Topic: The Supplement RP Thread

[Strider Xhaiden]

I've no problem if anyone else wants to take stab at advancing the canon for any particular character. I've already given Doc permission to do whatever he likes with Typhon, so feel free to headcanon stuff as much as you like. 

Trimming the active character roster's as much a way of helping me keep my own head clear on stuff as it is making it easier for everyone else to keep track of things. I know my RP posts tend to be longer and generally more wordy than most, so if I have less characters to write for I should be able to trim some of them down to a more acceptable standard. Probably.

Oh, and I gave Maia the character builder treatment if anyone cares. She's just a background character in ManaVerse right now, but I figure she's important enough to have an actual appearance. Or at least a rough approximation of what I'm envisioning.

[spoiler]
For anyone who hasn't read the supplementary stuff further back in the thread, Maia's a demi-bird like Xhai, but where he's an Osprey (post-revision, anyway. Finding out that Peregrine Falcons are technically cannibals sorta killed my enthusiasm for that idea) she's a Scarlet Macaw. Her hair should be the same shade of red as her wings, but..... *shrug*[/spoiler]

[Sakura Leic]

Speaking of which with Xhai retconed out of Wilypoclypse was Ky still in Siraj's cybernetics?  And how did Ky get in Alastor's body?

[Strider Xhaiden]

Ky being in Siraj's cybernetics is a yes. That whole "salvaged after borockman blew him up" bit followed by the "used as materials for a series of ethically dubious cyborg experiments" thing still happened.

As for Alastor.....When he started showing signs of rebellion (I remember making a post early on in one of the RPs where he figured out that Doc was lying to him and started plotting something in retaliation), Doc gave him the Copy-Bot Special (keeping his "completely mind-wiped" bit intact) and sent him to the research facility for further study. After all, it's much easier to experiment with someone who can't object to stuff, right? Ky would eventually pick up on the weak network presence generated by whatever was left in Alastor's head, and history followed the course I'd set previously, only instead of Xhai and Co. trashing the place, it's Ky-lastor doing it instead.

Doc assumed Alastor was responsible for that, right up until Ky posted that selfie of him and Typhon at the end of Ruby's introductory story.

[Sakura Leic]

Yeah early in Wilypocalypse Alastor was a Maverick hunter that teleported to Websita during the battle PB was kidnapped, he followed the teleport signals of the Robot Masters to Wily's base and then was captured and brainwashed but eventually figured out something wasn't right. 

That's how it went down I believe.

[Strider Xhaiden]

Yup, that sounds right to me.

Doc eventually twigged that Alastor knew something was wrong. One Copy-Bot Special later, and Robo-Ky rises from the ashes like a goddamned phoenix and enacts glorious vengeance on those who wronged him just sorta turns up and starts wrecking stuff before disappearing into the night. That incident may or may not have encouraged Mika to start experimenting with Minty's combat capabilities.

[Sakura Leic]

Okay that makes sense.

[Strider Xhaiden]

Yeah. Honestly I'm kinda scared at how quick I can improv stuff like this. Or do so while tying it into stuff that happened years ago.

[Dr. Wily II]

It just shows you can adapt accordingly, which is a good thing as well.

[spoiler]
For anyone who hasn't read the supplementary stuff further back in the thread, Maia's a demi-bird like Xhai, but where he's an Osprey (post-revision, anyway. Finding out that Peregrine Falcons are technically cannibals sorta killed my enthusiasm for that idea) she's a Scarlet Macaw. Her hair should be the same shade of red as her wings, but..... *shrug*[/spoiler]

[spoiler]Xhai wants to eat Maia... If you know what I mean.
... I'm sorry. ._.[/spoiler]

[Strider Xhaiden]

I was given some advice recently that struck something of a chord with me, and it ties in well to something I've been meaning to do for a long time anyway.

So.

Henceforth, I'm wiping the slate and stepping away from RPs and whatnot for an indeterminate amount of time. I'm going to take a long, serious, look at everything I've done with my existing characters, and everything I'd planned to do in the near future. Revisions will be made, changes will be made, and I will eventually begin to post stuff again.

I've had some interesting ideas of late, but don't want to just rush them out without any kind of forethought or pre-planning, and so I'm going to take as much time as I need to get everything together, make sure it all works, and that I'm happy with it all, and I may try to get back into writing/RPing once everything's settled. As I have achieved nothing of note in either of the ongoing RPs, I don't see this as a great loss, but I apologise for anyone who's upset or inconvenienced by my doing this.

