Writing Discussion Thread

[Deidalius]

So how would I go about it? I'm not having any character in AK universe, or Terra become Force Sensitive or vice versa as I'm keeping them separate. Just curious about how the power system would be handled or utilized.

Well first of all I suggest that both groups are almost equal in strength. Don't have one group humiliate the other one and vice versa unless it's like, the strongest of group one against the weakest of group two.

Then... I don't know, I never played Arkham Knights, nor I know a lot about Star Wars.

 

[TegamiBachi25]

Well first of all I suggest that both groups are almost equal in strength. Don't have one group humiliate the other one and vice versa unless it's like, the strongest of group one against the weakest of group two.

Then... I don't know, I never played Arkham Knights, nor I know a lot about Star Wars.

I meant Arknights. Not Arkham Knights. I never played any Batman games. I'm sorry if you were confused by AK (I meant that as an acronym for Arknights) XD

 

[Peppersalt43]

This is a series of laws of reality that were made for my stories. I haven't updated it in a long time. I just translated it to English since I mainly write in Spanish so I thought of sharing this concept here to get feedback.

The rule of Claymore, level of importance and reflections of the universe.docx

//This document is written by Narrator 1, an outside observer that is writing an essay on how the reality works. The red sentences are additional notes made by a second person unrelated to Narrator 1. We’ll call them Narrator 2. The rule of Claymore The rule of Claymore is a group of scientific ...

docs.google.com

It's only one page long.

Read it and give me your thoughts on it.

Reminds me a lot of stats equalized stuff. Anyway...

1. Makes sense
2. What exactly would cause someone to still have higher stats than their opponent after equalization? Their gimmick (Tanks and warriors will always be made physically stronger than spellcasters and assassins)? Their previous stats (The stronger person will end up stronger than the weaker person after equalization)? Their determination?

Also how would stat amps play into this?
3. Makes sense
4. So essentially this deals with activation methods (Like passives and thought-activated abilities) which I guess I can see for some things (Like have effects be reduced for passives so it doesn't instantly cause its effects) though with thought and gesture stuff, how exactly would that work? Do they need to focus or apply their abilities over a period of time? And how would it affect more physical things like telekinesis?
5. I assume this means things like range which conflicts with rule 3 as area damage and range are some of the things that don't get modified
6. This feels really specific. I assume it's based on people who gain power by killing or taking something from others but the destroying a city per week feels odd. I'd like to know what led to them employing such a rule
7. This also feels really specific. Who the heck created a utopia or dystopia in a fight? Was it a social influencing battle? And regarding destruction of the moon, if both characters have that strength, why not let them use it?

 

[Peppersalt43]

Which means that if a speedster that moves at the speed of lightning faces a god-like being with infinite speed that doesn't specialize in speed, the speedster will still be slower than the god-like being after The Rule of Claymore has been applied.

Ah, so their previous stats

The way stat amps would play into this is that they would be treated like any other ability. Extreme stat amps would require stricter requirements to be activated, rule 4 addresses this.

Yeah I guess I can see that. Like a slow build-up to their desired speed or strength

Not really, by range I mean ranged attacks like sniper characters fighting melee combatants. The snipers will have better range, but their attacks will still be avoidable.

Actually I also meant stuff like explosions and shockwaves

I barely have characters who can do that.

Really? That's very simple, even just a vampire or a soul manipulator can do that

Claymore dislikes utopias and dystopias because they disrupt the natural order of society, which is an imperfect civilization that still has good traits

But that's the thing. A utopia is simply a setting where everything is objectively good so nothing like mind control or manipulation from anyone. Anything good present in an imperfect civilization should theoretically be present in a utopia

She wants to maintain the status quo.

Kinda hard to do that when everyone has the potential to destroy entire planets and timelines

This I recall is one of the critiques in a lot of Superhero media. We got people with insane powers and intelligence yet everything just looks the same. Why is society so similar to ours is supernatural shit is going around everywhere?

Which I guess Cassandra technically solves but at what cost? How much potential is being wasted keeping everything in a regular mundane state?

I can imagine a lot of good conflicts arising from this. Like if the embodiment of chaos had a realm, it's a lot more hectic and destructive but they keep creating crazy new innovations that help a lot. Or if a someone finds a way to grant regenerative powers or resurrection to the population, making so any destruction caused can be undone and allow for people to be a lot more free but it messes up with the status quo a lot

Not bad as a concept, let's hope you can do it justice

 

[YungManzi]

