Once Upon a Time…
...there existed a great and noble empire of magic. Its grandeur was without...
...there existed a great and noble empire of magic. Its grandeur was without...
Familiar Quest (Magical Girl, Experimental Hybrid Quest/Roleplay)
- Thread starter open_sketch
- Start date
- Original
-
- Tags
- magical girl
- Created
- Status
- Ongoing
- Watchers
- 41
- Recent readers
- 0
- Location
- Ottawa
- Pronouns
- She/Her/Whatever
Once Upon a Time…
...there existed a great and noble empire of magic. Its grandeur was without compare, its art sublime, its armies undefeated and its towers radiant against the night sky, a worthy rival for the light of the moon. For a thousand years of peace and prosperity the High Queen sat upon the throne that rules the world, directing the natural arcane power of humankind for the betterment of all. It was a place beyond the reach of disease and death, the Arcadia of myth, a heaven crafted of earthly power.
But the world grew sour, and with it the empire waned. The Court of the High Queen grew cold and distant, ever more greedy for the powers of magic, taxing their subjects for the very spark of their life. For their crystalline works drew their energy from the joys and sorrows of the people, from passionate love and burning hatred, from fear, anger and dread. As the people clamoured for relief from the oppressive spectre of the Court, storming the castles and palaces, the Queen and her trusted Marshals fled through the veil of the world, and they took with them the spark of magic from the world. Our great works crumbled and the silver towers fell; humanity, separated from their magic, started anew.
Ten thousand years on, the world remains a shadow of its former glory, an unknowing tribute to our lost heritage. The malignant influence of the High Court is omnipresent, worked into every foundation and running through every wire, sapping the light from the world. Demonic constructs move in human circles, controlling our media, our politics and our law enforcement. Wars and injustice are sparked and sustained so the suffering can be bottled as tithe for our clandestine rulers.
But still, there is hope. Even after a hundred centuries the rebellion persists. Wherever it can get a solid hold, the champions of humanity strike out against the grip of the High Court, casting off the shackles that bind their magic and driving back the darkness, step by step. These champions are the Magical Girls, young women given the ability to empower themselves by Familiars, disgraced members of the High Court who have fled to Earth in the guise of animals. Each Magical Girl possesses the ability to transform into an idealized version of themselves, freed from the limitations of society or their mortal body. The long night, darkest now, fills with battle cries, the clash of swords and the sparks of magic, so that morning may come.
---
You are a Familiar. Once, you were a Marshal of the High Court, elevated above humanity and infused with arcane power. In your heart is a sliver of crystal which anchors you to the High Queen and grants you a portion of her vast power. When you served the Court, you...
[ ] Were a leader of vast armies, banners stretching to the horizon as you conquered the world in Her name.
[ ] Were a philosopher of great intellect, working to unlock the nature of magic for your Queen.
[ ] A champion of unmatched skill, who could lay an army low on their own.
[ ] A crafter of demons and constructs, for whom creating intelligences comes as easily as breathing.
[ ] An artisan, architect of the vast palaces and gleaming cities of prehistory which mankind struggles to emulate even today.
But when the High Court lost touch with humanity, you turned against it in rebellion, blackening your armour and taking up arms for the people.You were motivated in that moment by...
[ ] Outrage on behalf of the people, reintroduced to misery and mortality after a thousand years.
[ ] Regret that you participated in raising a system that would inflict such cruelty.
[ ] Fear that you would be next after the people were subdued.
[ ] Concern for your Queen, convinced her advisers were leading her astray.
[ ] Seeing a chance to consolidate power and eliminate your hated rivals.
[ ] Out of love and loyalty to one who joined the rebellion.
[ ] Knowledge that the path the Court was taking was unwise and unstable.
[ ] Dread that there was worse yet in store.
When the High Queen cast the final spell that sealed the Court away behind the veil of reality, you were forced underground, hiding in the shape of an animal. By the inscrutable laws of magic, this form represented some part of your personality, and over the thousands of years you have grown accustomed to being seen as....
[ ] A housecat.
[ ] A raven.
[ ] A dog.
[ ] A raccoon.
