Onigashima
Hey OC gang who wants to assemble a mecha cast based on a dream I had
Onigashima
Being a dream I only have vibes, not a coherent world or story, but I think it has some potential
Onigashima
in random order:
Onigashima
- Magical super robot fantasy hidden inside of realtype mecha drama
Onigashima
Most of the world is conventional technology weapons but a few secret groups have mecha that are deadass magic
Villain
Onigashima
- Witches VS Necromancers
Onigashima
The good guy organization is a group called the Witch Knights
tutorials georg
oh cool!
Onigashima
which is also the name of their mech type
ғᴏxʏᴍᴏʀᴏɴ
you had me at knights
Onigashima
the villain is an all-powerful necromancer who runs a secret society that rules the world from the shadows
Onigashima
- Classism
Onigashima
The antagonists are opulent decadent ultra-ultra-rich sociopaths who are immune to the rules of society and can never be held accountable for their crimes by any mundane process
Onigashima
The heroes are scrabby nobodies on the fringes of society
Onigashima
scrappy*
Onigashima
- The protagonist is a hot-blooded homeless heroic dumbass who found a Witch Knight in a dumpster
Onigashima
who doesn't know jack about shit but has a pure and furious heart that's optimal for wielding witch magic
Onigashima
the Witch Knights do not initially recognize her as a member because she just found one instead of joining the society but desperate times make for unlikely allies
ғᴏxʏᴍᴏʀᴏɴ
may I offer a few ideas based on this
Onigashima
- The necromancers manipulate society to brand Witch Knights as enemies of humanity but the people gradually shift to be on their side as the sins of their masters become more overt
Onigashima
Onigashima
vibes somewhere between gurren lagann cour 1, rayearth, g-witch, and gundam 00s2
ғᴏxʏᴍᴏʀᴏɴ
if she found the witch knight in a dumpster, this has a few implications!
first, that witch knights have some manner of like... storage mode that shrinks them down into a manageable size for day to day stuff
Onigashima
with the Necromancers standing in for the Innovaors
Onigashima
the dumpster isn't necessarily literal
Onigashima
but do go on
ғᴏxʏᴍᴏʀᴏɴ
I am imagining like a gauntlet or glove deal that summons the witch knight out of the ether when needed
Onigashima
oh that's baller
Onigashima
a henshin device but it summons a magical robot knight
ғᴏxʏᴍᴏʀᴏɴ
with the gauntlet being identical to the witch knight's arm/hand
Onigashima
dramatic cut-in animation of the hero donning the glove and holding her hand skyward
ғᴏxʏᴍᴏʀᴏɴ
possibly it doesn't have to be a gauntlet but it is a human-sized Part Of The Witch Knight, symbolic of the bond between human and mecha
Onigashima
the overall shape of the setting is like a Gundam series, high-tech Earth and space colonies and wars between armies of humanoid robots in space
Onigashima
with the Witch Knights fighting for their own goals within the ongoing war and the Necromancers manipulating both sides from the shadows
Onigashima
open questions
Princess Emily
this fucks
Princess Emily
that isn't a question
Onigashima
- What are witches? What are their powers?
ғᴏxʏᴍᴏʀᴏɴ
my other idea is
Onigashima
^ 1
Onigashima
2. Where did the Necromancers come from? What are they doing with their necromancy?
Onigashima
3. What's the ongoing war about, on the surface? What purpose does it serve for the Necromancers?
Onigashima
was going to ask "what's the goal of the Necromancers" but that's answered by them being obscenely wealthy
Onigashima
their goal is to have more
Onigashima
then keep it
Onigashima
and make sure nobody else's life ever improves
ғᴏxʏᴍᴏʀᴏɴ
the Witch Knights' first, most basic, and greatest magic
is the ability to create a battlefield when a fight begins- a dimension which resembles the location the fight began, but with no civilians, and preventing damage to the real world
Onigashima
I'm leaning a bit against that one because it clashes with the whole element of the secret fight inside a broader ongoing war
ғᴏxʏᴍᴏʀᴏɴ
possibly this spell which keeps civilians safe is a big thing the necromancers hate.