I'm not leaving the site - although the Wrestling Thread is on a temporary hiatus while I try to resolve issues regarding my equipment -, I just won't be active on the RP boards at all for who-knows-how-long.

Thanks for your time, guys. I'm sorry to have wasted so much of it with sloppy, ill-thought out ideas.

[Sakura Leic]

If that's what you feel like you have to do then that's fine, take your time to figure things out.

[Dr. Wily II]

D:
To be honest, I don't really find what you have posted sloppy.
However, if you do feel the need to take a step back, I can't and will not stop you.

WE WILL BE WAITING FOR YOU

[Strider Xhaiden]

Thanks, guys.

Basically, what I'm intending to do is take a good, long look at my characters, refine them to a point where I don't feel a need to keep making sudden changes, and come up with a definitive, concrete reason why such a varied cast would be connected as a group.

I've no intention of spoiling anything right now, but I will say that part of this is connected to a concept I've liked for a long time. Well, that, and some characters may be drastically different in looks/concept if and when they return.

[Amatiramisu]

I decided to just write some short stories in my down time whenever I feel the inspiration. I wrote the first one tonight. Just a warning, these'll be a little rough since I'm out of practice and didn't feel like editing at 3AM.

Also understand these'll be only... Semi-canon I guess? I might reference them in actual gameplay but these are mostly for my own satisfaction and fleshing out the characters/universe.

(Although I'm not sure how well the setting of this one fits into the Manaverse canon, but it's not really wholly canon so I'll mess with the universe however I like.)

[spoiler=Florence Anelon Story #1, Or, I Went Crazy With Alliteration For Two Pages]“Boy, you had damn well better get moving before I snap that twig you call a neck!” An almost monstrous voice rumbled audibly over the noise of the machinery. A middle-aged man, very heavy-set, walked (or was it more of a waddle?) across a catwalk overseeing the production line. The smell of smoke and the choking heat was safely below him. A deep orange light drifted through the windows high above, signaling that it was already late in the day.

The noise of machinery was near deafening to those below. If one didn’t wear ear protection they’d be liable to go deaf after two days of work. Such was a hard lesson to a young man starting his first day working the line.

Atop a mountain lie the industrial city of Thiendor. Governed by industry, it is a place governed by fire and gold.

This particular factory was charged with the processing of raw iron ore into usable metal. Metal that could be converted into weapons, armor, and even tools and cookware. An essential industry, one that lined the pockets of its profitable patriarch, Andus Prion. A man in his early 50s who lived in luxury.

A luxury that caught the ears of a very precocious and proficient young woman.

Dusk gave way to a dark night, and most of the workers (save for those who had earned the privilege of Prion’s personal ire) had dispersed. However, the young man from earlier had not earned that right. He would be forced to work late into the night, taking inventory on the day’s progress.

“Gee, I didn’t think it was possible for me to be this tired…” He griped. A superior barked at him to hush up, which he promptly did. As the night bled on, the lights dimmed and some of the late-nighters began dozing off. The perfect point for a perverse plot.

A single eye twinkled from behind an air vent grate. Cloaked in a dark steel set of armor, this person would finally free herself from the day’s hiding place, where she had spent observing worker and guard patrols, and making a mental map of the factory’s design. Slipping out into the open floor, she took cover behind the massive machinery and crept through the stores towards the offices. However, a keener, younger eye, spotted movement in the shadows.

He was scared. Scanning the room for any sign of assistance, his heart sank at the sign that he was well and truly alone with whoever was in the storehouse with him. “H-Hello? Grant? Abel?” He called, hoping it was just one of his superiors playing pranks on his person. He swallowed hard. Suddenly, he felt the cold sting of a knife pressed to his throat.

“Some     queer names for ‘yer bosses, mate.” A feminine voice whispered as another hand held his mouth shut. He wanted to scream but the criminal very persuasively pressed the blade against his neck.

“Make a noise and ‘yer dead, aye? I’ve had a lotta drink over the day inhaling them godfersaken fumes. Gotta keep my sanity somehow, y’know? Girl’s hand might just slip?” She emphasized this with a little wiggle of the knife. She released her grip on her prey’s face and he whispered back. “Wh-What do you want?”

The woman shoved him hard against the wall and instinctively his arms went to the sky in fear for his life. “I want ‘ya to shut the seven ‘ells up so I can think.” Sheathing her dagger, she pressed her fingers to her chin trying to propose a possible solution to her problematic predicament. “Aye, I got it. What’s ‘yer name, kiddo?” She asked him. “Preston.” Came the shaky reply.

