Shadows of Kagemusha (System: Visual Novel World)

[steelsmiter]

OK, after some consideration, I think I'd vote for them in this order:
The University/MMA club/whatever in a modern setting
Fantasy MMO setting
Historical setting
<snip>
But in this case, I believe the system is much better-suited to MMO fantasy and modern settings. Besides, that's what most of the webnovels I've read have been about, so I'd like to try this!
And contemporary Japan is just as fascinating a setting as historical Japan, in my book. Not to mention that it's much easier to get info on the modern world!

That quote was made in Players LFGM threads about my "Visual Novel World" <---That's a discord server. I like the fact that I can witness rolls made there.  But if there's enough interest, I can get a direct download link. Considering the interest that's expressed in this quote, I'm coming up with an idea as I type.

In a fictional town called Kagemusha (in a location corresponding to the real world Kagoshima Prefecture), there's a University that deals in Theoretical Physics and has quite a bit more electronics than one would think a town of its low population should have. The town's been their for around 400 years, and for the majority of its history things have been happening that are... Weird. A few years ago, there were weird creature reportings on campus. Some students and teachers disappeared. One teacher and 3 students turned up dead. Those that were afraid left. Those that remained reported a sharp upsurge in erotic feelings, and some pregnancies among them. Strange lights filled the sky. The next day, the faculty of Special College K closed the school down to all but a select few faculty and students for about a week. No one knows why, but within the next few days of hiatus, the strangeness suddenly stopped. Some of the staff came back from the shut down... changed. Before the shutdown, the brochure read:

Special College K is a College that is slowly branching out of Junior College status and broadening its curriculum to include classes outside home economics, nursing, teaching, the humanities, and social sciences in their curricula. Those classes are still available, but Special College K also includes accounting, business, computer science, education, engineering, law, med school, and various sciences.

Special College K is also known for its extensive Co-ed athletics department, one of a small, but growing number of schools that allows both males and females to perform on the same team. Co-ed athletic activities include Archery, Baseball, Basketball, Gymnastics, Judo, Kendo, Swimming, and Track.

Rumors abound that the students learned a thing or two more than they bargained for about Kagemusha's University and nearby Electronics Zaibatsu. Two years after the weird event on campus, someone wrote a fictional game featuring a feudal era Kagemusha, a nearby cavern complex, and many, many, varieties of tentacle beasts and goo monsters (doesn't have to be tentacle monsters if people would prefer a more fantasy, less Hentai feel). The game feels so real, and can leave players uneasy for a few days, as if they spent a long time in a wave pool.

The university itself has changed. There's a Co-Ed Mixed Martial Arts club now too, what with the sport gaining popularity over the last few years. You wouldn't think that males and females should be fighting each other, but suffice it to say that the faculty is really egalitarian in that regard, along with all their other equality concessions.

I would like to point out that characters of other races are permitted on a case by case basis due to the region having a history of supernatural influence. Also Mikos beware, there is a shrine to the local Kami who is quite a bit more lewd than you'd expect what amounts to a god to be. There is a room called a "Humility Room" that some of the mikos resistant to the idea of a lewd god sometimes sleep in to stay humble. It has had its original door replaced with a Men's Bathroom Door as a result of a fight with a pyromancer and--details are a bit fuzzy here, possibly an eldritch abomination? Older Mikos tell of highly sexual hallucinations, or possibly visions of past events that occurred, along with a worrying explosion of Mount Sakurajima.

So TL;DR- The game takes place in Modern Kagemusha, in which the characters are all students either in the MMA club, or the Electronics Club, or both. Supernatural races and Adventure Mode characters are allowed with provisions, and Mikos are different than you'd expect a Miko to be if you have pre-existing expectations of them.

Other: It looks like this game may have multiple Senpais, though if I end up creating a Senpai everyone's down for, I'm coo. Only thing I don't want is dick on dick. If I'm playing a female senpai she'll be bi. If I'm playing a character of either variety with a dick, they'll want females. The default assumption for this game is that the players are females, although there are some Archetypes, which when taken can logically be valid male builds.

