This will be a quest based on Magical Burst, the tabletop RPG by Yaruki Zero Games. This post...
Defending the City (Magical Burst)
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0.1 - Index
Average Weird
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This will be a quest based on Magical Burst, the tabletop RPG by Yaruki Zero Games. This post will serve as the index, and the first story post will come after I reserve a spot for the character sheet and additional information.
This will be my third attempt at a quest. Hopefully I don't fuck it up like I did the other two. I'll be posting this on both SB and SV, mostly to see which site cares more about it.
This will be my third attempt at a quest. Hopefully I don't fuck it up like I did the other two. I'll be posting this on both SB and SV, mostly to see which site cares more about it.
- Characters
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0.2 - Additional Information
Average Weird
Hi! Let's be friends!
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Most of this post is shamelessly copy-pasted from the gamebook, because I'm too lazy to summarize it myself. If you want to know something specific, just ask me. I'll do most of die rolls in the background, and I won't roll dice on everything.
Magic is Drawing on the Canvas of Reality
Magic is not a system of arcane incantations in dusty old books. It is a power that transforms thought into reality. Those who can use magic don't have spells so much as affinities, themes that color how they can enforce their will on the world. Some magical girls liken their weapons, elements, and magical powers to the three colors they can use to paint on the canvas of the world.
Magic is Unnatural
Magic is a power that falls outside the realm of normal reality. It can be beautiful and glorious at times, but there is something unnatural about it that people find disturbing. Some claim to believe in magic and miracles; they are lying. Believing that a holy man worked miracles thousands of years ago is nothing at all like knowing in your bones that miracles can happen in front of you in the same way that you know a rock can fall to the ground. Through everyday life, through casual probing of reality, people learn how the world around them functions, and magic violates those principles so fundamentally, so flagrantly that they experience its presence as a deep dread, a feeling of abject wrongness. Magical girls are immune to this feeling of shock. The world has other things in store for them.
Magic is Unstable
Magic, at least the magic given to magical girls, is inherently unstable. It can easily go out of control, warping reality or the magical girl who's trying to use it, especially if she's pushing her limits. Magical girls exhibit strange behavior, they have their bodies or minds warped, they have unnatural phenomena around them. Sometimes the power builds up and simply explodes. Magic tears at their relationships with normal people.
Magic is Powerful
One thing every magical girl learns very quickly is that the non-magical is very fragile compared to the magical. For the most part magic trumps not-magic as effortlessly as scissors beats paper. Magical girls find that against themselves and youma alike, normal people are very weak. Even the best military hardware is of little use against magical foes.
The Runes
One of the more curious aspects of magic is that it frequently features a strange form of writing. It will appear in youma's Nightmares, on magical girls' pendants and weapons, and in the air itself when some powerful magical effects are in play. No one has yet deciphered what these runes actually mean, and that may be for the best.
Magic is not a system of arcane incantations in dusty old books. It is a power that transforms thought into reality. Those who can use magic don't have spells so much as affinities, themes that color how they can enforce their will on the world. Some magical girls liken their weapons, elements, and magical powers to the three colors they can use to paint on the canvas of the world.
Magic is Unnatural
Magic is a power that falls outside the realm of normal reality. It can be beautiful and glorious at times, but there is something unnatural about it that people find disturbing. Some claim to believe in magic and miracles; they are lying. Believing that a holy man worked miracles thousands of years ago is nothing at all like knowing in your bones that miracles can happen in front of you in the same way that you know a rock can fall to the ground. Through everyday life, through casual probing of reality, people learn how the world around them functions, and magic violates those principles so fundamentally, so flagrantly that they experience its presence as a deep dread, a feeling of abject wrongness. Magical girls are immune to this feeling of shock. The world has other things in store for them.
Magic is Unstable
Magic, at least the magic given to magical girls, is inherently unstable. It can easily go out of control, warping reality or the magical girl who's trying to use it, especially if she's pushing her limits. Magical girls exhibit strange behavior, they have their bodies or minds warped, they have unnatural phenomena around them. Sometimes the power builds up and simply explodes. Magic tears at their relationships with normal people.
Magic is Powerful
One thing every magical girl learns very quickly is that the non-magical is very fragile compared to the magical. For the most part magic trumps not-magic as effortlessly as scissors beats paper. Magical girls find that against themselves and youma alike, normal people are very weak. Even the best military hardware is of little use against magical foes.
The Runes
One of the more curious aspects of magic is that it frequently features a strange form of writing. It will appear in youma's Nightmares, on magical girls' pendants and weapons, and in the air itself when some powerful magical effects are in play. No one has yet deciphered what these runes actually mean, and that may be for the best.
Youma are the monsters that magical girls must fight. They take countless forms, from warped humanoids to masses of ab-stract shapes. They can have a sort of twisted beauty, but there's always something about a youma that gnaws at the senses. There is something tragic and hurtful about each one, as though they embody mankind's most destructive impulses. They fill the air with cruel laughter, anguished screams, desperate whimpering, or dreadful silence.
Influence on Humans
Normal people cannot even perceive the youma or their influence, but they become victims all the same. Youma sap energy from unsuspecting humans, stealing memories, emotions, and life force itself. Victims who are only lightly touched by youma become tired and listless for a time, while those who suffer a more extensive attack can be turned into suicidal zom-bies or ripped them from reality entirely.
