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V_Phantom -> Overspark Quest OOC (4/19/2014 5:14:20)
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Link to Game Thread.
First of all, I have to warn you: I'm good when it comes to creating characters and developing ideas, but I'm terrible when it comes to names. “Overspark Quest” is mostly a placeholder name, and so are most of the names (for both characters, places and concepts) that I'll mention. So, you're highly encouraged to suggest better alternatives to them; after all, this is a story I want to craft with the help of everyone, so that would be a nice place to start.
About Magic / Powers...
On this setting, there two methods that allow characters to employ super-natural abilities. Neither of them is mutually exclusive, so it's possible to employ both at the same time, but one of them is clearly superior to the other, only not as “immediate”, as I'll explain now...
-“Etherian Magic”: Born from the study and manipulation of the Etherium, this kind of power requires a supply of the “miracle” substance and special equipment in order to be used, usually in the form of a special backpack and gauntlet combo. In essence, it works like minor form of reality warping; if you can think of an effect, and your mind is disciplined enough, it's 95% possible you can make it happen. Telekinesis, pyrokinesis, light manipulation, restoration, it's a extremely versatile kind of power.
HOWEVER, because of the drastic decay of Etherium's energy, this kind of magic has become extremely unreliable and unstable. Sometimes “spells” come up as weaker than intended, or far more powerful than intended, and can also be extremely unwieldy. They also require lots of “juice” in order to work, as they drain Etherium “batteries” faster than a PSP. And on top of that, since the element has become progressively more scarce, if one ends up wasting too much of it, eventually you won't be able to request more fuel for it.
-“Overspark Magic”: A recently discovered kind of power. Mortals are not sure of how you acquire it, but it seems to manifest sporadically within those born after Neo Albion's exodus, 30 years ago. The Overspark is kind of a “godly gift”, and a power that starts relatively weak/simple, (usually, you can only create one effect to begin with) but it grows stronger as you cultivate it. How do you do so? By forming bonds with others bearers of the Overspark.
Allow me to explain with a hypothetical case: Alice has the “Lightning” Overspark, which allows her to fire “electric bullets”; meanwhile, Bob has the “Shield” Overspark, which creates a personal barrier to repel physical blows. At some point, Alice and Bob become friends, and their Oversparks start nurturing each other. Now Alice can summon a “static field” which emits powerful electric discharges within a certain radius around her, and Bob's barriers can absorb electricity, so he can bounce them back to their source, or store them for later use. Their basic abilities also become more powerful as a result, and as their friendship grows stronger, they will acquire more “combined” abilities.
So, as reluctant as I am to reference a certain show about colorful equine creatures, “Friendship is Magic” would be a rather accurate way to describe the essence of it. HOWEVER, there are other ways to nurture an Overspark, like rivalries with other bearers. Only that in those cases, instead of acquiring characteristics similar to those of the rival, their Oversparks start developing methods to “counter” them; not necessarily an ability which completely nullifies their power, but something that makes it more difficult for them to use it on their rivals.
There are other rules to this kind of powers, but I'll explain them as issues related to them appear.
NPCs
Reginald Grenwalt, regent of Geartown: A scrawny, overtly nervous, borderline neurotic man; Reginald doesn't look like your traditional kind of leader. And that's because a turn of “fate” put him in a position he didn't want to be in. He used to be the right hand man of the previous mayor, a bombastic yet charismatic and highly motivated man who was key in the development of their “exploration campaign”. Unfortunately, that mayor died during one of said expeditions, leaving Reginald in charge. While Reginald has a lot of qualities and abilities extremely valuable for a leader, (he's good at organization, and he always plans ahead to be prepared for any eventuality) he doesn't have the “presence” nor motivational aptitudes of his predecessor, making his job a constant struggle to him. However, he always believed in his boss' vision and ideals, so he wants to continue with the campaign inspired by those dreams, dreams of a prosperous and proud Albion, one which embraces the world around it instead of rejecting it.
“Gameplay-wise”, you could consider him the main “quest giver” in Geartown. That said, it's not necessary to focus in fulfilling his requests, and he encourages initiative among his peers, so you can do almost anything you want. That said, he doesn't take it lightly when someone does something that could threaten Albion's survival. You can still do things like those, as long as he (nor his underlings) never finds out that you did.
Sibylle, The Unbound Dreamer: One of the “supreme beings” (who some people would refer as gods) who roam the planet, Sibylle is an unpredictable creature however you look at her... Literally, as her appearance always changes depending on who is interacting with her; sometimes she might look like a beautiful woman, or a cute little girl, or a kooky old lady, or a talking giant mutant mongoose. Apparently, she acquires a new form each times she meets a new person, and even her equals can't tell if she has a “true form”.
She's a free spirit with a trickster streak who likes doing things out of sheer amusement, and whenever she's grows bored of the world, she's likely to retire to her “secret place” to sleep for a couple thousand years before returning to play once again.
She doesn't believe in such things as the struggle between good and evil, seeing them as arbitrary impositions which inhibit possibility. To her, change and conflict are the things that truly matter. She also values emotions and personal relationships, seeing them as essential forces forces in the creation of the chaos and movement she holds so dear.