[ ] A snake.
[ ] A rat.
[ ] Write-in
It's been just a little over ten thousand years, and you remember every day clearly. By local reckoning, it's the year...
[ ] 1968
[ ] 1986
[ ] 1993
[ ] 2014
...and you have just arrived in a new city to start fresh. You remember what this place used to be called, long ago, but now it's known as...
[ ] San Francisco, California
[ ] Seattle, Washington
[ ] New York City
[ ] Boston, Massachusetts
[ ] Toronto, Ontario
[ ] London, England
[ ] Paris, France
[ ] Moscow, USSR/Russian Federation
[ ] Minato City, Japan
[ ] Write-In
You have just one thing left in your possession. A small, arcane artifact that, when gifted to a person, will allow them to disconnect themselves from the High Court's spells that suppress their natural magic, empowering them to take on the High Court's enforcers as equals. You can make more, once you acquire the components, but for now this is all you have. This artifact is...
[ ] A small, jewel-encrusted mirror.
[ ] A two-way radio/beeper/smart phone with a golden trim.
[ ] An intricately written scroll with a wax seal.
[ ] An elegant pen topped with a diamond.
[ ] A small silver knife with a ruby pommel.
[ ] A wrist watch with a sapphire face that acts as a screen.
[ ] A locket containing a spiral of precious gems.
[ ] A finely-crafted crystal monocle.
---
Welcome to Familiar's Quest. This will be an Experimental Quest, in more ways then one. There will be a roleplay component. It will be running on a fairly new system and many of the rules are untested. Shit may break unexpectedly at any moment. I may catch fire. Thus, I reserve the right to terminate this experiment if shit no longer makes sense.
The players here will take control of a Familiar, the little animal companions of the Magical Girls. In addition, when appropriate I will be taking submissions for potential Magical Girls from the players. These submissions must remain anonymous to other players. Those magical girls selected by the group's votes will be played by the player who submitted them in the roleplaying aspect of the game. Do not submit a Magical Girl if you are not willing to commit. You will be replaced as a player if it becomes a problem.
This game will be running on the rules and universe of Five Across the Heart, an RPG I've been writing about the intersection between magical girls and revolutionary politics. These rules are undergoing constant, intensive rewrites and playtests; you can keep up with it in my testing thread, where I post patch notes and musings as well as run playtests. If you want to know more about the setting, you can read a narrative set in it here.
...there existed a great and noble empire of magic. Its grandeur was without compare, its art sublime, its armies undefeated and its towers radiant against the night sky, a worthy rival for the light of the moon. For a thousand years of peace and prosperity the High Queen sat upon the throne that rules the world, directing the natural arcane power of humankind for the betterment of all. It was a place beyond the reach of disease and death, the Arcadia of myth, a heaven crafted of earthly power.
But the world grew sour, and with it the empire waned. The Court of the High Queen grew cold and distant, ever more greedy for the powers of magic, taxing their subjects for the very spark of their life. For their crystalline works drew their energy from the joys and sorrows of the people, from passionate love and burning hatred, from fear, anger and dread. As the people clamoured for relief from the oppressive spectre of the Court, storming the castles and palaces, the Queen and her trusted Marshals fled through the veil of the world, and they took with them the spark of magic from the world. Our great works crumbled and the silver towers fell; humanity, separated from their magic, started anew.
Ten thousand years on, the world remains a shadow of its former glory, an unknowing tribute to our lost heritage. The malignant influence of the High Court is omnipresent, worked into every foundation and running through every wire, sapping the light from the world. Demonic constructs move in human circles, controlling our media, our politics and our law enforcement. Wars and injustice are sparked and sustained so the suffering can be bottled as tithe for our clandestine rulers.
But still, there is hope. Even after a hundred centuries the rebellion persists. Wherever it can get a solid hold, the champions of humanity strike out against the grip of the High Court, casting off the shackles that bind their magic and driving back the darkness, step by step. These champions are the Magical Girls, young women given the ability to empower themselves by Familiars, disgraced members of the High Court who have fled to Earth in the guise of animals. Each Magical Girl possesses the ability to transform into an idealized version of themselves, freed from the limitations of society or their mortal body. The long night, darkest now, fills with battle cries, the clash of swords and the sparks of magic, so that morning may come.
