May I ask how you are planning to choose characters, then? At any rate, I suppose I would like to give Lancer a try if it's available.
An excellent question, it'll be based on not only the quality of sheets who may be competing for the slot, but also how well they may mesh with the possibilities of our cast, as it forms.
Your Dreams will fall onto the ground and shatter.
Budapest slumbers as a war occurs under its feet. Magi fight with legends of old in order to achieve their dreams. That which has once returned to dust return once more to acquire that which they could never rectify in life. The cycle continues once more as the curtain is lifted on Fate/Charonioi Klimakes.
Let the spiral of tragedy begin anew.
This is a Fate/Stay Night, Zero, Extra, Apocrypha, etc. based roleplay. The main goal with this RP is to make a communal story, with a heavy emphasis on a narrative and the themes surrounding it. This RP will have some unique rules because of this (which will be elaborated on further down), but I believe it’ll make for a more engaging experience because of it. Ultimately, the objective of this roleplay is to have fun and recreate some of the cool drama and moments found within the various Fate works.
As this RP is meant to be more of a story experience, I would really like the players to go into it with that kind of mindset. Your characters are deeper than just avatars to win an online text based roleplay game you can brag about to your friends on AIM. While there are methods to stop powergaming and toxic behavior, it ultimately relies on the players to acknowledge and agree to play with this in mind.
This RP will be taking place with Budapest as the backdrop. The standard Nasu mechanics will be at play without any major changes. I want this RP to be an experience for both veterans and newcomers, so if anyone doesn’t feel super comfortable with how Nasu works, that is completely okay! The main thing I’m looking for is good characterization. A character which feels like a good story piece will always be a priority over magecraft-on-legs.
The mechanics and story of this roleplay will not exactly fall in line with the format of many of its sister roleplays. Those differences directly relevant to character creation will be given a brief overview here and now. For those playing Masters, make sure to use the Roll Request Form included near the master sheet. We will not respond if you don't use it.
0.) It is highly recommend that you don't center your strategies or abilities around long term preparation or build up of a base over long periods, for reasons to be revealed later. Caster will be given specific, balanced benefits to ensure they operate as intended(based on their rank in Territory Creation) in spite of this.
1.) One character per player. You may have a single character in play. This means you will be playing either just a servant, or just a master.
2.) Servant-Master pairing will be determined by the game masters.
3.) This is a narrative focused roleplay at its core. People will fight, kill, and die, but this is all for the sake of communal story telling and the drama leading up too and resolved by these fights. Do not consider this roleplay PvP, and moreover, fully expect to die before it is resolved.
4.) Family age, Mystic Codes(Number received and their quality), Magical Crest Age, and Magical Crest Quality(An amalgamation of both the value of its recorded knowledge and how intact it is) will be randomized by the Game Masters. If you intend to play a Master, please do request these are rolled for you as soon as possible.
5.) Magical Circuit Quality, Magical Circuit Quantity, Magical Experience and Magical Talent(Natural inclination toward magecraft and accumulated years of experience respectively) will be randomized by the Game Masters. If you intend to play a Master, please do request these are rolled for you as soon as possible.
6.) After all Master slots are filled the GMs will assign to each Master various attitudes toward other Masters, such as 'Enemy' or 'Friend'. Players will be expected to define the meaning and history of these attitudes and incorporate them into their backstory. Naturally, players should cooperate to weave these connections into place.
7.) No enhancements for being summoned in the European cultural sphere(specifically) will be applied to servants. Additionally all servants are to be summoned within Budapest, during or shortly before the roleplays start.
Players interested in a particular class will be listed here. When a spot becomes (1/1), a player has become accepted in that spot. Please do not be afraid to compete for a spot until then. This roleplay is not first come, rather, acceptance is based on quality.
Any servant I consider a joke or who attained their legend past the year 1900 AD. will not be allowed. Figures before the time of the first flood are banned, and coincidentally, so is Gilgamesh. Gods, are of course, inapplicable- though those of mixed blood, animals(under some conditions), and machines may of course be summoned if they are Heroic Spirits. Composite skills, most army summon Noble Phantasms, and anything boring or too derivative are additionally disallowed. There are several canon servants I will not be allowing such as the F/SN Lancer, so it's important to ask beforehand in the case of canon servants.
True Name: (The words you etched upon the soul of humanity.)
Title(s): (Meaningless, perhaps.)
Class: (Saber. Archer. Lancer. Rider. Caster. Berserker. Perhaps Avenger, but only with a deluge of suitable applicants.)
Gender: (The tomb doesn't differentiate, but the masses that forced you inside it certainly did.)
Birth and Death Dates: (Though attaining an exact date would be easy for us, a range of time is more than enough for now.)
Motivation for the Holy Grail: (What arrogance brought on the delusion that you deserved a second chance? Perhaps regret, or maybe a selfish desire? Surely none would fault you for escaping from that tomb.)
Personality: (Enlighten us to your larger than life personality, great one. When the teaming masses looked upon you, what did they see? And, if it's acceptable, please do tell us what was really there.)
Appearance: (The tomb doesn't differentiate, but the masses that forced you inside it certainly did.)
Bio: (Any changes from the common sense of modern man should be recorded here. Like the fact King Arthur was a woman, for example. Otherwise, this section may be ignored. Such information is trivial to us.)
Equipment: (Not all weapons or armor reaches the level of crystallized myth and dream. For those that fell short, do try to mention them here for our convenience.)
Parameters
Strength: (Damage output.)
Endurance: (Damage input. Directly relates to your health and ability to resist damage and certain special attacks.)
Agility: (Damage avoidance. Directly relates to your dexterity, reaction time, and ability to avoid certain special attacks.)
Mana: (Magical energy output, but not storage. Also the ability to resist certain special attacks)
Luck: (Fate avoidance. Directly relates to your ability to avoid certain special attacks.)
