App for SRWU
Mar. 27th, 2014 02:22 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
star_of_sadPlayer name: Cubey
AIM contact: cubey@aol.pl
Alternate contacts:
Character name: Setsuko Ohara
Source canon: Super Robot Wars Z
Community tag: setsuko_ohara
Do I want a HMD: Already have one
Notes: The app assumes Denzel and Toby are NPCs. If someone decides to app them, some events will be slightly modified.
Unmarked spoilers, read at your own discretion.
Background: Setsuko is an orphan - she lost her parents at an early age, and should have perished with them but miraculously survived, waking up in an orphanage's safety instead. Having nowhere else to go, she joined the military. She finished officer school and reached the rank of 2nd Lieutenant when, out of nowhere, she has been assigned an important position as a member of the Glory Stars prototype test team. This came as a surprise for everyone, Setsuko especially, as she had never saw real action before. Yet the team (consisting of Denzel Hammer and Toby Watson) accepted her as one of their own, and soon after the trio was transferred to Unity Group.
She does not realize it, but Setsuko is one of the twelve Sphere Holders - people who were chosen to carry the powerful Zodiac Spheres. Hers is the Sphere of Sorrowful Maiden (Virgo), and it is as much of a blessing as it is a curse. Not much is known of the Spheres or who made them, as their origins are shrouded in mystery. Yet there are dangerous people who seek to use their powers to their own ends.
Personality: Setsuko has a meek personality - she does not have a lot of confidence and avoids conflict rather than standing up for herself. She is reserved, but not to the extent of appearing particularly standoffish to others. Still it takes her a while to really open up to others.
Yet she is willing to fight as much as everyone else. She is a soldier for a reason, and that reason is to allow others to avoid the sad fate she experienced during her life. If it means fighting bad guys then so be it.
Setsuko has a keen mind and can quickly analyze a situation as it develops, and find out weaknesses in enemies she faces. At least as far as enemies' physical weaknesses are concerned, that is. Emotionally, she is vulnerable and can become a bit too trusting, making it easy for unsavory people to manipulate her.
Setsuko has a huge sweet tooth. Giving her candy and all kinds of sweets is your best bet at seeing her truly happy, the faint aura of sadness that surrounds her person temporarily dispelled.
As SRW Z plot progresses and horrible things happen one after another, their weight starts to bend Setsuko. Bend, but never break her - and in fact eventually she emerges stronger and more confident than before, her vision crystallized into determination to stop people who are enemies of not just her, but of all good in the world. Her circumstances don't become much happier, but she learns to cope with this sadness better - becoming its master, not the other way around.
Capabilities and resources: As the holder of the Sphere of Sorrowful Maiden, Setsuko possesses a strange and mighty power - that she does not even realize she has, at least initially. When she is distressed or in lethal danger, a distortion forms around her location - and if not stopped (by having Setsuko calm down), it flings her across space to safety. Others may get caught too, the size and severity of this anomaly depends on how distressed Setsuko is at the moment. People caught in it can be sent to locations all across the globe, or even to other universes (in SRWU this won't happen though). The Sphere is in general powered by mental suffering and anguish and the more of it Setsuko experiences, the closer is the Sphere to real awakening.
Type: Combatant
Unit Name: Virgola unit series (unit 1, unit 2, unit 3)
Unit Description: The Virgola are a trio of prototype mobile suits that are supposed to pave the way for a new mass-produced unit. As usual for mobile suits, their armor is not very tough, but their performance and maneuverability are both very good and they can be handled by newbies and experienced pilots alike. Thus they are very versatile.
Setsuko uses Virgola unit 3, with 1 (the squad leader unit) piloted by Denzel and unit 2 by Toby. There are slight cosmetic differences and each unit has a slightly different weapon loadout, as they were made to test different configurations of the Virgola main weapon, the Gunnery Carver.
Weapons loadout:
Ray Pistol - the only backup weapon for Virgola, it fires continous blasts of energy. Good rate of fire but damage is nothing to write home about.
Gunnery Carver - the oversized plank-like implement is actually a weapon, or rather several weapons in one. It can be also used as a blocking/parrying tool, but it's not very good at this role. Each Gunnery Carver has following weapons:
Heft Strike - use the Gunnery Carver's butt to deliver a melee attack. Most effective when charging/goomba stomping the enemy.
Straight Turret - the Gunnery Carver can fire solid physical rounds. Individually powerful, the shots' rate of fire is not very high.
Ray Straight Turret - the Gunnery Carver opens to charge up and then fire a huge blast of energy. It drains power rather quickly and requires chargeup time, but is very devastating. Only Virgola unit 1 is capable of using this attack.
Barley Scythe - an energy blade is created at the Gunnery Carver's tip, turning the weapon into a beam scythe. It's a good swinging weapon and can cleave a mobile suit in half with a single hit. Virgola unit 2's attack.
Jack Carver - another bladed attack for the Gunnery Carver, but this time it is a physical blade, an oversized jack knife. It is only effective at very short distances but similar in cutting strength to its beam counterpart, and being physical it works well underwater. Virgola unit 3's attack.
Unbeknownst to most people, the Glory Stars included, Virgola unit 1 houses the Sphere of Sorrowful Maiden. It was not a design decision, the Sphere itself choose its resting place due to closeness with its chosen bearer.