---
You are a Familiar. Once, you were a Marshal of the High Court, elevated above humanity and infused with arcane power. In your heart is a sliver of crystal which anchors you to the High Queen and grants you a portion of her vast power. When you served the Court, you...
[ ] Were a leader of vast armies, banners stretching to the horizon as you conquered the world in Her name.
[ ] Were a philosopher of great intellect, working to unlock the nature of magic for your Queen.
[ ] A champion of unmatched skill, who could lay an army low on their own.
[ ] A crafter of demons and constructs, for whom creating intelligences comes as easily as breathing.
[ ] An artisan, architect of the vast palaces and gleaming cities of prehistory which mankind struggles to emulate even today.
But when the High Court lost touch with humanity, you turned against it in rebellion, blackening your armour and taking up arms for the people.You were motivated in that moment by...
[ ] Outrage on behalf of the people, reintroduced to misery and mortality after a thousand years.
[ ] Regret that you participated in raising a system that would inflict such cruelty.
[ ] Fear that you would be next after the people were subdued.
[ ] Concern for your Queen, convinced her advisers were leading her astray.
[ ] Seeing a chance to consolidate power and eliminate your hated rivals.
[ ] Out of love and loyalty to one who joined the rebellion.
[ ] Knowledge that the path the Court was taking was unwise and unstable.
[ ] Dread that there was worse yet in store.
When the High Queen cast the final spell that sealed the Court away behind the veil of reality, you were forced underground, hiding in the shape of an animal. By the inscrutable laws of magic, this form represented some part of your personality, and over the thousands of years you have grown accustomed to being seen as....
[ ] A housecat.
[ ] A raven.
[ ] A dog.
[ ] A raccoon.
[ ] A snake.
[ ] A rat.
[ ] Write-in
It's been just a little over ten thousand years, and you remember every day clearly. By local reckoning, it's the year...
[ ] 1968
[ ] 1986
[ ] 1993
[ ] 2014
...and you have just arrived in a new city to start fresh. You remember what this place used to be called, long ago, but now it's known as...
[ ] San Francisco, California
[ ] Seattle, Washington
[ ] New York City
[ ] Boston, Massachusetts
[ ] Toronto, Ontario
[ ] London, England
[ ] Paris, France
[ ] Moscow, USSR/Russian Federation
[ ] Minato City, Japan
[ ] Write-In
You have just one thing left in your possession. A small, arcane artifact that, when gifted to a person, will allow them to disconnect themselves from the High Court's spells that suppress their natural magic, empowering them to take on the High Court's enforcers as equals. You can make more, once you acquire the components, but for now this is all you have. This artifact is...
[ ] A small, jewel-encrusted mirror.
[ ] A two-way radio/beeper/smart phone with a golden trim.
[ ] An intricately written scroll with a wax seal.
[ ] An elegant pen topped with a diamond.
[ ] A small silver knife with a ruby pommel.
[ ] A wrist watch with a sapphire face that acts as a screen.
[ ] A locket containing a spiral of precious gems.
[ ] A finely-crafted crystal monocle.
---
Welcome to Familiar's Quest. This will be an Experimental Quest, in more ways then one. There will be a roleplay component. It will be running on a fairly new system and many of the rules are untested. Shit may break unexpectedly at any moment. I may catch fire. Thus, I reserve the right to terminate this experiment if shit no longer makes sense.
The players here will take control of a Familiar, the little animal companions of the Magical Girls. In addition, when appropriate I will be taking submissions for potential Magical Girls from the players. These submissions must remain anonymous to other players. Those magical girls selected by the group's votes will be played by the player who submitted them in the roleplaying aspect of the game. Do not submit a Magical Girl if you are not willing to commit. You will be replaced as a player if it becomes a problem.
This game will be running on the rules and universe of Five Across the Heart, an RPG I've been writing about the intersection between magical girls and revolutionary politics. These rules are undergoing constant, intensive rewrites and playtests; you can keep up with it in my testing thread, where I post patch notes and musings as well as run playtests. If you want to know more about the setting, you can read a narrative set in it here.