Onigashima
battles should be chaotic and have high stakes
ғᴏxʏᴍᴏʀᴏɴ
because fewer bodies to do necromancy to
Onigashima
but I could be persuaded
ғᴏxʏᴍᴏʀᴏɴ
that's fair
Onigashima
4. How did protag-chan get a Witch Knight? why was it thrown away. is the owner dead
ғᴏxʏᴍᴏʀᴏɴ
my thought there was less chaotic battle and more like. Knightly duels.
Onigashima
maybe it's a thing they can do but only for one on one battles
ғᴏxʏᴍᴏʀᴏɴ
perhaps it only functions for 1v1 duels.
Onigashima
so like, if an enemy army is coming
Onigashima
you have to get in there
ғᴏxʏᴍᴏʀᴏɴ
same brain
Onigashima
and get dirty
Onigashima
and protect the innocent
Onigashima
but if one Necrodeus is on the battlefield and it's going to harvest the souls of a city
Onigashima
you challenge it to a witch's duel
ғᴏxʏᴍᴏʀᴏɴ
yeah
but if a necromancer just picks up an entire graveyard to make the ultimate sixty-story skelemech
ғᴏxʏᴍᴏʀᴏɴ
yes
Onigashima
Necrodeus is the name of a kirby boss but I still want to use it for necromancer personal mecha
ғᴏxʏᴍᴏʀᴏɴ
... perhaps
the witch knight protag has originally belonged to someone who fought a witch's duel to a draw
ғᴏxʏᴍᴏʀᴏɴ
killed the horrible enemy, but died in the process themselves
Onigashima
I think ideally
ғᴏxʏᴍᴏʀᴏɴ
thus, the witch knight gauntlet fell where the person died in the duel dimension
Onigashima
the previous owner of the WK was a super awesome kickass gigahero
Onigashima
so that the people who loved her low key resent protag at first and she has huge boots to fill
Princess Emily
or maybe big hero-chan died losing to one of the Big Bads of the series
Princess Emily
and the Big Bad took the gauntlet
Princess Emily
so the fact dumpster gremlin even FOUND it is very Sus
Princess Emily
very Are You A Spy
Onigashima
which would raise an extra question
Princess Emily
sure there are questions around the how there but that just makes the plot more compelling
Onigashima
of how did it get from the villain's hand to the dumpster
ғᴏxʏᴍᴏʀᴏɴ
... character concept forming
Princess Emily
it's a question that can be figured out tho
Onigashima
yeah
ғᴏxʏᴍᴏʀᴏɴ
a witch knight spy working as a servant for the biggest, most evil necromancer
ғᴏxʏᴍᴏʀᴏɴ
who found that gauntlet as a trophy
Onigashima
naming the protag Isobel
ғᴏxʏᴍᴏʀᴏɴ
and despite it risking their cover, could not allow the witch knight hero to be there as a trophy, so she took it and threw it out with intent to go recover it
ғᴏxʏᴍᴏʀᴏɴ
as soon as villain's eyes were elsewhere
ғᴏxʏᴍᴏʀᴏɴ
and then oops
Onigashima
and the head necromancer Cosimo
Onigashima
going off lists of famous witches and occulltists respectively from history
Onigashima
Onigashima
Onigashima
worldbuilding options: the origins of witchcraft and necromancy, the political landscape of the earth sphere, the origins of the witch knights as a power schema and organization, what mundane mecha are like
Onigashima
NPC options: the ex-owner of Isobel's WK, fleshing out Cosimo, more Necromancers
Onigashima
PC options: The Witch Knights
Onigashima
what about a naming scheme of "characters based on real or fictional witches, WKs based on real or fictional knights"
ғᴏxʏᴍᴏʀᴏɴ
sounds good
ғᴏxʏᴍᴏʀᴏɴ
also
ғᴏxʏᴍᴏʀᴏɴ
the hero who died could be named Joan
after Joan of arc, since she was burned as a witch
Onigashima
done
Onigashima
the obvious name of the protag WK would be something based on Arthur but I don't think I'm going for itt
ғᴏxʏᴍᴏʀᴏɴ
Bradamante
Onigashima
done
ғᴏxʏᴍᴏʀᴏɴ
the matter of France is also good
Princess Emily
I think I have my own character idea floating in my head, gotta solidify it more, but since we opened pandora's box with naming bad guys after occultists,
character name: Alessi Cagliostro
Onigashima
Isobel, inheriting the gauntlet of Bradamante from Joan after she was slain by Cosimo
Onigashima
Isobel's rallying cry is "you're a human, but the victims of your crimes are also human"
Onigashima
