PastelPhoenix
How did this even happen?
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- Seen Nov 20, 2022
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OOC //
I am thou, and thou art I...
The city of Havencross, North Carolina has been going through some rapid changes the past few years. The mountain city is currently one of the epicenters of a pharmaceutical boom, and with it came the massive draw of people and money into the once-struggling city. Synocrine Industries, the company largely responsible for the boom has even designated Havencross as the new headquarters for their new offshoot Mnemo Pharmaceuticals, created to advance research into the newly discovered field of memory therapy. Alongside this move is the construction of the nation's first fully independent Memory Therapy clinic, offering memory alterations free from a hospital setting.
Memory Therapy has taken off in populated cities, allowing victims to remove traumatic memories or replace them with something more pleasant. Helping to fund further research is the option of implanting memories for wealthy clients looking for certain experiences without having to take the time to experience itself, or dangerous situations minus the danger. Although Mnemo is a new company, its start has been marred by controversy. Aside from the obvious reactions to memory alteration, a new disease has started to spread. Sudden Retrograde Amnesia Disorder (SRAD) has been the subject of large scale investigation, but so far evidence towards it having anything to do with Mnemo or Memory Therapy in general has been inconclusive at best. There has also been a small string of disappearances in Havencross, which the police have been all to quick to dismiss as a consequence of the population boom.
But none of this concerns you... yet. For now you are just a student in the newly built private school St. Dominic High School with occasionally odd dreams. Whether you come from wealth and privately funded your tuition or you're a scholarship student with a lot to prove, you made the cut for the first class through its doors. Things aren't likely to be that simple forever though.
Persona: Memory's Wake
I am thou, and thou art I...
The city of Havencross, North Carolina has been going through some rapid changes the past few years. The mountain city is currently one of the epicenters of a pharmaceutical boom, and with it came the massive draw of people and money into the once-struggling city. Synocrine Industries, the company largely responsible for the boom has even designated Havencross as the new headquarters for their new offshoot Mnemo Pharmaceuticals, created to advance research into the newly discovered field of memory therapy. Alongside this move is the construction of the nation's first fully independent Memory Therapy clinic, offering memory alterations free from a hospital setting.
Memory Therapy has taken off in populated cities, allowing victims to remove traumatic memories or replace them with something more pleasant. Helping to fund further research is the option of implanting memories for wealthy clients looking for certain experiences without having to take the time to experience itself, or dangerous situations minus the danger. Although Mnemo is a new company, its start has been marred by controversy. Aside from the obvious reactions to memory alteration, a new disease has started to spread. Sudden Retrograde Amnesia Disorder (SRAD) has been the subject of large scale investigation, but so far evidence towards it having anything to do with Mnemo or Memory Therapy in general has been inconclusive at best. There has also been a small string of disappearances in Havencross, which the police have been all to quick to dismiss as a consequence of the population boom.
But none of this concerns you... yet. For now you are just a student in the newly built private school St. Dominic High School with occasionally odd dreams. Whether you come from wealth and privately funded your tuition or you're a scholarship student with a lot to prove, you made the cut for the first class through its doors. Things aren't likely to be that simple forever though.
Ultimately it will fall to you to find the truth behind the mysteries surrounding Mnemo, SRAD, and the missing people. unlikely as it sounds. You will be assisted in this task through your access to the Mirrored World. It seems your dreams has conferred more than just unease to you, as you soon gain the ability to fall through glass surfaces and enter a twisted version of the world within. This land is influences by the memories and desires of mankind, and largely inhabited by monsters formed from the darkest of humanity's thoughts call Shadows. You can defeat the shadows yourself, but you are not alone in fighting them. Deep within you is the power of Persona, an extenstion of your own will made manifest through your Anchor to the Past, a memory you can never forget so powerful it has guided you into who you are today.
Your Persona is a part of you, for better or worse. It reacts to your will and is only summon-able by you. You will only have one Persona for this RP, although those with the power to call multiple Personas do exist. A Persona most often takes the form of a mythological figure, beast, or a real person who's deeds have taken on a mystic quality (e.g. Caesar, Blackbeard, etc).
