I
IAmEnzo
Guest
SIGN-UPS | ROLEPLAY | OOC
Start Date: June 23rd | Thread Completion: 100%
I. Overview
1..What To Expect
2..What We Expect From You
3..A Disclaimer
II. Lore
1..Documented Knowledge
2..30 Years Ago
3..Here and Now
III. The Realms
1..Our World
2..Their World
IV. Zodiacs
1..Force of Will
2..The Hollows
V. Hosts
1..What Binds Us
2..Life With Two Souls
3..With Great Power
VI. The System
1..The Flow of Time
2..The Inventory
3..Day and Night
4..Zodiacs and You
5.. Collaborations
VII. The Guidelines
1..The Spotlight
2..The Necessities
Start Date: June 23rd | Thread Completion: 100%
Summary
I. Overview
1..What To Expect
2..What We Expect From You
3..A Disclaimer
II. Lore
1..Documented Knowledge
2..30 Years Ago
3..Here and Now
III. The Realms
1..Our World
2..Their World
IV. Zodiacs
1..Force of Will
2..The Hollows
V. Hosts
1..What Binds Us
2..Life With Two Souls
3..With Great Power
VI. The System
1..The Flow of Time
2..The Inventory
3..Day and Night
4..Zodiacs and You
5.. Collaborations
VII. The Guidelines
1..The Spotlight
2..The Necessities
Overview
What To Expect
Zodiac: Dawn of the Tarocchi is an anime-influenced, supernatural roleplay with elements of Slice of Life, Dark Fantasy, and mild/high gore. The plot focuses on your characters as they battle, laugh, and live together in Zodiac's twisted universe. There will be events ranging from school projects, to solving mysteries, all the way towards a full blown war for survival. How the story carries out heavily depends on the choices you make for your character as well as the interactions between them and their comrades.
Death is a high probability in this roleplay. If certain actions aren't thought out carefully, your character could be easily killed. To avoid this, it's recommended to pay close attention to GM posts for possible hints on how to defeat or bypass enemies. Consider every possibility, because if you don't, you'll find yourself characterless.
Occasionally, the roleplay will get cameos from it's sister roleplay, Tarocchi. More information on that to follow.
What We Expect From You
The roleplay's flow of time is undoubtedly one of the more unique mechanics to the roleplay. More on that on section 6.2.
Besides time, we expect quality and quantity to be at least equal with your posts. Needless to say, if you're currently busy with school, work, or any other real life occasion that affects your ability to participate in the roleplay, give this roleplay a pass. We also require that you state your characters actions in a clear and readable format. Do not post anything less than a paragraph.
Our Out of Character chat is stationed in Discord, which you can freely google in case of doubting the software. It's a free program that is much akin to Skype. An installation is not even required, either. This said, if you do not check into the OOC regularly after posting your character sheet and during the roleplay, You will be denied access to this roleplay. We understand if you have things to do, such as studying and the like. However, Discord doesn't require an installation, and we only require a simple 'hello' from you every now and then so that we know you're still with us.
A Disclaimer
It is important for you as a player to know that,
1. Zodiac: Dawn of the Tarocchi is a continuation of the previous roleplay; Zodiac. What happened 30 years ago within the roleplay, as well as how the world is set up currently, was completely forged due to the characters' actions in the last roleplay. There will be several 'returning' character sheets bundled in with new ones. These characters will have Zodiacs from the start, as well as the experience and knowledge they should have.
2. This roleplay is within a shared universe, much like that of Marvel's superheroes sharing the same world, so to speak. From time to time, players from another roleplay (in the same universe) will cameo into Zodiac, and possibly vise-versa. If you're the type that wants to learn the lore of this shared universe, it's highly recommended that you check out the sister roleplay: Forieri di Tarocchi - Harbingers of Tarot
The Lore
Documented Knowledge
Since time untold, death was a gateway into the unknown. To many, it was a spiritual passing from our world to heaven and hell. However, humanity is a curious species. Famous theorists and genius scientists have often questioned the existence of an afterlife, going so far as to say it doesn't exist, and that this life was all there was to existence. Regardless of the endless arguments, no definite answer was found. Or so we thought.What To Expect
Zodiac: Dawn of the Tarocchi is an anime-influenced, supernatural roleplay with elements of Slice of Life, Dark Fantasy, and mild/high gore. The plot focuses on your characters as they battle, laugh, and live together in Zodiac's twisted universe. There will be events ranging from school projects, to solving mysteries, all the way towards a full blown war for survival. How the story carries out heavily depends on the choices you make for your character as well as the interactions between them and their comrades.
