Kingdom Hearts: Everlasting [OOC/PG-16/Accepting]

[Cappuccijoe 17]

Concept, Logo, and Story: Joe
Host: Joe (but accepting a co-host!)

Introduction & Roleplay Rules

Spoiler

 

Welcome everybody, thanks so much for happening upon my RP. A bit of backstory on me first:

I've been a member (on and off) since 2008, roleplaying in general since about 2004, and while I have co-hosted many RPs on this forum, I've never had my own. Over the past year I flirted with the idea of hosting a lot and it never came to be much of anything, even if I was really passionate about the idea because I was pretty unsure of whether or not the crowd would take to it. That is, until today, where I'm officially hosting my very first RP on this forum. This is Kingdom Hearts: Everlasting, and I hope you all love it.

Kingdom Hearts: Everlasting is an Action-Adventure RP focused on a group of souls whose hearts have been trapped inside The Ever: a mysterious realm that takes many forms and puts various challenges in place for souls to complete and eventually answer the final question: Life by Light, and thus a continued struggle against the Darkness that saw them here in the first place, or Death by Darkness; the ultimate freedom from pain and strife, but a surrender in the face of challenges that haunt you.

If that sort of thing sounds interesting to you, and there is plenty more to come on that subject, I welcome you to apply. But first, let's go ahead and get squared away on the rules:

1. NCM RP section rules apply; no emojis, Advanced Clause, all that good stuff.
2. Host has final say on any and all creative disputes.
2a. I promise to be as forgiving and open as I possibly can be in this regard; the majority will most likely rule in the face of rule 2, saving extreme circumstances.
3. You're all intelligent people around here, but I'll say it anyway: Keep your powers in check. If something is blatantly overpowered, I will step in and force a change.
4. A Post is mandatory every 14 days unless agreed upon by the host and player in question. No exceptions.
4a. Seriously. No exceptions.
5. Not much of a rule, but I am not immune to criticism. If you have an issue with me, I would appreciate you approaching me privately so we can hash out whatever is ailing you.

 

Setting

Spoiler

 

After the battle atop The Castle That Never Was that saw Sora, Riku, and King Mickey take on the fearsome Xemnas, Kingdom Hearts was destroyed, and so too the place where all hearts were saved by light; to live and be harbored by the safety of light's eternal guidance. For some time after the destruction of Kingdom Hearts, life, and death, light and darkness, all the forces that had previously been controlling the fate of the universe merely ceased to exist. Souls existed until they didn't, and would eventually fade into the nothingness, lost forever by the lack of a destination for souls that needed help. The Heartless returned in droves; with no otherworldly force to bathe conflicted souls in light, no struggle was ever conducted, and the darkness took over without opposition. Without warning, Sora, the Keyblade Master, had vanished, and while other Keyblade Masters existed, they were not strong enough, and the battle was quickly lost. Consumed wholly by darkness, the universe that harbored so much good, and so much purity had been lost.

It was then that Ventus woke up.

Locked in the safety of the Chamber of Waking by the Keyblade Master, Aqua, Ventus's heart had rested long enough; the rapid consumption of light by darkness arose a great fear within the fragile Ventus, who had felt that a piece of him was missing upon waking up. Panicked, and fearful for the fate of friends, Ventus summoned Lost Memory and unlocked the keyhole behind the throne that Aqua had created to keep Ventus safe. Instantly, Ventus was pained by the rush of darkness that had stormed its way into the last remaining piece of light. He felt the darkness wrap around his heart, fighting strongly to rip it from him and seal the universe's fate. He nearly gave up before remembering the fate of his friends, and what Xehanort had done to him; why this was all happening. By miracle or by strength alone, Ventus resisted the urge to give in, and become a beacon of light himself. The Chamber of Waking began to shake as if something great had been awakened in the realm, and pure, powerful light shot from the door.

Planets had regained sunlight, souls awoke from a slumber that had felt eternal, and the universe had returned to mostly normal... only something was different. Souls had merely gone back to existing. It was not purely darkness, but not purely light. A battle had taken place, but it already felt concluded by the time a soul had passed and their heart ventured onward. Reports of souls losing all consciousness for up to days at a time only to return or be lost forever had arisen, studied extensively by a boy from Traverse Town. Whenever a report of a soul vanishing had come up, he would hop in his gummi ship and go there as fast as he could to document the steps. Something was different than before: it was no longer Kingdom Hearts, but something else that was deciding a heart's fate. The boy sought out the legendary Keyblade Master Ventus, who had restored light to the universe, and thus balance. Endless night had been spent traveling, tracking him down, fighting against horrible creatures spawned from the darkness that were mysteriously wounded by your average weapon, unlike the Heartless of the past.

After years of searching, the phenomenon became more common, and the balance was thrust into a panic once more, and the boy's travels had finally ended. His research had led him to a distorted version of the Land of Departure, the place where Ventus once trained with his dearest friends: Aqua, Ventus, and Terra. The boy approached the great hall, where Ventus sat alone, in the very throne he had been locked away upon while his heart slept, simply staring down the hall to the door.

"I knew you would come. You seek The Ever. The realm between life and death. It waits for you beyond this door, and knows you only as The Councilman. It seeks your knowledge; you must solve The Ever, Councilman. I fear it may be the only way to save Kingdom Hearts and return our world to normalcy."

"I'm ready, Ventus."

"If I open The Ever for you, Councilman... it will consume all who are lost. You must sort them, and lead them on their way back to the path of light. Swear to me your loyalty to this task, and to The Ever as well."

"I swear, Ventus. Open The Ever."

It was then that The Ever was opened, and where our story takes place. The Ever is a mysterious realm that can change shape, and in many ways resembles our own: There are cities, towns, rivers, places to travel and people to help. Some have even taken to making a business in The Ever, resigning their listlessness to a life of serving The Ever, a place where they can live their truest life. All who enter The Ever after having their heart corrupted by darkness are met by The Councilman, where they are given a mission and the chance to answer the final question under their own power. Otherwise, they are sent on their way to solve The Ever's many riddles and challenges through a simulation of life itself. These stories often intertwine and have created a community of souls with varying degrees of intensity towards their mission. Some choose to join together, other choose to go alone, but all seek answers from The Ever.