Nightmares
Most youma surround themselves with a distortion in the tapestry of the world called a Nightmare. For ordinary people this manifests as simply a vague feeling of dread. For magical girls and any others attuned to magic, a Nightmare appears as an increasingly surreal region of distorted reality. On the edges of the Nightmare things will seem a little off here and there, but at its heart, where the youma resides, it is a maddening jumble of objects and images. Less powerful youma will also some-times take refuge in the Nightmare of a more powerful youma.
Memory Burst
When a youma is hurt, it will often release a burst of memories. These momentarily flood the minds of those in the vicinity, and can reshape the youma's Nightmare. Perhaps these memories are from who or what the youma was, or maybe it's just something the youma devoured coming up again.
Magical Girls and Youma
The tsukaima present the magical girls with the task of fighting and killing youma. Magic is the only thing that can harm a youma; non-magical weapons are at best an inconvenience to them. Some magical girls find they can fight youma using nor-mal weapons, but this is because their own magic imbues those weapons with the necessary power.
When a magical girl kills a youma, its Nightmare collapses, leaving behind only an Oblivion Seed. A particularly powerful youma can leave behind two or even three Seeds. These appear as diamond-shaped gems with magical writing on them, and magical girls can store them inside of their pendants, where no one can take them while they live. It is said that a magical girl who accumulates 13 Oblivion Seeds is granted one wish. You've never seen or even heard of it actually happening, but that's what they say.
Influence on Humans
Normal people cannot even perceive the youma or their influence, but they become victims all the same. Youma sap energy from unsuspecting humans, stealing memories, emotions, and life force itself. Victims who are only lightly touched by youma become tired and listless for a time, while those who suffer a more extensive attack can be turned into suicidal zom-bies or ripped them from reality entirely.
Nightmares
Most youma surround themselves with a distortion in the tapestry of the world called a Nightmare. For ordinary people this manifests as simply a vague feeling of dread. For magical girls and any others attuned to magic, a Nightmare appears as an increasingly surreal region of distorted reality. On the edges of the Nightmare things will seem a little off here and there, but at its heart, where the youma resides, it is a maddening jumble of objects and images. Less powerful youma will also some-times take refuge in the Nightmare of a more powerful youma.
Memory Burst
When a youma is hurt, it will often release a burst of memories. These momentarily flood the minds of those in the vicinity, and can reshape the youma's Nightmare. Perhaps these memories are from who or what the youma was, or maybe it's just something the youma devoured coming up again.
Magical Girls and Youma
The tsukaima present the magical girls with the task of fighting and killing youma. Magic is the only thing that can harm a youma; non-magical weapons are at best an inconvenience to them. Some magical girls find they can fight youma using nor-mal weapons, but this is because their own magic imbues those weapons with the necessary power.
When a magical girl kills a youma, its Nightmare collapses, leaving behind only an Oblivion Seed. A particularly powerful youma can leave behind two or even three Seeds. These appear as diamond-shaped gems with magical writing on them, and magical girls can store them inside of their pendants, where no one can take them while they live. It is said that a magical girl who accumulates 13 Oblivion Seeds is granted one wish. You've never seen or even heard of it actually happening, but that's what they say.
One story arc is called an episode, and is roughly analogous to an episode of an anime in scope. A "standard" Magical Burst episode is arranged around finding and eliminating a youma, and thus consists of an introduction, the investigation, the climax/battle, and the aftermath. Needless to say you can find other ways to arrange your episodes. Each of those four parts can have multiple scenes in them as well, though the climactic battle is usually one scene.
Introduction
During the Introduction, there is a short scene to establish what's going on at the start of the episode.
Investigation
The main phase is where the magical girls get to do what they can to figure out what's going on and pursue their goals.
Climax
The climax is when the magical girls confront the episode's main threat. The archetypical climax is a confrontation with a youma.
Aftermath
This is the denouement after the big battle, where the immediate consequences of the events of the climax come into play.
Introduction
During the Introduction, there is a short scene to establish what's going on at the start of the episode.
Investigation
The main phase is where the magical girls get to do what they can to figure out what's going on and pursue their goals.
Climax
The climax is when the magical girls confront the episode's main threat. The archetypical climax is a confrontation with a youma.
Aftermath
This is the denouement after the big battle, where the immediate consequences of the events of the climax come into play.
Magical girls shed Overcharge through Fallout. Fallout is the unwanted side-effects of using magic and fighting youma. Such side-effects can warp reality, affect a magical girl's behavior, induce magical mutations, and in extreme cases unleash raw de-structive power. These things catch inexperienced magical girls off guard, leaving them wondering where a strange impulse to break something or hug someone came from, wondering what's going on around them, or wondering what's happening to their bodies. Those who last long enough will learn that this is because of their magic, that it is part of the price they pay for the power they've gained. They aren't aware of Overcharge as "points," but they do feel a growing sense of unease, and quickly learn to be careful.
Sorcery
"Sorcery" is a way for magical girls to use their magic to alter reality. They can use sorcery for virtually anything, though it needs to fall within the realm of their affinities—their element, power, or weapon. Reality has a natural resistance to being altered, so sorcery takes a certain amount of effort and skill, and proportionately more so for bigger, more flagrant changes to the world. People also have a limited resistance to magic that affects them directly, some factor in the human will, and magical beings have the ability to counter sorcery with magic.
