Feyblue

To Become a Knight! ~ A Chivalric (Mis)Adventure

@Feyblue

Ah, I understand. Thanks for the clarification~

I don't even wanna be that dude's successor anyways, he was a butt.

Oh, one more thing I was wondering: How does one know one's affinity? Do you understand it innately, or is it a trial and error thing? Is there a test for it?

@Octo

This was asked a little while ago too, so I'll just copy/paste my answer from before.

Probably something of the sort that's revealed through a ritual or an oracle of some sort around the time they're like 10 or so. Likely, children below at least that age can't use magic very well, and their affinities may be shifting and unstable. Plus, y'know, using magic is taxing so it could damage their health if they pushed it too early.

Basically, think of it like one of those handwaves in crummy isekai where you go touch a magic ball and it tells you what your level is/what cheat power you have/whatever. Gives a list of elemental affinities that you're compatible with, and then it's up to you to cultivate those through practice, or you lose them.

@Feyblue

Usually, you'd expect just about everybody to get their magic tested as kids -- even commoners -- since it's something just about everybody has and even if you're not gonna become a super mage, it still determines what sorts of things you can do for your own daily convenience.

To Become a Knight! ~ A Chivalric (Mis)Adventure

@Octo

Yes and no. It is possible to have Darkness powers naturally, without just being afflicted with the Curse of Fendel. However, since it's not documented or understood, there are no Darkness Incantations, since there isn't any sort of common knowledge to draw on to create spells.

For this reason, most people who end up being born with a Darkness affinity can't actually do anything with it, beyond maybe some weird shit happening passively around them when their emotions are running high. The average person doesn't have the sheer discipline/reserves of inner strength needed to manifest an Aura, and, without Incantations to guide the power instead, there's no real option for consciously controlling it.

Hypothetically, of course, there's also the option you mentioned of inheriting both the affinity of Darkness and the power of Aura, but, uh... that would probably mean you're the Successor of Fendel, and thus a reincarnation of the guy who nearly conquered/destroyed the world.

And that's not to say it's not a fun concept, don't get me wrong -- it's just that I kind of already have plans for the Successor, Fendel, and his role in the plot. >_< So I think I'm gonna have to veto Darkness Aura as a playable power, unfortunately.

To Become a Knight! ~ A Chivalric (Mis)Adventure

Fey could always have a grown-ass knight come manhandle us all on the training yard and then reveal, "oh that guy? He's actually the weakest knight in his unit, he's just actually been fully trained and has battlefield experience whereas you are all literal kids," XD

@Zeroth

A bit hamfisted, but yes, something like this. Right now, it's sort of like... these kids have all this amazing potential, but they haven't quite reached it yet. Just to give one example, most of the sheets that include Aura so far also include the caveat that they don't actually have the stamina or discipline to use it more than once or twice without burning themselves out.

It's still remarkable that they have that potential in the first place, don't get me wrong -- but they still gotta work for it.

To Become a Knight! ~ A Chivalric (Mis)Adventure

@Izurich

This is true... except he also has a Water affinity? And normally, Light and Darkness are exclusive. One negates all other elements, and one swallows them all up. Though, I guess there could be some kind of mechanic for switching affinities to obtain the blessing of Light or something, since Darkness can possess you through the curse and stuff... Hmm...

To Become a Knight! ~ A Chivalric (Mis)Adventure

@IzurichLmao. Would have to somehow be tied to both Fendel AND the Grayle royal family for that, methinks. Which would be... a hell of a crack ship, honestly.

Though, technically speaking the Curse of Fendel gives you like... pseudo-darkness powers? Mark appears on your body, starts warping it in weird ways based on your thoughts or your environment, and gives you a weak Darkness Aura in addition to effectively random mutations. Unfortunately it also controls your mind and drives you very quickly insane, brainwashing you into a loyal servant/cultist awaiting the coming of your master, and the only cure is either purification via light or death.

...Which is actually pretty bad, now that I think about it, since we have no light users! :thonk:

EDIT: Oh boy, Vita. If she and Julian uncover each other's secrets, they're gonna have a lot to bond over. Julian's sorta in the same boat, though in her case it's more because she's used to it and had to change and, y'know, chest binding is pretty uncomfortable and all that, rather than a repressed desire for something she never got to have.

To Become a Knight! ~ A Chivalric (Mis)Adventure

@ERodeProbably something of the sort that's revealed through a ritual or an oracle of some sort around the time they're like 10 or so. Likely, children below at least that age can't use magic very well, and their affinities may be shifting and unstable. Plus, y'know, using magic is taxing so it could damage their health if they pushed it too early.

Basically, think of it like one of those handwaves in crummy isekai where you go touch a magic ball and it tells you what your level is/what cheat power you have/whatever. Gives a list of elemental affinities that you're compatible with, and then it's up to you to cultivate those through practice, or you lose them.

@webboysurfAlso, I really like Nathaniel! Uncertain parentage and noble gossip, plus the whole upstanding honorable prodigy trope is a fun one. I will say, I think this means we may have three Aura users now (taking into account another character that's been discussed with me over PMs) which is a little more than I was expecting? But I can make a plot point out of it so I think it should work. Plus they've all got different elements so there isn't much overlap.

To Become a Knight! ~ A Chivalric (Mis)Adventure

@IzurichNah, test finally finished and it came up negative. Looks like even my immune system is a friggin' hipster -- I must have somehow caught the flu, in this day and age.

@VitaVitaARAlso, seems like that's a nice parallel with Izu, what with one hating their assigned gender role, and the other getting forced out of it. Seems solid. Plus we've got a lot of very justice-oriented folks here -- at least three, four if you count Julian. Hey, I said "justice" not "honor," okay?

To Become a Knight! ~ A Chivalric (Mis)Adventure

Will just drop a small warning here, but I've come down with a pretty nasty... something, over the past day. Might be flu, might be COVID. So while I'm probably gonna have lots of free time to look over people's sheets, I'll also likely not be too super active because I just feel kinda bleh right now. Doesn't seem too serious, and I'm keeping an eye on it, so don't worry just yet -- just figured I'd let y'all know what's going on.

To Become a Knight! ~ A Chivalric (Mis)Adventure

@Scribe of ThothWe might be, a little bit? There are several people from the interest check still unaccounted for, and just with the sheets we do have, we're reaching close to where I expected to call it full. Still, if you want to make a character sheet, I'll happily look it over! I just don't like disappointing people if there doesn't end up being enough space, so I figure I should warn you at least.

To Become a Knight! ~ A Chivalric (Mis)Adventure

So far we have a clown, an animal mascot, a ghost, The Hero™, and The Plot™
We have a space for someone smart, and a push-up-glasses tsundere is one I haven't heard before

@Sniblet

Also, I will add to this that last I heard, we are also getting a smug "don't think this means you won!"/"I didn't go out of my way to help you, I just wanted to be the one to beat you myself!" sort of rival character I think, which does have a tad bit of overlap with Tsundere tropes? But not really the whole *adjusts glasses* know-it-all archetype or anything.

EDIT: Ah, my mistake, looks like Webb has kinda changed things up since last I heard, so yeah, take his word for it, not mine.