Hazys
Member
Background
On September 6, 1999, a meteor that scientists thought would quietly fly by Earth suddenly changed course. This deviation defied all known laws of astrophysics; it was as if the meteor were self-directed. It happened too abruptly for humanity to deploy any countermeasures. The meteor, named Azoth, collided with Antarctica on December 31, 1999, at 11:59 p.m.
The impact, known now as the Cataclysm, instantly vaporized thousands of tons of permafrost ice, sending colossal tidal waves that wiped out large swathes of Australia, southern Africa, and South America. The sublimation of nearly all Antarctic ice permanently raised the world's sea levels, sinking many islands and coastal cities around the world. For two years after the impact, the particles thrown into the atmosphere blocked out the sun for half the planet. Civilization was thrown into disarray; famines and wars broke out. Many countries disappeared or merged. And untold millions were killed. Five years after the Cataclysm, the world human population had dropped by an estimated 38%.
In the decade following the Cataclysm, humanity began to rebuild upon the ruins of the old world. New maps were drawn, with new seas and coasts. New cities were built on the remains of the old ones. New countries were founded, and millions of displaced refugees migrated to them in search of prosperity. And for the first time since the impact, humans could study in detail the effects of the Cataclysm. The first thing they discovered was that the atmospheric makeup of the Earth had been permanently altered. The Azoth meteor contained within itself an alien substance that caused an instant chemical reaction when exposed to air. It bonded with the planet's atmospheric gases to create a new and strange chemical, known as "Azoth particles." In the years since the Cataclysm, these particles had reached every corner of the world, filtered into the rainwater, and fed the crops and cattle that humans raised.
The effects of Azoth particles began to be seen around that time. Gigantic animal species appeared. Sudden, dramatic mutations manifested. Plants were similarly affected, with some beginning to resemble their prehistoric counterparts. The world's flora and fauna recovered at an unprecedented rate, as if powered by an unstoppable vital force. New biomes bloomed. The Cataclysm's aftereffects had triggered a wave of global warming, but new varieties of plants and animals quickly adapted to these conditions. In some parts of the world, Azoth particles in the atmosphere caused extreme weather, including "permanent storms" and other previously-unseen, anomalous phenomena. The planet was being remade. Some regions had become uninhabitable, while others were newly-fertile.
In humans, the effects of Azoth took a little more time to appear. In 2012, the first awakenings occurred. Random citizens around the world were spontaneously manifesting wonderous and destructive supernatural abilities. In many cases they had to be neutralized before they caused further casualties. We didn't know it at the time, but these were the first "sorcerers." By studying their corpses, scientists determined that Azoth consumption built strange "energy pathways" in the body, allowing humans to generate a new type of energy, which was named mana. Thus began an age of intensive mana research and experimentation, as governments around the world considered its potential military applications.
Today, humans who awaken their mana pathways and manifest special abilities are known as sorcerers. Sorcery is a powerful, but dangerous field of study. Sorcerers have become the super-soldiers and super-criminals of the new world. Simply becoming a sorcerer exposes one to violence and crime, so most people choose to steer clear. However, governments often use sorcerers for law enforcement and military might, and so do the new world's powerful crime syndicates. Other sorcerers choose to work alone, as bounty hunters or hitmen, instead.
It is now 2048. The sorcery phenomenon is well-understood, and sorcerers can be found in every corner of the world. Humanity has rebuilt itself with a combination of sorcery and technology, but the New World presents new challenges. Mega-massive flora and fauna, and anomalous weather events, have made nature dangerous and unfamiliar. Most of humanity lives in industrialized mega-cities, many of which are ruled by authoritarian or military governments. Life is still hard for most. But many of the convenient technologies, consumer products, amenities, and practices of the Old World have returned in some shape or form. Many people are also dedicated to recovering and restoring whatever survived the Cataclysm. Despite all the strangeness of the last few decades, society in this world now somewhat resembles our own.
This RPG takes place in Neo-Kowloon, a mega-city built upon the ruins of Hong Kong. Over the last couple decades it has become a bustling hub of commerce and investment. It is famous for its relatively lax attitude towards sorcerers, which has drawn them to the city from all over the world. Known also as the "City of Sorcerers," Neo-Kowloon is prosperous and massive, but also dangerous and riddled with organized crime. Furthermore, the high concentration of sorcerers seems to attract monsters. Nevertheless, there's no other place like it.
Premise
In this RPG, you play as a sorcerer living in Neo-Kowloon City. You may have been born there, or you may have arrived yesterday. The majority of the RPG will transpire in this massive location, where single buildings can be as large as small towns, labyrinthine infrastructure spreads even deep underground, and floating island-satellites are connected to the main city by suspension bridges. This is a city of technology, with all the products and amenities of our modern world, but it's also a place teeming with sorcerers, and not all of them have good intentions.