"Sorcery" is a way for magical girls to use their magic to alter reality. They can use sorcery for virtually anything, though it needs to fall within the realm of their affinities—their element, power, or weapon. Reality has a natural resistance to being altered, so sorcery takes a certain amount of effort and skill, and proportionately more so for bigger, more flagrant changes to the world. People also have a limited resistance to magic that affects them directly, some factor in the human will, and magical beings have the ability to counter sorcery with magic.
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1.0 - Character Selection
Average Weird
Hi! Let's be friends!
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You live in the City, a place of glittering skyscrapers and screeching subways. There are trains, shops, homes, apartments, schools, and parks. It is a safe place, if not a happy one. Everything is always the same. In the morning, everything arrives; trucks carrying food, buses carrying schoolchildren, and trains carrying workers. In the evening, everything leaves.
There are good people here, but there are also those indifferent to the suffering of others. There are those who would help those in need, but there are also those who see them removed. Most simply choose to ignore them.
But beneath the surface of this ordinary facade, there lies a danger normal people cannot see. These are the youma, creatures born of dark magic and the hidden desires of humans. Unceasingly they stalk their prey; their victims are devoured, ripped from reality itself and never seen again.
However, there are still those who stand against them. The tsukaima—creatures born of lighter magic and purer emotion— recruit humans with magical potential to fight against them. Due to reasons unknown, males have little to no magical power, while adults have even less, leaving girls to defend the city and the ones they love. These girls that make pacts with the tsukaima are known as magical girls.
Their job is a dangerous one, though not one without rewards. Every fully grown youma drops and Oblivion Seed, and a magical girl who gathers thirteen of these can make a wish.
Or so you've heard. You've never seen it happen yourself, but you intend to find out. You are one of these magical girls, and you will do whatever it takes to have your wish granted.
Now, before you made a pact with the tsukaima, who were you?
[ ] the Bully (There's something wrong with me. I feel sick. I think I'm going to die soon.)
[ ] the Broken Doll (I think my life is fake. Everything I find just makes me even more sure.)
[ ] the Driven Warrior (I woke up with a dead body in front of me and the murder weapon in my hand. I need to fix this.)
[ ] the Neglected (What's the point of everything? I'm never going to get together with that person, so I may as well keep my friends safe.)
[ ] the Heroine (Why did that have to happen at school? I wish everyone would just forget about it so that I can move on.)
[ ] the Spooky Girl (I don't remember anything, and I just found that I supposedly died ten years ago. What's going on?)
OOC: Each of these choices represents a character I created for this game (mostly because the last quest I tried running didn't make it past chargen. There were two votes, and each person wanted something different.), and this vote decides which one starts out as the playable character. Over the course of the quest it will be possible to unlock others to play as, and even those that you can't unlock will play a role of some sort.
There are good people here, but there are also those indifferent to the suffering of others. There are those who would help those in need, but there are also those who see them removed. Most simply choose to ignore them.
But beneath the surface of this ordinary facade, there lies a danger normal people cannot see. These are the youma, creatures born of dark magic and the hidden desires of humans. Unceasingly they stalk their prey; their victims are devoured, ripped from reality itself and never seen again.
However, there are still those who stand against them. The tsukaima—creatures born of lighter magic and purer emotion— recruit humans with magical potential to fight against them. Due to reasons unknown, males have little to no magical power, while adults have even less, leaving girls to defend the city and the ones they love. These girls that make pacts with the tsukaima are known as magical girls.
Their job is a dangerous one, though not one without rewards. Every fully grown youma drops and Oblivion Seed, and a magical girl who gathers thirteen of these can make a wish.
Or so you've heard. You've never seen it happen yourself, but you intend to find out. You are one of these magical girls, and you will do whatever it takes to have your wish granted.
Now, before you made a pact with the tsukaima, who were you?
[ ] the Bully (There's something wrong with me. I feel sick. I think I'm going to die soon.)
[ ] the Broken Doll (I think my life is fake. Everything I find just makes me even more sure.)
[ ] the Driven Warrior (I woke up with a dead body in front of me and the murder weapon in my hand. I need to fix this.)
[ ] the Neglected (What's the point of everything? I'm never going to get together with that person, so I may as well keep my friends safe.)
[ ] the Heroine (Why did that have to happen at school? I wish everyone would just forget about it so that I can move on.)
[ ] the Spooky Girl (I don't remember anything, and I just found that I supposedly died ten years ago. What's going on?)
OOC: Each of these choices represents a character I created for this game (mostly because the last quest I tried running didn't make it past chargen. There were two votes, and each person wanted something different.), and this vote decides which one starts out as the playable character. Over the course of the quest it will be possible to unlock others to play as, and even those that you can't unlock will play a role of some sort.
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AZATHOTHoth
༼ つ ☀️_☀️ ༽つ
[X] the Driven Warrior (I woke up with a dead body in front of me and the murder weapon in my hand. I need to fix this.)
Murderhobo of Nod
The Antisocial Alpaca
[x] Bully
Alpha Magical Girl is Alpha.
Alpha Magical Girl is Alpha.
[X] the Broken Doll
[X] the Spooky Girl (I don't remember anything, and I just found that I supposedly died ten years ago. What's going on?)
Average Weird
Hi! Let's be friends!
- Location
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Votes locked.
Huh. A tie. That's kind of annoying. A three-way tie? I'll just pick a random one to go with. The other two will be some of the first to show up. (And remember, I'm totalling the votes on both sites. I may drop the SB side if it keeps the level of interest currently shown [one person], though.)