Magical Girl Submissions are currently closed.
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- Location
- Ottawa
- Pronouns
- She/Her/Whatever
Empathy: 2
Charisma: 1
Intelligence: 4
Resolve: 2
Dread 1
Emotional Profile
Driving Emotion: Dread
I'll be filling out your Emotional Profile based on your reactions to events.
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Allure
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Awe
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Flying: You're a bird, so you can fly. +1 to rolls related to surveillance.
Spellcrafter: You have an understanding of magic like few others. +1 when investigating magical events or crafting Rituals.
Summoner: You know the ins and outs of creating reliable and loyal Demons and maintaining them. Demon creation and maintenance costs are reduced.
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- Location
- Ottawa
- Pronouns
- She/Her/Whatever
Magical Girl Profiles
No magical girls yet recruited!
Inventory
25 Mana
State of the City
How things are doing in London. You change these with your actions and inactions.
Positivity: 0
General civilian morale. Get this high for XP bonuses and to be a good person.
Control: +25
How much control the High Court has. Get this low to drive them out.
Infrastructure: +50
How much active magical machinery is draining people's Emotions. You get half of this every turn as Mana, but it'll also drain Positivity back to 0 by 10% of it's value every turn.
Alertness: 0
How much effort human authorities are spending fighting "terrorism". The higher it is, the more and worse the cops will be.
Wildness: +40
How bad the malicious Wild Demon situation is.
Map
There's nothing on it because you've uncovered nothing! With victories and research you can start filling it in with events, controlled territory, and knowledge.
No magical girls yet recruited!
Inventory
25 Mana
State of the City
How things are doing in London. You change these with your actions and inactions.
Positivity: 0
General civilian morale. Get this high for XP bonuses and to be a good person.
Control: +25
How much control the High Court has. Get this low to drive them out.
Infrastructure: +50
How much active magical machinery is draining people's Emotions. You get half of this every turn as Mana, but it'll also drain Positivity back to 0 by 10% of it's value every turn.
Alertness: 0
How much effort human authorities are spending fighting "terrorism". The higher it is, the more and worse the cops will be.
Wildness: +40
How bad the malicious Wild Demon situation is.
Map
There's nothing on it because you've uncovered nothing! With victories and research you can start filling it in with events, controlled territory, and knowledge.
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Anondylar
Lazy Tortoise
- Location
- Procrastinationville
[X] Were a philosopher of great intellect, working to unlock the nature of magic for your Queen.
[X] Fear that you would be next after the people were subdued.
[X] A rat.
[X] 2014.
[X] Moscow, USSR/Russian Federation.
[X] A small silver knife with a ruby pommel.
Philosopher rat out for himself!
[X] Fear that you would be next after the people were subdued.
[X] A rat.
[X] 2014.
[X] Moscow, USSR/Russian Federation.
[X] A small silver knife with a ruby pommel.
Philosopher rat out for himself!
Karlito
Bzzzzzzzzzzzzz!
[X] An artisan, architect of the vast palaces and gleaming cities of prehistory which mankind struggles to emulate even today.
[X] Knowledge that the path the Court was taking was unwise and unstable.
[X] A raccoon.
[X] 2014
[X] Seattle, Washington
[X] A two-way radio/beeper/smart phone with a golden trim.
Raccoon familiar best familiar.
[X] Knowledge that the path the Court was taking was unwise and unstable.
[X] A raccoon.
[X] 2014
[X] Seattle, Washington
[X] A two-way radio/beeper/smart phone with a golden trim.
Raccoon familiar best familiar.
Scify
It always starts with a lighthouse.
[X] Were a philosopher of great intellect, working to unlock the nature of magic for your Queen.
[X] Dread that there was worse yet in store.
[X] Fossa
[X] 1986
[X] Toronto, Ontario
[X] A wrist watch with a sapphire face that acts as a screen.
This will clearly be awesome*.
*For all possible meanings of awesome.
EDIT: Changed to Fossa, because that's really cool.