Spoiler: I told Chat GPT to make Gojo vs frieza

In a convergence of worlds where powers beyond imagination clashed, the tyrannical Frieza, an alien overlord known for his ruthless dominance, faced off against Satoru Gojo, a Sorcerer Supreme of unparalleled magical prowess. The clash of their vastly different abilities created an atmosphere of tension and anticipation, as the very fabric of reality seemed to tremble under their presence.
Frieza, his aura radiating cold malice, hovered in the air with an air of arrogance. His icy eyes locked onto Gojo, his confidence unwavering. On the other side, Gojo stood with an air of nonchalance, his blindfold concealing eyes that harbored a depth of power beyond comprehension.
"Well, well, what do we have here? A Sorcerer, I presume?" Frieza's voice dripped with condescension as he assessed Gojo.
Gojo's lips curved into a faint smile. "And a tyrant who's made quite a name for himself across the stars. Let's see if you can live up to that reputation."
With a sudden surge of power, Frieza's form shimmered as he transformed, his final form revealing itself in all its terrifying glory. The sheer pressure of his aura sent shockwaves rippling through the environment. In response, Gojo's aura flared to life, an ethereal blue radiance that seemed to distort reality itself.
Without further ado, Frieza launched himself at Gojo with a burst of speed that defied his alien form's appearance. He unleashed barrages of energy blasts and rapid punches, each strike containing the force of a freight train. Gojo's innate sorcery allowed him to predict Frieza's movements, effortlessly weaving between the attacks with a casual grace.
Gojo's fingers moved gracefully, and the air around Frieza seemed to distort, creating spatial rifts that deflected the energy blasts away harmlessly. Frieza's frustration grew evident, and he charged a Death Ball, hurling it at Gojo with all his might.
Gojo merely raised a hand, and an invisible barrier formed, causing the Death Ball to halt in mid-air before disintegrating into harmless sparks. His cursed techniques had a mastery over space and dimensions that rendered Frieza's attacks near futile.
Infuriated, Frieza powered up, his golden aura blazing with intensity. "You mock me, Sorcerer! I'll show you the power that has conquered worlds!"
He unleashed a barrage of death beams, each traveling at incredible speed. But as they neared Gojo, his Infinity technique came into play. The beams struck what seemed to be an impenetrable barrier, only to be swallowed by an infinite void, vanishing as if they'd never existed.
Frieza's eyes widened in shock, a sensation he was unaccustomed to experiencing. "What kind of magic is this?"
Gojo's blindfold seemed to shimmer as he gazed at Frieza. "The kind that surpasses mere power and delves into the mysteries of existence."
With a casual snap of his fingers, Frieza found himself ensnared in a barrier of limitless void. No matter how much energy he exerted, he couldn't escape the infinite space that had enveloped him.
Realizing the futility of resistance, Frieza's pride gave way to desperation. "This can't be how it ends!"
Gojo's voice resonated with a cool certainty. "It's the end of your reign, Frieza."
As the void collapsed in on itself, Frieza's form was crushed to nothingness. The battlefield fell silent, the tension dissipating as the last remnants of Frieza's presence faded away.
Gojo lowered his hand, his aura returning to a calm radiance. The clash of these two titans of power had come to an end, the victorious Sorcerer standing as a testament to the incomprehensible depths of magic's might.

 

[The_man_with_the_Midas_touch]

Had this dumb idea for an Isekai protagonist.

Someone being transported to an RPG-esque world…but don’t have the same physiology of the people in that world.
Like…you know how characters in RPGs can level up, gain experience and strength, have an inventory, all that kinda stuff?

They wouldn’t have that. And so this character would basically be a “normal” person in an RPG world.

I was thinking that, whoever transported him there, would gift him with some kind of technique mimicry, or the ability to mimic a physical action after seeing it performed (think Taskmaster or Garou). Sort of to compensate for him being significantly weaker than any of the trained fighters (due to effectively being stuck at “level one”)

The story revolves around them basically gathering skills in an attempt to survive in the world. Swordplay, archery, hand-to-hand, etc. Obviously, any technique they mimic won’t have the same effectiveness as the original (due to being physically weaker, lacking the experience, etc) but by cleverly using his rapidly growing arsenal he can eventually compete within the world.

I was thinking he’d be a fairly dirty fighter. He’s weaker than everyone. Even a starter knight dwarfs him in strength. And so…he has to get creative. Preparation, subterfuge, a variety of different weapons to cover his weaknesses, etc.

Figured this would lead to some pretty good fight scenes and tension, as he deals with characters who can and will steamroll him if he doesn’t plan a fight well enough.

Plus it would lead to some interesting progression. Say he fights a swordmaster, and eventually defeats him. He now can simply steal the man's sword and use a portion of his techniques in the next fight, effectively allowing him to “level-up” after each deadly encounter, even if not physically.

 

[Deidalius]

Had this dumb idea for an Isekai protagonist.

Someone being transported to an RPG-esque world…but don’t have the same physiology of the people in that world.
Like…you know how characters in RPGs can level up, gain experience and strength, have an inventory, all that kinda stuff?

They wouldn’t have that. And so this character would basically be a “normal” person in an RPG world.

I was thinking that, whoever transported him there, would gift him with some kind of technique mimicry, or the ability to mimic a physical action after seeing it performed (think Taskmaster or Garou). Sort of to compensate for him being significantly weaker than any of the trained fighters (due to effectively being stuck at “level one”)

The story revolves around them basically gathering skills in an attempt to survive in the world. Swordplay, archery, hand-to-hand, etc. Obviously, any technique they mimic won’t have the same effectiveness as the original (due to being physically weaker, lacking the experience, etc) but by cleverly using his rapidly growing arsenal he can eventually compete within the world.

I was thinking he’d be a fairly dirty fighter. He’s weaker than everyone. Even a starter knight dwarfs him in strength. And so…he has to get creative. Preparation, subterfuge, a variety of different weapons to cover his weaknesses, etc.

Figured this would lead to some pretty good fight scenes and tension, as he deals with characters who can and will steamroll him if he doesn’t plan a fight well enough.

Plus it would lead to some interesting progression. Say he fights a swordmaster, and eventually defeats him. He now can simply steal the man's sword and use a portion of his techniques in the next fight, effectively allowing him to “level-up” after each deadly encounter, even if not physically.