"I love everyone and that's why I can't forgive what you've done do others"
Onigashima
just hits back against all the political doubletalk and word games with "you're killing 80,000 people and it literally doesn't matter what you say about itt"
Onigashima
"you may be above the law but you aren't above me"
連続犬
I'm into this idea
Onigashima
question 5: can boys/enbies be witches
Onigashima
or is it a specifically female power
ғᴏxʏᴍᴏʀᴏɴ
historically, anyone can be a witch
Onigashima
my main mental image reference for the Witch Knights visual aesthetic is https://images.plurk.com/21U8RfQSqe1Q9jbqdDE9JS.png
Onigashima
typically female but not always
Onigashima
I think my biggest open question right now is
Onigashima
what necromancy are they doing
Onigashima
why did I make them necromancers
Onigashima
are they keeping humanity in a state of endless war in order to harvest the souls of dead soldiers
連続犬
undead labor is technically the cheapest labor
連続犬
that's a shitpost but also it isnt
Onigashima
the necromancer societyt IS secret
Onigashima
but corpses piloting mecha as their personal guard is strong
ғᴏxʏᴍᴏʀᴏɴ
corpses piloting mecha, who retain the skills they had in life but none of the free will
Onigashima
they just keep track of major aces in wars, wait for them to die
Onigashima
and then get em
連続犬
here's a question: if it's a secret society, are there different levels to which the necromancers' undead minions can 'pass' in society?
Onigashima
the masses just being used as necrotic power
Onigashima
that's a good question!
Onigashima
my current model is the Innovators model - every time there's a meeting of major powers, there's always a secret necromancer in the room
Onigashima
it's usually the guy next to the top
Onigashima
and the actual undead they use in secret or in mecha where people can't see the pilo
Onigashima
t
ғᴏxʏᴍᴏʀᴏɴ
concept:
the duel dimension's primary purpose is to protect civilians and make sure there are no innocents hurt by their battle
the secondary purpose is that, should the witch lose, the duel dimension consumes their body so that necromancers cannot use them
ғᴏxʏᴍᴏʀᴏɴ
a simultaneous show of concern, and resolve
ғᴏxʏᴍᴏʀᴏɴ
(this is why cosimo kept the gauntlet as a trophy and not having joan and bradamante as his personal guard)
Onigashima
I'm waffling on this means it usually desroys the WK as well
Onigashima
points in favor of destroy: the Necromancers can't steal their weapons, higher stakes
Onigashima
points against: the witches can't reuse WKs most of the time, necromancers probably consider witchcraft beneath them
Onigashima
evil organization name, Necropolis
Onigashima
they have an invisible evil space city where they live as gods surrounded by undead servants
連続犬
my general thoughts re: undead servants basically boil down to like
Onigashima
they're so evil that the only way they can get direct followers is to kill them and revive them as mindless drones
連続犬
how Mass Effect 1 (and to a lesser extent 2) treated Reaper Indoctrination
ғᴏxʏᴍᴏʀᴏɴ
potential idea: it's meant to destroy the WK
cosimo's fight with joan was field testing cosimo's new necromantic spell to basically tear apart the duel field to let him keep the spoils
it halfway succeeded, but it still lets him keep witch knights and he can refine it to let him keep the bodies of the witches
Onigashima
the final arc being an assault on the necropolis, a big frantic battle with everyone, then a final witch's duel between Isobel and Cosimo
ғᴏxʏᴍᴏʀᴏɴ
the duel field has been the witch knights' one major advantage until now, and cosimo is very systematically tearing that advantage apart
Onigashima
the secret god-king of humanity who can tear down and reshape society at his whim
Onigashima
against a hobo with a cool glove
Onigashima
ғᴏxʏᴍᴏʀᴏɴ I like this a lot
Onigashima
it's the time pressure
Onigashima
