Bleach: Turn Back the Pendulum [OOC]

[Frozen_Feet]

This is an idea that I had five years ago. It didn't really take off then, but enough time has passed that I decided to give it a second shot.

This game is a spiritual successor to Bleach in the Playground, Naruto in the Playground and Dragon Ball in the Playground. It is not in continuity with any of them and no characters are intended to carry over, either from them or any other freeform game here on GitP.

Quit blabbering. What's the big idea?


"The Afterlife is in chaos - the Soul King has retreated into His palace and the noble clans are disparate, each pursuing their own goals at the expense of common good. Souls of deceased humans are torn between different sects, unable to seek true enlightment... if they are even able to find their way to afterlife!

With psychopomps more interested in their petty infighting than doing their jobs, more and more human souls get lost by the day - those who led a decent life fall into desperation and lose their hearts, deprived of reward or reprieve, and evil souls deserving of punishment are free to flee Hell's clutches, wreaking havoc upon earth. Tales even tell of mortals who've taken it to their own hands to exorcise maddened spirits... but can they, just barely knowing of the world beyond, preserve balance of the Wheel of Life?

Each day, the world veers closer to complete chaos. It is in grave need of a guiding hand, a harsh hand, if need be... but the King is a king in name only, his forces outnumbered by the nobles many times over. Somehow, the afterlife must be united, so that balance can be restored and justice can prevail.... but who is there to do it? "

The idea is to reimagine and play out the history of the Bleach setting, starting from the very beginning: the founding of the Royal Guard and Shinoreijutsuin.

I, specifically, want this game to answer the following questions:


Who was the Soul King?
The manga leaves this question almost completely open. We know he came to being to regulate flow of souls and to keep balance between worlds, but his personality is unknown.
Why was he sealed?
It's claimed Shinigami are enemies of the Soul King, but what does this mean?
Who founded the five great Noble Families?
The known Great Noble Families are Shihoin, Kuchiki and Shiba. Two are yet to be named.
Who founded Seiretei and built its walls?
In canon, nobles live in the city, but why did they choose to seclude themselves from common Pluses?


And once those questions have been answered, I want to move 1100 years forward, to the time of the First Quincy War, and the founding of Gotei 13. And, if this game lasts enough to get that done, move another 1000 years to the future, to contemporary times, and move into urban fantasy like in the beginning of the original Bleach Manga. Ambitious, I know, but a man can dream, right?

Still, that's the goal to keep in mind: to retell history of and recreate a status quo similar to the Bleach setting we know and love, and then move on from there.

The starting point for this game, as noted in the above text, is 2100 years in the past. This means the following elements do not exist yet:


Canonical characters, save for the Soul King, who is borderline non-character in the manga. The reason is simple: they have not been born yet. They might never be born in this continuity.
Yamamoto, Unohana and Royal Guard members are maybes. Even then, they would be much younger at this point and not have their canonical rank and powers.
Shinigami: as counter-intuitive as this may sound for a Bleach game, neither Shinoreijutsuin nor Gotei 13 have been founded yet. The people who will later be called "Shinigami" are known as "Balancers" at this point of time. This will, obviously, change fairly soon. Just keep in mind when making a new character. You can't introduce a character as having always been a Shinigami, because Shinigami haven't always been around.
Japan. Another counter-intutive thing, but neither Japanese culture nor nation exist yet at this point of time. Of course, the same goes for all other modern nations and inventions, including some world religions (Christianity and Islam, for example.)
I do not expect total historical accuracy from anyone. This is a fantasy game at heart, after all. So you can use Japanese names and spirits can have access to anachronistic technology. Still, keep in mind that it's a premodern setting. If I see guns, computers or mentions of genetic engineering, I will cry blood.
Quincies, Vizards, Arrancars, Zanpakuto, Mod Souls, Espada, Las Noches, Hogyoku etc. do not exist either as no-one has invented them yet. This will, obviously, change as the game progresses.


So what does exist?


Pluses exist.
Pluses with significant spiritual powers are expected to become Shinigami, of course.
Hollows exist.
Vasto Lorde, however, do not exist... yet.
Humans exist.
Fullbringers may exist.
Soul Society exists.
Hueco Mundo exists.
Hell exists.
People who were cursed to be animals in life and retain bestial traits as Pluses exist. (See: Komamura)
Togabito (Sinners who escaped from Hell) exist.
Kushanada (Wardens of Hell) exist, though they aren't really suited for player characters.


The list will get updated as the game progresses.

To get off the ground, I'm looking for players to play the following sorts of characters:


Someone to found the Shinoreijutsuin (AKA Spiritual Arts Academy AKA Shinigami Academy).
Someone to found the Royal Guard. (Wao Shen, played by Razade)
Someone to make the first Zanpakutos. (Qiu Tao, played by igordragonian)
Someone to play a head or heir to a Great Noble Family. (Kuchiki Ichiro Takehiko played by Frozen_Feet, Kane Shiba played by Toxic_Mind, and Shihoin Yuuka Saki played by Lord Raziere. Two more spots to go.)
Someone to play the Soul King.


I will cross roles off the list as soon as they are filled.

I, myself, am a veteran to several long-running Bleach freeforms, and have played almost every possible role within the setting. As such, I don't want to reserve any of these roles for myself. Instead, I ask the next five posters to vote or suggest which sort of character I should play. It can be one of the above, it can be none of the above, it can even be a canonical character. Just throw an idea at me.

. . .

So, yeah. Any takers?

Link to the IC thread is here. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?512150-Bleach-Turn-Back-the-Pendulum-IC)

---

Rules:


Do not control other people's characters without permission. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=1633965&postcount=5)
No fighting or bullying people in the OOC. If you can't stand someone's face, hold that discussion elsewhere.
It's polite to ask before jumping into fights or other personal scenes. Not every event is meant to involve every character. Of course, you can also pre-emptively inform other people about whether your scenes are open or not.
Related to the above: Shunpo is not teleportation, Garganta are not wormholes, Reiatsu sense is not plot detection, and the world is big. If your character is on the other side of the world, you really shouldn't even need to ask if they can participate. It should logically follow they can't.
Fights are decided by agreement between players, not by whose character is most powersome. If you want to maintain the surprise to other players, talk it through privately. If you really can't decide, flip a goddamn coin already.
The game starts when I have a character idea and there is at least one other active player to play with. It ends when the last two active players lose all interest in it.



---

Character Roster:

Kuchiki Ichiro Takehiko, 3rd head of the Kuchiki clan (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=21601447&postcount=28)
General Qiu Tao, the Blade Heart (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=21579308&postcount=15)
Sunyi Tao, vengefull ghost of Qiu former wife (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=21631421&postcount=581)
Ezekiel Bellitus, prodigal son of the Soul King (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=21580401&postcount=16)
Yan Wao Shen, the Necromancer (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=21570603&postcount=6)
The Carrion King
(http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=21575673&postcount=14)
Shiba Kane, Head of Shiba clan (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=21606828&postcount=29)
Lady Ana Shiba, Kane's wife (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=21891889&postcount=115)
Kuang, Yan Wao Shen's roadie (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=21610209&postcount=34)
Shihoin Yuuka Saki, 2nd Head Of the Shihoin Clan
Nanami Fong, Saki's Bodyguard (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=21938912&postcount=130)
Tasnim Abdulrashid, the Demon
(http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=21964741&postcount=207)
Roster key:

[KIA] : Killed-in-action. This character has bit the dust, kicked the bucket, thrown in the towel, went to a better place, rests in pieces, yadda yadda. Their place is now in our fond memories and flashbacks.
[MIA] : Missing-in-action. A player vanished and left their character off-screen, but the character was too important to be retconned out. Referring to these characters (and wondering where they are) is allowed, but their fate is left undisclosed unless their player returns.
[Retired] : The player chose to stop playing the character and moved them off-screen. As above, you can continue to refer to them and they are considered to have existed, they just won't make an appearance anymore.
[NPC] : Non-player character. A character who can be controlled by anyone in need.
[WIP] : Work-in-progress. A character is incomplete and not ready to be played yet.
(Currently played by X) : informs if a character is being played by someone else than who created or made their registry post.
Crossed-over: This character has been retconned out. They are considered never to have existed in the story. Don't refer to them.

---

Empty character template:

<Your character's name here>

Age: Exact number or rough estimation.
Gender: Male, female, etc.
Height: Centimeters and/or feet and inches.
Weight: Kilograms and/or pounds.
Species: What kind of creature your character is?
Station: Your character's current lot in life.

Description:
What does your character look, feel, smell and sound like?


Personality:
How does your character think? What drives him and what kind of a fellow is he?

History: What has happened to your character before the game and made them who they are?

Story So Far: You can summarize and update here what has happened to your character during the game.

Abilities:

What is your character good or bad at? What special things can he do or knows?

These could include anything from martial arts to ki blasts to magic and shapeshifting abilities.

Other information:

Anything you can't fit to the brackets above, such as equipment or property your character owns.

---

On character power:

Bleach has no powerlevels nor any way to easily compare character abilities. Here is a rough guideline on how you can eyeball where your character stands:

Characters can be divided into following tiers:


Human; someone with no spiritual ability.
Plus; someone who can see spirits but is otherwise untrained in fighting them. (See: Chad at the start of series, Ichigo's sisters.)
Unseated: someone who has both ability to see spirits and basic ability to fight them, but who otherwise is not significantly above human ability. (See: Shinigami mooks.)
Seated: someone with extensive combat training and spiritual powers. Could achieve Shikai or equivalent. (See: Rukia at the start of the series.)
This also where normal Hollows are at.

Lieutenant: someone with extensive spiritual powers and significant superhuman ability. Could achieve Bankai or equivalent. (See: Renji during Soul Society Arc, Ikkaku, Yumichika.)
This where mindless Menos Grande and Gillians are at.

Captain: someone with extreme spiritual and superhuman powers. Has mastered Bankai or equivalent. (See: Byakuya Kuchiki during Soul Society arc.)
This where Adjuchas and Vasto Lorde are at.

Superman: someone who eats people on the previous levels for breakfast. Can pull powers no-one else has from their posterior. (See: Yamamoto, Aizen, Ulquiorra.)

This is where Arrancars made of Vasto Lorde were supposed to be, but they didn't really deliver.



The ranks are just for reference; your character doesn't have to hold a rank to be powerful, and vice versa. So your character doesn't have to be a Captain to be Captain-level, and someone with rank of Captain wouldn't need to be Captain-level.

Bleach wiki uses some descriptors for abilities which roughly correspond to the above tiers. They are, in order: poor, normal, enhanced, practicioner, expert, master, grandmaster. F.ex. a Lieutenant-level would be expected to be an expert in some skill.



---

On keeping track of time and place:

To avoid confusion, you can use location tags to indicate shifts in time and place. Like this:

[Earth; Pacific Ocean; Noon]

<Stuff happening.>

[Soul Society]

<More stuff happening.>

This way, we can keep track where everyone is, since it's not economical to make a new thread for every little place.

---

Resources:

Bleach Wiki (for additional setting information) (http://bleach.wikia.com/wiki/Bleach_Wiki)
Behind the Name. (For names.) (http://www.behindthename.com/random/)

[igordragonian]

looks very int interesting. You inspire me, to get back watching/reading Bleach.

I wanted to join the other Bleach game, but was overwhlemed, I didn't knew where to fit in...

what year is it? In historical terms..
is Soul Society looked like a medieval japanese kingdom?

I was thinking about playing a cursed Plus, that by fighting his animated sins and inner demons is forging the first Zankupto.

[King539]

So, on earth, it's basically the Roman Empire, right? I think it's the right time period.

Anyway, would you mind a character who eventually founds the forerunners of the Quincies? At the beginning, he's basically an Unseated or Plus, but he'll gradually gain power as the game goes on. Does that sound fine?

[Frozen_Feet]

what year is it? In historical terms..
is Soul Society looked like a medieval japanese kingdom?

On earth, it is ~100 BC. Soul Society would resemble the tail end of Warring States period China. For ideas, you could watch the Wuxia movie Hero.


I was thinking about playing a cursed Plus, that by fighting his animated sins and inner demons is forging the first Zankupto.

That is a good concept.


So, on earth, it's basically the Roman Empire, right? I think it's the right time period.

In Europe, yes, Romans dominate.


Anyway, would you mind a character who eventually founds the forerunners of the Quincies? At the beginning, he's basically an Unseated or Plus, but he'll gradually gain power as the game goes on. Does that sound fine?

This is fine. In canon, the first Quincy claimed to be prodigal song of the Soul King. Do you want to keep that element?

---

Also, what sort of character would you like me to play?

[King539]

This is fine. In canon, the first Quincy claimed to be prodigal song of the Soul King. Do you want to keep that element?

---

Also, what sort of character would you like me to play?

Son of the Soul King works fine. Not that he'll know it, at first.

I honestly don't care what you play. If necessary, I'd be down with playing a Noble.

[Razade]

Oh, I wish you'd have PM'd me a link to this. It was only by chance I spotted it.

I'm interested. 100% interested.

- - - Updated - - -

Yan Wao Shen, the Necromancer
Age: Timeless
Gender: Unknown
Height: 7'
Weight: Unknown
Side: It's Own

Appearance: Yan Wao Shen is rarely seen and even more rarely in its natural form. To many, Yan Wao Shen appears as a tall humanoid dressed in tattered clothing and animal pelts, always with the skull of an animal over its face, however this most certainly isn't the real form of the being. Others have said that it takes the form of a beautiful woman with a voluptuous body to entice young Pluses into its swamp for its nefarious purposes. Others claim that it is in fact the spirit of a a dead God from the Mortal Realm, a massive bird of darkness with eyes the color of fresh blood. Yet more claim that its true form is The Corpse Dragon of legend, an impossibly powerful Hollow that somehow found its way to "Soul Society" and is merely waiting to devour all Pluses at its leisure. This "Corpse Dragon" is said to be a massive serpent made of skeletons and bone, several large skulls sitting in a cobalike hood.

http://i.imgur.com/u10M1tT.jpg (http://imgur.com/u10M1tT)
http://i.imgur.com/fptYZdA.jpg (http://imgur.com/fptYZdA)

Personality: Yan Wao Shen is inscrutable. It rarely interacts with Pluses and when it does it typically takes the form of strange cryptic messages or aid in the petty squabbles of lords. From those few who have met the creature in its own lands, Yan is capricious and calculating. Always seeking something for its time, usually shrewd enough to earn more than what it offers. Strangely Yan Wao Shen adores formalities, treating guests with care and always offering a meal of rice and sake to any who make it to its home. This hospitality extends even to those it is about to kill, making conversation up until the last grain of rice is eaten before commencing its true motives. Failure to take these offerings enrages the Necromancer, one of the few things that seems to break it from its otherwise unreadable facade. This adoration of formality extends to others as well, tales speak of foolish Lords and Ladies who have refused to offer the often times scraggly Sorcerer a warm meal and bed. None of them end pleasantly and these tales have circulated enough that further incidents are rare.

History and Tales: Yan has existed in what will eventually be called Soul Society for as long as any single Plus can remember, and many do for the stories of the being are as varied as they are terrifying. Making its home in a massive tree at the center of a far flung swamp, few dare pierce its realm save for the most important of missions. Stories range at just what one will find in Yan Wao Shen's swamp, from bewitched Pluses to animal Hollows that are said to have been plucked from the White Sands by the being personally.

Abilities: Yan Wao Shen is a powerful sorcerer, shapeshifter and combatant. It rarely seeks out fights and even rarely defends its realm allowing the multitude of traps, natural terrain and animal life to take care of threats. However when it roused to combat, few among even the Noble Families dare challenge it directly and those that speak of assaulting the swamps of Yan Wao Shen to "end the menace waiting for us to grow weak" are laughed down either through fear or good intentions.


Sorcery and Science: Yan Wao Shen is one of the few practitioners of "magic" that remain unaligned and many who practice the arts speak in hushed tones of The Necromancer, a Sorcerer so powerful that none dare even to seek it for tutelage. Yan Wao Shen practices many forms of magic, though rarely brings such might to bare even when it is hired by feuding Kingdoms. Yan Wao Shen also uses this magic in medicine and study, typically being approached by other Pluses to cure sickness and disease.

Hollows and Pets: The stories are not based fully on falsehoods. Yan Wao Shen does in fact keep a large collection of powerful Hollow in its realm. Sorcery and sheer force of spiritual pressure keeps these beasts from turning on their master. Yan also has a collection of Pluses that dwell in its swamp. Many of these are simply unfortunate souls who have been pushed out from other Kingdoms, finding the ability to live only in the Swamps despite the dangers. Others are brainwashed servants, yet others are constructs of magic. Either way, the Necromancer has an army large enough to keep the other Kingdoms out.

Shapeshifting: Yan Wao Shen is a known shapeshifter. What all it can change into is unknown, however many have seen it turn into other people and animals as disguises. If it can change into the alleged Corpse Dragon it has never shown this ability.

Intent: So I think it's pretty clear I intend this guy to be important for a long time to come. Ideally he could be one of the people elected to help seal the Soul King due to its powerful magic and help teach the starting Soul Society what might become Kido and the Vasto Lorde later on down the line. I have some interesting ideas regarding the latter for sure. I can expand on those if people want. I also see him eventually turning, the Hollow Angle here is fairly strong so just looking forward...he could easily aid in instigating the Quincy War and...go quiet for a while to manufacturer the final Hollow Threat, reemerging as the Aizen if/when that stage is reached. Either way, the intent is for creepy semi-help to the "protagonists" with the eventual slide to full on Antagonist.