The Ever is not an oasis of self-discovery for all, however. Some are unable to ever find peace in The Ever, or discover a path towards enlightenment. Such defiance in the face of ultimate clairvoyance angers The Ever, which uses its mighty power to distort your very soul, and transform you into hideous beasts known to locals of The Ever as The Undecided. Once the distortion process has been completed, The Ever tosses you from its realm to the world you once came from, forever severing your tie from the body you originated in, and reducing you to nothing but 2 parts: a husk, and a monster, unable to remember anything from its past life other than a thirst for total darkness and destruction. To combat this horrible distortion, the Councilman sought out the strongest souls of light in The Ever and blessed them with his strength, making them cornerstones of the realm known as The Sages of Fairlight. As the only man to ever survive in The Ever without being distorted, The Councilman gave The Sages of Fairlight the strength of immortality within The Ever for a price: loyalty towards treating those being distorted by The Ever, and ending their suffering or seal them within The Ever before being cast to the worlds they came. It was not a policy The Councilman was proud of, but he could not risk destroying the planets all for the sake of his research eternal.

The Ever is potentially limitless, but not without major features that the cast will see and interact with quite often, even going as far to consume images of entire worlds in its path to provide ultimate enlightenment. These locations are as follows:

Fairlight Town: Regarded by the locals as the "capital" of The Ever, Fairlight Town is to The Ever what Traverse Town is to the universe of Kingdom Hearts. There are taverns, shops, places of residence, and perhaps most importantly the Fairlight Guild. Most things you seek will be found in Fairlight. Additionally, Fairlight is where all people are sent by The Councilman after your initial conversation with him.

Fairlight Guild: The Guild is Fairlight's Sage location, and where you can be trained in all manners of battle, should The Ever have robbed you of that knowledge when you were delivered here and wish to fight the waves of Undecided that plague The Ever as a whole. The Sages are the only way to discover the location of The Councilman, and the Sage stationed in Fairlight is the strongest of them all: the powerful and pure Sage Courth.
here

TRON.ERR.EXE: A crude reconstruction of the digital world, The Ever has constructed Tron City, a digital plane gripped with an iron fist by the evil Clu. As was the case when the world was known last, Tron seeks to protect all humanity, but can no longer protect humanity that enters TRON.ERR.EXE from Clu and his massive army of Black Guards and Undecided that he has reprogrammed for his own doings. TRON.ERR.EXE is accessible by flying ship only.

Prydain: Viewing the tale of the Horned King's chase for the Black Cauldron to create an endless army of undead as an allegory for the current situation, The Ever stressed the importance of  finding your way by swallowing the world of Prydain whole and granting the Horned King the power he desires, only over the Undecided. Plenty is to be done in this world, as The Horned King reigns supreme. Taran exists there with a renegade faction, seeking to overthrow the Horned King once more and bring peace to Prydain.

San Fransokyo: Dr. Callaghan has escaped his prison, and begun testing using microbots on the creatures known as Undecided. What he discovered was that bionics still function perfectly on the humanoid manifestations of darkness, and has crafted a Baymax of his own, known only as Prox. Baymax and the crew were forced to flee San Fransokyo in light of the invasion of Undecided, and Dr. Callaghan is reportedly seeking to channel the power of bionics and take over Fairlight.

Motunui: The volcanic demon Te Kā resurfaced in the face of darkness consuming all, before being locked in The Ever. Without a heart once again, Te Kā seeks to destroy Moana and Motunui, and forever rid the world of Te Fiti, and her heart.

Arendelle: After being consumed by The Ever, Arendelle was consumed by an eternity, blistering summer. Princess Elsa is unable to revert this weather using her powers of ice and seeks answers as to how to save Arendelle, believing it to be something other than The Ever's power; The Ever had left every other world unchanged, why would her world be so dramatically different?

The Councilman's Perch: Out in the vast nothingness of The Ever exists one solitary house, consumed by gray. Inside lives the councilman: surrounded by books and research. He seeks to one day undo his horrid mistake and seal The Ever for eternity, but will he be able to save all inside?

Perhaps there are even more worlds to discover.....

 

Plot

Spoiler

 

As The Ever continues to morph and grow in power, the Fairlight Guild has become worried the realm may grow stronger than its own boundaries and find a way into the Land of Departure, and thus the true universe. Suspicions have begun to brew that perhaps not everything is as it seems in The Ever, and certain parties may be not accomplishing the goals they speak of. Your character's mission is ultimately their own, however, and you may choose to either aid the Guild in containing The Ever, and finding the answers behind the realm's power and restoring Kingdom Hearts to bring things back to the way they were, or destroying the bond and paying back the universe you came from for plaguing your soul in this way; others may choose simply to survive and leave The Ever...

Which fate will you choose: Life, Death, or a path of your own?

 

Reference

Spoiler

The Undecided
The Undecided are horrible, humanoid manifestations of darkness crafted by The Ever as a punishment for not reaching a decision regarding your fate. They are able to be harmed by any weapon and all magic, unlike Heartless and Nobodies of the past.
I'll be adding more as we go along here.

Spoiler

The Sages of Fairlight
Sages are located in every realm, and are usually in hiding. They are unable to be harmed by The Undecided, and are the only ones known to be able to revert the distortion by The Ever. However, see a Sage too late and they may not be able to do anything for you.

The Councilman
The Councilman is the highest being of power within The Ever, and can cast spells of overwhelming power. He greets every soul upon entrance to The Ever, and seeks to help lost souls whenever he can, but is often in a trance, communicating with The Ever. Days of consciousness are often celebrated as The Councilman visits Fairlight to pass his blessings and ease the struggle of Fairlight against the Undecided.

He was entrusted by Ventus with the mission of solving The Ever and bringing back Kingdom Hearts, as they are believed to be related in creation and function.[/spoiler]

Ventus, Aqua, and Terra
If you're unfamiliar with these three, I would heavily suggest reading the Kingdom Hearts wikia on Birth By Sleep. But you can get the skinny on them, and how they pertain to KH:E here:

Aqua locked Ventus in the Chamber of Waking in Birth By Sleep while his heart was sleeping to protect him from the oncoming darkness. She has not been seen since entering the Castle of Darkness, but could very well be of aid, were she to be found and saved from darkness.