Size: M (mobile suit-sized)
Terrain compatibility:
Air: No
Ground: Yes
Water: No
Space: Yes
Favored terrain: None. Virgola units are good everywhere (except underwater).
Upgrades: After Virgola units 3 and then 2 are destroyed, their Gunnery Carver functions are salvaged so Virgola unit 1 can use them.
Other than that:
Upgrade name: Virgola Custom
Following some handiwork by a friendly (if creepy) mad scientist, the unit is equipped with V-Wings Flight System - a pair of wings as the name suggests. It is air-compatible now. Also its Gunnery Carver has been upgraded... technically, as it malfunctions and does not work. Thus Virgola has only the Ray Pistol to defend itself, but this is only a temporary upgrade as it soon turns into:
Upgrade name: Virgola Glory
With the Sphere of Sorrowful Maiden partially awakened, Virgola becomes a powerful machine - its performance is substantially increased, and its Gunnery Carver is transformed into the (vaguely fish-like) Nautilus Carver. Its attacks remain mostly the same, though they are more powerful and the Carver can focus the Sphere's power and unleash it in a brunt physical strike, temporarily stunning an enemy - an attack often used as an opening for Barley Scythe and/or Jack Carver. Also the Straight Turret is renamed to Vi Straight Turret, while Ray Straight Turret receives the highest power boost and turns into Hi Straight Turret, also known as The Glory Star.
When the Sphere of Sorrowful Maiden is fully awakened, Virgola Glory turns into a fearsome mobile suit. Its attacks are able to reap through hordes of enemies, and as it draws from the power of the Sphere itself, energy is no longer a problem. Unfortunately the awakened Sphere feasts on Setsuko's senses, slowly draining them one by one, possibly forever.
Wingmen:
Denzel Hammer - the Glory Stars' bald black leader guy, he is the most experienced of the trio. He cares for his subordinates' well being and knows when to crack a joke to make them feel better, but also when to be strict to help them gather themselves together. He usually pilots Virgola unit 1. Rank - Commander, but others call him Chief.
Toby Watson - the second in command of Glory Stars, he's a laidback and cheerful individual who rarely loses his good spirits and is somewhat of a jock. He and Denzel know each other for a while and like to tease each other. Pilots Virgola unit 2. Rank - 1st Lieutenant.
Technically Setsuko is the wingman here, as both Denzel and Toby outrank her.
Mission requirement: None
Suggested Event List:
Mission 1: The Right Stuff
This is not a mission per se, just a small addition to another mission - but I want it to happen during the Glory Stars' first deployment. Denzel and Toby deploy, but Setsuko was told to stay behind because she lacks combat experience and the enemies are very strong. She comes to fight anyway (a round or so later), and they are impressed by her determination and the ability to instantly perceive the situation on the battlefield, so Denzel lets her stay.
Near the end of the mission, some enemies should seriously endanger Setsuko as she lets her guard down for a second - a chance of death is very real here, but suddenly a dimensional distortion forms and throws her and her Virgola away from the battlefield. Post-battle, it turns out she is several kilometers away and others can easily retrieve her, but nobody really knows what happened, or why.
Mission 2: Dimension Crash
This is another event that can't really be run by itself, but rather mixed up with another canon. Before this mission, Setsuko is worried about what happened earlier and Denzel decides to give her a pep talk. It's successful and she opens up a little, talking about her past. He decides to give Setsuko his unit for the mission (the canon reason was that Virgola 3 was damaged, but that may not be the case here so instead we'll go with ranged combat fitting Setsuko better - which is true).
During the mission, Glory Stars perform admirably, but that draws to a close when a black unit (Shurouga) suddenly appears out of nowhere. Its pilot wastes no time, saying "let's begin" he attacks the Glory Stars, and cuts Virgola Unit 3 apart. Denzel can only plea to others to get away safely before he dies in his unit's explosion. With a distressed cry from Setsuko, a large anomaly is formed. Shurouga's pilot is content that the Sphere is going to awaken and departs as the Virgola units are engulfed in the anomaly.
NOTE: If there are any sort of faceless human NPCs on the mission, especially allied or neutral ones, it'd be very convenient if a group of them were caught in the anomaly as well. See: Xine's origins.
Post-mission, Setsuko will report from a really distant location, possibly on the other side of the globe or in space. Toby is missing. No one is happy. Virgola unit 3's Gunnery Carver is recovered (or rather, what remains of it), and its functionality is added to unit 1.
Arc 1 begins
Mission 3: To an Unseen Tomorrow
Before the mission, Setsuko will receive a message signed "Glory Star", telling her that the black unit was spotted lurking around the mission's location. And indeed, Shurouga will be there! Its pilot tells Setsuko that she will cause her absolute misery and despair. She races to meet him head on recklessly, but is clearly outmatched... only for someone else to spring to the rescue - it's Toby! He explains that he was working in secret to find Chief's killer, and now he found him - his name is Asakim Dowen. Working together, and probably with the rest of Unity Group's help, Setsuko and Toby manage to beat Asakim up - but his damaged machine quickly regenerates and he departs, laughing.