Class Skills: (Skills determined by your class. Should put name and rank, then explain what they do. Each class has specific class skills; ignore the format of that inept Chaldea Organization.)
Personal Skills: (Abilities a Heroic Spirit has attained. A measurement of attributes and talents such as battle sense, or charisma. Of course, your container will draw upon your legend itself, so mind that. The usual number is around three or four.)
Noble Phantasm (A heroic spirit has around one, though sometimes they may have two. This is the epitome of your legend, a recreation of what lends you worth as a Hero.)
True Name: (The words humanity etched upon your soul.)
Title: (Kanji name. Usually an explanation.)
Rank: (E-EX. Plus and minus modifiers will be assigned by us, upon request.)
NP Type: (Anti-Unit. Anti-Army. Anti-Fort.)
Range: (1 is minimum, 99 is maximum.)
Maximum Number of Targets: (1 to 1000.)
Description: (What does your little legend do? Explain its meaning, and more than waxing poetic about that meaning, do take the time to tell us what it actually does.)
Players interested in masters will be listed here. When a spot becomes (1/1), a player has become accepted in that spot. Please do not be afraid to compete for a spot until then. This roleplay is not first come, rather, acceptance is based on quality.
Masters may not touch upon the domain of Servants as a starting circumstance, nor are they allowed to reach this point by any use of their own abilities. This is not limited to just combat ability. Any attempts to cheat this rule will see your Grail War ending prematurely. We guarantee it.
Name: (Not that it matters, here, now.)
Title(s): (Meaningless.)
Appearance: (It did not particularly factor into the criteria for the selection of your kind.)
Gender: (It did not particularly factor into the criteria for the selection of your kind.)
Age: (One of your kind can pretend he's twenty in spite of being seventy, but double that age and he'll expose his true nature as a corpse, body and mind. Anything older is useless to us.)
Previous Alignment(s): (Which magical organization forced you to grovel?)
Motivation for the Holy Grail: (Dreams are the architect for your desire; what truths did you seek, do you seek, Magus? In this place, perhaps they may yet be granted. Perhaps.)
Personality: (I expect sufficient exposition. Fundamentally, every master summoned for this Holy Grail War was selected because they were incomplete, flawed existences. Please, try to remember.)
Biography: (Family, pride, personal history. All in the pursuit of magecraft, of that singular truth at its heart. To be a magus is to accept a world without a future in store for you. So in that case, tell me your past, please.)
Elemental Affinity: (We shall grant you this knowledge.)
Magic Circuit Switch: (We shall grant you this knowledge.)
Number of Magic Circuits: (We shall grant you this knowledge.)
Quality of Magic Circuits: (We shall grant you this knowledge.)
Magecraft: (What paradigms of faith and folklore did you make your art- magus, what magecraft did you specialize in? Beyond the basics, of course. Do not waste our time. The knowledge of your level of talent and experience will be granted to you.)
Magic Crest: (We shall grant you this knowledge.)
Equipment: (The tools of your trade. Though we will grant you the most prerequisite objects to practice your art and three average mystic codes, anything more must be provided by you. You may gain additional mystic codes of varying quality through randomization.)
Submit this form(on the Int check) as soon as possible if you intend to play a Master, and we will return it with the results of our randomization not long after. Make sure to fill out the paradigm section. Note that a particularly powerful set of rolls may bend the rules of the roleplay regarding strong masters. You are afforded 3 free rerolls(applied in however way you choose) on sections of your choice. When you submit this form, you may select one section to automatically receive an average result(Not applicable for Elemental Affinity). Make sure to put 'Average' in that section if this is your intent! You are free to contextualize and work in the results of your roll however you please. For example, a low quality crest may indicate an incompetent family, damage to the crest, or that the good bits were stolen from you. This logic can be applied to nearly anything present. Player Name:
Family Age: X (You may adjust your age 200 years either way, after receiving the result) Mystic Code Quality: X Mystic Code Quantity: X
Magical Crest Age: X Magical Crest Quality: X
Magic Circuit Quality: X Magic Circuit Quantity: X
Elemental Affinity: X Magical Experience: X Magical Talent: X
Magical Paradigm: What magecraft focus do you intend to give your character? Necromancy, Numerology, Shamanism, etc. Do not go into more detail beyond just the magical paradigm(s) you'll be using.
Player Profession: Virtual Idol (Arcology Resident)
Character Role: Core Support
Alignment: 500 (Extreme Good)
Appearance: Tsuichisumo is a Moirae who can acquire multiple forms, and as a result her default state resembles a human. It's a mimicry of her V-Idol model, with a far larger wardrobe and minor modifications here and there.
Regardless of form her wavy golden hair holds a peerless luster, a cosmetic effect which she is particularly fond of. In the case of her human base, her eyes are a pure, vivid, light blue. As she has a character model which transforms, Tsuchi had to increase her base height to make transitions across forms more consistent. In the end, she would've preferred a shorter character if it had been possible. As it is, her avatar is quite tall by Japanese standards. Its always been slightly disorienting for her.
Tsuchi favors the use of hats and other head cosmetics regardless of her form, a matter of personal taste. She prefers simple rather than gaudy clothing, only having used the later during formal Guild meetings. In the case of special cosmetic effects in the vein of Halos and the like, she grants a special exception based on cool factor, but only to a certain point. Regarding dress style in particular, she especially favors frilly dresses complimented with gloves. As a whole, she greatly enjoys that her Heteromorphic race is conductive to dress-up. In terms of style, her standard clothing is often religious or spider themed, sometimes incorporating both motifs. As her base V-Idol model outside of Yggdrasil is that of a Spider Queen, she strove to replicate that theme here.