Ventus was the last stand against the all-consuming wave of darkness that plagued the universe, and is, in some way, responsible for creating The Ever. He waits at the Land of Departure, ready to close The Ever at any moment, should The Councilman fail his sworn duty.

 

Creating a Character! 

Spoiler

Alright, the fun part begins! Here's how creating a character is going to work, as there are some rules:
1. NO KEYBLADES. Nobody in The Ever has a heart, and there are no Heartless, Nobodies, Unversed, or Dream Eaters, so there's no reason to have a keyblade. Get creative with the weapon selection, so long as "Keyblade" is nowhere near the title.
2. Your character is not required to have a weapon. You may want one, but you are not required to have a weapon. However...
3. Your character must be combat capable. Sorry, no shopkeepers here. This is, above all else, an action-adventure RP, so you need to be able to fight.
4. Stick to one character for now. This might change by the end of the application process, but probably not.
5. You can move and add headings around in the application however you would like for a narrative, but you have to include all the headings provided in some fashion.

Application

Spoiler

 

Name:
Age:
Gender:
Physical description
An image isn't required but highly suggested.

If you do not include an image: 6 lines minimum of description. If you do: 3 is your minimum.

Biography
How did we get here? As a suggestion, I would dedicate a healthy portion of this detailing how your character either died or how you were consumed by the darkness. It is not random in this universe. Often times it will be a tragedy or some sort of battle, but it is never randomly decided that you have been consumed by The Ever. It may seem that way to those near to you, but in your heart of hearts, the struggle is well-documented.

2 paragraphs minimum.

Personality
What are they like? How should we get to know your character?

A single paragraph will do here.

Combat
Include all weaponry, powers, schools of magic, and otherwise here. You are encouraged to be highly creative in this section, but fair as well. I expect to be kept in the loop on this part, as I suspect that if there are any parts where an application gets out of hand, it'll be right here.

No limit or minimum, but be sensible.

Other stuff
Anything not covered in the other sections belongs here. This will often be character quirks. In this section, you must include your character's greatest fear.

 

 

Cast Of Characters

Spoiler

Nothing here just yet, but hopefully there will be soon!

If you're interested or considering creating a character, PM me with your discord tag and I'll add you to our very own server!

 

Edited June 23, 2019 by Cappuccijoe

[Chaos Sonic 442]

Dance Magic Dance

Spoiler

“I am the apprentice to Balthazar Blake, sorcerer of the 777th degree. Allow me to demonstrate what I can truly do!”

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Personal Information

---

Name: Trevor Masters

Age: 17

Gender: Male

World of Origin: Arcana Cabana [The Sorcerer’s Apprentice]

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Appearance

Spoiler

Height: 5’5”

Weight: 150 lbs

Depicted above is Trevor’s general appearance, with his grimoire, Cabanomicon, most usually hanging on his right side. On his left hand are a total of three rings, on the index, middle, and ring fingers respectively. His eyes are a brownish-amber color, while his hair under his hat happens to be put up in a ponytail.

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Personality

Spoiler

A young man with a strong aptitude for magic, Trevor is a studious individual and takes his studies quite seriously, especially if they involve Magic and other various Magic skills. This of course after his fated encounter with Balthazar, namely the studious portion of his self. Truthfully, Trevor wasn’t exactly the studying type, more or less the carefree, adventurous type who was always sketching and doodling things. Of course, when he found out he had the aptitude for becoming a sorcerer or wizard, Trevor did somewhat of a 180 on how he did things...while still keeping some of his previous attitudes. The main one being his adventure seeking mindset.

After being told his mundane life could be exchanged for one filled with magic and possibly adventure, Trevor’s spirit and heart jumped at this chance. In truth, Trevor’s heart, like many young individuals his age long for adventure beyond the world they find themselves in. The tutelage under Balthazar fed into this longing and it gave him a sort of wonder on what truly lay beyond his own world.

His carefree nature is namely shown when he’s on his down time, when he’s not meditating or studying Magic. Trevor’s favorite past time actually happened to be staring at clouds over head in his world, namely during the midday hours. Feeling the breeze around him as he watched the clouds over head and the skies painted with the appropriate afternoon colors from the sun, this gives him an almost nostalgic feeling of him being back on his world before his arrival in the Ever.

Aside from this, Trevor harbors a hidden fear that he tries not to make obvious to anyone else. He fears that if by some chance he returns to his world and reunites with his master, that things wouldn’t be the same. Due to his failure during the mage war and his inability to properly use the Cabanomicon nor notice the impending attempt on his life, he fears that Balthazar will not only cut all ties with him, but that he’d be denounced as his apprentice and be cast out. To him, Balthazar was somewhat of a father figure to him and to be denounced by him because of his failures then, it would more than likely crush the young sorcerer. To that end, Trevor has done his best to give everything he has in training and studying, hoping to correct his mistake. Nevertheless, it’s a strong fear that won’t leave his mind.

---

Biography

Spoiler

“Everything you thought you knew about this world is about to change...those were his words to me...”

Trevor lived his life quietly within the world known as Arcana Cabana, a world that resembled Manhattan. Growing tired of his simple life, knowing that he was able to aspire to greatness, he wished to find a way to try and escape the mundane. He never thought he’d ever be in the position he was...but fate found a way to lead him to a certain antique shop: Arcana Cabana. There, Trevor found met a man: Balthazar Blake, a centuries old sorcerer that was the apprentice to the wizard Merlin. Sensing a strange aura emanating from Trevor, Balthazar offered the position of becoming his apprentice, to which Trevor jumped on the chance...after all, this was a chance to leave the mundane of his life he only knew behind.

Months passed and Trevor was becoming quite the apprentice under Balthazar, and in such a short time as well. At the same time, Trevor had to get better as quickly as possible, due to his master warning that there would be a war coming soon...very soon. A war amongst sorcerers and sorceresses, between those who wished to use their magic for nefarious purposes...such as obtaining the hearts of innocent people, versus those who’d wish for this not to be the case. In this coming war, he and Balthazar would join in with quite a few of his allies and they’d wage war...and part of Trevor didn’t know if he could do this. Balthazar, however, had quite an amount of faith in the young boy, even presenting him with a red leather book with metal pieces as well as a chain connected to it. He was told this book was an unnamed grimoire that was passed down to Balthazar by Merlin himself, but it was apply named the Cabanomicon by the recent possessor of the book. This grimoire was one that held a number of strong magic skills and the possibilities of being able to utilize Summons, in order to fight beside him. Honored by this gift, Trevor humbly took the Cabanomicon and added it to his arsenal.