Vote tally:
##### 3.21
[X] the Driven Warrior (I woke up with a dead body in front of me and the murder weapon in my hand. I need to fix this.)
No. of votes: 2
AZATHOTHoth, Vanestus
[x] Bully
No. of votes: 1
Murderhobo of Nod
[X] the Broken Doll
No. of votes: 2
ShadowAngelBeta, Eternal Dreamer
[x] the Spooky Girl (I don't remember anything, and I just found that I supposedly died ten years ago. What's going on?)
No. of votes: 2
veekie, wingstrike96
As a bit of compensation, I'll tell you the elements, weapon, and power of the two I didn't pick at the end of the next update, and they'll be some of the first to show up. I'm going to start writing it now.
Huh. A tie. That's kind of annoying. A three-way tie? I'll just pick a random one to go with. The other two will be some of the first to show up. (And remember, I'm totalling the votes on both sites. I may drop the SB side if it keeps the level of interest currently shown [one person], though.)
Vote tally:
##### 3.21
[X] the Driven Warrior (I woke up with a dead body in front of me and the murder weapon in my hand. I need to fix this.)
No. of votes: 2
AZATHOTHoth, Vanestus
[x] Bully
No. of votes: 1
Murderhobo of Nod
[X] the Broken Doll
No. of votes: 2
ShadowAngelBeta, Eternal Dreamer
[x] the Spooky Girl (I don't remember anything, and I just found that I supposedly died ten years ago. What's going on?)
No. of votes: 2
veekie, wingstrike96
As a bit of compensation, I'll tell you the elements, weapon, and power of the two I didn't pick at the end of the next update, and they'll be some of the first to show up. I'm going to start writing it now.
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1.1 - Practice Interrupted
Average Weird
Hi! Let's be friends!
- Location
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[x] the Driven Warrior
"That's enough," rings out an even voice, breaking your concentration. You turn and look at the tsukaima. It's a bizarre creature; one that looks almost but not quite like a cat. Or a fox. You couldn't tell, and it seemed to change every time you looked at it. It also seemed to glow slightly—it wouldn't be enough light to see anything by, but the creature would stand out in the dark.
You nod once, and move to continue your practice. You're new at this, so you'll need as much experience as you can get before you go after any youma. You raise your staff with your eyes closed, focusing on the rush of magic you feel running through your body. Nodding once more when you feel prepared, you move to point your weapon at a nearby window high-up in the alleyway you're standing in. Your eyes snap open.
What you're attempting should be a rather simple spell. By channeling magic along a connection you established, you will impart a sharp, sudden force upon the glass that makes up the window. This will shatter the glass, upon which you will hold the pieces in place and force them rejoin each other, repairing the window. It is a process you have performed several times in the time you've been practicing, and you feel you have the process down.
"Misugi-san," the tsukaima says again, this time more sharply. "That's enough. Do not overuse your magic."
You meet its gaze with your own, staring into its unblinking eyes. After several seconds—though you could swear it was minutes—you break away.
"Fine," you mutter tersely. Your outfit flickers and disappears along with your staff, leaving you in your normal clothes. Though you wish to continue your practice, you admit this thing knows more than you do. You'll listen to what it has to say.
Well, for now, at least. When you have more experience, you'll come to your own conclusions.
The thing cocks its head to the side. "I apologize for any inconvenience I may have caused you. I was simply offering cautionary advice. Using too much magic at a time can be dangerous, and you do not yet know enough to be aware of your own limits."
It pauses, and you turn back to face it. "I will be happy to assist in in other matters, provided I am permitted to speak of them. Do you have any questions you would like to ask?"
(Pick up to three)
[ ] What do you mean dangerous? What happens when you use too much magic?
[ ] I know I'm not the only one you made a deal with. Can you tell me about the other magical girls here?
[ ] How can I find youma? It's my job to kill them, and I'll need to do it if I want my wish granted.
[ ] You said you could grant me a wish. What did you mean by that?
[ ] What are you anyway?
[ ] Write-in.
OOC: I picked the Driven Warrior. The Broken Doll's element is vacuum, and her power lets her draw any basic object imaginable from somewhere on her person, though anything she produces will fade away after a few minutes. The Spooky Girl's element is shadow, and her power lets her generate areas of Nightmare similar to a youma.
"That's enough," rings out an even voice, breaking your concentration. You turn and look at the tsukaima. It's a bizarre creature; one that looks almost but not quite like a cat. Or a fox. You couldn't tell, and it seemed to change every time you looked at it. It also seemed to glow slightly—it wouldn't be enough light to see anything by, but the creature would stand out in the dark.
You nod once, and move to continue your practice. You're new at this, so you'll need as much experience as you can get before you go after any youma. You raise your staff with your eyes closed, focusing on the rush of magic you feel running through your body. Nodding once more when you feel prepared, you move to point your weapon at a nearby window high-up in the alleyway you're standing in. Your eyes snap open.
What you're attempting should be a rather simple spell. By channeling magic along a connection you established, you will impart a sharp, sudden force upon the glass that makes up the window. This will shatter the glass, upon which you will hold the pieces in place and force them rejoin each other, repairing the window. It is a process you have performed several times in the time you've been practicing, and you feel you have the process down.
"Misugi-san," the tsukaima says again, this time more sharply. "That's enough. Do not overuse your magic."
You meet its gaze with your own, staring into its unblinking eyes. After several seconds—though you could swear it was minutes—you break away.