More Fleshed out ideas as above

I figure as one of the most powerful unaligned beings in the afterlife what ever coalition forms to eventually becomes Soul Society brings Yan in to assist with
1. The walls. As a Sorcerer it might know a thing or two about making unassailable walls
2. Sealing a supreme God Being. Same as the above, as a Sorcerer it probably knows how to do this.
3. Help teach who ever is to become the Royal Guard. They've got to know some crazy magics after all.
4. Be a foil to the Noble Families, a being that drags the eventual Shinigami out of a just and righteous area to something more gray. Something to be...willfully forgotten about.

Why it would do this though, who knows. It's reasons could be many. No matter what they are however, there would be a price attached. One to be named later because why not be a charitable creepy Sorcerer Being


1. Help fashion the first full and true Vasto Lorde in secret.
2. Ask for its payment as it finally wishes to "return to where it came". Have this payment denied by the Shinigami who no doubt have forgotten about it.
3. Leave in anger, perhaps even assisting the Quincy as a form of "revenge".
4. Begin the creation of the Arrancar.


1. After a thousand years, the tests have finally worked. Yan has created humanoid creatures like itself. How this is done...will be explored in the game but hopefully give Arrancar characters things to explore on their own.
2. Begin the final revenge on Soul Society.
3. Die. Violently and epic. Hopefully.

[Frozen_Feet]

Let's wait till igordragonian details his pitch about the creator of Zanpakuto before nailing down of Wao Shen has anything to do with that.

Other than that, Wao Shen is a good concept. If I play a noble like King suggested, the game could start by the noble gathering a party of special individuals (namely igor's and King's characters) to go after Wao Shen. I think that'd give us all stuff to do for a couple of months.

So, yeah. I'll start working on a noble. Igor, King, detail your character concepts.

[Razade]

Let's wait till igordragonian details his pitch about the creator of Zanpakuto before nailing down of Wao Shen has anything to do with that.

I'm certain we could work something out.


Other than that, Wao Shen is a good concept. If I play a noble like King suggested, the game could start by the noble gathering a party of special individuals (namely igor's and King's characters) to go after Wao Shen. I think that'd give us all stuff to do for a couple of months.

Ideally, if you want to keep things moving, there should be clear goals on 1. The overarching plot 2. How to get to the end of it to get to the next step. Otherwise it'll bog down and then nothing at all will be accomplished.

I certainly think a party like that sounds like the best way for things to kick off. It certainly acts as a catalyst to the rest of the stories events at least in so far as making Soul Society is concerned.

I also thought, perhaps for the Nobles, that by the end of the first...story...arc?...once the Soul King is done and sealed and the Royal Guard appointed (perhaps as guardians of the seal?) that the Nobles could conspire to cheat Yan Wao Shen out of its payment, engineering the events later down the road where there's no record it was ever meant to be paid at all. Thus allowing Yan Wao Shen to leave in a fury and start Las Noches. The idea being that it will become the first Vasto Lorde. How it already has a human shape before that will be detailed in the actual game.

I also see, if we do get some Hollow characters early, Yan Wao Shen RPing in both areas from the start.


So, yeah. I'll start working on a noble. Igor, King, detail your character concepts.

Perhaps you should cross post this other places? I could post this on Mythweavers, we might be able to pull more people in that way.

[King539]

I actually meant I could play the noble if necessary, but I wasn't set on it or anything, so keep doing what you're doing, FF. My character draft should be up later today.

[igordragonian]

I'll adjust my character as needed...
In general I had an idea for an ex warlord who made capital war crimes and he haunted by his victims.

[King539]

The main problem with your plan, FF, is that my character has almost no idea about the Spirit World, Hollows, Balancers, etc. It will be quite the rude awakening. :smalltongue:

My concept so far is that he was raised by Visigoths, who adopted him. He believes he is a Visigoth. His adopted parents were killed by Hollows when he was very young. He was found by a Jewish blacksmith, who adopted him again. Now that his second adopted father is old and bedridden, he runs the smithing business in Rome. He barely remembers the Hollows, and thinks of them as demons. This backstory is subject to change, depending own who exactly the Soul King is.

EDIT: Would you mind me sigging a link to this thread, to help recruitment?

[Frozen_Feet]

The main problem with your plan, FF, is that my character has almost no idea about the Spirit World, Hollows, Balancers, etc. It will be quite the rude awakening. :smalltongue:

That's not a problem, that's an opportunity.

Your backstory looks fine. Don't sweat the details about the Soul King. If your character is clueless about the Spirit World, it follows they wouldn't remember much about the Soul King either.


EDIT: Would you mind me sigging a link to this thread, to help recruitment?
Yes. As a general rule, advertizing the game elsewhere is allowed if you think it will attract interested players.

[Razade]

I, myself, am a veteran to several long-running Bleach freeforms, and have played almost every possible role within the setting. As such, I don't want to reserve any of these roles for myself. Instead, I ask the next five posters to vote or suggest which sort of character I should play. It can be one of the above, it can be none of the above, it can even be a canonical character. Just throw an idea at me.

Totally missed this. I vote you play the Soul King.


Also, considering Igor wants to do the Zanpakuto thing, I've geared Yan more to the Hollow side of things. Early game though, since we're looking to fill roles. I'll put Yan Wao Shen as


Someone to found the Royal Guard

Have some ideas for that and the Vasto Lorde to come later. So updated the character sheet to reflect all this. Would appreciate a review from all currently involved if/when you've the time.

[Razade]

Hueco Mundo and the Hollows

The White Sands are not as they are 2,100 years in the future. The Vasto Lorde have yet to appear in the shifting wastes and the Menos Grande are likewise not present, instead the lesser hollow the same majority animal creatures that make up the Adjuchas rank. These lesser Hollow are still referred to as Gillian, the term yet to mean the towering beings they will someday become. The process to become an Adjuchas remains the same as well, devouring lesser Hollows granting more Souls to the predator until they simply grow powerful enough to be identified as an Adjuchas. Rumors speak of a great Hollow Kingdom at the center of the Wastes where the mightest of Adjuchas pay homage and fealty to a human king, a Kingdom where strange and new Hollows are commonplace and where ones desire to slack the constant hunger can be soothed. They call this bastion Las Noches.


Las Noches and the Carrion King

At the heart of the White Sands sits Las Noches, a massive ruin made from the bones of an ancient and powerful Hollow said to be The Corpse Dragon. At the heart of this slain beast sits the Black Wisteria, said to be the remnants of the weapon used to slay the strongest Hollow the Wastes had ever seen. This Black Wisteria is the true Las Noches for its hanging flowers glow and twinkle like stars and its canopy of black leaves and black bark block out the endless night sky above. Hollows have long since hollowed out the majority of the wisteria, creating a massive castle within a castle and at the center of this strange court sits the being powerful enough to force Hollow to cooperate. The Carrion King.

None within Hueco Mundo know where The Carrion King came from, none dare wonder aloud though many believe that it was none other than the hero that purged the Sands of The Corpse Beast in the long distant past. There is little question how the Carrion King rose and keeps power whoever or what ever it is for at the heart of the black wisteria that is Las Noches sits a pool of water so pure and clean and cold that it is said to even wash away the sins of Hollows that might be bound to Hell upon their death at the hands of the few Balancers who dare fight them. In the desert, whoever controls the water controls life and this is the true power of Las Noches. The Carrion King is often absent from its throne, carved into the wisteria though its enforcers and powers are not. None may approach the pool without express permission from the Carrion King, few have supped from the cold clean waters, fewer still have swayed from their loyalty to the King after.



Yan Wao Shen and The Carrion King are in fact the same being, using the Black Wisteria in Las Noches and its tree home in what will one day be Soul Society to travel between the realm as a proto-Garganta. As such, Yan Wao Shen appears differently but presents the same personality with minor changes and the same abilities to bear regardless of who it is acting as.

The Carrion King
Age: Timeless
Gender: Unknown
Height: 5'
Weight: Unknown
Side: Las Noches

Appearance: The Carrion King dresses in a full black robe and cowl that obscures its face. Its hands are skeletal and pale and two baleful green eyes burn in the depths of its cowl though no face has ever been visible in the gloom. The Carrion King also seems to enjoy adornments of skulls and Hollow Masks which it wears and hangs about its person as trophies.

Personality: The Carrion King is inscrutable. It rarely interacts with Hollows and when it does it typically takes the form of strange cryptic messages or aid in the petty squabbles of lords. From those few who have met the creature in Las Noches, The Carrion King is capricious and calculating. Always seeking something for its time, usually shrewd enough to earn more than what it offers. Strangely The Carrion King adores formalities, treating guests with care and always offering a meal of rice and sake to any who make it to its home. This hospitality extends even to those it is about to kill, making conversation up until the last grain of rice is eaten before commencing its true motives. Failure to take these offerings enrages the Carrion King, one of the few things that seems to break it from its otherwise unreadable facade. This adoration of formality extends to others as well, tales speak of foolish Adjuchas who have refused to offer the Carrion King its dues and gifts. None of them end pleasantly and these tales have circulated enough that further incidents are rare.

History and Tales: The Carrion King has existed in Hueco Mundo and specifically Las Noches for as long as any single Hollow can remember. Where it came from, what it really is and what its motives are sadly remain unknown or forgotten. Tales tell of enterprising Hollows who have tried to unseat the Carrion King for its throne, the tales tell that all have failed and that instead of simply killing such foolish creatures the Carrion King has embedded these failures into the roots of its Black Wisteria feeding it on the souls of powerful Hollows since time began. Others speak of the perverted experiments the Carrion King does on those willing to take the chance for greater power. Those few who survive are living testament to both the graciousness and cruelty of the Carrion King.

Abilities:Yan Wao Shen is a powerful sorcerer, shapeshifter and combatant. It rarely seeks out fights and even rarely defends its realm allowing the multitude of traps, natural terrain and animal life to take care of threats. However when it roused to combat, few among even the Noble Families dare challenge it directly and those that speak of assaulting the swamps of Yan Wao Shen to "end the menace waiting for us to grow weak" are laughed down either through fear or good intentions.


Sorcery and Science: The Carrion King is the only practitioner within Hueco Mundo and its knowledge seems unable to translate to Hollows though the reason for this is known only to the King. Any who attempt to learn the Carrion King's arts suffer horrible fates, being cleansed instantly and returned to the Cycle of Rebirth. As such The Carrion King has used its near endless supply of Hollows to experiment on, having created several unique and terrifying forms that are rarely seen outside of Las Noches itself.

The Court of Las Noches: As it stands, The Carrion King is the major power in Hueco Mundo and as such commands a vast army of Hollows of various shapes and sizes.

El Paria: The guardians of the well, El Paria are proto-Menos Grande. These beings are incredibly weak Hollows fed to a singular strong Hollow to form towering and aggressive monsters. At least twenty of these beings exist.
Los Masas: These Hollow act as the foot servants of Las Noches, being very weak individually but strong in number and being able to act in conjunction with one another. Most take the form of Hollow Wolves but they are not Adjuchas.
La Bestia: These creatures stand apart from their Adjuchas siblings in each has been granted a sip from the well. This drink has slacked their hunger and they now longer need to feast on lesser Hollow to save themselves from reverting to the lesser Hollow Forms.


Shapeshifting: The Carrion King is a known shapeshifter. What all it can change into is unknown, however many have seen it turn into other people and Hollows as disguises.


So going off a throw off line that "The Royal Guard deal with the Menos Grande" I thought perhaps...they weren't something that existed originally and instead were created by Yan Wao Shen as a method to guard Las Noches. Once the Royal Guard are formed, I thought perhaps they would be a way to send souls to The Royal Realm and directly to The Soul King. So the reason the Royal Guard "deal with the Menos Grande" is because it was engineered to help keep the Seal going. The El Paria are the proto-form of these, essentially setting the stage for Hollow Evolution as we know it from canon.

All the Bleach Games have made Las Noches rather similar to canon and I'd like to break from that if/when the Arrancar show up. Los Masas (the Masses) are intended to be super weak Arrancar eventually but for now, they're just wolf foot soldiers for the Hollows

Proto-Vasto Lorde, pure and simple. They're broken from the endless hunger of Hollows so they can focus on evolving further. They're rare but they could easily be background for other players.

http://i.imgur.com/7Cc0F4H.png (http://imgur.com/7Cc0F4H)

Lesser Hollows
Human Hollow: Humans who have died violently or with great regrets.
Animal Hollow: The dead of an animal and the native inhabitants of Hueco Mundo. Typically weak enough that they can survive on the ambiet reishi within Hueco Mundo.

The Menos
Las Masas: Incredibly weak and animalistic Gillian but the most numerous of the Gillian forms. Most appear as skeletal wolves
Menos Grande: Vast amalgamations of Hollows that congregate rather than live as simple Las Masas. Engineered by The Carrion King long in the past. Less intellegent than Las Masas.
Gillian: The typical Menos, less numerous than Las Masas but possessing almost human level intellegence. Particularly smart Menos are known to exist though these typically evolve into Adjuchas through various methods. Gillian evolve from regular Hollows when their dark thoughts consume them.
Adjuchas: Adjuchas are rarer still than the typical Gillian but are far more powerful. At this stage the hunger of the Hollow becomes a constant fixture of their life and they must constantly feed. Those who fail become known as El Caido, The Fallen, and while the hunger abates they can never grow into a Vasto Lorde.
Vasto Lorde: The ultimate form of Menos. Stronger than Shinigami Captains, the Vasto Lorde are so rare many claim they can be counted on one's hands. Most are insanely old.

Proto-Forms
El Paria: Proto-Menos Grande. These were the guardians of the well within Las Noches until they were phased out by the Carrion King.
La Bestia: The proto-form of the Vasto Lorde, these were hand picked Adjuchas that were granted a drink from the well within Las Noches and had their hungers stalled yet somehow retained their ability to evolve into the Vasto Lorde form. Those who did not become Vasto Lorde were slain.

[igordragonian]

General Qiu Tao- "Blade Heart"
Age: 7 generations. Looking in his 40's
Gender: Male,
Height: 2.05 meters
Weight: 220 kg
Species: Cursed Plus
Station: An ex Chinese warlord.
Description

http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/shamanking/images/c/cc/Yuantao.png/revision/latest?cb=20140722003601&path-prefix=es


Personality: Haunted. Despite his monstrous actions in the past, he actually has compassion, sorrow and guilt. Qiu has a legendary discipline and a deep fear inside he is afraid of vanishing, and preffer trying again and again. This fear has motivated him to go to extremes, to prove his loyalty to his kings. Now, as ghost, and masterless.. he is lost. Caught and hunted by his past sins. He was nicknamed "Blade-Heart"

History
In first Qiu's childhood, he tried to oppose a soldier- who stabbed him in return. The sword scratched his heart- physically, he has survived- but the pain and the terror, motivated him to join the army and do everything to prevent the rage of his superiors. He did crazy heroic and cruel acts. just out of fear.
Qiu grew to be a Chinese War Lord from the Warring States Age.
Qiu was loyal to his king, and went extreme and harsh- making terrible things even relatively to such ancient age.
Every time, he was assinated by his lover, wife or daughter- probably from a repeating reacarnation.
But he wasn't EVIL- he never turned into a Hollow, and just reincarnated again, getting a chance to be a hero again.
But he did the same.
And then he reincarnated again, growing into a Warlod, failing to be a noble warrior.
Again.
After 7 recantations he simply stayed.. as a plus. Haunted by the hollows and the suffer he has created for 7 life times.

Now he has no king to hide behind- now he has to choose whether he'l be a noble warrior or a savage. Now he is chained to his dead body at his burned mansion.

Story So far


Abilities:

Tactical and Strategic Experience: After 7 lives as Warlord, he has significant experience at leading battles and armies.
Weapon Mastery: He is a master of Sword and many other weapons.
Weapon Forging: Qiu also as fanatic soldier, at some point wielded only weapons he made himself.
Martial Arts: Qiu isn't good at martial arts, as he is with weapons- but he probably better than the average martial artist.

Other Information

I plan him to forge the first Zanpakutō

[King539]

Character's done.

Ezekiel Bellitus

Age: 23.
Gender: Male.
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 163 lb.
Species: Human.
Station: N/A.
Speech: Quincy Blue.

Ezekiel is a tall man, well-muscled. His hair is red, and he has a large, wild beard, scorched in places. His eyes are startling, ice-blue.

Ezekiel is irritable gruff, by no means good with people. He prefers his own company to those of others, and would probably be something of a hermit if his adoptive father wasn't too weak for travel. However, he is still a genuinely good and caring person, despite how much he'll grumble about it.

Ezekiel was raised by Visigoths, who adopted him. He believes he is a Visigoth. His adopted parents were killed by Hollows when he was very young. He was found by a Jewish blacksmith, who adopted him again and named him Ezekiel, after the prophet. Now that his second adopted father is old and bedridden, he runs his smithing business in Rome. He barely remembers the Hollows that killed his first pair of adoptive parents, and thinks of them as demons.

Great Spiritual Power: Being the son of the Soul King, Ezekiel's raw spiritual power is considerable. He just has almost no control over it.

Reishi Sense: Ezekiel has an almost instinctive awareness of Reishi and Reiatsu around him, perceiving it as a sort of energy field. He will probably figure out that he has some control over it later.