Months passed yet again, but this time the war of magic occurred. The world of Arcana Cabana was the battlefield and the skies were alight with magic of all kinds. It seemed as though Balthazar and Trevor were winning, but something unforeseen occurred in the form of the sorcerers and sorceresses vying for hearts ended up calling forth a darkness because of the darkness within their own hearts. This darkness was something that Balthazar knew about from his master and mentor, but Trevor never experienced this before...and try as he might...none of his magic would work against this...this darkness. With only one option left, he attempted to access the Cabanomicon and tried his hand at summoning forth a powerful Summon in order to turn the tide of battle.

Unfortunately, Trevor was still a novice at using this grimoire and wasn’t able to properly translate and read the inscriptions for the Summon he was trying for...and in this moment of weakness, an enemy sorceress struck him with a powerful piece of magic and he fell there in combat. His world going dark and all he could see was Balthazar striking back at the culprit and trying to revive his apprentice...but it was too late. Trevor was gone...lost to the darkness.

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Combat Information

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Weaponry

Spoiler

Cabanomicon

A red leathered and metal covered grimoire that Balthazar presented to Trevor as a gift that once belonged to Merlin. Within these pages are countless Magic skills, varying in difficulty and even some regarding Summons. Unfortunately, this grimoire’s contents are difficult to unveil and release due to the need of translations and proper reading of inscriptions, and thus makes it impossible to learn new Magic skills in the middle of battle. However, for certain skills that have already been taught to Trevor, he can use and utilize that level of the Magic skills via the grimoire. The magical book is also known to be quite strong and sturdy, allowing for the use of this grimoire to be handy in the sense of using it as a shield as well as a flail via it’s chain. After arriving in the Ever, however, Trevor hasn’t been able to open the grimoire, unknown to exactly why.

Magic Rings

According to his master, a sorcerer is absolutely nothing without his rings. Because of this, Trevor wears three on his left hand, each one helping him greatly in a specific style of magic (red for fire, yellow for Thunder, and blue for Blizzard). These rings project the electromagnetic energy of the wearer’s nervous system and gives it physical form when the MP used for the Magic synchronizes with the MP around the environment as well as the electromagnetic energy.

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Magic

Spoiler

Offensive Magic

• Fire

• Thunder

• Blizzard

Defensive Magic

• Aero

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Miscellaneous Information

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Trevor’s Theme (Alternative) | Battle Theme (Alternative)

• Greatest Fear:The greatest fear that Trevor has is that he failed Balthazar as an apprentice. He fears that if he ever saw his master again, that his failure during the mage’s war would be far greater than he ever realized and that his master would cut all ties with him.

• Trevor’s name means the following: Trevor - an Irish name that means “prudent, homestead”. Masters - an Anglo-Scottish surname, deriving from “magister” and meaning “superior, one who is in charge”.

• A possible fighting style I originally had in mind for Trevor was to base his style on another grimoire/book wielding individual in the world of KH: Zexion. However, further looking at how this character worked, which is that of being a mimic and using the skills of others, I decided against it. Could this be something I possibly go back and explore/add? Only time will tell.

• Before deciding on a character theme for Trevor, the option of using Magic Dance by David Bowie as the theme was considered. This instead became the Character Application’s little title.

• The name for the grimoire was presented by Yui originally as a joke, but because of the pun, I decided to run with it.

• This happens to be the second incarnation of the character of Trevor Masters. The first version of this character debuted in Phantom Roxas’ “Kingdom Hearts: 13th Requiem”. In that version, Trevor was a blonde, but still an apprentice under Balthazar. However, in that version, he had a heart still and became the Keyblade’s Chosen.

 

Edited September 20, 2019 by Chaos Sonic

[Wind Rider 10]

Drowned Explorer

Name: Melia Gaeleo
Age: 17
Gender: Female
Physical description

On account of her "death", Melia's skin has a much more pale complexion. Her skin, hair, and clothing are also noticably wet, with her clothes being especially soggy. This appearance is permanent due to how she was dragged into The Ever when she drowned, it irritates her, but for the most part it doesn't effect her in any significant way.

Biography
Melia is an explorer of sorts, dedicating her life to exploring the unknown and discovering new and fascinating things. She's been exploring with her parents ever since she was 10 and had only grown more curious about the many worlds that cover the universe. She hoped that she would eventually make a discovery all on her own and make her parents proud of her.

On account of some adventures being a bit too extreme for most people, Melia's father taught her in the way of the sword, particularly the curved scimitar. She developed quickly during her training and even managed to go toe-to-toe with her father before he taught her another lesson, the use of magic. Unlike her skill with a weapon, it took Melia longer to learn magic, most attempts either ending with an explosion of smoke or the ground collapsing where she stood. Eventually though, she was able to get the hang of it, joining her parents on more harrowing adventures, until the unthinkable happened.

During a boat trip to their next destination, they were attacked by an unknown force in the dead of night. With barely any time to prepare, the men boarded their ship and slaughtered the crew. The ship was ablaze from the fighting, and as Melia's parents left to go help the crew an explosion occurred. The ship split apart and began sinking as Melia tumbled and fell into the water below. Swimming back to the surface, a piece of debris hit her right in her head, disorienting her and causing her to lose her focus. She sank to the bottom of the sea, lost to the darkness of the deep waters.

Personality
Melia is a very curious person, always asking a question when she can and trying to learn about every little thing. As a result, she can come across as being a bit annoying, almost always clinging to a single subject until she gets the answer she's looking for. This can harm her chances of making friends, but looking past her annoying questions, she's just a curious and naive girl with a love for the unknown. She also has a love for animals, as she and her parents would regularly encounter them on their trips. She can't help but gush over how cute, cool, or weird an animal is and used to carry a scrapbook of all the animals she's seen.

