Kunoichi vs. Mahou Shojo Rival Schools!

[Inerrant Lust]

Like, I get it. The genre has some dark elements to it. As far back as 1974, Majokko Meg-chan dealt with issues like domestic abuse and death/injury when the protagonist doesn't win every fight. But that was after many manga and anime series had played the virginal magical girl who faces no consequences completely straight.

According to TvTropes, modern Mahou Shoujo is commonly divided into three categories. Neo-classical, like Cardcaptor Sakura. Action Hero, like Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha. And then Deconstruction, like Puella Magi Madoka Magica. Can you guess which one I was leaning towards when I wrote the initial post?

I am aware of the nuances of the genre. But from a storytelling perspective, there is no point in having two schools that are overloaded with characters who are tonally identical. From a creative perspective, there is no point in telling the GM what their setting is supposed to be like.

Look at the difference in tone between Magical Girls and Kunoichi.

[Zaer Darkwail]

Kunoichi: Sexy badass women who use their own powers/skills defeat foes but can cooperate if needed.

Magic girls: Cute girls who use power of friendship and cute things defeat stuff.

Voicing interest on this with a male char (not sure which side to pick atm but busy in working on Wonders of Eberron game threads up and get IC threads started today)

[Inerrant Lust]

I think I could work with a maximum of 8 characters total, 4 in each school, and 1 male in each school as well would be pretty ideal. But I can certainly flex around that if there's pairings or characters I really want to see realized. Don't let the current proposals dissuade you either, I'm still kind of on the fence about whether or not I even want to run this game so the more ideas/character concepts I have to work with, the easier it gets to commit to running something.

[Jefepato]

I'm tentatively interested, depending on whether you already have too many players.  (Although I'm not particularly keen on having my character get tentacle-violated; if I'm thinking of Senran Kagura, the games' actual content was almost remarkably tame considering how many half-naked girls end up fighting freaky demons).

Although it looks like you might have 8 players in any case, so I guess I'm late.

[Inerrant Lust]

I never pick people based on first come, first served. :p

[Broken]

Odes gin left so I think there's more room anyway.

[Relikai]

Hows the plans going for this?

[Inerrant Lust]

I'm just waiting to see if those who expressed interest will post a completed character concept.

An idea I might go with is just one school with two rival clubs... but that kind of considerably shrinks the scope of the game. Instead of these warriors fighting demons all over Japan or all over a region, it would likely mean a very local scope to the game- just one city or so.

You may have noticed I've posted a lot of other group games on this forum. Really, I just have a lot of ideas left over from the hiatus I took from E and I'm throwing them all out there to see what sticks. I don't quite have any intention to run them all, but so far this one seems to have the most interest.

[ShadowFox89]

 Discussed with Inerrant and, if needed, I can change Tess up to be a kunoichi.

[Broken]

Still really eager to start

[Relikai]

'Motherly Miko' too  . As one of the more 'developed' chars, can't wait to throw her into the fray!

[Inerrant Lust]

If I could suggest something...

This is a setting where, theoretically, a school exists for every genre. So for your character, ask yourself why did they apply to Sarutobi or Usagi over any other school? If they love guns, they'd totally go to the Military Academy... right? If they love music, they'd go to the Musically Gifted school, right?

My original idea was that this was just gonna take place in Japan where all these schools were in the mix and players could be from any of them. Then I thought... nah, that's way too open-ended. It wouldn't have any focus- the characters would all be split up and disparate. Focus is the difference between Last of Us and, say, Fallout: New Vegas.

So I picked Ninja and Magical Girls as the two main schools for this because it seemed like it would probably have the most popularity. I'm using a slightly loose definition of either, but at the same time, we've had a lot of character concepts that probably would be somewhere else...

Yhorm originally started as a transfer student, so I suppose he could have come from the 'viking samurai' fantasy school, and Tess L. Coils is... very obviously more of a mecha pilot girl than either a ninja or magical girl. Kana, I mentioned before, seems better suited for Sarutobi. Honestly, Snake, you can put her there if you want. Don't feel obligated to fill one side or the other, I'd rather she just goes where she fits...