[c0i9z]

About 7 years ago, Hitomi got attacked by a demon, the result of a strange magic ritual gone wrong. It was killed, but as a result, she was left near death and covered with the demon's blood. This made it doubly worse because demon's blood is usually toxic to humans. With no choice, they conducted experimental, possibly arcane procedures that saved her life, but also irrevocably merge her essence with that of the demon's. At first, went went poorly. As she rejected her new essence, so did her body reject the demon's blood in her, forcing her to constantly be hospitalized due to frequent. The reactions became less frequent and less severe, however, as she gradually came to accept the demon's essence in her. Though, at the same time, the more she did so, the more fully the essence merged with her, making her a demon herself, in body and in mind. After a few years had passed, her 'hospitalization' became less about keeping away the reactions, which had all but disappeared by then, and more about keeping her away from the general public , in case she became an evil demon herself. However, this never came to pass. Oh, certainly she became a demon, and would proudly declare herself to be a succubus, and she frequently showed a quite blatant disregard for sexual mores, she never seemed to grow into anything that might be considered to be evil. Not on a demonic scale, at least. That and the disarming way that she mostly still acted like herself and like a girl her age meant that they eventually felt like they had to let her go. Not without keeping her under discreet observation, of course, but she didn't mind. After all, she liked being watched.

Character Sheet
Name: Hitomi Nakano
Age: 19
Archetypes: Succubus, Osananajimi, Dojikko
Looks: E-cup

Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide

Drive: Exhibitionism
Senpai:
RL: 1     RP: 0

Attributes
Cool: -1
Hot: +2 (Hot)
Smarts: -1
Sports: +2
Weird: 0

Bruises: 2
Blood: 2

Starting Moves
Stunted Power (141)
Shameless (141)
What Would Senpai Do (76)
Disaster Dominoes (45)

Equipment:
1,500 yen
1000 yen
A first aid kit
Sewing kit
Cyanoacrylate glue
Duck Tape
A stuffed animal you’re far too old for
A journal filled with childhood memories
A locket, given to you for your birthday

Bonds:
Purity: 1
Corruption: 1

+1 Hitomi is impressed by Reiko's initiative to strip for money. Everyone should be as free as her!
+1 Hitomi has visited Marie at her mansion before. The gothic look and the onsen made her feel right at home.
+1 In her tight gym clothes, Hitomi could watch Caitlin practice for hours.
+1 (Local Group) The MMA club occasionally invites Hitomi for practice. Despite a lack of practice or formal training, her innate demonic strength allows her to perform surprisingly well. That and general lack of modesty have made her quite popular.

-1 Hitomi being a demon doesn't sit well with the Josei, the guard commander.

[Idlewyld]

Declaring interest

[steelsmiter]

Reposting character from the other thread. She used to be a normal human, but something happened. Maybe she was part of the students that stayed through the shutdown? Either way, she came out changed, now bustier, lewder and also a succubus, much to the expected surprise of her osananajimi senpai. She's staying surprisingly quiet about her experiences, though, to the point where it's not clear whether she even realizes that she's changed.

Ok, actually I didn't bring it up, but there's actually the possibility of exploring the avenue of having been changed by the previous events of Kagemusha, by the super weird aftereffects of the game, or... Well, As a succubus, you could be as old as Kagemusha but have huge gaps in memories. Might be worth discussing in a PM.

[c0i9z]

After discussion, Hitomi's background was updated. Still don't know much about her senpai, but he would have know her before the attack and been unaware of it and what happened to her since.

[Idlewyld]

OK here's a really rough first draft. Tell me what you think...

Character Sheet
Name: Reiko Hijiwara
Age:21
Archetypes: Bokukko, Wrench Wench, Dancer
Looks:

Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide

Curious Eyes, Shaggy Hair, Slim Body (Cup Size C), Coveralls

Reiko is a motorhead. She spends most of the day in the garage working on the car. But that takes money, and that money has to come from somewhere, as does tuition. In this case, she gets it by moonlighting in the local strip club. She is strongly motivated to keep her two worlds apart as much as she can, but that is often easier said than done.

Drive: Artisanship
Senpai:
RL: 1     RP: 0

Attributes
Cool: +2 (Core)
Hot: +2
Smarts: 0
Sports: -1
Weird: -1

Bruises: 2
Blood: 2

Starting Moves
Tomboy (Volleyball) (37)
One of the Guys (94)
Magical Dance (Adv 10)

Equipment:
2,500 yen
Random Tool
Multitool
Duct Tape
Handkerchief Stained with Oil
Costumes/Change of Clothes

[c0i9z]

Reiko looks awesome! Though given that she seems to be leaning more towards her wrenchy tomboyness, maybe Cool would be a more appropriate core attribute for her? Just a thought. Also, I noticed that you haven't picked a specialty for Tomboy yet.

[steelsmiter]

Reiko looks awesome! Though given that she seems to be leaning more towards her wrenchy tomboyness, maybe Cool would be a more appropriate core attribute for her?