That's an interesting idea.
If he doesn't have the same stats as everyone else, how would he deal with people that are level 99 in speed while he is still level 1?
How would he deal with people with level 99 HP of level 99 Defense that would normally be able to tank all of his level 1 attacks? With durability negation haxes?
Will he win every fight?
Will he have allies and team mates?
Will he be the strongest character in his verse or will there be people that are less versatile than him but still manage to beat him?

You have a good idea, but you should have a great execution too.

 

[The_man_with_the_Midas_touch]

If he doesn't have the same stats as everyone else, how would he deal with people that are level 99 in speed while he is still level 1?

Ideally, he would find a way to either cripple them before they fight, or otherwise strike them in circumstances their unable to properly dodge (while sleeping, for instance)

he would also gain some level of predictive ability over time, allowing him to react to characters somewhat faster than himself.

How would he deal with people with level 99 HP of level 99 Defense that would normally be able to tank all of his level 1 attacks? With durability negation haxes?

That’s where the out of combat stuff comes into play. Poisoning their drink, holding someone close to them hostage so they don’t need to fight them, whatever it takes to get past that particular hurtle.

he would of course, also have some skill in durability negation via some of the techniques he steals. Pressure points, liver shots, targeting vitals, etc. it wouldn’t help against a level 99 character, but against weaker people these would probably be their go to move.

Will he win every fight?

Naw. Especially early series, he’s going to get his ass kicked quite often. And even the fights he does win he’s probably going to come out more injured than his opponent, just because he’s constantly punching above his weight.

Will he have allies and team mates?

I’m thinking he’ll have a few allies yeah. I was thinking he could befriend a craftsman or enchanter, who would make him specially crafted equipment that would allow him to more effectively fight those stronger than himself.

Will he be the strongest character in his verse or will there be people that are less versatile than him but still manage to beat him?

He’ll never be the strongest no. As he gains more equipment, skills, and experience, he’ll be much harder to beat, yes. But he’s still a human at his core.

 

[YungManzi]

Sounds kinda like Goblin slayer.

 

[Deidalius]

Sounds kinda like Goblin slayer.

No, Goblin Slayer is very different from that. He just has a build optimized for goblin slaying. He is not versatile at all, and he struggles to keep up with non-goblins. An orc almost killed him.

 

[YungManzi]

No, Goblin Slayer is very different from that. He just has a build optimized for goblin slaying. He is not versatile at all, and he struggles to keep up with non-goblins. An orc almost killed him.

I meant more broadly as a character.

A traditionally weak guy who struggles every fight if he doesn’t fight dirty; a man who is strong only in his knowledge of how to apply the weapons, techniques, and armors he uses but otherwise a weakling. He eventually forms strong bonds who help him come up with new and inventive strategies to deal with his enemies.

Sure the isekai and leveling up thing makes it different, but broadly as an action themed character it’s pretty similar. It sounds like.

 

[ZoroNotZolo]

Had this dumb idea for an Isekai protagonist.

Someone being transported to an RPG-esque world…but don’t have the same physiology of the people in that world.
Like…you know how characters in RPGs can level up, gain experience and strength, have an inventory, all that kinda stuff?

They wouldn’t have that. And so this character would basically be a “normal” person in an RPG world.

I was thinking that, whoever transported him there, would gift him with some kind of technique mimicry, or the ability to mimic a physical action after seeing it performed (think Taskmaster or Garou). Sort of to compensate for him being significantly weaker than any of the trained fighters (due to effectively being stuck at “level one”)

The story revolves around them basically gathering skills in an attempt to survive in the world. Swordplay, archery, hand-to-hand, etc. Obviously, any technique they mimic won’t have the same effectiveness as the original (due to being physically weaker, lacking the experience, etc) but by cleverly using his rapidly growing arsenal he can eventually compete within the world.

I was thinking he’d be a fairly dirty fighter. He’s weaker than everyone. Even a starter knight dwarfs him in strength. And so…he has to get creative. Preparation, subterfuge, a variety of different weapons to cover his weaknesses, etc.

Figured this would lead to some pretty good fight scenes and tension, as he deals with characters who can and will steamroll him if he doesn’t plan a fight well enough.

Plus it would lead to some interesting progression. Say he fights a swordmaster, and eventually defeats him. He now can simply steal the man's sword and use a portion of his techniques in the next fight, effectively allowing him to “level-up” after each deadly encounter, even if not physically.

Midas, I'ma have to send some money your way if you actually make this.

 

[Pepsiman25th]

Something I'm writing (or was) and would like others opinions on it. Feedback would be appreciated

I updated this story and added 2 new parts.

It's the same story, but 2 new parts added. (Part 7 and 8)

Part 8 (The same link to this is in the above link located in the document)

 

[ElajRuengies]

Nightmares. Demons. Monsters. Mole Men. Subterranean creatures of unknown origins had plagued humanity for over three hundred years; their sole focus burying any trace of mankind's existence beneath the Earth. Only the existence of eight immortals, who wield the might of armies and power to rally the remainders of humanity have stood between them and exinction.

And now, their unyielding efforts have paid off. The age where cities were swallowed alive by sinkholes and overrun with devils from the depths is over, and cataclysms are rarer than ever. The world has entered a new age of stability- that is, if one considered a Mexican Standoff stable.