I hate to sound strict or whatever but it's just kind of... odd if we have a whole group of exceptions to the rule. To a certain extent, I'm relying on some of these archetypes to prepare the game and have the plot open up and offer you stuff to pursue. It's like if I prepared all these plot hooks for an adventure campaign and someone brings in a character that just wants to open up a tavern and live out the rest of their life in solitude.

That being said, we have some very great concepts too. But overall, what matters to me is less the individual character designs and more about how they could work put together as a group. We have a few possibilities for interactions (Arata is definitely a mentor type, while Syra is a tempter type for the magical girls- the proverbial angel and devil of Usagi... while Hisoka has the ambition to become student president, which either puts her on the same side or opposing Yhorm, sworn to defend a person like the student president) and I'd like to see more of that.

[ShadowFox89]

 Pulling my interest from the game, have fun folks.

[Relikai]

We could have them in a school for training these girls, but split into different faculties while being in the same complex. Say a large facility with different schools for specialization, they can still share clubs and dorms while attending common lessons (Monster Identification 101, Do's and Don'ts of Urban Fighting, etc). The only time they will be exclusive to their own is during specialized training and specific lessons.

Missions could be given to them to move and act in teams due to a monster gate nearby, the school is perfectly positioned to intercept large monsters coming from the area, and reacting quickly to smaller incursions in the town/city nearby.

[Snake]

Kana can go to Sarutobi easily enough I got no problem with that. it's just a change of wording in her profile though. ;3

[Yurie]

Edit: Nevermind, I have a bit of time before I need to leave, so here we go. BRACE FOR WALL OF TEXT IMPACT!

Name: Hikaru Asahi
MG Alias: Wishing Star Senshi, Shineon (Pro: Shy-ne-on)
DoB: March 3rd
School/Year: Usagi School for Gifted Children, 2nd Year
Hobbies: Gardening, Manga, Blogging About Magical Girls
Club: Gardening Club
Favorite Subject: Science
Least Favorite Subject: PE
Blood Type: AB-
Favorite Food: Mochi
Least Favorite Food: Anything Spicy
Magical Device: Shining Star - A palm-sized star-shaped pendant made out of yellow metal. When activated, the center pentagon opens to reveal a pentagonal jewel. Shining Star possesses a crude AI, and can speak, but only speaks to Hikaru.
Henshin Music: https://youtu.be/tHRPoFkxBss (The Henshin proper would cue up at around the 0:26 mark.)
Invocations:
Henshin: "Kira Kira Hikari! Let's Shine On!"
Post-Henshin: "The shining star of hope and justice! Wishing Star Senshi, SHINEON!"
Stellar Burst: "Shining Star, Open! Load and Set! Kira Kira Hikari! BURST!"


Civilian Form
Height: 157 cm (5'2")
Weight: 95 kg (210 Lbs)
Hair: Black, messy cut
Eyes: Brown, with glasses
Build: Chubby
Measurements: N/A
Base Statistics: (Scale (Low to High): F, D, C, B, A, S)
Strength: D-, Agility: D, Stamina: D, Speed: D-, Coordination: D
Perception: D+, Intelligence: A-, Charisma: D, Confidence: F, Magical Potential: S+

Notes: Hikaru in civilian form is male, and rather... unimpressive. He's an overweight, nervous klutz with messy hair and thick glasses. While not hideous by any stretch of the imagination, he is otherwise unremarkable.

Emotionally, Hikaru is shy, self-effacing, and has difficulty around attractive or charismatic people. He shows difficulty in expressing his opinions, and often bottles his emotions up. He often downplays his contributions, and often disassociates himself from his alter ego. Despite these faults, however, Hikaru is a deeply empathetic individual who has internalized the magical girl ethos.

Hikaru favors wearing his school uniform neatly while in school, and often wears a variety of anime-themed shirts and shorts while dressed casually. In this form, Shining Star is a pendant that he keeps hidden underneath his shirt.