With your parenthetical it could be copy-pasta. Anyway, I'm partial to colored speech (I use bold also so I can see it better, but I don't care who else does) maybe if we all format our Core Attribute in our respective speech color?

Just a thought. Also, I noticed that you haven't picked a specialty for Tomboy yet.

Good catch. There's also a detail they deliberately left out, but we didn't have that conversation. My bad.

[steelsmiter]

Attributes
Cool: +0
Hot: +2 (Hot)
Smarts: -2
Sports: +2
Weird: +1

Making smarts and weird both -1 would correct that array.

[c0i9z]

Being a succubus, she's weirder than she is cool. I fixed it up.

[steelsmiter]

Being a succubus, she's weirder than she is cool. I fixed it up.

Totally works for me.

[Idlewyld]

Reiko looks awesome! Though given that she seems to be leaning more towards her wrenchy tomboyness, maybe Cool would be a more appropriate core attribute for her? Just a thought. Also, I noticed that you haven't picked a specialty for Tomboy yet.

Thanks - I meant to switch to Cool but missed it. And now I've got a tomboy specialty

[Thufir Hawat]

And I'm here as well ! Though in the interest of fairness: I don't believe that being the guy with the quote guarantees me a spot in the party.

As I said, I'm thinking of someone who's into MMA. I'm now considering whether I could play a cross between the young Michael Jai White and Ippo a male PC because I've been on a MJW kick lately, so sue me if you say you don't mind? Seems like he'd be the only male PC so far, so there shouldn't be any issues with your "no dick-on-dick" rule (which I heartily endorse, and need to remember for future games )!
He'd be into MMA either way, that much is clear. And well, tomboy, sports guy, foreigner, his mechanics are done.
Maybe his father is part of the research team? Might make it "late father", if you prefer. His mother would be, of course, Japanese.

If you'd prefer me to play a gal, it's no big deal for me. But I guess I'd make her purely Japanese, because it's funnier to make her someone who strives to embody the Yamato nadeshiko concept...via MMA ! Thus, a different mix of Archetypes would be used.

[steelsmiter]

And I'm here as well ! Though in the interest of fairness: I don't believe that being the guy with the quote guarantees me a spot in the party.

Me neither, I was just pointing out the idea as a collective one rather than solely my imagination.

As I said, I'm thinking of someone who's into MMA. I'm now considering whether I could play a cross between the young Michael Jai White and Ippo a male PC because I've been on a MJW kick lately, so sue me if you say you don't mind? Seems like he'd be the only male PC so far, so there shouldn't be any issues with your "no dick-on-dick" rule (which I heartily endorse, and need to remember for future games )!
He'd be into MMA either way, that much is clear. And well, tomboy, sports guy, foreigner, his mechanics are done.

I'd like to point out a couple of things re: Mechanics. 1) Martial Artist is probably better than Sports Star, but that's no reason to not have Sports Star, you just also like another sport. 2) Foreigner is best if you have trouble processing the local language, so if you don't, you can always just pick something else, and just replace some looks options (hair and skin/body) with options indicating blackness, and swap out Foreigner for something that doesn't involve language barriers.

Also I think it's fine to be inspired by that guy, but if you can find an appropriate anime, or at least animated version of him, that would also be great!

If you'd prefer me to play a gal, it's no big deal for me. But I guess I'd make her purely Japanese, because it's funnier to make her someone who strives to embody the Yamato nadeshiko concept...via MMA ! Thus, a different mix of Archetypes would be used.

I got no objection to you either way, but I also don't know what the breakdown is of who wants a male and who wants a female Senpai. I'll also be creating some NPCs that aren't specifically designated Senpais yet, but are up for grabs. There's a Physics professor that still works on campus, A Biochem professor who also runs the entire section for what Americans would call Home Economics, and a former student who runs a local Dojo (which he took over after a previous owner went on sabbatical), and also sponsors the MMA club. He's the one mentioned in Male Vital Statistics, though I need to fully stat him out, and change some things 'cause that example was written when male genitals were only calculated one way, and he could stand to have a slight archetype change.

And also if players come up with ideas for who their senpai is, there's that. I think that's it, let me know if I missed any query that needs addressed.

[Thufir Hawat]

Me neither, I was just pointing out the idea as a collective one rather than solely my imagination.

Cool! I'm glad we're on the same page, but you might want to add that under the quote - I mean, the goal is not to dissuade other people from joining!

