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Jan 29, 2019 7:19 PM
#1
◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇ ◇ Guide/FAQ ◇ ◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇ Welcome to the Guidance Thread. Here you will find all the info you need before, during and after you start your journey. You may notice that its also called FAQ, yet why are there no questions? Of course, because you need to ask them. ;) If many ask the same thing, I will add it to the FAQ section with an answer. |
TubaJan 29, 2019 7:33 PM
Reply Disabled for Non-Club Members
Jan 29, 2019 7:26 PM
#2
 Character Information Part 1 I. Character Races & Racial Skills There are several different races to which one's character can belong to. Each race has advantages and disadvantages and every race is in possession of a racial skill. Races are chosen upon Character Creation and may not be changed after approval. A list of the available races and their racial skills are listed below: Human 
Elf 
Half-Elf 
Beastkind 
Halfling 
Automaton 
Unholy 
Divine 
II. Character Classes In addition to races, there are also 8 different classes a character can belong to. Each class gets an innate boost in a single attribute as well as an unique Class Skill. Classes are also chosen upon Character Creation and may not be changed after approval. A list of the available classes and their class skills are listed below: Warrior 
Knight 
Mage 
Cleric 
Rogue 
Duelist 
Archer 
Fighter 
III. Character Statistics There are three main statistics, which determine how long your character will last in combat. They increase as your character advances in RANK and spends STP in the Point Allocation Thread. All statistics regenerate automatically upon end of combat after 24 hours (real-time) have passed and the character has left the combat area. However, this does not apply for missions and ordinary tournaments. HEALTH: Health determines one's Total Damage Capacity. It is the essence of one's life and vital to one's well-being. Also known as "Greater Life Force", health is difficult to control as an energy resource and thus has limited uses for skills unlike Prana. If your health reaches 0, your character will be automatically incapacitated and no longer able to partake in combat*. Furthermore, while incapacitated your character will be in Critical Health Mode. If your character is attacked again in Critical Health Mode, he/she will die immediately.
*If the damage received in excess of your remaining health is >=50% of the your max health, Critical Health Mode will not activate. PRANA: Prana determines one's Total Magical Capacity. Being the energy supply for the utilization of magic, it is the "Lesser Life Force" of one's body that supplies the artificial reenactment of wonders, also known as magecraft. Unlike mana, which is the energy inherent to the world, prana is the energy inherent to every living being. Lost prana gradually recovers over time albeit at a much slower rate than stamina. Some people are born with more, others with less amounts of prana, but as their body develops this can change. Every spell makes use of prana and without it, no thaumaturgy can be used. At the start of each Post/Turn in combat, Prana recovers by a value of 5. This remains unaffected by attributes. Naturally, going over the maximum capacity is normally impossible. Furthermore, summoning an Astral Gear reduces Maximum Prana by its Summon Cost. De-summoning it restores the original value. (Ex. An AG that costs 50 Prana to summon reduces max. Prana by 50 until de-summoned.) STAMINA: Stamina determines one's Total Physical Capacity. It is the energy supply for the body movement. Any physical movement like running, jumping or walking, requires Stamina although the amount can vary. Naturally, the greater the feat one performes, the more energy will be necessary. Running is more costly than walking. However, even short bursts that cover small distances can cost nothing as long as they are not used extensively. The usage of powers can also take a heavy toll on one's body. At the start of each Post/Turn in combat, Stamina recovers by a value of 10. Furthermore, for every Phase that utilizes the Standby Action, Stamina recovers by an additional value of 10 per Phase. This is the Base Stamina Regeneration which can be affected by a higher Recovery Attribute, including recovery that originates from Standby Phases. Naturally, going over one's Maximum Stamina Capacity is impossible unless stated otherwise. If Stamina Regeneration at the start of the Turn exceeds maximum capacity, any excess will be lost. IV. Character Attributes Attributes represent your character's prowess. All attributes are defined in average SOUL standards. (10x human standards) Whether it may be your body's strength and vitality or the capability of storing large amounts of energy, attributes are vital to your character's performance in combat. All characters start out at Rank E in attributes. A higher Attribute Rank yields various benefits depending on the attribute such as increased physical/magical damage. Attributes may be permanently increased by expending CP. Below is a list of available attributes and their explanations: Strength
Vitality
Willpower
Resistance
Speed
Agility
Perception
Recovery
* See Section IV. General Combat. V. Attribute Ranks There are limits to your highest achievable Attribute Rank which cannot be bypassed unless you reach a higher Character RANK. The Attribute Limits are listed in the Character RANK section. However, it is possible to reach a higher Attribute Rank than permitted through the use of buffs and exceed the Attribute Limit by 1 Rank. An E-Ranked character may not exceed Rank B in all of his attributes. The example below illustrates this: Primary Attribute Buff Limit = Attribute Limit + 1 Rank [ex. B = C + 1] Also, although buffs may be stacked, it is not possible to buff more than 2 Ranks above the base. This is an universal limit that does not change. It works in conjunction with the Secondary Attribute Buff Limit. It is illustrated below: Secondary Attribute Buff Limit = Base Attribute + 2 Ranks [ex. E > C is ok, but E > B is not] Furthermore, Limit Break Buffs allow a bypass of the Attribute Buff Limit (Primary + Secondary). However, the maximum is only 1 Rank above the Attribute Buff Limit. Essentially: Attribute Limit Break = Attribute Buff Limit + 1 Rank [ex. A = C + 1(Normal Buff) + 1(Limit Break Buff)] [ex. with E Base: B = E + 2(Normal Buff) + 1(Limit Break Buff)] (Note: Highest Limit for buffs is A+. A++ is always a Limit Break. Also, it is not possible to buff to S except when using an Overlimit Break in an EX-Skill.) To summarize:
Below is a chart displaying the different stages of attribute levels. The first multiplier represents the increased value of Strength, Willpower, Speed, Agility, Perception and Stamina Regeneration (Recovery). The second multiplier represents the decreased damage/stun time in terms of Vitality, Resistance and Stun Time (Recovery). Attribute Chart: Rank E - 1x/1x Rank D - 1.5x/0.9x Rank C - 2x/0.8x Rank B - 2.5x/0.7x Rank A - 3x/0.6x Rank A+ - 3.5x/0.5x Rank A++ - 4x/0.4x Rank S - 5x/0.25x Also, it is possible for attributes to be temporarily weakened as well. Alternative Attribute Chart: Rank F - 0.9x/-1.33x Rank G - 0.8x/-1.66x Rank H - 0.7x/-2.0x Rank I - 0.6x/-2.33x Rank J - 0.5x/-2.66x Rank K - 0.33x/-3.0x Rank Z - 0.1x/-4.0x The first multiplier represents the decreased value of Strength, Willpower, Speed, Agility, Perception and Stamina Regeneration (Recovery). The second multiplier represents the increased damage/stun time in terms of of Vitality, Resistance and Stun Time (Recovery). (Example: -2x in Vitality means that you take double damage from physical attacks.) Debuffs are inflicted the same way as buffs, through Rank Level Ups/Downs. For example, if a character had an A-Ranked Attribute Buff from nothing (Rank Level Up by 4) and the opponent inflicts a I-Ranked Attribute Debuff of the same kind (Rank Level Down by 4), they would cancel each other out thus resulting in an E-Ranked attribute. An X after the rank number (like Rank 7X) means that the attribute is immune to ALL buffs (Z)/debuffs (S). Below is a chart that displays the levels for each Rank: Rank Level Attribute Chart: Level 7X - Rank S (Cannot be buffed normally) Level 6 - Rank A++ Level 5 - Rank A+ Level 4 - Rank A Level 3 - Rank B Level 2 - Rank C Level 1 - Rank D Level 0 - Rank E Level -1 - Rank F Level -2 - Rank G Level -3 - Rank H Level -4 - Rank I Level -5 - Rank J Level -6 - Rank K Level -7X - Rank Z (Cannot be inflicted normally) |
