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LO-SHEOL; Upcoming Story
Topic Started: Jul 18 2015, 03:32 AM (125 Views)
BBPhage
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This is another area to the site I have been brain-storming for just over a month. Lo-Sheol is a genre switch from the main Velinas part of From the Ashes, requiring alternate characters to participate in. While I am working the details out with the staff team in the staff area, I also wanted to give a preview in case anyone wants to make suggestions or start working on a counterpart of their own.

Feel free to post comments, ask questions, or make suggestions in this thread.



Abstract
 
Like the parallel worlds of Lightside and Shadowside in the past world, there are concurrent worlds in the Limbus-created realm for the supernatural. If Velinas could be likened to Lightside, then Lo-Sheol would be likened to Shadowside. While Velinas is mostly peaceful, Lo-Sheol has little peace to be found and is as lacking in resources as Velinas is plentiful. The balance of resource and sanity surges to the Velinas side of the two halves of this whole, leaving Lo-Sheol for want. Another opposition between the realms of this world is that the inhabitants, shades of Velinas inhabitants, all retain memory of dying and reviving only to be fragile before death again. It is the blessing of Velinas, the curse of Lo-Sheol, that inhabitants can die but don't stay dead long before they are rebirthed.

Characters in Lo-Sheol
 
A character in Velinas can also have a counterpart in Lo-Sheol. Call it an 'Anti', 'Counterpart', 'Othersider', or whatever one chooses to name it. There will be differences between Velinas and Lo-Sheol counterparts, though. While Velinas-siders cannot recall their deaths or that they even died, Lo-Sheol-siders are haunted by what it felt like to die. Each time a Lo-Sheol-sider dies, the memory of what it felt like to die, the suffering and pain, haunts them and eats away at their sanity. Similar to how Velinas-siders cannot recall dying, Lo-Sheol-siders struggle to remember joy, close friendships, or hope.

While a Lo-Sheol-sider may share a name, some memories, personality traits, physical traits, and perhaps some powers or core abilities with their Velinas-sider counterpart, there should be distinct differences. Even though both are based on the same original person in the past world, the Velinas-sider and Lo-Sheol-sider may be mirror images or two parts of the same whole, they might be different variations on the same core person, they might be a more cliché light and dark version of a person, or something else along these themes.

EXP of a Lo-Sheol-sider matches their Velinas-sider counterpart. All EXP tracking is limited to the Velinas-sider only; the "EXP Earned" on the Velinas-sider dictates the upper-limit of how much worth the Lo-Sheol-sider's powers should be worth. While the Lo-Sheol-sider also benefits from EXP and purchasing powers and abilities with it, the powers are handled by their writers on a honor-system basis (staff oversight only as needed or to answer questions).

At least some of the Lo-Sheol-sider's powers and abilities should be combat-based, or at least gearing them to survive in Lo-Sheol.

Cross-Awareness
 
Velinas-siders are not consciously aware of their Lo-Sheol-sider counterparts. Every time their counterpart dies in Lo-Sheol-side, they would feel a momentary eerie feeling. Occasionally, a Velinas-sider might have a nightmare that grants them temporary awareness of their Lo-Sheol-side counterpart... but the memory of the 'dream' promptly fades upon waking.

Lo-Sheol-siders are very consciously aware of their Velinas-side counterparts. They have a built-in sense that they draw strength from their Velinas-side counterpart and that if their counterpart were to cease to exist, they too would fade from existence. How each individual feels about their counterpart is up to them. Some may harbor deep hatred for their 'other self' that exists in paradise while they exist in a very tangible hell. Others may see their counterpart as the embodiment of hope and joy that they themselves lack, and therefore use the awareness of their counterpart as a sort of sanity tether or emotional anchor. Despite being aware of their counterpart, Lo-Sheol-siders have no means of communicating with Velinas-siders or contacting them in any way. The awareness may be as little as a 'feeling that there is another me in a better place,' or as vivid as day visions of what the counterpart is experiencing in Velinas-side.

How does Lo-Sheol Currently Get Supplies
 
It is true that Velinas has an abundance of resources that seem to constantly replenish themselves. Like magic, things are repaired, replaced, again available.

Lo-Sheol is one of the reason's for the prosperity of Velinas, as the flow of availability is directed from Lo-Sheol into Velinas. Fertility of the land, food production, sustainability in Lo-Sheol is impossible as things currently are. Any time food begins to grow or be produced, the results vanish from Lo-Sheol-side to nourish Velinas-side.

However, what about the trash and refuse of Velinas? What about waste-processing plants or landfills? There are none, but why and how? Like how resources seem to magically appear in Velinas, trash and waste also seem to magically vanish. The trash of Velinas is the only current source of supply for Lo-Sheol-side. While there are no markets or grocery stores, residents of Lo-Sheol primarily nourish themselves from the Open Landfill or more random pockets of Velinas-refuse coming across realities and arriving.