Death is a high probability in this roleplay. If certain actions aren't thought out carefully, your character could be easily killed. To avoid this, it's recommended to pay close attention to GM posts for possible hints on how to defeat or bypass enemies. Consider every possibility, because if you don't, you'll find yourself characterless.
Occasionally, the roleplay will get cameos from it's sister roleplay, Tarocchi. More information on that to follow.
What We Expect From You
The roleplay's flow of time is undoubtedly one of the more unique mechanics to the roleplay. More on that on section 6.2.
Besides time, we expect quality and quantity to be at least equal with your posts. Needless to say, if you're currently busy with school, work, or any other real life occasion that affects your ability to participate in the roleplay, give this roleplay a pass. We also require that you state your characters actions in a clear and readable format. Do not post anything less than a paragraph.
Our Out of Character chat is stationed in Discord, which you can freely google in case of doubting the software. It's a free program that is much akin to Skype. An installation is not even required, either. This said, if you do not check into the OOC regularly after posting your character sheet and during the roleplay, You will be denied access to this roleplay. We understand if you have things to do, such as studying and the like. However, Discord doesn't require an installation, and we only require a simple 'hello' from you every now and then so that we know you're still with us.
A Disclaimer
It is important for you as a player to know that,
1. Zodiac: Dawn of the Tarocchi is a continuation of the previous roleplay; Zodiac. What happened 30 years ago within the roleplay, as well as how the world is set up currently, was completely forged due to the characters' actions in the last roleplay. There will be several 'returning' character sheets bundled in with new ones. These characters will have Zodiacs from the start, as well as the experience and knowledge they should have.
2. This roleplay is within a shared universe, much like that of Marvel's superheroes sharing the same world, so to speak. From time to time, players from another roleplay (in the same universe) will cameo into Zodiac, and possibly vise-versa. If you're the type that wants to learn the lore of this shared universe, it's highly recommended that you check out the sister roleplay: Forieri di Tarocchi - Harbingers of Tarot
The Lore
Documented Knowledge
All throughout time, there had been numerous cases of spellcraft. Albeit a highly skeptical rumor, people told tales of great power at the fingertips of simple men and women. They told tales of how these people could bring the dead to life, they could turn wood to gold, poverty into wealth, weakness into strength. All across the world, these proclaimed witches were burned at the stake and publicly shamed - even to a point of condemning their offspring, and their children as well.
The closest thing to the afterlife and the existence of necromancy in history was Armstrong's demise. Armstrong was a colonist and general during therevolutionary war. It was documented that during a night at their military camp, Armstrong tinkered with necromancy with the hopes of summoning and enslaving an executioner's soul for it's power. That night, Armstrong offered the souls of his platoon in exchange for the soul's servitude. What the general didn't expect was the executioner's axe to sever him in two. Those that survived the event lived on to tell that tale to their children, and so on. In our era it was assumed to be nothing more than a fictional tale with a life lesson behind it. That wasn't the case.
30 Years Later
With the power of their Zodiacs and the bonds between them and each other, the group managed to protect themselves and their town from numerous dangers, such as Hollows and those that manipulate them. Only a sort time had passed before they were introduced to a top secret organization akin to the Illuminati. They called themselves the Dominion. The Dominion, secretly aided by various governments, specialized in eliminating Hollows and keeping the existence of Limbo a secret from the public. With the aid of Len - a Dominion operative - the group grew to become effective hosts.
Despite all of that, not everything went so smoothly.
Shun Takumi, a former classmate, comrade and fellow host, suddenly fused together with his dying Zodiac; Bastion, effectively becoming Fushensetsu. A hybrid of human and Zodiac. Many years later, Fushensetsu mysteriously disappeared, never to be seen or heard of again.
On top of that, there came a point where the supreme rulers of nations banded together to decide the fate of the Dominion and the Hosts alike. Ultimately, it was concluded that the Dominion failed in their mission of secrecy and protection, and were decommissioned. The Hosts were deemed problematic, and caused too much harm for the very little aid they provided. Hosts all around the world were seen as 'shoot-to-kill'. They were shunned by the public. History repeats itself.
Here and Now
2044.
The world has changed in the eyes of Hosts all around the world. What was once a peaceful unity between man and Zodiac, quickly became alienation and hate crime. In truth, not every Host had good intentions. With their incredible abilities, it was up to experienced Hosts like the 'Hosts of Brookfield' to put their evil-doing to rest. When it was decided that their help was no longer wanted, it became the job of the newly fitted governments to defend their lands.Although still a secret to the general public, Hosts grew scarce in the presence of authority, and the gateways between Limbo and our world grew as a result. Hollows began to leak out of Limbo, preying on life-forces that polluted the Earth. Armed with Dominion technology, the leaders of the world plan to eradicate the existence of Hosts, Zodiacs, and the Hollows.