Your Persona has fantastic abilities in addition to their fantastic appearance. They often possess supernatural strength, destructive magic, and the ability to heal wounds. The type of abilities they have are listed below (they can have two, hover over the text for descriptions).
Your Persona is a part of you, for better or worse. It reacts to your will and is only summon-able by you. You will only have one Persona for this RP, although those with the power to call multiple Personas do exist. A Persona most often takes the form of a mythological figure, beast, or a real person who's deeds have taken on a mystic quality (e.g. Caesar, Blackbeard, etc).
Your Persona has fantastic abilities in addition to their fantastic appearance. They often possess supernatural strength, destructive magic, and the ability to heal wounds. The type of abilities they have are listed below (they can have two, hover over the text for descriptions).
Fire||Ice|| Lightning||Wind||Physical||Gun||Nuclear||Psi||Blessed||Cursed||Healing||Support||Debuff||Almighty.
It is inside this other world where you will need to piece together the truth, literally. The fragmented pieces of lost memories rest in here, and are the key to making sense of anything that happened here. The shadows are not willing to give them up without a fight, however, and some powerful ones have started appearing in the shape of people.
Persona and their masters fall into one of 23 arcana, each symbolizing specific traits about your character as a whole. The arcana descriptions are given in hovertext over each image. Your arcana doesn't have to match your character as they start 100%, as working to embody your arcana is part of the growth process for characters.
UNAVAILABLE ARCANA
These Arcana are part of the major arcana in real life, but represent much more in the games. Because of these gameplay reasons, they have been cut but explained.
Havencross
The City of Havencross was once an important trade stop for people headed out west, and has maintained a presence in the overland shipping industry due to it's location at the foot of a clear valley passage through the Appalachian Mountains. While medicine has changed the face of downtown and new city expansions, the old city is still firmly dedicated to transport. St Dominic's is located in the city center known as "Midtown", a reasonably affordable place to live for most residents but not too far from the neighboring districts of Downtown, Regency Park, Satin Heights, and even some poorer students can make the journey from the industrial center of Moreno Cross.
Some important areas of the city are:
Midtown: Home to St. Dominics as well as many of the white collar offices. Famously home to the old local Synocrine office, before the Mnemo headquarters was built downtown. It and the Memory Therapy clinic falls in the south of this district, near the border of the Downtown area.
Gabbro Plaza: The street home to both the old Synocrine building and the Memory Therapy clinic. While Synocrine used to own the entire building, several floors have yet to be rented out. The Clinic is notably only a two story building, and not as large as the hubbub makes it sound. Only a handful of patients seem like they would even be able to use the facility at the same time.
Regency Park: Most of this district is made up of houses and parks, a notably new district too. Housing here is varies in price, depending on exact distance to the parks and rising in price greatly near Satin Heights.
Elk Ridge Park: The largest park within the district. Famous for having a thriving natural pond, mostly untouched by the city. The prior own infamously refused to sell the land the park sat on until his deathbed, and his will turned possession of the land over to the city's park services much to the frustration of businessmen everywhere.
Satin Heights: Located north of Midtown, this area of the city is notably lavish and wealthy. Buying a home here means you have made it in the world.
Downtown: The center of white collar business and entertainment in the city. Home to Mnemo and approximately everything you'd actually want to do in the city. Recent renovations have installed a public tram system to help combat the traffic issue.
Slate Ave: Technically several streets, but the main street is the most known. This area is where Mnemo and really all of the important businesses sit. Also home to several high class restaurants in some of the buildings.
Little Broadway: Theatre has always had a loyal following in Havencross, and over time it all condensed into a single street. Shows, music, and freakshows abound.
Moreno Cross: Much of the old city lies here, home of steelyards, trainyards, and various transportation companies. The smell of fuel is heavy in some areas, and a general sense of griminess lingers.
