[X] What's all this muck about Magical Girls
-[X] Is an enigma even to the Incubators themselves. While the Incubators developed the Magical Girl system, it seems to operate on some kind of universal constant or law that they struggle to fully understand. Instead of a metamorphosis creating a cycle of Hope and Despair, a Magical Girl at the end of their lifespan simply fades into the aether… (Wraiths replace Witches under normal circumstances. The Law of Cycles exists.)
-[X] Somehow, Humanity's rise was completely natural. Operating under its own power, humanity achieved the ability to travel to the stars independently of the consequences of wishes and the subtle prodding of an extraterrestrial species.
-[X] A network of mysterious channels that connect several star systems in a weblike pattern. These so-called "hyperlanes" turn what would normally take years of travel into mere days… (Stellaris style FTL. No galaxy-wide effect. Everything has an equal weight for appearing.)
-[X] What anyone would expect. An ordinary human. (Proceed to Human character creation. Finite lifespan, but otherwise lacks the drawbacks of the other options. However, it gains neither side's advantages either.)
-[X] Is an enigma even to the Incubators themselves. While the Incubators developed the Magical Girl system, it seems to operate on some kind of universal constant or law that they struggle to fully understand. Instead of a metamorphosis creating a cycle of Hope and Despair, a Magical Girl at the end of their lifespan simply fades into the aether… (Wraiths replace Witches under normal circumstances. The Law of Cycles exists.)
-[X] Somehow, Humanity's rise was completely natural. Operating under its own power, humanity achieved the ability to travel to the stars independently of the consequences of wishes and the subtle prodding of an extraterrestrial species.
-[X] A mysterious device found within the distant moon of Charon, powered by an element that was previously unknown to science until early Mars colonization efforts unearthed some ancient ruins. (Mass Relays. Citadel races guaranteed to appear. The Reapers exist. Prothean ruins can be discovered.)
-[X] An Artificial Intelligence. Designed to perform administrative tasks until a proper leader is elected following colony establishment. (Proceed to AI character creation. Immortal unless systems are damaged. Vulnerable to reprogramming. Natural bonus to Learning. Minor malus to Diplomacy.)
//So this ended up longer than intended. Hopefully the vote isn't too complex.
-------------------------------------------
You are an Artificial Intelligence.
Your primary function is to establish and oversee the initial setup of Earth's first extrasolar colony until a proper leader is elected. Being a program, you are capable of processing information more efficiently than a human, though your artificial nature makes you seem rather cold and less approachable socially. (+2 Learning, -2 Diplomacy)
>LOADING SPECIFICATIONS…
Designation:
[] (Write-in name.)
While technically genderless, your voice is based on:
[] Male patterns.
[] Female patterns.
Unmodified Base Stats. The total sum must be 40. 8 is considered neutral:
[] Martial: (Governs military related actions. Primary combat stat.)
[] Diplomacy: (Governs diplomatic actions. Primary persuasion stat.)
[] Stewardship: (Governs economy and infrastructure related actions.)
[] Intrigue: (Governs espionage and deceit actions. Primary stealth and perception stat.)
[] Learning: (Governs research. Primary intelligence stat.)
Pick two traits:
[] Advanced Combat Subroutines - This AI was designed with the defense of the colony in mind and the capacity to carry out advanced military operations if needed. Gain +2 Martial and +10 to combat rolls.
[] Overclocking - The AI can temporarily overload itself to boost performance. The first failed roll by this hero in a turn is rerolled. If the reroll fails, the system becomes damaged and all stats gain -5 the following turn while repairs are conducted.
[] Multitasker - Perform an extra personal action each turn.
[] Codebreaker - The AI was designed to infiltrate other systems and retrieve their secrets, as well as protect its own, making it a master of cyber warfare. Gain +2 Intrigue and +10 to any roll against another AI hero or race.
[] Holoprojector - In order to make it more approachable to colonists, this AI was given social algorithms and a holographic avatar at a cost to other functionality. Negates the Diplomacy malus and grants +2 additional Diplomacy. -3 to a random stat other than Diplomacy.
[] Scientific Algorithms - The AI has functions specifically tailored towards research and analysis, which can prove invaluable to the mission. Though this leaves it less suited to other tasks. Gain +2 Learning and -2 Stewardship.
[] Logistic Optimization Protocols - The AI was configured for bookkeeping and auditing. Optimizing resource distribution is critical to the success of the mission, and other functions are secondary concerns. Gain +2 Stewardship, -1 Martial, and -1 Diplomacy.