Magical Girl Form
Height: 180 cm (5'11")
Weight: 107 kg (235 Lbs)
Hair: Metallic gold with white bangs, high volume, ankle-length
Eyes: Yellow with sky blue star-shaped pupils
Build: Hourglass
Measurements: 103(I)-59-88
Base Statistics:
Strength: A+, Agility: A, Stamina: A, Speed: A+, Coordination: A
Perception: B, Intelligence: A-, Charisma: A, Confidence: A, Magical Potential: S+

Notes: While Hikaru is transformed into Shineon, he (or rather, she) is fully female and supremely competent. Hikaru's physical traits are shifted dramatically higher, his muscles are toned, and his excess body fat is shifted to more aesthetically pleasing locations. This results in a young lady whose curves are about as powerful as her magic; a gold-plated powerhouse that looks like the high-school-aged lovechild of Bayonetta and Mai Shiranui.

Emotionally, Shineon is Hikaru's polar opposite; confident, self-assured and proud of herself. Her pride is tempered by her empathy, however, resulting in a disposition that could be best described as 'sunny.'

Shineon's outfit is closer in design to armor instead of a seifuku. Her chest and torso is covered with a white leotard with yellow, star-shaped accents, multiple bright yellow gems and a bright yellow skirt with attached hip-plates. Her legs are covered with ornate white and gold grieves, and her arms are covered with large white and gold gauntlets. Her hair is held back with a multi-tined headband/tiara with a star-shaped crest covering her forehead. While in this form, Shining Star is attached to her left gauntlet's bracer.

Special Abilities
Physical Enhancment: As mentioned above, Shineon's physical capabilities are greatly enhanced to what could be considered 'low Superhuman' levels. She's comparable to a Precure; she can lift and toss cars, shatter concrete with her fists, run as fast as a bullet train for long periods of time, jump incredibly high and even dodge projectiles with ease.

Evil-Slaying Index: Shining Star was built and optimized for a singular purpose: destroying evil. To this end, the device contains a comprehensive database of most demonic creatures, including their habits and weaknesses. While in combat with such creatures, Shining Star will do its best to scan it and attempt to determine its weak points and advise Hikaru on how to defeat it.

Stellar Burst: Shining Star is a powerful magical device, able to shape and project its bearer's magical energy in explosive and dramatic ways. These abilities are collectively known as 'Stellar Bursts' and are heralded by distinctive, five-pointed magic stars and sprays of glittering 'stardust.' Shineon has five Bursts, activated by turning Shining Star on her gauntlet and locking it into position. The problem is, each Burst can only be used once per twenty four hour period, and only one can be active at a time. The various Bursts are listed below:

1) Slash! Starbright Blade! - Shineon summons an ornate golden rapier hilt, which then produces a long golden blade of magical energy. The Starbright Blade, while impressive, does not actually cut physical tissue. Rather, it's designed to slice apart evil. The blade only cuts evil and unclean things; demonic flesh, dark magical spells, incorporeal beings, and even possessing demons without harming innocent people. Unlik eher other Bursts, the Starbright Blade remains active until it's dismissed, though it slowly loses strength the longer it's drawn.

2) Step! Starcross Accel! - Magical energy surges through Shineon's armor, allowing her to accelerate to extreme speeds for a limited time, including the ever-useful flash step. Her movements leave behind a distinctive contrail of golden stardust, making the ability useless for stealth. However, the Burst also enhances her attack speed. This Burst lasts for five minutes.

3) Soar! Starsail Wings! - Shineon's gauntlets and grieves expand, allowing wing-like jets of golden light to blast forth. This Burst grants Shineon high-speed flight capabilities, though her control is decidedly... lacking. The jets themselves are harmless. This Burst lasts for five minutes.

4) Shine! Starlight Glare! - The gems on Shineon's armor glow, then blaze to life, filling the area around her with blinding light comparable to looking at the sun. This light, also known as Evil-Scorching Radiance, sears the flesh of monsters and those with evil souls like the light of the sun itself. This Burst lasts for five minutes.