Necropolis has ruled the world for a while, but they're actively in the process of erasing one of their last remaining weaknesses
Princess Emily
I bet that the greatest necromancer guy is also
Princess Emily
actually undead, a lich,
ғᴏxʏᴍᴏʀᴏɴ
nods! once all of this is complete, they will have no weaknesses, and then the longer it goes on, the more unshakable their grasp will be forever because they will accumulate more and more powerful servants, of witches who challenged them
Onigashima
a major character hook up for grabs is
Princess Emily
which isn't supposed to be a thing necromancers do in this setting so it can be uniquely badass
Onigashima
the leader of the Witch Knights
Onigashima
Princess Emily I like it, added
Princess Emily
my character hook is "necromancer that changes sides"
Onigashima
necromancers are generally speaking mortal
Onigashima
you can't just channel necrotic energy and live forever
Onigashima
so Cosimo is unique in that he became so powerful he was able to resurrect himself
Onigashima
and just keep going
Onigashima
passes for human 100% but the more power he expends the more undead he looks
ғᴏxʏᴍᴏʀᴏɴ
i am thinking Ursula for the witch knight acting as a spy in cosimo's lair
and her mecha, Boudica
連続犬
The hook I'm feeling basically boils down to "Witch Knight who got captured and whose resulting capture lead to Necropolis discovering a weakness in the Dueling Ground"
ғᴏxʏᴍᴏʀᴏɴ
she's acting as like, a simple maid or something, presumably cosimo has some living servants in addition to the corpses
連続犬
"Broke out but probably is using some fucked up power that they had to use to escape in the first place now"
Onigashima
yeah living humans are more useful when he has to interact with society
Onigashima
you don't have to waste resources hiding their true nature
Onigashima
next question I want to focus on is the nature of the Witch Knights
Onigashima
I think witchcraft is ancient but Witch Knights are relatively new
Onigashima
the group is either new or a modern successor to an ancient order
Onigashima
WK is a synthesis of modern technology and witchcraft
Onigashima
taking mech design principles and using them to guide spellcraft
Onigashima
so a human invented Witch Knihts
Onigashima
Knights
Onigashima
and that person is probably one of the founding members
Onigashima
so we have three initial Witch Knights confirmed
Onigashima
the leader, the inventor, and Joan
Onigashima
Isobel never becomes the leader, she's just the charismatic tip of the spear
Onigashima
she doesn't know how to strategize
Onigashima
or run an organization
Onigashima
the leader makes the plan, Isobel does the speeches
Onigashima
defending and adhering to the plan with absolute confidence in the person who planned it
Onigashima
Isobel is very loud
Onigashima
that I strongly remember from the dream
Onigashima
I was gonna say "Isobel needs a rival" but honestly half the Witch Knights are probably Isobel rivals in various senses of the word
Onigashima
so what is Witchcraft? who can use it? what are its limitations?
Onigashima
we know it comes from the heart
Onigashima
it's valor compatible
Onigashima
Necromancers either don't or can't use it
連続犬
A question to maybe answer that question is- yeah
Onigashima
I don't want it to be bloodline-based for obvious reasons
連続犬
why don't/can't Necromancers use Witchcraft, and why does it work against them
Onigashima
I think anyone has to be able to become a witch
Princess Emily
Well, if I'm playing a necromancer that changes sides, I think we need to nail down if necromancy and witchcraft are mutually exclusive,
Onigashima
even a pure of heart, dumb of ass girl who got crushed in the uncaring gears of capitalism and left without a home
Onigashima
well, let's consider our options
Echo
I'm thinking of it as kind of like, say, artistic talent- anyone can in theory become an artist with practice and effort, some people find it comes more naturally to them but anyone can do it.