"Fine," you mutter tersely. Your outfit flickers and disappears along with your staff, leaving you in your normal clothes. Though you wish to continue your practice, you admit this thing knows more than you do. You'll listen to what it has to say.
Well, for now, at least. When you have more experience, you'll come to your own conclusions.
The thing cocks its head to the side. "I apologize for any inconvenience I may have caused you. I was simply offering cautionary advice. Using too much magic at a time can be dangerous, and you do not yet know enough to be aware of your own limits."
It pauses, and you turn back to face it. "I will be happy to assist in in other matters, provided I am permitted to speak of them. Do you have any questions you would like to ask?"
(Pick up to three)
[ ] What do you mean dangerous? What happens when you use too much magic?
[ ] I know I'm not the only one you made a deal with. Can you tell me about the other magical girls here?
[ ] How can I find youma? It's my job to kill them, and I'll need to do it if I want my wish granted.
[ ] You said you could grant me a wish. What did you mean by that?
[ ] What are you anyway?
[ ] Write-in.
OOC: I picked the Driven Warrior. The Broken Doll's element is vacuum, and her power lets her draw any basic object imaginable from somewhere on her person, though anything she produces will fade away after a few minutes. The Spooky Girl's element is shadow, and her power lets her generate areas of Nightmare similar to a youma.
[X] What do you mean dangerous? What happens when you use too much magic?
[X] How can I find youma? It's my job to kill them, and I'll need to do it if I want my wish granted.
[X] How can I find youma? It's my job to kill them, and I'll need to do it if I want my wish granted.
[X] I know I'm not the only one you made a deal with. Can you tell me about the other magical girls here?
[X] How can I find youma? It's my job to kill them, and I'll need to do it if I want my wish granted.
[X] What are you anyway?
[X] How can I find youma? It's my job to kill them, and I'll need to do it if I want my wish granted.
[X] What are you anyway?
1.2 - Questions and Answers
Average Weird
Hi! Let's be friends!
- Location
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You stare at the tsukaima, thinking about what to ask. You eventually decide to start with the most obvious question.
[X] What do you mean dangerous? What happens when you use too much magic?
"What do you mean 'dangerous'? What happens when I use too much magic?"
It responds, its tone clinical. "Using magic slowly accumulates a residual buildup. Though this buildup is initially harmless, it will inevitably be discharged at once. This discharge can take many forms, such as rain falling upwards from the ground or objects moving about as if held by invisible hands.
"Should the buildup become too great, it will be released in a magic burst that can be dangerous to those too close to you. Fortunately, this is a rare event that can be prevented by allowing the buildup to dissipate before it becomes too great."
That did not sound pleasant. "How can I tell when I'm using too much magic?"
The tsukaima meets your gaze. "Most magical girls report a feeling of unease that grows as they use magic. You can see if you feel it yourself."
It's right. Now that you're looking for it, you can feel a minor pressure. You make a mental note to keep track of it.
[X] How can I find youma? It's my job to kill them, and I'll need to do it if I want my wish granted.
Next things next. "What about youma? How am I supposed to find them?"
"There are several ways to find youma. The simplest—though least effective—would be to merely wander about until you find one. If you were to do this, I would recommend prioritizing areas saturated with negative emotions, as youma will be attracted to them.
"You could also investigate recent disappearances, as a good deal of the time a youma will be responsible. However, this is a reactionary measure at best. Any youma you find this way will have had victims of some sort.
"Some magical girls are known to use normal humans as bait for youma. However, this practice is generally frowned upon by others and most who use this method find themselves under attack to protect others from them.
"Lastly, some magical girls have the ability to sense nearby youma. Though there are none currently contracted in this city, this could change in the future. If you would like, I could notify you when such a girl appears."
You nod in affirmation to the last bit. While you would likely have to split Oblivion Seeds with others should you join a group, you can't deny that hunting would also be more efficient.
[X] I know I'm not the only one you made a deal with. Can you tell me about the other magical girls here?
"I know I'm not the only one you made a deal with in the city. What about the other magical girls here?"
The thing's tail flicks to the side. "You are correct. I have recently made pacts with four other girls in this city. The first is Aizawa Yoshika, the girl with the element of 'needles'. She is rather haughty and confident, though her skills are almost unmatched for someone so new to this.
"The second is Amano Haruka, the girl with the element of 'vacuum'. She seems to lack confidence, though this appears to be unrelated to her work as a magical girl. If you wish to work with her, you should be careful in how you treat her.
"The third is Fujiwara Minako. Her element is 'nothingness'. She seems to place no value on herself other than her service as a magical girl.
"The last is Haneoka Momo, with the element 'magnetism'. She views herself as a bringer of justice, and sees the work she does as its own reward. She recently suffered magical backlash that manifested in the middle of her school, which she views as an embarrassment."
You get the feeling that it's leaving something out. "And what aren't you telling me?"
The tsukaima almost seems taken aback for the first time since you met it. "I apologize. The last one is someone I have no memory of dealing with since I was stationed here seven years ago. There is a fifth magical girl here that goes by the name Tanaka Yuka, with the element 'shadow'. She seems to be suffering from memory loss, and records show that she perished ten years ago.
"If you would like, I could arrange a meeting with the first four. I have no way of reliably finding Tanaka Yuka, so I cannot guarantee that I would be able to do so with her."
