Neon Shadows OOC 2.0

[Mollisol]

​

(Kickers and Major NPCs quick ref)
(Prior OOC)

Post Order:

1. @Quincunx
2. @daird
3. @Cresion Breezes
4. @Calypso Major
5. @Blighted_Agent
6. @Wolfsbane706

Initial Game Text

Hey @Wolfsbane706 , @Blighted_Agent and @daird :

This is the thread for us to discuss Kickers. I've had my nose in the PDF where they came from for a while today, so here I am with more complete information about them.

The game text (Sorcerer) does a really good job of describing them, and doesn't include too much game-specific info, so I've copied a few paragraphs here:

The Kicker is an event or realization that your character has experienced just before play begins. It catalyzes him or her into action of some sort. If your character has lived for years wondering what did happen to his father that stormy night, today is the day he finds a crucial clue. If he has quietly studied sorcery under his master until this moment, today is the day of his first mission. It can be anything as long as it gets the character going. Just imagine the first scene of a movie before the title comes up: "There's this guy. And then this happens to him!"

[...]

Kickers come in several categories, and at the very least the GM should tell the players what sorts are most appropriate for the story he or she has in mind.

• Shockers: "Today began like any other until you pulled aside the shower curtain to see the skinned body of your next-door neighbor hanging from the showerhead."
• Opportunities: "You open your suitcase after picking it up at the luggage carousel to find your clothes and stuff gone, replaced by a quarter of a million dollars."
• Mysteries: "A friend on the police force tells you that the scenes of each of the brutal crimes recently perpetrated in your neighborhood have been signed with your mother's maiden name."

Kickers should not (1) present a total mystery with no personal significance; (2) dictate a character's actions (e.g. in the suitcase example above, the character could respond in many ways, ranging from keeping the money, spending it right away, or going to the police); or (3) present something he or she may react to casually.

Clearly the player and GM should discuss the Kicker carefully. Some GMs will be happy to have each player come up with something independently, whereas others will want to link each character's Kicker carefully to events in the game's back-story.

My additions to that include:

• In this RP, kickers do not need to link to the history of Henzai no Kuni, or rebellions against it. They should, however, be personally relevant to your character, and be relevant to the setting somehow.
• I'd like to stress again that the kicker should be something that you need to respond to now, although it does not dictate only one solution. It shouldn't be just a background happening you can dread and wait on.
• Kickers can be intertwined between characters!

EDIT: Most appropriate Kickers are shockers (not necessarily gruesome like the one in the example) and opportunities. Mysteries are iffy with Henzai and hackers being privy to so much information, but I will listen to pitches for them.

 

[Cresion Breezes]

Ok so I have a kicker for Senki that relates to the other characters somewhat, if there's an issue anywhere just tell me and I'll see about fixing.
So first question, is it possible for there to be monetary compensation for being a shadow? Since this is a pretty sci-fi setting I assume crypto currencies and digital transactions would be a big thing VR or not.

I decided that Senki's family would have some financial struggles because when they were first kicked out of the inner gear it was just her father who was a medical intern with a dead wife and five kids to take care of, so they're in debt most likely, and probably still not too well off considering most of the family is either really high maintenance health wise or can only work part time for one reason or another. Before they left the inner gear her family was a line of science and math based students who worked as teachers, professors, tutors etc, so a lot of other prestigious families and privet schools hire them. Senki managed to find a job in the inner gear as a tutor/teaching assistant for Mikan's family, which pays decently compared to what happens in the outer gear. Since Mikan is getting married off I kind of assumed her education would be handed off to her husband's family instead, Senki's father is actually part French (I think I mentioned in the CS), and Anna's very German dad probably didn't like them that much. So yeah she's at risk of losing her job so she doesn't want Mikan to be married.

That's all I came up with feel free to add/change things regarding your respective characters!
@Quincunx
@Blighted_Agent
@Wolfsbane706

 

[Blighted_Agent]

This fits the more pragmatic aura she seems to have. I can't speak much on the hostilities Anna's father may or may not have towards the French; gotta wait on Wolf for that. For what it's worth, as I recall, it's not so much that the guy is outright bad, so something to keep in mind.
Similarly, we need to have the almighty GM approve of it, since as I recall inter-gear movement is very limited. Can imagine that with her genius, Henzai would authorize it at least (if not force her to move again), just need confirmation from Quin.

Mikan's family would definitely pay handsomely to have a genius tutor her in math/physics. It would be a somewhat regular occurrence, so the income would be steady and good. With the coming of the wedding and the multiple arrangements to be made and the like, this would get interrupted, which is a problem to Senki and her family right off the bat.