Combat
Steel Blue Scimitar- A scimitar Melia received from her father upon completing her training. It's named after the bluish gray tint that it's blade seems to possess. Melia uses it to fight in an almost graceful, dance-like style. Flowing like water with each strike and using her movements to direct the blade towards her target.

Magic
Offensive- Fire, Water
Support- Cure

Other stuff
Battle Theme: 

  - Melia's greatest fear is that of being alone and lost without a way to go. She also had this fear before she started exploring with her parents as she sometimes thought that they might not return. This fear has manifested again as without her parents to guide her, she feels lost within The Ever.
  - Melia has a thing for sweets and always carried a little baggy of caramel wherever she went, just in case she got a craving.
  - The name of her mother and father, Julia and Leonhard, are etched into the hilt of her scimitar to remember them by.

[radio414 906]

Le Chef Vagabond

Spoiler

“We French never eat two eggs for breakfast. One is an oeuf.”

Name: Corentin Fournier (though will respond to “Cori” if you’re nice enough about it)
Age: 27
Gender: Male
Biography: Le Pont Le Plus Bas Du Chef Vagabond (The Nadir Of The Wandering Chef)

Physical Description:

Spoiler

Obviously back when he was formally working in a restaurant kitchen he’d have the proper attire, but now that he isn’t, well, this is the most likely kitchen one would find him in. He still has the outfit, and he’ll occasionally wear it for nostalgia’s sake if nothing else, but he doesn’t have a serious attachment to what he wears. They’re just clothes. And them being chef’s clothes doesn’t matter because, well, because he’s not a chef anymore.

There are items he does care about, though. When going around town, Cori likes to carry a beige messenger bag with him. It’s a bit worn from use and some parts are more than a little off-color, but that just serves to give it some character in his mind.

Personality:

Spoiler

“You misunderstand me. It’s not ‘poison,’ it’s ‘poisson.’ And it’s delicious.”

Corentin actually has a pretty bright disposition once you get past the whole “reason he’s in The Ever” thing. Always quick with a joke, especially some sort of pun (and especially some sort of food-related pun, French or no), he’s tried to brighten the day of those around him and, according to his customers, has certainly succeeded at that on one or two occasions. His work ethic is also something to be admired, and he has proven always willing to add to even the busiest of schedules to accommodate someone.

It's not all sunshine and celery stalks, of course. It's not that he shuts down entirely when cooking or brewing or whatever sort of work he's doing, no, there's still a hint of himself there, but it's only a hint. One might occasionally get the impression that he's working through the motions and nothing else, if only the results weren't consistently so brilliant a cook (or, these days, not too bad of an apothecary). That part of him, at least, refuses to change.

Interacting with Cori, therefore, is a balance between those two extremes. His sunnier dispositions and honed culinary talent certainly had the ability to bring people in, but there were always those moments of melancholy, where all he seems to be able to do is push people away. The pull generally outweighs the push, but it always varies from person to person.

Combat:

• Knives: Because what chef doesn’t have their own personal set of knives? Cori isn’t the most knowledgeable with regards to their use in combat, but he does know how to stab and cut with the best of them and when it comes to knives, he’s found that that’s enough.
• Various potions, poultices, tinctures, and tonics: Being an apprentice apothecary has its benefits, after all. The effects of all these abound, from alchemist’s fire to the ability to help mend broken bones to a variety of other sorts of minor effects. In a pinch, and with the right raw ingredients on hand, he can even make some of them on the fly.

Miscellanea:

• In case it wasn’t obvious, Corentin is inspired by Ratatouille.
• His biggest fear, well, he’ll answer that question in a lot of different ways. Way back when, it was that he’d be going through the traffic door at the same time as a murderer with a knife trying to go the opposite way. Except then they got there first and bashed his head with the door before, you know, then came the stabby bits.
• In more serious moments, he’d say that he was most afraid of someone not liking a dish he’d prepared, and knowing deep inside himself that they were right. It wasn’t that someone wasn’t satisfied that bothered him, it was the knowledge that he hadn’t done his best.
• But neither of those answers are truly his greatest fear. No, his greatest fear is an existential one. The existential one, perhaps. Corentin fears that, despite everything he’s put into his life, well, what is there after that? Le Chef Vagabond would close down eventually, everyone involved would either move on or pass on, and that would be that. What he was afraid of was that there was nothing else.

 

Edited June 30, 2019 by radio414

[Asriel Dreemurr 38]

That's "Commodore" to you!
 

Spoiler

Name: Commodore Regina Maree Flint
Age: 88 (Roughly equivalent to a human young adult)
Gender: Female
Physical Description

Spoiler

As with most of the alien species found within the Astral Sea, Regina’s body is mostly humanoid. Standing at a height of 269cm (8’10”), she positively towers over even the largest of men, and her athletic figure puts them to shame as well. Though she seems slim from a distance, and indeed is for her size, that slight womanly figure of hers is somewhat deceptive. Women with more “normal” heights might find themselves envious of her assets, assuming she ever allowed herself to be seen outside of her armored attire. Furthermore, as one would expect of a naval captain, Regina is hardly ever seen without her enormous cutlass and sidearm. So too is she accompanied by anywhere from two to two dozen robotic fish which swim through the air about her propelled by gravitic repulsors.

Of course, all of the ways in which she is similar to a human woman serve to accentuate the differences. Her skin is rough and gray, like a shark’s hide, and her fingers and toes are tipped with viciously sharp claws. In place of hair, a mass of large, muscular tentacles adorned with golden bands hang from her head. An enormous, spiny tail stretches out behind her back lashing angrily from side to side with every stride. Her face is rough and spiny, her nose barely more than a pair of slits just above her mouth filled with row upon row of viciously sharp teeth, and her eyes glow with a yellow-orange bioluminescence that splits the darkness around her.

Biography

Spoiler

The Astral Sea is a seemingly endless place, filled with nearly infinite opportunities for adventure and gain. Where the captains of Naval, Merchant, and of course Pirate vessels win fame and glory that often outlives them. The heroes and villains of every story are those who guide ships on daring journeys that sent their ships screaming across the black, dodging meteor storms, rogue planets, and gravitational anomalies.

