Night Falls on Yensid - plot role info

[powersthatbe]

If you are not a plot infiltrator or someone with IC reasons to share knowledge available to plot infiltrators, please do not read the comments of this post.

If you ARE a plot infiltrator, please comment under your toplevel to let us know you've read it; please also pop over here to announce your plotroleishness to the game at large. We prefer that you do any confidential plotting with other plot-important folks in the comments here, rather than on plurk, and please comment no later than October 3rd, 11th, 19th, 27th & November 4th with a brief (as brief as 1 sentence; as long as you like) summary of your activity during the week & plans for next week. These comments will help the mods shape mingles and plot events to keep the story dynamic and player actions important to the outcome. Likewise, comment at any time with any questions you may have, and a mod will get back to you within 36 hours at the outside.

Comments

Wealthy Human Industrialist - Beato

[powersthatbe]

Information: Twenty years ago when your company was still in its infancy, your young child became lost in the local forest, never to be seen nor heard from again. You were trying to kill two birds with one stone--do that family bonding thing while investigating the local magic and legends. The loss caused you to throw yourself into running and growing your company. This cost you your marriage and several close friendships, but you no longer care--the company and your power are good enough for you now.

The loss also caused you to become obsessed with the legends and supposed magic of the area. Somewhere along the way, your quest to find your child got shifted into a blanket quest for power. You're very close to discovering something about the power of the land, and you intend to twist this power to your own ends. You couldn't imagine that your child's actually survived this long without you.

Strengths: Money, power, and connections. You own this city. You're also charismatic enough that you have very few enemies--and smart enough that you tend to have the rare enemy taken care of one way or another. You work out a lot and run triathlons in your scant spare time, and you have also dabbled in several forms of martial arts for self-defense. You are the Sue everyone aspires to be.

Weaknesses: It's entirely possible your ego's run away from you in your quest for power. You're also still badly hurt by the loss of your child, and you've refused to get therapy for this, instead coping through being an obsessive workaholic.

Plot Skill: Magical Dabbler: There's other, more powerful magic out there than what the Amulet promises, and you've been poking at things you shouldn't. You've got a small talisman found at one of your dig sites, and you've been trying to use it. Pity you don't know what you're doing--the talisman spits out one random magical effect once a week. The effect is always beneficial to you somehow, but the same cannot be said for anyone else around you.

Relationship to other Characters:
Wealthy Human Industrialist: You're just trying to do right by yourself.
Royal Descendant: Your employee--and a very useful one at that. You just need to make sure they don't become too useful for the wrong people.
Forest Foundling: That kid that went missing twenty years ago? That was yours. It's fueled your obsession with the mythology of this land and the reason those woods might be "haunted" ever since. You're probably not ready for the truth.
Forest Elder: If you knew they'd been keeping your kid from you, you'd have them skinned and used for a rug.
Forest Youngling: You don't even know they're a thing.
Stonefolk Shaman: You know there's something out there with the other third of that amulet, and you intend to take it.
Stonefolk Leader: You aren't entirely certain they actually exist.
Stonefolk Transplant: Wow, that statue you had brought in to decorate the foyer got weird--but you can use this, right? Of course.

[awitchdidit]

I told Bii this but I want to let you know I'm being literal when I say I cackled in real life as I read this.

[youandyoualone]

And I cackled when you signed up for it.

So. Beatrice's ex-husband. Trust fund baby who used his trust fundiness to be pretty and literary and not have to worry about taking boring jobs to pay bills. (Jeez, he was pretty much her trophy husband, wasn't he?)

Obviously, they had an acrimonious divorce centered around Leone/Raidou's disappearance with each of them blaming the other. Especially since they both can cut people down brutally.

I'm assuming Beato never took his name? Since she's been Business?

Royal Descendant - Jaina

[powersthatbe]

Information: You're aware of your royal lineage, though it's always been presented more like a bedtime story than anything serious. Nevertheless, you're in love with this land and its folklore, and you've dedicated yourself to keeping the old legends alive. Finding funding to do this is difficult, and you are very aware that your current job is a rare opportunity. You don't want to jeopardize your position.

Strengths: You have a Ph. D and are well-respected within the academic community for your contributions to the study of folklore. You also seem to possess better luck than most, leading you to be in the right place at the right time quite often. Most of the locals also seem to appreciate you and your enthusiasm for local legends.