[X] Dread that there was worse yet in store.
[X] Fossa
[X] 1986
[X] Toronto, Ontario
[X] A wrist watch with a sapphire face that acts as a screen.
This will clearly be awesome*.
*For all possible meanings of awesome.
EDIT: Changed to Fossa, because that's really cool.
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Kosjurake
The Wildest of Ronins
- Location
- Tokyo LOCCENT
[X] A champion of unmatched skill, who could lay an army low on their own.
[X] Outrage on behalf of the people, reintroduced to misery and mortality after a thousand years.
[X] A housecat.
[X] 2014
[X] Moscow, USSR/Russian Federation
[X] A small silver knife with a ruby pommel.
[X] Outrage on behalf of the people, reintroduced to misery and mortality after a thousand years.
[X] A housecat.
[X] 2014
[X] Moscow, USSR/Russian Federation
[X] A small silver knife with a ruby pommel.
Jace911
Spider-Dork
- Location
- The Gold-Bricking State
ThatGazzer
Minds Eye Bind
- Location
- PNW
- Pronouns
- They/Them
[X] Were a leader of vast armies, banners stretching to the horizon as you conquered the world in Her name.
[X] Outrage on behalf of the people, reintroduced to misery and mortality after a thousand years.
[X] A raven.
[X] 1986
[X] London, England
[X] A small silver knife with a ruby pommel.
Okay, theory time, I may be totally wrong:
You may not notice, but we're making the barebones of our First Magical Girl, as our guy (Imma call him Gilgamesh) uses his shard of power to awaken the girl in question. That influences what kind of girl he's gonna pick, cause fuckin sympathetic magic, you guys. Like calls to like.
And I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm henging my bets to my favorite set. Magical Gurrl. Punk Rock was on the rise in London at the time, Rage is perfect because reasons and Leader means our Dude is super charismatic. Good at the talking. Relationships are important you guys.
[X] Outrage on behalf of the people, reintroduced to misery and mortality after a thousand years.
[X] A raven.
[X] 1986
[X] London, England
[X] A small silver knife with a ruby pommel.
Okay, theory time, I may be totally wrong:
You may not notice, but we're making the barebones of our First Magical Girl, as our guy (Imma call him Gilgamesh) uses his shard of power to awaken the girl in question. That influences what kind of girl he's gonna pick, cause fuckin sympathetic magic, you guys. Like calls to like.
And I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm henging my bets to my favorite set. Magical Gurrl. Punk Rock was on the rise in London at the time, Rage is perfect because reasons and Leader means our Dude is super charismatic. Good at the talking. Relationships are important you guys.
- Location
- Ottawa
- Pronouns
- She/Her/Whatever
Just note your familiar doesn't need to be a dude, of course...
The Bird
tEM IS GUD...RITER!
- Location
- In that den of villains and scum, OKLAHOMA
[X] A crafter of demons and constructs, for whom creating intelligences comes as easily as breathing.
[X] Dread that there was worse yet in store.
[X] A raven.
[X] 2014
[X] London, England
[X] A locket containing a spiral of precious gems.
Raven is a must. We shall forever be, named Nevermore.
[X] Dread that there was worse yet in store.
[X] A raven.
[X] 2014
[X] London, England
[X] A locket containing a spiral of precious gems.
Raven is a must. We shall forever be, named Nevermore.
Are we gonna do voting-by-plan or voting-by-line-item for these?
ThatGazzer
Minds Eye Bind
- Location
- PNW
- Pronouns
- They/Them
I know, it started out as a generic Dude, but then I was like
"I wanna call them by a cool name."
So now, until it is made otherwise, they are a dude in my head.
Karlito
Bzzzzzzzzzzzzz!
I think line-item is probably appropriate, basically any combination of options is valid.
- Location
- Third planet from the star named Sol
- Pronouns
- He/They
[X] Were a leader of vast armies, banners stretching to the horizon as you conquered the world in Her name.
[X] Outrage on behalf of the people, reintroduced to misery and mortality after a thousand years.
[X] A raven.
[X] 2014
[X] London, England
[X] A small silver knife with a ruby pommel.