Ambience of Lo-Sheol
 
A dark survival setting, fraught with death and rebirth, forcing victims to be killed over and over again if they are too weak to survive. With each cycle of death and rebirth, the Lo-Sheol-sider is haunted by the experience of another death and the suffering it entailed, and it chips away at their sanity bit by bit.

Potential Sources of Setting Ambience:
Dark Souls games
Riverworld

Lo-Sheol Topography
 
What appears was a solid range of hills and valleys that once supported the site of a city with skyscrapers has degraded to ruins. Even the ground is failing, the valleys are now flooded and many of the 'ponds' are putrid from rot and stagnation.
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BBPhage
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Board Structural Changes


City of Velinas
- Mors Academy
- Metro Area
- Suburbs
- Park
Velinas Paradise Gym
- Pool and Gym
- Metaverse
Velinas Surrounding Area
- Gaia's Mysteries
- Open Desert
Lo-Sheol
- Ruins
- Open Landfill
- Dark Waters
- Darkness of Beyond
- Lo-Sheol Counterparts
- Lo-Sheol Requests
- Lo-Sheol Lore & Content
- Lo-Sheol Archive

Ruins
 
The site of Lo-Sheol Ruins was a city at one time. Hills and valleys that once had skyscrapers and a bustling city are now in ruin, with many of the valleys now flooded with putrid, stale water. Some of the skyscrapers are still standing, more or less, but are unstable and dangerous to varying degrees. However, the ruined buildings not reduced to rubble are the main sources of shelter.

Open Landfill
 
Partially on land and partially floating on an especially putrid water bay of Dark Waters, the Open Landfill is the main source of supplies and food in Lo-Sheol. At random times, but more often during Velinas-side's night, trash and refuse from Velinas-side crosses into Lo-Sheol-side. While not all refuse arrives at the Open Landfill area, the majority does. Because this is the primary source of food for Velinas-siders, the Open Landfill is much like a No Man's Land. First pickings of new arrivals of refuse are often fought over by the strongest Lo-Sheol-siders in the vicinity.

Dark Waters
 
Like the desert that surrounds Velinas, Lo-Sheol is surrounded on all sides by flooded marshland giving way to deep, dark waters. The water seems to stretch out endlessly in all directions, at least as far as the eye can see before the darkness of beyond.

Darkness of Beyond
 
Several miles of the Dark Waters separates the ruined city from a thick cloud wall that is black and ominous. This Darkness of Beyond is un-passable and obscures all attempts at seeing through it. Even those trying to fly over it are quickly swallowed up by the dark murk and drug down. Those insane enough to enter the Darkness of Beyond are fatally drained of lifeforce if they stay in it, or find their way out to where they had entered.

Lo-Sheol Counterparts
 
This is where all the counterparts are applied for and stored. The Counterpart has the same Total EXP as their Velinas-sider they are the anti of.

Lo-Sheol Requests
 
Staff requests for Lo-Sheol related matters go here.

Lo-Sheol Lore & Content
 
Specifically Lo-Sheol related announcements, setting information, rules, and such are here.

Lo-Sheol Archive
 
Archival of Lo-Sheol content here.
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Teah
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Example Lo-Sheol-sider Counterpart
 
This is an example of what I am thinking for a Lo-Sheol-sider counterpart to a Velinas-sider. In this case, this would be Teáh's counterpart.



Ajda

THE BASICS
Name: ?
Nickname/s: Ajda
Age: looks to be in thirties
Birthdate: ?
Gender: female
Race: Aberration, a Limbus phenomenon
Title: Lifeforce Witch

APPEARANCE
Eye Colour: shimmering crimson
Hair Color: Platinum Blond
Skin Color: Mocha
Height: 5'8"
Weight: approximately 135 to 150 pounds of lean weight

Description of Appearance:

PERSONALITY
Likes:
Dislikes: The sensation of dying. Being called a witch, or other demeaning/degrading insults intended specifically for females. Thirst, and the pain of desiccation for lack of drinkable water. People who lack integrity, especially when it comes to deceit and treachery.
Fears:

Personality:

HISTORY
Birthplace: unknown
Shelter:
Nationality: The features seem more French American, but the skin color seems more like an Eastern country heritage. The silvery hair and red eyes would seem to indicate she has Albino traits, but the dark skin tone is at odds with Albino status. It is like she is a physical manifestation of contradictions.

History:

Other:




78 Total Available EXP
as of 7/16/2015


POWERS
Lifeforce Entropic Redistribution
Ajda leaks lifeforce, seemingly indicating that she is an inferior being in a world where lifeforce is so important. Yet she has the inherent power to absorb freed lifeforce in her vicinity, replenishing herself; though something living must give up that lifeforce first. This group of powers also includes manipulating lifeforce both within herself and in her victims.