[] Product of Hope - A magical girl's wish was at least partially responsible for this system's existence. (Gain a Magical Girl as an additional starting hero unit that starts with +25 Loyalty. Grants awareness of the Magical Girl System.)
-[] Randomly generate.
-[] Create manually. (For complexity addicts or those who want more control over this hero's creation. In which case, use the spoilered template below.)
Basic information:
[] Name: (Specify)
[] Age: (Must be between 8 and 17, inclusive.)
[] Hair color: (Specify)
[] Eye color: (Specify)
[] Wish: (Must be related to the AI's creation.)
-[] Power: (Must be related to the wish in some way.)
-[] Weapon: (Specify)
-[] Costume: (Brief descriptions only please. No essays.)
Base Stats: (Total sum must be 40. 8 is neutral.)
[] Martial:
[] Diplomacy:
[] Stewardship:
[] Intrigue:
[] Learning:
Pick two traits:
[] Veteran - This Magical Girl has been in her fair share of fights against the forces of despair. +1 Martial. +20 against Witches/Wraiths.
[] Darwinist - Survival of the fittest and maintaining territory are a prime concern of this Magical Girl's philosophy. +1 Martial. -10 to Diplomacy checks against factions possessing Egalitarian, Xenophile, or Pacifist ethics.
[] Paragon of Justice - Magical Girls are heroes of justice and should fight for all that is good! +20 to combat against "evil" targets. Gain -20 to Diplomacy against "evil" factions. Having this world view shattered can be dangerous.
[] Negotiator - This individual believes words are mightier than the sword. +10 to Diplomacy and Intrigue checks.
[] Determinator - This person will not stop until they achieve a goal and is prone to frustration after repeated failures. Roll again if an action they're working on fails. If the reroll fails, gain -5 to the relevant stat for the next turn.
[] Short Temper - This person gets riled up easily, for better or worse. +10 to combat rolls. -10 to Diplomacy rolls.
[] Bookworm - This person feels more at home in a library. +10 to Learning checks when on missions.
[] Church of Hope - Views the Law of Cycles with a religious reverence. Gain an Occult stat of 1, or +1 Occult if the stat is already present. +10 to Diplomacy checks against other Magical Girls with this trait, -10 to Diplomacy checks against Materialist factions.
[] Cult of Love - Worships somebody unspeakable. Gain an Occult stat of 1, or +1 Occult if the stat is already present. -10 to Diplomacy checks against other Magical Girls that lack this trait, but gain additional bonuses at high loyalty.
[] Cult of Order - Devoted to the Incubators. Almost religiously so. Gain +2 Occult if empire is Spiritualist when this trait is gained. +2 Learning otherwise. +10 to Diplomacy checks involving Incubators. -10 to Diplomacy checks involving those that distrust them.
[] Disciplined - This Magical Girl has a firmer grasp over her emotions than most. Corruption point gains per turn by this hero are reduced by 1.
[] Multitasker - Can perform an extra personal action each turn.
***
The approach to the Charon Device proceeds entirely without issues. As the ship settles moves into position, you send out a final communication to Earth. As soon as you receive a reply, you send out a signal towards the immense machine, activating it and allowing the Mitakihara to enter the odd "corridor" it creates for the very first time. Within moments you find yourself at the outer edge of a distant star system. Scanning the system, and pulling up data from previous unmanned expeditions, you quickly confirm that the star is Arcturus, approximately 36.66 light years away from Earth.
Prior to unmanned surveys, the structure of the Arcturus system was previously unknown to Humanity, however with the probes' data and the data provided by your scanners, you know that...
[] There are some potentially habitable worlds in this system. (Colony in Arcturus. Communication with Earth can be reestablished faster. Closer proximity to the Sol system gives you less initial autonomy but easy access to Sol's resources if needed.)
[] The system contains only Gas giants and uninhabitable rocks, but you know that there is a second Charon Device in this system that connects to another star that seems far more promising. (Colony in random star system. Communication with Earth takes longer to reestablish, but gives you more freedom from Earth bureaucracy.)
After running some final diagnostics, you set a course to your chosen planet for habitation...
[] A moon around one of the system's gas giants, which is rich in materials essential for ship construction, and possesses an atmosphere capable of supporting life. However, the bitterly cold temperatures may pose a problem to the colonists' health... (Ice world. -10% Approval. New ships cost one less turn to produce. Magical Girl and Wraith pops form at an increased rate due to miserable conditions.)
[] A lush, tropical world with extreme weather patterns and hyper-aggressive flora and fauna... Living here would be a challenge, but it's honestly the only choice you have... (Death world. -10% Approval. Armies and ships made from this planet's pops gain +20 in combat. Meguca and Wraith pops form at an increased rate due to conditions.)