Your character will join the Sorcery Guild, an organization of bounty-hunting sorcerers in Neo-Kowloon. Members of the Guild are dispatched on missions to claim bounties in exchange for slaying monsters, capturing criminals, acting as bodyguards for important figures, or even engaging in some dirty work. In your character's line of work, they're guaranteed to square off with members of the Military Police, who employ sorcerers for law enforcement, as well as with sorcerers who work for the city's three great crime families. That's to say nothing of petty criminals, self-styled vigilantes, rival bounty hunters, and assorted psychos.
This will be an RPG with plenty of action and combat, though you get to choose if you want to create a character who faces off directly with enemies, or employs less-direct means. As a member of the Sorcery Guild, you're expected to at least be able to hold your own against monsters and rival sorcerers. Due to its sheer size and density, Neo-Kowloon can be a lawless place, so you'll need to watch your back. With that said, there will also be plenty of opportunities for less combat-oriented missions, and for more laid-back role-playing outside of missions. Players will be able to choose to go on specific bounty missions as a team, and earn rewards for successful bounties. In time, a larger plot will also be revealed.
Inspirations
The setting of the RPG, where recovered and repurposed technology coexist alongside rampant crime and monsters, is inspired by cyberpunk settings. The "mega-city" of Neo-Kowloon, with its mind-boggling infrastructure, is also very cyberpunk, and is especially influenced by Akira, BLAME!, and the real-world Kowloon Walled City, of course.
The sorcery power system is inspired by various shounen battle manga, especially Hunter X Hunter. The tone of the RPG is intended to be one of post-diluvian adventure, political intrigue, underworld crime drama, paranormal dread, and cyberpunk action. Although the New World's society resembles our own, the Cataclysm and its effects have also reshaped civilization substantially. Fashions, attitudes, architecture, nature, food, entertainment, religion, and culture in general may be dramatically different. These concepts will be developed further over the course of the RPG.
Sorcery
Sorcery allow humans to manifest superhuman or supernatural abilities. These are powered by the user's own life-energy, or mana. Almost everyone has the potential to become a sorcerer. However, because this typically requires years of training and study, few ever awaken to their sorcery ability. Only about 4% of the population are sorcerers, though in Neo-Kowloon this percentage is higher. The population of sorcerers includes military personnel, law enforcement officers, career criminals, vigilantes, and bounty hunters, as well as some professional athletes, artists, and random eccentrics or prodigies.
Though some people have a natural talent for sorcery, most will engage in years of training before being able to use it. Depending on the specific school or discipline, this training may involve a combination of physical exertion, meditation, breathing and visualization exercises, and theoretical study. There are several academies and dojos around the world that offer sorcery training, but many sorcerers learn their craft from less-reputable sources. Some prodigies even manage to learn it on their own.
When a person is ready to start using sorcery, they must be "awakened" by another sorcerer. The subject will have their mana flow forcefully activated by receiving a direct infusion of mana to the spine. If the procedure is successful, the receiver will "awaken" as a sorcerer. Though this method can also be used to awaken untrained individuals, it's very dangerous to do so, as it can result in permanent lifespan reduction, psychotic breaks, serious injury, or even instant death. An untrained sorcerer will also be inevitably unskilled, and incapable of controlling their power.
When a person successfully awakens as a sorcerer, they become aware of the flow of mana through their body, and can channel it to use their sorcery ability. They can also sense the mana of other sorcerers. This is known as the "sixth sense." Some experienced sorcerers can identify opponents a great distance away based on their mana. Part of sorcery training involves learning to detect others' mana, and conceal one's own mana from detection. Some sorcerers specialize in long-distance mana detection or concealment.
Awakening to one's own mana flow also improves physical performance. Sorcerers are faster, stronger, and more durable than the average human, and they also heal from injuries in shorter time, thanks to mana. An attack that would kill a regular human might only injure an experienced sorcerer. Some sorcerers specialize in maximizing their mana-fueled physical prowess, becoming capable of lifting cars, withstanding bullets, running up vertical surfaces, or regenerating grievous wounds.
Every sorcerer has a special sorcery ability (this is colloquially known as their "sorcery"), which is discovered after they awaken. This ability is determined upon awakening, is unique to each sorcerer, and never changes entirely. However, through testing and training, abilities may be refined or "evolved" as their users discover new applications and techniques.
A person's sorcery ability is usually related in some way to their personality, background, or interests. This is why every ability is unique in its particulars, though many are similar in general terms. A sorcery ability is typically activated by a word or phrase uttered by the user. Specific techniques or attacks may also have names of their own. In principle, this means that a sorcerer can't use their ability if they're gagged or otherwise silenced.