Jan 29, 2019 7:31 PM
#3
Character Information Part 2 VI. Peak Attributes An honourable mention goes to Peak Attributes. Peak Attributes cannot be achieved normally. No talent nor any kind of skill is able to bestow Peak Attributes onto a character. They can only be reached by creative posting* and, while not being able to reach the next Attribute Rank, can temporarely improve attributes beyond one's limit. *By default, projectiles move at speeds between its current Rank and the next higher Rank. Thus a speed of E means it is faster than standard E speed, but slower than standard D speed. To illustrate this, projectile speed ranks are marked with a ⭡ symbol. In general, this means that effective attributes vary in combat. They can increase or decrease depending on one's situation, condition, environment and, most importantly, post quality and creativity. For example: 1. Character A runs at Character B and slashes. 2. Character A forces his strength into his legs and pushed off the ground with all his might, closing the distance between him and his target in a speeding sprint. However, before A was about to reach B, he had already channeled his power to perform a high jump at the last few seconds, intending to use all his body weight in a quick descent that would cleave his enemy in half. Now, let us look at the result, assuming that base damage is 10 and B was stunned: 1. Character A dealt 8 damage. 2. Character A dealt 15 damage. As you can see, Peak Attributes can boost your character's abilities by a large margin. So if you want to give your next attack a bit more power, remember to be creative and write well. VII. Character Talent Talents are synonymous with a character's unique potential. Whether it may be an affinity for magecraft, an unyielding will or a gift for combat, Talents are precious characteristics and capabilities of a person. When a Talent is expressed to the world, Skills are born. Every Skill is related to a Talent and may not deviate from it. Unfortunately, there is a limit to how many Skills a Talent can give birth to. Every Talent can create a maximum of 5 Skills. However, there may be some way to improve one's Talent beyond its limit... VIII. Character Skills Skills are manifestations of your Talent and without them, your Talent's efficacy is questionable. Your character may gain access to unique abilities that cannot be used by anyone else but your character alone. Every skill is associated to at least 1 of the 4 available affinities which, coupled with your selected talent, can create a myriad of possibilities. (See Skill Affinities below) Furthermore, all skills make use of Prana & Stamina. Skills that use Health can also exist. Each Skill also has a minimum cost that needs to be fulfilled (Exceptions can exist). Passive are exempt from that rule. The cost starts 5 for E-Rank Skills and increases by 5 for every subsequent Skill Rank. A certain distinction shall be made here. Physical skills are simply known as "Technique" whereas Magical skills are known as "Spell". Both fall under the supercategory of "Skill", but have quite a few differences: Technique Techniques (Techs for short) are refinement of various fighting styles that have achieved effects that rival even magecraft. Usually attained through rigorous training, they often require exceptional amounts of Stamina to perform and can possess various applications such as altering one's physical prowess, strengthening weapons, to even achieve unavoidable combination attacks. Spell Spells are reenactment of wonders and are created through translation of one's Prana reserves to transform the world. All magecraft follows a set of laws that are unchangeable, such as requirement of Prana, and are based on equivalent exchange. The more Prana is consumed, the more powerful the Spell might become. Attribute Modifier: Additionally, some skills may be affected by attributes. In that case, the skill will benefit from the current Rank of the attribute by the stated attribute bonus. The benefit is a fixed addition to the base value of a skill with exception to statistics (Health, Prana, Stamina) The limit of the bonus is = to the base value of the skill.* In addition, the rank of the modifier bonus also cannot exceed the skill's rank +3.** The list is shown below: Attribute Modifier Bonus: Rank E: +0 Rank D: +5 Rank C: +10 Rank B: +20 Rank A: +30 Rank A+: +45 Rank A++: +60 Rank S: +90 For example, if a skill has the Effect of "Deals 10 physical damage", the Attribute Modifier "Strength" and the character's current Strength Rank is "C" the end result will be a skill with the Effect of "Deals 20 Physical Damage". Why is that the case? This is because physical damage is affected by the Strength attribute. Having C Rank Strength means that you can add a bonus of 10 to your skill, thus getting a result of 10+10=20 Damage. Vice versa for magical damage and Willpower. *Because it may be tempting to have a low cost skill with 10 base damage, but get a +90 modifier bonus for a whooping 100 damage, a restriction was set in place to prevent cheesing. Essentially, the maximum bonus you can get is equal to the base value of your skill. Have a 10 base damage skill, but A Rank Strength? Sorry, but you will only receive a +10 modifier bonus instead of your usual +30. *Also, modifier bonuses are halved for all AoEs. **In a similar line of thought to the above example of "low damage, huge modifier", there is now also a limit on the attribute modifier based on the skill rank. Even if you have a 30 base damage E rank skill and A rank Strength, you cannot get the full +30 from your modifier. Instead, you will only receive +20, as if you had B Strength. Similarly, a D rank skill cannot fully utilize an A+ modifier, no matter how high the base damage is. For a general guideline of what is affected by which attribute modifiers, refer to the list below: Melee Physical Damage: Strength Melee Speed: Speed Ranged Physical Damage: Skill-Specific Ranged Speed (Arrows, Thrown Objects): Strength/Skill-Specific Ranged Speed (Firearm): Dependent on firearm Melee Magical Damage: Willpower Melee Magical Speed: Speed Ranged Magical Damage: Willpower Ranged Magical Speed: Skill-specific Alternative uses for different cases are also possible as long as you state them in your skill. Skill Types: There are three types of skills:
Active skills need to be, as their name implies, actively used. This means your character needs to fulfill all Prerequisites and pay Stamina/Prana to utilize the skill. Said skill then counts as used and prevents your character from using other active skills. (Example: The active skill "Fire Slash" allows the user to slash at the target, dealing fire-elemental and physical damage at once.) 2. Active Continuous: Active Continous skills contain both an active and passive component. After using the active part of the skill, the character usually receives a temporary effect that will last of a certain number of Turns. Sustenance of the effect may or may not cost Prana or Stamina. (Example: The active continuous skill "Fire Cloak" lets the user summon a cloak of fire which then remains in effect for a set duration.) 3. Passive: Passive skills are activated regardless of action so long as all the Prerequisites have been fulfilled. If there are no Prerequisites, it will always stay activated. They do not count as used and thus you can use as many passive skills as you want. In order for a skill to count as a passive skill, it must not be able to be manually activated. (Example: The passive skill "Fire Resist" automatically reduces any fire-elemental damage that the user receives.) Skill Levels: Skill Levels stand in direct relation to your character's RANK. If you character is at RANK E, he can only use E-Ranked skills. However, people have rumoured that there might be a way to use skills above your RANK... Skill Affinities: Offensive Affinity A skill with offensive affinity enables your character to utilize devastating and powerful techniques, focusing on eliminating enemies as quickly as possible. Specializing in a high damage output, offensive affinities allow characts to reach their full combat potential by unleashing as much power as the body can endure. Their Prana induces destructive features, which makes them highly potent adversaries when faced in combat. However, while offensive affinities permit their user to achieve maximum offensive capabilities, they are often quite taxing on the body and may result in quick exhaustion or and vulnerability. Defensive Affinity A skill with defensive affinity enables your character to create resilient and adamantine defenses, concentrating on survivability rather than aggressive attacks. Specializing in a high damage reduction, defensive affinities allow characters to withstand any assault and repel outside forces. Their Prana induces protective characteristics, forming them into indispensable allies when facing dangerous enemies. Nevertheless, while defensive affinities permit their user to reach enormous levels regarding their defensive capability, they are strongly lacking in offense, making them expendable attackers. Support Affinity A skill with supporting affinity enables your character to employ various methods and aid your allies in combat to drastically increase the chances of success. Specializing in providing support, supporting affinities allow characters to gain access to all kinds of techniques which cause beneficial or harmful effects. Their Prana can induce various characteristics, granting them the freedom of flexibility and the ability to boost allied forces or suppress enemy advances. Sadly, while supporting affinities make it possible to utilize many different kinds of abilities, their effects are only temporary and need to be renewed time and time again. Recovery Affinity A skill with recovery affinity enables your character to excel in curing sickness and healing wounds to ensure the well-being of yourself as well as your allies. Specializing in remedying injuries, recovery affinities allow characters to amend any damage caused by external forces and speed up healing processes. Their Prana can induce curative features which make them essential assets to any team. Although recovery affinities are very useful when energy reaches critical levels, they do need a lot of Prana to be practical, draining heavily on a character's Prana resources. IX. Character RANK The RANK system has a great impact on the strength of your character. Each character will start out at RANK E and can advance in Rank by taking Rank Examination Missions. After passing the examination, feel free to distribute your STatistic Points (STP) in the Point Allocation Thread. Each new Rank yields new privileges such as:
 Maximum Character Points (CP): 20 STatistic Points (STP): +0 Attribute Limit: C Skill Limit: E Rank Points needed for D Rank: 50  Maximum Character Points (CP): 40 STatistic Points (STP): +3 Attribute Limit: B Skill Limit: D Rank Points needed for C Rank: 125 Promotion Bonus: 20,000 Yoki Access to Overskills Access to Talent Awakening  Maximum Character Points (CP): 60 STatistic Points (STP): +3 Attribute Limit: A Skill Limit: C Promotion Bonus: 40,000 Yoki Access to [url=xxx]???[/url] Access to [url=xxx]???[/url]  Maximum Character Points (CP): 80 STatistic Points (STP): +3 Attribute Limit: A+ Skill Limit: B Promotion Bonus: 60,000 Yoki Access to Union Skills Access to [url=xxx]???[/url]  Maximum Character Points (CP): 100 STatistic Points (STP): +3 Attribute Limit: A++ Skill Limit: A Promotion Bonus: 100,000 Yoki Access to [url=xxx]???[/url] Access to [url=xxx]???[/url] |
Jan 29, 2019 7:31 PM
#4
System Information I. Character Points & Statistic Points Character Points (CP) are essential for the power of your character. The more CP you accumulate, the stronger your character can be. However, there are several things to note: CP Pool Earned CP is not automatically added to your Character Form. Instead, they are added to your Character Profile under the section "CP Pool" where all your available CP are listed. In order to use CP to make your character stronger, you can need to visit the respective threads in which you can spend CP from your CP Pool and increase your Total CP within your Character Form. Lastly, once you reach your CP Limit for the current Character Rank, your normal CP Pool is limited to 5. This means that if you have 20/20 CP, but are still at RANK E, you can only earn 5 more CP normally before any excess CP is wasted. That being said, many people suffer from issues such as needing more missions to Rank Up but already being at the CP cap. Thus, even after reaching the 5 additional CP limit, it is possible to earn up to 50% of the CP you would have gained when carrying out a mission. Please note that this only applies for missions, not other methods of CP gain. How to earn CP:
STP, unlike CP, are quite scarce and can only be obtained by advancing in RANK. The total amount available is listed under STP Pool in the Character Profiles. II. Missions, Requests & Rank Points Missions are special tasks given to SOULs each yielding different rewards and categorized into several difficulty ranks, ranging from E (easiest) to S (hardest). Missions can be completed with varying success, but every mission will award Rank Points (RP) which are necessary to advance in Character RANK. Furthermore, certain mission bonuses are applicable if character performance is exceptional. If enough RP are accumulated, Rank Examination Missions become available. Below is a list of rules for missions as well as mission types: Mission Rules:
Mission Types:
Mission Bonuses: Each Mission Bonus is subject to a Grade. The Grade Rank determines how high the bonus will be. Grades range from E-S. The following Grades are available: Grade Rewards: - Grade F: 0 RP & 0 Yoki - Grade E: 2 RP & 1,000 Yoki - Grade D: 4 RP & 2,000 Yoki - Grade C: 6 RP & 3,000 Yoki - Grade B: 8 RP & 4,000 Yoki - Grade A: 10 RP & 5,000 Yoki - Grade S: 15 RP & 7,500 Yoki Furthermore, the following bonuses are available: Combat Bonus
Requests: Requests are very similar to missions and can be seen as "mini-missions". However, there are a few differences which are as follows:
Non-Mission CS Combat: Defeating CS outside of missions can also give minor rewards of RP and Yoki upon reporting the amount and type defeated in the Mission Hall. The amount of RP gained from each CS is similar to their CP yield, but with a few differences.
