[PXFIRE] Roleplay Discussion

[Neo Emolga]

I like the idea of a steampunk PMD setting! I'm only delved just a tiny bit with steampunk stuff, but it's definitely something that sounds fun to work with.

I'm thinking of going with something like this. This is really just me taking the ideas you guys laid out, tying them together, and fleshing out an RP and storyline out of it that uses a little bit of everything that everyone suggested without having contradictions.

So here goes:

Basic Premise

From what I've noticed, people are cool with playing as a Pokémon or as a humanoid. So...



Your character is natively a Pokémon, but because they're extra cool and spunky, they can temporarily take on other forms. Okay, the real reason for this is because they're an Aikon. In a steampunk world filled with humans and Pokémon, your character is a very rare type of magical warrior that comes equipped with a neat toolkit. Aikons are quite powerful, but they also like to blend in all ninja-like before they strike. Aikons are so rare and so mysterious that there's plenty of people and Pokémon that believe they don't exist and are just the stuff of fairytales.

As an Aikon, your character's true form is that of a Pokémon, BUT for combat, utility purposes, and to blend in, your character can transform into other fantasy creatures. Such as if your Aikon character is naturally a Flygon, they can return to their natural Flygon form at any time, but they might also be able to become other things such as a human, a succubus, and a minotaur. We'll go with three forms your character is familiar with. They specialized in these three alternate forms and know how to work with them, but they don't take on any more than that or else they would be diversifying themselves too much and wouldn't be too good at any one thing in particular. We could even say your first form is the form you're best at, your second form is the one you're good with, but your third is a bit rusty. So our Flygon would totally rock and convince everyone as a human, but as a minotaur, he might be a little shabby at fighting and behaving like one. You've got to choose wisely! Or we could just have it where your character is quite good at being all three forms and that's cool and fine. Your forms would also reflect the kind of Pokémon type your character is. As a human, your character would still have ground and dragon powers, attacks, magic, and special abilities. You could also imbue your weapons with these type-powers, such as a bow and arrow with draconic-powered arrows or a sword/axe that flares up with earth-shattering power or draconic energy.

The best way to think of Aikons is like kitsunes in Yokai folklore where you can shape shift forms. But, you usually want to do this in secret unless the pressure is really on. It's not something you fling around in public unless it's a life and death matter.

Storyline Thoughts

I was thinking of taking a page out of Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire). Arceus, considered to be the top dog and the big cheese of this world, is dead (we'll get to the reason for that in a bit). And Arceus never announced a heir. A powerful but corrupt dictator known only as Velge has taken over. And he used to be human, but he's used a very sick and twisted form of forbidden magic called Shadow Delve. It's very dark, powerful, and eerily unpredictable magic that was supposed to be sealed away because the ancient Aikons of old just couldn't destroy it. No one knows where it came from and it's rumored that it came out of space, but it's here now and it's causing all kinds of problems.

Velge takes on many forms. Sometimes he might be taking on the form of a giant, colossal dragon, other times an imposing armored giant, other times a swarm of giant bats and insects, and what have you. The WORST part is no one really knows how to kill him either.

At the same time, the effect of Shadow Delve is causing all kinds of blights, especially the more Velge abuses it. Humans and Pokémon near the areas where heavy Shadow Delve magic is used often get turned into hideous mutants or terrible monsters. What's even worse is these mutants and abominations can be controlled by Velge as his expendable pawns.

The Crisis

Arceus is dead and the world needs a new legendary to take the throne. A real legendary. Definitely not Velge. The only ones who want Velge in power is Velge himself, his dark emissaries, and of course, his mindless, zombie-like shadow drones. It's your objective to help support and fight for your legendary patron to rise to power and change the course of fate and destiny. However, they need you as much as you need them. They can't rise to the top without your support and by helping them, you stand to gain powerful leadership and influence as an emissary of the ruling legendary Pokémon in command. The fate of the entire world is at stake and massive change is inevitable, but you know the best outcome is by helping your patron legendary take the throne and the power to replace Arceus.

As said before, Shadow Delve, what Velge controls now, is very powerful but very unpredictable magic. Most milder forms of magic, like the ones your character uses in the form of Chronicle Art, are relatively safe. But Shadow Delve, thanks to Velge's abuse, causes anomalies that will at least mutate and disfigure humans and Pokémon, if not kill them. He doesn't care about the ugly effects and even likes the kind of unintentional chaos they cause. He'll even claim it inspires him.

There's also the situation surrounding Arceus's death. What could have killed a god so quickly and quietly? How did it happen and is there a chance it could happen again? It wasn't Velge's mess with Shadow Delve. That only started to happen afterword. And that's the mystery that's currently unanswered behind this enigmatic assassination.

Also, Shadow Delve is just ONE type of "Cataclysmic Magic" that is super-powerful but has very unpredictable effects. There are others that if used by the wrong people, could end the world or drastically change it. But for ultimate power and command, would you try to seek it out? Do you think you have what it takes to control something so unruly with the potential to recreate the world as you see fit? Velge thinks so with Shadow Velge and it has turned him into a dark god. But with no other way of killing him... is it an option you're willing to explore?

Team thoughts

Each Team will have a kind of mysterious "Chronicle Art" that only they know and each team can decide and work out what kind of thing they'd like, which would also tie in with their team theme. Possibilities include:

• Time Advancement/Reversal (making a non-biological object brand new or make it crumble with age)
• Change your typing (Like Delta species. So if you want to be a water-typed Pikachu or a Ice-typed Charizard, have fun! They would work exactly like Alolan forms)
• Ability to achieve extra evolutions (Kind of like Mega Evolution)
• The inclusion of a magic not based on Pokémon attacks/moves, so things like time magic, summoning magic, necromancy, healing magic, and things like that are fun extras you could add to your team's arsenal.
• Magic that allows your character to be seriously good at a particular trade or skill with instant results, such as instant weapon or artifact forging.

The storyline behind Chronicle Art is during ancient times, magic and the mystical races used to be EVERYWHERE and they lived, worked, and played together. And for that reason, technological advancement was slow and seldom because it wasn't really necessary. Back then, technology was pretty much glued around the medieval era because very often, magic was more powerful and more versatile even though there were plenty of folk that shunned its use (like some people don't want to use technology). But then the Soul War struck and with so much left in ruins after a lot of Cataclysmic Magic (such as Shadow Delve) being used, many people decided to rely on technology to rebuild rather than magic and it's destructive tendencies. Many of the fantasy creatures such as orcs, faeries, minotaurs, and so on decided to migrate toward other planes or even create celestial rifts to other worlds where magic would be safe to migrate. There are still some refugees and tiny colonies that exist, but they're very rare and hard to find, hence why it's mostly humans bustling around. Not to mention the mess with Shadow Delve makes those who decided to remain not want to poke out of the secret spots too often. This has been the way for the past five hundred years.

There were still some hidden pockets of society that practiced Chronicle Art throughout the years as the new age of technology rose up and built up what is now the steampunk stuff you see in the current RP setting. A new age of clockwork machines, weapons, devices, and elementary robotics has surfaced with things like airships, elementary firearms, and simple computers appearing. But when this new clockwork and steam-powered technology meets the magic of old... well, who knows what might be possible?

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That's basically what I have right now. Given, ANY of this is definitely subject to change and this is really just a kind of rough draft that gives a flavor for what's possible. Let me know what you guys think and what kind of modifications you'd like to see!