With the people no longer reliant on their gods, and their gods no longer reliant on each other, old feuds previously pushed aside are being reignited, and tensions are only increasing. Each day everyone wonders what'll be the straw that breaks the camel's back.

Enter Dirk Fiasca, an unapologetically violent son of a bitch who has just been shipped off to Farest Origins Collegium by his parents, in hopes he'll find a path for himself outside of a jail cell, contribute to society, and maybe even leave a meaningful impact on the world if they're lucky.

Oh... He'll leave a big impact alright.
And it'll probably be shaped like a fist.

Had another story premise idea I wanted to get out-

 

[Setsuna_tenma]

I have been thinking of a dungeon story set in U.S instead of korea, japan or china. The mc would be a candidate for divinity.

How his powers work is that he has to basically play a resource management game where he has to guide and help his followers to survive and advance. Only catch he isn`t the only god playing it there are other empires and tribes with other gods and he has to compete with other gods. His followers aren`t the smartest or strongest , there are other tribes way more advanced and powerful. He will have to ally and solve things diplomatically with the other empires. The only advantage he has is that the he is currently a low tier god so the other gods won`t pay attention and the high ranking gods don`t care about the realm his followers is in since they have access to better realms.

In his world earth has bascially become a generic dungeon setting seem in mawhas. Different worlds have collied with each other creating rifts where monsters appear.

With regards to power mc power will rely on his worshippers the more worshippers he has both in earth and the other realms the more powerful he becomes. Evntually he will find his most powerful trait re-interpretation. What is the differance between celebrity and godly whorship , social media and a temple. He would bascially try to be famous to get more fans since the hunters can get pretty famous.

Titles are an important thing the more the mc becomes associated with a thing the more he becomes proficient in it for instance if he gets the reputation as a dragon slayer he would get a bonus damage towards dragons.

He will be a god of life and desire though he would get other domains later on.

His abilities will be around providing buffs and helping others to realise their full potential.

 

[Peppersalt43]

U.S

That would be a rather odd candidate on account of the background. Seeing as to how much of the world is modified to the point of it looking like an average dungeon world, I'm not sure what effect it will have on the setting

Unless of course you play in with the gods in the area. There are a ton of cool cultures in the Americas with their own gods and they can be the other gods the MC has to deal with

realms

So by realms do they meant geographic areas? Or straight up other planets or universes?

social media

How is there social media in a dungeon setting world?

Titles are an important thing the more the mc becomes associated with a thing the more he becomes proficient in it for instance if he gets the reputation as a dragon slayer he would get a bonus damage towards dragons.

Makes me wonder how the gods of life or death managed to get their titles. Or the elemental gods

He will be a god of life and desire though he would get other domains later on.

Wait so he just starts with that?

 

[Setsuna_tenma]

That would be a rather odd candidate on account of the background. Seeing as to how much of the world is modified to the point of it looking like an average dungeon world, I'm not sure what effect it will have on the setting

i am taking inspiration from dungeon mawhas like solo. The world would change when the fusion occured but after years thing would return to sense of normalcy just some locations would be destroyed or made inhospitable

Unless of course you play in with the gods in the area. There are a ton of cool cultures in the Americas with their own gods and they can be the other gods the MC has to deal with

Depends i am conflicted with letting myth gods appear as well in it

So by realms do they meant geographic areas? Or straight up other planets or universes?

Other dimensions

How is there social media in a dungeon setting world?

After a while things would return to normal and it would be very important as an early warning system in case rifts appear.

Makes me wonder how the gods of life or death managed to get their titles. Or the elemental gods

it would be something relating to their life and personality. If someone life involved a lot of death like assasin he would be candiate for death god.

Wait so he just starts with that?

Yeah. It would be weak domains since he is a new god the most he would be able to do is sense desires and life

 

[ElajRuengies]

Ancient deity taints my veins
To heaven's gates, I have been chained
When no more devils invade my aim
The voice of God shall eat my brain.

 

[Peppersalt43]

Depends i am conflicted with letting myth gods appear as well in it

Ah, so just original characters?

rifts appear.

I assume these are what caused the world to end up in the state it's currently in?

Yeah. It would be weak domains since he is a new god the most he would be able to do is sense desires and life

But you just explained how to become a life god. And what decides what title a god starts out with?

 

[Peppersalt43]

Had another story premise idea I wanted to get out-

Well that was interesting. Do you only have that synopsis right now or do you have other details?

 

[ElajRuengies]

Well that was interesting. Do you only have that synopsis right now or do you have other details?

All of my story ideas are set in the same world, albeit at different times, and so they all use the same Power System involving Gere, although my post on it is super out of date now. Will post an updated version if y'all want.

My story ideas often come from predictions and/or headcanons for media I consume that are either proven wrong or never become relevant, but I don't wanna let go of them so I put them into original characters/settings, and then said ideas spiral off into their own thing from there. As such, they are prone to changing to whatever I think is a better idea.

Case-in-point, what I just posted a week ago was vaguely inspired by RWBY, being the whole [People go to academy to defend the world from unexplicable monsters, plus immortal feuding], but then I got much more attached to the possible consquences of Eight Immortals in a Political Standoff rather than any monsters or academies, and so the bottom part of the synopsis got totally nixed.
New, Better Story Idea! Starting from the top-

People called them Demons and Monsters.
Then they were Sub-Surface Aggressors.
Finally, they were dubbed "Hadeo-fauna".

