La Storia della Arcana Famiglia [SU/OOC][T]

[Supervegeta]

@Xlugon & Lili- Yes but I like to complicate things...oh well. Alright then, should I make a post for the Swords members to react to? Or would the Swords RPers like to arrive first, then I make that post?

Also, Ichiro's post seems totally out of place, like its in the future or something. I'm gonna ignore it.

[Xlugon Pyro]

Originally Posted by Supervegeta

@Xlugon & Lili- Yes but I like to complicate things...oh well. Alright then, should I make a post for the Swords members to react to? Or would the Swords RPers like to arrive first, then I make that post?

Also, Ichiro's post seems totally out of place, like its in the future or something. I'm gonna ignore it.

Depending on the posts that come soon, I'll have Xoxaa arrive after the ball has already begun and be totally lost as to what she's supposed to do and eventually pulled aside by a member of Swords who interacts with her or have her come across someone else at the ball.

The first option sounds better IMO even though it may make the posts look a little messy. The ball posts are going to be messy anyway.

[Lilizuki]

Oda is already at the ball, so.

[machomuu]

Time for an NPC SU! This is Mina, a good friend of Adam. I'm sure she'll be reappearing from time to time, so I decided that I'd make an SU for her.

Name: Mina Cortez

Age: 18

Appearance: Mina has long, pitch black hair that reaches down to her abdomen. She has dark brown skin, complements of both her mother and her father, and her skin is rather smooth. She's about 5'10 with blue eyes, and she often wears sandals to complement the warm climate. On normal days, she wears a black tank top with blue jeans (though she is often seen wearing jean short shorts, usually on warmer days). On formal occasions, she wears a light blue dress that she gained from her mother, who has outgrown it, along pair of white high heels. She has a rather slender build, with slender arms and slender legs, but she's quite strong. She has a general interest in the martial arts and what little she knows about them. Adam often jokes that she should be in Sword, but she is committed to helping her mother in the family business.

Personality: Despite how she may look, Mina is bold and aggressive. She's not always aggressive, of course, only to those she's close to (specifically Adam) and when she feels threatened. Otherwise, she's quite a nice and charismatic character. She's also rather insistent, and when she's set on something, it takes quite a bit of doing to dissuade her. She does have a tendency to get pissed off easily, but she often represses her anger and directs it towards other things.

She enjoys fashion, likely thanks to her work as an embroiderer, a business her mother started. Because of this, she takes pride in her appearance, though she isn't overly compulsive about it. Conversely, she's quite the scrapper, and has a heavy interest in martial arts due to various reads about Asia. This worries her mother, as she wants her daughter to be more refined, but Mina completely disregards this. Still, she doesn't have many places to practice, so she often attacks spars with Adam, using the excuse that it's to "keep him on his feet".

[Raikiri]

I had Flint do his thing. He's probably getting fat and drunk. That's his thing. I will keep him mostly sober for the reaction scene that is bound to occur.

[Xlugon Pyro]

I threw up Xoxaa's ball post.

She's hiding in the corner away from everyone! D:

[Lilizuki]

@Supervegeta: Oda sent back the guard with a message, basically saying she wouldn't be on guard duty for the event. Not sure if this will affect anything, but I figured I'd point it out in the meantime.

The reason is because her rank is such that she decides how best to spend her time in the defense of the island, so she shouldn't be commanded about like a grunt. Marcus is free to ask her, and she'll likely listen, but it's not a case of "Private B! Go to Sector G!" Just so you don't think I'm being argumentative (Any more than I actually am).

[CarefulWetPaint]

Originally Posted by Lilizuki

@Supervegeta: Oda sent back the guard with a message, basically saying she wouldn't be on guard duty for the event. Not sure if this will affect anything, but I figured I'd point it out in the meantime.

The reason is because her rank is such that she decides how best to spend her time in the defense of the island, so she shouldn't be commanded about like a grunt. Marcus is free to ask her, and she'll likely listen, but it's not a case of "Private B! Go to Sector G!" Just so you don't think I'm being argumentative (Any more than I actually am).

Her rank isn't that high. Marcus completely outranks her so she basically has to do what he tells her to. Just so you know that she doesn't have that power.

[Lilizuki]

Clearly, you haven't read what her rank is. An Adept is somebody who works towards Sword's goal on the island, without being part of the standard command structure. They choose what best to do, for themselves, in any situation.

Marcus outranks her, but, just like you wouldn't have a Medic fly a plane, he wouldn't order her around like a lackey.

[AlexOzzyCake]

Originally Posted by machomuu

Time for an NPC SU! This is Mina, a good friend of Adam. I'm sure she'll be reappearing from time to time, so I decided that I'd make an SU for her.

Name: Mina Cortez

Age: 18

Appearance: Mina has long, pitch black hair that reaches down to her abdomen. She has dark brown skin, complements of both her mother and her father, and her skin is rather smooth. She's about 5'10 with blue eyes, and she often wears sandals to complement the warm climate. On normal days, she wears a black tank top with blue jeans (though she is often seen wearing jean short shorts, usually on warmer days). On formal occasions, she wears a light blue dress that she gained from her mother, who has outgrown it, along pair of white high heels. She has a rather slender build, with slender arms and slender legs, but she's quite strong. She has a general interest in the martial arts and what little she knows about them. Adam often jokes that she should be in Sword, but she is committed to helping her mother in the family business.