III. Activity Points Activity Points (AP) are earned monthly and can be used to receive Member Bonuses in the AP Exchange Thread. At the end of each month, the administration will draw up a list of active members. Every who has been deemed active will receive 1 AP. How to earn AP:
IV. General Combat Combat in Aeternia Story is turn based. 1 Post equals 1 Turn. However, each full Turn is also separated into 2 Phases. For more information regarding Phases, please refer to the section "Phase Action Combat System". Character Statistics Every character entering combat needs to track his own statistics (Health, Prana, Stamina) at all times. Statistics are generally changed as a result of your own judgement when in combat with any character without a special status (Antagonists, Observers etc.). This means that if your character is being hit, you have the right to deduct as much Health as you see fit. Try to be as reasonable as possible when doing this as otherwise you may receive a penalty. In case characters are in combat with someone of special status, said character has the privilege to appropriately change other characters' statistics out of his own accord. After combat, statistics are not replenished immediately. In general, it takes 24 hours (real-time) to be fully healed due to self healing inherent to SOULs. Also, characters have to leave the previous site of combat. However, in some cases, self healing is disabled (mostly missions). The common way to track your statistics is by simply detailing it in a manner similar to: Health: 100 Prana: 100 Stamina: 100 Damage Calculation In general, follow these rules of thumb when calculating damage (more may be added depending on circumstances): 1. A regular attack with average (E-ranked) attributes deals about 10 points of damage. 2. A critical hit doubles base damage. Modifier bonuses are not included. 3. Successful guarding generally halves total damage. Unarmed guarding does not reduce any damage. 4. Unarmed physical attacks deal 50% less damage. 5. Average attack rates for weapons are as follows (on a per Phase basis):
7. Each Rank of Opponent Speed and Recovery lowers Attack Rate by 25%. Minimum is 1 Hit per Phase. 8. AG Base Projectile Damage depends on AG type. 9. AG Projectile Speed is dependent on the weapon used. Can also affect skills that utilize the AG. 10. A grazing hit can deal up to 50% of damage. 25% is the average. Of course, actual damage always varies depending on where you are hit, how you are hit, how you try to defend etc. Furthermore, critical hit spots are different depending on the type of enemy. For SOULs, they generally possess 2 weak spots, hitting the area between their shoulder blades deals 3x the damage (known as critical weak spot) whereas their neck area only deals 2x the damage (normal weak spot). Also, if you ever end up with a rational number, use standard rounding rules (.5 and higher is round up, .4 and lower is down). Buffs and Debuffs Whenever you are under the influence of a buff/debuff in attributes or any other special effect especially Passive Skills (Bloodlust, Sacred Wings, all Class Skills etc.), please track them in the same way as statistics. Any effect that is not tracked may not have any effect and no one can be held accountable except yourself. If you are putting a buff/debuff or special effect on another target, said target must track it. If beneficial effects are not tracked, they will be nil. If malicious effects are not tracked, it may lead to punishments. Also, Activation Phases/Turns (unless Free Action) do not count towards the duration. Turn Cycle In general, combat follows a turn cycle. A turn cycle is the total of Turns between (and including) a character's Turn to his next Turn. Within each turn cycle, every character is allowed to post once (exceptions may exist). Assuming there are 2 combatants, the turn cycle ends when both have made a post. If there are more than 3 combatants, its is possible for Skips to occur. Additionally, the very first character to start combat will be designated as Cycle Setter and needs to take a Turn before the next Turn Cycle can begin. Turn Order Ordinarily, there is no set turn order. In case of 2 combatants, the turn order is evident. In case of 3 or more, everybody can post in a random order as long as they have an opponent post inbetween. For teams, however, each team needs to finish posting before the other team can post. Skips When entering combat with a total of 3 or more characters, Skips become possible. Skips are, what their name implies, simply skipping the Turn of a character. They may occur when said character does not post within an adequate time and in such a case, it will count as having not taken a Turn at all. This means that if, for instance, a character needs to have 2 Standby Turns and posted once, but is then skipped, he/she will still need to make a Standby Turn when he/she makes his/her next Turn, regardless if it happens 1 or 5 Turn Cycles later. Once someone is skipped, said character will be affected by the "Freeze Occurrence" detailed under "Background Information". Cycle Setter Cycle Setters are defined as those who absolutely need to take a turn before the next Turn Cycle can begin and every character is allowed to post again. Usually, the first person who enters combat is automatically set as Cycle Setter. However, in case a character with a special status (Antagonists, Observers etc.) enters combat, he/she will automatically be appointed as Cycle Setter. In case there are more than 1 of them, the Cycle Setter will be chosen from amongst them. Generally, there is no set turn order and everyone is allowed to post once the next Turn Cycle has started. Special Combat Conditions Sometimes, when in combat in a special environment, Special Combat Conditions may be given. These are conditions that are additional to the general rules of combat. They may come in form of time limits, environmental effects in place etc. Reserved Posts If you want to make a detailed post with your character, but are afraid of losing your place within the Turn Cycle, you are able to make a Reserved Post. This is a post which simply consists of the word "Reserved" and prevents anyone from posting until the time limit has run out or your post has been made. General time limit is 2 hours, though it may be changed depending on Special Combat Conditions. Whether Reserved Posts can be used depends on the administration. V. Phase Action Combat System Phases are generalizations of the flow of time in combat. Within each phase, 1 action, as displayed below, may be taken. Except for the very first Turn of general combat, which means the first turn made by the first character/team, every subsequent Turn is comprised of 2 Phases detailed below: 1. Reaction Phase (RP) In this phase, your character reacts to the Action Phase of other characters. If, for example, your opponent attacks in his Action Phase, your character can then attempt to guard in his Reaction Phase. Alternatively, you could forsake defense and counter attack at the expense of health. And if you are skilled, it is not impossible to dodge a blow and then counter attack while receiving 0 damage. 2. Action Phase (AP) In this phase, after the action of your opponent is over, you are free to choose any action without worrying about being threatened (for the moment). However, the success of an action is not guaranteed as the opponent can use his Reaction Phase to attempt to nullify your efforts. In essence, the flow of combat looks like this: Character A: [AP][RP/AP][RP/AP][RP/AP] Character B: [RP/AP][RP/AP][RP/AP] As you can see above, Character A starts combat with an AP. In B's turn, he reacts to A's AP with his RP and then moves a bit further in time with his AP. Imagine you looking down at your feet and walking. You start with 1 step. Then you take another step. With each step you take, you cover a bit more distance. Your feet represent your AP & RP while the distance you covered represents time. This cycle continues until combat has ended. Within each Phase, there are several Actions a character may take. Additionally, each Phase lists the general amount of Stamina required to perform. Furthermore, except for Attack & Counter, all Actions are unlimited. This means that in an Evade Action, technically unlimited evades in 1 Phase are possible without paying more Stamina. A list of Actions are below:
Tips and Tricks: 1. Success of an action is mostly dependant on your creativity and only partly on attributes. The more creative you are, the better you will perform in combat. 2. The character/team who makes the very first Combat Turn has no Reaction Phase. Essentially, that Turn only will consist of just 1 Phase. 3. If a character first enters combat in a new area, they too will have no Reaction Phase. 4. It is advised to clearly separate Reaction Phase and Action Phase within your character's post. 5. In case you are required to perform an action for 1 Turn (often Standby for Charge Turns), it encompasses both the Reaction and Action Phase within said Turn. It is not possible to use Phases across Turns (meaning you cannot combine the Action Phase of the current Turn with the Reaction Phase of the next Turn to form 1 stand-alone Turn). 6. On another note, if there is a requirement such as "Charge for 2 Phases", then it does become possible to use Phases across Turns. VI. Advanced Combat Information Now that you are aware of both General Combat and the Phase Action Combat System, it is time to delve deeper into the battle mechanics: Detail and Creativity When in combat, detail and creativity play a large role in success of an action. Naturally, you shouldn't go overboard and write walls (unless you really want), but it is fine to write an action and explain why it would work. For example, the action of "She took a bow and fired her arrow" has a less likelier chance to succeed than "She took her bow, carefully aimed at A and let the arrow loose the moment he took a step towards her". In case you are taking defensive measures, its even more important to write why your character would have a good chance succeeding. A could write "A saw the arrow and evaded to the right", but it would be better to write "A saw the arrow coming towards him as he took a step forward, immediately taking a short sidestep to the right to avoid the incoming projectile". Rarely Used Actions You might have noticed that some actions do not fit into certain Phases. For example, Guard, Parry, Evade, Dodge and Counter are rarely used in an AP due to the offensive nature of an AP. However, there are some circumstances where a defensive/evasive action might have some merit. Let's assume that A attacks in his AP and B also attacks in his RP. However, B's attack comes before A (due to circumstances). As there is nothing described on how A would deal with B's attack, his AP would be nullified in order to grant him a RP Reaction (detailed below). If A were able to anticipate B's attack and had written a suitable action describing how he would deal with it, A's AP would not be nullified. As you can see, in some cases, defensive/evasive actions do make sense in your AP. Although it would remain on your judgement on when to use them. Reaction Phase Reaction Normally, it is not possible to react to your opponent's RP. However, there is one exception: If your opponent used any offensive action (Attack, Skill) in his RP. In order to avoid guaranteed hits, it is possible to use RP against your opponent's RP just in that case. In case of Counter or Parry, a successful reaction is less likely, but possible. If you attack in your AP, the opponent counters in his RP and attacks again in his AP, you can use your RP against your opponent's RP and AP. Do note that, RP Reactions may not always be granted. Double Offense Let's assume your opponents attacks you in his RP. How is that possible you ask? Because you did not attack him in your AP of course. Or he countered. Or your opponent just forsook any defense in order to deal some extra damage (which would be quite likely if he was willing to go that far and created a good opportunity). Either way, you would have 2 attacks to deal with and just a single RP to use. Your hopes of a successful defensive action are not as likely anymore. Your opponent would have a pretty good chance of breaking your defenses. That is... unless you used Standby in your AP. Standby Action Standby has the function of allowing you to rest and regain some Stamina. However, beyond that, it also has another purpose: Anticipation. If you use Standby in your AP, you forfeit the chance to attack, but that does not mean you leave yourself open. If your character is actively paying attention and not just idling around, he/she can very well use this time of idleness to fortify his defenses. Whatever action your opponent may choose, by focusing yourself, you have a greater chance at any defensive action you choose. Despite your opponent being able to attack you in both his RP & AP, your chances at protecting yourself successfully in your next RP from both attacks are greater than normal (if written well). An brief illustration: Let's say a normal defense has a 50% chance (imaginary value) of being successful against a single attack. A defense that is preceded by Standby would have a 80% chance (imaginary value) of success against both attacks. Sure, you could take more damage. But the much likelier scenario is that you receive less damage than a normal guard (if written well of course). So use your Standbys well. Free Action Free Action is a modifier which certain actions and skills may possess. Free Action does not count as an used action and thus another action within the same Phase is possible. However, there is a limit of 1 free action per Phase and as such, the total amount of actions one may take is Free Action + Another Action (excluding certain skills). For example, the action "Summon" is inherently a free action and thus "Summon" can be used together with "Attack", "Guard", "Evade" and any other action. UPDATED Nullified Action In some cases, your actions (or Phases) may be nullified during combat evaluation by the conductor. This usually happens if unexpected damage was involved. In these cases, your actions will be treated as if they never existed. What does that mean? Suppose your Attack Action in your AP was nullified. This means your AP never happened and you do not get any benefit from it. It is similar in nature to skipped turns in that all effects with a duration (buffs/debuffs) will be extended as a result. The only Action that cannot be nullified is Standby. VII. Elemental Affinities Elemental Affinities determine whether or not a character is susceptible or resistant to a particular element. Each race* has different affinities which grants them benefits, but also disadvantages. Careful and strategic exploitation of affinities can result in massive amounts of damage. Or puny amounts depending on how well you do. Elemental Affinities are only applicable to damage, not healing. *The elemental affinities listed for races are the defaults. It is possible to choose different ones, so long as they are justifiable and do not cause a net change in power. The elemental affinities are as follows:  Additionally, affinities can be categorized into one of the following ranked from highest to lowest: Level 3: Absorb Those who absorb an element receive Health equal to 50% of damage value. Level 2: Immune Those who are immune to an element take no damage at all. Level 1: Resist Those who resist an element only take 50% of total damage. In essence, hitting an elemental strong point reduces damage to by 50%. Assuming the opponent is resistant to air, an air-elemental attack with a damage value of 10 will result in 5 total damage. Level 0: Normal All elemental affinities in this category are unhindered. They do not deal any bonus damage nor are reduced in any way. Level -1: Weak Those who are weak to an element suffer 50% bonus damage. In essence, hitting an elemental weak spot boosts damage by 50%. Assuming the opponent is weak to air, an air-elemental attack with a damage value of 10 will result in 15 total damage. Level -2: Frail Those who are weak to an element suffer 100% bonus damage. In essence, hitting an elemental weak spot boosts damage by 100%. Buffing/Debuffing Elemental Affinities: In general, buffs/debuffs of elemental affinities function in a similar way to attributes. Here are the key pointers:
VIII. Status Condition System Status Conditions are lasting effects that impact the performance of a character. Most often they are temporary and lifted upon the passage of time. Others can be lifted by using a specific method to remove them. They are numerous and can have either beneficial or malignant influences on a character. Below is a list of common Status Conditions:  Normal