Great Strength: Ezekiel is very strong and tough, though nowhere near superhuman.

Surprisingly Smart: Despite his general manner, Ezekiel possesses a keen mind. He's just not that educated.

Proficient Archer: Ezekiel practices archery in his spare time, ands achieved a fair level of proficiency.


Found Quincy forerunners.

Invent Quincy techniques.

Use Auswahlen to stay alive until modern day.

In modern day, take over Quincies and do stuff.

[Razade]

I still vote Frozen take The Soul King slot.

[King539]

I vote FF take either the Soul King or Noble slots.

[Frozen_Feet]

A noble is more useful for starting the game. I'll consider adopting the role of the Soul King when the need arises and no-one else has showed up to play it at that point.

I'm busy for the next few days, so commentary on the character and making me own will have to wait. I'll get back to you all Saturday evening.

[Razade]

Well, hopefully we get a few more people or we'll all have to take double duty. Sadly, these sorts of games just don't seem all that popular.

[Toxic Mind]

What do we have so far? - saw this on a cross-post (thanks Razade), and was wondering what had not been applied for/still needed.

At base, I like the idea of the Zanpakuto forger (though I think someone is already looking at that), as well as the head of the academy. I could also be roped into the Royal Guard, though my knowledge of the little intricacies of Bleach may hinder me on that one.

EDIT1: It seems like we need a noble player to get the game off the ground - I'm not sure I'm the right one for that for similar reasons to the royal guard - I simply don't feel familiar enough with how the nobility of Soul Society worked/willwork/didwork (tenses are fun) to start that character. I will do some research.

[Toxic Mind]

Having done a little bit of background, I think I feel more comfortable with any of the last 3 (Guard, Noble, Academy Head). Seems like it was rather Wild West-y back then, which I can play just fine. I am still confused as to what exactly makes certain houses "Noble"? If I knew that I think I would be fine playing our Head of House.

[Frozen_Feet]

"What exactly makes a noble?" is one if those questions this game is meant to explore. The canon is very vague on what makes the great houses great - other than giving birth to people with great spiritual powets.

Historically, the answer is pretty simple, though: superior violent potential.

Through violence, nobles-to-come either claim land, or are given land by existing national body in exchange of services. "Services" usually means "protecting nations from other violent people who want to claim them".

[Razade]

What do we have so far? - saw this on a cross-post (thanks Razade), and was wondering what had not been applied for/still needed.


Someone to found the Shinoreijutsuin (AKA Spiritual Arts Academy AKA Shinigami Academy).

This one is still open though I think of all the ones on the list...it's the one we need the least at the start. Shinigami aren't even a thing yet. Let alone Soul Society proper.


Someone to found the Royal Guard.

I believe I am ostensibly the person on this in so far as Yan Wao Shen is concerned. Not that we can't have more people involved. We really probably should.


Someone to make the first Zanpakutos.

Igor has taken this I believe.


Someone to play a head or heir to a Great Noble Famly.

You and Frozen seem on this?


Someone to play the Soul King.

I can, if needed, take this slot as well since...I don't expect Yan to be doing a whole lot outside the Soul King storyline.

[Toxic Mind]

I will admit my feelings are definitely running towards the noble - if only because there is a great possibility for variety and if anyone else wanted to do the same I wouldn't be stepping on toes. Also, one of the nobles (frozen or I or both) could even take on the responsibility of the academy when it comes up.

I will write up a mock up when I get home

[King539]

Sounds great! I like forward to the game when it begins. Also, Razade, I have an idea for a character that is basically Wao Shen's second-in-command, a Las Bestia or Adjuchas.

[Razade]

I will admit my feelings are definitely running towards the noble - if only because there is a great possibility for variety and if anyone else wanted to do the same I wouldn't be stepping on toes. Also, one of the nobles (frozen or I or both) could even take on the responsibility of the academy when it comes up.

I will write up a mock up when I get home

Sounds good.



Sounds great! I like forward to the game when it begins. Also, Razade, I have an idea for a character that is basically Wao Shen's second-in-command, a Las Bestia or Adjuchas.

Sounds good to me, I'd like to keep just what Yan Wao Shen is close to the chest. Is it a Shinigami that's corrupted into a Hollow? Is it a Hollow that' somehow taken off the mask already? Is it something even stranger and ancient? What ever it is, it has such power over the Hollow it is the undisputed King. Something to drive the Arrancar storyline if/when we reach it. One of the reasons I'd be happy to take the Soul King though really...I think maybe we should all share that role and develop it collectively.

[Frozen_Feet]

Looking over the other characters, and they look good for now. I suggest we don't worry too much about who plays Soul King yet, as he won't be needed until our other characters have at least met each other.

Some comments regarding future plans;

My character (see below) has obvious motive to seek out Qiu Tao and to do something about Wao Shen, so I expect those to kick off the early game. He also has a less obvious motive to seek out Ezekiel, which I will get at during the game.

I'm okay with Las Noches being different from canon. What we see of its backstory, it originally was just Barragan's name for his domain, which was really meant to cover the entire Hueco Mundo. (Really, you could say that's true of the Carrion King as well; Hollows rumour he "rules the night", and since it's always night in Hueco Mundo... the ruins could be said to be "Trono de las Noches", that is, throne of the night.)

I'm going to write a starting post for the IC next. My wish is for everyone to simply establish where their characters are first and then go from there. Remember, you can play, and have each other play, small-time NPCs to keep things moving when none of the big players are present in the same place.

---

Kuchiki Ichiro Takehiko

Age: 27
Gender: Male
Height: 181 cm (~5'11")
Weight: 71 kg (~156 lbs.)
Species: Plus ("Balancer")
Station: Head of the Kuchiki clan

Description:
Takehiko is a tall, lean man with pale skin. His hair is black and shoulder-length, held to the side by white hairpiece called kenseikan. He also sports a light mustache. His eyes are cold grey. He usually wears a white shirt and black trousers, his clan emblem sewn to the back of the shirt. On the battlefied, he is often seen wearing an armor of bronze scales and a bronze cap. He is practically never without a sword to his side. Lastly, when visiting other nobles, he usually wears a white silk scarf around his neck, a heirloom from his father and a sign of his position as the current clan head.


Personality:
"Heaven is made by Law. Laws are enforced by violence. Reach Heaven through violence."

As a child, Takehiko was a hot-headed and lively boy. However, as the weight of his responsibilities as a future clan head settled on his shoulders, he became famously stone-faced and aloof. Some other nobles accuse him of being impossible to negotiate with, claiming it is like talking to a stone wall. This is responded to with a shrug, if responded to at all.

Takehiko is a big believer in law and order. It is no surprise, then, that he finds the current state of the afterlife wanting. He sees it as the duty of himself and his clan to punish evildoers and see that the laws of the land are upheld. He is famously uncompromising when it comes to punishments, with some people saying he would cut off his own hand if he found it committing sin.

History: The Kuchiki were ennobled by the Soul King a hundred years ago, as a reward for their exemplary service in the King's army. They were appointed as "balancers", with the intent that they would watch over both Earth and afterlife, making sure the King's Will is executed across the land. The King's withdrawal from wordly affairs has left it annoyingly vague what said Will is, though, and the Kuchiki are having some difficulty exerting authority over warlike residents of the afterlife.

Ichiro Takehiko is the 3rd clan head, appointed by his aging father on Takehiko's 20th birthday. Having trained martials arts all his life, Takehiko assumed a strategy of leading at the front, winning great victories for the Kuchiki in a short span of time. Now the clan's expansion has been halted, however, as its lands are bordered by swamp of "that twice cursed necromancer" in the West and an alliance of opposing clans in North, South and East.

As Takehiko is an only child, his aging father and mother are worried about his warlike life leading to an untimely demise. A lot of other people also agree the man really ought to get a wife, though not necessarily for the same reason.

Story So Far: Nothing yet.

Abilities:

Expert Swordsman: It is said it takes 10 days to master the staff, 100 to master the sabre, and 1,000 to master the longsword. Having been trained by his father from the age of 4, Takehiko well exceeds these benchmarks, and always seeks to improve. He is practically never seen without a jian to his side. Lately, however, he has lamented how no weapon withstands his strength well, and he is a regular customer of local blacksmiths for repairs of his sword.
Expert Movement: The Kuchiki clan is claimed to have a secret technique of traversing great distances with a single leap, which has been dubbed by others as the "Flash Step" (Shunpo). Takehiko has not confirmed such rumours to anyone, but his opponents swear he can move faster than the eye can see, and some claim he can walk on water, or on walls, or even on thin air.
Enhanced strength & durability: Takehiko is by no means a small man by standards of the time, but there are larger still in the wide world. Yet, in competitions held annually by houses of nobility, he has regularly bested larger and heavier men. His servants claim that once, he absent-mindedly split a stone in half. Takehiko himself protests, claiming any such attempt would sunder a sword... which does suggest he has tried.
Enhanced spiritual power: Takehiko has a commanding presence above and beyond that of an ordinary man. Some say he's made grown men gasp for air by merely looking at them.
Highly learned: Being an heir to nobility, Takehiko has been taught how to read and write, he has perused the classics of warfare, and is conversant in topics of history, artistry and spiritual life. He considers these things secondary to being good with a sword, though.

Other information:

Obviously an ancestor of the Kuchiki clan.

This stick up the ass will be passed down the Kuchiki family line for generations. :smalltongue:

- - - Updated - - -

Here's a link to the IC thread. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?512150-Bleach-Turn-Back-the-Pendulum-IC)

[Toxic Mind]

Alrighty - sorry about the break, was away for the long weekend. Here's Kane Shiba - noble head of the Shiba clan, big-ass dude, and all around large personality. He's definitely meant as a foil to our dour and stoic Kuchiki, in a "different paths to the same goal" sort of way.

He's got some backstory hooks with our swamp monster in the form of his now-deceased father, and Kuchiki in clan rivalry. Also hints towards the school, and the weaponmaster, because nobody wants more big swords than Kane Shiba.

Name: Kane Shiba
Age: 34
Gender: Male
Height: 195 cm (~6'5")
Weight: 100 kg (~220lbs.)
Species: Plus ("Balancer")
Station: Head of the Shiba clan

Description:
Kane "Golden" Shiba is a large man, towering over almost any other in the Soul Society. He is pure muscle, a fact not lost in his opponents, and one that he uses to great effect with his size. Kane wears armor almost everywhere, and as with the man himself, it is function over form, with little true ornamentation, save for an ornate shoulder armor that covers his right shoulder down to his hand. Between this and the massive zweihander-style sword he wields, Kane cuts an imposing figure, and a true force to be reckoned with in battle.
Personality:
Kane is a vibrant man, as quick to laugh and smile and love as he is to drink and fight. He lives life every day as though it were almost his last, making the most of every experience. Despite this trait, Kane Shiba is not a stupid man. His mind is deeply analytical, and while he sees little value in most "book learning", the arts and means of warfare are well studied. Kane Shiba believes that nobility should be shown and earned, not a birthright, and makes sure that those that follow his clan, and those he allies himself with, know this. He has a deep caring and loyalty towards those under his protection, and can be relied on to react violently when they are threatened.
History:e
Kane Shiba took over as head of his clan 15 years ago, when his father disappeared into the swamp to the West, a failed attempt at peace between the Kuchiki clan and the current alliance of noble houses that Kane works with. In truth, while many among the alliance blame the Kuchiki for the loss of Kane's father, seeing duplicity at every moment, Kane knows the truth - his father was a fool and a weakling, and likely died in another failed attempt at clearing the swamp of "great evil." Now, as the Kuchiki clan seeks to exert its dominance, and expansion, Shiba territories to the South are under threat, and Kane has plenty of experience on the battlefield, but little experience with politics.

Kane is frustrated with the lack of progress that the "nobility" have made in protecting the spirits in the Soul Society. He sees this as further hampered by the lack of any formal training outside of throwing oneself at Hollows, or other nobles, and hoping not to die before getting enough experience.
Story So Far:
None
Abilities:
Art of War: Kane is a man whose skill in combat was forged in fire, rather than a school. While he recognizes the value of such institutions for lesser men, he is more than capable of wielding the weapons and tools of war to bring destruction to others. He is a master of his zweihander, and in contests has held his own against opponents with much faster weapons, somehow able to parry, and batter aside, blows that should bypass his guard. Despite his favoritism of his singular weapon, he is familiar with, and practiced in, a great many of the common weapons of the time, including their strengths and weaknesses. He is often fond of allowing his opponents to land a blow on his armor, trusting it to take a hit, to give him an opening. Still, he treats every new opponent as if they were a serious threat, until they prove otherwise. Most do.
Increased Physique: As a front-line fighter, Kane has taken blows that would kill other men, and kept fighting. His strength and durability are the stuff of legends. Some soldiers claim to have seen him swinging his massive sword with one hand, though such talk is quickly put aside. The sword stands as tall, and almost as wide, as Kane himself. No one could possibly carry it one-handed, let alone wield it... could they?
Commanding Spiritual Power: Kane commands respect, and exudes the aura of a warrior. When he enters a room, those talking hush, and even those with power are aware of his presence. Almost all of his considerable spiritual power is focused inward, but some of the clansmen bonded to the Shiba tell of a time he found a soldier stealing food from a poor family, and when the man tried to defend his actions, a mere glare caused his mind to shatter and his legs to turn to jelly.
Preternatural Awareness: Kane Shiba sees things that other people don't notice. Those who serve with him on the field cite an uncanny sense of timing, from enemy ambushes to Hollow incursions. He once caught an assassin's wrist, blade in hand, behind his back, without turning around. Kane laughs these away, saying he's just lucky, but those who have faced him in combat and lived to tell about it know that the man seems to be steps ahead of his opponents, no matter how fast or cunning they are.

Other information:
Head of the Shiba Clan.

Name: Ana Shiba
Age: 33
Gender: Female
Height: 175 cm (~5'9")
Weight: 63 kg (~140lbs.)
Species: Plus
Station: First Lady of the Shiba clan, Wife to Kane Shiba, Chief Strategist.

Description:
Lady Ana Shiba is a tall and striking woman, though standing next to her husband even she appears small. Her hair is a radiant auburn which borders a face that while youthful and radiant bears its share of scars. She stands tall and proud, no longer hiding her face or the wounds upon it from the world, but they remain, four scars that cross from just above her right eye to the lower corner of her jaw. Before the attack, she had many suitors amongst the minor noble houses and beyond, and was considered one of the great beauties of the Soul Society. After, though only her face was touched, most saw her as "damaged goods".
Personality:
Ana Shiba can be best described in two words - reserved and devoted. The easy, flirtatious attitude of her youth is gone in the wake of the attack, replaced by stoicism and a cool demeanor. In that crucible, she found the understanding of just how vapid her previous life had been. This attitude makes her particularly off-putting to the more rigid and class-oriented of the nobles and prominents among the soul society. She is also devoted deeply to her husband and the Shiba clan, and works without tiring to see them protected and elevated. This love for both Kane Shiba and those under him makes her one of the most beloved and protected among the clan itself, despite her reserved demeanor.
History:
Lady Ana Shiba was born Ana Kokuo, the eldest daughter of a well-off trading master in the Western Provinces. Her father doted on her, and she grew up a selfish and vain girl, this attitude made all the more exasperated by her stunning looks, which attracted suitors from all the the Provinces and many of the minor noble houses. That was, at least, until the Attack. When traveling with one of her father's caravans to their summer home, they were set upon by Hollows who had managed to sneak into the Soul Society. The attack was vicious, and Ana was struck across the face by one of the clawed beasts, marring her perfection. The Hollows were driven away and slain, but the damage was done.

For many months, Ana languished, bemoaning her fate. The suitors stopped coming, and her father despaired to ever see his daughter again. As she realized that no longer would her looks be able to make her path in life, Ana looked inward. She hired various tutors to teach her how to run a business, and how to fight, though she hid the second from her father. It turned out that the vapid girl who coasted by before was a fast study, and an excellent markswoman with throwing daggers and needles. She never regained the easy charm and conversation she once had, but a new Ana had shown herself, and despite the horror of the Attack, she was the better for it.

It was the dreams that brought her to the attention of Kane Shiba. She sought the wisest scholars when they began, and one among their number was bonded to the Lord Shiba. This scholar brought the young woman to him, and in return for her service and loyalty, Kane Shiba promised her safety, a place among his house, and that her family would be taken care of - included in the Shiba trade routes, and provided with their protection. The generosity floored Ana, and she accepted. Over time, the two grew closer together, and on the eve of Ana's 24th Birthday, they were married.
Story So Far:
None
Abilities:
Bonded with Shadow: Ana Shiba is most adept among the shadows in combat, preferring to strike from where her opponent does not expect, rather than fighting head on.
Markswoman: Ana is wickedly effective with throwing weapons and in particular prefers slim bone needles, hollowed in the core and capable of delivering doses of whatever toxin or drug she needs.
Learned Chemist: Ana studied medicine for a great deal of time, attempting to find some way to fix her scars. Though she has since accepted them as a part of her, that training serves her well, allowing her to expertly mix toxins and other drugs in precise dosages, and deliver them where they will be most effective - to heal or to harm.
Fate-sight: Ana's greatest gift and most acute curse is her ability to perceive, in small ways, the possibilities of the future. In combat, this manifests itself as faster-than-possible reaction times, almost anticipating her opponents movements, though the more troubled her mind is, the less effective the ability functions in high-stress situations. Outside of combat, her dreams often show her visions of futures-that-could-be, though not always the best way to prevent them.