Princess Emily
(also a necromancer that changes sides is an ideal actual Rival Character)
Onigashima
Option 1: Witchcraft and Necromancy are both kinds of magic, that anyone can learn
Onigashima
You can be talented or can study hard, and both are just tools
Onigashima
Option 2: Witchcraft is good and Necromancy is evil, and the powersets are based on your heart and are mutually exclusive
Onigashima
A bit heavy-handed and absolutist
Onigashima
you shouldn't be able to empirically measure evil
Echo
Also, please consider: Witch Knight mecha frames have a power-saving "familiar mode" they go into when not in battle, where they look like cute little robot cats or clockwork crows or what have you.
Onigashima
YES Echo
Onigashima
1000% done
Echo
This is how the one our main character found fit in a dumpster, it was in kitty form.
Onigashima
Option 3: Witchcraft and Necromancy have different fundamental natures
Onigashima
one could bee a learned skill and the other a bloodline-inherited power
Princess Emily
maybe witchcraft is the anybody can do it magic
and necromancy is the only some people can do it magic
so therefore necromancers view themselves as superior
Echo
Maybe necromancy is inherited while witchcraft is learned- yeah.
Onigashima
I like necromancy as inherited, it ties into the themes
Princess Emily
it does
Onigashima
you can only be powerful if you were born into their inner circle
Onigashima
but Cosimo refuses to have kids
Onigashima
why should someone else benefit from his power
Onigashima
it's his
Onigashima
I think witchcraft is older than necromancy
Onigashima
it's something inherent to humanity
Echo
I suspect it would be possible for a necromancer to also learn witchcraft, but largely redundant.
Onigashima
the power to resist and revolt
Princess Emily
Echo : prolly where my character is going though
Onigashima
by its nature it is drawn to the weak
Onigashima
to enable them to oppose the strong
Onigashima
so it's very hard for necromancers to be witches because they're already incredibly powerful
Onigashima
socially and physically
Echo
Oh yeah, seems reasonable. I'm just thinking it'd result in less "double super magic" and more "you know what I think witchcraft is more moral and I'm doing that instead now"- oooh or that, that works.
Onigashima
but if you betray the necromancers and are cast out of their castle
Onigashima
then suddenly witchcraft is easier
Echo
Also, I have a strong mental image of the inventor who helped found the Witch Knights, for some reason.
ғᴏxʏᴍᴏʀᴏɴ
concept: the very first necromancer was a witch, necromancy was witchcraft that got warped over time
because the rich only have power that comes from the masses
Onigashima
either that or someone powerful who found a way to extract power from witches
Onigashima
because the peasantry had something that he didn't
Princess Emily
I mean if they're necromancers, and EVERYBODY has the potential for witchcraft, then
ғᴏxʏᴍᴏʀᴏɴ
nods
Echo
Please imagine: lady in a cool suit, wheelchair-bound, extremely long hair. Also, she has a bunch of familiar-mode robots around her all the time, drone-style.
Onigashima
they have the potential but it's very unlikely to awaken while they rule the world
Princess Emily
converting to undead = gaining their potential witchcraft as necromancy
Onigashima
oh I see
Onigashima
Echo this sounds like a good aesthetic for a witch leader
Princess Emily
converting large amounts of normal people still gives you some potential magical energy,
converting an actual witch is much better though
Echo
I'm thinking either rats or bees for her drones. Probably rats.
Echo
Name might be Hamelin, she's got a sort of odd "Pied Piper, benevolent version" thing going on.
Onigashima
so everyone has magic within them
載入新的回覆