Your character's story begins similarly to the Hosts of Brookfield 30 years ago. Begin the story as a club member of Astrology within Scentia, a high-school in Providence, Rhode Island. Obtain a higher power and use it for the greater good, or for your own benefits.
The Realms
Our World
Even now without the secrecy of the Dominion, humanity remains ignorant. The destructive events between Hosts and Hollows were kept in the shadows from the general public, and only the higher ranked authorities had access to that classified information. Among the scattered Hosts are those that couldn't care less about others and their secrets, and freely used their supernatural abilities wherever they saw fit.
In the wake of that added chaos, specialized hunters surfaced with their main focus on completely wiping out any and all Hosts they encounter. On top that, they gained the full support of any government they were in the jurisdiction of. This obviously made living as a dormant Host even harder. Regardless of their brutal ways, the nations and their well-informed forces want them gone.
As mentioned previously, your character's tale begins September 1st, in Rhode Island as a member of Scentia's Astrology club. Life as a normal civilian was hardly different than it was 30 years ago. The slight difference being people used things like google glass and enhanced tablets over cellphones and laptops. The technological jump is a slight one. Even in 2044, there still isn't a sign of flying cars, light bikes, or any other highly advanced device. Scentia itself is not a highly renowned school. It was only founded in the recent years to help boost the educational levels in Providence. The students are loud and the staff are either humble or worn out.
Their world
Limbo is the name of this realm. It's what Zodiacs call their home, and it's what we came to understand as the afterlife and the dreamworld. It's an eternal testing ground for souls after they have passed. Here, a mental strain is constantly being forced on the soul, stressing their sanity to a point of it being lost completely, thus becoming Hollow. Souls that can overpower the corruption become Zodiacs.
The geological aspect of Limbo can closely resemble that of the real world, and there are areas that completely defy the laws of physics, and force us to question our understandings of reality. Because of the nature of this world and it's inhabitants, the form of the land can be shifted and manipulated depending on who claims the territory. Zodiacs are able to take a pocket of land and mark it as their own 'Limbo'.
Everyone has a physical form in Limbo. When they are awake doing their daily routines, their Limbo counterpart is asleep. Likewise when that person goes to bed, their other bodies are awake but unaware of their surroundings. It's said that every soul owns two bodies, one belonging to each realm. When something happens to one body, the soul is locked away into Limbo for an untold time. This explains the mysterious cases of people dying in their beds.
With the help of either a Zodiac or witchcraft, Hosts are able to transport over to Limbo and retain their full consciousness. Some hosts even prefer to spend most, if not all of their life within Limbo, along with their Zodiac.
Zodiacs
Force of Will
Zodiacs themselves are mysterious beings. Once a living, breathing person or animal in our world, they were given an untimely death with their ambitions and goals incomplete. Because of that, there exists many different types of Zodiacs roaming Limbo. As a soul, they are constantly being tested by the raw corruption existing in the afterlife. The realization of death, the fear and sorrow of leaving behind loved ones, and the anger of not being able to achieve what they yearned for. All of these factors come into play and attack their sanity the second they die. Only with pure willpower are they capable of overpowering the urge for life-force, and avoid becoming Hollow.
However, even after becoming a Zodiac, corruption still affects them although at a slower rate. How fast they are overcome by corruption depends on the nature of their soul. To counteract this, Zodiacs require life-force, a pure essence that completely negates corruption. To obtain life-force, they pull a person's soul into Limbo using their otherworldly counterpart and strike a deal with them. Life-force for unmatched power. Not all deals are the same, however. There are Zodiacs that don't care much for fighting off corruption. Instead, they wish for things like their ambitions to be completed in life, and so they exchange their supernatural powers for their worldly goals to be completed in their stead. There are even rare cases where a Zodiac would simply grant a human great power just because that person in question piqued their interest.
The Hollows
The lesser residents of Limbo. Hollows are souls or Zodiacs that have succumbed to Limbo's raw corruption, and have become completely dependent on life-force alone. Their numbers alone make them the dominate force in Limbo. They take many shapes and sizes, ranging from ants to massive, skyscraper-length forces of nature. If they were once Zodiacs, they keep all of the supernatural power they had back then, making them extremely dangerous.
Because of the overwhelming numbers of Hollows, as well the actions of ill-willed Hosts and Zodiacs, Hollows have managed to infiltrate the living world and prey on unsuspecting souls; human and animal alike. In the past, it was the Hosts' natural responsibility to protect those from Hollows, and put a stop to their unpredictable invasions.
