So, in other words I should be more jauntier? Er, I mean... Don't get the idea that I have cripplingly low self-esteem or anything, I just like poking at myself just so I always realize that there's always room for improvement in whatever I do. I say this, despite being so lazy.
Yes, be more
me. Everyone would benefit from my traits. But if that's your way of joking about, then I don't have any qualms or the like. I do meet people on he regular though who are not as self-aware, so my advice stems from that, though do not disregard it should it ever become relevant to you and your tenure here, mate.
Just to clarify on my concern: I just feel like it's very, very easy to inadvertently write some offensive things while exploring the darker themes of the story through my writing. It can happen, especially if things drowsiness from long days or reckless enthusiasm impair my judgement and foresight. Being so new to the forums, I don't feel super comfortable having the risk of maybe upsetting a few people by accident (though, honestly, I'm starting to get the idea that everyone here is genuinely friendly).
If you are so concerned about a reader taking personal offense or the guilt you assign to it, then surely, feel free to refrain signing up for this role-play should the corrected story come to fruition. I'm not trying to convince people to join if they feel uncomfortable playing with certain mature themes. I am trying to sort out some mechanics so that this makes for a fully-functional and enthralling role-play for all players who find the idea interesting enough to see it through and join, or at least read along. What you decide during this process is all up to you, and that's okay.
After reading your post, I'm getting the idea that the characteristics and traits of these demons are heavily based on the host they are bound to, deriving from the darker depths of their self-destructive ego. If I'm interpreting that correctly, is that the reason why they also show the students the consequences of dying? Like, in some subtle way, are they trying to encourage them to fight back their urges? Since, otherwise, they could just lie and keep the host in the dark about what really happens when they die. Also, if that's the case, does that mean that for the players who control demons, they'll have to base their characters off of their selected human hosts? If so, that's actually a very interesting dynamic since you have to study a certain character's profile and work off of that.
Well now, you ask very good questions. You're certainly inclined as a writer.
On the part of demons being somewhat based off of their selected host, it was what I had originally intended to work on in some way, but as concerns of tethering and demon characters coming off as secondary or overly-dependent came in, I decided I wanted to give demons a little more freedom. Perhaps it would benefit me to post my working "Stipulations" to the first post, so that some things concerning dynamics are explained. But for the student sign up sheet, I do have it required to list their character's "faults and fears", presumably the ones that have some weight to it. I'd be the first to post my Dolly student character application so others can see an example of how the application may be filled out and build their student characters to par, but the faults and fears section was and still is to be used by their demon for a more keen exploitation.
As for the concept of essentially some subtle encouragement of fighting back their urges, as nice a thought as that is, the demons themselves are not concerned with helping their student. If their student doesn't die, their only other option of being unbound is through that demon's specific cleansing rite, and that would be an utter erasure of the demon's existence. No, that doesn't mean that the student's suicidal tendencies were separated from them and formed into this spiritual embodiment, and as that is eradicated, so too is their desire to commit it. In case you were thinking in that way, the demons are just representative, not actually the student's
bad thoughts in a form. You get what I mean?
The alternative is that they live with their demon and try to eke it out, but I'm writing the demon, as I said prior in this thread, to be more malevolent and have an effect much greater than its immediate connection with its host.
Also, one minor thing; a very specific question I forgot to ask before (sorry! I didn't realize I'd be asking so much for this, lol!). This is related to the aesthetics of the story. Um... What do demons look like? Are they strictly humanoid? I'm suspecting they are eldritch in design given the demonic setting, but are there any specific standards and limits you had in mind, or can they look like anything so as long they aren't incongruous or silly to the story's mood?
They can look like anything that isn't utterly ridiculous, like a block of cheese, or doesn't fit with my original stipulation--which I haven't mentioned yet--concerning the absence of an established demonic hierarchy and actual "sacred" figures, like a flat-out claim of Baphomet.
So basically, your demon's "true" form--the form your host will see--could range from that of a black cat to a ten-year-old ghost child in a white nightgown, to a busty and bat-winged woman in scant attire, to a scaled-down version of a Dark Souls boss. It almost doesn't matter to me, but I suppose what I will allow will have to be challenged by actual sign ups, since anything that looks excessively extravagant will leave me iffy until I work out broadening the demon role. And they all will be equally powerful despite these forms, though their powers will come with their unique abilities and not so much from their actual form.