5) Strike! Starburst Finale! - Shineon's finishing move and most powerful Burst. Starburst Finale concentrates all of its power into a single strike before locking on and accelerating her towards her target like a missile. On impact, the strike releases a massive burst of light and stardust, consuming the target and anything around and behind it for several yards. Unlike her typical attacks, Starburst Finale is purely magical, and does not actually harm normal humans. However, this attack is devistating to demons and similar beings, usually vaporizing weaker ones by sheer proximity damage.

Flaws:

Henshin Heroine - Like most magical folk, Hikaru needs to transform in order to fully access his magical abilities. Otherwise, Hikaru is just as squishy (if not moreso) as your average civilian. Separating Hikaru from Shining Heart is an easy way to take him out of the equation.

Overspecialization - Shineon's powers are absolutely devastating against demons, witches and beings of darkness. However, they're far less effective when facing other 'heroic' magical folk. In addition, Shineon has no innate ranged abilities, forcing her to close in to melee range. Finally, none of Shineon's abilities are what you would call 'subtle,' making stealth nigh-impossible for the Stardust Soldier.

Low Morale - Hikaru does not handle mockery well at all. Some well-aimed or aggressive bullying can crush his spirit to the point where he can't even henshin. When he drops into his funk, it either takes someone cheering him up, someone being in dire trouble, or someone mocking magical girls to get him out of it. This flaw isn't in effect when he's transformed, as Shineon shrugs off such petty issues.

Hero Complex - Hikaru has thoroghly internalized the virtues of mahou shoujo; fighting for love and justice, protecting the innocent from evil, friendship will win the day, et cetera. It's extremely difficult for Hikaru to go against these instincts; he will typically put the safety of innocents before his own, and will not stand idly by in the face of cruelty and injustice.

Biography
The second child of Ryoma and Keiko Asahi, Hikaru lived most of his life in the shadow of his brother Tamaki. While he was smarter than his older brother, Tamaki was much more charismatic and athletic than him, even in elementary school. Hikaru would have been contented to stay in his brother's shadow had it not been for him accidentally witnessing the battle between a shining golden magical girl and an evil witch.

Said magical girl was the then-current Shineon before she retired from her duties as a magical girl. The sight (and meeting) left an indelible mark on the young Hikaru; a mark that was noticed by his mother, Keiko. Keiko, who herself was an alumni of Usagi Gakuen, quietly suggested that her sons be tested for the possibility of magical potential once they got older.

The testing occured during the end of middle school; the typical 'magic analysis machine disguised as arcade game.' Both Tamaki and Hikaru were allowed to play. While Tamaki barely even registered, Hikaru was shown to possess an unusually high level of magical acuity. Thus, Keiko decided to have Hikaru enrolled in Usagi, having learned that her old school was now accepting male students. Keiko promised Hikaru that this was a golden opportunity for him to flourish, and possibly meet the golden magical girl that he'd seen before.

Unfortunately, Hikaru was not used to the idea of being surrounded by dozens of very cute girls on a daily basis. While he performed well academically, his teachers despaired at his resounding flop in both phys-ed and presentation. It wasn't until midway through his first year that his magic reacted with one of the older magic devices in the school's care; the anti-demon device Shining Star, which had been donated to the school by its previous owner. Despite his inexperience, he was granted permission to use Shining Heart after a particularly impassioned speech.

Now, Hikaru is the owner of Shining Star and the current Shineon. While in some ways this is a dream come true for Hikaru, his teachers are starting to wonder if he's using his alter ego as a crutch for his own emotional well-being.

[Jefepato]

I'll work on a proper character sheet, but the character I have in mind is a nerdy kunoichi who acts very much like a traditional ninja.  Which is to say, she fights from stealth and has no sense of honor whatsoever; if she's stabbed a demon twice, it probably has three lethal poisons in its veins already (and she knows exactly which poisons work on demons).

She'd be insufferable if she wasn't far more interested in fighting demons than magical girls.

[Inerrant Lust]

That... is incredibly weird, Yurie. -but I like it.

It does beg the question on how magical girl transformation works in this setting, as I didn't want to specify whether it actively turns you into another person entirely or just serves as an alter ego that usually brings with it added confidence and magical powers and so on.