Weaknesses: You're a scholar, not an...anything else. You've always had your nose buried in a book and have neglected Leg Day. And Arm Day. And Any Sort of Fitness Day. Stamina's not your strong suit. You also subsist on a scholar's salary, and it's not like you're swimming in financial resources. You could probably get another job somewhere if you tried hard enough, but your current employer offers a certain amount of flexibility and excellent benefits--the job's too good to abandon right now, even though you might be better off elsewhere in the long run.

Plot Skill: Charmed Life: As a direct descendant of the deposed sleeping king, some of the residual magic of the land has tried to protect the Royal Descendant. You have a knack for avoiding trouble at the last second (i.e. moving out of the way right before a bird poops on that spot), being in the right place at the right time, and when you meet a person, your gut instinct is usually right about them.

Relationship to other Characters:
Wealthy Human Industrialist: Your boss. You've always had a bad feeling about them, though so far, you have nothing to back it up. They seem like such a nice workaholic, but you can't shake that feeling.
Royal Descendant: Just a harmless folklore-loving nerd trying to make their way in the world.
Forest Foundling: Like most everyone else, you think it's a tragedy the boss's only child died so young.
Forest Elder: You would absolutely bombard this person with questions if you knew they existed.
Forest Youngling: You would absolutely bombard this person with questions if you knew they existed.
Stonefolk Shaman: You would absolutely bombard this person with questions if you knew they existed.
Stonefolk Leader: You've actually spoken with them on many occasions while they were in a human guise, and you consider them a friend. You would absolutely bombard this person with questions if you knew they were a Stonefolk, let alone their leader.
Stonefolk Transplant: HOLY SHIT GUYS YOUR BOSS'S STATUE JUST STARTED WALKING AND TALKING AND ISN'T A STATUE AND YOU WANT TO BOMBARD THEM WITH QUESTIONS HOLY SHIT

Re: Royal Descendant - Jaina

[forcechanic]

So basically her plot skill is Solo Luck?

Forest Foundling - Raidou

[powersthatbe]

Information: You do not remember much of your life before coming to live with the Forest Folk. You were not, however, a happy child before ending up in the forest. What memories you have of your parents suggest that they loved their work more than you, and you have vague memories of getting passed around between an endless parade of nannies and nursemaids. The Forest Folk tried to take you home, but you refused each time. After the third refusal, they decided to keep you.

Now that you're an adult, you're once more being asked to choose. The Forest Folk are urging you to go out into the human world to get a better sense of it, for they fear their little corner of the world will be too small for you.

MID-JAUNT: There is the possibility that the out-of-control transformations and magical outbursts that hit on Week 3 could hit this character, giving them the option to truly live out the rest of their days as one of the Forest Folk.

Strengths: You don't bat an eye at magic or fuzzy pastel talking animals, that's a plus. You're outside and in the trees a lot, and you're in excellent physical condition. You've also been exposed to Stonefolk from a distance, and not much surprises you.

Weaknesses: You don't really know how to relate to or deal with other humans even though you're very curious about them. You've also been eating Forest Folk food for so long that highly processed human food is likely to make you ill.

Plot Skill: Forest Heart: Forest terrain means nothing to you. You can travel through the treetops as well as a monkey might.

Relationship to other Characters:
Wealthy Human Industrialist: They seem really familiar somehow, but you can't put your finger on it.
Royal Descendant: You like storytellers, and you're aware that there is a human one out there who respects the old tales.
Forest Foundling: You are starting to question just where it is you belong.
Forest Elder: They raised you, and they're as good a parent as you could have ever hoped for.
Forest Youngling: They're almost like a little sibling to you. They're very curious about the human world, and you worry they're a bit too curious.
Stonefolk Shaman: You would rather not deal with them. You've heard rumors and stories, none of them good.
Stonefolk Leader: They've always been nice to you--a seldomly-visiting distant aunt or uncle.
Stonefolk Transplant: You'd be horrified at their situation if you knew.

[capital_asset]

Checking in! Bring on the awkwardness.

Forest Elder - Gil

[powersthatbe]

Information: You have led the Forest Folk for many generations, and it's almost time for you to name a successor--it will be only a few more seasons until you do. You have no children of your own, but the human foundling you took in years ago has filled that void.

You're aware that it would once again be time to reunite the pieces of the Amulet if the Amulet had not been lost, and some of the advertisements of the exhibition that is to accompany the Festival this year have reached you. You aren't sure if this is a trick or not. You think sending the Foundling into the world might be the best way to look into this, but you are loathe to put your only child in danger.

Strengths: You have a great deal of experience in this world, and in your youth, you quested to find the Forest Folk's missing piece of the Amulet. Obviously, you did not succeed in this task.