After she's married it's very possible that even if Senki isn't outright fired/not-rehired, the tutoring will become far scarcer as she takes up new responsibilities in her new home, especially when Mikan gets pregnant with all that entails. I'm not sure where/how Joseph stands in regards to this; it's possible he'd want her to keep on being tutored but not by Senki, for example.

 

[Cresion Breezes]

This fits the more pragmatic aura she seems to have. I can't speak much on the hostilities Anna's father may or may not have towards the French; gotta wait on Wolf for that. For what it's worth, as I recall, it's not so much that the guy is outright bad, so something to keep in mind.
Similarly, we need to have the almighty GM approve of it, since as I recall inter-gear movement is very limited. Can imagine that with her genius, Henzai would authorize it at least (if not force her to move again), just need confirmation from Quin.

Mikan's family would definitely pay handsomely to have a genius tutor her in math/physics. It would be a somewhat regular occurrence, so the income would be steady and good. With the coming of the wedding and the multiple arrangements to be made and the like, this would get interrupted, which is a problem to Senki and her family right off the bat.

After she's married it's very possible that even if Senki isn't outright fired/not-rehired, the tutoring will become far scarcer as she takes up new responsibilities in her new home, especially when Mikan gets pregnant with all that entails. I'm not sure where/how Joseph stands in regards to this; it's possible he'd want her to keep on being tutored but not by Senki, for example.

I actually have a more in-depth idea about Senki's lineage and why Joseph might not like her.
Her surname Hoiken isn't an actual Japanese surname, instead it was derived from her grandfather's full name Lucien Egbert. He was a physicist and chemist at Riken in modern day and stayed because he started a family with a Japanese woman, but he didn't like the ideology behind Henzai and left the country when it started taking control over more and more things. Her grandmother was a conformist to the new society and didn't want a European last name but also wanted to remember her prior relationship. So she changed the family name to Hoiken, Lucien means light and is a French origin name, Egbert also means bright blade or edge, and that's what Hoiken means, sword of bright light, which fits her electricity and partical accelerator motif pretty well too.
It probably isn't a stretch to say that her grandfather may have criticism for the Henzai system overseas, which contrasts greatly with Joseph who literally works for Henzai. So it's more of an "ideology of previous generations" conflict rather than ethnicity thing.

I might be streching the world building a bit but I'm really trying to make the situation a bit more straining so it would be a better kicker. Still gotta let GM and Wolf check on all this, I'll make sure to change stuff if something doesn't work out. And I'm really sorry I tend to get carried away with world building and the familial relationship of my characters, mainly because I believe that family is a big influence on personalities, motivations etc on people.

 

[Mollisol]

Looks good to me; just gonna wait for Wolfsbane to chime in!

 

[Calypso Major]

Hello!
I was curious if this roleplay is still taking any new members on?
If not, sorry for the intrusion!

 

[Blighted_Agent]

Hello!
I was curious if this roleplay is still taking any new members on?
If not, sorry for the intrusion!

Hello, we're still active and still looking so if you're interested get them creative juices flowin' and show us what you got. C=

 

[Wolfsbane706]

College happened. I fell behind. I should be posting, but I need to catch up on the OOC first.

 

[Wolfsbane706]

I actually have a more in-depth idea about Senki's lineage and why Joseph might not like her.
Her surname Hoiken isn't an actual Japanese surname, instead it was derived from her grandfather's full name Lucien Egbert. He was a physicist and chemist at Riken in modern day and stayed because he started a family with a Japanese woman, but he didn't like the ideology behind Henzai and left the country when it started taking control over more and more things. Her grandmother was a conformist to the new society and didn't want a European last name but also wanted to remember her prior relationship. So she changed the family name to Hoiken, Lucien means light and is a French origin name, Egbert also means bright blade or edge, and that's what Hoiken means, sword of bright light, which fits her electricity and partical accelerator motif pretty well too.
It probably isn't a stretch to say that her grandfather may have criticism for the Henzai system overseas, which contrasts greatly with Joseph who literally works for Henzai. So it's more of an "ideology of previous generations" conflict rather than ethnicity thing.

I might be streching the world building a bit but I'm really trying to make the situation a bit more straining so it would be a better kicker. Still gotta let GM and Wolf check on all this, I'll make sure to change stuff if something doesn't work out. And I'm really sorry I tend to get carried away with world building and the familial relationship of my characters, mainly because I believe that family is a big influence on personalities, motivations etc on people.

Right on, things to know vol. 1: Joseph Decarion is not a hostile guy. Not directly, anyway. The dislike he may feel for Senki's grandpa will not be obvious, but implied. He's a professional, and it shows. The marriage with MIkan is business only, but she doesn't know that, and neither does Anna.