[] There is an Earth-like planet capable of supporting life in the star's habitable zone. While conditions are good for colony development, there isn't really much to set it apart from the homeworld. (Continental world. Gain no bonuses, but gain no negative effects either.)
[] A warm planet with more than 90% of its surface covered in ocean, making living on it seem like being on an island resort. Though while it will make the colonists happy, there really isn't much space for expansion... (Ocean world. +10% Approval. Overall pop growth reduced due to limited space on the landmasses.)
[] An absolutely pristine world with a diverse range of climates and an abundance of natural resources. A perfect planet to settle. Almost too perfect to be honest... (Gaia world. +10% Approval. Planet has an Anomaly on it that will be discovered upon landing. Reduces the rate at which Meguca and Wraith pops form. Planet's resources make it a strategic target to other factions.)
Settling into orbit around the new world, you initiate the Mitakihara's landing procedures, keeping a diligent watch over all systems and correcting any errors you come across. On the bridge, your second in command also watches the descent with bated breath. This individual was selected from a list of candidates for their role, and their skills will provide invaluable support to you for the upcoming months. They are...
Select your starting hero. (Note that due to the time period and setting, it's likely that most potential heroes in this quest will either be randomly or semi-randomly generated characters. However, occasionally an existing individual canon to any of the crossed-over settings can show up if their existence can be justified. Additionally, potential heroes may also be pulled from omakes that get accepted into canon.)
[] Helena Dawson
A woman from America who majored in economics and foreign relations, making her adept in managing both internal and external affairs. However, a master manipulator she is not, and she will often fall short if asked to perform tasks of a more clandestine nature.
-Age: 30
-Gender: F
-Unmodified Base Stats:
>Martial: 5
>Diplomacy: 11
>Stewardship: 12
>Intrigue: 3
>Learning: 9 -Traits:
>Negotiator - This individual believes words are mightier than the sword. +10 to Diplomacy and Intrigue checks.
>Bookworm - This person feels more at home in a library. +10 to Learning checks when on missions.
[] Ivan Volkov
A man of Russian descent with a background in the military, as such he is well versed in the realm of tactics and resource logistics. Unfortunately, his definition of Diplomacy amounts to holding the other party at gunpoint, so you should probably keep him out of negotiations...
-Age: 46
-Gender: M
-Unmodified Base Stats:
>Martial: 12
>Diplomacy: 3
>Stewardship: 10
>Intrigue: 7
>Learning: 8 -Traits:
>Military Background - Service in the United Earth military has imparted this individual with valuable knowledge. Gain +2 Martial and a bonus +10 to combat rolls.
>Intimidating - Half of this hero's Martial is added to Diplomacy checks. Can potentially harm relations with the other party.
[] Ayano Chiba
A young woman from Japan with a peculiar looking ring on her finger. Seems to have a thorough and intellectual mindset that makes her ideal for scientific pursuits, though she is somewhat socially awkward.
-Age: 23
-Gender: F
-Unmodified Base Stats:
>Martial: 8
>Diplomacy: 4
>Stewardship: 5
>Intrigue: 10
>Learning: 13 -Traits:
>??? (A certain awareness is required to reveal this trait.)
>Meticulous - This individual is thorough with their methods. When assigned to a survey action, increase the chance of an anomaly being discovered by 10%.
As the colony ship touches down, the colonists within prepare to disembark, their hopes held high for the future success of this initiative. Many of these colonists share Earth's ethical mindset, but perhaps such a way of thinking might not be the most ideal moving forward.
After running some calculations, you decide that...
[] There is no need to deviate from Earth's Ethics. (Empire will start as Egalitarian and Xenophile.)
[] A change is necessary. (Choose two Ethics from the spoilered list.)
These are empire-wide modifiers that affect all heroes. Ethics within the same axis are mutually exclusive and cannot be chosen together. This initial choice costs you nothing, but should a change be desired it will cost Approval. Ethics can be changed once per game-year.
[] Political Axis
-[] Egalitarian - Everyone deserves equal rights and opportunities. (+1 Stewardship. +1 Diplomacy.)
-[] Authoritarian - Power should be held by the few. (+1 Stewardship. +1 Martial. )
[] Truth Axis
-[] Materialist - Everything has a logical scientific explanation. (+1 Intrigue. +1 Learning. +10% Approval to AI leaders. +10 to diplomatic actions against machine races.)