“Aye Preston. We got a problem. See I gotta take back some importan’ valuables that were… Taken from some poor people. ‘Yer boss ain’t been runnin’ a clean business, y’know? Extortion, y’know what that is?” The taller woman leaned forward to match his eyes. He nodded in affirmation, staring at the eyepatch that covered what used to be her left eye. “Say, how old are ‘ya anyway?” She asked. “F-Fifteen.” The young man replied again. She chuckled. “Aye, alright. ‘Yer just a kid so I’ll go easy on ‘ya. Show me to where the ol’ man keeps his vault and I’ll let ‘ya go live ‘yer life, aye?” Once again, all she got in response was a nod.

Moments later, they were walking the length of a lamplit hallway. Burning lanterns hung precariously on thin pieces of cable above their heads, swaying as if they could fall and set the whole place ablaze in seconds. All in the name of preventing extra payment. Creeping ‘round a corner, the duo peered into a dimly lit, yet very clearly extravagantly decorated office. “This is the place?” The older woman asked somewhat pointlessly as she rounded and walked across the room in a beeline for the safe behind the desk.

“Y-You need the key, don’t you?” Preston asked her. She rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Whaddya take me ‘fer, some kinda amateur?” She jabbed as she took to rifling through her effects. Producing a pair of lockpicking tools, she took to her practice. In moments, the safe lock disengaged with a pop, and swung open. Inside were all forms of pretty pendants, glimmering gold rings, and bedazzling baubles of various sorts. She let out a laugh.

“You can’t think it was that easy, could you?” A deeper voice shocked her. She spun around, tearing her daggers from their holsters, to spot the proprietor of the business holding a handheld crossbow to the young man’s temple. Almost immediately, she relaxed. “Prion, ‘ya can’t be serious. I’m the woman ‘ya hired. ‘Ya were supposed to be out tonight while I worked.”

“There’s been a change of plans, girl. I found out there’s a bounty for your head. A lot more than I’d get for our arrangement.” The thief’s expression hardened. “An’ just what in the ‘ell could be worth more than six thousan’ gil in insurance fraud?” Andus grinned. “Ten thousand to see you locked up. Quickly now, drop your weapons or else I put a bolt in this boy’s head.”

Preston shook with terror. “B-But, you said this was for the poor!” The criminal sighed. “Mate, can’t ‘ya tell a lie when ‘ya ‘ear one? I’m a thief. I was gonna get a cut ‘fore this son of an ‘arlot decided ‘ta screw me. An’ lemme tell ‘ya, Florence Anelon don’ like bein’ played.” She took a step forward. Andus held the crossbow closer to the hostage. “Prion, ‘ya think I care about ‘tha kid’s life? He ain’t part’a the deal. Go ahead. Liquidate ‘yer assets. Wait… I don’ think that works…?”

Andus sneered, then threw Preston aside and pointed the crossbow at Florence. She backed up slightly and threw up her arms. “Whoa, easy there. I ain’ gonna pick a fight with ‘ya. Don’ want my ‘ead rollin’ just yet.” The businessman grinned. “Damn shame, no worming your way out of this o-” Suddenly, there was a shattering of glass and Andus fell to the ground with a thud. Hovering behind him, Preston held the frame of a hanging lantern, the glass shattered all around him. “That’s for pointing that thing at my head, you bastard!” The boy called.

Florence dropped her arms, sheathing her daggers. “Oi, nice work there mate. Gotta say that was pretty-” In seconds, Preston had wrestled the crossbow out of his employer’s fat fingers and pointed it at the thief. “And this is for nearly letting him put a bolt through my head you bi-” Florence coughed and thumbed behind her at the safe. “And whaddya think’ll happen if you kill me an’ ‘yer boss wakes up. Here’s a tidbit, he ain’t gonna send you home with commendations. I’ve dealt with these shady types before and he’s gonna stab you in the back, say he killed the thief, take the reward, then lock you up for tryin’ ‘ta break into his safe and collect the insurance anyway.”

Preston grimaced, then dropped the crossbow. The thief sighed in relief and took to clearing out the safe. “Then what are we supposed to do?” Asked her younger companion. Over her shoulder, Florence tossed him a couple of gold necklaces. “Gotta fence, name ‘a Tarver. Down on Eighth Avenue. Down the alleyway. Flip those and ‘ya can get ‘yerself a carriage outta here. What’s left over should float ‘ya for a couple’a months ‘fore ‘ya can get yourself a more humble job. Got family? Take ‘em with ‘ya.”