 Incapacitation
 Burn
 Poison
 Blind
 Paralyze
 Stun
 Sleep
 Seal
 Silence
 Curse
 Bleed
** More specifically, people under Seal/Silence are (for Techs/Spells respectively) unable to use Active abilities, unable to pay costs for extended duration on currently running Active Continuous skills, and unable to utilize the active components of Passives. IX. Item System Items are given to those who successfully performed well on certain tasks and events or they can be bought from various stores. They may be used only once and will be subtracted from the respective Character Profile after usage. There are certain rules on how to use items: Item Rules:
Depending on the type of item, there are two Activation Conditions: Immediate: When an Item displays Immediate, a character can use the item in either the Reaction or Action Phase and receive its effect immediately. The character is not inhibited through this in any way, but will use up 1 Phase. Delay #: When an Item displays Delay #, it means that the effect does not take place immediately. For example, let's assume an item has Delay 3 and restores 25 Health. This means that upon consuming the item, the effect will take place 3 Phases after consumption (not including the Phase it is used). For visualization:
Reaction Phase: Item Action Action Phase: Guard (Delay 1) Turn 2: Reaction Phase: Evade (Delay 2) Action Phase: Attack (Delay 3 --> Item Effect activated --> 25 Health restored) X. Accessories Accessories are a type of equipment that grant special effects when worn. Unlike Items, they do not count as consumables and thus can be used indefinitely unless otherwise stated. Furthermore, for SOULs, accessories attach itself to the wearer’s core in a way similar to COMBs and thus are re-summoned upon death. However, because of that, multiple accessories may interfere with each other and cancel each other out. As such, there are limits on how many accessories of each type can be worn: Accessory Limits:
Furthermore, there are several rules to follow: Accessory Rules:
UPDATED XI. The Observatory Observers are special in that their creation does not count towards the character limit. They are generally created by the administration. Regular members are not able to create an observer, unless it has a relation to a character in the sense that it is a part of their ability. (e.g. summoned creatures) There are two types of observers, Administrative Observers (AO) and Personal Observers (PO). Features of a Administrative Observer:
Features of a Personal Observer:
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Jan 29, 2019 7:31 PM
#5
Background Information/Encyclopedia This section (and the CS Compendium) is a tad unique. In general, all members should know about most details surrounding Gaea. However, in order not to let every character be a walking tome of wisdom, sections that are in this color are inaccessible to ordinarily created characters. Sections in this color is information that is accessible to every character as long as they make use of their COMB. What is a COMB you ask? Well... read on. Gaea The apocryphal Eden Gaea is a lush planet, brimming with vitality. It is separated into 5 main continents that are visible on the map below:  The current year is AR 651. Gaea is home to many various races such as humankind, elven, half-elves, halflings, beastkind, automaton, unholy and divine. Despite occasional territorial disputes, there have been no great wars ever since Gaea came to be. Although Gaea heavily lacks fossil fuels and other non-renewable resources, thanks to all energy consumption making access of either renewable energies or magic, they have long been obsolete. The climate is different depending on the continent with Asterios having a mostly desert-like ambience, Arias being tropical in the south and cool in the north, Septima possessing a relatively cold climate, Maekir emulating the opposite and finally Ortus' mild climate and 4 seasons. Astraea's headquarters lies in Ortus, in the city of Yvalia. Ortus in particular is the most economically focused due to its favourable location and many ports and harbours. With trade drawing in many people from across the world, it is the most diverse country out of all, despite being the smallest continent. Other continents, even though people from all races can be seen, possess a race majority which are races that hold the highest percentage of population. Asterios is known for being inhabited by mainly halflings and automaton, Arias by humans and half-elves, Septima by divine and elven and lastly Maekir by unholy and beastkind. Particularly Septima and Maekir are often engaged in conflicts due to their race differences with the dignified and graceful meeting the rude and brutish. Yvalia The city of beginnings Situated in the heart of Ortus, Yvalia is one of the world's most important economic centres and houses many corporations such as Astraea. Ironically, with a general population of 4 million people consisting of various races of all kind, Yvalia is one of the few cities that possesses no general race majority despite the original country's immigration policies. Contrary to common belief that race variety would inevitably lead to conflict, Yvalia is quite a peaceful city that, albeit bustling with activity, manages to keep crime rates to an enviable low. This is mostly not only due to government policy, but because of Astraea maintaining peace as well. Although the jurisdiction belongs to the government, Astraea acts as the enforcer, acting on the government's behalf instead of the regular police, allowing them to use their personnel elsewhere. All SOULs affiliated with Astraea are thus affiliated with the government as well. Unknown to the public, many SOULs roam the streets, disguised as common folk. A large majority of them are affiliated with Astraea, though there are a few who possess no affiliations. As a constitutional monarchy, authority to rule is delegated from the king to the government. As such, the role of the royal family (consisting of the King Ludwig Hoch Edelis, the Crown Prince Friedrich Hoch Edelis, the 1st Royal Princess Alicia Hoch Edelis and the 2nd Royal Princess Alouette Hoch Edelis) is mostly ceremonial. In some rare cases, royal assent may be given and the King exercises the right to elevate selected people to knighthood, yet those instances are few and far between. Ever since the death of the late Queen Regina Hoch Edelis, the King has become more withdrawn and only rarely shows his face to the public. Concerning trade, harbour trade is the most important and Yvalia serves as a relay point for ship networks linking any of the other four continents. As such, many shipments pass through here, solidifying Yvalia's importance as a global center of trade. In regards to specialities, due to Yvalia's nature as a city with many races, a lot of exquisite foreign cuisine can be found. Though at this point, it may very well not be called foreign anymore as there is technically no home speciality. But exactly therein lies Yvalia's speciality. That it is a grand mixture of everything at once. In a similar fashion, many shops, fashion outlets, groceries and anything one can think of are of countless origin. There is nothing that cannot be bought in Yvalia, from the everyday toothbrush to famous pictures. Wherever one may go, schools, hospitals and public parks have long been occupied by variety and there is no place that belongs to a single race alone. Yvalia is the epitome of diversity. The Yvalian Coliseum A true test of strength The Yvalian Coliseum is a famous place where many participants from across the world gather to test their skills in combat. Participants can compete in many tournaments called "Cups" of varying difficulty and conditions. Upon winning a cup, the winner will be crowned "Tournament Champion" and his/her name will be known in the Hall of Fame, a compiled list of past tournament champions. Naturally, one will also be awarded with a big prize, usually in the form of Yoki or Items. There are many variations in brackets ranging from a total of 4 to 16 participants and cups may freely change (or not). However, before competing, there are several rules that need to be upheld at any time in the Coliseum. General rules need to be upheld in any case while special rules can be enabled depending on the format. A list of rules are shown below: General Coliseum Rules:
Novice Cup Description: Recommended for Beginner Combatants (RANK E) Apprentice Cup Description: Recommended for Experienced Combatants (RANK D) Intermediate Cup Description: Recommended for Skilled Combatants (RANK C) Expert Cup Description: Recommended for Talented Combatants (RANK B) Elite Cup Description: Recommended for Incredible Combatants (RANK A) Master Cup Description: Recommended for those few who stand above all others (RANK ???) Title Cup Description: For those who want to join the ranks of the 7 Supreme Sovereigns (if you think you can) A Title Cup is one of the most popular cups within the coliseum, both as a spectator and as a combatant. This is because combatants get a chance to face off against one of the 7 Supreme Sovereigns in a grand 1vs1 showdown. The Sovereign him/herself does not enter combat against any participant and will only grace the one standing last with the honour of a battle. Upon defeating the Sovereign, the combatant receives his title and is added to the ranks of the Supreme Sovereigns. However, there are strict requirements to enter Title Cups and even if one gets in, one still needs to set oneself apart from many other competitors, each striving to take the Sovereign's title. And even if one manages to reach the Sovereign, one should not, definitely not, expect an easy battle. In addition to cups, the Coliseum has another unique aspect: "Supreme Sovereigns" A Supreme Sovereign is a tremendously powerful and highly skilled combatant who has managed to overcome countless obstacles and gained his position through pure, crushing force by defeating the previous Sovereign in combat. Even SOULs can easily be annihilated by a Sovereign which only attests to their incredible power. In the miniscule chance that a Sovereign is indeed defeated, one does not only inherit the title, but also receives a grand prize from the coliseum as well as constant fame and recognition from all others. In Yvalia, Sovereigns are very popular amongst the public and many receive benefits such as reduced prices and free gifts. Ah, the life of a celebrity... In total, there are 7 Supreme Sovereigns each with their own titles and one who is called "Grand Sovereign", the one who stands above all other Sovereigns. A list of Sovereigns and their current Title Holders is displayed below (if applicable): 0. [True Ruler] ???
Nothing is known about the elusive True Ruler, his name, age and even gender is completely unknown to anyone, even the 7 other Sovereigns, but himself. However, he/she does exist and they wield power greater than anything imaginable. As the one above all other Sovereigns, the True Ruler commands the highest authority and is capable of directly influencing the coliseum's policies at will alongside even being honoured by the government. There is only one thing people know about the True Ruler: Facing them equals absolute death. 1. [Overlord] Dark Hero - ???
The number 1 Sovereign never shows his face as his black armour completely hides any skin. The Dark Hero rarely converses with others, but has still gained a considerable following. He has shown to be extremely strong. One swing from his massive sword can easily cleave the ground and split anything in half. However, he has rarely shown to use any spells or techniques. 2. [Kaiser] Holy Valkyria - ???
3. [Emperor] Silver Dragon - ???
4. [Monarch] Big Princess - ???
5. [Duke] Icy Maiden - ???
6. [Lord] Blue Death - Shiki Kurogane
As a student in the famous Astraea Academy, Shiki Kurogane has consistently ranked within the top ten on national exams and is hailed as a genius in both combat and studies. Unlike other Sovereigns, his combat style is rather unique in that he prefers to only use a single dagger. However, despite that, he is capable of dispatching targets with ease, particularly because of his great speed. As a result, he has earned the nickname "Blue Death" because his opponents rarely see it coming. His origins lie in Yamato. 7. [Knight] Radiant Blade - Alexander Leonhardt
Is very popular amongst the public and the most well liked amongst the Supreme Sovereigns, particularly because he does not hide his identity and is amicable to boot. Although also the weakest of the Sovereigns, he still is a formidable foe when faced in combat. He wields a legendary weapon called Claiomh Solais which is defined by its unmatched durability and resistance to outside interference. Astraea About Astraea Currently one of the world's largest technological firms, Astraea deals in many areas including but not limited to consumer electronics, weapons&arms manufacturing, intel gathering as well as, but not publicly known, SOUL summoning. It has many branches around the world, but its headquarters lies in the city of Yvalia. Employing around 60.000 people worldwide and generating a yearly revenue of 4 trillion Yoki, Astraea possesses assets available to very few only. It is because of that, that extensive and costly research into SOULs made it possible to summon them on demand. Ever since its foundation by Rineph Astraea merely a decade ago, it has managed to set itself apart from its competitors and grow immensely in a short time. Astraea is one of the few aware of the true danger that will befall the world in the coming ages. Rineph Astraea was the first one within Astraea to obtain knowledge over the event known as The Calamity and thus made it her goal to undertake something it with all of her abilities. However, the daily chain of operations cannot be hindered and thus only select people within the company possess information regarding The Calamity, including any affiliated SOULs. Concerning SOULs, once summoned, they are generally free to do as they please. Astraea imposes no legal restrictions upon them. However, Astraea reserves the right to de-summon any affiliated SOUL in case of severe misconduct. Furthermore, Astraea offers SOULs the possibility to undertake missions in order to fulfil the objective given to them by the world. Every mission itself is accompanied by an appropriate reward if completed successfully. Those who are interested would very well be able to gain more privileges as they complete enough missions and are given a higher RANK. Furthermore, considering SOULs do not enter the world with credentials, how else would you earn money? A RANK determines a Soul's level of power. After initial summoning, only 10% of the SOUL's true essence is manifested. The rest remains within the Throne of Souls. This limit is imposed onto every new SOUL as a means of risk management. As SOULs are not bound to anything besides their mission, there have been incidents in which unethical methods have been used to reach their desired goal. Additionally, summoning a SOUL at full strength sometimes yields a result known as "Deviation". The term "Deviated" has become known for SOULs who run rampant, bearing no affiliation with any officially recognized party as well as possessing power well beyond that of normal SOULs. Currently, it is unknown why Deviation occurs, but it is speculated that the problem lies somewhere within the Throne of Souls. As such, Astraea only permits an increase of a SOUL's strength after he/she has deemed herself trustworthy by means of an official trial. If the requirement is met, an Ascension Summoning will occur, allowing the SOUL to regain part of his/her original power. This can be done several times until the SOUL is 50% complete. Only those who have performed extraordinary deeds and can truly show their respect and care for others are allowed to achieve 100% completion with a Grand Ascension Summoning. The Communication Bracelet A handy and practical, little tool The Commmunication Bracelet (COMB for short) is a high tech device granted to every key member of Astraea. It is a practical little tool capable of many functions. Upon touching the red gemstone, a holographic screen will be projected upon which a generated user interface allows access to a variety of applications and services. Each COMB also has its own unique ID, and the owner's Rank (if applicable) is displayed alongside said ID. By sharing IDs with someone else, advanced features become available. COMB IDs are recorded in the Character Profiles Thread. While COMBs are mainly used by Astraea employees, it has