 

[Mollisol]

I am still here; had a thing with work tonight and just got home less than an hour ago. Liking the discussion, and answering PMs.

 

[Cresion Breezes]

Right on, things to know vol. 1: Joseph Decarion is not a hostile guy. Not directly, anyway. The dislike he may feel for Senki's grandpa will not be obvious, but implied. He's a professional, and it shows. The marriage with MIkan is business only, but she doesn't know that, and neither does Anna.

Right, I've figured he won't be acting that out of line given his position and career potentials, but if Anna and Mikan doesn't know that he thinks it's buisness only, do they think that their dad/future husband is a middle aged man who is just into high school girls?
If yes then I can see pretty much all PCs (since it's an all female teens/young adults cast) opposing the marriage.

 

[Blighted_Agent]

Right, I've figured he won't be acting that out of line given his position and career potentials, but if Anna and Mikan doesn't know that he thinks it's buisness only, do they think that their dad/future husband is a middle aged man who is just into high school girls?
If yes then I can see pretty much all PCs (since it's an all female teens/young adults cast) opposing the marriage.

From what we've seen, Eri doesn't seem to mind either way, and interestingly enough, Mikan herself doesn't see it as something to inherently oppose, largely because that's how she's been educated. She's still a girl, so she'd have hopes of the marriage actually meaning something beyond just being transactional. Also, even if she accepts that it's how it has to be, marrying somebody so much older than she is something she'd likely have trouble parsing and getting used to.

 

[Calypso Major]

Hello again! For those of you who don't know, my character is Chouko M. Hitomu-- also known as the Rose Shadow. (quick link here).

As for a kicker idea, I was thinking that maybe Chouko has to deliver one of those alleged "special requests" to somebody who lives closer to the Inner Ring. Along the way, she gets stopped by something-- it could be Kenzai Patrols, or possibly a skirmish, or...well, I'm not sure, but it would have to lead into Chouko grabbing the attention of Umbra. After telling Quincunx this via PM, they asked me to open it up for discussion here in the thread and replied:

If it's a patrol or skirmish, perhaps someone takes her aside and tries to force her into acting a specific way (in the RP, she can comply, or not, with different consequences), to demand her action immediately?

So...what do you guys think?

 

[Blighted_Agent]

Hello again! For those of you who don't know, my character is Chouko M. Hitomu-- also known as the Rose Shadow. (quick link here).

As for a kicker idea, I was thinking that maybe Chouko has to deliver one of those alleged "special requests" to somebody who lives closer to the Inner Ring. Along the way, she gets stopped by something-- it could be Kenzai Patrols, or possibly a skirmish, or...well, I'm not sure, but it would have to lead into Chouko grabbing the attention of Umbra. After telling Quincunx this via PM, they asked me to open it up for discussion here in the thread.

So...what do you guys think?

Wow you really delivered, props for good work (excellent taste with the MadoKami pic) C=
I'm liking what I'm seeing, I think she's the oldest of the group. That's not a problem for me, just that I recall the almighty GM wanting them to be sub-20, I think? If @Quincunx is fine with it so am I.

Since she's based on the outer Gear, it's possible she's met and/or had dealing with Sakura, the character of @daird , might want to see if there's anything to work in tandem with them, even the possibility of intertwining kickers somehow. On my end, since she does work for the Inner Gear it's possible Mikan's family has bought stuff from her, both for their residential quarters and the shrine itself.

 

[Cresion Breezes]

From what we've seen, Eri doesn't seem to mind either way, and interestingly enough, Mikan herself doesn't see it as something to inherently oppose, largely because that's how she's been educated. She's still a girl, so she'd have hopes of the marriage actually meaning something beyond just being transactional. Also, even if she accepts that it's how it has to be, marrying somebody so much older than she is something she'd likely have trouble parsing and getting used to.

I can understand that Mikan's upbringing and personality would make her be ok with the marriage since she's been ok with anything her family does, but Senki would likely flip out, one because her bad track record with Henzai higher officials though the main reason would be that her main job is becoming unstable. She's probably going to try to talk Mikan out of it, mainly for her own reasons, though she's going to disguise as concern for Mikan. If Senki's been at the job for awhile she will genuinely care for Mikan but if Mikan herself has no issues with the marriage she'll just take it and go find a new job. In fact she's probably going to be looking for one as the marriage is pending since she knows it's highly unlikely Mikan's family will change the plans.