Crimson Marble (Weak/Moderate/Strong/30)
Entropic Energy Burn (Vast/Weak/Weak/68) LOCKED
Vital Force Suppression, Camouflaging (Strong/Minor/Strong/45)


75 EXP in use
as of 7/18/2015
Edited by Teah, Jul 18 2015, 01:38 PM.
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Kaiser Roan
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Being honest, I'm not a fan of this idea, not as an integral part of the board...

I've been using Gaia's Mysteries as a way to travel to other pocket dimensions, that's what Leo refers with an area of the desert where things seem to suddenly change. I think Lo-Sheol should be one of those many pockets, be available for access, and most importantly, require no new characters...
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BBPhage
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For what I have in mind, it wouldn't be compatible with the main setting of Velinas and plot-wise would be incompatible with using Velinas-residents to play in.

Lo-Sheol is very literally a play on the hell to the heaven of Velinas. No character with a shred of sanity is going to elect to leave 'heaven'/paradise to visit 'hell'. Also, because the plot will intentionally systematically wear away participating characters' sanity, it is not a good fit for 'main' characters anyway.

I appreciate your feedback. If you are not interested in this story and area, then please do not feel obligated to participate. Lo-Sheol is a huge genre shift from the main Velinas plot, and that is what it is designed to be. If there is not enough interest to keep the area going after its trial period, then the Lo-Sheol areas will be removed and archived as needed, existing stories and characters can be continued in a general area (like Gaia's Mysteries) or transitioned to the main story somehow (either as NPCs or locking their powers and re-applying for them on the Velinas side).
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Murasaki
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Just a question: Does it have to be a play on an opposite to an existing character?

Asking because I've had an idea for a character that would fit perfectly here, but definitely not in the main storyline, possibly not even in another "haven-for-supers" place outside of a haunted building or something oddly out-of-place like that, and I can't really think of an opposite to him/her that wouldn't come out rather hokey, cliched, or one-dimensional.
Edited by Murasaki, Aug 14 2015, 10:18 AM.
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BBPhage
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PWNY, since I very well be the only one interested in doing Lo-Sheol as I imagined it, the alternate pocket dimensions parallel to Velinas may take a different form. I have permission from Silver to run a story that is in another reality bubble distinct from Velinas, and that there may be a passage between that reality bubble and Velinas as the stories unfold.

If you have an idea for a character that would fit in a dark reality bubble, and you have multiple people interested in writing it with you, it is possible. Probably best to do a full character (like you did with Murisaki already) so they will earn EXP normally and have a seamless conversion to Velinas, if you decide to visit or transfer eventually.

I am wanting to take Ajda a full character direction myself, but she is really fitted for a dark and possibly violent setting. If you are interested in working out a setting with me (or adjusting Lo-Sheol) that would be awesome. If at least two (me, since I sought and received the permission, and another writer) are willing to commit to it, then it can take off and become real.
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Murasaki
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Still not entirely sold on having to make a whole new character, even if the rules are loosened somewhat, but willing to at least try.

Plotwise...
It seems like, if this is the flip-side of Velinas, then there should be some sort of travel between the two - if not willingly, then by force or deus ex machina. In D&D, its entirely possible for players to strut right into Hell/the Abyss and pick fights with demons and devils there. And in many other settings, the setting-equivalent of Heaven and Hell are not entirely shut off from one another either. Granted, it might not be easy, but it could be doable.

Realistically you're right; no one from Velinas would want to go here. However, there's always a way to drag people where they don't want to be (at least character-wise; playerwise there still has to be consent OOC ). Possibly along the lines of people occasionally disappearing along with refuse, or someone finds a hole and accidentally triggers some kind of "Hell's gates fly open" event and they have to shut it before Velinas is consumed as well.

Or maybe even go deeper than that. Say, things start going wrong in Velinas - the water becomes undrinkable in some areas, trash begins to accumulate, food starts to rot, stuff along those lines. Come to find out that Lo-Sheol can simply take no more and is beginning to rot beyond the point of redemption...

Just some ideas that came to mind.


PS: Maybe add one of the MegaTen games to that list; many of them have very dark, foreboding atmospheres and ambiances. In Digital Devil Saga, the main characters (and a good deal of the cast) even engage in a form of cannibalism after the player defeats their opponent -- at least its implied, even if it is never actually shown (don't think they could get by with an M rating if they did show that XD). The "canon" games (SMT 1 thru 4) feature the world already being FUBAR near the beginning, and all of them can end (damn you multiple endings!) with the party fighting God; not a god, mind you, but freaking YHWH (the Hebrew word for the "One True God") himself (or elude to such a battle).
Edited by Murasaki, Aug 17 2015, 08:03 PM.
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Murasaki
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Another quick one: if making a whole new character (and not a dark reflection of one already active), how many points will they start out with: the base 36, or more than that?
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BBPhage
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Base 36.

Hope that helps.

There are ways to get the sort of power you describe in your plot idea. For instance, "works on NPCs only, only works on characters with writer permission."
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