Private/Closed The Relics Discussion

[rawheight]

Discussion board for a one on one roleplay with @Rex

Hey Rex! I'm really liking the high adventure/age of sail feel of your Pokemon legendary relics idea! Is there anything else I need to know before we get started?

Also, do you want to go ahead with the first post since you have a better idea of the setting? If you'd rather not, I'm sure I can come up with something as well (:

 

[Rex]

While I'm certainly more than willing to start the RP off, and I've also ensured that using the relics is okayed by staff, there are a few things I think we need to clear up before we properly start.

In the original RP concept where I first created some of these relics, the characters were members of a sailing expedition to the new world. What concepts where made for the RP that would have featured the revised set instead focused on two characters who were partners in exploration. The former involved more of a historically based "Conquistadors searching for El Dorado" feel, the latter was more traditionally PMD. The former was a continuous narrative, while the latter was slightly more episodic.

What I'm trying to get at is, these relics are a plot convenience for which various tones, settings, and stories can be weaved. We should probably have some idea of what kind of story we're hoping to use them to tell. While most of this can probably be developed on the fly as the RP progresses, a few questions to start us off:

Do our characters know each other, or are they meeting for the first time?
Do our characters work as part of a larger group, do they only work together, or are they rivals who work independently?
Is there any particular relic you'd like to search for first? The only one off limits is the Conductor.

We should probably also describe our main characters, just general character sheet stuff, no need to go into epic detail. I'll allow you to go first.

 

[rawheight]

Ahhh yes, I see what you mean! This is definitely important stuff to clear up first (:

I assume that, if word got out about the relics, there would be a LOT of people searching for them. Who originally discovered their existence and how? If it's one researcher/explorer, did they keep the information to themselves or did they tell everyone they could find in order to get help, funding, etc.? Or did everyone just think they're crazy and the relics are just a myth?

I generally like a more continuous narrative. What is your preference?

I usually like to have the characters meeting for the first time, so that the relationship can grow from the ground up. I think it makes the most sense as explorers for them to be working as part of a larger group, but perhaps they decide at some point to try and go off on their own? I'm thinking my character will probably have a desire for one of the relics in particular, though I'm not sure which one yet.

Perhaps they'll go after Manaphy's Jewel first since that sounds like it would be extremely helpful for explorers? To always have clean water, that is.

I'll figure out character stuff once we nail down a few more of these details... I don't want to create a character that won't fit the RP!

 

[Rex]

No one has really discovered the relics, per se. They're a bunch of folk tales and legends that have been passed down for generations, each the supposed last remaining pieces of various civilizations that collapsed long ago. There are historical records that suggest the relics do exist, but these are largely second or third hand accounts created by Pokemon that were contemporaries to the countries that created them. This has given people some general ideas of where to look, and is how we have many of the cautionary tales and rumors about the relics, but no one has actually seen the relics since the civilizations attached to them fell.

While there are probably many Pokemon that search for these relics, just as many if not more also believe it to be a folly that can only result in the deaths of the explorers in question. While no one is doubting that the people who wrote the records at least believed what they were writing, opinion is split on if the relics are discoverable after so long. Many believe that with so many centuries come to pass, the relics were destroyed, or moved, or lost somehow. The more cynical among them believe that the relics never really existed to begin with, and were just empty posturing by the various civilizations hoping to gain some prestige.

A continuous narrative is fine. Like I mentioned, the original concept for this RP involved a sailing expedition, so a decently sized group of characters all forced together by the fact that home was all the way across the ocean. If you would prefer a group, we could revive this concept. Alternatively, we could pull more from PMD, use Explorer's Guild Expedition as a basis.

As for desiring a specific relic, they all have their unique charms. The in the prior attempt at a 1x1, the other RPer would have played your typical transformed human, and thus they desired the Conductor, to use its reality warping powers to restore them to their human form and send them home. In the original attempt at an RP with these relics, I had a character who wanted the Compass to track down missing family members, and a character who wanted the Medicine to restore a missing eye.

Also, just to be clear, there are a few rules regarding the relics. Unless I specifically apply to use them in another RP, they don't leave this RP. Likewise, if this RP ever made it to the end, all twelve relics collected, the RP has to end with them being lost again.