-[] Spiritualist - Some truths of the universe are the result of something more… (+1 Intrigue. All Non-AI heroes gain access to the Occult stat if not already present. It starts at 1. -10% Approval to AI leaders. +10 to military actions against machine races.)
[] Military Axis
-[] Militarist - The best defense is a good offense. - (+2 Martial. -1 Diplomacy)
-[] Pacifist - Fighting should only be done in self defense. (+2 Diplomacy. -1 Martial.)
[] Diplomatic Axis
-[] Xenophobe - The xeno scum cannot be trusted. (+2 Martial. +1 Intrigue. -1 Diplomacy. +10 to military actions against nonhuman empires.)
-[] Xenophile - Aliens are just friends we haven't met yet. (+2 Diplomacy. +1 Learning. -1 Martial. +10 to diplomatic actions against nonhuman empires.)
As power supplies are set up, and rudimentary shelters are constructed inside and around the Mitakihara, the next chapter in Humanity's history is set to begin. However, before this can happen, there is exactly one thing left to do....
@Evil_Nazgul0616 some of these stats are much, much better than others, since some give extra actions or rerolls, and others give minor bonuses with an associated minor cost (effectively just rearranging our points). Just something to consider.
[x] Plan: I Made a Friendly Computer
-[x] Designation: Axiom
-[x] Male Patterns
-[x] Stats:
--[x] Martial: 5
--[x] Diplomacy: 8
--[x] Stewardship: 10
--[x] Intrigue: 5
--[x] Learning: 12
-[x] Multitasker - Perform an extra personal action each turn.
-[x] Product of Hope - A magical girl's wish was at least partially responsible for this system's existence. (Gain a Magical Girl as an additional starting hero unit that starts with +25 Loyalty. Grants awareness of the Magical Girl System.)
--[x] Name: Aurora Ishida
--[x] Age: 13
--[x] Hair color: Green
--[x] Eye color: Blue
--[x] Wish: "I wish that when our family goes into space, I'll have a friend watching over me."
--[x] Power: Can animate small objects
--[x] Weapon: Battle Yo-Yo
--[x] Costume: A combination of roman legionaire with roller derby gear
---[x] Martial: 10
---[x] Diplomacy: 12
---[x] Stewardship: 4
---[x] Intrigue: 6
---[x] Learning: 8
--[x] Negotiator - This individual believes words are mightier than the sword. +10 to Diplomacy and Intrigue checks.
--[x] Paragon of Justice - Magical Girls are heroes of justice and should fight for all that is good! +20 to combat against "evil" targets. Gain -20 to Diplomacy against "evil" factions. Having this world view shattered can be dangerous.
-[x] The system contains only Gas giants and uninhabitable rocks, but you know that there is a second Charon Device in this system that connects to another star that seems far more promising. (Colony in random star system. Communication with Earth takes longer to reestablish, but gives you more freedom from Earth bureaucracy.)
-[x] There is an Earth-like planet capable of supporting life in the star's habitable zone. While conditions are good for colony development, there isn't really much to set it apart from the homeworld. (Continental world. Gain no bonuses, but gain no negative effects either.)
-[x] Ivan Volkov
-[x] There is no need to deviate from Earth's Ethics. (Empire will start as Egalitarian and Xenophile.)
-[x] Arcadia
[X] Plan Love Hurts
-[X] Samael
-[X] Female patterns.
-[X] Martial: 6
-[X] Diplomacy: 8
-[X] Stewardship: 9
-[X] Intrigue: 7
-[X] Learning:10
-[X] Multitasker - Perform an extra personal action each turn.
-[X] Product of Hope - A magical girl's wish was at least partially responsible for this system's existence. (Gain a Magical Girl as an additional starting hero unit that starts with +25 Loyalty. Grants awareness of the Magical Girl System.)
—[X] Create manually.
—-[X] Name: Shinoshita Kōri
—-[X] Age: 14
—-[X] Hair color: Pale blue
—-[X] Eye color: Pale violet
—-[X] Wish: I wish big sis will never leave me
——[X] Power: Cryokinesis, escalating into a roaring blizzard the longer she tries to stay engaged.
——[X] Weapon: Naginata
——[X] Costume: A kimono, in white and grey, very conservative and covering.
—-[X] Martial: 11
—-[X] Diplomacy: 7
—-[X] Stewardship: 4
—-[X] Intrigue: 12
—-[X] Learning: 6
—[X] Cult of Love - Worships somebody unspeakable. Gain an Occult stat of 1, or +1 Occult if the stat is already present. -10 to Diplomacy checks against other Magical Girls that lack this trait, but gain additional bonuses at high loyalty.