Other information:


- - - Updated - - -

If its okay with you Frozen i'll have Kane arrive at the Kuchiki manor. He's armed, but has no guards, and bears a flag of peace.

When addressed by guards, he will refuse to talk to anyone except the head of the household.

[Razade]

- - - Updated - - -

If its okay with you Frozen i'll have Kane arrive at the Kuchiki manor. He's armed, but has no guards, and bears a flag of peace.

When addressed by guards, he will refuse to talk to anyone except the head of the household.

Oh, hadn't seen this. Perhaps Yan Wao Shen can come with him...once you sort that whole thing out.

[Toxic Mind]

Oh, hadn't seen this. Perhaps Yan Wao Shen can come with him...once you sort that whole thing out.

A spammer in the works? Fantastic!

[Frozen_Feet]

@Toxic Mind: sure, that works. You can either describe his arrival in your next post, or pick Wao Shen along the way first while Takehiko is trying to pick up Qiu Tao.

[Toxic Mind]

good thing we didn't double post! I think for now the nobility will take different paths, likely to meet up in the future. after all, tales of fine new weapons will likely begin reaching Shiba ears. :smalltongue:

[King539]

Yo, people. Kuang's here. Also, I have an idea. The Las Bestia may not be hungry anymore, but what if, instead, they all had some sort of thing that happens when they eat souls?

Full name: Fengkuang de She.
Age: A few hundred.
Gender: N/A.
Height: About 7 feet.
Weight: Surprisingly light.
Species: Hollow, Las Bestia.
Station: Yan Wao Shen's roadie.
Speech: Forest Green

Kuang stands very tall, hunched slightly. His arms and legs are spindly, hands tipped with long, needle-like claws. His mask covers the top half of his face, freeing his pointy-toothed mouth.

Kuang is... not entirely sane. He is undeniably brilliant, but his behaviour is often erratic and unpredictable. However, he is utterly terrified of Yan Wao Shen, and will always avoid doing things that will displease the boss.

To come.

N/A.

Surprising strength: Despite his apparent frailness, Kuang has surprising strength.

Novice Sorcerer: Kuang has recently started studying sorcery under Yan Wao Shen. However, he is still new to it.

Cero: Kuang can concentrate his spiritual power into a blast of red, flame-like energy.

Poisoned Claws: Kuang's claws can inject a variety of different poisons into people he hits with them, depending on the severity of the wound. These include knockout, acidic, mind-control/will-weakening, deadly poison, etc.

Knowledge Thief: Kuang absorbs the memories and knowledge from the souls he devours.

[Razade]

Please remember King, that the Hollows don't know that the Carrion King and Yan Wao Shen is the same person. So what ever his reasons for following the Necromancer are, it shouldn't be that he's in charge of Las Noches. :smallwink:

[King539]

I know. Kuang spends most of his time in Las Noches in his chambers, doing weird experiments and stuff, so nobody knows whether or not he`s in Las Noches. Convenient. :smalltongue:

Also, does anyone have any idea hoe Ezekiel could be introduced to the rest of the characters.

[Frozen_Feet]

I have, but it will take a while. Takehiko needs to get back to Soul Society first.

I was thinking of playing some mundane humans to give Ezekiel things to do untill then.

[King539]

Explain this plan.

[Vulkan]

Oh, I remember this <3
May I join in as well?
I wish to play as that Arrancar character who's primary method is disguising itself and preying on unsuspecting victims (No reason why that can't be just a regular hollow in reality)

Or one that plays with a portal, pocket dimension and pheromones (that only attract hollows, does not affect arrancar unless they're incredibly weak willed) but is physically very weak on her own.

Or a healer (with pheromones, because the idea of a bunch of weak hollows coming in to my defense sounds awesome.)

[Razade]

There are no Arrancar, this setting is starting 2100 years before present day. There are still Hollows of course.

[Vulkan]

Oh dear you're right... Eh, no reason those characters need to be Arrancar when they can just be hollows.
I'll just take away a few abilities

Disguising

vs.

PHEROMONES!

[Frozen_Feet]

Explain this plan.

Eh, it isn't much of a plan. Maybe a roman soldier passing by? Or some other mundane person?

If you meant the former, I'll keep it a secret for a while longer. :smalltongue:

[King539]

I did mean the former, but whatever. Feel free to post whatever you plan to post whenever. What I'm basically doing right now is Ezekiel's inspiration for his eventual development of various Quincy abilities. The random puppeteer is inspiration for Ransotengai, etc. I plan for Ezekiel to fall in the river and get to a place far faster than he normally could. *cough*Hirenkyaku*cough*

[King539]

Alternatively, Kane could be looking for his own blacksmith,, trying to match Takehiko's sudden advantage.

[Toxic Mind]

don;t know he has an advantage yet.

[Ammutseba]

Does anybody need a villain?

[Razade]

Hollow-side could certainly use more people. Always room for more nobles too. I'm not sure the story needs a "villain" so much as a network of actual players yet however. Pretty sure everyone's sorta at odds and that's antagonist enough for the number of people we have. Not like we've got a lot of competing storylines going. Or the people to run them. We should probably flesh out the backstory of the game so we can move to more recent bits because that's what people want to play if Vulkan is any evidence.

[King539]

don;t know he has an advantage yet.

Yeah. I meant once Kane realizes that Takehiko has an advantage.

[Razade]

Yeah. I meant once Kane realizes that Takehiko has an advantage.

I think Toxic Mind is pointing out that we're unsure OOCly that Takehiko has an advantage.

[igordragonian]

Question-
Would it be ok, if I'll create Qiu's eternal lover and killer as a character? (Probably a villian?)

I was thinking about a cursed soul, with the ability to control the hollows Qiu has killed and was in charge of killing in 7 life times, and strengthen them.
Sound ok?
I understood, there are no enough "villains"

[Razade]

Aren't we all kind of antagonists to one another? It certainly seems to be for the most part.

[igordragonian]

yep. I'm just offering a character.
That all.

[Razade]

I mean, I think the more the merrier? It's someone from your background, I don't think there's a problem with it personally?

I think a good goal is attracting more people in general. The more people the less we have to double/triple/etc up and the more people we'll have for further on in the game. I don't know about anyone else but I'm eager to get to modern times.

[Frozen_Feet]

Igordragonian: go ahead and introduce a new character if you think it will help keep the game going.

Ammutseba: what do you mean by "villain"?

If you mean "antagonist", then like Razade pointed out, most characters are already antagonistic towards each other. So in that sense, we do not need villains.

If you mean "evil person", then I'll point out that canonical Soul Society has people like Mayuri Kurotsuchi. So you could fit a very evil person into any of the founding slots of the Royal Guard or Gotei.

[Ammutseba]

By "villain" I don't mean someone who is antagonistic to the other characters, but whose scope, goals and abilities will encourage other characters to come together in opposition of them. Even, and perhaps especially, if they would normally be at odds with one another.

[King539]

Uhhh... Toxic Mind? Kuang? I replied a while back.

[Toxic Mind]

Uhhh... Toxic Mind? Kuang? I replied a while back.

Not much to say. Have you found any worthy candidates?
I responded now. Trying to keep this from becoming first Character Kill, but Kane Shiba tends to resport to violence sooner than most.

[igordragonian]

Sunyi Tao

Age: 29. seven life times.
Gender: Female
Height: 1.45 m
Weight: 40 kg
Species: Hollow
Station: Your character's current lot in life.

Description:
[spoiler]https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/79/5e/cb/795ecb730027a737b4507d26c8f04dfe.jpg


Personality:
Sunyi, is a charming and passionate woman. Yet, she has an obssesion for Qiu- love and kill.
She know he supposed to be her hero- but he is disappointing over and over.

History: What has happened to your character before the game and made them who they are?

Story So Far: You can summarize and update here what has happened to your character during the game.

Abilities:

Despite being a Hollow Sunyi has quite human, even if pale appearance. She can sense and control all the ghosts who died because of Qiu.
Her fan give her wind element control ability..

Other information:
[SPOILER]

How does it look?

[King539]

I think Toxic Mind is pointing out that we're unsure OOCly that Takehiko has an advantage.

By "advantage" I meant "master swordsmith." Like this:


good thing we didn't double post! I think for now the nobility will take different paths, likely to meet up in the future. after all, tales of fine new weapons will likely begin reaching Shiba ears. :smalltongue:

[Razade]

Sunyi Tao

Age: 29. seven life times.
Gender: Female
Height: 1.45 m
Weight: 40 kg
Species: Hollow
Station: Your character's current lot in life.

Description:
[spoiler]https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/79/5e/cb/795ecb730027a737b4507d26c8f04dfe.jpg


Personality:
Sunyi, is a charming and passionate woman. Yet, she has an obssesion for Qiu- love and kill.
She know he supposed to be her hero- but he is disappointing over and over.

History: What has happened to your character before the game and made them who they are?

Story So Far: You can summarize and update here what has happened to your character during the game.

Abilities:

Despite being a Hollow Sunyi has quite human, even if pale appearance. She can sense and control all the ghosts who died because of Qiu.
Her fan give her wind element control ability..

Other information:
[SPOILER]

How does it look?

Well off the bat...there are no Human Hollows yet. That's something only a Vasto Lorde can be and those don't exist.

[Frozen_Feet]

By "villain" I don't mean someone who is antagonistic to the other characters, but whose scope, goals and abilities will encourage other characters to come together in opposition of them. Even, and perhaps especially, if they would normally be at odds with one another.

I fail to see how that doesn't qualify as an antagonist. That said, there are two spots which would be like that:

1) Quincies. You could play a companion character to Ezekiel and slowly built towards the first Quincy war.
2) the Soul King.

Do either sound like your ball game?

[King539]

Random Thing: I'd be completely willing to do the write-ups on the Quincy Clans during the Medieval and Modern periods.

Other Thing: Ammutseba, I'd recommend the Soul King. I don't really think another Quincy is necessary.

Yet Another Random Thing: Interestingly, the "Medieval" period of the game is not what we typically think of as medieval. It's actually towards the end of the Viking Age. A more "medieval" period would be circa 1100-1200 C.E. Just a bit of meaningless pedantry.

[Frozen_Feet]

But he was a free man, leading only men who are willing to die for him? No one was forced into his service?

Qiu Tao will get answers to these questions sooner or later. :smallamused:

[King539]

DUN DUN DUUUUUUHHHHHHNNNNN!!!!

Also, FF, if you have something for Ezekiel to do, please do it now. I have nothing else to do in this game at the moment.

[Frozen_Feet]

It'll probably take me untill monday to get things done in that regard.

[igordragonian]

hmm.. would Qiu's wife be ok if she has a monstrouse form?

[Frozen_Feet]

I think so, yes. She could also have a decoy human form similar to Grand Fisher.

On another note, do you want to play out the process of forging Takehiko's zanpakuto, or would it suit you better if we skipped ahead to when it is done?

[igordragonian]

As you wish- I thought the process could be a spiritual yada yada- you know- stabbing Kuchiki in his heart, and forging from the metal which remain inside... facing his own darkness and yada yada.
As you wish

[Frozen_Feet]

Sounds good enough. Just have Qui tell what he needs & lead the process to the point where the actual stabbing can take place.

[King539]

I hope there will eventually be another method for the forging of Zanpakuto other than heart-stabbing... :smalltongue:

[igordragonian]

I guess, there will Qiu, is only the first one. Naturaly his way more primitive.

[igordragonian]

Sunyi Tao

Age: 29. seven life times.
Gender: Female
Height: 1.45 m
Weight: 40 kg
Species: Hollow
Station: Your character's current lot in life.

Description:
[spoiler]

Usually looks like a fox-sih gigantic hollow with a fox grinning mask, and seven tails- each of them can turn into one of her mortal shapes from her seven life times.


Personality:
Sunyi, is a charming and passionate woman. Yet, she has an obssesion for Qiu- love and kill.
She know he supposed to be her hero- but he is disappointing over and over.

History:
Again and again she trusted Qiu to be a hero.
He always failed her. 7 times.
She killed him 7 times, and comitted a suicide 7 times.
Now, as Hollow.. she had enough. She want to destroy, kill anything that resembling Qiu. Cowards, traitors, soldiers...



Story So Far: You can summarize and update here what has happened to your character during the game.

Abilities:

Despite being a Hollow Sunyi has quite human, even if pale appearance. She can sense and control all the ghosts who died because of Qiu.
Her fan give her wind element control ability..

Other information:
[SPOILER]

How does it look?

Now better?

[Frozen_Feet]

I have no objections on Qiu's ex-wife being a kitsune.


I hope there will eventually be another method for the forging of Zanpakuto other than heart-stabbing... :smalltongue:

Heart stabbing is par for the course for the series. Getting stabbed is sort of on-off-switch for spiritual powers. Ichigo gets stabbed thrice to give him powers and twice to take them away. :smalltongue:

[Ammutseba]

I fail to see how that doesn't qualify as an antagonist. That said, there are two spots which would be like that:

1) Quincies. You could play a companion character to Ezekiel and slowly built towards the first Quincy war.
2) the Soul King.

Do either sound like your ball game?


Random Thing: I'd be completely willing to do the write-ups on the Quincy Clans during the Medieval and Modern periods.

Other Thing: Ammutseba, I'd recommend the Soul King. I don't really think another Quincy is necessary.

Yet Another Random Thing: Interestingly, the "Medieval" period of the game is not what we typically think of as medieval. It's actually towards the end of the Viking Age. A more "medieval" period would be circa 1100-1200 C.E. Just a bit of meaningless pedantry.

I really don't think I'm up for playing the Soul King, and I agree that there's no necessity for another Quincy. So... I'll keep thinking :)

[Frozen_Feet]

I suspect Takehiko's brief visit to nightmare land was a bit different than expected, but I hope it was enjoyable.

As a sidenote, the scene with Ezekiel has provided me with motivation to refresh my memory of Ancient Roman history and the opportunities for irony are endless.

[King539]

I see my plan to turn everyone into history nerds is working... :smalltongue:

[King539]

Sorry for the double post, but waiting on FF.

[Frozen_Feet]

I was sick and suffering from moderate-sized writer's block. I'll get back to it this evening. Same to igor.

[Toxic Mind]

I'm just sitting here waiting for my ritual

[Razade]

Yan's? It's already fired. He made a massive fort from the ground.

[Toxic Mind]

Yan's? It's already fired. He made a massive fort from the ground.

Did I miss the post? I cannot find it :smalleek:

[Razade]

You can find it here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=21672031&postcount=88), though you responded to it. Thought it was odd that he didn't...freak out or even mention it at all.



Once the lord steps out of the web the ground begins to pitch and heave, sending tremors throughout the area as the ground itself shifts and forms a tiered series of walls around the Shiba encampment as spindle towers burst around the circuit. Arcane energy swirls around the Necromancer, its baleful eyes glowing all the brighter within the Lion's skull as it chants wildly in tongues until the spell ends, a vast fortification encompassing the already well built Shiba encampment.

The bit in question.

[Frozen_Feet]

I'm waiting on either igor or King making a post.

[igordragonian]

Thinking of an agony fruit without godmodding you too much...

[Frozen_Feet]

It's a hallucination. You can go wild. :smallbiggrin:

[igordragonian]

Yes. But I also need to think about someone Kuchiki has hurt in the past.

Is he the kind to excute soldier for running away?

[Frozen_Feet]

Depends on what the soldier was doing. Running away to save yourself when you're on guard duty etc. is inexcusable and punishable with death. Falling back on a battlefield to avoid being overrun by an enemy is acceptable.

[Toxic Mind]

Got a post up - sorry about the confusion Razade, I must be blind.

[Razade]

Got a post up - sorry about the confusion Razade, I must be blind.

It's all good dude. I'm easy.

[King539]

Two things:

1) I can do the Quincy clan write-ups for the "medieval" period of the game.

2) @Ammutseba, I've come up with a few rough villain ideas if you can't think of anything:
a) A Fullbringer, which, per the OP, may exist.
b) A mortal who is eaten by a powerful Hollow after dying, but begins to take over the Hollow's mind from within, perhaps due to some latent spiritual ability.
c) A noble in Soul Society who wants to cause strife.

[Toxic Mind]

C might be a interesting option given that the Kuchiki and Shiba are about to meet up to (hopefully) start working on an actual Soul Society, as opposed to lose conglomerations of people.

[Frozen_Feet]

My fascist attitude is causing trouble, you say?

Answer: be more fascist. :smallamused:

[King539]

Idea for introducing Ezekiel to everyone else: On his way back home, Ezekiel meets a Hollow. The resulting fight attracts the attention of a nearby Balancer, who is working for Kuchiki or Shiba.

[Frozen_Feet]

Possible, though not necessary.

[King539]

Possible, though not necessary.

Why is that?

[King539]

@Razade, you here?

[Razade]

Yes? tencharacters

[King539]

Sorry, you hadn't posted in a while. Waiting on you.

[Razade]

Oh uhhh...bit more pressing things going on like people trying to kill Yan Wao Shen :smalltongue:

[Frozen_Feet]

Well this time around it was less plotting to kill and more plotting to thoroughly humiliate. Though now that Shen came out in the open, the former is not out of the question. :smalltongue:

[King539]

Why is that?


Possible, though not necessary.

Reposting.

[Razade]

There, a reply for you King. Let's get this started.