Subterranean creatures of unknown origins had been plaguing humanity for over three hundred years; their sole focus burying any trace of mankind's existence beneath the Earth. Only the existence of eight immortals, who wielded the might of armies and power to rally the remainders of humanity stood between them and exinction.

And now, their unyielding efforts have paid off. The age where cities were swallowed alive by sinkholes and overrun with devils from the depths is over, and cataclysms are nonexistent. The world has entered a new age of stability- that is, if one considered a Mexican Standoff stable.

With the people no longer reliant on their gods, and their gods no longer reliant on each other, old feuds previously pushed aside are being reignited, and tensions are only increasing. Human society has found itself inundated with weapons, but no more monsters to point them at. Each day everyone wonders what'll be the straw that breaks the camel's back, and who will suffer for it.

[BREAKING NEWS: Farest Origins Penitentiary In Utter Ruin]
Just this morning, the prison complex was found to have been completely deserted of staff shortly following the announcement of Hurricane Daref two days ago, leaving thousands of prisoners uncared for as the Level 5.4 SAPH Event devasted the coast of Ramus.

While hundreds of drowned inmates have been uncovered from the wreckage, the vast majority of the former prison's populace are currently uncounted for, including Arinaka Vastare, the ex-right hand of The Director, who was finally subdued last month by forces led by Paragon in a lengthy confrontation on Kaiser's soil, who had vigorously fought for jurisdiction of the man in spite of the former two's objections.

As it stands, Kaiser has refused requests from both the Director and Paragon to be given charge of the control efforts, stating that this incident will be solved under the nation's own power, and foreign intervention is unwelcome. More updates are sure to come as the situation unfolds.

So basically a guy- Dirk Fiasca- gets sent to prison for beating up a staggering amount of people at the worst possible time, and finds his escape becoming a politicized situation, and he now has to evade the forces of three different groups of people (and this number goes up as time goes on), who are each trying to contain the most amount of prisoners in order to make the other two groups look bad.

 

[Setsuna_tenma]

Ah, so just original characters?

I assume these are what caused the world to end up in the state it's currently in?

But you just explained how to become a life god. And what decides what title a god starts out with?

titles are decided by how someone is percived. Starting title is based on the reputation of the character what type of things do most people associate him with

 

[Setsuna_tenma]

I tried a bit on it

Spoiler: Prologue

The year is the 10th of the rebirth era. Why because 10 years age our world basically became one of those mawhas dungeon worlds. Rifts started opening up worlds got merged. Monsters started showing up and the entire world fell to chaos. First causalities were the micronations all the small islands got overun and destroyed by monsters. China got back to the warlord era with the monsters breaking the order, North korea got destroyed with them trying to use nukes on monsters. The ocean was the worse maritime trade broke down with sea monsters across all major oceans. Every where there was chaos then came the awakened beings with superpowers the merging also brought mana. Supposely our world had too little mana to give birth to awakened but after the merging the amount of mana on earth increased. After 10 years thing stabalised a bit humans are resourceful after all. With the merging new reasources and magi-tech were able to be forged. The portals were the most important it allowed to go to other places in the globe without being harrased by monsters in the sea or sky. Some countries no longer exist , others are still in disarray. The awakened became the saviours f humanity and took inspirations from the various mawhas and formed guilds. Our story doesn`t start with awakened it starts with me an insignificant orphan living in the good old U.S.A and a notification that would change my life.

Candidate Jack has been chosen for divininty
Please check Godhood Advancement App
You will be given 100 Faith point as sign in reward

 

[Pepsiman25th]

some things I did with a few characters I created in the story I wanna write. (Thry go in order. Top to bottom)

Spoiler: Avaru, vero's intro

[Narrator]: The winds in the field sway the long grass and flowers side to side. A slight breeze to say. But in one area, the air seemed to be a bit heavier. There was a slight glow above the area. Was it a spirit? Or maybe a dream?

[Vero]: Vero lay in the middle of the Milian Dream Fields, the grass swaying around him through the light and gentle breeze. As he lay there, he felt an odd sense of peace wash over him, his mind slowly drifting away from reality. Suddenly, he felt a presence near him, as if someone was watching him from the shadows.

He slowly opened his eyes, and his vision cleared. The wind had stopped, and the area around him was still and silent. He felt a strange tension in the air, as if something was about to happen. He sat up and looked around.

"Nng... what was that?"

Vero rose to his feet and looked around, searching for any sign of what could have caused that odd feeling. His eyes darted back and forth, but to his surprise, he found nothing out of the ordinary.

The wind resumed its gentle whistling, and the trees and fields around him seemed peaceful once more. Vero shook his head and attempted to collect his thoughts.

"What had just happened? Was it all just a strange dream?"

Vero sighed as he walked back to the Milian village, his thoughts consumed with memories of his older sister, Luna.

Luna had always been there for him, and she was the only one who truly understood him. As he walked, he found himself deep in thought, his mind reliving old memories with her. The village came into view, and Vero realized with a pang of guilt that he'd been gone for too long.

He quickened his pace, eager to see Luna and make up for his absence. The sight of the village snapped Vero back to the present, and he increased his pace even more.

Spoiler: Village scene

[Vero]: As Vero entered the Milian village, a sense of familiarity washed over him. The familiar sights and sounds of his home quickly turned to confusion, however, as he spotted Hasta Regis, his adoptive guardian, but no sign of Luna anywhere.