With that said I have a second/sub kicker involving this one, since @Quincunx might have missed the question the first time. Senki really needs money especially if things aren't going well with Mikan, so she's probably going to have loads of part time jobs without much time to fight as a VR/AR Shadow. She's not the type of magical girl who just fights for love, justice and friendship what so ever, she's pretty realistic. So if Eri has data mining abilities that can whip up crypto currencies or monetary transactions Senki would gladly be a shadow, seeing that it's essentially a job, plus she'll need to fight off Henzai monitors and control even more since she's doing extra illegal things compared to the other shadows. I don't know if that's allowed or not so let me know!

 

[Mollisol]

Hello again! For those of you who don't know, my character is Chouko M. Hitomu-- also known as the Rose Shadow. (quick link here).

As for a kicker idea, I was thinking that maybe Chouko has to deliver one of those alleged "special requests" to somebody who lives closer to the Inner Ring. Along the way, she gets stopped by something-- it could be Kenzai Patrols, or possibly a skirmish, or...well, I'm not sure, but it would have to lead into Chouko grabbing the attention of Umbra. After telling Quincunx this via PM, they asked me to open it up for discussion here in the thread and replied:




So...what do you guys think?

Wow you really delivered, props for good work (excellent taste with the MadoKami pic) C=
I'm liking what I'm seeing, I think she's the oldest of the group. That's not a problem for me, just that I recall the almighty GM wanting them to be sub-20, I think? If @Quincunx is fine with it so am I.

Since she's based on the outer Gear, it's possible she's met and/or had dealing with Sakura, the character of @daird , might want to see if there's anything to work in tandem with them, even the possibility of intertwining kickers somehow. On my end, since she does work for the Inner Gear it's possible Mikan's family has bought stuff from her, both for their residential quarters and the shrine itself.

Whoa, sorry I missed this on the initial CS, Calypso! Shadows have to be teenagers.

With that said I have a second/sub kicker involving this one, since @Quincunx might have missed the question the first time. Senki really needs money especially if things aren't going well with Mikan, so she's probably going to have loads of part time jobs without much time to fight as a VR/AR Shadow. She's not the type of magical girl who just fights for love, justice and friendship what so ever, she's pretty realistic. So if Eri has data mining abilities that can whip up crypto currencies or monetary transactions Senki would gladly be a shadow, seeing that it's essentially a job, plus she'll need to fight off Henzai monitors and control even more since she's doing extra illegal things compared to the other shadows. I don't know if that's allowed or not so let me know!

I like where you're going with it. Eri isn't a currency minor, though; she makes her money through VR/AR services. That would be...

(drumroll for sudden introduction of a new NPC)

Osami, a cryptocurrency miner who is likely to give Senki the "job" of being a Shadow because she needs to keep Umbra alive, as a base for operations and associates. She'd run it past Eri, who would be fine with it.

 

[Blighted_Agent]

I can understand that Mikan's upbringing and personality would make her be ok with the marriage since she's been ok with anything her family does, but Senki would likely flip out, one because her bad track record with Henzai higher officials though the main reason would be that her main job is becoming unstable. She's probably going to try to talk Mikan out of it, mainly for her own reasons, though she's going to disguise as concern for Mikan. If Senki's been at the job for awhile she will genuinely care for Mikan but if Mikan herself has no issues with the marriage she'll just take it and go find a new job. In fact she's probably going to be looking for one as the marriage is pending since she knows it's highly unlikely Mikan's family will change the plans.

I think that's fine, her interactions with Senki and Anna will likely influence how she'll take it and might stir up feelings of opposition that would otherwise be subdued.

Mikan's had tutors her whole life, what litle I've found about homeschooling regarding math seems to be too freeform to really draw any solid conclusions or parallels. I can't really imagine Senki stomaching the boredom of elementary-school-level math, so I'd guess she'd have started for middle or high school-level math, in which case they'd have known each other at most like 4 years or so.

 

[Calypso Major]

Whoa, sorry I missed this on the initial CS, Calypso! Shadows have to be teenagers.

Oops, I can change her age...umm, is 19 good? I'm not a huge fan of anyone under 18 smoking, plus it would give Chouko about a year's experience with tending to the business.

@Blighted_Agent Thank you, I was surprised nobody had made any Madoka references until recently (>.>)

 

[Mollisol]

Oops, I can change her age...umm, is 19 good? I'm not a huge fan of anyone under 18 smoking, plus it would give Chouko about a year's experience with tending to the business.

@Blighted_Agent Thank you, I was surprised nobody had made any Madoka references until recently (>.>)

19 sounds good.

 

[Cresion Breezes]

I was surprised nobody had made any Madoka references until recently (>.>)

If this was like Madoka then it means the GM is trying to kill us all.

 

[Blighted_Agent]

If this was like Madoka then it means the GM is trying to kill us all.

Fortunately the almighty GM has assured us from the start that there's no Incubator figure. C=