Not that anyone who knew her as a young girl ever thought that little Regina Maree Desrosiers had any business thinking she could end up that way. Born out of wedlock to her mother Rosalin Gayle as a result of her profession, who was herself born out of wedlock to Madame Renie Desrosiers, everyone had every reason to believe she’d end up the same as all the women in her family; a prostitute who would eventually end up owning the, quite impressive, Brothel that had been in their family for as long as anyone could remember.

Of course, Little Regina had a few decades of freedom before she was quite mature enough for that line of work. And oh did she make use of them. Clever enough to manipulate those around her, and vicious enough to fight her way out of situations she wasn’t clever enough to avoid, she became something of a terror. Most of the other children in and around the docks of the great port city she called home were afraid of her, and more than a few of them ended up in a gang she led. As one might expect her mother was less than thrilled, and whenever she caught Regina behaving in an unladylike manner she would punish her severely. How would she ever attract customers if everyone was too afraid of her to even approach? Surprisingly, her grandmother was much the opposite. It seemed she saw something in the girl’s behavior that inspired a certain amount of nostalgia.

But all the same, when little Regina turned 22 and was starting to grow into a, for her species, fine and beautiful maid it seemed her mother’s wishes were going to win out. Her birthday presents were a room in the brothel, a set of skimpy outfits to accentuate her figure, and two more days and nights of freedom. Of course she was devastated, but in a moment of weakness resigned herself to her fate. That didn’t sit well with her Grandmother, who saw fit to finally explain to her why it was that she’d been so fond of her granddaughter running about like a demon.

As they made their way down to the basement of the brothel, she relayed the story of Captain Flint and his trove of treasures. It was a tale they both knew well, but new details crept into it which Regina was certain weren’t normal to it. Slowly it became apparent that her grandmother had known the Captain, and as they came to a dusty old chest in the corner she turned and looked Regina in the eye.

“The last time he left,” she said as she unlocked the chest and pushed it open to reveal a set of all the gear a young sailor might need. “Your grandfather told me ‘when my Son’s good and grown you give him my chest here, and send him off on his way.’ Well I never had a son, but I see enough of old Johnny in you that I don’t think he’ll mind.” The two women regarded each other for a moment, before Regina reached out and hugged her grandmother tightly ‘round the chest. She quickly dressed herself in the sailor’s clothes inside, which she was assured she’d grow into, packed a few personal items she wanted to bring along, and ran as fast as she could away from that brothel with the chest over her shoulder.

Before her mother even knew she had thrown herself aboard the first ship making its way out of port that she could find, which thankfully had a few boys from her gang already aboard to vouch for her. While having a woman on a ship was generally considered unlucky, a few stories of successful female officers convinced the captain to keep her along. If only to “give the crew something pretty to look at” while they did their duties. Not that Regina allowed herself to just be a pretty face, and the one or two crewmen who didn’t take the warnings not to touch her seriously found out that she was pretty tasty with her fists quick enough. After their first ship she was the Chief Midshipman. By the fourth she was Quartermaster. And on the eve of the crew’s thirteenth voyage together the captain announced her as his first mate, which was met with cheers of approval by the rest of the crew. The next day they set out with a hold full of precious cargo bound for Montressor Spaceport.

Of course their fair vessel The Nautilus never found its way to that place. Pirates were ever a problem on the trading lanes, and after a baker’s dozen runs without being troubled their luck ran out. Without warning, during the second watch of their fourth night their solar sails were pierced by laser fire and a wicked looking vessel came screaming upon them. Regina was barely awake by the time the first of the boarders were on their deck, and by the time she’d kicked the door to her quarters open and stumbled out the ship was already ablaze. Unwilling to die like this, she once more grabbed hold of her grandfather’s chest, after digging out the sword and pistol inside of it, and put her legs to use by leaping aboard the pirates’ ship, much to the amusement of the crew. Of course they all stopped laughing when she snarled.

“My name is Regina Maree Flint!” She shouted over the roar of the burning ship behind her. “And I says that whichever of you worthless dogs is captain’s not fit to shine my boots!” Nevermind that she’d forgotten to actually put them on, the ragged man who led that lot took the insult as something he ought to answer personally. He jumped at her with his sword before she had even drawn hers, and took her right arm clean off at the shoulder. Of course she repaid him by putting her pistol in his mouth and popping his head like Gallagher to a watermelon. She shot dead three more of the lot that tried to take her and had the fourth nearly crushed in her tail before the call went up to stand down, as a remarkably young fellow who introduced himself as Doc. Callahan stepped up and vouched for her to be their captain next. There was a bit of bickering among them, which gave the doctor time enough to stop her bleeding out there on the deck, but it was agreed that they’d at least give her as much a chance as the now headless body she’d been stood on. Her first order was to take on whatever of the Nautilus’s crew what would go with them, and send those that wouldn’t off with enough food and water to get them back to port. She passed out from the loss of blood shortly thereafter, and awakened a few days later mostly unmolested in the captain’s quarters.

She knew that she needed some bold move to secure the loyalty of her crew, and she had just such a move in mind. After her years working on The Nautilus she’d gotten some idea of naval patrols, and she had a specific mark in mind. A Man-of-War christened the HMS Galaxy. She was a fine vessel, well-built well-armed and with an able crew, but the Captain knew Regina, and Regina knew he had some feelings for her. So she had the pirates move their vessel, little more than a sloop, along its patrol route and simply wait. Before long the Galaxy showed herself, and Regina began her ploy. She went to stand on the bow of the ship, dressed up in a gown and with the bandages over her severed right arm on display. She was spotted in short order, and the Galaxy moved to close quarters alongside them. The last thing her captain saw was a pleasant smile splitting into a vicious grin before she shot him in the head and shouted the order to board. In minutes the whole of the pirates were aboard, and before the hour was out the whole of the ship belonged to them. In the midst of celebration that night, the crew shouted their loyalty to the new Captain Flint and she rechristened the ship The Screaming Kraken. At the tender age of 29, she was well on her way to matching her Grandfather’s meteoric rise to infamy.