Vero approached Hasta, feeling guilt and concern as he thought about his many lone trips in dangerous areas. Up to this point, Luna had always been there to look after him and keep him safe, but now he found himself without her protection, and it felt wrong.

"I'm sorry. Did Luna already leave?"

[Hasta]: A hooded man stood a bit taller than Vero and looked down at him. He let out a sigh as he was in the middle of doing his work with duties from Kingland.

"I have not. I swear, you become way too reliant on her. You've been training with a sword with this instructor for the past 5 years. You haven't even talked or looked at us for that time. You just returned yesterday. She probably doesn't even know you're here."

[Vero]: Vero felt a bit embarrassed that Hasta had seen through his reliance on Luna. He hadn't meant to completely neglect their relationship, but he had been so caught up in his sword training that he'd lost track of time. He nodded at Hasta's remark and considered it for a moment.

"You're probably right, Hasta. I've been focused on improving my skills for a long time now. I'm sorry that I haven't been a good family member."

[Hasta]: Hasta laughed and shrugged, downplaying the severity of the situation.

"It's okay, Vero, don't be too hard on yourself."

[Vero]: As Vero nodded and left Hasta, he felt a surge of loneliness and insecurity. Despite his training and hard work, he still felt weak compared to the others around him. Everyone around him seemed to be born with strength and talent, but he was just a normal person in a world of dreams.

He had a constant desire to prove himself and be seen as a "strong and dependable" hero, which often led him to take risky and dangerous actions. As he walked, Vero felt a sense of uncertainty and insecurity, as if he wasn't ready to face the challenges the world presented him.

"Luna was born with a power that allows her to use the worlds energy to a whim... Wild power. Hasta is a skilled Angletic Scripture "Runite" and has a power to freely control spears on a whim. While I have... nothing. I wish he was still alive. My master... Tanin."

Vero's memory flashed back to his training days with his old master, Raider Tanin. The two had spent countless hours working on drills and techniques to improve his swordsmanship. On one particular day, they were defending a village from a swarm of chimera's. As the attack came, Raider Tanin stood his ground, ready to protect the village with his life. Vero could only watch in awe as his mentor fought off the monsters, his skills and expertise far exceeding his own.

Vero was reminded of the gap between his abilities and everyone else around him. It only added more to the feeling deep inside of him.

Spoiler: Spirit Forest

[Vero]: Vero walked along, emptying his mind of the voices of doubt and insecurity that had been plaguing him. He was determined to become stronger and prove his worth. As he walked, he found himself nearing the Milian Spirit Forest.

The forest had always been a special place for him, as it was where he had come to seek comfort and guidance in the past. He took a deep breath and continued into the forest, hoping to find peace and clarity amid the ancient trees and spirits.


He leans against one of the trees and thinks to himself.

"Can I really be seen as a hero or someone strong? I don't have any fancy powers like scripture or a good talent. My master said I was born with "battle aura" which is fairly common. But... I trained with it to have some power and I did get stronger. But compared to my sister and guaridan, I'm not even worthy of being looked at by their standing. Luna is a high class sage who's world famous while Hasta is an elite knight from Kingland. While me... just a kid with a sword and a subpar talent... Should I just give up-"

[Unknown Voice]: "Do not think such things. You... are a hero."

The voice got quieter.

"And a hero is all you can be, Vero."

He didn't hear that though.

[Vero]: "I often hear you. Who are you? Are you a spirit or maybe a voice? If you're a spirit, then can we form a contract?"

[Unknown Voice]: "I'm no spirit. Just a voice of the forest. That said, you should push on. You'll meet other people soon and they will be like none other. Rely on yourself."

The voice faded.

[Vero]: He got up, a new shine in his eyes.

"Thank you strange voice. I know I rely way to much on others. But... I need myself. To survive in this world... all you can do is get stronger."

He then thinks on a thing his sister luna once told him.

"When the time comes, don't go expecting someone to come save you."

He remembers those words and nods to himself. He then gets up and sets deeper into the jungles. Not sure where he will go, but he will follow what his will sets him out to do. His goal is the caves. And once there, leave Milia and set out once more. A new adventure begins!

[Unknown Voice]: The voice then goes silent as someone tumbles out of the trees.

[Aureum]: "I hate having to say those lines over and over! But, without it, the events wouldn't be played out how they should. Well, he can just un-depress himself in a matter of hours with the way he thinks. Any whom, time to follow. I got to play the part of a mysterious voice that always follows and gives encouragement."

 

[azontr]

A little story excerpt I wrote:

Spoiler: Miracles and Dreams

The beginning of the journey upward is arduous. Taking the first step, weight unimaginable is pressed upon one's shoulder. One will carry it without collapsing... further above the Abyss that lay dormant.

Broken bodies from beneath will rise from the immensity that lay below. They crackle and break, as if made of hardened sand. They scream, clamor, and beg for release that cannot be granted... a release that it is unlikely that they would even deserve. Ignoring their whispers... one must continue to climb the stairs.

"What is it that you desire?"

They will be asked the questions. The questions that fill their head, as if a knife had pierced their brain and forced these thoughts within...

"Do you desire a miracle?"

The questions twist and melt the body from the inside out. The blood congeals into thick branches from within the inside, protruding through the flesh, weighing down the body.

"Do you desire to fulfill a dream?"

