border regions, and things tend to get lost there. Things... and people. So, it's fine if there's no record of a Julian Baker, or if he can't easily say what town he comes from, or if it turns out that he's fully literate despite only being a baker's second son. Whoever he might be, whatever name he might have borne -- he's Julian Baker now, so until he does something to deserve a second look, we'll humor him for now, and make the best use of him we can. He'll probably drop out anyway, so why worry about it?
If only they knew.
Other Information
It's a dubious honor, to be sure, but a Null -- the opposite of an Absolute, being someone who doesn't have even a single elemental affinity -- is actually almost as rare! So, in a way, the fact that she can't use any of the four elements is actually pretty unique.
...Look, sometimes, you just have to look on the bright side.
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