Event 1:
Post-mission 3, Unity Group is approached by a young man named Lowen General. He acts as an envoy for Chimera, a small but powerful organisation dedicated to free flow of information and well-being of humanity. They helped Toby find Asakim and offer an alliance and cooperation with Unity Group. Lowen is gentlemanly and polite but doesn't feel comfortable in presence of women so there is some potential for shanenigans here.
Also, after their reunion, something starts to spark between Toby and Setsuko...
Arc 1 ends
Mission 4: That Which Remains
Chimera managed to track down Asakim again. Not waiting for others, Setsuko and Toby rush out on their own to defeat him - and of course it's a trap, as Shurouga was waiting for them accompanied by a flock of black crow robots. It's up for the others to arrive and rescue the Glory Stars and help them fight the boss. Asakim is damaged and retreats, but this time Toby and Setsuko chase him. Unfortunately it was a feint - he has them all in the open, and swiftly counterattacks.
Toby's unit is destroyed and he does not escape. Setsuko's is heavily damaged, and Asakim leaves Shurouga behind to face her on foot. Saying that he wants her to hate him and will do things to her that she will never forgive, he proceeds to beat her to the point of unconsciousness. When he's done, Shurouga just flies away. At the same time, Asakim's ally appears - Xine Espio in the Eliphas, she loyally guards him to make sure others do not interfere and then covers his escape. Eliphas will flee if damaged too heavily.
Post-mission, Virgola unit 1 will receive unit 2's attack. Also yes, I know originally Rand was an enemy here, but unless someone apps him he just won't appear in the game, NPC or not.
Arc 2 begins
Event 2:
Lowen relays a message to Setsuko - and to everyone's surprise, it's from the Glory Star again! Could it mean Toby is actually alive? He says to meet him in a location near Chimera headquarters. But the event is about visiting the headquarters themselves, talking to Lowen, the motherly Chimera leader Edel Bernal, the intellectual Shuran Oper, and most importantly a perverted and somewhat child-like old man, Jii. He pervs on Setsuko but also promises to upgrade Virgola, seeing potential in it that was not yet unlocked. So she tolerates him and lets him work on the machine.
Mission 5: The Power Called Sadness
Setsuko arrives to the meeting spot (others will probably want to follow/accompany her, because what are the odds for this being a trap? Pretty high). Instead of Toby, there are Asakim's crows there - and even though Virgola received an upgrade into Virgola Glory, its weapon is malfunctioning and it only has the Ray Pistol to defend itself. After shooting them down, finally Toby appears to Setsuko's delight! But more enemies come (including Xine), and they face them together... and Toby immediately shoots Setsuko in the back.
It turns out that Toby is actually Asakim, disguised with shadowy illusion. The Glory Star was likewise just him. This is enough to bring Setsuko over the edge of despair - her tears symbolically touch the malfunctioning Gunnery Carver, and it's enough to awaken the Sphere. The weapon transforms into Nautilus Carver, and with its power, Asakim's Shurouga is obliterated. Yet, he planned it all along - he regenerates and flees, happy that the Sphere has finally awakened.
As soon as the mission is over, Setsuko PTSDs and a huge anomaly forms, larger than any other. Everyone has to calm her down before the distortion scatters everyone all around the known universe, and possibly beyond.
Lowen's Chaos Leo is available as an allied NPC during this mission.
Arc 2 ends
Event 3:
Suddenly Unity Group receives a major PR hit and some organisations like us much less than before. Why? Because there are news that the group did something really bad (cooperate with some bad guys for example), and although obviously fake, the news look really convincing, too. The ESUN officials believe us, but cooperating with some other organiastions may be much more complicated from now on.
And yes, this replaces Zeuth vs Zeuth from SRW Z. There is no way to make that event work in a journal RP environment.
Mission 6: Impact Again
Chimera found out the person responsible for Unity Group's besmirching. Time to pay that guy a little visit, and Lowen tags along as above. Even if we come peacefully, getting anything remotely close to the target battleship is enough for its escort to open fire (both the battleship and the grunts should be something easily available from another canon, and they are AI-controlled). Also, once again it's a trap - Xine and Asakim's crows attack from the flank, and possibly some other bad guys from other canons as well.
Xine will bitterly ask if we even remember the soldiers who were trapped in the anomaly during SRW Z's second mission (if that happened that is). She was one of them, while the others are still missing and who-knows-where, but she's not saying that much just yet.
If we get close to the battleship or damage it, the person responsible for all that nasty stuff from before reveals himself. Black Charisma, a figure clad in black armor. He says that the time of awakening is at hand, Setsuko's Sphere of Sorrowful Maiden is awake already, that universes will merge, etc etc. Ominous foreshadowing like that. Then, an anomaly happens - even though Setsuko is in no danger. It is caused not by her, but by Black Charisma, who gloats one last time before his battleship disappears.
Various edits below - mainly the 7th mission.
Addendum - Canis and such
Canis units are mass production versions of the Virgola. Early on in the timeline they were already deployed (in small numbers), this is because they used motion data acquired from the Glory Stars before Setsuko joined. There was a third GS member, named Chris, who died in an accident - Setsuko is his replacement. The Canis plans went through the UN servers at some point so Chimera stole them and used them to produce their own AI controlled units.