Hosts
What Binds Us
A Host is what becomes of a human once a deal between them and a Zodiac is made. Humans with incredible power; from controlling the elements to bending space and time. Their power scales with the bonds between the Host and the Zodiac. Naturally, a Zodiac lends their Host more and more of their power over time. Consequentially, there's a catch to the system: If a Host dies, so does the Zodiac he or she made a contract with. A mix of trust and teamwork is what makes an ideal contract.
Life With Two Souls
If you've read the lore above, you'll know that living as a Host is no easy feat, even with the power of the supernatural. As a Host, your character will be forced to look over their shoulder.
Use those abilities too much and people will be sent to collect your character's head. Naturally, people are afraid of what they don't understand. Keep that in mind.
With Great Power
..Comes great responsibility. As mentioned earlier, the course of this roleplay changes with the decisions you as a character make. Will you carry out your Zodiac's will to the letter? Will you battle Hollows and similar ill-doers for the greater good? Will you abuse the new-found power and take everything for yourself? This roleplay encourages you to think, analyze, and act on your own accord. Will you become this world's newest blight, or the savior it never knew it needed?
The System
The Flow of Time
By far Zodiac: DoT's most unique feature. Unlike most roleplays, time is constantly moving, regardless of the amount of posts made. We use an easy to memorize system to gauge what day it is and the current time within the roleplay. Below is a chart you can study and refer to for future use.
The System
The Flow of Time
By far Zodiac: DoT's most unique feature. Unlike most roleplays, time is constantly moving, regardless of the amount of posts made. We use an easy to memorize system to gauge what day it is and the current time within the roleplay. Below is a chart you can study and refer to for future use.
[dash=indigo]Morning | Afternoon | Evening
2 | 3 | 2
[/dash]
2 | 3 | 2
[/dash]
Each roleplay day is separated into three segments: Morning, Afternoon, Evening. The numbers below represent how many Real-life days are within each segment. For example, it takes two real-time days for morning to pass in the roleplay, and three real time days for afternoon. The purpose for this system is to allow players enough time to roleplay out daily activities such as school projects, shopping, and supernatural events. Additionally, it encourages people to post frequently and to keep up with its consistent pace. In special cases like some important plot battles, time will be temporarily frozen until it's resolved.
The Inventory
The inventory system is much simpler feature of Zodiac, and currently isn't being used yet. All you have to do is post a spoiler of your character's items at the end or beginning of every post. At some point we plan to implement currency and shops for characters to browse and even use in combat.
Day and Night
As a Host, every time your character goes to sleep, they are transported into their Limbo bodies. This is an important thing time for Zodiacs and Hosts to bond, learn how to control their powers, and even learn of their own Zodiac's history and lore. Keep a mental note of where your character is located within Limbo. If their Limbo body is in a vulnerable position while they're awake, they may die!
Zodiacs And You
Under no circumstances is a normal player allowed to make or control their character's Zodiacs. All Zodiacs are GM controlled. If you make a character who is already a Host, or is a Zodiac, they will be automatically denied. Repeated offenses will ruin your chances of being accepted in the future.
All of this is because the GMs tailor-make Zodiacs to fit the characters you have. Needless to say, this takes time. To speed up that process, it's recommended that you detail your character sheet to the best of your ability. Not every character is guaranteed a Zodiac. In the case that your character does NOT get a Zodiac, fear not. You will still have the means to fight and interact!
Collaborations
Sometimes in any roleplay, there are moments where it's hard to keep track of what's going on. Too many people post with conflicting actions and different understandings of the situation, and combat posts are long, drawn out, and extremely messy. To eliminate this, we're introducing and enforcing collaborations.
Collab for short, is a system where the involved players come together in a google document to formulate a post together. In order words, if two characters are having a long fight or there is a group conversation, everyone involved is to work together on one large, merged post. This speeds up conversations and combat to make everything look and seem fluid.
In the case of combat and fairness within, a GM will overlook the construction of the collab and ensure that no character exploits the flaws of forum combat. An example is when a character suddenly dodges out of an attack that is deemed unavoidable.
Make sure to alert a GM whenever you intend to start a collab with another player.
The Guidelines
The Spotlight
GMs work to make the story, the world, the enemies, and the Zodiacs appealing and interesting in a roleplay that doesn't halt time for anyone. There will be times where your character is completely irrelevant to the main arc or side arc. Don't fret! Every character, Host or not, will have their spotlight!