The branches are alive. They fill you only with the questions. The branches twist and morph into grotesque shapes. Organs, ruptured beyond pair. Bones become brittle like a cracker, breaking with each step higher.

"Is it your dream..."

They will crawl through you like maggots. Tearing up your throat, ripping through the flesh of your neck... your nails break as the branches splinter through your fingers, replacing the bones. The question must be asked. The question must be answered.

"...to annihilate all of us?"

One can only climb with the intent to fulfill a desire. To make a dream that was thought impossible come true. The question left unanswered comes the body from the inside out... piercing through you from above and below, the branches fester. The limbs are rotten, dysfunctional. The mind is rotting, on the precipice of the same fate.

Eventually, the top will be reached. The branches have already pierced through the eyes, but one can still see. The mouth has been torn open, the jaw barely hanging to the head by strings of nerve and muscle... but one can still talk. You can still feel, with the questions filling your broken brain. Still hear the hollow screeching of the surrounding Abyss, attempting to break you further.

The only that lay in front of thee is an impossible being. Blackened feathers wrap around this entity... allowing only the light of its gaze to fill your form with uncontrollable emotion. The ember flickers in front of you. The scarlet ember.

"Are you capable of paying the price for your dream?"

The ember approaches you, flickering in and out of reality in front of you. It burns... making what's left of your flesh bubble and boil. It is speaking to you. It beckons you to declare yourself.

But... you do not know.

One can only speak with what little strength they can muster. Rage pushes you forward, controlling the contorted flesh and puppeting you like a doll on strings.

"I... have nothing left. I don't have anything to give you."

The ember answers this decree, as you grasp it within hand, clenching your fist. It burns. It burns. And all you can do is scream, and shout. The questions, left unanswered, have pinned you to the floor... leaving your body wrought with pain.

Agony escapes from your throat. The ember explodes, burning away all the questions... all the doubts, all the belief. And it just burns. It burns away the skin, making it brittle. Blood is turned to ash, and only fire remains, flowing in replacement of your blood. And you can only scream.

"All things in this world... come with a price. There is no exception."

The irrefutable law burns you even further into the Abyss.

"And to a flame that consumes all things... there is no reason... that it's owner should be an exception."

No man, no matter how strong-willed, could endure it. They could only linger, writhe in pain as the fire tear them to shreds. It consumed sight long ago, making you unable to see anything but the fire... and words could barely be formed. But you would speak.

"My... w... i...sh..."

"How is it that you do not see it?"

"My... wish...!"

Before you can finally answer the question, everything goes black. The world around has been consumed by a fire. The fire soon runs out to burn, and becomes nothing more than a fickle ember once more. And like all things, the ember would soon...

...extinguish.

A preamble to a story concept I'm working on, you could say.

 

[Deidalius]

He sounds really cool.

 

[azontr]

A little story excerpt I wrote:

Spoiler: Miracles and Dreams

The beginning of the journey upward is arduous. Taking the first step, weight unimaginable is pressed upon one's shoulder. One will carry it without collapsing... further above the Abyss that lay dormant.

Broken bodies from beneath will rise from the immensity that lay below. They crackle and break, as if made of hardened sand. They scream, clamor, and beg for release that cannot be granted... a release that it is unlikely that they would even deserve. Ignoring their whispers... one must continue to climb the stairs.

"What is it that you desire?"

They will be asked the questions. The questions that fill their head, as if a knife had pierced their brain and forced these thoughts within...

"Do you desire a miracle?"

The questions twist and melt the body from the inside out. The blood congeals into thick branches from within the inside, protruding through the flesh, weighing down the body.

"Do you desire to fulfill a dream?"

The branches are alive. They fill you only with the questions. The branches twist and morph into grotesque shapes. Organs, ruptured beyond pair. Bones become brittle like a cracker, breaking with each step higher.

"Is it your dream..."

They will crawl through you like maggots. Tearing up your throat, ripping through the flesh of your neck... your nails break as the branches splinter through your fingers, replacing the bones. The question must be asked. The question must be answered.

"...to annihilate all of us?"

One can only climb with the intent to fulfill a desire. To make a dream that was thought impossible come true. The question left unanswered comes the body from the inside out... piercing through you from above and below, the branches fester. The limbs are rotten, dysfunctional. The mind is rotting, on the precipice of the same fate.

Eventually, the top will be reached. The branches have already pierced through the eyes, but one can still see. The mouth has been torn open, the jaw barely hanging to the head by strings of nerve and muscle... but one can still talk. You can still feel, with the questions filling your broken brain. Still hear the hollow screeching of the surrounding Abyss, attempting to break you further.

The only that lay in front of thee is an impossible being. Blackened feathers wrap around this entity... allowing only the light of its gaze to fill your form with uncontrollable emotion. The ember flickers in front of you. The scarlet ember.

"Are you capable of paying the price for your dream?"

The ember approaches you, flickering in and out of reality in front of you. It burns... making what's left of your flesh bubble and boil. It is speaking to you. It beckons you to declare yourself.

But... you do not know.

One can only speak with what little strength they can muster. Rage pushes you forward, controlling the contorted flesh and puppeting you like a doll on strings.

"I... have nothing left. I don't have anything to give you."

The ember answers this decree, as you grasp it within hand, clenching your fist. It burns. It burns. And all you can do is scream, and shout. The questions, left unanswered, have pinned you to the floor... leaving your body wrought with pain.