Ushi-Oni (10) (Basic) Ushi-Oni are cursed scions of the Gods. Important characters of the faith who act with insubordination are often cast down to the lowest roots of Yggdrasil as punishment- transformed into half-spiders and forced into an eternity of slavery to the enigmatic Norns. At the lowest low they work to repair, expand, and protect their Masters ever growing Tapestry of Fate.
Rarely these creatures secret themselves up one of the many threads attached to the World Trees roots. From there, they enter one of the remaining worlds to build nests and increase their numbers. Because they are long lived and their actions tend to be bestial, concentrations of Ushi-Oni are quick targets for extermination.
Among Heteromorphs, Ushi-Oni have a innate penchant for divine casting and useful defensive abilities. Aside from their capability to produce webs, they also have innate bonuses to jumping. They are notable for gaining Arcane Sight extremely early by the standards of casting Heteromorphs.
Tsuchisumo originally had a full 15 levels invested in this portion of her racial evolution, but after tweaking her build, it was reduced to 10. It was plainly more efficient to transition as soon as she had gained all the casting bonuses. In the case of pure martial-types, usually they bring Ushi-Oni to a full 15 levels but rarely advance into Arachne or Moirae. This is because as one follows the Ushi-Oni evolutionary track, its status as a casting race becomes more and more evident.
As an aside, this is a Heteromorphic race humanoids can transform into under select conditions.
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Arachne (10) (Advanced) An ascended form of Ushi-Oni which has attained a greater intellect and wisdom, the Arachne. A Sage-like evolution, they have completely discarded any remnant bestial trappings of their lesser brethren and attained advanced civilization. As a result, within their own society, they have a status not unlike nobility- though usually of a religious kind.
Though their former Gods may have 'betrayed' them, there are many dark Gods gnawing at Yggdrasils roots, ever hungry for more followers. For many Arachne, the sacrilege of worshiping these evil Gods is worth whatever impotent ire their former masters may hold against them. Some Arachne instead intend to surpass and show up the Gods through web-weaving, and indeed, they are masters of the art.
Starting with the Arachne evolution, naturally produced webs become an excellent medium for magic- be it creating a physical manifestation for the likes of Tsuchi's Spiritual Links, or sealing wounds in combination with healing spells. The true strength of the Ushi-Oni evolutionary line lies within their valuable webs, casting potency, special sensory abilities(Such as See Invisibility), and magical defense. Arachne is where these various features begin to truly express themselves.
While Arachne is skewed heavily toward Caster characters, it is also conductive for craft builds which use weaving, or monofilament spider web users.
The primary perquisite to this evolution was attaining at least level 40. To start gaining actual racial levels, the Player had to use a particularly disgusting item called the Graeae Eye. After these conditions were met, the Player needed to complete a introductory quest at a cave full of annoying jump scare enemies.
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Moirae (5) (Rare) The completed form of Arachne. A penchant for weaving the threads of fate and manipulating divine energies has resulted in an evolution from 'Sage' to 'Seer-Sage'. Moirae have achieved the pinnacle of their race, and most become personal Handmaidens to the Norns- or rule over their less enlightened siblings with a velvet covered iron fist.
It is not uncommon for Moirae of this level to fall within one of three camps. Those who faithfully serve the Norns, those who kowtow to the darkest entities imaginable, and the rarest few who willfully assert their independence. They are fundamentally a race with shadowy origins, so Moirae still inhabiting the nine worlds inevitably come to blows with Yggdrasils defenders.
. . .However, the 'personality' and 'ability set' cultivated around Tsuchisumo generally contradict the lore of Yggdrasil.
Moirae gain access to end tier sensory abilities, such as True Sight. They are supreme divine casters who directly worship and entreat Gods not as supplicants, but instead as selected champions or heralds.
One must be at least level 80 to gain access to Moirae. An item called the Tapestry of Fate had to be gained as a rare drop from a Norn Raid Boss- a late game enemy whose expected level was far above level 80. As a result, it was extremely annoying to attain Moirae racial levels. A Player had to become dead weight, get the item from someone else, or power level to end game(Which itself may preclude the Player from special rare classes). There were many outspoken complaints about this oversight from the community, but the Devs never responded even once.
Priest (15) (Base) A base job class that acts as a foundation and requirement for further advanced job classes. In contrast to the likes of Cleric, a part Warrior base class, Priests are second rate in close combat. In exchange Priests lend themselves much better to divine spellcasting and are the basis for many healer builds. Priests gain the ability to channel energy and turn undead as class abilities, both scaling with a characters overall divine caster level.
Excepting those only looking to satisfy certain advanced class prerequisites, taking Priest to the max level of 15 was typically the norm in Yggdrasil. As a base class, levels in Priest may be taken by a character at any point of their choosing.
Hospitaller (10) (Advanced) A divine spellcasting class which focuses on both potency and efficiency for various restorative abilities, including preventive techniques in line with effects such as temporary HP. Resurrection is naturally an area of focus for this class, and reducing the general associated costs of that entire spell line is one of its strongest points. It's a generalist support-style class for a divine tradition Caster who wants their allies alive, with their MP left intact to keep even more friends alive. With the metagame of Graces adding to counterplay against the negative status effects so often inflicted by various powerful NPCs, it's also far from a generic 'healbot'. From the perspective of the community, it is often viewed as a strong pick for min maxed healing builds.
Level (1) Cornerstone: Graces (x/day) For a certain number of times per a day, a Hospitaller may choose to add various rider effects, called Graces, to spell and class abilities which make use of positive energy healing. Graces typically remove a specific status ailment based on the selected Grace, ie Disease. New Graces known are added each level advanced within Hospitaller. At maximum level within the Hospitaller class, failing to remove a status effect with a Grace will still suppress it for an extremely short period of time.
