Persona based RP?

[Cythieus]

I know that I don't want to run it, I'm not the best at doing that sort of thing, but I am wondering if there's any interest from a player or running a game perspective in a Persona based game (like Persona 5 or  Shin Megami Tensei).

For the uninitiated Persona is a JRPG video game where you assume the role of a high school student (usually closer to adult age 16-18, though for purposes here this could be adjusted). During the day you attend school, take tests, go on dates, read, or hang out with friends and at night you enter an alternate dimension where people's subconsciouses manifest themselves as demon like creatures. You fight these creatures with the help of your own Persona which is a manifestation of your inner self and there is a mysterious man named Igor who visits you in your dreams to help you along the way.

It sounds like a strange mix of things that wouldn't work, but honestly it works super well and you find yourself really invested in a lot of things. It seems like the kind of thing that could work well as a forum RP too.

[InoshimaLance]

Count me interested!

[Empyrean]

I'm interested. If no one else wants to, I could try to run.

[Soveliss]

I've watched a LP of P4 and I haven't yet watched one of P5, but I liked P4 a lot from what I've seen. So, I just wondered... If it was okay if I joined.

I already have a character in mind, a tough delinquent girl covered in scars with a hidden side to her... And I have her backstory... If that's okay.

[Cythieus]

I can dig it if everyone else still can, what kind of system of play do we want?

[Empyrean]

I don't think Persona has a system set up for it. I would say something like the following:

I've noticed that the Persona games I've played (3, 4, Arena, Ultimax, and 5) seem to follow a consistent theme with the Personas. Like 3 was based on Greek Mythology. 4 on Japanese Mythology. And 5 on outcasts and rebels. So I would suggest that we pick a theme for our personas and go with that.

We should decide if we want to set it in Japan, or maybe broaden the series a bit.

I do have an idea for a theme for the game. We know from 3, the expansions to 4, and 5 that at least the Japanese government is aware of the liminal world between the real one and the Collective Unconsciousness. As a GM, I'd like to explore the idea of either the Japanese government or a foreign government attempting to control that world, and what the (potentially world-ending) consequences of that.

What does everyone think?

[Soveliss]

I do admit my knowledge of mythology is pretty minimal, but whatever theme follows, would you know enough about it t guide me in creating a persona fitting my character?

Also, the idea of organized gov't learning about the parallel world would be interesting, but where do high school students fit into this? It's just a question.

Though after watching the beginning of a LP for P5, I am thinking my character would be too similar to several characters in P5 in her backstory, yet I came up with her before P5...Maybe I should drop from this game?

[Revelation]

I know there is/was a homebrew hack for Monsters and Other Childish things relating to persona, that might be worth looking into if you wanted to use a system?

[Empyrean]

Soveliss: I don't think you should drop. I mean, for one you can put your own spin on the concept. And two, the Persona games have reused similar concepts before while making each one unique. Junpei Iori from 3, Yosuke Hanamura from 4, and Ryuji Sakamoto from 5 can be said to be similar in some ways, yet each is unique and their own character.

I'm far from the world's expert on mythology, but I can certainly give it a try. :)

As for where high school students fit in, I'd have to think about it some more, but my initial thought is that the students were either targeted as disposable unwitting test subjects, or got caught in the side-effects of an experiment gone wrong.

Changingsaint: Where might this hack be found?

[Soveliss]

Guess I was just scared of being unoriginal. But yeah, I  guess can put my own spin on the archetype. Thanks.

[Cythieus]

The basic mainstays of the games are that there's a group of high school students who gain the ability to summon their inner self as a separate entity called a Persona. They enter another world when they fight and fight creatures that are like shadows or parts of feels of other people. That's how it worked in five at least. Also a Persona user can typically only summon one Persona and a Persona user can't have a Shadow (because they have their Persona under control).

Other basics are that you have to maintain your school life during the day. It's a rather big part of the game as are outside friendships and sometimes dating.

[Revelation]

Soveliss: I don't think you should drop. I mean, for one you can put your own spin on the concept. And two, the Persona games have reused similar concepts before while making each one unique. Junpei Iori from 3, Yosuke Hanamura from 4, and Ryuji Sakamoto from 5 can be said to be similar in some ways, yet each is unique and their own character.

I'm far from the world's expert on mythology, but I can certainly give it a try. :)

As for where high school students fit in, I'd have to think about it some more, but my initial thought is that the students were either targeted as disposable unwitting test subjects, or got caught in the side-effects of an experiment gone wrong.

Changingsaint: Where might this hack be found?

https://www.dropbox.com/s/t02qopw556wlk2m/The%20Velvet%20Book%20(Draft%200.3)_HQ.pdf?dl=0

[Cythieus]

I might have to look into this PDF. Saving it for later!

[Revelation]

Also I would definitely be interested in a Persona game!

[Lynx181]

I'm interested as well, though I wouldn't be able to run...

[Tokyorose627]

I tried making a Persona game on here a month back and got no luck, but hopefully yours will get off the ground unlike mine. Count me in! :)

As for a system? In regards to the story setting, I really liked Persona 5 and the ideal of rebel students fighting the system of oppression from adults. I thing it gave all the characters ways to improve and grow as characters, as well as for some great story telling!

Now in regards to goof old fashioned Raling system, I’m more familiar and comfortable with freefrom writing, just cause it gives me a chance to write out scenes and dialogues. I’ve never really used any other system then that.