Speaking of Chris, he existed in the alternate universe from which alternate Toby and Denzel came in, too. He died during the events that threw them into this world, and they blame Rand and/or Setsuko for it. The real guy to blame is, of course, Asakim. They realize it after seeing Asakim and Chimera's true colors.
Mission 7: Count Down
Rand sends a request for help - he's under attack by some stubborn guys. When we go to help him, it turns out that these guys are... Denzel and Toby, in Virgola units 1 and 2! They blame Rand and say it's his fault that they were thrown into this world. They do not recognize Setsuko, but seeing her Virgola they act wary and admit that their friend warned them against someone in a unit like their own, because she is similar to Rand and up to no good. That friend is of course, Asakim.
If this is a single event mission then Denzel and Toby are helped by Asakim's Cornixes (robotic crows), as well as some mass produced AI-controlled Canis units. Otherwise they can be alone. Either way Setsuko will ask her friends to leave Toby and Denzel to her. She has grown a lot and is no more the scarred little girl from before - and manages to take both of them down, non-lethally.
Then Asakim appears, and as we prepare to fight him, we get reinforcements from Lowen. Lowen who proceeds to stab Virgola in the back. Xine's Eliphas/Chaos Caper and Shuran's Chaos Anguis appear. The members of Chimera admit they signed an alliance with Black Charisma and Asakim. Together they will start a new world order that won't repeat mistakes of the current, corrupt governments. Hearing this, something in Setsuko just... breaks. The Sphere awakens fully, to Asakim's elation. He departs, leaving the three to fight Setsuko and Unity Group.
Xine, Lowen and Shuran are supported by more Canises, and a smaller amount of mass produced, watered down versions of their own units. They are AI-controlled. Also Lowen throws his facade away and shows that he is a wild, berserking warrior, and a misogynist who thinks all women (except Edel Bernal) are weak and worthless, to that. Xine will hint really strongly at who she is at this point.
Once the mission is over, Chimera are making a declaration to the world. Edel Bernal talks about creating a new government with herself as its head, and asks all countries to legitimize it. Her government does not exist as a physical country with borders but is an entity of information. All information that was online at any point has moved through the UN servers, which Chimera control - and they know everything, including very secretive government information that various politicians wouldn't want to leak out... so she hopes others will cooperate. And in the near future she will also ask them to forge an alliance with Chimera, and hopes they won't refuse - if they know what's best for them.
Raiding the old Chimera base reveals it's abandoned and the UN servers are gone. They have moved to Black Charisma's battleship, whose current circumstances are unknown. At the same time various organisations are concerned about which of their secret information has been compromised. Denzel and Toby saw the errors of their ways and decide to make up for it - by joining SSR, since they attacked Rand who is an SSR member. As for Setsuko...
Setsuko comes back to (almost) normal, only to find her sense of taste gone. The Sphere of Sorrowful Maiden, once awakaned, drains its user's senses. The more it is used, the worse the symptoms may become...
Arc 3 begins
Mission 8: World in Black
The flying headquarters of Chimera/Black Charisma's battleship is found, it has landed and set up base of operations in a South American country that was already subverted by the organisation.
The headquarters are heavily defended, but almost all defenders (mass produced Leos, Capers, Anguises, Cornix crows, and mooks from other canons) are AI controlled, because Chimera is less than 6 people total. But don't worry, Lowen, Shuran and Xine are there as well, ready to fight to the end...
Unless the players piece the two and two together and finally realize who Xine is. Setsuko will call out to her, that she does not have to be Asakim's servant, that both of them are victims here. Xine will actually listen, relent and retreat from the fight. Shuran and Lowen however will fight to the last breath. Shuran will call to Lowen and say that he loved him with his dying breath - which Lowen ignores, being an asshole that he is. He ignores everyone, except Edel Bernal, the only person he really respects.
After the headquarters are conquered, it turns out the insides are empty safe for one harmless Jii. He explains that Edel went off somewhere, with a man who could only be Asakim...
Mission 9: My Future, Everyone's Future
No need to look for Edel and Asakim. They attack Chimera headquarters to take them back, supported by an army of AI units as above. Asakim is very happy to see Setsuko so determined to murder him, and actually goes straight for her to fight her one on one. When she manages to beat him (probably not alone despite his efforts), it turns out that with the Sphere fully awakened, the destroyed Shurouga will not regenerate - only this power is enough to kill Asakim for real, and that is what he wanted all along. He dies with a smile on his lips, Setsuko being his tool to the end.
Edel Bernal's Lemures is a tough machine but it should eventually be surrounded and defeated. Then, Black Charisma appears, and thanks Edel for being a fool who played exactly into his hands. She is furious and tries to crush him, but he overwrites Lemures' controls, and then summons his own Chaos Lemures.
Black Charisma sheds his disguise, and shows who he really is - the perverted old man Jii! Or rather, that also is a disguise. His true form is that of an ancient (but hammy and WAY too happy) transdimensional being, Jii Edel. He gladly destroys Edel's Lemures and then faces off against the player characters. He knows a lot about all of them, and is willing to share that information to their faces whether they like it or not. Driven insane by a huge calamity in his original universe's distant past, he seeks to bring and crash all universes together now. There is only one thing left to do now - fight, not just to survive but to save everyone and existence as a whole!
Arc 3, and the whole canon, ends...
Unless we get SRW Z2 plot that is. And if we do, it may turn out Asakim is not so dead after all...