Personality: Despite how she may look, Mina is bold and aggressive. She's not always aggressive, of course, only to those she's close to (specifically Adam) and when she feels threatened. Otherwise, she's quite a nice and charismatic character. She's also rather insistent, and when she's set on something, it takes quite a bit of doing to dissuade her. She does have a tendency to get pissed off easily, but she often represses her anger and directs it towards other things.

She enjoys fashion, likely thanks to her work as an embroiderer, a business her mother started. Because of this, she takes pride in her appearance, though she isn't overly compulsive about it. Conversely, she's quite the scrapper, and has a heavy interest in martial arts due to various reads about Asia. This worries her mother, as she wants her daughter to be more refined, but Mina completely disregards this. Still, she doesn't have many places to practice, so she often attacks spars with Adam, using the excuse that it's to "keep him on his feet".

She sounds terrifying. :D Accepted - I'm looking forward to seeing their interaction!

Originally Posted by Lilizuki

Clearly, you haven't read what her rank is. An Adept is somebody who works towards Sword's goal on the island, without being part of the standard command structure. They choose what best to do, for themselves, in any situation.

Marcus outranks her, but, just like you wouldn't have a Medic fly a plane, he wouldn't order her around like a lackey.

An adept still follows orders from the sector's leader, they just have small amounts of power over the apprentices and a veteranesque title. If Marcus says she's on guard duty and she doesn't turn up, she'll still get disciplined just like anybody else.

[Supervegeta]

Yes, that was my impression also. Besides, in any force structure by rank, one who ranks higher than you generally has the capability to command you, though probably with a bit more respect for the rank than your private scenario you laid out. That was why I made Marcus make you second in command of security at the party.

Besides I didn't have Marcus put them all on guard duty to scorn or spite anyone, but rather as a way for all of them to interact while still doing their job. And the way I see it, security detail for the ball, which contains the big fish of Regalo, including Mama and Papa, is definitely something important enough for her to do.

[Lilizuki]

Okay.

If Marcus doesn't trust Oda to do her job via her own instincts, which is exactly what her rank implies, then she shouldn't be an Adept anyway.

[AlexOzzyCake]

Originally Posted by Lilizuki

Okay.

If Marcus doesn't trust Oda to do her job via her own instincts, which is exactly what her rank implies, then she shouldn't be an Adept anyway.

That's not what Marcus is implying in the slightest. Saying "you're on guard duty" when the entire Sword sector is on guard duty is more than reasonable, it has nothing to do with him not trusting her. If anything being chosen as second in command for security should be an honour for Oda. Being an adept doesn't mean she can do whatever she wants, she's still subject to her leader's orders :p

All the ball posts are looking great so far and it's really nice to see the characters developing a lot - especially Flint, Ari and Adam, we're seeing whole new sides to them! I'll try contacting the character without posts and see what's going on there hopefully before the speeches have been acknowledged :3

[Lilizuki]

And here I thought only Ari was meant to be Marcus' b!tch...

I'll probably post later.

I feel I owe an explanation for why the course of events has irked me, in a more eloquent manner than I did before.

In short, it renders Oda's rank irrelevant. So far, nothing about it has affected in-game events; the first act of this game would have been the same regardless, as everybody was hunting thieves, and Oda still gets a disciplinary meeting like everybody else for her actions. Now, she's called to work under Marcus as though she were a Sergeant*.


This wouldn't be a problem if Adept, as my concept, meant "command over Apprentices", but it was specifically made with Oda in mind. For her to be accountable for her actions, and not Sword as a whole, so if she screws up, she's the one who has to apologize to the citizens. The goal of which is to make her take responsibility for her duty on the whole; as somebody who has personal immortality, a key factor of her development is to realize how to properly deal with feelings of guilt, and when to do what for who.


The end goal of which is to fit with the archetype of an immortal observer. The Doctor, from Doctor Who. Zasalamel, from Soul Calibur. The direct inspiration for the rank was SpecTRes from Mass Effect; the idea of talented soldiers who are allowed to be responsible for their own actions, while working for the interests of the greater authority. Yes, there are detractors and flaws with it, but there are also great benefits, especially in a time when swift mobile communication is impossible. If a squad is in an emergency situation, and can't contact their commander, they're in big trouble. With an Adept as I intended them, that wouldn't be a problem, because they're a talented solo agent.


I hope this helps to clarify why I was irked by the situation presented. It doesn't excuse my rudeness, though, which I apologize for.


*Oda doesn't like being in a Commander's position, mostly due to the incompatibility of her powers with any kind of group. If she goes intangible, everyone with her doesn't. If she uses it to move around, everyone with her doesn't.

[CarefulWetPaint]

Lili what we are saying is yes she can do as she wishes most of the time because of her rank BUT when Marcus (or a member above him) gives her an order she HAS to do that as he DOES Outrank her.