I'd like to point out a couple of things re: Mechanics. 1) Martial Artist is probably better than Sports Star, but that's no reason to not have Sports Star, you just also like another sport. 2) Foreigner is best if you have trouble processing the local language, so if you don't, you can always just pick something else, and just replace some looks options (hair and skin/body) with options indicating blackness, and swap out Foreigner for something that doesn't involve language barriers.

1) You're right. I'll probably substitute it.
2) So you mean if he (or she) has Japanese parents, and thus masters the language at a native level, I don't need the archetype? I'll rethink it... might replace the gaijin with a "good student" archetype. After all, with a parent being scientist, it only makes sense !

Also I think it's fine to be inspired by that guy, but if you can find an appropriate anime, or at least animated version of him, that would also be great!

Well, the only ones I found and liked were Agil and Dutch. I mean, there were others...I just didn't like them for the character!

I got no objection to you either way, but I also don't know what the breakdown is of who wants a male and who wants a female Senpai. I'll also be creating some NPCs that aren't specifically designated Senpais yet, but are up for grabs. There's a Physics professor that still works on campus, A Biochem professor who also runs the entire section for what Americans would call Home Economics, and a former student who runs a local Dojo (which he took over after a previous owner went on sabbatical), and also sponsors the MMA club. He's the one mentioned in Male Vital Statistics, though I need to fully stat him out, and change some things 'cause that example was written when male genitals were only calculated one way, and he could stand to have a slight archetype change.

No problem! I can wait for the situation to clear up a bit before picking the character's gender.
But whatever my PC's gender, I'd be looking for a female Senpai. I mean, if I play a girl (depending on whether it's convenient) I'd have her be bi-sexual...but she'd still much prefer a female Senpai. So a female senpai is a given, here.

Some ideas for a Senpai, if I may add some NPC suggestions? (Hey, it never hurts to try !)

The nurse, whom the whole school, it seems, wants to do. But she keeps everyone at arm's length, and my PC isn't stupid daring enough to say anything! Amusingly, one might notice that somehow the nurse seems to know everything that goes on in the school...and somehow, her favourites sometimes even pull out of disciplinary issues that might have gotten them expelled!

Does the former student have a female student who acts as a senpai to all girls in the club (or even to everyone in the club)? There she is, my Senpai! I can even call her Senpai in-game!

Other options are also viable. I'll check where those statistics are located...somewhere in your OP, I guess? I might have missed a link.

And also if players come up with ideas for who their senpai is, there's that. I think that's it, let me know if I missed any query that needs addressed.

Nope, you answered everything I asked about, and even pointed out a mechanical mistake !

[c0i9z]

I'd be happy with any gender for Hitomi's senpai. Male, female... even herm, for that matter. I think that they'd all provide interesting dynamics. I would like, though, for them to be fellow students, even if in a higher grade. It's 'senpai', after all, not 'sensei'.

[Idlewyld]

I'd be OK with either a male or female sempai (or we could just have a bunch to choose from.) Like C0i9z, I think a student sempai would be better

[steelsmiter]

2) So you mean if he (or she) has Japanese parents, and thus masters the language at a native level, I don't need the archetype? I'll rethink it... might replace the gaijin with a "good student" archetype. After all, with a parent being scientist, it only makes sense !

Yep, pretty much that's what I mean. I know that it's entirely likely in realistic Japanese culture that people might call you a Baka Gaijin, but maybe the big black beefcake in ya might stop that.

No problem! I can wait for the situation to clear up a bit before picking the character's gender.
But whatever my PC's gender, I'd be looking for a female Senpai. I mean, if I play a girl (depending on whether it's convenient) I'd have her be bi-sexual...but she'd still much prefer a female Senpai. So a female senpai is a given, here.

Noted.

Some ideas for a Senpai, if I may add some NPC suggestions? (Hey, it never hurts to try !)

The nurse, whom the whole school, it seems, wants to do. But she keeps everyone at arm's length,

That's practically a given. They'll have a nurse on hand, especially after the fiasco with nobody having a damn driver's license to transport people in an ambulance during the incident.

and my PC isn't stupid daring enough to say anything! Amusingly, one might notice that somehow the nurse seems to know everything that goes on in the school...and somehow, her favourites sometimes even pull out of disciplinary issues that might have gotten them expelled!

I've got some ideas for a character that knows everything about the school, but it wasn't a nurse. It was originally a security guard.

Does the former student have a female student who acts as a senpai to all girls in the club (or even to everyone in the club)? There she is, my Senpai! I can even call her Senpai in-game!