You nod thankfully. You'll keep that in mind.
[X] What are you anyway?
There's one more thing that's been bothering you. "What even are you, anyway?"
You see it blink for the first time. "I am a tsukaima; a creature of lighter magic and mentality than—"
"No, not that." You cut it off. "I've heard that. But what even are tsukaima supposed to be? And do you even have a name?"
It seems to pause for a few seconds. "Tsukaima are existences similar to but entirely separate from youma, much like a storm is a weather pattern similar to yet entirely different from a drought. We are are only similar in that we are magical beings; in everything else we are their opposite.
"We have the ability to grant magic and power to humans, while youma have the power to draw from it in the form of negative emotions like hatred and misery. We consider it our duty to stand against the youma in whatever way we can, but we lack the strength to fight them ourselves. As such, we use agents such as you to fight for us. To reward the work you do for us, we grant the wishes of those who bring us thirteen Oblivion Seeds from defeated youma."
It pauses here once more. "I have been referred to as many names by those I have made deals with. While I do not appreciate some—such as 'Fluffy' or 'Cutie'—I found one particularly pleasing. If you wish a name to refer to me as, please use 'Pacter'.
What do you do now?
[ ] Ask to arrange a meeting with one of the other magical girls.
-[ ] Which one? (10% chance to contact Yuka, 100% for the others)
[ ] Search for a youma. (3%)
[ ] Look for a lead on any nearby youma.
-[ ] Where do you look?
[ ] More questions!
-[ ] What to ask?
OOC: I answered four questions because I started writing this earlier today and didn't expect another vote. Since I had already written out the answer the one question that lost, I decided to keep it and do the three that won as well.
[X] What do you mean dangerous? What happens when you use too much magic?
"What do you mean 'dangerous'? What happens when I use too much magic?"
It responds, its tone clinical. "Using magic slowly accumulates a residual buildup. Though this buildup is initially harmless, it will inevitably be discharged at once. This discharge can take many forms, such as rain falling upwards from the ground or objects moving about as if held by invisible hands.
"Should the buildup become too great, it will be released in a magic burst that can be dangerous to those too close to you. Fortunately, this is a rare event that can be prevented by allowing the buildup to dissipate before it becomes too great."
That did not sound pleasant. "How can I tell when I'm using too much magic?"
The tsukaima meets your gaze. "Most magical girls report a feeling of unease that grows as they use magic. You can see if you feel it yourself."
It's right. Now that you're looking for it, you can feel a minor pressure. You make a mental note to keep track of it.
[X] How can I find youma? It's my job to kill them, and I'll need to do it if I want my wish granted.
Next things next. "What about youma? How am I supposed to find them?"
"There are several ways to find youma. The simplest—though least effective—would be to merely wander about until you find one. If you were to do this, I would recommend prioritizing areas saturated with negative emotions, as youma will be attracted to them.
"You could also investigate recent disappearances, as a good deal of the time a youma will be responsible. However, this is a reactionary measure at best. Any youma you find this way will have had victims of some sort.
"Some magical girls are known to use normal humans as bait for youma. However, this practice is generally frowned upon by others and most who use this method find themselves under attack to protect others from them.
"Lastly, some magical girls have the ability to sense nearby youma. Though there are none currently contracted in this city, this could change in the future. If you would like, I could notify you when such a girl appears."
You nod in affirmation to the last bit. While you would likely have to split Oblivion Seeds with others should you join a group, you can't deny that hunting would also be more efficient.
[X] I know I'm not the only one you made a deal with. Can you tell me about the other magical girls here?
"I know I'm not the only one you made a deal with in the city. What about the other magical girls here?"
The thing's tail flicks to the side. "You are correct. I have recently made pacts with four other girls in this city. The first is Aizawa Yoshika, the girl with the element of 'needles'. She is rather haughty and confident, though her skills are almost unmatched for someone so new to this.
"The second is Amano Haruka, the girl with the element of 'vacuum'. She seems to lack confidence, though this appears to be unrelated to her work as a magical girl. If you wish to work with her, you should be careful in how you treat her.
"The third is Fujiwara Minako. Her element is 'nothingness'. She seems to place no value on herself other than her service as a magical girl.
"The last is Haneoka Momo, with the element 'magnetism'. She views herself as a bringer of justice, and sees the work she does as its own reward. She recently suffered magical backlash that manifested in the middle of her school, which she views as an embarrassment."
You get the feeling that it's leaving something out. "And what aren't you telling me?"
The tsukaima almost seems taken aback for the first time since you met it. "I apologize. The last one is someone I have no memory of dealing with since I was stationed here seven years ago. There is a fifth magical girl here that goes by the name Tanaka Yuka, with the element 'shadow'. She seems to be suffering from memory loss, and records show that she perished ten years ago.
"If you would like, I could arrange a meeting with the first four. I have no way of reliably finding Tanaka Yuka, so I cannot guarantee that I would be able to do so with her."
You nod thankfully. You'll keep that in mind.
[X] What are you anyway?
There's one more thing that's been bothering you. "What even are you, anyway?"
You see it blink for the first time. "I am a tsukaima; a creature of lighter magic and mentality than—"
"No, not that." You cut it off. "I've heard that. But what even are tsukaima supposed to be? And do you even have a name?"
It seems to pause for a few seconds. "Tsukaima are existences similar to but entirely separate from youma, much like a storm is a weather pattern similar to yet entirely different from a drought. We are are only similar in that we are magical beings; in everything else we are their opposite.