Sample post: link
AIM contact: cubey@aol.pl
Alternate contacts:
Character name: Setsuko Ohara
Source canon: Super Robot Wars Z
Community tag: setsuko_ohara
Do I want a HMD: Already have one
Notes: The app assumes Denzel and Toby are NPCs. If someone decides to app them, some events will be slightly modified.
Unmarked spoilers, read at your own discretion.
Background: Setsuko is an orphan - she lost her parents at an early age, and should have perished with them but miraculously survived, waking up in an orphanage's safety instead. Having nowhere else to go, she joined the military. She finished officer school and reached the rank of 2nd Lieutenant when, out of nowhere, she has been assigned an important position as a member of the Glory Stars prototype test team. This came as a surprise for everyone, Setsuko especially, as she had never saw real action before. Yet the team (consisting of Denzel Hammer and Toby Watson) accepted her as one of their own, and soon after the trio was transferred to Unity Group.
She does not realize it, but Setsuko is one of the twelve Sphere Holders - people who were chosen to carry the powerful Zodiac Spheres. Hers is the Sphere of Sorrowful Maiden (Virgo), and it is as much of a blessing as it is a curse. Not much is known of the Spheres or who made them, as their origins are shrouded in mystery. Yet there are dangerous people who seek to use their powers to their own ends.
Personality: Setsuko has a meek personality - she does not have a lot of confidence and avoids conflict rather than standing up for herself. She is reserved, but not to the extent of appearing particularly standoffish to others. Still it takes her a while to really open up to others.
Yet she is willing to fight as much as everyone else. She is a soldier for a reason, and that reason is to allow others to avoid the sad fate she experienced during her life. If it means fighting bad guys then so be it.
Setsuko has a keen mind and can quickly analyze a situation as it develops, and find out weaknesses in enemies she faces. At least as far as enemies' physical weaknesses are concerned, that is. Emotionally, she is vulnerable and can become a bit too trusting, making it easy for unsavory people to manipulate her.
Setsuko has a huge sweet tooth. Giving her candy and all kinds of sweets is your best bet at seeing her truly happy, the faint aura of sadness that surrounds her person temporarily dispelled.
As SRW Z plot progresses and horrible things happen one after another, their weight starts to bend Setsuko. Bend, but never break her - and in fact eventually she emerges stronger and more confident than before, her vision crystallized into determination to stop people who are enemies of not just her, but of all good in the world. Her circumstances don't become much happier, but she learns to cope with this sadness better - becoming its master, not the other way around.
Capabilities and resources: As the holder of the Sphere of Sorrowful Maiden, Setsuko possesses a strange and mighty power - that she does not even realize she has, at least initially. When she is distressed or in lethal danger, a distortion forms around her location - and if not stopped (by having Setsuko calm down), it flings her across space to safety. Others may get caught too, the size and severity of this anomaly depends on how distressed Setsuko is at the moment. People caught in it can be sent to locations all across the globe, or even to other universes (in SRWU this won't happen though). The Sphere is in general powered by mental suffering and anguish and the more of it Setsuko experiences, the closer is the Sphere to real awakening.
Type: Combatant
Unit Name: Virgola unit series (unit 1, unit 2, unit 3)
Unit Description: The Virgola are a trio of prototype mobile suits that are supposed to pave the way for a new mass-produced unit. As usual for mobile suits, their armor is not very tough, but their performance and maneuverability are both very good and they can be handled by newbies and experienced pilots alike. Thus they are very versatile.
Setsuko uses Virgola unit 3, with 1 (the squad leader unit) piloted by Denzel and unit 2 by Toby. There are slight cosmetic differences and each unit has a slightly different weapon loadout, as they were made to test different configurations of the Virgola main weapon, the Gunnery Carver.
Weapons loadout:
Ray Pistol - the only backup weapon for Virgola, it fires continous blasts of energy. Good rate of fire but damage is nothing to write home about.
Gunnery Carver - the oversized plank-like implement is actually a weapon, or rather several weapons in one. It can be also used as a blocking/parrying tool, but it's not very good at this role. Each Gunnery Carver has following weapons:
Heft Strike - use the Gunnery Carver's butt to deliver a melee attack. Most effective when charging/goomba stomping the enemy.
Straight Turret - the Gunnery Carver can fire solid physical rounds. Individually powerful, the shots' rate of fire is not very high.
Ray Straight Turret - the Gunnery Carver opens to charge up and then fire a huge blast of energy. It drains power rather quickly and requires chargeup time, but is very devastating. Only Virgola unit 1 is capable of using this attack.
Barley Scythe - an energy blade is created at the Gunnery Carver's tip, turning the weapon into a beam scythe. It's a good swinging weapon and can cleave a mobile suit in half with a single hit. Virgola unit 2's attack.
Jack Carver - another bladed attack for the Gunnery Carver, but this time it is a physical blade, an oversized jack knife. It is only effective at very short distances but similar in cutting strength to its beam counterpart, and being physical it works well underwater. Virgola unit 3's attack.
Unbeknownst to most people, the Glory Stars included, Virgola unit 1 houses the Sphere of Sorrowful Maiden. It was not a design decision, the Sphere itself choose its resting place due to closeness with its chosen bearer.