That being said, Do not hog the spotlight, or make a character who is designed to steal the spotlight 24/7
That doesn't mean you aren't allowed to make an energetic and hyper character. What it means is that we aren't looking for Sasukes and Gokus, who's natural character is that of a main character that constantly requires the spotlight. If you need help for a character sheet and you want to check to make sure that it isn't showing those spotlight signs, let a GM know!
The Necessities
As stated before, it's required that you join the OOC in Discord after making a character sheet. If you don't do this between the time of the sheet posted and the beginning of the roleplay, your character will be denied. In that same respect, make sure to let the OOC know that you're alive and well.
if you're busy with school, work, or other roleplays, don't bother joining. It's understandable that things change and happen, so if something comes up after you've been accepted and the roleplay is active, simply let a GM know and move your character to a safe spot, like their home. They will be excluded from danger and put into a safe lock for when you return.
That said, please don't abuse this system and be absent for more than a week. Failure to send any word or mention that it would take longer will result in your character being killed, regardless of their role in the plot.
Within the character sheet application process are secret questions that test whether or not you've read the interest check and understand the rules we have put in place. To answer those questions, you will need to join our Discord OOC and PM your answers to 'Enzo', 'Aaron', or 'Tsu', the GMs. Failure to do so will automatically fail you.
The Inventory
The inventory system is much simpler feature of Zodiac, and currently isn't being used yet. All you have to do is post a spoiler of your character's items at the end or beginning of every post. At some point we plan to implement currency and shops for characters to browse and even use in combat.
Day and Night
As a Host, every time your character goes to sleep, they are transported into their Limbo bodies. This is an important thing time for Zodiacs and Hosts to bond, learn how to control their powers, and even learn of their own Zodiac's history and lore. Keep a mental note of where your character is located within Limbo. If their Limbo body is in a vulnerable position while they're awake, they may die!
Zodiacs And You
Under no circumstances is a normal player allowed to make or control their character's Zodiacs. All Zodiacs are GM controlled. If you make a character who is already a Host, or is a Zodiac, they will be automatically denied. Repeated offenses will ruin your chances of being accepted in the future.
All of this is because the GMs tailor-make Zodiacs to fit the characters you have. Needless to say, this takes time. To speed up that process, it's recommended that you detail your character sheet to the best of your ability. Not every character is guaranteed a Zodiac. In the case that your character does NOT get a Zodiac, fear not. You will still have the means to fight and interact!
Collaborations
Sometimes in any roleplay, there are moments where it's hard to keep track of what's going on. Too many people post with conflicting actions and different understandings of the situation, and combat posts are long, drawn out, and extremely messy. To eliminate this, we're introducing and enforcing collaborations.
Collab for short, is a system where the involved players come together in a google document to formulate a post together. In order words, if two characters are having a long fight or there is a group conversation, everyone involved is to work together on one large, merged post. This speeds up conversations and combat to make everything look and seem fluid.
In the case of combat and fairness within, a GM will overlook the construction of the collab and ensure that no character exploits the flaws of forum combat. An example is when a character suddenly dodges out of an attack that is deemed unavoidable.
Make sure to alert a GM whenever you intend to start a collab with another player.
The Guidelines
The Spotlight
GMs work to make the story, the world, the enemies, and the Zodiacs appealing and interesting in a roleplay that doesn't halt time for anyone. There will be times where your character is completely irrelevant to the main arc or side arc. Don't fret! Every character, Host or not, will have their spotlight!
That being said, Do not hog the spotlight, or make a character who is designed to steal the spotlight 24/7
That doesn't mean you aren't allowed to make an energetic and hyper character. What it means is that we aren't looking for Sasukes and Gokus, who's natural character is that of a main character that constantly requires the spotlight. If you need help for a character sheet and you want to check to make sure that it isn't showing those spotlight signs, let a GM know!
The Necessities
As stated before, it's required that you join the OOC in Discord after making a character sheet. If you don't do this between the time of the sheet posted and the beginning of the roleplay, your character will be denied. In that same respect, make sure to let the OOC know that you're alive and well.
if you're busy with school, work, or other roleplays, don't bother joining. It's understandable that things change and happen, so if something comes up after you've been accepted and the roleplay is active, simply let a GM know and move your character to a safe spot, like their home. They will be excluded from danger and put into a safe lock for when you return.
That said, please don't abuse this system and be absent for more than a week. Failure to send any word or mention that it would take longer will result in your character being killed, regardless of their role in the plot.
Within the character sheet application process are secret questions that test whether or not you've read the interest check and understand the rules we have put in place. To answer those questions, you will need to join our Discord OOC and PM your answers to 'Enzo', 'Aaron', or 'Tsu', the GMs. Failure to do so will automatically fail you.
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