"We have the ability to grant magic and power to humans, while youma have the power to draw from it in the form of negative emotions like hatred and misery. We consider it our duty to stand against the youma in whatever way we can, but we lack the strength to fight them ourselves. As such, we use agents such as you to fight for us. To reward the work you do for us, we grant the wishes of those who bring us thirteen Oblivion Seeds from defeated youma."
It pauses here once more. "I have been referred to as many names by those I have made deals with. While I do not appreciate some—such as 'Fluffy' or 'Cutie'—I found one particularly pleasing. If you wish a name to refer to me as, please use 'Pacter'.
What do you do now?
[ ] Ask to arrange a meeting with one of the other magical girls.
-[ ] Which one? (10% chance to contact Yuka, 100% for the others)
[ ] Search for a youma. (3%)
[ ] Look for a lead on any nearby youma.
-[ ] Where do you look?
[ ] More questions!
-[ ] What to ask?
OOC: I answered four questions because I started writing this earlier today and didn't expect another vote. Since I had already written out the answer the one question that lost, I decided to keep it and do the three that won as well.
Murderhobo of Nod
The Antisocial Alpaca
[X] Amano Haruka
Hnnnnng!
Hnnnnng!
Average Weird
Hi! Let's be friends!
- Location
- -
Locking votes (not really needed, but whatever.)
I'll just combine the two since they don't really contradict each other.
Vote tally:
##### 3.21
[X] Ask to arrange a meeting with one of the other magical girls.
-[X] Amano Haruka
No. of votes: 1
veekie, Murderhobo of Nod
[X] Look for a lead on any nearby youma.
-[X] Check the news, especially for things like a factory closing. Lots of people losing their jobs should make lots of anger, right? Or a murder, that would be promising.
No. of votes: 1
Vaurnut
Writing update.
I'll just combine the two since they don't really contradict each other.
Vote tally:
##### 3.21
[X] Ask to arrange a meeting with one of the other magical girls.
-[X] Amano Haruka
No. of votes: 1
veekie, Murderhobo of Nod
[X] Look for a lead on any nearby youma.
-[X] Check the news, especially for things like a factory closing. Lots of people losing their jobs should make lots of anger, right? Or a murder, that would be promising.
No. of votes: 1
Vaurnut
Writing update.
Missed it by 5 min... meh. Guess its fine, not sure how good we'll work with low-confidence girl though when one of our defining characteristics is Driven. We could either over shine her and make her resentful or act as someone she aspires to be like.
Or maybe just being friends with her will help... *pfft* Sorry can't say that with a straight face in a Burst setting.
Or maybe just being friends with her will help... *pfft* Sorry can't say that with a straight face in a Burst setting.
1.3 - Research and First Impressions
Average Weird
Hi! Let's be friends!
- Location
- -
You nod at that. You could start searching for a youma now, but …
[X] Ask to arrange a meeting with one of the other magical girls.
You turn to the tsukaima—no, Pacter. Seems rather unoriginal, but you aren't going to judge whoever came up with it. "You said you could arrange a meeting with one of the other magical girls, right?"
"That is correct." It's tone is even, and it pauses, waiting for you to continue.
-[X] Amano Haruka
"Could you ask Amano Haruka, then?" You had considered asking one of the others, but none of them seemed like a good choice. You doubted you would get along with Yoshiko, going by Pacter's description of her. She probably wouldn't appreciate being asked on such short notice.
He didn't really tell you much about Minako, but what little he did made her out to be the senseless self-sacrificing type. Maybe you'd see what she was like later.
Momo sounded like the second-best choice, but you weren't so sure you would get along once she found out what you'd done. You know you wouldn't, even if you were trying to fix things.
Yuka was also a possible choice, but Pacter had expressed doubt in his ability to find her. Regardless, it would probably be best to find her on your own if you decided to meet with her.
Going by all that, Haruka seemed to be the best choice. You continued. "I'll be at the library. Let me know her response."
The tsukaima looked met your eyes. "That would be possible. I assume you want me to ask now?"
You nod. "Yes. That would be good."
[X] Look for a lead on any nearby youma.
-[X] Check the news, especially for things like a factory closing. Lots of people losing their jobs should make lots of anger, right? Or a murder, that would be promising.
It flickers in place and vanishes. Odd. You'd never seen it do that before. You look down the alleyway for a door, and quickly spot one. It's grimy, but it'll serve.
Walking up to the door, you reach out with your power—not your magic, oddly enough, but something unrelated entirely. According to Pacter, every magical girl had one. You feel out for a connection and quickly grab it, filling it with power until it temporarily overwrites what used to be there. You grab the doorknob and turn it, pulling the door open.
Rather than the interior of an abandoned building one would expect to see, the other side is a crowded hallway. You quickly step through and let the door shut behind you. The sign on it is a crudely-shaped stick figure that seems to be wearing a skirt, and a sign that looks similar but replaces the skirt with pants adorns the door on the other side of the hall.
You quickly walk down the hall, and it lets out into a room filled with book-covered shelves. This is your city's private library, and you hope to find some sign of a youma. Quickly making your way over to the computers they have for research, you find an open one and take a seat. The minutes fly by as you search the recent news for anything that looks promising.
And you find something. People have started disappearing recently, and the disappearances seem to be happening in the same general area. It's not too much, but it's a start.