 

[rawheight]

I'm transferring the Relics here so I have better access to them:

Spoiler: Relics

Arceus’s Conductor - A strange relic that changes form based on its wielder, though Unown characters are always carved into it, this most powerful of relics grants the wielder the power to reshape reality through control over the Unown. Such power does not come easy: this relic requires the presence of the other eleven to awaken.
Dialga’s Watch - A pocket watch with a hinged lid. The face of this watch is blank, though Unown characters are carved into the lid. When opened, this watch freezes time for one full revolution of its second hand. Within this frozen world, only the watch’s holder may act. After one minute, the watch snaps shut on its own and time resumes.
Palkia’s Bag - On the outside, this bag appears to be nothing special, a brown canvas bag stamped with Unown characters, held shut by a gold colored rope. This bottomless bag can conjure anything its user desires, except itself and the other relics, so long as that object is small enough to fit through the bag.
Rayquaza’s Sextant - Unown characters decorate the eyeglass of this sextant. This relic can be used to ensure clear skies, favorable winds, perfect sailing weather. Or it can do the opposite, create fierce gales, or deaden the wind and leave ships stranded. The effects of the relic are localized to its user, only stretching a few miles at most away from them in any direction.
Kyogre’s Heart - A beautiful blue gem, said to be the heart of a maiden who offered it up in her grief. This stone gives the bearer power over the very waves. It cannot create water, however.
Groudon’s Soul - A fiery red pearl, said to be the soul of a warrior who offered it up in his anger. This stone gives the bearer power over the land itself. It cannot, however, create new land.
Shaymin’s Flower - A beautiful undying flower, always in full bloom. When planted, it can bring vibrant life to even the most barren of wastelands. This life lasts for as long as the plant itself remains, and decays away should it ever be taken.
Manaphy’s Jewel - A small red jewel. When placed into a body of water, it purifies it. Water drawn from this purified source will always be pure, but any impurities to the body itself will return should the jewel be removed. There is also an upper limit on the size of a body that can be purified, roughly the size of a small lake, or a large pond.
Celebi’s Mirror - Unown characters decorate the rim of this black scrying lens. Those that look through it can see the past, or possible future, of whatever they are viewing. It was once turned to gaze at the whole of the city where it was made, which appeared to the viewer to be in ruin. So focused was this viewer on averting this possible catastrophe, they did not notice when they were the one to cause it.
Jirachi’s Compass - The face of this compass is blank, though its rim is decorated with Unown characters. This compass does not point towards magnetic north. Rather, it points towards the holder’s heart’s desire. Though theoretically it can point towards other relics, it cannot be fooled, and will always point to that which its holder desires most.
Ho-Oh’s Medicine - A corked vial with a label printed in Unown, it contains Sacred Ash from Ho-Oh’s resurrection, which can be mixed into medicine capable of healing any ailment, even death. While the uses of the ash are nearly infinite, it is limited by the medical experience of its user.
Victini’s Standard - A flag that can be used as a battle standard or ensign, depicting a stylized image of Victini surrounded by Unown. The force that waves this flag cannot know defeat in battle, they will always be victorious.

That clears a lot of things up for me! So while there are a decent number of Pokemon that believe the relics are real, it would still be foolish/dangerous for them to spend possibly decades of their lives hunting down the relics. Especially if the one you desire is the Conductor, which requires you to obtain the rest of them first.

I've never actually played PMD except for a little bit of the very first one (I borrowed my sister's game for a time). I'm perfectly fine with playing out that kind of storyline with a transformed human, I just might need a little help with the details!

& no problem with the relics staying within this RP - I generally design a character for a specific RP and don't use them outside that RP. Everything will stay here, I promise (:

 

[Rex]

Sounds good then. Do you have any other questions, comments, or concerns before I start working on a first post?

If we're going to use the transformed human angle, do you want to play the human, and if so, do you want the RP to start with them just arriving in the Pokemon world? If so, I can use the first post to establish the town they'll live in and the guild they'll work with, as well as add in my character. Do we want to settle on the guild members beforehand, or should we add them in to the RP as we need them?

 

[rawheight]

Ugh, I'm really sorry I didn't reply to this sooner :'( I meant to shoot off a quick reply so you could get started on the intro but this week was just so busy!! I apologize.

I can certainly play the transformed human if you would like me to that will add another layer of complexity that will benefit the plot, I think. I don't have any other questions at the moment! I think we can add the other guild members in as they are needed