June 1985 - The Five Mountains #4
New
RomanceNinja
The Pun-isher (Official Meme Wizard)
- Location
- United Kingdom
[X] A tale of two ideologies. [+5 to the next Convince roll against Bartholomew]
-[X] Near the End of the Game, after the fight with the Dark Witch that planned to take the Storm Dragon's power for themself, the Companion Witch suggests that they take the Ritual themselves and share the Dragon's power between the two of them, the Witch arguing that the Kingdom had sent them on a suicide mission. This initiates a Boss Fight that depending on who wins, the story changes with either the Witch winning, and the Swordsman follows her idea with the story ending on the Swordsman and Witch setting out to fight the Kingdom in 'revenge' for trying to kill the both of them, or the Swordsman wins, which leads them to fight the Storm Dragon as a True Final Boss.
--[X] Keep the question of if the Kingdom really did send them to die unanswered one way or another. If the game is successful, a potential sequel could come to answer the question following, probably, the Swordsman's Ending.
[X] Perhaps there is some other reason they were killed? Write-in.
-[X] they were investigators who had managed to find out some important Intel about the crime syndicate, and were killed to silence them.
[X] The Protagonist has a mentor that gives them tips throughout the game.
-[x] An entire clan of ninjas.
--[X] Evil ninjas. [+10 to the next Argue roll against Silver]
—[X] Maybe the clan itself was the one to commission the creation of the robots to use the loophole and the robots rebelled.
---[X] they cannot act by themselves because of an ancient agreement that all clans keep, if a single one interferes, they all do, potentially starting a war due to all the secrets they have gathered throughout the years, the protagonist is a loophole, as they are not of any clan.
—-[X] they infiltrate levels and leave behind scrolls for the protagonist to find, and to keep an eye on the progress of the mission.
-[X] Near the End of the Game, after the fight with the Dark Witch that planned to take the Storm Dragon's power for themself, the Companion Witch suggests that they take the Ritual themselves and share the Dragon's power between the two of them, the Witch arguing that the Kingdom had sent them on a suicide mission. This initiates a Boss Fight that depending on who wins, the story changes with either the Witch winning, and the Swordsman follows her idea with the story ending on the Swordsman and Witch setting out to fight the Kingdom in 'revenge' for trying to kill the both of them, or the Swordsman wins, which leads them to fight the Storm Dragon as a True Final Boss.
--[X] Keep the question of if the Kingdom really did send them to die unanswered one way or another. If the game is successful, a potential sequel could come to answer the question following, probably, the Swordsman's Ending.
[X] Perhaps there is some other reason they were killed? Write-in.
-[X] they were investigators who had managed to find out some important Intel about the crime syndicate, and were killed to silence them.
[X] The Protagonist has a mentor that gives them tips throughout the game.
-[x] An entire clan of ninjas.
--[X] Evil ninjas. [+10 to the next Argue roll against Silver]
—[X] Maybe the clan itself was the one to commission the creation of the robots to use the loophole and the robots rebelled.
---[X] they cannot act by themselves because of an ancient agreement that all clans keep, if a single one interferes, they all do, potentially starting a war due to all the secrets they have gathered throughout the years, the protagonist is a loophole, as they are not of any clan.
—-[X] they infiltrate levels and leave behind scrolls for the protagonist to find, and to keep an eye on the progress of the mission.
"I..." Time slows as you take a deep breath, looking at all five of them. Annabelle who twists your expectations on what she'll do at every turn. Silver who follows only the path that would lead to their own satisfaction. Davis who lets their emotions take charge and lead them astray. Bartholomew who quietly accepts the chaos that reigns around them. Paris who shepherds them all but clearly has their own plans behind the glint in their eyes...
Air exhales from your nose as your heart calms. You're no longer in a classroom playing around with your mates, this is a world of adulthood that won't give you a second to think before it punches you in the gut. Isn't this what your father always warned you about?
Getting flustered over one game idea you thought of through one single night... That's the definition of tripping over the first hurdle on the path. Above all what you need to do now is roll with the punches.
Time resumes again. "...pick to go with Bartholomew's route. Two ideologies." Bartholomew's face lights up at the mention of you going with their choice. "But. I have some suggestions on how the game will end. One's that I'm sure Mr. Silver will be happy about."
The aforementioned curiously looks over at you, noting that this is the first time you truly ever directly called out any of their names. You recognize now that you can't be a silent observer, overlooking at the antics of these Five Mountains. You must be part of the conversation itself truly.