Sorcery abilities are divided into six categories. Every sorcerer's ability falls into one of these. Over time, sorcerers may be able to refine their ability into new techniques and applications, but they can never break out of their predetermined category.
- Transformation: Transformation sorcery allows the user to alter the physical properties of their body. A transforming sorcerer may be able to become tiny, giant-sized, invisible, winged, hyper-flexible, or even fully shapeshift into a beast or monster. Users of transformation sorcery tend to have the highest all-around physical prowess because they usually have close-combat abilities. They are often trained in some form of martial arts. Some users can infuse their held weapon, instead of their body, with mana. However, transformation abilities tend to have a short range.
- Conjuration: Conjuration sorcery allows the user to conjure specific weapons, objects, or tools. These usually have special or paranormal properties. A conjuring sorcerer may be able to conjure an all-cutting blade, a living doll, or an auto-targeting cannon. The special effects of conjured objects can resemble other forms of sorcery, which allow their users to "break" the rules, in a way. However, these effects are strictly tied to their objects, which can be stolen or destroyed. If a conjured object is destroyed, it can't be summoned again for some time. (In some cases, it may not be recoverable at all.)
- Transmutation: Transmutation sorcery allows the user to manipulate temperature, humidity, magnetic charge, or other factors in their environment within a specific range, causing physical-chemical reactions. Thus, a transmuting sorcerer may be able to create fire, ice, electricity, or toxic miasma, among other things. Transmutation abilities can be extremely powerful, though they can only be used within a certain range around the sorcerer. Users must take care to not be harmed by the effects of their own abilities, as they normally aren't immune to them.
- Manipulation: Manipulation sorcery allows the user to manipulate specific objects, beings, or forms of matter within a specific range. A manipulating sorcerer may be able to manipulate sand, plants, marionettes, birds, water, or even corpses within their range. Manipulation sorcery can be very versatile, and can also be used at range, depending on exactly what the sorcerer can manipulate. Since manipulators can only work with the materials they have at hand, it can also be rather situational. While some sorcerers can manipulate animals, plants, or even corpses, manipulation of humans is an extremely rare ability, which usually comes with special conditions.
- Projection: Projection sorcery allows the user to expel raw mana in various forms, even at range. Projecting sorcerers may be able to manifest energy beams, magic barriers, healing pulses, or summoned spirits; or even teleport themselves. Projection sorcery tends to have the longest range (along with manipulation). However, emitting mana as raw energy is very taxing, especially over long distances. Projectionist sorcerers must watch their mana reserves.
- Special: Special sorcery is the rarest type. It refers to sorcery abilities that don't fit into any of the previous categories. These abilities can be overwhelming. Special sorcery abilities are very rare and widely-feared, because they can potentially do anything. Users of special sorcery have a tendency to "awaken" suddenly without training, sometimes turning them into huge threats.
Sign Up
Depending on whether people show interest in this RPG, I may sign up with a character of my own, or I may limit my role to DM, controlling NPCs and enemies within the story. In any case, feel free to ask any questions you may have about the setting in order to complete your character profile.
Name:
Age:
Gender:
Height:
Weight:
Description: A physical description of your character. You can also include an image.
Bio: A summary of who your character is and what they were doing before the RPG began. Your bio should answer three basic questions: Why did they become a sorcerer? Why are they in Neo-Kowloon? And, what is their main goal? Your character's goal may be power, money, revenge, fame, knowledge, or whatever else.
Likes: List 3-5 things your character likes.
Dislikes: List 3-5 things your character dislikes.
Sorcery: This is where you describe your character's sorcery category and ability. Your character's ability should fit into one of the previously-described categories. I generally won't admit special-category sorcerers into the RPG, though.
You should describe your character's sorcery ability in detail, including limitations such as range, drawbacks, or energy consumption. Your character cannot have a faultless or all-powerful ability. However, their ability will also be improved and refined over the course of the RPG, allowing them to learn new techniques and attacks.
Skills: Apart from your sorcery ability, your character is allowed to have two more skills of note. These may include martial arts training, gunmanship, stealth, long-range mana detection, mana-based physical prowess, or whatever else. As a sorcerer, your character is already more agile and durable than most, but some sorcerers choose to focus specifically on physical and combat skills, achieving greater strength.
Your character's skills do not have to be combat-related. Your character can be a skillful thief, hacker, chef, mechanic, archaeologist, or pilot instead.
Equipment: Your character is allowed to carry two pieces of equipment. Equipment is anything your character carries with them and may use in battle, including weapons, tools, and body armor. Many sorcerers carry guns for obvious reasons, but others opt for melee weapons, since they can be infused with mana. The use of firearms in Neo-Kowloon is also strictly controlled, so you won't get away with shooting at everything that moves.
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