[Moon Hound Hati]

Just pitching in my two cents and tentative interest.

If we're going for a setting where the government is trying to invade and take control of the metaverse, perhaps a fitting theme for the player character personas could be freedom fighters and defenders of the people. Examples could be Jeanne d'Arc and Robin Hood.

[Soveliss]

Just pitching in my two cents and tentative interest.

If we're going for a setting where the government is trying to invade and take control of the metaverse, perhaps a fitting theme for the player character personas could be freedom fighters and defenders of the people. Examples could be Jeanne d'Arc and Robin Hood.

That would sound like a good theme. I call dibs on Witold Pilecki as a persona if we go with that theme.

[Tokyorose627]

Just pitching in my two cents and tentative interest.

If we're going for a setting where the government is trying to invade and take control of the metaverse, perhaps a fitting theme for the player character personas could be freedom fighters and defenders of the people. Examples could be Jeanne d'Arc and Robin Hood.

That could work,though wouldn’t that mean everyone’s own backstory would have to revolve around that concept? Like Persona 4 having the theme of accepting yourself, and Persona 5 with being wronged by an adult figure, this game would have to have our characters have some sort of rebellion type problem for our characters to Overcome? Wouldn’t that box people in, in regards to plots and character stories that people wish to plot?

[Empyrean]

It might tie in with a thought I had for how teenagers could get wrapped up in a government conspiracy.

My thought was that the government found a school for troubled children (runaways, delinquents, that kind of thing), and decided to conduct their experiments there since who would care about a bunch of punks getting wasted if things went wrong? Variations on the idea include a group home for troubled youths or a juvenile prison.

[Moon Hound Hati]

That could work,though wouldn’t that mean everyone’s own backstory would have to revolve around that concept? Like Persona 4 having the theme of accepting yourself, and Persona 5 with being wronged by an adult figure, this game would have to have our characters have some sort of rebellion type problem for our characters to Overcome? Wouldn’t that box people in, in regards to plots and character stories that people wish to plot?

Oh, it can be quite open to interpretation. Character A might be an orphan lost in the system, moved from foster home to home, someone the system "failed." Meanwhile, character B's family business went bankrupt because of some shady tax laws that got passed by corrupt politicians. You know, people who have reason to fight the government as it is currently, and there can be a lot of ways the government can make you hate it.

[Cythieus]

There are a lot of different ways that you could play this sort of thing and make it work. I kind of have a student in mind for what I want to play already.

[Soveliss]

I just read the "Velvet Book" and it seems the character I had in mind fits the Hanged Man archetype, assuming we still go with the theme of personae inspired by freedom fighters and heroes of the people. Is it okay if I call dibs on that one?

[Empyrean]

I don't see why not. I liked what I saw in the Velvet Book, but I'm not sure I understand all the mechanics. I'd personally lean towards more freeform with stuff from the Velvet Book added in.

As far as running goes, I'm willing to run, but I'd like a co-GM. I know that I go through periods where I have no energy for much of anything much less writing, so I'd like a co-GM there who can pick up the slack if and when I can't.

[Cythieus]

I don't see why not. I liked what I saw in the Velvet Book, but I'm not sure I understand all the mechanics. I'd personally lean towards more freeform with stuff from the Velvet Book added in.

As far as running goes, I'm willing to run, but I'd like a co-GM. I know that I go through periods where I have no energy for much of anything much less writing, so I'd like a co-GM there who can pick up the slack if and when I can't.

I like using the Velvet book as a kind of guide and not as a system since some people seem to think that they might not really like it and I think a game like this might be served better by all of us having more freedom to write something compelling as long as people agree to use discretion and not just make themselves the best ever at everything.

I saw that there was talk of reserving Arcana's, my idea for a character I think mostly fits into the High Priestess Arcana, though I am fleshing out some stuff here's what I've come up with so far:

Name: Tsumi Kusanagi

Persona: Lilith -- According to the "Alphabet of Ben Sira", Lilith was Adam’s first wife but the couple fought all the time. They didn’t see eye-to-eye on matters of sex because Adam always wanted to be on top while Lilith also wanted a turn in the dominant sexual position. When they could not agree, Lilith decided to leave Adam. She uttered God’s name and flew into the air, leaving Adam alone in the Garden of Eden. Her Persona is a representation of the woman she wants to be, basically free of the control of others and free from the confines of both expectations of society and her peers at school.

Arcana: The High Priestess (Hidden Influence - The Information Broker)

Age: 16

Height: 5'3''

Weight: 100 lbs

Hair: Blonde

Eyes: Golden Brown

Sexuality: Bi

Melee Weapon: Nail Bat

Ranged Weapon: Long Bow

Personality: Tsumi is a bookish, awkward girl, but she isn't shy. She keeps tabs on the things going on around her, though she's not in control of a major school club or anything she is an information broker of sorts. She knows secrets about almost anyone worth knowing a secret about and her way of interacting with people has been very much based on her extensive knowledge of their lives.

To a newcomer she comes off as somewhat innocent due to her looks, though that's a cultivated personality that she maintains as it's good for her information gathering purposes. She can fake being soft spoken and scared and even cry on command. Though she doesn't take these more extreme measures for just fun and usually only deploys them when pushed to it.