The Abandoned Street: For some reason all the businesses on this street went under, and no replacements have managed to establish a foothold. Local rumors say there's a curse here. Curse or not, it's not a place many want to hang out.
Deadman's Land: The eastern area of the city everyone forgot. Poverty is rampant here, as is crime. Most residents will go to great lengths to avoid this district.
Lilycrest City: A suburb of Havencross located south of the city. While the outskirts of the city are still somewhat rural, the growth of Havencross has caused a similar growth in Lilycrest.
The City of Havencross was once an important trade stop for people headed out west, and has maintained a presence in the overland shipping industry due to it's location at the foot of a clear valley passage through the Appalachian Mountains. While medicine has changed the face of downtown and new city expansions, the old city is still firmly dedicated to transport. St Dominic's is located in the city center known as "Midtown", a reasonably affordable place to live for most residents but not too far from the neighboring districts of Downtown, Regency Park, Satin Heights, and even some poorer students can make the journey from the industrial center of Moreno Cross.
Some important areas of the city are:
Midtown: Home to St. Dominics as well as many of the white collar offices. Famously home to the old local Synocrine office, before the Mnemo headquarters was built downtown. It and the Memory Therapy clinic falls in the south of this district, near the border of the Downtown area.
Gabbro Plaza: The street home to both the old Synocrine building and the Memory Therapy clinic. While Synocrine used to own the entire building, several floors have yet to be rented out. The Clinic is notably only a two story building, and not as large as the hubbub makes it sound. Only a handful of patients seem like they would even be able to use the facility at the same time.
Regency Park: Most of this district is made up of houses and parks, a notably new district too. Housing here is varies in price, depending on exact distance to the parks and rising in price greatly near Satin Heights.
Elk Ridge Park: The largest park within the district. Famous for having a thriving natural pond, mostly untouched by the city. The prior own infamously refused to sell the land the park sat on until his deathbed, and his will turned possession of the land over to the city's park services much to the frustration of businessmen everywhere.
Satin Heights: Located north of Midtown, this area of the city is notably lavish and wealthy. Buying a home here means you have made it in the world.
Downtown: The center of white collar business and entertainment in the city. Home to Mnemo and approximately everything you'd actually want to do in the city. Recent renovations have installed a public tram system to help combat the traffic issue.
Slate Ave: Technically several streets, but the main street is the most known. This area is where Mnemo and really all of the important businesses sit. Also home to several high class restaurants in some of the buildings.
Little Broadway: Theatre has always had a loyal following in Havencross, and over time it all condensed into a single street. Shows, music, and freakshows abound.
Moreno Cross: Much of the old city lies here, home of steelyards, trainyards, and various transportation companies. The smell of fuel is heavy in some areas, and a general sense of griminess lingers.
The Abandoned Street: For some reason all the businesses on this street went under, and no replacements have managed to establish a foothold. Local rumors say there's a curse here. Curse or not, it's not a place many want to hang out.
Deadman's Land: The eastern area of the city everyone forgot. Poverty is rampant here, as is crime. Most residents will go to great lengths to avoid this district.
Lilycrest City: A suburb of Havencross located south of the city. While the outskirts of the city are still somewhat rural, the growth of Havencross has caused a similar growth in Lilycrest.
Gameplay will be spent between free sessions where the players live as normal high school students and freely work to solve minor issues in the Mirror World (some memories of SRAD victims are held in "bubbles" where larger shadows are unable to detect them, making them easy to gather and repair). Progress with the main plot is tracked by "Arcs". Arcs represent a large goal players work towards, such as recovery of memory fragments from a particularly well defended area of the Mirror world or significant events in the real world (Midterms, vacations, etc). Smaller events are managed by "Phases", which is a cue that certain actions need to be done, or announcing free time.
Memory Fragments are held inside elaborate dungeons by powerful shadows and their lesser minions. Collecting these fragments involves not only finding where they are being held, but navigating the dungeon over time to actually finding them. Players will not be able to recover a major fragment with one exploration or combat, but it is a build up to recovery.