Size: M (mobile suit-sized)
Terrain compatibility:
Air: No
Ground: Yes
Water: No
Space: Yes
Favored terrain: None. Virgola units are good everywhere (except underwater).
Upgrades: After Virgola units 3 and then 2 are destroyed, their Gunnery Carver functions are salvaged so Virgola unit 1 can use them.
Other than that:
Upgrade name: Virgola Custom
Following some handiwork by a friendly (if creepy) mad scientist, the unit is equipped with V-Wings Flight System - a pair of wings as the name suggests. It is air-compatible now. Also its Gunnery Carver has been upgraded... technically, as it malfunctions and does not work. Thus Virgola has only the Ray Pistol to defend itself, but this is only a temporary upgrade as it soon turns into:
Upgrade name: Virgola Glory
With the Sphere of Sorrowful Maiden partially awakened, Virgola becomes a powerful machine - its performance is substantially increased, and its Gunnery Carver is transformed into the (vaguely fish-like) Nautilus Carver. Its attacks remain mostly the same, though they are more powerful and the Carver can focus the Sphere's power and unleash it in a brunt physical strike, temporarily stunning an enemy - an attack often used as an opening for Barley Scythe and/or Jack Carver. Also the Straight Turret is renamed to Vi Straight Turret, while Ray Straight Turret receives the highest power boost and turns into Hi Straight Turret, also known as The Glory Star.
When the Sphere of Sorrowful Maiden is fully awakened, Virgola Glory turns into a fearsome mobile suit. Its attacks are able to reap through hordes of enemies, and as it draws from the power of the Sphere itself, energy is no longer a problem. Unfortunately the awakened Sphere feasts on Setsuko's senses, slowly draining them one by one, possibly forever.
Wingmen:
Denzel Hammer - the Glory Stars' bald black leader guy, he is the most experienced of the trio. He cares for his subordinates' well being and knows when to crack a joke to make them feel better, but also when to be strict to help them gather themselves together. He usually pilots Virgola unit 1. Rank - Commander, but others call him Chief.
Toby Watson - the second in command of Glory Stars, he's a laidback and cheerful individual who rarely loses his good spirits and is somewhat of a jock. He and Denzel know each other for a while and like to tease each other. Pilots Virgola unit 2. Rank - 1st Lieutenant.
Technically Setsuko is the wingman here, as both Denzel and Toby outrank her.
Mission requirement: None
Suggested Event List:
Mission 1: The Right Stuff
This is not a mission per se, just a small addition to another mission - but I want it to happen during the Glory Stars' first deployment. Denzel and Toby deploy, but Setsuko was told to stay behind because she lacks combat experience and the enemies are very strong. She comes to fight anyway (a round or so later), and they are impressed by her determination and the ability to instantly perceive the situation on the battlefield, so Denzel lets her stay.
Near the end of the mission, some enemies should seriously endanger Setsuko as she lets her guard down for a second - a chance of death is very real here, but suddenly a dimensional distortion forms and throws her and her Virgola away from the battlefield. Post-battle, it turns out she is several kilometers away and others can easily retrieve her, but nobody really knows what happened, or why.
Mission 2: Dimension Crash
This is another event that can't really be run by itself, but rather mixed up with another canon. Before this mission, Setsuko is worried about what happened earlier and Denzel decides to give her a pep talk. It's successful and she opens up a little, talking about her past. He decides to give Setsuko his unit for the mission (the canon reason was that Virgola 3 was damaged, but that may not be the case here so instead we'll go with ranged combat fitting Setsuko better - which is true).
During the mission, Glory Stars perform admirably, but that draws to a close when a black unit (Shurouga) suddenly appears out of nowhere. Its pilot wastes no time, saying "let's begin" he attacks the Glory Stars, and cuts Virgola Unit 3 apart. Denzel can only plea to others to get away safely before he dies in his unit's explosion. With a distressed cry from Setsuko, a large anomaly is formed. Shurouga's pilot is content that the Sphere is going to awaken and departs as the Virgola units are engulfed in the anomaly.
NOTE: If there are any sort of faceless human NPCs on the mission, especially allied or neutral ones, it'd be very convenient if a group of them were caught in the anomaly as well. See: Xine's origins.
Post-mission, Setsuko will report from a really distant location, possibly on the other side of the globe or in space. Toby is missing. No one is happy. Virgola unit 3's Gunnery Carver is recovered (or rather, what remains of it), and its functionality is added to unit 1.
Arc 1 begins
Mission 3: To an Unseen Tomorrow
Before the mission, Setsuko will receive a message signed "Glory Star", telling her that the black unit was spotted lurking around the mission's location. And indeed, Shurouga will be there! Its pilot tells Setsuko that she will cause her absolute misery and despair. She races to meet him head on recklessly, but is clearly outmatched... only for someone else to spring to the rescue - it's Toby! He explains that he was working in secret to find Chief's killer, and now he found him - his name is Asakim Dowen. Working together, and probably with the rest of Unity Group's help, Setsuko and Toby manage to beat Asakim up - but his damaged machine quickly regenerates and he departs, laughing.