“Gee, that’s awful generous of a thief.” Preston accused. Florence’s single eye shined over her shoulder. “I still got a code ‘a ethics, mate. Get outta ‘ere ‘fore I change my mind. Too drunk ‘ta be negotiating with a kid like ‘yerself.”[/spoiler]

[Dr. Wily II]

That-a was-a something.
Nice insight.

[Strider Xhaiden]

I agree. Very nicely done.   

[Blue Valkyrie]

I think I'm going to pull out of Wilypocolypse all together and just focus on my own stuff-I feel like my new story got derailed before it even got started. Maybe just focus on the RPGMaker Project on the rare free time I get nowadays.

[Sakura Leic]

Yeah I understand, we'll just keep Blue in a Coma for when/if you want to come back.

[Blue Valkyrie]

Sure.

[Blue Valkyrie]

Would like to add one thing I am working on a RP battle system more or less based on the DnD boardgames for a future RP project, I doubt it will be used in Manaverse but I may ask a few people to help test it out in the weeks to come.

It'll be simple-but I would need to create some decent content for character creation.

[Strider Xhaiden]

Quick update for anyone who cares.

The canon reboot I've been working on has progressed enough that I have a character bio written out and technically ready to post, as well as a series of brief notes concerning other future characters and the lore behind things. I'm still working on the visual aspect (IE: Actual pictures) of everything, but I figured I might as well ask.....Would you all be OK with me posting a bio without a visual representation of the character? And, would anyone want me to post stuff regarding the lore and universe backstory?

I'm fine with whatever. I'd originally planned to hold off on everything until I have decent visual aids to go with what I've written, but I can start posting again if anyone'd rather I do that.

[Sakura Leic]

Yeah go ahead.

[Dr. Wily II]

I don't mind either. Visuals can always come later anyways.

[Strider Xhaiden]

Spoiler'd because Wall of Text.

[spoiler]Well then, now that I'm "back in the game", so to speak, I figured I might as well drop something here to get anyone who cares back up to speed with the random craziness that is my headcanon. So.

All the stuff with "Xhai's wacky band of Misfits". Gone. Over. Never happened. The characters still exist, but their roles (and, in some cases, appearances) are different. What bugged me the most about the old setup was that I had no real reason (besides, y'know, this is RPM/Websitia) as to why such a colourful group of characters was able to coexist (think about it, I had multiple cyborgs, a ghost, two different kinds of genuine undead, a dragon and a whole buncha robots, among other things.)

So, I came up with an entirely new background, that can be summed up in two words.

Space Cops.

More accurately, the Interstellar Law Enforcement and Security Alliance, otherwise known as ILESA, or just the IPD for ease of typing. Their main role is basically to deal with interstellar crimes (ie. Human murders a human on earth, that's a job for Earth's police. Human attempts to smuggle illegal narcotics onto another planet, that's when the IPD steps in.)
The focus of all of this is the ILESA 91st Squad, based from an orbital station located far enough away from Websitia that ILESA itself is an unknown.

Thanks to suggestions from some friends (or at least, I hope that's what they think of me as, instead of just "that weird english guy who won't shut up about stuff no one else cares about"), in current RPM canon (ie. Wilypocalypse), the 91st has only recently formed and everyone's still getting to know each other. I figured a basic rundown of the cast might be appropriate. So, here is the current line-up for the IPD's 91st Squad. Some descriptions are more detailed than others, mostly due to how my brain just randomly throws ideas at me. Oh, and uh, unless noted otherwise, everyone's humanoid, or close enough that they can be described that way. I'm no good with really exotic character designs.

Spoilers, I guess? Not like it matters.

- Captain Cyril Zabat: Commander of the 91st. Comes from a heavily polluted planet, so his species adapted to be resistant/immune to poisonous or toxic substances. As a side effect of this evolutionary quirk, they're all pale as death and look visibly wrong (tainted veins, weird eye/hair colours, the works), and as a result they've gained a reputation for being wholly untrustworthy. His bodily fluids are toxic in the extreme, and he was given the captaincy of the 91st just to keep him out of the way, as he has a very.....relaxed stance on what constitutes acceptable operational conduct. Has been mentioned in the Wilypocalypse RP, and has made a brief appearance in a side story.

- Officer Saga Neith: The first of Cyril's personal recruitments, she's part of a race descended from something close to a Fennec Fox, and is especially skilled at operating in desert environments. Personal weapon is a large boomerang with a serrated edge on one side, but ever since she met Cyril she's become fascinated with explosives. Which is weird considering how sensitive her hearing is. Maybe she's just into that kind of thing? Currently part of a side-story in Wilypocalypse, but hasn't had a speaking role yet.