Level (5) Keystone: Healing Mastery (x/day) For a certain number of times per day, a Hospitaller may treat a healing spell used as being under the effects of Empowering metamagic.
Level (10) Capstone: Preventive Medicine (At-Will) If a healing effect would place a target above its maximum health, that target will retain a small percentage of the healing overflow as temporary health points. The maximum amount that can be overhealed is determined by the strength of the healing effect used. These temporary health points will fade after some time.
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Prophet (10) (Advanced) A rare leadership styled casting class oriented around powerful aura abilities which protect and enhance allies. Prophet is a class focused around maintaining momentum for an allied team. More than just providing reactionary 'band-aid' support, this class also tries to cover an allies aggression. It is equally adept at single target or group support, making it a flexible job class. Prophets are guiding stars who materialize the will of Heaven, supporting the righteous. They learn a variety of Divine Mandates, special auras corresponding to a particular celestial sphere. Active Divine Mandates may be freely expended at any time to grant a heightened version of their benefits to a single target.
Level (1) Cornerstone: Mandate of the Silver Heaven (At-Will) The Heaven of the inconstant, corresponding to the Moon. By expending the normal amount of mana in conjunction with this abilities use, buff-type spells will instead act as if they were an aura centered around the Prophet. The strength of spells used in this way are diminished, but regain some of their former power as levels are gained in Prophet. At maximum level, metamagic effects may freely be applied to any spell transformed into an aura by this class ability.
Level (5) Keystone: Mandate of the Glittering Heaven (x/day) The Heaven of just warriors, corresponding to the planet Mars. This Divine Mandate enhances the general combat ability of nearby allies, increasing both their damage and chance to land a solid blow.
Level (10) Capstone: Mandate of the Crystal Heaven (x/day) The Heaven of divine love, corresponding to the Primum Mobile. This aura increases the resistance abilities of allies, while also mitigating a small but unconditional percentage of oncoming damage. This Divine Mandate is always taken into account before any other defenses, or defensive abilities.
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Saint (10) (Advanced) Saints are a divine spellcasting class which focus on increasing both the potency and flexibility of various preventive and restoration focused options. This also includes various methods of empathetic healing and the like. It is a natural step down the path of the likes of Hospitaller, enabling allies to safely dominate the battlefield with even greater ease. It has an excellent skillset for making the best of a bad situation, helping to mitigate even the consequences of an allies death.
Level (1) Cornerstone: Spiritual Link (At-Will) A Saint may create a Spiritual Link between herself and a willing ally. A certain amount of damage inflicted on that ally may instead be taken on by the Saint, in effect reducing the damage inflicted. At job level 10, a portion of the Saints resistances are granted to the target of a Spiritual Link.
Level (5) Keystone: Spiritual Link (Greater) (At-Will) A Saint may also partially take on status ailments afflicting an ally connected to them through a Spiritual Link. While this means the Saint takes on a negative effect, it also reduces that negative effects power and difficulty to remove. A Greater Spiritual Link will not function on purely physical status effects, such as diseases transferred by a sickly creatures attacks.
Level (10) Capstone: Spiritual Shield (x/day) A Saint connected to an ally through a Spiritual Link may choose to temporarily suspend the effects of a status ailment. While these negative statuses are still considered present, they cannot affect the target of a Spiritual Shield for a very short period of time. The duration of a status malus is not used up while it is being delayed.
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Oracle (10) (Advanced) Oracles are a divine spellcasting class which focus on increasing the potency of both divination and buff abilities. Through seeing future challenges and manipulating the currents of fate, they can better position themselves and their allies to seize the day. Aside from enhancing their spellcasting, Oracles also gain useful perception abilities such as limited use All-Around Seeing. Some of the classes strongest features enhance sensors used by the Oracle or increase the chance of a divination ability being useful.
Level (1) Cornerstone: Omens (x/day) Oracles may ordain prophecies, bringing about a preferred futures materialization. By altering the strands of fate, it becomes possible to place an Omen on a individual ally. While under an Omen, positive status effects originating from the Oracle will have their potency increased. At job level 10, healing effects originating from the Oracle will also benefit from the same enhancement.
Level (5) Keystone: All-Encompassing Eye (At-Will) The Oracle may maintain additional instances of scrying effects such as sensors at the same time. Whether or not the actual Player can handle effective use of this ability makes it very dubious.
Level (10) Capstone: All-Seeing Eye (1/day) Once a day, an Oracle may activate All-Seeing Eye with a divination ability to pierce through anti-divination spells or equivalent effects.
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Theurge (10) (Advanced) Theurges are a divine spellcasting class which focuses on increasing the potency of their spellcasting and more prominently metamagic. They ply the waves of divine tradition magic, entreating Gods and equivalent beings for secrets- while attempting to further their understanding of the primal forces of existence through magical theology. As above, so below.
Level (1) Cornerstone: Divine Study (At-Will) A Theurge is an expert at analyzing and contextualizing the faith-based compendium of magic, which calls upon the Divine. By expending time and gold, it becomes possible to engage in Spell Research to further ones spells known. The efficiency and speed of Divine Study is determined by ones Theurge level. Unfortunately, Spell Research ended up being a dropped feature, never actually implemented by the Devs. As a result, a portion of Theurges abilities do nothing.
Level (5) Keystone: Divine Ritual (x/day) By increasing the cast time of a chosen spell by several seconds, a Theurge may reduce the cost of metamagic enhancements applied to that spell. A certain amount of damage taken during the casting will result in the spell being lost. The mana expended for the spell would also be lost in such a case.
Level (10) Capstone: High-Metamagic (x/day) A Theurge can expend uses of her Turn Undead and Channel Energy abilities to reduce the mana costs associated with metamagic enhancements.