[Frozen_Feet]

@Toxic Mind: your post is quite inconvenient to me, because I was still waiting for a reply from Igor, and hadn't established the Kuchiki soldiers had camp, or even were about to camp, anywhere nearby. I can write Lord Kuchiki in the situation where you presumed to find him, but in general that's not the order in which I prefer to do things.

@King: I simply mean that a Hollow attack on Ezekiel isn't required to get the Spirit World interested in him.

[igordragonian]

I didnt had anything special to reply, for now Qiu act as ahadow

[Toxic Mind]

@Toxic Mind: your post is quite inconvenient to me, because I was still waiting for a reply from Igor, and hadn't established the Kuchiki soldiers had camp, or even were about to camp, anywhere nearby. I can write Lord Kuchiki in the situation where you presumed to find him, but in general that's not the order in which I prefer to do things.

@King: I simply mean that a Hollow attack on Ezekiel isn't required to get the Spirit World interested in him.

solved. go ahead and establish, I'll work around it.

[Frozen_Feet]

And now I think you overdid it by deleting your whole post - you could've left the first paragraph intact. :smalltongue:

[Toxic Mind]

mayyyyybe.

Either way I saved the whole thing - I'll wait for the two of you to have your meetings before popping by :smalltongue:

[Frozen_Feet]

You can probably repost it any time after igor's next post.

[Razade]

Are people ready to get nuts? I'm ready to.


Also, I lament we don't have enough people to play the leader of each House. Would be interesting to see the others in the mix.

[igordragonian]

Should I cancel Qiu's Ex rampaging China?
Now that I think of it, I don't see how does it benefit the story

[King539]

It could stay, but we'd have to figure out a way to figure out a way to work it into the story.

[Toxic Mind]

I will post when I am home with the sneaky stuff if that's all right with you Frozen.

[Toxic Mind]

What would his sword do to Shiba's zwiehander?

[igordragonian]

If it isn't Zanupto?
I guess shatter it like glass.

[Toxic Mind]

To officially introduce the second of the Shiba Clan, Lady Ana Shiba. She is a juxtaposition to her straightforward husband, preferring stealth and toxins to swords and melees.

Name: Ana Shiba
Age: 33
Gender: Female
Height: 175 cm (~5'9")
Weight: 63 kg (~140lbs.)
Species: Plus
Station: First Lady of the Shiba clan, Wife to Kane Shiba, Chief Strategist.

Description:
Lady Ana Shiba is a tall and striking woman, though standing next to her husband even she appears small. Her hair is a radiant auburn which borders a face that while youthful and radiant bears its share of scars. She stands tall and proud, no longer hiding her face or the wounds upon it from the world, but they remain, four scars that cross from just above her right eye to the lower corner of her jaw. Before the attack, she had many suitors amongst the minor noble houses and beyond, and was considered one of the great beauties of the Soul Society. After, though only her face was touched, most saw her as "damaged goods".
Personality:
Ana Shiba can be best described in two words - reserved and devoted. The easy, flirtatious attitude of her youth is gone in the wake of the attack, replaced by stoicism and a cool demeanor. In that crucible, she found the understanding of just how vapid her previous life had been. This attitude makes her particularly off-putting to the more rigid and class-oriented of the nobles and prominents among the soul society. She is also devoted deeply to her husband and the Shiba clan, and works without tiring to see them protected and elevated. This love for both Kane Shiba and those under him makes her one of the most beloved and protected among the clan itself, despite her reserved demeanor.
History:
Lady Ana Shiba was born Ana Kokuo, the eldest daughter of a well-off trading master in the Western Provinces. Her father doted on her, and she grew up a selfish and vain girl, this attitude made all the more exasperated by her stunning looks, which attracted suitors from all the the Provinces and many of the minor noble houses. That was, at least, until the Attack. When traveling with one of her father's caravans to their summer home, they were set upon by Hollows who had managed to sneak into the Soul Society. The attack was vicious, and Ana was struck across the face by one of the clawed beasts, marring her perfection. The Hollows were driven away and slain, but the damage was done.

For many months, Ana languished, bemoaning her fate. The suitors stopped coming, and her father despaired to ever see his daughter again. As she realized that no longer would her looks be able to make her path in life, Ana looked inward. She hired various tutors to teach her how to run a business, and how to fight, though she hid the second from her father. It turned out that the vapid girl who coasted by before was a fast study, and an excellent markswoman with throwing daggers and needles. She never regained the easy charm and conversation she once had, but a new Ana had shown herself, and despite the horror of the Attack, she was the better for it.

It was the dreams that brought her to the attention of Kane Shiba. She sought the wisest scholars when they began, and one among their number was bonded to the Lord Shiba. This scholar brought the young woman to him, and in return for her service and loyalty, Kane Shiba promised her safety, a place among his house, and that her family would be taken care of - included in the Shiba trade routes, and provided with their protection. The generosity floored Ana, and she accepted. Over time, the two grew closer together, and on the eve of Ana's 24th Birthday, they were married.
Story So Far:
None
Abilities:
Bonded with Shadow: Ana Shiba is most adept among the shadows in combat, preferring to strike from where her opponent does not expect, rather than fighting head on.
Markswoman: Ana is wickedly effective with throwing weapons and in particular prefers slim bone needles, hollowed in the core and capable of delivering doses of whatever toxin or drug she needs.
Learned Chemist: Ana studied medicine for a great deal of time, attempting to find some way to fix her scars. Though she has since accepted them as a part of her, that training serves her well, allowing her to expertly mix toxins and other drugs in precise dosages, and deliver them where they will be most effective - to heal or to harm.
Fate-sight: Ana's greatest gift and most acute curse is her ability to perceive, in small ways, the possibilities of the future. In combat, this manifests itself as faster-than-possible reaction times, almost anticipating her opponents movements, though the more troubled her mind is, the less effective the ability functions in high-stress situations. Outside of combat, her dreams often show her visions of futures-that-could-be, though not always the best way to prevent them.

Other information:

[igordragonian]

Welcome LAdy Shiba!

Hmm.. about Qiu's epic ex... in the long run, she planning empowering her army and herself, by eating a lot of souls, and then invade the Soul Society...
does it mix somehow with our story line?

[Frozen_Feet]

I'm not 100% what will happen next, so can't say. I do think there's an opportunity for her to come after Qiu soon enough.

[Toxic Mind]

Is Yan Wao Shen's thingy an opportunity to talk or just story advancement?

[Razade]

Is Yan Wao Shen's thingy an opportunity to talk or just story advancement?

Both :smallsmile:

[Lord Raziere]

Suddenly I'm interested in Bleach again. don't ask me why, my mind wanders and bounces around.

Hm. My last character concept for Bleach roleplay didn't work out for me. so I want to try something along the same lines but different. Something less crazy and more morally good. I don't think I am capable of roleplaying jerks as a PC I can care about.

like a Hollow, probably based on some animal? A Hollow who has the first inklings of trying to be more than just an evil beast that eats souls and doesn't like doing it, despite needing to and thus is trying to find ways around it, perhaps. like just a Hollow trying to do more than just be a monster. I guess it could work with the themes of nobility- if a Hollow can try to be more "noble" than a noble, what does being a noble really mean? perhaps some extra abilities for escaping. Plans for this character? Survive, be good and grow stronger until Yan Wao Shen invents the Arrancar. I guess I'd be some Hollow under Carrion Kings rule? As for the animal specifically.....Bat, Fox, Hyena perhaps, or maybe something weirder, like Chameleon or lizard. Probably mutate a bit to add abilities over time.

I have my own idea for the Soul king, but I don't want to voice it, I'm not sure if I can do the role in complete seriousness especially given that if you really think about it, the Soul King would have to be really incompetent to get sealed away despite his ability to see the future. and I'm not sure if FF would want me to screw things up with my nonsense with that kind of role, especially since someone is already the Soul King's son.

but then again, I guess I could be some freewheeling relaxed noble type to exist as a contrast to the resident Kuchiki...perhaps I could be the Shihoin heir?

I'll only do one of these though. I'm not guaranteeing that I'll play, I'm just interested. (I have a bad habit of being flake-y whenever I'm interested in a secondary roleplay and the secondary roleplay tends to get neglected for the primary, so thats why I'm being reticent despite my interest)

[Razade]

As the "Leader" of the Hollows, I think 2,000 years in the past is pretty early for us to start seeing "good" hollows considering we only really see Nel and she's less "good" and more...beaten to stupidity and when she goes Adult she's just as viscous and cruel as any of the other Arrancar except for Ichigo and his friends for various reasons.

[Lord Raziere]

Ah I see. then probably not good time for me. guess I could keep the Shihoin thing in mind? will have to think on it.

[Razade]

Is Yan Wao Shen's thingy an opportunity to talk or just story advancement?


Both :smallsmile:

Should have been more clear, feel free for the Shibas to find Yan Wao Shen doing weird magical things to their walls in the middle of the night. Would be good for some exposition and interaction if nothing else.

[Frozen_Feet]

I'll echo Razade that a "noble" Hollow would be out-of-place, as the transformations which give Hollows ability for higher reason do not exist yet. A Shihoin heir/heiress would complement the current cast nicely, though.



I have my own idea for the Soul king, but I don't want to voice it, I'm not sure if I can do the role in complete seriousness especially given that if you really think about it, the Soul King would have to be really incompetent to get sealed away despite his ability to see the future. and I'm not sure if FF would want me to screw things up with my nonsense with that kind of role, especially since someone is already the Soul King's son.

You can voice your idea without playing it. It's also worth pondering that neither Ezekiel nor the Soul King might have the exact same ability as Yhwach. Or they might be fooled, in the same way Yhwach was fooled.

Anyways, even if you can't think of a playable character now, you might want to check back later when we've gotten closer to modern times and the familiar structure of the Bleach setting.

[Toxic Mind]

Should have been more clear, feel free for the Shibas to find Yan Wao Shen doing weird magical things to their walls in the middle of the night. Would be good for some exposition and interaction if nothing else.

One fodder, coming right up!

[Lord Raziere]

I'll echo Razade that a "noble" Hollow would be out-of-place, as the transformations which give Hollows ability for higher reason do not exist yet. A Shihoin heir/heiress would complement the current cast nicely, though.



You can voice your idea without playing it. It's also worth pondering that neither Ezekiel nor the Soul King might have the exact same ability as Yhwach. Or they might be fooled, in the same way Yhwach was fooled.

Anyways, even if you can't think of a playable character now, you might want to check back later when we've gotten closer to modern times and the familiar structure of the Bleach setting.

Ok here is my idea:
-The Soul King has precognition, right?
-The Soul King is the enemy of the Shinigami, right?
-Quincies hate the Soul King right? AND the Shinigami?
-so I'm thinking, that the Soul King looked into the future and concluded.... that the main timeline of Bleach was NOT the best possible future he could guide it down, and was working on some completely different timeline that involved allowing all this chaos for a certain amount of time, but thought that no one would comprehend what he was talking about so he would give decrees about preventing this timeline from coming about without giving the reasons why, but end up making this timeline come into existence anyways in classic Greek fate style "your preventative measures end up making happen the thing you didn't want to happen.".
-Thus the Shinigami come into existence because of the Soul king's own efforts to stamp them out before they ever be a thing, and the Quincies come into existence because the Soul King tries to persuade his son to kill "people with curved swords and black robes" but since he doesn't give the reasons why, since he is keeping his precognition secret, that obviously leads to daddy issues that lead to the son rebelling against the father, and the Quincies being enemies of Shinigami.
-Meanwhile he would be working on a sorcerous project to make something come into existence that would make his future come true....only he would re-purpose it as he realizes where the timeline is going, it would get lost as he is sealed away, only to return 2000 years later as his long elaborate revenge. I don't know what though.

I understand if you don't want go with this idea though. even I'm kind of leaning more towards the Shihoin heiress myself, really.

[Toxic Mind]

I'm fine with either of those options! Always down for more nobles, but/and I think having a player play the Soul King would be awesome even if it was only for a short while during the current timeline. (Until sealing/whatever)

[Frozen_Feet]

The core idea - that the King has foreseen a bad future but his attempts to avoid it are causing it to happen - is quite usable. I'll just note you can simplify it a lot - you don't need to invoke the entire canon timeline, just the thought that Shinigami will seal the King in his crystal is enough to give him a motive and role in the story.

Just be aware that after his sealing, the King wouldn't do much for the rest of the game.

[Razade]

See, I think it'd be better if...no one person played the king. Especially since we're all sort of writing bits for him, having someone play it runs the risk of just straight up shooting down people's contributions. I think the King should be a community character, the bulk of which is handled without him/her/it actually being present. The only real time it needs to appear is when it's being sealed right? Having a literal omnipotent, omniscient character just spells trouble for all sorts of reason. Case and point, Raziere's whole thing pretty much invalidates everything Yan Wao Shen has established and what the Kuchiki have built on. To the point that there's really no reason to have a plot in sealing him if the King is just gracious enough to do it himself.

[Lord Raziere]

Eh, cool, but I'm not really interested in Soul King anymore. and Razade is probably right anyways. See? my idea was bad. The Shihoin idea however grew in my mind:

Shihoin Yuuka Saki, 2nd Head Of the Shihoin Clan

Age: 21
Gender: Female
Height: ~5'01"
Weight: ~130 lbs.
Species: Plus ("Balancer")
Station: Head of the Shihoin clan

Description:
Saki is a short, busty woman with tan skin. Her hair is black and shoulder-length, but done up in a ponytail with a golden jeweled headress. Her eyes are a warm yellow. She usually wears various silken finery that shows off her figure and skin, as well as gaudy jewelry that she covets. When she goes into battle, she has a veritable utility kit of weapons and tools at her disposal from chakrams, tonfas, meteor hammers and the bow for long range sniping. The only indication of her clan is a golden medallion with the clan symbol etched into it, worn around her neck


Personality:
"Carpe diem!"
Saki like all Shihoin seems to exist in complete contrast to any and all Kuchikis. She is completely relaxed and laid back, preferring her women, wine and song while she leads her forces from the shadows. She loves to look gaudy and beautiful in the most spectacular of ways, the only limit being that her clothing doesn't restrict her body movements for maximum evasiveness given that she doesn't wear armor. Despite her tastes running towards the feminine, she knows full well that she will have to provide an heir to succeed her someday and has made plans for it, even if she does not much care for it.

Underneath her gaudy decadence which is not a facade at all, she runs the biggest personal spy organization in all of Soul Society, has a wealth of information from brothels owned by her family, and is actually well trained in the arts of stealth, ambush, unequal warfare and so on from her mother. She is completely unphased by anyone's attempts at shaming her into behaving, especially Kuchiki, seeing it only as an opportunity to tease him.


History: The Shihoin were ennobled by the Soul King only twenty years ago. How that happened is quite the story: Saki's father using nothing but his fists and liquid courage somehow slaughtered an entire pack of demons, or at least that is what he claims- he was drunk, he woke up next to all the dead foes, he kind of blacked out, no one else really saw what happened, but someone had to have killed them right? To everyone's surprise, the Soul King ennobled his family right then and there without a second thought to the shock of everyone.

Her father then died two years later of alcohol poisoning. Her mother having to juggle both raising a kid and building a new noble family with only her wits, kind of just allowed Saki to do whatever she wanted when she wasn't training because her mother was busy building spy networks, marrying a second father into the Shihoin family and keeping everything stable on her own and needing to teach her lessons quickly to her daughter and keeping her lands safe and so on. Thus Saki grew up to be quite the lover of pleasure, and wouldn't listen to her second father who was more traditional.

Then of course, her mother and second father died due to someone assassinating them. Saki suspects it somebody from another clan who doesn't like that the Shihoin family are a bunch of decadent upstarts only recently ennobled by their standards, and she now she has to protect her clan including her step-sibling Miyako Shihoin, so she has been fighting battles her own way, through surprise attacks, using the terrain to her advantage and generally fighting unfairly, and has recently married the weak-willed Akio Fong of the lesser house of Fong now Akio Shihoin, she pretty much is in control in this relationship and only keeps him around for eventual heir-making, her true goal for marrying him was her demand for the deal: to get Nanami Fong as her bodyguard, a beautiful noble whom she wants to add to her harem, but Nanami has proven hard to get so far.


Story So Far: Nothing yet.

Abilities:

Expert Weird Weapons User: She uses the bow for taking out foes at long range as possible, chakrams if they get closer, meteor hammers and tonfas if they get even closer than that. Her fighting style is one of flexibility and using any means to kill her opponent while keeping ahead of them by being completely unpredictable.
Stealth Expert: No one knows just how good she is at creeping around quietly, ambushing others and making quiet escapes, as well breaking out of bonds and other underhanded tactics, being prepared to get out any situation with dirty means.
Transformation: The Shihoin Clan has a secret technique of transforming into animals. People speak in hushed whispers of a panther stalking their domain, killing those who dare break their laws, Saki lets such rumors propagate. Less work for her if they fear her other form and she is just as capable of combat within it as without.
Enhanced speed & agility: Saki has an incredibly acrobatic and fast style of fighting, constantly flipping, jumping about and evading her foes and its hard to land a hit on her.
Drunken Fist Stylist: Oddly her dexterity and movements only get better and more unpredictable the more she is drunk, and she is known to take a shot of wine before every combat encounter, and her drunkenness only enhances her skill at improvisational flexible fighting
Enhanced spiritual power: Saki has an alluring presence that entrances and bedazzles all who look at her.
Spy Network: While she is not all that well educated academically, she knows a lot about the political landscape and how the war is going for each side due to her extensive spy network and thus is how she manages to keep ahead of people like Takehiko




Yup......my idea for Shihoin Saki, Head of the Shihoin Clan......is a drunk harem-possessing proto-ninja doing all this to protect her little step-sister and bed her own bodyguard. I am not sorry.