Also my post is ready but apparently it's looking a bit icky so I have to read and edit it :O

[Lilizuki]

I realize that.

However, my issue with this is that it hasn't been represented in the story. She has done nothing that anyone else couldn't have in the beginning (If she didn't need to have a disciplinary meeting with Marcus, that would be a good representation of trust in Adepts, but Supervegeta mentioned that Marcus has one planned), and now she's being treated like any other Sword, so that's a second time recognizing her rank hasn't happened.

If any more issues need to be brought up with the command itself, there's the fact that Marcus is assigning a person unfit to command to a commanding position.

[Supervegeta]

I'm not getting into the whole 'Adept' rank and where it applies. That's really up to the GM to decide ultimately. But if I had to voice my opinion, putting it on the same level as that of a Spectre from Mass Effect might be going a bit overboard, as they technically have no jurisdiction besides that of the Council, and even then that is flexible. I see Oda's rank more as lying outside of the traditional rankings in Swords, giving her flexibility, while still being answerable to Marcus if she made some sort of offense. And this at most.

The whole point behind Marcus's treatment of her as the same as the others stems primarily from just that: she made an offense. The other Swords actually did not (or at least not to the degree). Marcus is strict in his observance of the law, primarily for those members of Swords, including the Adepts who might not fall directly in the rank and file. So when an offense is made, he has to make a point. That really is the only reason he chose to muddle her along with the others. I assure you that her outlying rank will be more properly considered in the future, so long as she doesn't make additional illegal offenses.

Well, the way I see it, she actually is more qualified to command than the other Swords present. First, she is the eldest of them, so she would be the most knowledgeable and trustworthy. Xoxxa is too young to do so, Aerous is simply not fit (no offense intended, that's just his personality type, and Tobi has his mood shifts. So, I decided to make Marcus give it to Oda (since none of the others were as qualified and I don't really wanna give it to an NPC). Besides, reading through her personality in her SU, she actually seems to be quite qualified in Marcus's eyes to take command of things:

"...she treats most situations as though they are a puzzle waiting to be solved; on the lookout for clues that might aid or suspicious items to be investigated."

"Because of the seriousness with which she approaches all things, Oda has few friends amongst those in the Sword Sector, but has their respect;"

Marcus would qualify these as aspects of a good person to put in second-in-command, at least more so than the others.

[Lilizuki]

This would be far easier if Sword was more defined. If we're meant to play them as social servants, then Oda wouldn't have stolen from the civilian, which means that the thief would have gotten away with the Famiglia's assets. If it's a private military (As I imagined it to be), she made the correct choice in choosing to serve the interests of the Famiglia, and she shouldn't need disciplinary action.

I went with the latter, while you seem to have gone for the former.

Oda is a bad leader because of her Arcana. Anyone shoots at her, the bullets go right through and kill everyone around her. If she needs to go somewhere with her powers, nobody can follow, which leaves those people without a leader. Being unable to actually protect people is a big flaw for somebody in a commanding position.

[machomuu]

Speaking of that, I, too, would like it if the house sections were more defined. I know what they do at a base level, not I don't know much about them other than the short descriptions in the OP. I'd like to know how the ranking system works, how they operate, and what the members are tasked with. I'm not saying that they're inadequate as they are now, but it would be nice if we had a more detailed sense of direction.

[Supervegeta]

I remember that AlexOzzyCake mentioned that La Famiglia was more or less like a government, which would define them more as social servants, as you put it. At least, that is my interpretation of it. We can let the GM decide. For now, we can call if a simple misunderstanding on what they represent. No worries.

Then perhaps most of the Swords members are probably not the best fit to be leaders, but that still doesn't change the fact that she is at least more qualified than the others. (At least in my opinion) Also, I see her power as not really being a big flaw for someone in a commanding position, but rather more of somebody in a protecting position, which is interesting as her entire job is primarily about defense. Besides, Marcus put her in second-in-command, not command, so if she does need to go somewhere with her powers, the others aren't completely leaderless. Marcus is still there. Should be no problem.

@machomuu- Good point.

[Lilizuki]

Agreed.

I'm not completely happy with that conclusion, and neither will Oda be, but I'm comfortable with accepting it as long as I'm allowed to portray Oda's distaste with the position.

[Retro Bug]

Originally Posted by Lilizuki

And here I thought only Ari was meant to be Marcus' b!tch...

I'm sorry, what? When has it ever been implied or even stated that Ari would be anyone's "B!tch"? Ahaha, never. I don't get what you mean by this offhanded comment so if you'd like to further explain that'd be nice.

[Lilizuki]

It was a comment in poor taste about Ari's supposed crush on Marcus, as I believe was mentioned earlier in this thread.

[Retro Bug]

Originally Posted by Lilizuki

It was a comment in poor taste about Ari's supposed crush on Marcus, as I believe was mentioned earlier in this thread.

Supposed poor taste = Being Marcus's b!tch? Really? Okay then... That's one powerful transition.

Anyway, Ari may be one but she'll never be somebody's just thought I'd point that out y'all.

[Lilizuki]

No, I mean my comment was in poor taste.