You adjust the beanie on your head as you continue. "As of right now, I see four characters in mind for the story of Mythic Sword. First are the two main characters of the Good Swordsman and Evil Witch. Those two childhood friends are the viewpoint the entire game is based on, and so most of the story would be them interacting with each other or with how their two different viewpoints interact with the world itself. Second is the Storm Dragon. They are the inciting incident, the reason for the journey and the end goal all in one. Third and finally is the Dark Witch. Unlike the Storm Dragon they will have a more active role to play as they create various incidents and events that the two main characters go through. They act as a way to not keep the adventure boring and to have circumstances for the two main characters to argue over."
Annabelle puts a question forward. "And how would romance fit into this dynamic?"
You stop. If only momentarily, but it happens all the same. "To be honest I do not think I have an answer for that right now Ms. Annabelle, other than for myself to try once I get to making the eventual script and planning of the game itself. But as it is something I agreed to do so I will take my best effort to incorporate it."
Taking a breath to breathe, you are immediately interrupted by Silver. "Do go on Sammy! I would love to hear what you think will entice me so much."
Prick.
You resist the urge to roll your eyes as you go into detail. "The Dark Witch has a plan to take the power of the Storm Dragon for herself with a ritual. After the two main characters defeat her near the end of the game our Witch will then bring up the possibility of using that same plan for themselves. All under the pretense that the Kingdom essentially sent them both on a suicide mission to fight the Storm Dragon. This then initiates a boss fight between the Good Swordsman and Evil Witch."
This has everyone shoot up, immediately raising questions. Surprisingly of all people it's Paris who asks first. "And who do you play as?"
...who? What does he mean by that? Wouldn't it naturally be the Swordsman-
The shine of their eyes, like star that twinkles in the night becomes apparent to you. Then you finally get what they're thinking. "Depends. I'd say the Swordsman, but both are as much main characters as the other. Perhaps the players get a choice on who to play as? Either way, you get a different ending depending on which of the two wins. Or should I call them paths? Routes? The Swordsman winning would lead to the two of them going on to fight the Storm Dragon as originally planned, following the Swordsman's ideology. The Witch winning on the other hand has the Swordsman follow her ideology, going on together to take revenge against the Kingdom that set them out in the first place. Though I'll likely be leaving the question of whether the Kingdom really sent them out to die as unanswered, something that can be answered after the game itself."
A spark of electricity runs through Silver. You've got him. "Then that would mean..."
"Correct. A sequel, or perhaps even multiple. I likely do see a sequel going down the path of the Swordsman, but there's always a possibility of seeing down the path of the Witch..."
Bartholomew holds a hand up before coughing into it. "Now now Samson, you too Silver, let's not get ahead of our selves with the idea of sequels when we are merely in the idea stage of this game."
"O-oh, right." You sheepishly stop, perhaps you did get ahead of yourself there for a moment. "But yes, that's about everything I can think for now. Well, if I want to add more to the romance, I guess there is a point to be made that the two never truly betray each other no matter which path the ending goes towards."
All Five Mountains look at each other. Silver and Bartholomew seemingly happy they got what they want. Annabelle at the least contained and satisfied on the fact that you will be working to place in the romance within this dynamic later on. Davis looks as if he has something to say, but he bites his tongue looking at the former three's expressions. Paris...
Your body instinctively shudders as you take in the face Paris makes. Their blonde hair casting a shadow over their eyes as their smile takes on a sinister form. Yet despite it all they do not say anything at all, their face going back to normal in the next second without a single other person noticing, as if he meant to show that frightening smile only to you.
"Well Samson..." R-right, you have to focus. Bartholomew is speaking to you. "It does seem that we are all in agreement here with this version of the story. What's next is something more simpler that I've been personally thinking for the last while, on the gameplay side of things. First-person or third-person?"
Davis joins in before you can make an answer, talking to Bartholomew. "Like the difference between Wizardry and Ultima. Would that be right friend of mine?"
"100% correct! To see from the perspectives of the two sets of eyes, or from up above. I much have any doubt on someone having a preference between the two here, so I'll defer to Samson's opinion. Which would you like to do out of the two?"
+5 to the next Convince roll against Silver. [Due to you adding sequel bait]
+5 to the next Convince roll against Bartholomew.
[ ] First-person. See through the eyes of your two main characters. Perhaps being able to switch between those sets of eyes may bring new perspectives to life.
[ ] Third-person. Look down on the two and the action that goes on around them from above. This will fully immerse the players on the story between these two and their interactions.
—
"Investigators, that's what the family was." You're thinking parents, but who knows what you'll choose down the line. "They got too close to discovering some sort of major truth about the international robotic criminal syndicate and got annihilated as a result."
To his own Paris takes in that information before shrugging. "That certainly works well enough as a motive to kill."
—
"Evil ninjas-"
"Ah ha!" Silver interrupts you with a triumphant laugh.