Nanami Fong, Saki's Bodyguard

She is similar in many ways to Saki in fighting style with a few exceptions:

Description:
She is fair skinned, grey eyes and short black hair, slight agile build, wearing two short swords on her at all times and wears practical clothing for easy movement and dodging with the Fong clan symbol etched into it.

Personality:
She is more straight-laced and traditional, staying with Saki as her bodyguard out of loyalty and obligation. She does not know yet what to think of Saki's advances aside from the fact that they are improper, and urges her to keep on task when Saki is getting distracted

Abilities:
Expert Martial Artist and short Sword user: She is more traditional and uses her fists and blades to protect Saki
In the Nick of Time: Can show up out of nowhere to save Saki in a dangerous situation, such is her loyalty and dedication that she watches from the shadows.



Because you cannot have one without the other, and I work better in duos. or is there something else needing to be trimmed down?

[Frozen_Feet]

Both characters look fine to me. I think you'll have an opening to interact with either Shiba or Yan Wao Shen while Takehiko and Qiu Tao are on Earth.

I'll update the first post when I get to a proper keyboard.

[Razade]

Hey Lord Raziere? Not even the Hollows know Yan Wao Shen is the Carrion King/Lord of all Hollows. There's a reason there are two character sheets :smalltongue: As far as the Afterlife is concerned, it's just a powerful entity that dwells in the Southern Swamps.

[Lord Raziere]

Sorry, I'll edit, its hard to keep track.

[Razade]

It's cool, no harm done. Wanted to nip it in the bud before they interacted. No problem with her hating him though....sure would like one of the Noble Houses to not think he's just a soul sucking monster :P

[Toxic Mind]

I updated for Necromancer, waiting on Shihoin to get to the gates.

[igordragonian]

I wonder if other ghosts will learn to forge Zankaputos themselves, or Qiu will actually be Sensei of everyone, and stab everyone's hearts...

[Razade]

I wonder if other ghosts will learn to forge Zankaputos themselves, or Qiu will actually be Sensei of everyone, and stab everyone's hearts...

Well Yan Wao Shen is trying but you're trying to kill his method to figure it out! :smalltongue:

[Frozen_Feet]

While waiting for King, I thought to discuss my future plans for Takehiko's Zanpakuto.

It will function similarly to Byakuya Kuchiki's. Just, instead of a cloud of blades, it will split into a number of needles. And then a huge number of needles. Pretty straightforward.

[igordragonian]

Sound good to me!
I still think of something for Qiu, maybe just ridicusly huge sword which can slice titans in half?

[Lord Raziere]

I have no idea what Saki's Zanpakutou will be. Yoruichi's was never shown, and the idea of getting stabbed in the heart to obtain strange sword powers isn't very appealing to Saki right now, and I'm actually planning on her being the first to accept Yan's deal to learn Kido then get Zanpakutou later when I have an actual idea for it.

[Frozen_Feet]

@igor: you could do Gin-style zanpakuto which grows and shrinks blindingly fast. With maybe some added quirk; Gin's was that his sword could leave extremely poisonous fragments inside opponents.

[igordragonian]

Well I guess the trend of Zankuptos should grow slowly.

hmm. good direction FF.
I'll need to think of a fitting quirk. Maybe draining health/energy?

[Toxic Mind]

For Kane Shiba's I am unsure - he uses zwiehanders now, which is basically a massive 2H sword. His zanpakuto could reflect that similarity, maybe something that shatters ground or manipulates earth. Either way it would be massive, and wide enough to block a strike with the flat of the blade. Also open to ideas.

Ana would almost certainly be toxin-based. Perhaps a pair of cestus or other close ranged gauntlet-weapon, that shoots envenomed spines?

[Razade]

I have no idea what Saki's Zanpakutou will be. Yoruichi's was never shown, and the idea of getting stabbed in the heart to obtain strange sword powers isn't very appealing to Saki right now, and I'm actually planning on her being the first to accept Yan's deal to learn Kido then get Zanpakutou later when I have an actual idea for it.

I'm not sure what deal you're talking about other than the Nobles promise Yan Wao Shen payment in helping seal the Soul King away. He's not made a deal to anyone to teach magic.

[Lord Raziere]

I'm not sure what deal you're talking about other than the Nobles promise Yan Wao Shen payment in helping seal the Soul King away. He's not made a deal to anyone to teach magic.

.....oh hm. nevermind then. thought you said something about teaching Kido to someone? oh well.

[Razade]

Yan Wao Shen is, nominally so far, teaching magic to Kuang. It's not a wider ranging deal and I never brought it up.

[Lord Raziere]

Ah sorry, I' think I'll re-read Yan' sheet then to make sure there is nothing else I'm mistaken about, then think about what plans to come up with as I go. I'm confident I'll come up with something cool.

[Toxic Mind]

Ah sorry, I' think I'll re-read Yan' sheet then to make sure there is nothing else I'm mistaken about, then think about what plans to come up with as I go. I'm confident I'll come up with something cool.

plenty to do at home. got an entire society to build an an ancient celestial to seal away.

[Razade]

And I didn't shoot out Yan teaching Kido. Though I think its role is probably going to be less pro and more ant when we're discussing the agonist spectrum earlier than I predicted. So who knows. I'm not one to plan far.

[Lord Raziere]

plenty to do at home. got an entire society to build and an ancient celestial to seal away.

Well the Shihoin are supposed to be the head of the Omnitsukido- the special forces of Soul Society as well as protectors of certain artifacts. so.....maybe something to do with that? as well as/or something involving Hakuda.....

[Razade]

Well the Shihoin are supposed to be the head of the Omnitsukido- the special forces of Soul Society as well as protectors of certain artifacts. so.....maybe something to do with that? as well as/or something involving Hakuda.....

Supposed? That's what they are in canon. There's no supposed here. There isn't a Soul Society. There isn't an Onmitsukido. Those are far into the future. Who knows who we gain as far as players and what they want to do. The further we move from canon, the better in my mind. Bleach Canon is utter garbage.

[Toxic Mind]

Well the Shihoin are supposed to be the head of the Omnitsukido- the special forces of Soul Society as well as protectors of certain artifacts. so.....maybe something to do with that? as well as/or something involving Hakuda.....

its great tp have a direction but don't feel shoehorned in by what happened in the series - one of the cool things is you can take it in a completely different direction if you want.

If thats what you want, start working that way on your own - think about ways to create/find Hakuda and go for it.

EDIT: Razade beat me to it haha

[Razade]

EDIT: Razade beat me to it haha

I believe we call that Shunpo'd.

[Frozen_Feet]

Everyone wants Shiba to ally with them to take care of someone else. :smallamused:

[Razade]

Get in on the ground floor for Yan Wao Shen's plan. You'll have the kido and the zanpakuto. How could you lose?

[Lord Raziere]

Supposed? That's what they are in canon. There's no supposed here. There isn't a Soul Society. There isn't an Onmitsukido. Those are far into the future. Who knows who we gain as far as players and what they want to do. The further we move from canon, the better in my mind. Bleach Canon is utter garbage.

Hm, really? Whats the limit? Whats reasonable?

I'll throw an idea at you: Visored Special Forces. Shinigami Ninja that utilize Visored power to empower themselves as opposed to the usual Shinigami, as way of black ops, that sound like a good idea?

[Razade]

Hm, really? Whats the limit? Whats reasonable?

I suppose it would have to be taken on a case by case basis with the merits weighed against possible abuse and inconsistencies/incongruities with the story.


I'll throw an idea at you: Visored Special Forces. Shinigami Ninja that utilize Visored power to empower themselves as opposed to the usual Shinigami, as way of black ops, that sound like a good idea?

Sure, sounds good to me.

[Frozen_Feet]

No real harm is done if you want to keep Shihoin close to canon and found the Onmitsukido. Visored Ninja Corps sounds like a really far off thing for this game, as neither Shinigami powers nor means to create Visored exist yet.

Also, keep in mind that at this point, the game's about building a status quo that is familiar compared to the start of canon Bleach. To answer the question "how we got there?" If you go breaking that status quo before it even exist, it spoils the whole idea.

[Lord Raziere]

.......hm, sounds like two completely different ideas about this then. I can't be sure what to do unless you two agree.

[Frozen_Feet]

I'm really just restating what I've written in the first post.

The point of the game, for now, is to answer specific questions about prehistory of Bleach, on which Bleach canon is silent, and to imagine what could've created a status quo similar to how Bleach series is at the start.

After that, all bets are off. The point is to build a setting where there is a Soul King, and a Royal Guard, and a Shinigami Academy, and Hollows, and Quincies, etc. - the familiar setting elements of Bleach.

That's the relevant canon. I couldn't care less about most of the canon characters or what dramatic arcs they underwent, and recreating those is not the idea.

And that's why there's no harm in building Onmitsukido. Ninja corps is a neat setting idea, it a familiar part of Bleach, and allows people to use some character tropes they've grown accustomed to seeing in Bleach. But the point is not, and should not, be to have Onmitsukido just so we can Urahara or Yoruichi.

[igordragonian]

Are Grande hollows out of the question in this time period?

Actuallly, a War of Kido Vs Zankaputos sound exciting.

Oh. And in case, there would be female charaters willing to forge Zankaputos, unless Kuchiki command it, or any other force, somehow forcing him to- he will rudely refuse. He has very strict point of view of what the role of everyone.

I want to add- that since we are roleplaying 2100 years ago, his point of view should be considered as main stream... I think.

Warrior women,at least in China... well, it's a legend worth making a great disney movie about.

[Frozen_Feet]

Menos Grande Hollows might or might not exist. They don't exist in such large numbers, and aren't very well known because there's next to no traffic between Hueco Mundo and other worlds at the moment.

Since there appears to be a large crowd of Hollows following Tsuniy Tao, you could describe them fusing into one.

And it will certainly be an interesting discussion once it's time for the first female Shinigami to get their sword. :smallamused:

[igordragonian]

Well, here my thoughts until we move on... (who are we waiting for, by the way?)
Sunyi and her army of hollows attracted to Qiu's presence- rather than hounting a specific place, they haunting a specific person. When Qiu gone, they have haunted Qiu's kingdom.

Now they are after Qiu. It supposed to be quite dramatic battle, Qiu will try both not to die, and not to kill...
but when he will (with Kuchiki's aid?) finally accept himself as a warrior again, his sword will reveal it's name.
Or maybe, Qiu will be weak and helpless, and Kuchiki's sword will be the one to reveal it's name to it's owner.
To counter either of those scenarios, Sunyi will swallow the remainings of her army and turn into the first(?) grande.

I thought it would be fitting for both Qiu and his eternal lover to make historic breaks.

[Frozen_Feet]

Sounds like a plan.

It will be interesting to see how Kuang will factor into it all. Still waiting for King.

[King539]

Sorry for not posting over the weekend. I was sick. Reply should be up soon.

[Razade]

Are Grande hollows out of the question in this time period?

Yes.


Menos Grande Hollows might or might not exist. They don't exist in such large numbers, and aren't very well known because there's next to no traffic between Hueco Mundo and other worlds at the moment.

I covered the Menos Grande in the Las Noches post. They don't exist yet, they have a proto-form called the El Paria but only the Carrion King has them. They guard the well within Las Noches.



So going off a throw off line that "The Royal Guard deal with the Menos Grande" I thought perhaps...they weren't something that existed originally and instead were created by Yan Wao Shen as a method to guard Las Noches. Once the Royal Guard are formed, I thought perhaps they would be a way to send souls to The Royal Realm and directly to The Soul King. So the reason the Royal Guard "deal with the Menos Grande" is because it was engineered to help keep the Seal going. The El Paria are the proto-form of these, essentially setting the stage for Hollow Evolution as we know it from canon.

[Lord Raziere]

I'm really just restating what I've written in the first post.

The point of the game, for now, is to answer specific questions about prehistory of Bleach, on which Bleach canon is silent, and to imagine what could've created a status quo similar to how Bleach series is at the start.

After that, all bets are off. The point is to build a setting where there is a Soul King, and a Royal Guard, and a Shinigami Academy, and Hollows, and Quincies, etc. - the familiar setting elements of Bleach.

That's the relevant canon. I couldn't care less about most of the canon characters or what dramatic arcs they underwent, and recreating those is not the idea.

And that's why there's no harm in building Onmitsukido. Ninja corps is a neat setting idea, it a familiar part of Bleach, and allows people to use some character tropes they've grown accustomed to seeing in Bleach. But the point is not, and should not, be to have Onmitsukido just so we can Urahara or Yoruichi.

I see.

So its broad strokes canon. As long the little details and individual character plans don't conflict with the big picture, it'll all work, with no canon characters.

Meaning I can make preparations for things to happen when 2100 years pass as long as they are secret and small enough for it to not impact the setting on a wide scale. Which given that the Onmitsukido are safe keepers of Soul Societies artifacts to the point of being a entire different branch of the military and those aren't detailed at all in canon.....can be a lot. Who knows what treasure trove of forbidden freaky artifacts Saki is going to find, store away and have some foolish descendant of hers someday tamper with out of curiosity?

also, I have an idea for Saki's Zanpakutou: Portal Gun, but through swording. don't worry, I have various limitations and ways to exploit the portals to my advantage within these limitations already all thought up of. I wanted to come up with a Zanpakutou that I could be creative with, but not be over-powered.

[Frozen_Feet]

I'm pretty lenient when it comes to character powers. I'm deliberately sticking to rather basic powerset because this game's sort of "back to basics" for me.

This said, I can talk about characters in earlier games who had similar portal-powers and what pitfalls they had, if you're just interested.

[igordragonian]

About Menos Grande-
Well, it's still could fit Sunyi turning into the first "wild" Menos Grande. Maybe she could inspire further studies in this area?


About Qiu's sword abilities I am still not sure... he is more straightward kind of warrior


Maybe something with lightnings..

[Razade]

The point was, there were no wild Menos Grande at this point in history. They're a creation of the Carrion King.

[igordragonian]

The point was, there were no wild Menos Grande at this point in history. They're a creation of the Carrion King.

I understand that. That why I have offered Sunyi to be the first- same way Qiu is the first Zankupto wielder.

More than anything I want a way for Sunyi to "digivolve", without going too crazy.

[Lord Raziere]

This said, I can talk about characters in earlier games who had similar portal-powers and what pitfalls they had, if you're just interested.

Well for Shikai my plan for their properties was:
-only two portals maximum
-portals are completely two dimensional, can stop in space and razor sharp if you run into them from the side.
-have a range of sight, no opening portals to anywhere distant
-conserves momentum- speedy thing goes in, speedy thing comes out
-just large enough to fit a human through, no bigger but anyone within that size can go through.
-portals can't move, you have to open new ones for different positions, but you can put a portal on a portable surface as long as its big enough.
-can close a portal when someone is half way through to cut off the parts going through, but obviously this requires set up to trick them into it. Of course, strong enough spiritual pressure can defend one from getting cut by the portals inward edges, allowing them to squeeze through.

basically to make it exploitable and useful but not overpowered, so that I have to be clever when using it. I have no idea about how to do the Bankai if her Zanpakutou ever gets to it though. Its a Zanpakutou meant to support the Hakuda and destruction spells of Kido by giving one creative ways to attack using them.

[Razade]

I understand that. That why I have offered Sunyi to be the first- same way Qiu is the first Zankupto wielder.

More than anything I want a way for Sunyi to "digivolve", without going too crazy.

You want the Carrion King to experiment on her?

[igordragonian]

could work I guess. Originally I have imagined more.. spontanouse transformation, sourced from personal dark emotions of seven life times of love and hatred......
but ok.
So... two ideas-
Carrion King find her now, and offer her power to destroy Qiu...(he was able to fend off against all of them for monthes...)
Or.. she get defeated, barely surviving, and then the Carrion King find her?

[Razade]

Las Noches is open to everyone.

My question is...why would you want her to become a Menos Grande in the first place? The Menos Grande are an amalgam of Hollows, they're stupid and slow. In our setting Gillian are distinct from the Menos Grande. Gillian are just Human Hollows that have fallen into despair and consumed by their hole. Adjuchas take in the souls of others and gain more power through it and...there currently are no Vasto Lorde but there will be.

http://i.imgur.com/7Cc0F4H.png (http://imgur.com/7Cc0F4H)

Lesser Hollows
Human Hollow: Humans who have died violently or with great regrets.
Animal Hollow: The dead of an animal and the native inhabitants of Hueco Mundo. Typically weak enough that they can survive on the ambiet reishi within Hueco Mundo.

The Menos
Las Masas: Incredibly weak and animalistic Gillian but the most numerous of the Gillian forms. Most appear as skeletal wolves
Menos Grande: Vast amalgamations of Hollows that congregate rather than live as simple Las Masas. Engineered by The Carrion King long in the past. Less intellegent than Las Masas.
Gillian: The typical Menos, less numerous than Las Masas but possessing almost human level intellegence. Particularly smart Menos are known to exist though these typically evolve into Adjuchas through various methods. Gillian evolve from regular Hollows when their dark thoughts consume them.
Adjuchas: Adjuchas are rarer still than the typical Gillian but are far more powerful. At this stage the hunger of the Hollow becomes a constant fixture of their life and they must constantly feed. Those who fail become known as El Caido, The Fallen, and while the hunger abates they can never grow into a Vasto Lorde.
Vasto Lorde: The ultimate form of Menos. Stronger than Shinigami Captains, the Vasto Lorde are so rare many claim they can be counted on one's hands. Most are insanely old.