Twilight Handmaiden (5) (Rare) One of the vaunted rare classes, in this case a form of divine spellcaster. A title which signifies the user 'understands the tapestry which makes up the world'- in other words within the context of Yggdrasil's lore, this class is equivalent to becoming one of the Norns(Fates). It requires the Player to be at least level 90, have five levels in Moirae or Cyclops, and have a certain number of Fate related job classes. Restoring fate(and allies. . .), along with altering(Buffs) and perceiving(divination) the future. Dedication to such abilities results in Twilight Handmaiden as a reward; and in return, it shows its own dedication in enhancing all those abilities. As it is a fate manipulation class it also holds a few nasty 'bad touch' tricks, themed along the lines of snipping the threads of fate. A Twilight Handmaiden also gains access to the exclusive analysis focused vision type, Knitsight, which most of its abilities are themed around in some form. By bringing its total levels to 5 the ultimate ability of Knitsight, the Gold Cord, may be obtained.
Level (1) Cornerstone: Red Cord (At-Will) By drawing on the red thread of the present, a Twilight Handmaiden is capable of seeing the connections of Fate. By inputting a specific player or location name into a popup text box, a red string leading to the specified target will materialize for only the user. Following the 'optimal path' to a target, it ideally tries to approximate a straight line. Activation takes several seconds and makes the user vulnerable, remaining so for as long as they follow the Cord. A certain threshold of damage will result in losing the Cord, on top of the extra damage. Anti-divination effects work as usual, although the Twilight Handmaiden is not a valid target for any triggered counterattacks. There are a variety of joke results for off-rails inputs, in the same spirit as Wish Upon A Star. For example, 'Love' would always lead to the closest trash mob.
Level (3) Keystone: Silver Cord (x/day) By drawing on the silver thread of the past, a Twilight Handmaiden is capable of defying death.The Twilight Handmaiden may use this job ability to cast a resurrection spell with a cost of extra mana mimicking a contingency style effect, which lasts several minutes. The Resurrection spell will automatically activate if the target dies within this time frame, negating their death without the usual applicable penalties. This effect otherwise acts as normal for whatever resurrection spell was casted, including counter spell vulnerability. It's similar to certain auto-Resurrection items and consumables.
Level (5) Capstone: Gold Cord (At-Will) By drawing on the golden thread of the future, a Twilight Handmaiden is capable of precognition. Within the context of Yggdrasil, this ability allows its user to see the results of actions- thus ignoring delays from animations and the like. It includes seeing ranged attack trajectories, where swords will end up at the end of their attack animation, the targeting reticule of a mages fireball, or even the emote a Player is preparing to select. It also grants its user the ability to see through false data, as a greater form of true sight. Additionally, allies may be designated with Status and Greater Status At-Will, and will thus become valid targets for Cord abilities.
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Fount of Elaphine (5) (Rare) One of the vaunted rare classes, in this case a form of divine spellcaster. A title which signifies the user as a 'perfected agent for life energy'- in other words within the context of Yggdrasil's lore, this class is equivalent to drawing on the power which furnishes the World Tree at its roots. They become an emanation around which even non-living things become more vivid, more intense, more motive, more 'real'. It requires the Player to be level 95, have the ability to channel energy, the Saint and Prophet class, as well as having a certain kind of job build. There may be an additional racial requirement Tsuchi doesn't know about. Enhanced restoration(and preventive measures) along with resurrection are the key focuses of this rare classes various abilities. Fount of Elaphine is fundamentally a healing class, and if that fails death itself may be freely defied, mitigating its costs. It also enhances channeled energy, such as combining it with Turn Undead, or allowing it to ignore healing reduction effects.
Level (1) Cornerstone: High-Admixture (x/day) A Fount of Elaphine may, for a certain number of times per day, alter the energy type of spells so that they now inflict positive energy instead. This alters the type of a given spell for the purposes of job class abilities, magic items, and the like. Any non-damaging effects of the spells are changed as is appropriate.
Level (3) Keystone: Channel the Fount (x/day) The Fount of Elaphine quickens her use of Channel Energy. Also, for a certain number of times per day, the Fount of Elaphine may vastly increase the potency of a Channel or Turn ability by concentrating its effects on a single target.
Level (5) Capstone: Sequence of Life (2/day) For a period of one minute, the Fount of Elaphine may become a paragon of life itself- their nature enhanced similar to what a theoretical positive energy elemental would resemble. They become a gestalt of positive energy, temporarily taking on an aspect of the Spring of Life itself. This fleeting ascension beyond mortality increases the efficiency and potency of all positive energy effects, such as healing, resurrection, and various restoration methods.
Seafoam Goddess' Golden Hair (Divine) An artifact type gacha shop item which is only available on Valentines Day. It requires a very high karma value to equip, and recreates the Goddess of Beauties magical hair. . .apparently. It is not a wig, but rather an item which becomes one with the users already existing hair. Crafted by the greatest smiths of Yggdrasil for the love Goddess, each strand is said to be more valuable than even a elder dragons treasure horde. It costed just about that much in real money, at least. It greatly increases the users Charisma.
Tiara of the Radiant Spring (Legendary) A blessed piece of headware dedicated to the Great God who presides over Asgard. It is an object of religious significance, obviously, and it pulses with the Great Gods power. It can be rarely obtained after completing a long quest line for a certain spirit who was its former owner. While worn, it increases the maximum range of the owners aura and channel abilities.
Anguish of Valedar (Legendary) Tears from the wise Sage Valeda, said to be shed as she foresaw the demise of countless worlds in the Devourer's maw. Her tears which were weighed down by despair fell to Niflheim, where they became eternally frozen as prophetic lenses. Originally spiffy looking ice glasses, Tsuchi rebuilt them with data crystals as essentially contact lenses. Carrying the foresight of the Great Sage, this magic item enhances the users perception and extends the range of all special vision types.