Weaknesses: In addition to the physical frailties that come with age, you're a bit stubborn and set in your ways--and if you aren't shown the proper respect, you'll be difficult to deal with.

Plot Skill: Song of the Forest: You can instigate long, distracting musical numbers. Since musical numbers are a particularly rare branch of magic, it's generally seen as Weird and Startling. An excellent distraction.

Relationship to other Characters:
Wealthy Human Industrialist: You have no idea they're the Foundling's birth parent, but you've heard of them. You are not impressed.
Royal Descendant: You do not trust a human taking such a keen interest into the lore of the land like this.
Forest Foundling: Your child. You do not care who might think otherwise, you raised them, and you are their true parent.
Forest Elder: You're not sure you're truly ready to retire, but even you have to admit that age is starting to take its toll.
Forest Youngling: This cub needs to start to learn some respect and to temper that curiosity--you worry about them.
Stonefolk Shaman: By this point, it's very open as to what happened with the Amulet thousands of years ago. You do not trust this Stonefolk in the great traitor's line.
Stonefolk Leader: You have a good working professional relationship with the current leader of the Stonefolk. You find them much easier to work with than some of the other Stonefolk have been.
Stonefolk Transplant: You do not know of this Stonefolk's plight, and you would be appalled if you realized what was happening with them.

[breakaleginhalf]

Checking in and very excited!

SO MANY QUESTIONS

[breakaleginhalf]

So with the plot skill, is it only good for big, encompassing musical numbers that suck a bunch of people in a la Enchanted? Or could it be used for smaller one-on-one things as well? Or would that just be some Yensid Magic with a specialisation in songs?

Could the Amulet pieces, either the one the Stonefolk have specifically or one of the two recently uncovered, be used to un-Feral a Forest Folk? Is this something the two Folks have collaborate on attempting, or is there really no return for a Feral Folk?

Is there any kind of magic behind the Forest Folk hiding their civilisation, or is it just they're fucking ninja like that?

How long do Forest Folk live for, to classify just how Old as Balls Gil is?

[ninjayeehaw]

MORE PLOT SKILL QUESTIONS, I suspect a lot of the answers are gonna be 'at your discretion' BUT

How many times a week/month can this be activated? Or is it kind of infinite use?

Does it have a range/limit to number of people caught in it? Can Gil actively choose to not catch certain people in it? Does Psychic Protection/Marked Selection/other such skills protect people from being pulled in?

When instigated, does Gil have to be actively involved in them, or can he just orchestrate them from the sidelines?

Does it give people the ability to sing/dance/play instruments or songs they've never otherwise heard or known before please say yes? Do people sucked into the Song realise this is fucking weird during or just after?

SORRY AIRDRA I JUST LIKE KNOWING LIMITS SO I CAN TOE THEM

Forest Youngling - Pod

[powersthatbe]

Information: You're only a teenager at best by the Forest Folk's standards, and you've grown up alongside the now-adult Foundling. You've spent so long following them around, you don't know what you'll do if they go out into the human world for good. (Clearly, the best answer is to follow along, of course.)

Strengths: You're both intensely curious about the world and very stubborn. You are open to learning new things, but being told to stop rubs your fur the wrong way.

Weaknesses: Foresight is not a strength of yours. You're prone to looking before you leap, and you excel at finding trouble. Because you're young, you're also a bit naive.

Plot Skill: Warm and Fuzzy: You're cute. Really cute. You have learned to weaponize this cuteness--one look at your big, sad eyes is guaranteed to make someone melt and give in to you once a week. (May be blocked with Psychic Protection, etc.)

Relationship to other Characters:
Wealthy Human Industrialist: This person can't be all bad if they want to build so much and find all these neat artifacts!
Royal Descendant: You're not really aware they exist and would probably find them boring if you were to meet. Unless they told you stories of the Golden Age. Then that would be cool.
Forest Foundling: They are the coolest person you know.
Forest Elder: They are the uncoolest person you know.
Forest Youngling: Second coolest person you know.
Stonefolk Shaman: You are very curious about them--you've heard stories of their family. None of these stories have been kind, which clearly suggests that this is an interesting individual who must be bothered and questioned at all costs.
Stonefolk Leader: Leaders are usually boring, you'd just as soon ignore the leader.
Stonefolk Transplant: You don’t know they exist, and you’d be really freaked out if you knew.

[wolvering]

You guys have created a monster, I hope you know that. /cackling.

Stonefolk Shaman - Naoya

[powersthatbe]

Information: You are the direct descendant of the Stonefolk who tried to take the entire amulet for themselves thousand of years ago, ending the Golden Age and plunging the realm into chaos. It's kind of a lot to deal with. You've been working to amplify the power of the fragment of the Amulet that you have, and you've been able to heal some of those afflicted with the stone curse. You're constantly trying to do more.