Memory Fragments are held inside elaborate dungeons by powerful shadows and their lesser minions. Collecting these fragments involves not only finding where they are being held, but navigating the dungeon over time to actually finding them. Players will not be able to recover a major fragment with one exploration or combat, but it is a build up to recovery.
Rules and General Persona Intro
So, aside from all the standard RPT rules and basic warnings I do have a few basics.
I will try and move on roughly every two weeks. There will most likely be exceptions to this (and if you need one just let me know), but this is to give people enough time to write as well as keep action moving forward. These first few phases may be a little short to capitalize on new RP enthusiasm as well as get right to the nitty-gritty of the plot.
Please try to avoid death by Joint Post. Joint posts are inevitable, but try not to kill your enthusiasm and progress by making everything a JP and being stuck in a stagnant project. JPs have their advantage, but for general interaction such as conversation, several short posts back and forth can be better than one long one, both for efficiency and activity.
Respect Common Decency. I don't expect this to come up, but I'll post it just in case. Persona deals often with heavy and sometimes dark issues. Traumatic situations and sexuality come up, but please don't make everyone uncomfortable.
As for what I actually look for in an SU, I focus largely on the following:
Creativity/Uniqueness: This doesn't mean having a super-special character with a wildly implausible life, I look for interesting characters. Even old tropes can be interesting with certain twists or unique applications.
Character Combinations: Uniqueness comes into play here as well. 5 isolated loners aren't interesting, diverse personalities and backgrounds make for more interesting interactions. I'm only accepting one person per Arcana (and a max 8 in total), as it also helps diversify the cast. If you do have a great idea that is somewhat similar to another sign up with a different arcana, don't worry. Not everyone is entirely unique, there are always similarities between people in a school.
Finally, Technical Skill plays a very small part. I'm not the best author, this OOC probably will show that. This just covers SUs I have trouble even reading. I am much more likely to accept a character I like and feel has great potential but some minor writing issues over a completely bland and generic character but the author writes with a golden quill.
As for the newcomers to the Persona series, welcome! I hope this can encourage you to try out this awesome series (I recommend 4 and 5. 3 is rough in the gameplay department, and I can't recommend 1 and 2 in good conscious since they are so dated, no matter how good 2 is story wise). I wanted to make some general tips for creating a character, and to clear up a few things on the coming SU. This RP will mostly follow the style of "Modern" Persona, which is 3 onwards. The plots of the games are entirely separate aside from a few nods to each other. Even major aspects of the world changes between game, such as how you summon the persona and the exact threat. What does stay largely the same are the basics: highschool, strange other world, and supernatural figures call Persona.
While this SU isn't a roleplaying scene, it takes place in a scene you'd see in each Modern game. You are going to experience your first encounter with the Velvet Room. This is an otherworldly place only those who have been invited to are allowed to enter. The residents of this room dabble in fate and power, and this is the primary place you would work with Personas outside of combat. For now this will just seem like an odd dream, but you will take a major first step here.
You need to sign your contract. This contract binds your character to the events going on as well as sets the seed for awakening your Persona. While you won't be able to summon your Persona immediately after signing the contract, it is necessary to enlist the help of the Velvet Room, begin gathering power, and ultimately take control of your own destiny.
I will continue to explain more about Persona as we reach relevant areas in the RP, but feel free to ask me any questions regarding it in relation to the RP.
So, aside from all the standard RPT rules and basic warnings I do have a few basics.
I will try and move on roughly every two weeks. There will most likely be exceptions to this (and if you need one just let me know), but this is to give people enough time to write as well as keep action moving forward. These first few phases may be a little short to capitalize on new RP enthusiasm as well as get right to the nitty-gritty of the plot.
Please try to avoid death by Joint Post. Joint posts are inevitable, but try not to kill your enthusiasm and progress by making everything a JP and being stuck in a stagnant project. JPs have their advantage, but for general interaction such as conversation, several short posts back and forth can be better than one long one, both for efficiency and activity.
Respect Common Decency. I don't expect this to come up, but I'll post it just in case. Persona deals often with heavy and sometimes dark issues. Traumatic situations and sexuality come up, but please don't make everyone uncomfortable.