Falcon Cloak of the Great Goddess [Asgard] (Divine) Mere fragments of the true Falcon Cloak, the lost regalia of a certain famous Goddess. A portion of the Cloak fell to one of the Nine Worlds each. Despite what this implies it was not a limited stock item, and instead each world had its own variant with different visuals and abilities. These powers could be increased even more under certain conditions, bringing out the 'true power the cloak once held'. It was a particularly infamous gacha shop item because some variants were brazenly better than others. The Asgard version features feathers from Hugin and Munin, the embodiments of 'thought' and 'memory'. For those who wear the cloak, the user will gain a connection to their worlds encompassing knowledge. It greatly increases the users Wisdom.
Grand Ecclesiarch's Shawl (Legendary) The blessed garments worn by the once great High-Priest of the Sun Goddess. The Mausoleum-Cathedral he found eternal rest within was sacked and desecrated, and as a result his corpse became a vengeful incorporeal undead. This is a raid drop that can be gained through defeating him. It increases the power of healing abilities. Because of its origin, it requires a very high karma to equip.
Starlight Vestment (Divine) The night skies reflection upon Urd spun into holy garments by the enigmatic Norns. It embodies the boundlessness of the Heavens which shall not be so easily consumed by lowly Earth-Crawling evils. It is a very rare drop that can be found after conquering end game foes, assumed to be given as reward by either the Gods or Norns for defending Yggdrasil. Capturing just a fragmented image of the 'Well of Fate', the font of all knowledge, greatly enhances the abilities of those who draw upon the powers of magic. It grants the user a fragment of that infinite whirlpool of primordial energy, increasing ones mana.
Prismatic Celestial Chainmail (Relic) Medium armor custom made using data crystals, striking a balance between basic protection and movement. Composed of high grade prismatic ores, it also utilizes various enchantments to increase the defense of the user. It is generalist armor that splits its data to defend against both magical and physical attacks, but in exchange it isn't specialized in stopping either. Fundamentally it was created just to increase its users survivability. Within her monstrous Heteromorphic form, it assimilates into her natural armor.
Spinneret Bracelets (Relic) Custom made item using data crystals. They increase the amount of web the user can produce in a day. Within the standards of Yggdrasil, a custom item like this is practically a requirement for any optimized build using webs. In other words, a spider tax. Going beyond just using web for support abilities, there are also crafter builds who use spider silk and mono filament wire-style web users.
Gloves of Bore-Tooth (Relic) A specialized tool created by a great wizard who was inspired by a certain Squirrels use of shortcuts to move up and down Yggdrasil. This is cashshop only artifact item. The gloves allow the user to exploit dimensional shortcuts and extend their reach to locations within line of sight by bending space. This item can't be used to launch attacks with this extended reach, but can be used for a variety of other purposes. It is especially popular with Crafters because of the convenience they can lend. For a Caster like Tsuchi, it is useful for spreading her webs and delivering healing.
By means of the almighty cash shop, she has gained the ability to use rings on each of her fingers. Because doing so would look frankly embarrassing, she has bought further cash shop items to make it less obvious using cosmetics. Those slots which aren't filled would be changed based on the expected task at hand. For example, taking rings that resist fire when facing a fire elemental, as the most basic sort of example.
Ring of Freed Action Protects against temporal attacks and the like, alongside other forms of movement impediment. For players who PK or expect to be attacked in PvP, it is a required tax item by the level of 100. Without it, Magic Casters with access to temporal abilities such as timestop become far more terrifying, and annoying.
Ring of Obfuscation Protects against being acknowledged or detected by divination-type magic. It is an item to prevent ambushes, or being spied upon in areas not warded by anti-divination effects. Because it also masks the users magical aura, it has various tactical applications as well. Against the likes of Magic Casters who haven't specialized in divination, something like this is sufficient enough.
Guild Ring A sign of ones commitment to their Guild. Also, essentially a requirement for high-speed movement within a Guild Hall. Warding against teleportation and the like is the basics among basics, and with this ring the user can teleport to named rooms freely as an exception to that warding. Certain thief-type classes can steal items from a players inventory, so it's critical that this item in particular does not leave the Guild Hall. In such a case, it's replaced with another ring befitting the task at hand.
Ring of Mastery Wand A very rare artifact item. With the expenditure of mana, its owner may use a single wand outside of their normal casting tradition. However, the ring has a cool down time of one hour before the owner may select a new wand to apply this effect to.
Ring of Resurrection Lessens the EXP loss and overall costs for being revived by a great margin. In addition, instead of dropping the highest quality item on death, the user would drop the lowest quality item. For a level 100 character who expected to be placed in dangerous situations such as PvP, this was an important item. Although having to grind out five levels was not the end of the world, losing your greatest item could feel like it.
Ring of True Resistance Increases the users base resistance against negative effects and the like. Having a high resistance ability was important for not only fighting enemy magic casters, but also in increasing the resistance of allies through her class abilities.
In-Game Backstory: Tsuchi is a Virtual Idol popular with the wage slave masses, well known for her wholesome and relaxing content. Yggdrasil came around at a very important moment of her career. By the time of its release over a decade ago, Tsuchi had finally broken through and made it big. The very first game she streamed in an Arcology was, in fact, Yggdrasil. For that and many other reasons, even for this deteriorated Yggdrasil which was about to end, Tsu has many complicated feelings about it.
For Tsuchi, her time in Yggdrasil was something fraught by many mistakes.
Her first(and per the rules, only) character was of course Tsuchisumo. She created an avatar which resembled her own V-Idol 3D model much as possible, then spawned into a starting region as usual. Unfortunately she didn't have much foresight, and did all of this on stream. Seeing as she had chosen a Heteromorphic race Tsuchi was a valid target for PK, and being a level 1 character, she had little recourse. The result was naturally a great deal of unenjoyable spawn camping.