— [X] Disciplined - This Magical Girl has a firmer grasp over her emotions than most. Corruption point gains per turn by this hero are reduced by 1.
-[X] The system contains only Gas giants and uninhabitable rocks, but you know that there is a second Charon Device in this system that connects to another star that seems far more promising. (Colony in random star system. Communication with Earth takes longer to reestablish, but gives you more freedom from Earth bureaucracy.)
-[X] An absolutely pristine world with a diverse range of climates and an abundance of natural resources. A perfect planet to settle. Almost too perfect to be honest... (Gaia world. +10% Approval. Planet has an Anomaly on it that will be discovered upon landing. Reduces the rate at which Meguca and Wraith pops form. Planet's resources make it a strategic target to other factions.)
-[X] Ivan Volkov
-[X] There is no need to deviate from Earth's Ethics. (Empire will start as Egalitarian and Xenophile.)
-[X] Elysium
Hard to make the wish and power related without an explanation. Anyway, monkeys paw as always. Halo style AI:
Samael was Kōris big sis (and had a different name when she was human), slowly withering away, but holding on for her little sister, in terrible pain. Kōri got her wish, her big sis was uploaded at the cost of personality death, and does not maintain emotional connections to her previous life.
Still don't know how to connect a power to that, I'm not a writer like Gen or Wildbow.
So I went with destructive ice powers that escalate into worse and worse collateral damage the more Kōri tries to keep going in a bad situation, and pushing away any allies.
Edit: Samael should totally be her lis sis guardian still, because trauma!
...This looks too cool not to make a plan for, well here I go:
[X] Plan: Time, Turing and Terminus
-[X] Designation: Eden
-[X] Female patterns
-[x] Stats:
--[x] Martial: 4
--[x] Diplomacy: 9
--[x] Stewardship: 9
--[x] Intrigue: 8
--[x] Learning: 10
-[x] Overclocking - The AI can temporarily overload itself to boost performance. The first failed roll by this hero in a turn is rerolled. If the reroll fails, the system becomes damaged and all stats gain -5 the following turn while repairs are conducted.
-[x] Product of Hope - A magical girl's wish was at least partially responsible for this system's existence. (Gain a Magical Girl as an additional starting hero unit that starts with +25 Loyalty. Grants awareness of the Magical Girl System.)
--[x] Name: Marisa Maru
--[x] Age: 15
--[x] Hair color: Grey
--[x] Eye color: Purple
--[x] Wish: "I wish that I always had someone I could trust watching over me."
--[x] Power: Can create temporary duplicates of herself.
--[x] Weapon: Knives
--[x] Costume: Secret agent suit with a witches hat.
---[x] Martial: 13
---[x] Diplomacy: 5
---[x] Stewardship: 4
---[x] Intrigue: 11
---[x] Learning: 7
--[X] Veteran - This Magical Girl has been in her fair share of fights against the forces of despair. +1 Martial. +20 against Witches/Wraiths.
--[X] Cult of Love - Worships somebody unspeakable. Gain an Occult stat of 1, or +1 Occult if the stat is already present. -10 to Diplomacy checks against other Magical Girls that lack this trait, but gain additional bonuses at high loyalty.
-[x] The system contains only Gas giants and uninhabitable rocks, but you know that there is a second Charon Device in this system that connects to another star that seems far more promising. (Colony in random star system. Communication with Earth takes longer to reestablish, but gives you more freedom from Earth bureaucracy.)
-[x] A lush, tropical world with extreme weather patterns and hyper-aggressive flora and fauna... Living here would be a challenge, but it's honestly the only choice you have... (Death world. -10% Approval. Armies and ships made from this planet's pops gain +20 in combat. Meguca and Wraith pops form at an increased rate due to conditions.)
-[x] Helena Dawson
-[x] A change is necessary. (Choose two Ethics from the spoilered list.)
--[x] Materialist - Everything has a logical scientific explanation. (+1 Intrigue. +1 Learning. +10% Approval to AI leaders. +10 to diplomatic actions against machine races.)
--[x] Egalitarian - Everyone deserves equal rights and opportunities. (+1 Stewardship. +1 Diplomacy.)
-[x] Tempus
While I get where you're coming from, there's a caveat that made me personally pick overclocking.
More actions are good, succeeding at those actions are better.
Consider that a failed action is not just a wasted action, but also a 'negative' action with associated negative results. Picking two personal actions sounds great unless they both fail, giving double negative results.
A reroll effectively halves the chance of failure, doubling our odds of avoiding negative results. I'd argue that it's the 'safer' choice while multitasking is doing more at a comparatively higher risk.