Agony escapes from your throat. The ember explodes, burning away all the questions... all the doubts, all the belief. And it just burns. It burns away the skin, making it brittle. Blood is turned to ash, and only fire remains, flowing in replacement of your blood. And you can only scream.

"All things in this world... come with a price. There is no exception."

The irrefutable law burns you even further into the Abyss.

"And to a flame that consumes all things... there is no reason... that it's owner should be an exception."

No man, no matter how strong-willed, could endure it. They could only linger, writhe in pain as the fire tear them to shreds. It consumed sight long ago, making you unable to see anything but the fire... and words could barely be formed. But you would speak.

"My... w... i...sh..."

"How is it that you do not see it?"

"My... wish...!"

Before you can finally answer the question, everything goes black. The world around has been consumed by a fire. The fire soon runs out to burn, and becomes nothing more than a fickle ember once more. And like all things, the ember would soon...

...extinguish.

A preamble to a story concept I'm working on, you could say.

Spoiler: Faith as a Power System

I have been thinking for a bit about the concept of "blessings" as a Power System, for a few days I think. Taking some inspiration from a few novels and comics, this is how I was thinking it would work within my setting:

• Shrines: There are various monuments erected across the world, representing major deities or demons within the world's lore. Cities and kingdoms are built around these shrines to monopolize the supernatural properties of the shrines. Each shrine has a different set of passive abilities, some negative and some positive.

• Miracles: It is possible to obtain a unique ability known as a "Miracle" through praying to these shrines. There are infinite Miracles that can be gained depending on what shrine is prayed to. What decides who gets a Miracle is usually random, but personal faith can influence this. Most Miracles gained are generally useless in actual combat... mostly being something such as being able to walk on water, talk to animals, levitate the tiniest bit above the ground, etc. Those with luck, a connection to a God or deity, or extreme amounts of faith can potentially gain powerful, world-altering Miracles.

• Dreams: A different subset of abilities that one is born with. Unlike Miracles, a "Dream" can only be gained at birth, and there are a limited number of existing Dreams, though they are quite numerous. Not all Dreams are useful in combat, but they are usually something more esoteric than a Miracle, and have a cost to be used that the user must pay, whether big or small.

 

[azontr]

That's an interesting idea.

The whole concept of faith as a power system reminds me of this Reddit post I saw a while ago.

Reddit - Dive into anything

reddit.com

Well, my idea isn't really as expansive as his (or even at all similar tbh), it's just a rough draft of concepts I'm thinking of.

 

[ElajRuengies]

Spoiler: Faith as a Power System

I have been thinking for a bit about the concept of "blessings" as a Power System, for a few days I think. Taking some inspiration from a few novels and comics, this is how I was thinking it would work within my setting:

• Shrines: There are various monuments erected across the world, representing major deities or demons within the world's lore. Cities and kingdoms are built around these shrines to monopolize the supernatural properties of the shrines. Each shrine has a different set of passive abilities, some negative and some positive.

• Miracles: It is possible to obtain a unique ability known as a "Miracle" through praying to these shrines. There are infinite Miracles that can be gained depending on what shrine is prayed to. What decides who gets a Miracle is usually random, but personal faith can influence this. Most Miracles gained are generally useless in actual combat... mostly being something such as being able to walk on water, talk to animals, levitate the tiniest bit above the ground, etc. Those with luck, a connection to a God or deity, or extreme amounts of faith can potentially gain powerful, world-altering Miracles.

• Dreams: A different subset of abilities that one is born with. Unlike Miracles, a "Dream" can only be gained at birth, and there are a limited number of existing Dreams, though they are quite numerous. Not all Dreams are useful in combat, but they are usually something more esoteric than a Miracle, and have a cost to be used that the user must pay, whether big or small.

The shrines having both positive and negative passive effects reminded me of this-

 

[azontr]

The shrines having both positive and negative passive effects reminded me of this-

Thats kinda what I'm thinking of, in a sense, except the shrine blessings don't do that, the passive (rizz) Aura of the shrines does that to the environment and the people around them.

 

[YungManzi]

I'm gonna make a Yugioh/Persona/Jojo crossverse.

 

[azontr]

Absolute madlad.

 

[ElajRuengies]

Demons that live in the hearts of man
Have worked into their heads and hands
And wickedly, they've toiled away
And wrought the thing I am.

 

[Legion350]

I’ve thought of making a generational plot for my setting (so a lot of the later mains will be descendants of the og main.)

 

[Peppersalt43]

I’ve thought of making a generational plot for my setting (so a lot of the later mains will be descendants of the og main.)

Do you already have a story for the OG main? Or is it just gonna be a story on the descendants themselves?

 

[ElajRuengies]

Generational settings can be really fun, since often the plot of one story becomes some of the lore/backstory of the next story but with exaggerated or left out bits of information which is great for making the author/audience feel smarter than the characters

 

[Legion350]

I have a story for the og main, he was the first thing I made

 

[Pepsiman25th]

The story I have will actually be a mix of various elements. Mainly, inspirations from various fictions like Overlord, Shield Hero, Rezero, One Piece, Undertale, and Deltarune.

 

[Peppersalt43]

The story I have will actually be a mix of various elements. Mainly, inspirations from various fictions like Overlord, Shield Hero, Rezero, One Piece, Undertale, and Deltarune.

OK... You have a summary?

 

[Pepsiman25th]

OK... You have a summary?

Well, an intro. I sent it some time ago here