As for what I actually look for in an SU, I focus largely on the following:
Creativity/Uniqueness: This doesn't mean having a super-special character with a wildly implausible life, I look for interesting characters. Even old tropes can be interesting with certain twists or unique applications.
Character Combinations: Uniqueness comes into play here as well. 5 isolated loners aren't interesting, diverse personalities and backgrounds make for more interesting interactions. I'm only accepting one person per Arcana (and a max 8 in total), as it also helps diversify the cast. If you do have a great idea that is somewhat similar to another sign up with a different arcana, don't worry. Not everyone is entirely unique, there are always similarities between people in a school.
Finally, Technical Skill plays a very small part. I'm not the best author, this OOC probably will show that. This just covers SUs I have trouble even reading. I am much more likely to accept a character I like and feel has great potential but some minor writing issues over a completely bland and generic character but the author writes with a golden quill.
As for the newcomers to the Persona series, welcome! I hope this can encourage you to try out this awesome series (I recommend 4 and 5. 3 is rough in the gameplay department, and I can't recommend 1 and 2 in good conscious since they are so dated, no matter how good 2 is story wise). I wanted to make some general tips for creating a character, and to clear up a few things on the coming SU. This RP will mostly follow the style of "Modern" Persona, which is 3 onwards. The plots of the games are entirely separate aside from a few nods to each other. Even major aspects of the world changes between game, such as how you summon the persona and the exact threat. What does stay largely the same are the basics: highschool, strange other world, and supernatural figures call Persona.
While this SU isn't a roleplaying scene, it takes place in a scene you'd see in each Modern game. You are going to experience your first encounter with the Velvet Room. This is an otherworldly place only those who have been invited to are allowed to enter. The residents of this room dabble in fate and power, and this is the primary place you would work with Personas outside of combat. For now this will just seem like an odd dream, but you will take a major first step here.
You need to sign your contract. This contract binds your character to the events going on as well as sets the seed for awakening your Persona. While you won't be able to summon your Persona immediately after signing the contract, it is necessary to enlist the help of the Velvet Room, begin gathering power, and ultimately take control of your own destiny.
I will continue to explain more about Persona as we reach relevant areas in the RP, but feel free to ask me any questions regarding it in relation to the RP.
There is a sudden flash to blue as your eyes close, and you find yourself in a strange room. A library, it seems. Large shelves dominate the room, each lined with books as blue as the wallpaper and carpet. Strangely enough the books appear to be chained to the bookshelf itself, each with a massive, golden lock. It's almost as if speaking would break the tranquility of the room, but it's not as if this dream would let you speak anyways. At the left of the room is a lady whom you suspect to be the librarian. She appears to be slightly older than you with short, curly hair that is so blonde it almost appears white. She is dressed in a lady's suit colored blue, of course, and a pair of thick glasses. For a moment she seems surprised to see you, but only for a second before a look of familiarity crosses her face.
"Well, seems we should have met some time ago," she says, her voice soft but confidant, "but that won't be an issue here. My name is Susan... ah, no need to speak, for you've already told me yours, dear guest. The master is still away, so it falls to me to guide you.
"One of these diaries will have your name on the spine." She motions to the closest shelf. "The lock will come undone for you, and only you. Inside is a copy of your story; memories dear and painful are contained in the pages inside. Don't worry, the book wouldn't open for me even if I tried. Most importantly, however, the first page contains the contract. Just agree to the terms and we can pick this back up."
Sure enough one of the diaries on the middle shelf has your name engraved into the spine. The lock clicks open and falls away as soon as you reach for it, leaving the book free from the chain and with no sign it was ever locked away. The pages seem well worn from the outside, as if someone has cherished it and read it often. The cover opens by itself, taking you to the first page, the contract.
(Sign Up. Note that this doesn't have to actually be written in character.)