This difficult period was short lived, however. In the end Tsu was supported by her horde of fans, some Yggdrasil Players, while many more were joining the DMMO-RPG for the very first time. Unfortunately, these new Players also selected Heteromorphs as if to show solidarity. In turn, this provided even more visible targets to freely PK, for rewards and special job classes. At a certain point it evolved past just stream sniping, and veteran players who had ignored the situation begin harvesting her fans as they appeared.
What was once stream sniping ballooned into a massive mess, which only ended up being resolved by Tsuchi taking a short break from the game. In the end, she entered the game with a dedicated Clan of protectors, having to be escorted at all times. As a result this early period was quite obtuse, and it wasn't until Tsu established a Guild that she implemented various means to counter information leaks.
That very Guild was the pride and joy of her fans, for a time. The Great Unholy Citadel, Dis- a large and imposing dungeon found on the outskirts of Helheim modeled after the Tower of Babel. This place would become Guildhall for Tsuchi, and thus her home in Yggdrasil.
Dis had once been the central citadel to a great holy city of the upper worlds. Unfortunately, after the cities corruption at the hand of devilish machinations, it was dragged down to Helheim. Core figures from the attempts to claim Dis would go on to become the 12 Peers, who stood atop the Guild as leader figures. Tsuchi herself became Guild Master, with the specific term in NPC flavor text being Imperatrix. When it came to the Guilds name, she unfortunately suggested 'Sticky Crusade' on stream. After a vote, everyone eventually settled on Eternity Crusade for a name.
Immediately, they set to the task of restoring Dis to its former glory, before the honeyed words of Devils had brought it to evil. Eternity Crusade was made up of Heteromorphs who renounced the trappings of beasts or evil, instead devoting themselves to good. At least, that was the theme of the Guild- and to that end, most new members were expected to transform into Heteromorphs at some point, if they weren't Heteromorphs already.
The idea of any expansion of numbers was taken that more inhabitants of Helheim had seen the light, and reformed their ways accordingly. Though it wasn't a roleplay guild, it definitely had a certain air to it like that. Much of its theme and architecture drew from the likes of Latin, Greek, and Romantic mythology- or historical Kingdoms such as the Franks. NPC design followed those precepts, adding more flavor to the Guild as a whole.
Boosted by the resources of vanguard Clans and Guilds, it could be considered a long standing and successful Guild- even it it declined as Tsuchisumo's interest in the game did. As much as Tsuki enjoyed player versus player combat, it was simply too difficult for a Guild with such a large target on their back. The issue of streaming also constantly came up as an issue, nor did something so competitive fit her image.
As a result, the Guilds focus was instead on exploration, expansion, exploitation, and extermination. That is to say, it was a Guild that focused on the key theme of Yggdrasil; exploration. Acting as trailblazers across the physical world and the games many secrets, this was where the Guild found its true power.
Cash shop items assisted its growth greatly, both purchased by Tsuchi's extreme wealth and the devotion of Players and fans. There was one such case where she spent a massive donation entirely on the cash-shop gacha, in one session no less.
What PK the Guild experienced was in defending its Hall against raids, which were somewhat frequent until Tsu began to drift away from Yggdrasil. Traps and special cash gacha mercenaries were relied on more than their centralized level 100 NPCs, because upkeep was made easier through support from vanguard groups. Though forced to conform to the adriane system, it was still a well defended bulwark, a foothold for the forces of good in Helheim itself.
The Guilds three treasures could be called Dis, its myriad NPCs, and finally the Holy Lance, the Guild Weapon which was a physical(virtual) manifestation of her fanbases devotion. Though called the Holy Lance, it was actually a divine magic casters staff which only resembled a spear. It incorporates the greatest holy relics from the pantheon of heavenly Gods, making an item-set. Its sleeping form was referred to as the Bleeding Lance.
Tsu herself referred to it unofficially as the Radiant Heart. She was always something of a dork, after all.
During her early tenure as Guild Master, Tsuchi also took pains to properly optimize her character build. She adored PvP even if it wasn't something she was allowed to engage in by circumstance, and was assisted by more experienced fans in character crafting.
The immense amount of effort she put into into this was a decisive reason for her declining interest in Yggdrasil. Between acquiring special benefits from quests, investigating conditions for classes, and other boring things, she had eventually burned out on the game. For things like that, she'd rather have her fans just take the reigns, or leave instructions for her. For some things, she had to go out and discover things for herself, and that took wasted time and effort. Releveling from low level constantly was already punishment enough.
As Yggdrasils golden age reached an epoch, there was less and less reason to justify participating in that DMMO-RPG. It was an obtuse game made even more obtuse by the limitations imposed on a big streamer in a multiplayer game. Though it had been an important game to her, she drifted to other dive based games and equivalent content.
After the golden era of Yggdrasil, she only really returned on a whim or during large expansions and events. Instead, she took part in more reflex based games, such as the ones which emerged during the dive mecha game craze.
That she didn't stay and play the game during that period has become a regret for her. Had she put in the effort, maybe they could've done something crazy and acquired a World Item, or do other amazing things like conquer a World. Even if it was an immensely frustrating experience, 'the memories we made in Yggdrasil were precious'. It was some useless regret like that.
Within Dis, Knight-Captains were the highest order NPCs created by the Peers or lower standing members with special permission. The less important NPC levels were generally created(in terms of flavor and the like) by those who donated large amounts of money. In other words, fans could donate to include their own original character within the Guild. Because of the nature of a rabid fanbase and the need for effective NPCs, a lot of vetting and changes had to happen, but it was pretty successful as a concept.