I think you meant "Is" rather than Does... but it depends on your club, I envision the game featuring the MMA club which was originally supposed to be ran by Akira (the male vital statistic example) but since he originally ran the kendo club, the MMA club could be its own thing. There's also the club I initially called the Electronics club, but could also be called the E-sports club.

Other options are also viable. I'll check where those statistics are located...somewhere in your OP, I guess? I might have missed a link.

OH RIGHT. THey're in the book. Normally they'd be located in Character Creation, but due to layout constraints, they're under the Optional Body Shape Generators in the Playing the Game chapter.

I'd be happy with any gender for Hitomi's senpai. Male, female... even herm, for that matter. I think that they'd all provide interesting dynamics. I would like, though, for them to be fellow students, even if in a higher grade. It's 'senpai', after all, not 'sensei'.

Actually we've talked in detail about your character. With you playing the video game, your senpai will actually probably be the younger brother of the game's creator. (As I was writing this, I realized an old Otaku student could end up being a professor in Computer Sciences, and also a game designer on the side, but he's slightly too old to be your senpai

I'd be OK with either a male or female sempai (or we could just have a bunch to choose from.) Like C0i9z, I think a student sempai would be better

)
Noted!

[c0i9z]

Don't think we've decided on her playing a video game? But sure, I could have the game designer's son be her senpai.

[steelsmiter]

Don't think we've decided on her playing a video game? But sure, I could have the game designer's son be her senpai.

you're right, we didn't decide that... we went with an attack during the original incident, where that was one of the other options. Dunno why I thought that. Anywho, the game is a bit on the perverted, side what with the potential to be fucked by tentacles and whatnot, so it's not out of the question given your personality.

Edit: I don't remember what age you decided on though, so it would depend on that whether the game would be your only connection to the college.

[c0i9z]

Oh, Hitomi would feel right at home there. Though she might have decided to give her first time to her senpai.

[steelsmiter]

Oh, Hitomi would feel right at home there. Though she might have decided to give her first time to her senpai.

I can't tell if you caught this part:

Edit: I don't remember what age you decided on though, so it would depend on that whether the game would be your only connection to the college.

are you on discord? This could be faster there.

[c0i9z]

Sorry, I didn't catch your edit.

I do have access to Discord. We can talk on there if you want. But about her age, I'm ok with anything that's reasonable. She should be around the same age as the other characters.

[steelsmiter]

It's centered around a university but it depends what the players want for how old they are. As mentioned on the discord, there's a few geniuses that are within elliquiy rules re: age, but that hasn't been a point of conversation. It should probably be amended on everyone's sheets.

[Thufir Hawat]

Yep, pretty much that's what I mean. I know that it's entirely likely in realistic Japanese culture that people might call you a Baka Gaijin, but maybe the big black beefcake in ya might stop that.

Eh, who would do that? Especially if he's got good results on his tests ?
Now, they might be thinking it, and I'm NOT against you roleplaying their reactions like that. In fact, I'm completely fine with it.

That's practically a given. They'll have a nurse on hand, especially after the fiasco with nobody having a damn driver's license to transport people in an ambulance during the incident.
I've got some ideas for a character that knows everything about the school, but it wasn't a nurse. It was originally a security guard.

Well, unless she is a security guard, that wouldn't fit .

I think you meant "Is" rather than Does... but it depends on your club, I envision the game featuring the MMA club which was originally supposed to be ran by Akira (the male vital statistic example) but since he originally ran the kendo club, the MMA club could be its own thing. There's also the club I initially called the Electronics club, but could also be called the E-sports club.

Sorry, I think I spotted a "he" relating to the head instructor. Of course, if it's a she, I'd be fine with her as a Senpai!

OH RIGHT. THey're in the book. Normally they'd be located in Character Creation, but due to layout constraints, they're under the Optional Body Shape Generators in the Playing the Game chapter.

Ah, OK. After checking them, I'll take the female head of the MMA (or Karate*) club as Senpai...I just like the idea!
Besides, my Archetypes are going to be Martial Artist, Meganekko, Bokukko, so it fits!
...ahem, with Bokukko and Martial Artist, do I get a second style immediately (from both their Moves)?

*You pick one of these - I can accept whichever you'd like better to run a competition in!

Actually we've talked in detail about your character. With you playing the video game, your senpai will actually probably be the younger brother of the game's creator. (As I was writing this, I realized an old Otaku student could end up being a professor in Computer Sciences, and also a game designer on the side, but he's slightly too old to be your senpai
)

And if he or she ain't playing ? Though he or she probably would, given the archetypes.