For fifty-nine years after, Regina was a terror on the shipping lanes and even Royal Naval vessels weren’t a match for her. She gradually built a fleet of seven ships, and eventually put the fear of the name Flint back into the minds of everyone who dared cross the Astral Sea. At the same time she was a heroine to Pirates everywhere throughout it, and was at the center of a steadily growing, and highly informal, Pirate Republic. They even found an uncharted world to base themselves out of, and named it Flint’s Harbor. In that time, Doc Callahan had also seen to replacing her severed arm with a cybernetic replacement. One which had a few further functionalities built into it. All the same, as she celebrated her 88th birthday in amongst a gathered armada of what must have been half the pirates in the galaxy, Regina had no reason to believe that anything could go wrong.

Of course, there was glory to be found in hunting pirates. Glory that could make a young officer’s career, and that was certainly part of what inspired the young Captain James Hawkins to put together a task force to hunt down the Legend’s Granddaughter. The pair eventually ran afoul of each other, in an asteroid screaming around a black hole. The battle of theirs made it seem that the system was once again bathed in the light of a star, as the daring pair swung hither and thither around each other until finally, after a running battle that had left the pirate fleet broken and battered, Regina and the survivors of her loyal crew were captured. Their trials were, predictably, short, and they were sentenced to be hung by the docks of Montressor. The irony was not lost on Regina, who went laughing to the gallows and kept laughing long after the drop failed to snap her neck and the life was slowly strangled out of her. But of course, with the state of every world in peril, death was only the beginning...

Personality

Spoiler

If ever there was a captain who could be said to fulfill that most curious of ideals, the Dread Pirate, her name might well be Regina Flint. Good to those who are good to her, she happily sees that every crewman who participates in a raid gets an even share of the loot from it, offers crew from the ships she pillages places in her fleet, and makes sure her captives are, mostly, well cared for. A particular young nobleman she “entertained” aboard the Kraken once called her “the most accommodating pirate [he] had ever met.” Of course that was after she’d cut his guards to pieces with a smile on her face, but who cares for such trifles? She is further unflinching in action, and attacks anything that opposes her plans with a viciousness that has seen Royal Naval ships surrendered to her mere moments after her boarding. In fact several, unsubstantiated, rumors about her eating pieces of the men and women she’s killed have circulated through nearly every port she’s been in. Though she is far from shy about using her teeth.

And underneath all of that, she really is not so different from the man who took her in. The whole reason she first set out on The Nautilus was a hunger for adventure she never would have experienced otherwise. She never lost that hunger, and it fueled the enthusiasm she’s managed to keep through everything. From the day she lost her arm to the day she lost her freedom she’s kept it, and the humor she found in her death was at the idea of finding yet another uncharted sea to sail. She sees The Ever as just that, one more sea to tear across and find everything she never would have before. But of course, she does have a few goals to work towards.

First and foremost she wants to find the errant vessels from her fleet, abundantly certain that every last one of them and their crews have ended up in The Ever as well. Her remaining goals, in no particular order, are to become the most feared pirate in this deathless realm, plunder enough wealth that she could never possibly spend it all, and to finally find her Grandfather. That is, if Captain J. Flint can even be found in this place.

Combat

Spoiler

Weapons

Spoiler

Captain Flint’s Heirlooms: Wielded, once upon a time, by the more famous pirate by that name, this sword and pistol are probably worth much more than their weight in gold. Both of them are well balanced, in spite of their significant size, and can be wielded quickly in Regina’s practiced hands. With these weapons, she is a considerable threat at medium to close range.

What Her Momma Gave Her: Of course she’s just as good without weapons as with them, and her species’ claws and teeth are very sharp. The prehensile tail behind her, good for keeping her tall frame balanced, is also a weapon with which she can sweep and grapple.

The Captain’s School: An affectionate name for the robotic fish which swim through the air around her, these little buggers hold a nasty surprise. Each and every one of them contains an explosive charge, which can be detonated on command after they bite down on a target to arm it. Having a grenade go off when it’s literally stuck to you is, as you might expect, harmful.

Equipment

Spoiler

The Doctor’s Gift: The loss of her right arm was not as crippling as it would have been for others, thanks in no small part to Doc Callahan’s prosthetic replacement. A permanent mechanical addition to her body, the metallic construction thereof is much more resilient than her scaly skin, something of a nasty surprise to opponents who try to disarm her. Furthermore, it has a few other functions. Namely an arcane power source, allowing her to perform some magic and thus making her an even more dangerous foe.

The Nobleman’s “Gift”: Regina is no fool, and once upon a time she cut a deal with a nobleman that she captured. In return for safe passage back to his home, he would always keep his harbors open to them. More over, as a show of good faith, he commissioned a suit of armor for the Captain to wear. This armor is quite the thing indeed, fitting nicely to her body and providing protection while its integrated power sources make sure it doesn’t slow her down.

Ships

Spoiler

The Screaming Kraken: The first ship Regina and her crew ever took, this Man-of-war is fast, sturdy, and armed to the teeth. Its principle armaments are “The Kraken’s Teeth,” a pair of enormous plasma cannons mounted on either side of the bow. Just a single warning shot across the bow from these two was often enough to make a crew stand down. In the Ever, she and her crew are once again under Regina’s command.

The Devil’s Reach: The second of the two Men-of-war in Regina’s fleet, the Reach is just as fast and just as deadly. Captained by one “Big Tom” Cutter, the bastard son of the noble who gave the commodore her armor, she mounts a full forty-seven laser cannons along with fourteen assorted guns on deck. Though she doesn’t quite have the same range, she makes an excellent anvil to the Kraken’s hammer. Presently unaccounted for.

The Christian II: When he and his crew were jumped by three heavily armed frigates, Jamie Dawson thought he’d bought the farm. The timely intervention of the Reach and Kraken saw them shredded, and Captain Dawson swore himself to the pirates afterwards. Rebuilding his ship from the wreckage, The Christian II is more than a match for three small Ships-of-the-line these days, mounting a mix of weaponry that makes it ideal for hunting vessels larger than it. Currently its whereabouts are not known.