Your research is cut short when Pacter reappears. Looking up at you, he begins to speak. "Amano-san has agreed to meet with you, and will be arriving shortly."
You look around, and to your surprise no one seems to notice him. You open your mouth to ask him before you realise the answer and close it. If people don't notice the youma, why would they notice him? You decide to ask him how he's able to do that later.
After a few minutes, another Pacter runs out of the crowd. You check glance back down at you feet to make sure hes still there—and he is. That would be something else to ask him about later.
Following the other Pacter is a girl around your age, maybe a year older. Her hair is black, and she's wearing a simple outfit. Upon seeing you, she turns to speak, giving a slight bow. "Ah. Are you Misugi Hiraku? I was told you wanted to meet with me."
Her voice sounds almost normal, but it seems too quiet. It's almost as if she expects to be corrected, or rebuked for asking such an obvious question. Maybe even both, despite how contradictory that would be. It's clear that something is up with her.
How do you respond?
[ ] Write in.
OOC: I'm being deliberately vague on character appearance, since I haven't found good pictures for most of the cast. I'll be more descriptive when I do.
[X] Ask to arrange a meeting with one of the other magical girls.
You turn to the tsukaima—no, Pacter. Seems rather unoriginal, but you aren't going to judge whoever came up with it. "You said you could arrange a meeting with one of the other magical girls, right?"
"That is correct." It's tone is even, and it pauses, waiting for you to continue.
-[X] Amano Haruka
"Could you ask Amano Haruka, then?" You had considered asking one of the others, but none of them seemed like a good choice. You doubted you would get along with Yoshiko, going by Pacter's description of her. She probably wouldn't appreciate being asked on such short notice.
He didn't really tell you much about Minako, but what little he did made her out to be the senseless self-sacrificing type. Maybe you'd see what she was like later.
Momo sounded like the second-best choice, but you weren't so sure you would get along once she found out what you'd done. You know you wouldn't, even if you were trying to fix things.
Yuka was also a possible choice, but Pacter had expressed doubt in his ability to find her. Regardless, it would probably be best to find her on your own if you decided to meet with her.
Going by all that, Haruka seemed to be the best choice. You continued. "I'll be at the library. Let me know her response."
The tsukaima looked met your eyes. "That would be possible. I assume you want me to ask now?"
You nod. "Yes. That would be good."
[X] Look for a lead on any nearby youma.
-[X] Check the news, especially for things like a factory closing. Lots of people losing their jobs should make lots of anger, right? Or a murder, that would be promising.
It flickers in place and vanishes. Odd. You'd never seen it do that before. You look down the alleyway for a door, and quickly spot one. It's grimy, but it'll serve.
Walking up to the door, you reach out with your power—not your magic, oddly enough, but something unrelated entirely. According to Pacter, every magical girl had one. You feel out for a connection and quickly grab it, filling it with power until it temporarily overwrites what used to be there. You grab the doorknob and turn it, pulling the door open.
Rather than the interior of an abandoned building one would expect to see, the other side is a crowded hallway. You quickly step through and let the door shut behind you. The sign on it is a crudely-shaped stick figure that seems to be wearing a skirt, and a sign that looks similar but replaces the skirt with pants adorns the door on the other side of the hall.
You quickly walk down the hall, and it lets out into a room filled with book-covered shelves. This is your city's private library, and you hope to find some sign of a youma. Quickly making your way over to the computers they have for research, you find an open one and take a seat. The minutes fly by as you search the recent news for anything that looks promising.
And you find something. People have started disappearing recently, and the disappearances seem to be happening in the same general area. It's not too much, but it's a start.
Your research is cut short when Pacter reappears. Looking up at you, he begins to speak. "Amano-san has agreed to meet with you, and will be arriving shortly."
You look around, and to your surprise no one seems to notice him. You open your mouth to ask him before you realise the answer and close it. If people don't notice the youma, why would they notice him? You decide to ask him how he's able to do that later.
After a few minutes, another Pacter runs out of the crowd. You check glance back down at you feet to make sure hes still there—and he is. That would be something else to ask him about later.
Following the other Pacter is a girl around your age, maybe a year older. Her hair is black, and she's wearing a simple outfit. Upon seeing you, she turns to speak, giving a slight bow. "Ah. Are you Misugi Hiraku? I was told you wanted to meet with me."
Her voice sounds almost normal, but it seems too quiet. It's almost as if she expects to be corrected, or rebuked for asking such an obvious question. Maybe even both, despite how contradictory that would be. It's clear that something is up with her.
How do you respond?
[ ] Write in.
OOC: I'm being deliberately vague on character appearance, since I haven't found good pictures for most of the cast. I'll be more descriptive when I do.
Hmm... How intense do we come off to others? Would rather not scare her with the first words out of our mouth.
Average Weird
Hi! Let's be friends!
- Location
- -
It depends on the subject and your approach. If it's just a basic 'I heard you were also a magical girl and thought it would be a good idea to meet the others in the city', it would probably come across as business-like and direct. If it's about to hunting youma or something like that, it would be more intense.
EDIT: As it is, I'll probably leave voting open for a bit longer here. I'll be busy tomorrow, and this vote may need more discussion (unlikely as it is to happen).
Last edited:
[X] veekie
Ohthankgod. Someone else is socialing, I had no idea what to do beyond an awkward "Hi"
Ohthankgod. Someone else is socialing, I had no idea what to do beyond an awkward "Hi"