You're aware that the humans may have found the two remaining fragments of the amulet. You don't want to go the route of your treacherous ancestor--and you're afraid everyone else might see your attempts at acquiring the Amulet as such--but you don't want to give the Amulet up without saving your people.

Strengths: You know more about the remaining magic in Yensid than any living creature. Your resolve is also legendary, and right now, it is directed towards saving your people.

Weaknesses: You're wracked with guilt over your family line and a desire to prove yourself, which has made you reckless in many aspects of your life. Your family line has also given you a certain reputation by default--very few Stonefolk seem to trust you.

Plot Skill: Stone Resolve: You have a remarkable will, and you're not easily swayed. Any attempts to alter your perceptions or mind through magical or psychic means will fail. You can, however, be lied to and talked into things the old-fashioned way, though it is difficult.

Relationship to other Characters:
Wealthy Human Industrialist: You do not trust this human. You’d like to get the other two parts of the Amulet away from them, but you fear things going poorly as they did for your ancestors.
Royal Descendant: You think they might be a useful tool in your endeavors, though you have yet to figure out exactly how.
Forest Foundling: You are aware that the Forest Folk have had a human living among them for quite some time. You do not approve of this. You have made no secret of the fact that you do not approve.
Forest Elder: You're so ready for them to retire.
Forest Youngling: Annoying.
Stonefolk Shaman: Ready to prove everyone wrong about them.
Stonefolk Leader: You aren't sure if they trust you or not, which in turn erodes your trust where they're concerned.
Stonefolk Transplant: You have no idea your attempts to break the stone curse were so far-reaching, and you would be very proud of yourself if you knew they'd reached one lone Stonefolk so far away. You would also feel a bit guilty you brought them back in such alien surroundings.

[crouching_sin]

I'm here! \o/

Question!

[crouching_sin]

... How... how old is he? Like in Stonefolk terms is he a young adult, an old man, what?

Background info

[crouching_sin]

Airdra, feel free to punt me if any of this conflicts with the info you've got.

Sharpclaw is in his... the equivalent of midlife-late adulthood for Stonefolk. He's thrown himself into his duties, first because of obligation (and not being super well liked by other Stonefolk, a solitary profession suited him) and then because of genuine love of knowledge. He's known to take risks in his research - there's the occasional explosion of magic and/or chemicals in his home, which is partly why his home is at the edge of the settlement.

Over his years he's made vague attempts at reaching out towards the other Stonefolk, but due to his family's reputation that didn't work out so well. He's known to be somewhat cranky, which hasn't helped his relationships, especially with the Forest Folk. Still, though, he's made the occasional valuable contribution to the loose organization of Stonefolk that prod their de-facto leader with information.

... He also secretly is kind of nice, he just puts up a tough exterior because everyone expects him to be an ass. He's never been married, due to the lack of Stonefolk who would want to throw a shiny rock at him. Still, secretly a bit marshmallow-y.

Skill Question

[crouching_sin]

How does this compare to Psychic Protection? I understand PP is just for mind reading and such, but I'm curious as to how this works off-Jaunt/when compared to the whole psychic power tree.

Stonefolk Leader - Kanji

[powersthatbe]

Information: The Stonefolk have no specific title to bestow upon their leaders, but you are the one in charge, elected by your fellows to continue guiding your people through these times of adversity.

You are the current leader in part because you've always been curious about the human world, and you've been keeping a close watch on it to the point of walking among the humans yourself.

Strengths: You know a great deal about the human world, more than any other Stonefolk out there--you can move through it without bringing much attention to yourself.

Weaknesses: Because you've spent so much time mingling with and studying the humans, you have neglected what's going on with your own people. It's not the best quality for a leader to have, and you need to work on expanding your awareness of your own people...the problem is, no one has told you this, and you aren't anywhere near close to figuring it out yourself.

Plot Skill: Just Another Ordinary Citizen: You've honed a very specific bit of magic to your own ends--you're able to transmogrify yourself into a human for a limited amount of time each day. The amount of time varies--you get five hours at night or two-and-a-half hours during the day over a twenty four hour period. When that timer's up, game over, you're back to being a Stonefolk, no matter where you are or who you're with. Outside of a Jaunt, this would allow the user to change their appearance into that of another world's dominant species--and if you're human on a human world, it would allow the user to change their appearance into just a random nondescript human.