+10 to the next Arguing roll against Silver. This adds to the previous +5 making for a total of +15.
Starting again. "Evil Ninjas. An entire clan of them out of many that exist in the world. This clan cannot act by themselves because of an ancient agreement that all clans keep when it comes to confrontation. If a single one interferes, they all do. Thus potentially starting a war due to all the secrets they have gathered throughout the years. They... Perhaps have initially commissioned the creation of these robots, using them as a loophole to attack other clans without the robots technically being part of their clan. But things got out of hand as these robots discovered their sentience and chose a chance to rebel and take control. Significant reasons to get rid of them are to not let robots and then ninjas come to the public consciousness of being recognized as real threats within the world."
Annabelle taps their cheek in thought. "So in that regard the protagonist's family perhaps was rather close to spilling the beans on this type of secret society to the entire world."
"Probably." You say with a shrug. "This ties back to the Protagonist, as they are the next in the cycle to be used as a loophole to kill this evil ninja clan's enemies as they are not part of any clan. They also infiltrate levels and leave behind scrolls for the protagonist to find, as to keep an eye on the progress of the mission. Does that work as an answer to the impasse, Mr. Paris?"
"I'd say that does Mr. Samson. So it is stress that improves you?" That same sense of dread overcomes your mind as Paris continues on without even a stop to acknowledge what they said. "That puts the story in a solid-enough place that I believe we can move over to yet more of the gameplay side of things, does anyone here have anything to raise?"
"Difficulty." Silver simply says as all turn to him. "With this type of game we all know we're gonna be making an Arcade Version of it as well eventually. It's better to an intense difficulty already ingrained into the game to wring the money out of players wallets."
Davis coughs into their hand. "As much as I don't agree with Silver's choice of words, I will have to put my vote towards the meaning of them. It's just standard practice."
You watch as the other three in the room raise no objections on their own, adding this to the game quickly and efficiently.
[ ] Argue against the intense difficulty. [40% Arguing rolls for all five]
[ ] Accept the intense difficulty.
Paris holds a palm up. "Hm. This arcade talk does make me think of something. Should we have the screen auto-scroll? Not that it'd necessarily change much but it is something to bring up for the process."
Shrugs go all around at that, not exactly caring which way it goes.
Ugh. Another choice for you.
[ ] Have American Ninja be an auto-scroller.
[ ] Refuse the suggestion by Paris for American Ninja to be an auto-scroller.
Davis raises a point. "If the protagonist is going to be learning from different scrolls on their journey, then it seems like the controller on our console might not suffice to carry out its mission."
Bartholomew comes in with a response. "Unless these scrolls don't teach outright special abilities, but stuff more akin to traversal like walking on walls. Though if it's more like your point, then perhaps a pause feature to switch between different abilities.
Davis and Bartholomew look at you, not bothering to turn this into a vote for the Five Mountains.
[ ] Abilities. [+10 to the next Arguing roll against Davis.]
[ ] Traversal. [+10 to the next Arguing roll against Bartholomew.]
[ ] A mix of both abilities and traversal. [+5 to the next Arguing roll against Davis, +5 to the next Arguing roll against Bartholomew.]
[ ] Perhaps you wish to get into immediate detail? Write-in.
Then Annabelle is the last, knocking the wind out of everyone with a single sentence. "What nature are they?"
"?" "?" "?" "?" "?"
She blushes as everyone tilts their heads, nobody in the room knowing what she's talking about "I-I mean... Y'know... Like they're ninja scrolls, but how fantastical are they?"
"Ohohoho." "Thaaaaaaat makes sense!" "..." "Why didn't you say that in the first place you idiot." "Splendid Ms. Annabelle."
Suffice to say the one who stayed silent was you.
Annabelle scratches her neck. "Like are we looking at them being cybernetic, actual fantasy ninja stuff, or plain realistic?"
The old man adds one last thing. "Or demons."
"Bartholomew my friend, I will never get your fascination with that topic." Davis sighs at the older man's antics.
"Friend oh friend of mine! It is just a writing interest is all!" Though Bartholomew says that, his drunk friend yawns as if he's heard this a million times before. "All in all I can tell we have our own preferences. Do we wish for Samson to make the call here?"
"As the question asker here, I say we do!" The short woman pumps her fist to the air, though she eyes Bartholomew for what he says his preference is.
[ ] What are the origins of these scroll abilities?
-[ ] Fantastical. [+5 to the next Convince roll against Annabelle]
-[ ] Cybernetic. [+5 to the next Convince roll against Davis]
-[ ] Realistic.
-[ ] Demonic. [+5 to the next Convince roll against Bartholomew]
-[ ] Something new or a combination? Write-in.
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