Harrington’s Quarter: After their captain Dame Harrington was murdered when she surrendered to enemies of the Empire, the crew of this vessel named it in her honor and swore revenge. They fell in with Flint and her fleet, and were happy to stay as long as they got to raid the bastards who killed their beloved captain. Even among pirates these lot were known for partaking in vicious boarding actions, and the array of Harpoon Cannons mounted on the Quarter meant they could get in close to do just that. It’s whereabouts are unknown, but Regina suspects they are searching the Ever for their late Captain.

The Fighting Lady: A mercenary warship whose crew was turned on by their employers, the Lady was found by Flint and hers limping across the Astral Sea without much hope of ever surviving. They swore on with the pirates after their asses were pulled out of the fire, and quickly became adept at opening up ships to expose weak points for the others to exploit. At present it is unknown where they are.

The Antelope & The Red Right Hand: Once a pair of explorer’s ships, these two vessels joined the fleet at around the same time. Lightly armed and armored, but incredibly fast, they serve as scouts outside of battle and harass from the outskirts during it. At present, they are unaccounted for.

Skills

Spoiler

Dirty Shot: The specifics sometimes vary, but this swift hit to some place sensitive leaves the target stunned for a short time.

Inspire: A quick shout of something to the effect of “put your backs into it!” is sometimes all it takes to get people to put a little more effort into something. Increases attack speed and damage on target.

Marking Shot: A practiced eye can pick out an enemy’s weak spots, and a quick shot can be enough to point it out. Reduces defenses on target.

Shake it off: Sometimes she slaps you on the back, other times she shoves a lemon in your mouth. Breaks croud control and boosts defenses on target.

Call Bombardment: Rather than rely on summoning fantastic creatures to assist in battle, Regina simply marks a target and calls out to her ships to fire onto it. With only the Kraken available, the bombardment opens with two high damage but limited area impacts from the “teeth” which is followed shortly by a lower damage but larger area volley from its smaller guns.

Magic

Spoiler

Cure/Cura
Tranquil Wind

Reflect

Slow
Fear
Poison

 

Other Stuff

Spoiler

Regina’s greatest fear is quite simply the loss of control. To once again be caught in a position where she is utterly helpless to change her fate.

 

 

Edited July 7, 2019 by Asriel Dreemurr

[ChampionZero 62]

Hold Onto Your Butts!

Spoiler

Name: Crash Landon
Age: Teen (programmed)
Gender: Male (programmed)

Physical Description

Spoiler

Crash appears, at first blush, to be an ordinary teenager of ordinary proportions, no longer being in his game: wearing a t-shirt with a gold star, cargo pants, gauntlets (as in long gloves) and boots. His hair is dark and perpetually spiky, and his eyes are blue. His motions often seem sudden, being as he's normally a 16-bit character, and his movements/expressions are often accompanied by visible special effects. He does not bleed, but he does flicker and spark when injured.

Personality

Spoiler

 

Crash speaks modestly of himself, but is undeniably proud of his skill and readily accepts praise for it. He's something of an adrenaline junkie now that he's not entirely digital anymore, actively seeking out strong opponents and never backing down from a challenge. He's a bit overstimulated and, if idle for too long, starts to fidget and perform various idle animations from his game. All of this is due in part to the fact that he has been programmed to be like a teenage boy-- by people who clearly don't remember what a normal teenage boy is supposed to be like.

 

Biography

Spoiler

 

Half flesh, half steel. Humanity's defender against the uprising of rogue robots and a mad scientist bent on world domination. This is the story of Crash...

Except not really.

You see, Crash isn't REALLY the metal-based clone of a scientist meant to protect the world from evil: He's a video game character, and one perfectly aware of it. It's his job to play through the game for the entertainment of kids at the Arcade. He's been doing it for years, and he wouldn't change a thing about it. His life revolves around fighting the various bosses of his game, then going to Tappers for drinks with them after hours. He's good friends with characters from his and other games, and he loves to see the smile on kids' faces when they finally beat one of his notoriously difficult bosses. He wouldn't change a thing...

So what happened?

One day, Crash is doing his job. Everything's normal... but then something goes wrong. A glitch forms, a snag in Crash's code, corrupting the game. The moment the big orange sign appears on their screen, they know what it means. "Out of Order." The worst fate a game can recieve... unless you count what comes after.

The characters of the game scrambled to escape as the game was unplugged, but one of them stayed behind. Crash stayed, to make sure every last character escaped, but at the gate they looked back and saw him there, his hand resting on the invisible barrier preventing the glitch-- and therefore him-- from leaving the game. He smiled to them as the world around him faded, breaking to bits, and when he shut his eyes and the walls closed in, he had only time to think...

"I had a good run."

How arrogant to assume he would simply die. How presumptuous. And now, here he is-- trapped in the Ever with only fragments of the world he knew, searching for a way home. He's not the hero anymore-- but the councilman has given him a new purpose: controlling the population of the Undecided by systematically eliminating the biggest threats. This is where we are now.

*This* is the story of Crash.

 

Combat

Spoiler

 

Crash's combat skill normally lies in picking up weapons from the enemies he fights: the gauntlets he wears allow him to replicate or assimilate such weaponry without issue, and he can select them at will. The problem here is that Crash's enemies were usually robots, and the Ever's supply of robots is short, at best. The good thing is that some of Crash's game followed him into the Ever, granting him the ability to interact with the Ever as if he were still in the game: simply put, defeating opponents in the Ever still allows him to copy their weapons/abilities. He can 'carry' four, but only 'use' up to two (or dual-wield one). As well he can hold up to two passive 'upgrades,' also obtained by defeating opponents.

Even without his gauntlets and the weapons they grant him, however, Crash is a capable fighter: He's acrobatic and athletic, capable of leaping his height or more off of solid surfaces of any angle, manoevering himself in mid-air, and landing without injury from nearly any height; his punches can break bricks and dent steel without further augmentation; He can slide, crawl, or roll through narrow gaps; and he has a limited ability to absorb and release electricity (being a formerly digital being)

 

Other Stuff

• Crash's biggest fear is change. Once upon a time, everything had a system to it, and the change ruined everything. Now, changes to the status quo outside his control terrify him. He's lost all his friends, his home, and the life he loved-- to suffer such a fate again would be more than he could bear.
• Crash's internalization of his game's code allows him to heal by eating food, switch gender if needed, and treat his enemies like boss battles. A music track also follows him wherever he goes.