Proto-Forms
El Paria: Proto-Menos Grande. These were the guardians of the well within Las Noches until they were phased out by the Carrion King.
La Bestia: The proto-form of the Vasto Lorde, these were hand picked Adjuchas that were granted a drink from the well within Las Noches and had their hungers stalled yet somehow retained their ability to evolve into the Vasto Lorde form. Those who did not become Vasto Lorde were slain.

[igordragonian]

Ah. My Bleach lore may lack some important aspects, because I'v stopped reading the manga somewhere around the Nazi-Quincy saga.
Hmm.. I was under the assumptionthat Menos Grande are hollows who eaten other hollows and grew enourmose- and those Ichigo and archer-glasses guy face are just "normal" menos Grandes, but there could be unique Grandes.

Simply- I want Sunyi eating her army and growing even more monstrouse. something like that. I guess Adjuchas would fit best?

[Razade]

Ah. My Bleach lore may lack some important aspects, because I'v stopped reading the manga somewhere around the Nazi-Quincy saga.
Hmm.. I was under the assumptionthat Menos Grande are hollows who eaten other hollows and grew enourmose- and those Ichigo and archer-glasses guy face are just "normal" menos Grandes, but there could be unique Grandes.

This is one of those deviations from canon because...I want to evolve Las Noches from what it was in canon. The Nazi-Quincy saga was also the end of the series by the way.


Simply- I want Sunyi eating her army and growing even more monstrouse. something like that. I guess Adjuchas would fit best?

Gillian, then Adjuchas then what ever else yep.

[igordragonian]

Really? So I have almost finished the series and broken down right before the end?
How.. typical. Face palm*


Alright Then Gillian it is. I should wiki a bit, I guess.

So, as... the one in charge of the hollow side this game- is Sunyi intrest you, or would you preffer her to die soon enough? Either way is fine by me, I just want to know, if there a point to think of devolping her after the battle. (At... Pompei?)

[Frozen_Feet]

The difference between canon Gillians and Menos Grande really is just that the former retain (some semblance of) sentience while the latter does not. They form the same way, which is by a mass of Hollows consuming each other in a cannibal frenzy. So, if becoming a Gillian (in contrast to El Paria/Menos Grande) is possible on her own, the only condition Tsuniy needs to meet is devouring her followers.

[Razade]

Well no, a Gillian is just a Human Hollow (or Animal Hollow that's smart enough) that falls into despair. Then the hunger starts and they can work to Adjuchas. Menos Grande are a forced fusion of Gillian level Hollow. Gillians are the same power level as canon, Menos Grande are the threat they were supposed to be. A Captain level threat.

[King539]

My head hurts. :smalltongue:

[Razade]

It's really not that confusing :smalltongue: I even made a flowchart. Everyone loves flowcharts. Synergy and paradigms and all that.

[King539]

I mean, yeah. The confusing part isn't that X becomes Y, but how X becomes Y. It's not about the destination, it's about the journey.

[igordragonian]

Thank you, Razade-san, it's actually helpful.


Hmm.. I am rethininking about Qiu's Zankupto-
The blade can shift size- but it's not strechable as Gin's sword. Simple raw power.
-It can produce sonic attacks at form of thunders.
General concept- big, loud and destructive.

Bankai- "Thunder Blade"- now the blade is made fron sonic vibration, and also can "shoot" sonic attacks.

Does it sound ok?

[Razade]

Thank you, Razade-san, it's actually helpful.

I updated it and added it to The Carrion King's page. Frozen, feel free (if you want) to add the diagram to the first post? And you're welcome Igor.

I've yet to get into the Zanpakuto talk because...I don't think Yan Wao Shen is going to have one until/if we reach after the Quincy War. I do have plans to start the lore behind the Arrancar and some posts with the Carrion King in regards to that for foreshadowing/world building once Yan Wao Shen learns how to do it but until then...yeah.

If what ever Yan Wao Shen is does eventually get a Zanpakuto it'll probably involve the figures from the Roots of the World in some manner.

Depending on what Ana does, there might be some exposition what The Roots of The World and what exactly Yan Wao Shen may be maybe coming soon.

[Frozen_Feet]

Well no, a Gillian is just a Human Hollow (or Animal Hollow that's smart enough) that falls into despair. Then the hunger starts...

Yeah, and what's the primary distinquishing trait of Hollows like that? It's that they eat other Hollows in contrast to humans. That's the very source of the hunger you mention.

As such, nixing the requirement of eating other Hollows to become a Gillian makes no sense. Especially since it doesn't interfere with your graph nor with your plan to make Menos Grande distinct from Gillians.

I maintain that the most logical way for Tsuniy to become Gillian is to eat her followers.

[Razade]

Yeah, and what's the primary distinquishing trait of Hollows like that? It's that they eat other Hollows in contrast to humans. That's the very source of the hunger you mention.

As such, nixing the requirement of eating other Hollows to become a Gillian makes no sense. Especially since it doesn't interfere with your graph nor with your plan to make Menos Grande distinct from Gillians.

I maintain that the most logical way for Tsuniy to become Gillian is to eat her followers.

But the transformation from Hollow to Gillian here is the same way it is in canon? :smallconfused:


Menos are created when the void within an ordinary Hollow's heart becomes so substantial Human souls are incapable of sustaining it, at which point it begins devouring fellow Hollows. These cannibal Hollows are attracted to one another, and a mass inter-devouring follows, resulting in a Gillian

The only difference is the bolded. Gillian still have to eat other Gillian. They're just individuals. If anything, it allows Tsuniy (and other Hollow characters coming in) to not have to stop playing a distinct personality for a phase or...just skip over that phase. Which was the intention from the get go.



Gillian: The typical Menos, less numerous than Las Masas but possessing almost human level intellegence. Particularly smart Menos are known to exist though these typically evolve into Adjuchas through various methods. Gillian evolve from regular Hollows when their dark thoughts consume them.


I even note that the ones with human intelligence are clever enough to start the transformation. The ones that aren't stay Gillian.


We are arguing over something we all already agree on.

[Frozen_Feet]

The source of the apparent disagreement is in your post, bolded and underlined relevant parts for emphasis.


The difference between canon Gillians and Menos Grande really is just that the former retain (some semblance of) sentience while the latter does not. They form the same way, which is by a mass of Hollows consuming each other in a cannibal frenzy. So, if becoming a Gillian (in contrast to El Paria/Menos Grande) is possible on her own, the only condition Tsuniy needs to meet is devouring her followers.


Well no, a Gillian is just a Human Hollow (or Animal Hollow that's smart enough) that falls into despair. Then the hunger starts and they can work to Adjuchas. Menos Grande are a forced fusion of Gillian level Hollow. Gillians are the same power level as canon, Menos Grande are the threat they were supposed to be. A Captain level threat.

I noted that if it's possible to become.a Gillian on one's own, all Tsuniy needs to do is to eat her followers. Your post immediately after opens with you disagreeing. But now you claim you were agreeing with me from the start. So what's that "Well no..." supposed to be for, then?

[Razade]

The "only condition" bit? Simply starting the all you can eat hungry ghost buffet isn't enough, they need to succumb to whatever dark impulses caused their hole to form in the first place. To psychologically and metaphysically allow the Hollow Hole to consume what ever is left of their human spirit. Then eat a bunch of Hollows. That's...nothing different from canon either. And I did agree from you from the start. Read the next sentence. Once they succumb, THEN the hunger starts and they start their path to high evolution.

An example.

Grand Fisher could never become a Gillian simply by eating other Hollows. He didn't care at all about what ever turned him into a Hollow in the first place. He didn't care enough to succumb to those impulses.

As opposed to, in our game, Tsunyi who I presume would succumb to the loss of her husband/whatever other hang ups the chick has. Spurred on by that, she gets the munchies and...it all follows from there.

[Frozen_Feet]

Tsuniy already is pretty well succumbed to her dark side, that's why I didn't feel any need to dwell on that part. She, specifically, only needs to start eating her followers. But yeah, there's no real disagreement between us.

[Razade]

Hey uhh...Raziere?

Yan Wao Shen just literally teleported to another plane of existence. Care to explain how he was just...followed?

[Lord Raziere]

Hey uhh...Raziere?

Yan Wao Shen just literally teleported to another plane of existence. Care to explain how he was just...followed?

You said "balancer noble and her companion"

I was assuming that Saki was the noble and Nanami her companion. and that you were telling Ana to tell Shiba that she was getting taken away. You did not specify which balancer noble you were talking about.

[Razade]

I see where the confusion came from. Ana was the Balancer in question. Hence noble, not Lord. :smalltongue: Made it very clear who the target was and who got teleported away. Sorry for the confusion.

You'll get your turn, patience speedy pants.

[Lord Raziere]

Meh, next time use your names, slow poke. They are there for a reason. :smalltongue:

[Callos_DeTerran]

*peeks in*

...Hello..so I saw a link here and a game run by an old friend of mine and thought I'd take a look.

What's going on folks?

How goes the Bleach stuff?

What would a newcomer need to know?

What roles need to be filled?

[Razade]

More Hollows for the Court of the Carrion King. More Nobles/Proto-Shinigami.

As for what you need to know...the game takes place 2,000 years ago. We're trying to move through the early stages and creation of Soul Society, the Quincy War then Modern Day. Soul Society is a bunch of feudal lords. The Soul King isn't sealed. No Division 0 (one of the things we're planning to make in this game I suspect), no Arrancar yet, all that stuff.

Current story is the Noble Houses are starting to move, some under the idea of sealing the Soul King. But they're not all on the same page and conflict is brewing.

[Lord Raziere]

*peeks in*

...Hello..so I saw a link here and a game run by an old friend of mine and thought I'd take a look.

What's going on folks?

How goes the Bleach stuff?

What would a newcomer need to know?

What roles need to be filled?

You know you could just look at the OP....but ok.

currently we're 2100 years in the past, Shinigamis, Quincies and all the related hybrids don't exist, and we're all basically playing out our version of the backstory of the setting of Bleach as the five noble lords founding stuff and inventing things so that things end up as they do in the default starting setting of Bleach. a "how we got here" kind of thing. and couple of other people inventing other things such as Quincies and doing Hollow stuff. and basically once we get to that default setting in a broad strokes sense- no individual characters of canon, only the broad strokes of the structure-we can then do whatever we want.

we have only two great clan heir spots left: Miura and Chosokabe if my memory is correct, the other three Great House Heir spots are taken.

and that is basically it.

[Razade]

You know you could just look at the OP....but ok.

There's no need for that. :smalltongue:



we have only two great clan heir spots left: Miura and Chosokabe if my memory is correct, the other three Great House Heir spots are taken.

Well. I named those two as Noble Houses. They don't have to be the last two Great Noble Houses if a player wants to use another Clan name. They're just strong enough to both be independent and that them joining a Great House (if they're not a Great House themselves) would be enough to tip the scales if all the Clans rose to war.

[Lord Raziere]

There's no need for that. :smalltongue:


:smallannoyed: Well sorry if came across as mean.

[Callos_DeTerran]

I've read the OP, I'm actually asking about the events in the game itself and what plots they've set up a newcomer would need to be aware of.

[Razade]

I've read the OP, I'm actually asking about the events in the game itself and what plots they've set up a newcomer would need to be aware of.



Current story is the Noble Houses are starting to move, some under the idea of sealing the Soul King. But they're not all on the same page and conflict is brewing.

This is pretty much the bulk of it. A more detailed bullet point run down however?

The Great Noble House of Shiba met with Yan Wao Shen, an unaligned sorcerous Necromancer, to discuss a prophecy in the midst of rising conflict between the Shiba and Kuichiki Clans. Yan Wao Shen said that if the Soul King wasn't sealed away it would destroy the world. Yan Wao Shen then attempted to persuade the head of the Kuichiki however was turned away.

The Shiba, with the help of the Necromancer, raised a massive fort on the boarder between Kuichiki land and Shiba land. The two nobles met, had themselves a fight where it was revealed that the Kuichiki had enlisted a weaponsmith from the mortal realm to craft what will be the first Zanpakuto. The head of the Shionin Clan then arrived at the fort to propose an alliance with the Shiba to bring the Kuichiki down.

[Lord Raziere]

Edit: Shunpo'd......oh well.....um...

basically my character is going to found Onmitsukido and invent Hakuda. I also want to learn Kido, but don't care how.

[Callos_DeTerran]

To get off the ground, I'm looking for players to play the following sorts of characters:

Someone to found the Shinoreijutsuin (AKA Spiritual Arts Academy AKA Shinigami Academy).
Someone to found the Royal Guard. (Wao Shen, played by Razade)
Someone to make the first Zanpakutos. (Qiu Tao, played by igordragonian)
Someone to play a head or heir to a Great Noble Family. (Kuchiki Ichiro Takehiko played by Frozen_Feet, Kane Shiba played by Toxic_Mind, and Shihoin Yuuka Saki played by Lord Raziere. Two more spots to go.)
Someone to play the Soul King.

Are both of these roles still open? Cause I'm very interested in both of them, even if the second one might be relatively (in game terms anyway) short-lived.

@Raizere: I wouldn't worry too much about having Kido, you don't need to develop it to be able to use it later once it is made. Especially since the Kido Corp will, eventually, be a thing.

[Lord Raziere]

Are both of these roles still open? Cause I'm very interested in both of them, even if the second one might be relatively (in game terms anyway) short-lived.

@Raizere: I wouldn't worry too much about having Kido, you don't need to develop it to be able to use it later once it is made. Especially since the Kido Corp will, eventually, be a thing.

Well I threw out the idea of me playing the Soul King but some people didn't like it and didn't like my idea for it, so.....I decided not to, I' advise against it so as to not cause a ruckus. I'd try for the academy or the nobles?

and yes I know, thats why I don't care for how I get it.

[Razade]

Are both of these roles still open? Cause I'm very interested in both of them, even if the second one might be relatively (in game terms anyway) short-lived.

Think we're all on the same page of leaving the Soul King to be a community run thing. The first one on the list is still open and we always need more nobles.

Also representing Team Evil Eventually...could use more people on that side of the fence too. Just...saying.

[Frozen_Feet]

Hello, Callos.

As far as current events go, Lord Kuchiki and Qiu Tao are on a secret mission on Earth, facing Kuang on their way to Rome where Ezekiel lives. Theu will likely face Tsuniy Tao on the way back. Lord Kuchiki has plans to seek counsel with the Soul King.

Lady Shihouin and her attendant Fong are discussing with Kane Shiba about what to do with Kuchiki and Yan Wao Sheng. Yan Wao Sheng is talking to Ana Shiba to get her to its side. Both Shibas and the necromancer are working towards unification of the clans due to their prophetic visions regarding the Soul King.

A potential founder for the Shinoreijutsuin would be a great addition and might serve as out-of-the-left-field player to shake the nobles off their rivalries. A fourth noble heir would round out the cast nicely too.

The current noble families seem to fall in the current camps: Kuchiki are royalists ("for the king"), Shiba are republicans ("for the people") and Shihouin are Anti-Kuchiki (with Kuchiki being very militaristic and collectivist with Shihouin being bandit individualists. Or samurai versus ninjas, if you prefer).

[Callos_DeTerran]

Hmm...alright, I think I have a solid idea as to what I want to do then and potential founder of the Shinoreijutsuin works just fine for me!

Tasnim Abdulrashid, the 'Demon'

Age: Two hundred years old. Give or take a decade.
Gender: Female.
Height: 5'5"
Weight: One hundred and thirty four.
Species: Plus.
Station: Wandering exorcist.

Description:
For those who have heard stories of the 'Demon', there is no mistaking the sight of Tasnim considering she sticks out like a sore thumb in most environments. A comely, dusky skinned woman, Tasnim wears a blue cloth and veil that covers her head and face aside from startling, kohl-rimmed eyes. A wide cloak that covers her front and back has been worn thin in some places to expose brown thread beneath the dye while the rest exposes complex astrological diagrams that seem to change from time to time. Beneath Tasnim is dressed for her personal comfort in a baggy pair of pantaloons and chest wrappings, more bandages wrapped around her forearms from which dangle numerous iron keys of simple design.

Aside from her unusual garb the most notable thing that Tasnim bears is a staff of curved wood with several keys dangling from the headpiece by short strips of cloth as well. There's enough of them that most people hear Tasnim before they see her.

Personality:
Inquisitive. Wise. Calm. These are the defining virtues that Tasnim abides by. Despite the numerous fell stories that are associated with this strange outsider, the woman herself is a warm soul that enjoy getting to know the souls around her as well as easing their problems. Never staying for too long in a single place, she has likely traveled more of the spirit world than most other pluses considering her apparent freedom from responsibilities that allow her this liberty and once she exercises often. Always on the search for something new, the witch woman has had the 'pleasure' of seeing the darker side of the Spirit King's rule and the problems that beset the common folk under the noble houses. As such she harbors negative feelings on the noble houses, Great or not, that doesn't extend to the individual members just yet. Despite this soured view on the current ruling class, Tasnim does her best to stay out of their way when possible but such a stance cannot last forever.