Relationship to other Characters:
Wealthy Human Industrialist: You've spoken with them once at a fundraising event while you were in your human guise. You had the distinct impression of dealing with some kind of predatory animal. You're not a fan, and you would prefer to keep them at a safe distance.
Royal Descendant: You like this human. You've spoken with them before and can tell the land has plans for them, and they seem like an agreeable enough sort. You're just very careful to conceal your true identity, because you're pretty sure they would bombard you with questions otherwise.
Forest Foundling: You've dealt with the Foundling on several of the rare occasions the Stonefolk and Forest Folk meet. You care for the human despite yourself. You see the Foundling as a potential bridge between the Forest Folk and the humans--a key stepping stone to peace.
Forest Elder: You have a great deal of respect for your Forest Folk counterpart, and you worry for the day when the Elder finally retires.
Forest Youngling: Kids will be kids. This youngling hasn't stuck out to you.
Stonefolk Shaman: You trust them completely, even if you are bad at showing it. You have no idea you should get better at it.
Stonefolk Leader: You'd probably be happier in a library somewhere, but if your people need you, you will answer the call.
Stonefolk Transplant: You're hearing rumors about a living statue, and they make you very uneasy.

Re: Stonefolk Leader - Kanji

[truerevelation]

Checking in!

So this whole thing actually winds up tying back to a bunch of Kanji's personal issues, ahaha. Who remembers KAN-3 and the Grid?

I'm hoping that he can be set on the right foot (wing?) regarding the fact that his enthusiasm for human culture and technology and what it can do for his people is ... kind of overshadowing what he needs to be doing for them now, and how he's not really been able to show how much he does actually still care, and bring him back down to the mountain.

Plot skill questions!

[truerevelation]

Is the transformation into the 'same person' each time (whether recognisable human!Kanji during the Jaunt itself or another ...persona) or not?
Presumably, it can be dismissed early if needed?

So That Plot Skill, updated edition.

[truerevelation]

Okay, So.

How does this compare to Liminal Masque. What advantages/disadvantages does it have, (especially given that Kanji has quite the Liminal Skill archive and would have a longer time limit on Masque than JAOC, with Lim Power invoked overnight).
This skill states "appearance", does it allow for the intrinsic form skills that Masque would not? How would the two interact or stack up?

Stonefolk Transplant - Helena

[powersthatbe]

Information: One thousand years ago, you succumbed to the stone curse as the magic of the Stonefolk's section of the Amulet failed to protect you. Then you woke up one thousand years in the future in the foyer of the Wealthy Industrialist's penthouse suite. (Your life, man, your life…) You are not sure why you've been brought out of your stone prison, but you're not complaining. You are, however, confused as hell by the modern world.

Strengths: Fortunately, you're a pretty resilient Stonefolk. It's not like life before getting turned to stone was that great, though there are people you miss. It helps that half of them were turned to stone before you were. You aren't naive--and you'd prefer to do your own research on this world rather than be told how it works.

Weaknesses: This is a strange new world, and you aren't certain who you should and shouldn't trust.

Plot Skill: Quick Study: You're having to rapidly adapt to some crazy new surroundings. Fortunately, you're learning three times as fast as an ordinary person. Once a month, you can apply yourself to learning something new, and you'll have a solid grasp of it in one-third the usual time.

Relationship to other Characters:
Wealthy Human Industrialist: You appreciate that they seem to have rescued you, but you can't help but wonder if there's something else going on here.
Royal Descendant: You wish they would stop yelling.
Forest Foundling: You know of the Industrialist's lost child, and you have absolutely no idea the Forest Folk would have taken said lost child in.
Forest Elder: You assume the Forest Folk, if they're still around, have a leader of some sort. You're not inclined to seek this leader out just to say hello.
Forest Youngling: You have no idea they exist.
Stonefolk Shaman: The Shaman's the one in charge of the amulet, right? You have questions for them...once you find them.
Stonefolk Leader: You want to find whoever this is as soon as possible, though you have no idea how the hell you'd even begin to introduce yourself and explain your situation.
Stonefolk Transplant: That was a hell of a nap.

Re: Stonefolk Transplant - Helena

[awondrousplace]

Lovely nap, darling. Now on to business.

What even is this place?

Also, Helena will be going be Eloi this Jaunt.

[awondrousplace]

Checking in before I forget to.

Helena has been 'coming out of the cave' as I've been calling it, and telling people she exists.

She's found Kyoto, and they've made a bit of an alliance.

I think she's going to start seeking out Forest Folk next week to see about getting the amulet together.

And she's going to tell as many stories to as many people as she can.