She's the source of all Oversparks, and also the entity responsible for Albion's release from their unbreakable prison, all this as part of her latest “social experiment”. While she doesn't directly intervene nor manipulate mortals in order to accomplish her goals, unlike some of the other “gods”, she likes to roam the planet from time to time to indulge into its worldly pleasures, as well as to “experience” the results of her schemes.
Griff, the Gatekeeper: A being of order and control, Griff is a guardian of the space-continuum, a custodian who watches over reality's fabric in order to ensure its integrity and security. Very few mortals have ever seen him, but his form resembles that of a mechanical humanoid being covered in tattered cloak, almost like robotic grim-reaper. That said, there's an undeniable “knightly” vibe to him, thanks to his regal and dignified behavior. He wields a golden hammer which is said can vanquish anything.
He rarely interferes in the conflicts of the mortal plane, instead focusing on maintaining the inner-workings that make everything on it possible. Even massive extinction events don't guarantee his intervention, unless said phenomenons also threaten reality's fabric. Because of that, he might appear indifferent or utterly alien to the tribulations of the world.
He's the creator of the “Labyrinth of Mirrors” that allowed Albion's survivors to break free from their prison. Despite his usually distant nature, he was convinced by Sibylle to create the portal network due to a bet she made with him. She wanted to prove Albion could learn from his past experiences in order to change and “rectify what went wrong”; but Griff holds nothing but contempt for Albion's arrogance and greed, and he wants to prove Sibylle they're doomed to repeat their mistakes, something which will eventually trigger their own extinction.
Some "miscellaneous" musings
-You can't start being friends with an Overpark bearer as part of your backstory, because could lead some some nasty “early game exploits”, and that would limit the interaction with other player characters I want to encourage.
-No, you can't have the ability to instantly make friends either, (you're not the player character from South Park: The Stick of Truth) specially if it is an “informed attribute”. I want for the characters interactions to be feasible and compelling, so being able to befriend anyone instantly, despite the character having the charisma of a cold pancake is extremely lousy.
-That said, even if your character isn't a friendly-type, you can still increase your Overspark abilities in other ways. The “rivalry system” is one of them, but there are other ways I'll reveal as the story goes on.
-Enchanted weapons don't exist on this setting... At least not right now, though it might be possible for an Overspark to create them. However, unbreakable weapons and tools are surprisingly common, as Albion's artificers created a lot of them using Eternium before magic started to go haywire. That said, they can't create new ones, so you better take care of them if you start with a few on your inventory.
-At first, you'll only be able to start as an Albion citizen, but as story progresses, people from other realms (and races) might become available. And yes, they also have Overspark potential, as that's a gift Sibylle granted to them, too.
There's still a lot more to explain, but I'll do so as the questions start appearing, and according what I deem pertinent. Also, I'd like to start as soon as possible, because I've learned from my past experiences that “over-planning” usually ends up killing my stories before they even start, and that improvising and adapting to the available characters and circumstances actually yields more unique and creative results.
This is a story I want to craft with the help of everyone, and I highly encourage to suggest new concepts and ideas in order for them to be adapted and incorporated.
Character Profile Template
Name: (Self-explanatory)
Age: (Also self-explanatory, but remember that your character can't be more than 30 years old if you want an Overspark)
Appearance: (Quite straightforward too. You can also include a mention to their preference when it comes to clothing, but that's not indispensable)
Personality: (How do they roll, yo? Be aware that I'll be extremely cautious when it comes to “super-friendly” characters, because they have to be congruent when it comes to it, otherwise I'll call shenanigans. For example, you can't have a “super-friendly” who is also a bitter and manipulative cynical with no empathy nor interest in the world)
Job: (Even the youngest inhabitants of Geartown have a purpose and duty, mostly because how few of them are. Are you a guardian who fights against monsters? An artificer who creates new inventions to make life easier? A full fledged explorer who rarely stays in town for too long? There are many possibilities; and in case your character is a bit too young for a full-fledged “job”, you can be an apprentice of one)
Hobbies: (Of course, all work and no play makes jack a dull boy, so make sure to mention what does your character do to have fun, improve themselves, or just "pass the time")
Skills: (“Real world” skills, like combat training, swimming, blacksmithing, cooking, etc. That said, don't go too overboard, or I'll call shenanigans)
Family and friends: (A brief description is good enough. Remember, you can't start as a friend of an Overspark bearer on your backstory.)
Story so far: (A brief synopsis of what has been going on with their life since their birth up to the story's start)
Personal Objectives: (What are their current goals at the start of the story? Do they want to help with Albion's plans? Or do they want to do their own thing? It doesn't matter if their goal is “villainous”, that's a valid option too.)
Overspark: (The kind of power they have been granted. Remember that your first ability starts relatively simple and straightforward, so don't go overboard here. Ultimately, I'll be the one that decides how their power evolves and develops, so always keep that in mind. Be sure to replace your "first draft" with my edited description once I provide it to you)
Overspark Skills: (Do not put anything on this space when you first submit your application. However, after choosing your Overspark class, and as your character becomes more powerful, I'll provide you with information to add to his section. This is the list of skills/effects your Overspark gains over time; keep them in mind in order to determine your available options at any given time)
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