Dragon-Knight Cadmus A custom NPC created using guild base data storage. As one of the Knight-Captains, they could be considered the fruits of a Guildmates effort, vision, and care. Cadmus is a Dragonoid with only Warrior classes, his build focus being tanking. By employing a dragon knight job class, he is further able to bring out his full abilities as a Dragonoid Hetermorph without shifting his form. His armor and even shield is fused with his skin, combining its defensive value with already peerless natural armor. In that sense, the armor he wears is essentially just for cosmetic purposes. As a tank, they mitigate or take as much damage as possible, while still having the offensive power to pressure opponents and not be ignored. Using his breath ability in conjunction with his weapon, he can unleash a fearsome counterattack of burst damage as a finishing move after a lengthy battle.
Within his own flavor text, Cadmus is something of a tragic hero trying to act in penance for a grievous past mistake. Because he can lose it and become overeager sometimes, he is extra hard on himself. His intellect is not exactly stellar despite being a genius in combat, and he is something of a gorilla. That said, he also has a certain charm and earnestness that is very endearing, and he is the picture of heroism. Among the NPCs, this is the one Tsuchi had her hands in the most when it came time to make NPCs.
Royal Guard Captain Mystes A custom NPC created using guild base data storage. As one of the Knight-Captains, they could be considered the fruits of a Guildmates effort, vision, and care. Mystes is a Hydra built to be the quintessential Holy Warrior. They are a divine half-Caster half-Warrior, with a limited spell list focused on strong self healing and buffing. They have various beneficial class abilities in line with this notion, acting as a wrecking ball that smashes through pretty much any opposition. Between their powerful self enhancement, healing abilities from job and racial levels, and sheer damage output, Mystes can be considered the strongest Knight-Captain in a melee. As they were created by the Guilds biggest optimizer who assisted in creating Tsuchi's own build, perhaps that is to be expected.
Within their own flavor text, Mystes is an errant religious Knight who settled in Dis after the Crusade(Raid) to claim it. They were originally overly enthusiastic about purging evil in their youth, but this has become tempered in some respects through equal parts tragedy and experience. There is a particular case in their flavor text where Mystes lost their Cleric teacher in the distant past, and ended up projecting them on the Guilds leader, Tsuichisumo. Mystes was written as somewhat restrained, but not anywhere near being an introvert.
Grand Vizier Corinth A custom NPC created using guild base data storage. As one of the Knight-Captains, she could be considered the fruits of a Guildmates effort, vision, and care. Corinth is a Sphinx focused around a classic control Wizard build. They focus around various methods to control both the battlefield and enemy, from summons to terrain alteration. As they are a dedicated Caster, she also has a wide breadth of flexible and powerful spellcasting. In that particular sense, she could also be considered something of a generalist, thanks to spells known alone. She is surrounded by NPC copies of herself with lore and crafting job classes, meant to represent simulacrums of herself. Tsu often cringes in guilt around them, given how much money the Wizards maker donated to make said NPCs.
Within her own flavor text, Corinth is chief adviser and manages the Holy Citadels library. Corinth is a resident of Dis who was present even before the future Guild Hall was cleared of evil. She arrived to take advantage of the antediluvian library, heedless of the local fiends. She is a hoarder of knowledge and a genius among geniuses, with the flexibility of a true renaissance woman. Corinth appears distant and wise, only speaking up with key information at important moments. In actuality, she was just written as a cripplingly shy introvert who only opens up more around the Peers, and especially Tsuchi.
Field Marshal Alcaeus A custom NPC created using guild base data storage. As one of the Knight-Captains, he could be considered the fruits of a Guildmates effort, vision, and care. Alcaeus is a Shade, a high tier incorporeal undead. A spellsword style build, he is a half-warrior who boosts his fighting power with arcane energies- along with attaching devastating spells to his weapon strikes. Defensively they eschew armor in favor of their dexterity and various defensive abjurations and wards- along with their naturally incorporeal nature. Overall he is a generalist melee fighter who cuts through varied defenses, making him an excellent duelist.
Within his own flavor text, Alcaeus is the remaining mortal half of a long ago ascended Hero-King who once protected Dis. As the city fell to Niflheim, Alcaeus returned as a ghastly Shade who sought vengeance against the dark forces which corrupted that once pristine city and disturbed his rest. The notions of basic hospitality are something important to him- reciprocity, generosity, and so on. He is acting commander over Dis' forces, as his wisdom and weight of experience makes him easily the most qualified. He's a clever old fox who can be quite smug and has a strong youthful energy to him, in spite of his advanced years. His creator designed him based on the likes of Zeus or Odin, at least as a basis.
Devil Lord(former) Astaroth A custom NPC created using guild base data storage. As one of the Knight-Captains, he could be considered the fruits of a Guildmates effort, vision, and care. Astaroth is a Devil with a classic Assassin build, focusing on stealth attacks, inflicting debuffs, and poisons. His builds ultimate purpose is taking the enemy down in a burst of damage, and if need be setting this up with tricks and various negative status effects such as poison, bleed, or physical attribute damage. They have invested levels in the powerful Ninja job class line, so they also have access to various powerful tricks.
Astaroth is actually based on the Raid Boss Tsuchisumo's Guild defeated to claim Dis as their Guild Base. He was well beloved for his melodramatic lines and taunts during the fight itself. As a result, the devil was recreated as one of the Knight-Captains- as if he had been 'reformed' after his defeat. In regards to Dis, he takes on wetwork jobs benefiting from his 'unique outlook'. Outwardly he always seems to be half-assing his work, but he's actually very dedicated. Embarrassed about his previous actions, Astaroth is rather aloof as a result. Regarding his relation to the other Knight-Captains, it's a 'cold on the outside, warm on the inside' sort of situation. A character based on the beloved Yggdrasil NPC Mephistopheles.
Final Note Rushing through Dis to get back outside, Holy Lance in hand. She wanted to contribute to the farewell fireworks with it, as an excuse to use the Guild Weapon at least once.