Event 1:
Post-mission 3, Unity Group is approached by a young man named Lowen General. He acts as an envoy for Chimera, a small but powerful organisation dedicated to free flow of information and well-being of humanity. They helped Toby find Asakim and offer an alliance and cooperation with Unity Group. Lowen is gentlemanly and polite but doesn't feel comfortable in presence of women so there is some potential for shanenigans here.
Also, after their reunion, something starts to spark between Toby and Setsuko...
Arc 1 ends
Mission 4: That Which Remains
Chimera managed to track down Asakim again. Not waiting for others, Setsuko and Toby rush out on their own to defeat him - and of course it's a trap, as Shurouga was waiting for them accompanied by a flock of black crow robots. It's up for the others to arrive and rescue the Glory Stars and help them fight the boss. Asakim is damaged and retreats, but this time Toby and Setsuko chase him. Unfortunately it was a feint - he has them all in the open, and swiftly counterattacks.
Toby's unit is destroyed and he does not escape. Setsuko's is heavily damaged, and Asakim leaves Shurouga behind to face her on foot. Saying that he wants her to hate him and will do things to her that she will never forgive, he proceeds to beat her to the point of unconsciousness. When he's done, Shurouga just flies away. At the same time, Asakim's ally appears - Xine Espio in the Eliphas, she loyally guards him to make sure others do not interfere and then covers his escape. Eliphas will flee if damaged too heavily.
Post-mission, Virgola unit 1 will receive unit 2's attack. Also yes, I know originally Rand was an enemy here, but unless someone apps him he just won't appear in the game, NPC or not.
Arc 2 begins
Event 2:
Lowen relays a message to Setsuko - and to everyone's surprise, it's from the Glory Star again! Could it mean Toby is actually alive? He says to meet him in a location near Chimera headquarters. But the event is about visiting the headquarters themselves, talking to Lowen, the motherly Chimera leader Edel Bernal, the intellectual Shuran Oper, and most importantly a perverted and somewhat child-like old man, Jii. He pervs on Setsuko but also promises to upgrade Virgola, seeing potential in it that was not yet unlocked. So she tolerates him and lets him work on the machine.
Mission 5: The Power Called Sadness
Setsuko arrives to the meeting spot (others will probably want to follow/accompany her, because what are the odds for this being a trap? Pretty high). Instead of Toby, there are Asakim's crows there - and even though Virgola received an upgrade into Virgola Glory, its weapon is malfunctioning and it only has the Ray Pistol to defend itself. After shooting them down, finally Toby appears to Setsuko's delight! But more enemies come (including Xine), and they face them together... and Toby immediately shoots Setsuko in the back.
It turns out that Toby is actually Asakim, disguised with shadowy illusion. The Glory Star was likewise just him. This is enough to bring Setsuko over the edge of despair - her tears symbolically touch the malfunctioning Gunnery Carver, and it's enough to awaken the Sphere. The weapon transforms into Nautilus Carver, and with its power, Asakim's Shurouga is obliterated. Yet, he planned it all along - he regenerates and flees, happy that the Sphere has finally awakened.
As soon as the mission is over, Setsuko PTSDs and a huge anomaly forms, larger than any other. Everyone has to calm her down before the distortion scatters everyone all around the known universe, and possibly beyond.
Lowen's Chaos Leo is available as an allied NPC during this mission.
Arc 2 ends
Event 3:
Suddenly Unity Group receives a major PR hit and some organisations like us much less than before. Why? Because there are news that the group did something really bad (cooperate with some bad guys for example), and although obviously fake, the news look really convincing, too. The ESUN officials believe us, but cooperating with some other organiastions may be much more complicated from now on.
And yes, this replaces Zeuth vs Zeuth from SRW Z. There is no way to make that event work in a journal RP environment.
Mission 6: Impact Again
Chimera found out the person responsible for Unity Group's besmirching. Time to pay that guy a little visit, and Lowen tags along as above. Even if we come peacefully, getting anything remotely close to the target battleship is enough for its escort to open fire (both the battleship and the grunts should be something easily available from another canon, and they are AI-controlled). Also, once again it's a trap - Xine and Asakim's crows attack from the flank, and possibly some other bad guys from other canons as well.
Xine will bitterly ask if we even remember the soldiers who were trapped in the anomaly during SRW Z's second mission (if that happened that is). She was one of them, while the others are still missing and who-knows-where, but she's not saying that much just yet.
If we get close to the battleship or damage it, the person responsible for all that nasty stuff from before reveals himself. Black Charisma, a figure clad in black armor. He says that the time of awakening is at hand, Setsuko's Sphere of Sorrowful Maiden is awake already, that universes will merge, etc etc. Ominous foreshadowing like that. Then, an anomaly happens - even though Setsuko is in no danger. It is caused not by her, but by Black Charisma, who gloats one last time before his battleship disappears.
Various edits below - mainly the 7th mission.
Addendum - Canis and such
Canis units are mass production versions of the Virgola. Early on in the timeline they were already deployed (in small numbers), this is because they used motion data acquired from the Glory Stars before Setsuko joined. There was a third GS member, named Chris, who died in an accident - Setsuko is his replacement. The Canis plans went through the UN servers at some point so Chimera stole them and used them to produce their own AI controlled units.
Speaking of Chris, he existed in the alternate universe from which alternate Toby and Denzel came in, too. He died during the events that threw them into this world, and they blame Rand and/or Setsuko for it. The real guy to blame is, of course, Asakim. They realize it after seeing Asakim and Chimera's true colors.