- Silvy: Not officially part of the 91st at this point, Silvy's currently being held in quarantine while the base's resident eggheads try to figure out exactly what the hell it is. Spoilers: It's a sentient blob of liquid mercury with a penchant for glomping people. As mercury is poisonous, you can imagine how that works out.

- Officer Caio Basurto: This guy, in another universe, would be called Xhai. He's a parrot-esque birdman who unfortunately cannot fly. He's got a massive chip on his shoulder as a result, and is blunt to the point of rudeness with everyone. Unlike certain other squad members, his temper can best be described as a constant state of tranquil(l) fury. Expect bird puns out the wazoo when he actually makes a proper appearance. Right now, he's involved in a side-story in Wilypocalypse, but hasn't had a speaking role yet.

- Officer Bellona "Bell" Valcadash: The one-armed, foul-mouthed, scar-toting blonde returns! The scars might be different this time around, but her personality is pretty much the same. Her temper's as short as ever, but she can be fairly mellow when she wants. Currently has a starring role in Wilypocalypse, where she appears to be trying to troll everyone with her ability to give zero fucks about any given situation. Her secret ambition right now is to punch a certain holier-than-thou knight in the face. Repeatedly.

- Officer Leocadia Mallory: AKA Ammy's Waifu. Not human this time, instead she's an elfin-looking humanoid whose species I haven't named yet. Still a knight, still a ghost of sorts, only this time the reasoning's different. Long story short, her people can use gemstones as a focus point for casting magic spells, and Leo's unique talent is bascially ripping off Zero's Twin Dream/Sougenmu from X5. When she died, she refused to stay dead, possessed the gemstone set in her sword, and came back as one of the duplicates she used to spawn. Currently has a starring role in Wilypocalypse, where she's playing the "good" cop to Bell's "Are you sure she's a" cop. Honour, truth and justice never looked so good.

- Saden Wiegand: As with Silvy, not officially part of the 91st yet. Still Leo's close friend and ally, her Crystomancy power used her gemstone to create/animate golems to fight alongside her. When she was reduced to a state of being mostly dead - which is still slightly alive - in the same battle that saw Leo die, her pet golem forcibly transferred its heart to her in an attempt to save her life. It worked, but now she's half-crystal and still trying to put her mind back together after the golem's rudimentary intelligence did the equivalent of walking into her house and taking a baseball bat to all the nice things she had. She's getting better, and might even be cleared for duty soon. Probably not going to appreciate any Steven Universe jokes when she returns to service, though.

There are two (five) others that haven't officially been introduced in the new canon yet. One (four) is still lying under a pile of deceased Rabid Mets somewhere on Websitia, and the other is probably regretting her decision to let a certain unnamed mad scientist use her as a guinea pig for a new, untested type of upgrade.

Everyone else? Around, but as NPCs. Expect cameos in future oneshots. If I ever get off my backside and actually get everything else finished so I can work on them.

Oh, and as a good friend noticed, and as some people on here who know a little about me might have noticed, this new canon is decidedly more comedic in tone than the last one. It'll still get dark, but I'll be trying to make you laugh the whole way, I promise.

Dirty Pair Flash and New Dominion Tank Police were big influences on me when I was coming up with all this, and even though my artistic skills are still at a point where everything I draw looks like a drunken, three legged spider (not Saden) tap-danced its way across a page, I do hope to get some more stuff done soon. Hopefully, some/all of you like/accept/won't try to kill me over what I've done and will be doing.[/spoiler]

Thanks for reading.

Oh, and as a bonus, here's a little Omake thing that hit me a couple days ago, just to give you an idea of how the 91st operates. Most of the time.

[spoiler]Corvus, the (in)famous insterstellar drug baron, breathed a sigh of relief as the tell-tale sound of an approaching helicopter reached his ears. Really, getting his boys to repaint his ride so it looked like an unaffiliated medical chopper was one the best ideas he'd ever had.

His relief quickly turned to shock and dismay as a white streak appeared in the sky from somewhere behind him and hit the helicopter dead on, the explosion almost blinding him with its' intensity. As the still-flaming debris began to rain down around him, his first thought was "Christ! What kind of sicko shoots down medical help!?"

On a nearby ridge, Captain Cyril Zabat shot one of his squadmates a thumbs up as she dropped the now-empty missile launcher. "Great shot, Saga."

The fox-girl just grinned at him, tail swishing happily.[/spoiler]

[Dr. Wily II]

I like Silvy already.

... Untested upgrades ehh...

[Amatiramisu]

AKA Ammy's Waifu.

this man gets me