Name:
Age:
Grade and Class: (Generally 16 = 10, 17 = 11, 18 = 12 without being moved up or being held back. All students are in class B of their respective year)
Tell Me About Yourself: (Personality)
How can I identify you: (appearance)
What is your history: (history)
Do you ever feel a sense of D?j? vu in your everyday life?
The past shapes the future, but does the future also shape the past?
I swear that the future is my own, and I will do all in my power to change it:
x____________________.
(The rest of the SU is not contained within the contract, but is necessary for the SU)
Persona: (remember, the most common ones are Deities, mythological beasts and heroes, and real world people with a certain mysticism about them. For canon ones (which are allowed) just googling Persona 3, 4, or 5 and "Persona List" will bring up the SMT wiki with a list of canon personas per game and their arcana).
Arcana: (from the list above)
Persona description: (what your persona looks like. Remember most human and humanoid personas will tower above the average person. Beasts will vary in size. Personas don't have much of a personality, since they are extensions of you).
Persona Types: (two from the list above).
Anchor to the Past: (This is your character's most important memory, and fuels the Persona summoning. This memory has greatly shaped your character in some way or another. Both trauma and profound joy shape us in special ways, and even events that seem unimportant at the time may cause great ripples in our lives.)
As soon as you sign your name, the book vanishes into thin air.
"Surprised? Don't worry, it's not gone forever. It'll reappear when you need it. Now, unfortunately we're still short on time. As much as I'd love for us to continue on, there are still things you need to do to set the stage for our next encounter. We'll meet again before you even know it."
And just like that you slipped back into sleep, as if nothing here was real.
"Well, seems we should have met some time ago," she says, her voice soft but confidant, "but that won't be an issue here. My name is Susan... ah, no need to speak, for you've already told me yours, dear guest. The master is still away, so it falls to me to guide you.
"One of these diaries will have your name on the spine." She motions to the closest shelf. "The lock will come undone for you, and only you. Inside is a copy of your story; memories dear and painful are contained in the pages inside. Don't worry, the book wouldn't open for me even if I tried. Most importantly, however, the first page contains the contract. Just agree to the terms and we can pick this back up."
Sure enough one of the diaries on the middle shelf has your name engraved into the spine. The lock clicks open and falls away as soon as you reach for it, leaving the book free from the chain and with no sign it was ever locked away. The pages seem well worn from the outside, as if someone has cherished it and read it often. The cover opens by itself, taking you to the first page, the contract.
(Sign Up. Note that this doesn't have to actually be written in character.)
Name:
Age:
Grade and Class: (Generally 16 = 10, 17 = 11, 18 = 12 without being moved up or being held back. All students are in class B of their respective year)
Tell Me About Yourself: (Personality)
How can I identify you: (appearance)
What is your history: (history)
Do you ever feel a sense of D?j? vu in your everyday life?
The past shapes the future, but does the future also shape the past?
I swear that the future is my own, and I will do all in my power to change it:
x____________________.
(The rest of the SU is not contained within the contract, but is necessary for the SU)
Persona: (remember, the most common ones are Deities, mythological beasts and heroes, and real world people with a certain mysticism about them. For canon ones (which are allowed) just googling Persona 3, 4, or 5 and "Persona List" will bring up the SMT wiki with a list of canon personas per game and their arcana).
Arcana: (from the list above)
Persona description: (what your persona looks like. Remember most human and humanoid personas will tower above the average person. Beasts will vary in size. Personas don't have much of a personality, since they are extensions of you).
Persona Types: (two from the list above).
Anchor to the Past: (This is your character's most important memory, and fuels the Persona summoning. This memory has greatly shaped your character in some way or another. Both trauma and profound joy shape us in special ways, and even events that seem unimportant at the time may cause great ripples in our lives.)
As soon as you sign your name, the book vanishes into thin air.
"Surprised? Don't worry, it's not gone forever. It'll reappear when you need it. Now, unfortunately we're still short on time. As much as I'd love for us to continue on, there are still things you need to do to set the stage for our next encounter. We'll meet again before you even know it."
And just like that you slipped back into sleep, as if nothing here was real.
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