Mission 7: Count Down
Rand sends a request for help - he's under attack by some stubborn guys. When we go to help him, it turns out that these guys are... Denzel and Toby, in Virgola units 1 and 2! They blame Rand and say it's his fault that they were thrown into this world. They do not recognize Setsuko, but seeing her Virgola they act wary and admit that their friend warned them against someone in a unit like their own, because she is similar to Rand and up to no good. That friend is of course, Asakim.
If this is a single event mission then Denzel and Toby are helped by Asakim's Cornixes (robotic crows), as well as some mass produced AI-controlled Canis units. Otherwise they can be alone. Either way Setsuko will ask her friends to leave Toby and Denzel to her. She has grown a lot and is no more the scarred little girl from before - and manages to take both of them down, non-lethally.
Then Asakim appears, and as we prepare to fight him, we get reinforcements from Lowen. Lowen who proceeds to stab Virgola in the back. Xine's Eliphas/Chaos Caper and Shuran's Chaos Anguis appear. The members of Chimera admit they signed an alliance with Black Charisma and Asakim. Together they will start a new world order that won't repeat mistakes of the current, corrupt governments. Hearing this, something in Setsuko just... breaks. The Sphere awakens fully, to Asakim's elation. He departs, leaving the three to fight Setsuko and Unity Group.
Xine, Lowen and Shuran are supported by more Canises, and a smaller amount of mass produced, watered down versions of their own units. They are AI-controlled. Also Lowen throws his facade away and shows that he is a wild, berserking warrior, and a misogynist who thinks all women (except Edel Bernal) are weak and worthless, to that. Xine will hint really strongly at who she is at this point.
Once the mission is over, Chimera are making a declaration to the world. Edel Bernal talks about creating a new government with herself as its head, and asks all countries to legitimize it. Her government does not exist as a physical country with borders but is an entity of information. All information that was online at any point has moved through the UN servers, which Chimera control - and they know everything, including very secretive government information that various politicians wouldn't want to leak out... so she hopes others will cooperate. And in the near future she will also ask them to forge an alliance with Chimera, and hopes they won't refuse - if they know what's best for them.
Raiding the old Chimera base reveals it's abandoned and the UN servers are gone. They have moved to Black Charisma's battleship, whose current circumstances are unknown. At the same time various organisations are concerned about which of their secret information has been compromised. Denzel and Toby saw the errors of their ways and decide to make up for it - by joining SSR, since they attacked Rand who is an SSR member. As for Setsuko...
Setsuko comes back to (almost) normal, only to find her sense of taste gone. The Sphere of Sorrowful Maiden, once awakaned, drains its user's senses. The more it is used, the worse the symptoms may become...
Arc 3 begins
Mission 8: World in Black
The flying headquarters of Chimera/Black Charisma's battleship is found, it has landed and set up base of operations in a South American country that was already subverted by the organisation.
The headquarters are heavily defended, but almost all defenders (mass produced Leos, Capers, Anguises, Cornix crows, and mooks from other canons) are AI controlled, because Chimera is less than 6 people total. But don't worry, Lowen, Shuran and Xine are there as well, ready to fight to the end...
Unless the players piece the two and two together and finally realize who Xine is. Setsuko will call out to her, that she does not have to be Asakim's servant, that both of them are victims here. Xine will actually listen, relent and retreat from the fight. Shuran and Lowen however will fight to the last breath. Shuran will call to Lowen and say that he loved him with his dying breath - which Lowen ignores, being an asshole that he is. He ignores everyone, except Edel Bernal, the only person he really respects.
After the headquarters are conquered, it turns out the insides are empty safe for one harmless Jii. He explains that Edel went off somewhere, with a man who could only be Asakim...
Mission 9: My Future, Everyone's Future
No need to look for Edel and Asakim. They attack Chimera headquarters to take them back, supported by an army of AI units as above. Asakim is very happy to see Setsuko so determined to murder him, and actually goes straight for her to fight her one on one. When she manages to beat him (probably not alone despite his efforts), it turns out that with the Sphere fully awakened, the destroyed Shurouga will not regenerate - only this power is enough to kill Asakim for real, and that is what he wanted all along. He dies with a smile on his lips, Setsuko being his tool to the end.
Edel Bernal's Lemures is a tough machine but it should eventually be surrounded and defeated. Then, Black Charisma appears, and thanks Edel for being a fool who played exactly into his hands. She is furious and tries to crush him, but he overwrites Lemures' controls, and then summons his own Chaos Lemures.
Black Charisma sheds his disguise, and shows who he really is - the perverted old man Jii! Or rather, that also is a disguise. His true form is that of an ancient (but hammy and WAY too happy) transdimensional being, Jii Edel. He gladly destroys Edel's Lemures and then faces off against the player characters. He knows a lot about all of them, and is willing to share that information to their faces whether they like it or not. Driven insane by a huge calamity in his original universe's distant past, he seeks to bring and crash all universes together now. There is only one thing left to do now - fight, not just to survive but to save everyone and existence as a whole!
Arc 3, and the whole canon, ends...
Unless we get SRW Z2 plot that is. And if we do, it may turn out Asakim is not so dead after all...
Sample post: link