A nerdy kunoichi works. I do have in mind Sarutobi's Student Council and Yearbook clubs being a big honkin' deal, vying for supremacy over the school. I do have an idea to connect the two schools by a common plot thread as well aside from their historic rivalry. 

[Broken]

So, a couple people have left. What's our current roster of actives?

[Jefepato]

Name: Hana Naraku
Cup Size: B

Hobbies: Medicine, Poisons, Violence
School/Year: Sarutobi National Academy, 1st Year
Club: Track and field, and also calligraphy.  Running is a very important skill, and writing improves her knifework.

Special Abilities:
Medicine: Hana obviously is too young to have official credentials, but she's practically qualified as a trauma surgeon.  She's patched up more than a few of her classmates already.
Poisons: So many poisons.  She's sensible enough not to use them on other humans, but her teachers still have to warn her against bringing poisoned weapons to class just in case.
Physical Prowess: She's stronger, quicker, and tougher than you'd expect given her build; not amazingly so, but it makes her easy to underestimate.  She's also oddly resistant to fire and other demonic powers.
Scary Smart: Hana isn't a magic-user, but she knows her enemies (of all sorts) surprisingly well.
An Actual Ninja: Hana is an expert at acting perfectly natural right up until the knives come out.  She privately thinks anyone with a flashy transformation sequence is an idiot.

Physical Description: Average height, trim and athletic.  Dark hair in a simple ponytail.  She usually wears her school uniform or casual clothes, because a ninja who wears an obvious ninja uniform is already a failure.
Biography: Hana's paternal grandfather is a powerful demon, and her family has been under mild suspicion her whole life -- even though her father is genuinely loyal to humanity and always has been.  She makes a point of being as well-trained as possible, and dismisses all the whispers behind her back as irrelevant.

She's actually reasonably popular at school; she seems a bit aloof and mysterious, but she's happy enough to make friends with people who don't judge her harshly.  She's near the top of her class in most academic subjects, and she's almost surprised at how much people respect her for it.  She tries to maintain a decent work/life balance, but it's just so hard with all her extracurriculars...

Character Goals: Kill all the demons, along with anyone who turns against humanity and sides with the demons.

[Inerrant Lust]

Now so far we have 3 4 ninja and 3 magical girls. Enough to start the game but room for there's room for few more.  We even have a male at each school to boot. Well, in the case of Usagi, a male that turns into a female and a futa.

Sarutobi National Academy
1st Year:
Hana Naraku, Quarter-demon Surgeon
2nd Year:
Yhorm the Glacier. Icy guardian
Hisoka Yamagata. Ambitious catgirl 
Kana. Crouching wallflower, hidden pyromaniac.
3rd Year:

Usagi School for Gifted Youth
1st Year:
2nd Year:
Hikaru Asahi. Transmagical Girl
3rd Year:
Syra Shiran. Corrupted Futentacle Girl
4th Year? Graduates?
Arata Haruna. Motherly Miko

[Jefepato]

I probably would've made Hana a 2nd year, but I saw that everyone in Sarutobi was a 2nd year already, so I decided not to go there.

(Also, if need be she can have a transformation sequence, but it's going to be as low-key as possible because she thinks it's ridiculous.)

[Yurie]

That... is incredibly weird, Yurie. -but I like it.

It does beg the question on how magical girl transformation works in this setting, as I didn't want to specify whether it actively turns you into another person entirely or just serves as an alter ego that usually brings with it added confidence and magical powers and so on.

I was under the impression that the transformation fell under 'It's Magic, ain't gotta explain nothin'.'
Alternatively, it's a unique quirk of Hikaru's, as he's descended from a mahou shoujo and inherited vast reserves of magical power (as notable by the 'storage tanks' mounted on the front of his alter ego).

[Relikai]

Would there be specific monsters tailored to each girl as a recurring theme ? 

[Yurie]

Would there be specific monsters tailored to each girl as a recurring theme ? 

Dibs on an evil witch that used to fight the previous Shineon.
Also, side note, really not into the whole tentacle-rape thing myself, personally. Or most other forms of rape, actually...