History: Quite a bit. Tasnim can and has spun many stories about her travels through the spirit world, and beyond if she is to be believed, but the all lack the same thing..the woman is infuriatingly close-lipped on where she came from or how she acquired the startling control of sorcery that she has. It is this same mastery of sorcery that has lead to people calling her the 'Demon' since her unnatural command of the world surrounding her is most often put to use defending whichever community she currently calls home. The consummate drifter has been a thorn in the side of authorities in the outlands for some time however because the further outside the control of the nobles one travels, the more petty functionaries and bandits rule their own little 'kingdoms'. And when their rule harms the poor souls that live under them, that is when the Demon's judgement is the most harsh.

Currently Tasnim must travel more often as numerous bounties have been placed on her head and she doesn't seek the unnecessary fights that such things bring. This doesn't mean she's incapable of defending herself, just that she doesn't wish to harm those only trying to better their lots in life.

Story So Far: None yet.

Abilities:

The Demon's Way: Tasnim has an unnatural control over her surroundings that stems from the use of a wide variety of spells and invocations that she knows. The true breadth of her knowledge is unknown but her mastery of what might eventually be known as kido is supreme. There are few that can challenge her mystical might.

Bojutsu: The term bojutsu might not be accurate, but Tasnim is adept at defending herself with her curved staff and against less talented opponents could likely give them a sound thrashing without resorting to sorcery. Against skilled fighters or experts, the most Tasnim can accomplish most of the time is falling into a defensive posture and waiting for her moment to strike.

Wisdom: The Demon has experienced a lot and seen even more. There are few situations that she has no experience with and this translates into an intuitive grasp of others' personalities and how they will react/fight. This 'wisdom' gives her an uncannily good grasp of how an opponent will strike and defend themselves to the point some have called her out on it and demand that it must be the product of some spell. Tasnim simply smiles and offers them a tidbit of knowledge. Her wisdom doesn't just apply to combat though, the woman is a talented teacher and mediator that is able to swiftly get to the heart of the matter.

Unnatural Spiritual Pressure: For a woman as seemingly unsuited to combat as Tasnim looks, the force of her spirit can be overwhelming for some and leaves them with the sensation of a raindrop falling endlessly through a starry sky.

Astrology: Mostly a hobby, Tasnim has, very occasionally, been able to divine the course of future events or predict some disaster. If asked about it, she would happily explain that one of the reasons she moves around so much is to create a more accurate chart of the afterlife's changing skies so as to improve the odds of her predictions.

Other information:
The keys Tasnim carries are meant to be of some signifigance and my original idea was that they opened doors between two predetermined locations. Essentially a form of convenient long-distance travel in the Spirit World between two points and, potentially if people are okay with it, a connection to Hueco Mundo or the Mortal World. These aren't a cure-all for travel problems though because it takes Tasnim a significant amount of time to create such a key and at the moment she's the only one able to use them.

The other idea, if the one above isn't popular, is that they function as talismans in early Kido that people eventually evolve past the need of using.

So what do people think? I was going for a folk-heroish mystical counterpart to the Necromancer who has a reason to try and change the status quo of the afterlife. And since no one seemed interested (aside from Raziere) in figuring out Kido, I figured kill two birds with one stone since I imagine at a certain point that the Great Families and internal politics will eventually conflict with Tasnim's morals. At which point, assuming she did found the Soul Society, it'd make sense to splinter off and form the Kido Corp unless someone else wants to do that. At least this way kido itself can be explained even if someone else takes the above role.

[Frozen_Feet]

Tasnim looks fine.

As for the keys - they might be precursor for Senkaimon proper. As it stands, I've gone with a less convenient method based on filler mention of "natural Senkaimon".

In other words, Balancers, or at least the Kuchiki, rely on natural phenomena to cross the boundary between worlds. (Yan Wao Shen has its own method.) Tasnim could be the one to figure out how to built one.

[Razade]

In other words, Balancers, or at least the Kuchiki, rely on natural phenomena to cross the boundary between worlds. (Yan Wao Shen has its own method.)

It's just pre-Garganta.


And since no one seemed interested (aside from Raziere) in figuring out Kido

:smallconfused: I was playing the only Magic Sorcerer Thing until just now I think. Just got a lot of irons in the fire and don't think there's any real rush.

[Callos_DeTerran]

:smallconfused: I was playing the only Magic Sorcerer Thing until just now I think. Just got a lot of irons in the fire and don't think there's any real rush.

I know..but why would the Necromancer create kido and teach it to proto-shinigami? Doesn't make a ton of sense, that's why I was working off that assumption.

[Lord Raziere]

I thought Razade said he wasn't going to teach us Kido? I was planning on Saki Shihoin investigating some legendary artifact or something to get access to it then somehow reverse engineer it or something before Tasnim.

[Frozen_Feet]

Kido is pretty expansive as a concept. There isn't a problem with it having multiple inventors. I'd go so far as to say that it'd be reasonable for most individual spells to have been invented by different people.

[Razade]

I thought Razade said he wasn't going to teach us Kido?

I didn't say that.


I'm not sure what deal you're talking about other than the Nobles promise Yan Wao Shen payment in helping seal the Soul King away. He's not made a deal to anyone to teach magic.


.....oh hm. nevermind then. thought you said something about teaching Kido to someone? oh well.


Yan Wao Shen is, nominally so far, teaching magic to Kuang. It's not a wider ranging deal and I never brought it up.


And I didn't shoot out Yan teaching Kido. Though I think its role is probably going to be less pro and more ant when we're discussing the agonist spectrum earlier than I predicted. So who knows. I'm not one to plan far.

That's the whole exchange.


I know..but why would the Necromancer create kido and teach it to proto-shinigami? Doesn't make a ton of sense, that's why I was working off that assumption.

I don't think we need Yan Wao Shen to teach it now that you're here. As to the question...its their ally. Even if they don't think it is. Its building the Seki Seki Walls of what will be Soul Society. It'll be helping form the Royal Guard and sealing the Soul King. No reason it couldn't have helped teach Kido since until you came it was the only character that seemed interested in magic. I think Yan's doing enough for the story though, I'm fine not doing anything related to kido.

[Callos_DeTerran]

Alright, so no major problems with Tasnim then?

[Razade]

I don't have any. Looking forward to the two mystics meeting up.

[Callos_DeTerran]

Great, now I just need to figure out how to start her off! XD

[Razade]

The Necromancer and the Demon could meet up. Sorta left it open where Yan went.

[Callos_DeTerran]

Sounds good to me! Want me to set up a scene for the Necromancer to step into or vice versa?

[Razade]

Sounds good to me! Want me to set up a scene for the Necromancer to step into or vice versa?

If you're cool with setting one up I'll be happy to respond later. Lot on my plate today. If you haven't by the time I get home (which will be....very late) I'll happily do one. So...which ever of us gets to it first. If you have some time to post in the OOC and not in the IC, could you tell me where she would be in general? Like where her home is/what she'd be doing?

[Razade]

Hopefully that's all alright there Callos. I'll edit if needed. Sorry it's late, got home quite late and quite...not capable of posting.

[Callos_DeTerran]

This is a question that I've been wondering, not just Tasnim actually...What exactly has the Soul King done to deserve killing or imprisonment at this particular juncture?

[Lord Raziere]

From the perspective of people who can't see the future, from what I can tell? Absolutely Nothing. He has retreated to his palace and has not done a single thing, and has not come out at all.

Of course from what I can tell his inaction is itself what is causing the current chaos of nobles fighting nobles, bandits roaming about, the afterlife in chaos and bleeding between worlds and so on. So while he hasn't actually done anything, a moral soul can question why the hell he isn't doing anything to fix all this and just letting innocents get pillaged by bandits and warlords while the Great Houses play politics and various afterlives drift and bleed into one another without needing any precognition. One could even argue that is being a weak ruler who can't or won't solve anything and that he has lost the Mandate of Heaven so to speak, if your not a precognitive.

So no, there is no specific thing he has done, but neither is there anything desirable about the situation his inaction has created.

(From Saki's perspective, she can tell that the situation is not ideal if she wants a stable House and her family protected to enjoy her lifestyle, but neither is she really invested in speaking out about it- to her, its just politics as usual and she is a noble and therefore a politician, while the Soul King to her is just this strange figure who for some reason ennobled a drunk commoner and his family twenty years ago because he claimed to have killed a bunch of Hollows single-handedly. so she doesn't know what to think of it aside from going "thanks for the status and riches, I'm going to do whatever I want with it and kill Hollows, bye.")

[Razade]

This is a question that I've been wondering, not just Tasnim actually...What exactly has the Soul King done to deserve killing or imprisonment at this particular juncture?

A point of order. It's not what its done, it's what its going to do. :smalltongue:

Yan Wao Shen, to Ana Shiba, brought the point that the Soul King is simply a fact of the Universe. A force of destruction balanced by a force of creation known simply as The Hero and that over the indeterminate eons the two have slowly begun to shift places and that as they get near their powers wane and will wax when they reset. Is that the truth? Maybe a shade of it. Really depends on what other people inject into the narrative at this point. But that's the story the Necromancer is going with and until other people add other wrinkles for me to makes more wrinkles out of until we can get to the truth...that's the prevailing hypothesis. Make of that story what you will in regards to the Necromancer itself. I have my own ideas.

It's a fragment of the Hero, a previous gambit from the Hero to purge its evil so that when Yan Wao Shen died and the Soul King became the Hero, there'd be two Heroes. One insanely power and one diminished but still powerful and the Corpse Dragon would be significantly less powerful and could finally be defeated. Yan Wao Shen knows this and wants to live so it wants to stall the cycle as long as possible. It is indeed the Corpse Dragon, but such a neutered form that...it doesn't really matter to our power levels. It just so happens that giving the Corpse Dragon what it wants also....gives the Proto-Shinigami what they want. Not to die.

I should also point out that Yan Wao Shen doesn't have precognition. It has soothsaying. Rolling bones, goat entrails, other various dark magics and omens. Which really is just a narrative thing and not a power. It already explained that he can see possible futures through his magics, not that it knows what's going to actually happen. It has to actively work to move the present to a future it wants. Which is the narrative part. When something doesn't go as it said...that's Fate taking a turn away from it's desired end. When it holds true...that's just confirmation.

[Frozen_Feet]

This is a question that I've been wondering, not just Tasnim actually...What exactly has the Soul King done to deserve killing or imprisonment at this particular juncture?

As noted by Raziere - nothing! The King has withdrawn from His people and left those nominated as Balancers (archaic Shinigami, basically) to enforce his Will.

The problem with this arrangement is that Kuchiki are the only Royalist family who really buy into this deal, and they don't know what the King's Will is.

Meanwhile, as noted, Yan Wao Shen and Ana Shiba are working on prophecy and visions. Their concerns are about a hypothetical future.

Lord Ichiro Takehiko Kuchiki is the chief opposition, ideologically, to Yan Wao Shen, and to lesser degree, Ana Shiba, because he is skeptical of divination and prophecy. Lord Kuchiki agrees the Soul King is dangerous - but this is because he views the prevailing situation through the King's right to punish all people who fail to uphold His Will. If you'd ask Kuchiki, Yan Wao Shen is bringing forth the future he fears by acting against the King.

It remains to be seen if a synthesis between these views is possible.

[Toxic Mind]

From the Shiba perspective, two intertwined problems that both point to the same solution.

On one hand you have Ana Shiba, whose precognitive abilities give her short, terrifying glimpses of a future she wishes to avoid, though she does not know how for sure. She knows that the soul king will be in some way responsible, and when the chance to seal him away comes, she sees this as the way to avert this fate. Kuchiki's logic is perfectly sound to her, she might be causing it, but inaction without cause is worse to her than an action that might lead to the same conclusion. Flawed, perhaps, but who isn't?

For Kane Shiba, he has his wife's visions, which he has grown to trust, but more than that, he's a man of the people, and the people suffer because of (what he sees as) the Soul King's failures to be an effective ruler who serves his people. A king who retreats and does nothing when he has the power to solve problems is a King who does not deserve his position. Still, that doesn't mean he deserves death. But removal from that power so that another, hopefully better (in this case group rather than individual) can take its place - that lines up perfectly.

[Razade]

Of course, regardless of what he's done or what he's going to do. The fiction calls for him to be bound. That's one of our bullet points in keeping this moving forward.

[Frozen_Feet]

You are correct.

[Razade]

Well that was a prolonged absence of the forums.

I am still here. Just checking in.

[Lord Raziere]

Yo, still here as well.

and I've got more character ideas that only work for modern Bleach. feh. I'll go respond with Lady Saki now.

[Toxic Mind]

still around!

[King539]

Stil here!

[Frozen_Feet]

Regarding Shiba & Shihouin ambushing Kuchiki & Qiu Tao:

How you've thought to time it? I think it would fit well if the ambush takes place at the same time as Tsuniy Tao finds them, just as they're about to leave Earth. That'd be a natural meeting point for most of the current characters.

There's a few ways it could go from there:

1) the ambush goes awry because of the Hollows and the ambushers and the ambushed have to fight off the Hollows together.
2) the ambush works, but then the ambushers are set upon by the Hollows, allowing Kuchiki, Qiu & Ezekiel to escape.
3) Kuchiki, Qiu and Ezekiel reveal horrible superpowers, turning the ambush into a mook horror show for the ambushers, but then the onslaught of Hollows allow the ambushers to escape.

Thoughts?

[Toxic Mind]

Regarding Shiba & Shihouin ambushing Kuchiki & Qiu Tao:

How you've thought to time it? I think it would fit well if the ambush takes place at the same time as Tsuniy Tao finds them, just as they're about to leave Earth. That'd be a natural meeting point for most of the current characters.

There's a few ways it could go from there:

1) the ambush goes awry because of the Hollows and the ambushers and the ambushed have to fight off the Hollows together.
2) the ambush works, but then the ambushers are set upon by the Hollows, allowing Kuchiki, Qiu & Ezekiel to escape.
3) Kuchiki, Qiu and Ezekiel reveal horrible superpowers, turning the ambush into a mook horror show for the ambushers, but then the onslaught of Hollows allow the ambushers to escape.

Thoughts?

I'm a fan of option 1 truly, because I was going to have Ana go with the hunters. She's one of two people who have actually seen the blades, and more than capable as an assassin on her own.

I think our legendary archer corps should get a chance to show their chops and such, but they are still mooks.

[King539]

3 seems funnier, but 1 would make more sense. I'm fine with either.

[igordragonian]

I think 1, give a chance for everypony to shine.
I'll just have to think about few interesting "commanders" of Tsunyi, unless you want it to be all on one kind of boss battle. (and a quarter million of "rookie" hollows)

[Toxic Mind]

I think 1, give a chance for everypony to shine.
I'll just have to think about few interesting "commanders" of Tsunyi, unless you want it to be all on one kind of boss battle. (and a quarter million of "rookie" hollows)

I think thats up to you

[igordragonian]

Dont trust me too much.
What would you preffer to see?

[Toxic Mind]

Dont trust me too much.
What would you preffer to see?

Honestly, I like the idea of an absolute tide of hollows that culminates with our big boss rising out of them (or even carving her way through them to get to her target).

[Frozen_Feet]

Tsuniy eating her followers and turning into a Gillian midway through when the horde of Hollows no longer seems to be effective would sound like a plan to me.

[Callos_DeTerran]

Well that was a helluva forum outage, responding now!

[Callos_DeTerran]

For the record, still here..just leery about jumping in right now for fear of interrupting what seems like a biggish event.

[Lord Raziere]

.....I don't see how you'd be interrupting? you don't need to even go to it to respond, Kane and Saki could probably use something to do while said big event is happening and perhaps maybe Tasnim would be curious as to why a big fortress suddenly appeared in Shiba lands.

[Toxic Mind]

Totally fine with new people come visit The nobles :)

[Razade]

I was going to have Yan show up but I'll hold off until you have a few scenes there Callos.

My kingdom for more Hollow players.

[Callos_DeTerran]

Well that's just it, Tasnim wants to go to the Kuchikis first since they'll be the problem House from what she's seen of their actions (that they're loyalists), so at least planting the thought in their heads before going to the Shihonin or Shiba is the first step of her plan.

Does that make sense? Getting the ball rolling by starting with the most stubborn ball and trying to budge it the tiniest bit.

[Lord Raziere]

And you know what would help push that ball much more than a tiny bit? Two less problematic houses as allies. Stubborn balls tend not to be so stubborn against four balls more willing to move against the one.

[Razade]

Well that's just it, Tasnim wants to go to the Kuchikis first since they'll be the problem House from what she's seen of their actions (that they're loyalists), so at least planting the thought in their heads before going to the Shihonin or Shiba is the first step of her plan.

Does that make sense? Getting the ball rolling by starting with the most stubborn ball and trying to budge it the tiniest bit.

Makes sense, I'll make a post then.

[Frozen_Feet]

Callos, in case you don't want to wait for Takehiko to return nor Tasnim take a detour to Earth, I'm not averse to playing Kuchiki servants again.

I'm currently waiting for a response from King539.

[Callos_DeTerran]

Callos, in case you don't want to wait for Takehiko to return nor Tasnim take a detour to Earth, I'm not averse to playing Kuchiki servants again.

I'm currently waiting for a response from King539.

That works for me! Didn't want to assume that you would be game for that and just bull ahead. I'll go ahead and post!

[Toxic Mind]

ill get a post up this afternoon - been finishing up grades before summer.