[X] Outrage on behalf of the people, reintroduced to misery and mortality after a thousand years.
[X] A raven.
[X] 2014
[X] London, England
[X] A small silver knife with a ruby pommel.
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Pandemonious Ivy
Panties, Revolution. Big Drawers. Parachute.
[X] A champion of unmatched skill, who could lay an army low on their own.
[X] Dread that there was worse yet in store.
[X] A Giant Asian Hornet
[X] 2014
[X] Toronto, Ontario
[X] A locket containing a spiral of precious gems.
I'm calling this one, the Khepri build. Yes.
Edit: If I changed the animal to a bird, it could work as a Thorburn. Hmm, unnecessary fiction connections ftw
[X] Dread that there was worse yet in store.
[X] A Giant Asian Hornet
[X] 2014
[X] Toronto, Ontario
[X] A locket containing a spiral of precious gems.
I'm calling this one, the Khepri build. Yes.
Edit: If I changed the animal to a bird, it could work as a Thorburn. Hmm, unnecessary fiction connections ftw
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- Location
- Ottawa
- Pronouns
- She/Her/Whatever
(I will be using line-item unless there is some overwhelming plan.)
MysteriousOldGuy
MOG is a good shorthand, as well.
[X] A champion of unmatched skill, who could lay an army low on their own.
[X] Dread that there was worse yet in store.
[X] A housecat.
[X] 2014
[X] New York City
[X] A small silver knife with a ruby pommel.
[X] Dread that there was worse yet in store.
[X] A housecat.
[X] 2014
[X] New York City
[X] A small silver knife with a ruby pommel.
[x] Were a philosopher of great intellect, working to unlock the nature of magic for your Queen.
hated rivals.
[x] Knowledge that the path the Court was taking was unwise and unstable.
[x] A raven.
[x] 2014
[x] San Francisco, California*
[x] A finely-crafted crystal monocle.
Now this is a character I can role-play.
Also, it's been noted that our animal form says something about us, so we should choose an animal based on its classical association wisely. Further, for the first two options, I based on wanting abilities which are still useful when we are stuck as an animal.
EDIT: *I should note that few live within the city itself, but instead in the communities surrounding it (the north bay, the east bay, or the peninsula).
hated rivals.
[x] Knowledge that the path the Court was taking was unwise and unstable.
[x] A raven.
[x] 2014
[x] San Francisco, California*
[x] A finely-crafted crystal monocle.
Now this is a character I can role-play.
Also, it's been noted that our animal form says something about us, so we should choose an animal based on its classical association wisely. Further, for the first two options, I based on wanting abilities which are still useful when we are stuck as an animal.
EDIT: *I should note that few live within the city itself, but instead in the communities surrounding it (the north bay, the east bay, or the peninsula).
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ThatGazzer
Minds Eye Bind
- Location
- PNW
- Pronouns
- They/Them
Plus, you know, talking ravens don't turn as many heads.
Those fuckers are smart.
Shadows
Sacred Priestess of the Benevolent Dice Gods
- Location
- USS Civilian, DDG-214
- Pronouns
- She/Her
[X] A crafter of demons and constructs, for whom creating intelligences comes as easily as breathing.
[X] Fear that you would be next after the people were subdued.
[X] A timber wolf
[X] 2014
[X] London, England
[X] A wrist watch with a sapphire face that acts as a screen.
I could get behind this one.
[X] Fear that you would be next after the people were subdued.
[X] A timber wolf
[X] 2014
[X] London, England
[X] A wrist watch with a sapphire face that acts as a screen.
I could get behind this one.
- Location
- in the trash
[X] An artisan, architect of the vast palaces and gleaming cities of prehistory which mankind struggles to emulate even today.
[X] Outrage on behalf of the people, reintroduced to misery and mortality after a thousand years.
[X] A rabbit
[X] 2014
[X] New York City
[X] A locket containing a spiral of precious gems.
[X] Outrage on behalf of the people, reintroduced to misery and mortality after a thousand years.
[X] A rabbit
[X] 2014
[X] New York City
[X] A locket containing a spiral of precious gems.