been known that some outsiders also possess a COMB, possibly through modification or reverse-engineering. These COMBs are not affiliated nor endorsed by Astraea. A way to detect if a COMB is being used illegally is to simply add its COMB ID. Illegal COMBs have incompatible IDs and thus cannot be recorded in official COMBS. Meanwhile, SOULs use a special variety of a COMB that comes in form of a mystic code programmed into the summoning ritual. As such, their COMBs are ethereal constructs that can be recovered if lost simply be resummoning. Below is a list of the most common applications (Apps): Note: To add or delete IDs, in addition to making a post IC, you also need to visit the Request Thread and make a COMB ID Request. CALL: It is possible to call another Astraea member, provided you know their COMB ID. Upon calling, the bracelet will automatically project a hologram screen to allow for real-time video calls. You can also enter a calling session with up to 4 people (including yourself) at the same time. However, CALL, just like MAP and MESSAGE, requires both members to have their respective COMB IDs registered. If either deletes the ID, calling between them is no longer possible. CHAT: Within the chat, just like calling, it is possible to communicate over long distances with any Astraea member as long as the signal is strong enough. There are several chatrooms with Chat 1 being accessible to everyone from the start. Other chatrooms may only be available permanently or temporary provided the password is known. Naturally, please ensure to follow the guidelines of usage or else you may be banned. DUEL: Astraea encourages friendly sparring between its members. You can duel anyone whose COMB ID is registered by sending them a duel request. You can duel others either alone or as a team with the maximum amount of people being 4 total. Variations include, but are not limited to 1 VS 1, 1 VS 2, 2 VS 2 et cetera. Once a duel request is sent, you will be notified if your request has either been accepted or denied. Upon acceptance, the Training Room will be reserved for you and you will receive a notice once it is available for your duel. Please ensure to arrive in time or else you will risk forfeiting your spot in the waiting list. Upon successful completion of a duel, participants will be evaluated automatically by their COMBs and receive a reward, expressed in Yoki, for their performance. If you wish to issue a duel request, please use fill out the form below (And post it in the area your Recipients are in after your OOC Request has been approved): Duel Request [quote][center][b][size=110]Duel Request[/size][/b][/center] [b]Challenger:[/b] *Your character's name as well as your allies if applicable* [b]Recipient(s):[/b] *The one(s) you want to challenge*[/quote] ENCYCLOPEDIA: An app that shows all currently available information. The encyclopedia app may be updated by Astraea provided new information is made available. MAP: A map that shows geographical data which is being updated every second. It contains an useful search function to access coordinates of any known location (locations affiliated with Astraea are already preset), including a short description, and also provides a navigator that shows the shortest route to the desired destination. Some areas also provide additional information by accessing keywords. Additionally, it is also possible to track current positions of people provided their COMB ID is entered. However, said tracking can be eliminated immediately if either side chooses to delete the COMB ID from any bracelet. MESSAGE: You can send texts, videos or images to anyone whose COMB ID has been registered. PASSWORD: Entering a correct password yields access to several public-restricted areas. Once a password is entered, the map is automatically updated with the shortest route towards the destination that has been just unlocked. For safety measures, actual entry is only gained when the one who entered the password is physically present at the destination while wearing his/her COMB. Passwords are usually found in keyword descriptions within the MAP app. Notepad: If you need to jot down a note or two or seven, then the Notepad function for the COMB works perfectly! The COMB, which is capable of storing massive amounts of data, can store a library's worth of information in it. With the quick search function, you can even find old notes you have written! Note: COMBs are also waterproof. Great for taking showers~ COMBs are nearly indestructible and extremely difficult to take off without applying for resignation. They will also desummon the user if enough attempts at removal are detected. COMBs are resummoned if the SOUL is resummoned as well. SOUL General Information SOULs (coined Summoned Original Unique Life) are beings that possess incredible physical prowess and tasked with the protection of the world. They are former mortals that have contracted themselves with the world and gained immense power as a result, being invulnerable to most conventional forms of damage (such as metal bullets and not being able to bleed). Perhaps a legendary hero from the ancient ages that did not wish to have his glory end all too soon or simply a struggling young boy that wished for nothing more than to protect those he cared about, SOULs are drawn from every point in time and space regardless of origin. The world imbues them with necessary knowledge and then sends them into countless dimensions with the mission to erase any source that might result in a catastrophe or disaster. No matter how many times their duties are fulfilled, they all share the same fate: To serve the world and to never experience death. The Throne of Souls Once a contract with the world is formed, their mortal bodies are left behind as their spirit is drawn to a location only known to them: The Throne of Souls. A place where conscious existence is impossible and devoid of any other purpose except for the storage and collection of souls. It is singular and across all dimensions and worlds, only one Throne of Souls exists. Whenever action is not required, SOULs remain on standby here. With the lack of a passage of time, whether someone has remained for centuries or even millenia is the same as a single second. Once a SOUL has received a purpose to act, he/she/it will be sent out into the world in ethereal form. However, upon fulfilment of their duty they are drawn back to the Throne of Souls. Additionally, SOULs are not permitted to retain any irrelevant memories pertaining to their stay and are only allowed to keep part of their combat experience in order to let improvement continuously follow. As such, even if they revisit the same world countless times, it will be just as if it were the very first time. However, they do retain the memories of their past selves and thus are given the opportunity to remedy or achieve something they wanted, yet could not in their lifetime, in exchange for abiding to the contract. Furthermore, the Throne of Souls also contains regular souls that inhabit various lifeforms. Upon death, the soul of organic beings return to the Throne and are then reused in the cycle of reincarnation. Normal Souls, upon having reincarnated many times and/or performed great deeds in their lifetime, may also be elevated to level of Greater Souls and are then gifted the capability to be reincarnated as SOULs. Astral Gear The essence of SOULs Every SOUL possesses a weapon unique to their existence. This weapon, that can come in many shapes and forms, is called "Astral Gear". Known by the public as weapons of legends and myths, many Astral Gears are called by a distinctive name although there exist some that are nameless. Unlike conventional weapons or armaments, Astral Gears are special in that they are capable of being summoned at will. They, like SOULs, consist of ethereal energy and thus, even if destroyed, can be re-summoned after a certain period of time at the expense of the SOUL's own energy. This means they are not classified as an object, but a tangible manifestation of one's self. As such, interfering with Astral Gears remains highly difficult, but possible. Furthermore, aside from magecraft, only Astral Gears and SOULs are capable of causing harm to Calamity Seeds. As Astral Gears are bound to their wielder, they too have the potential of growth. Currently, SOULs are known to each possess 1 Astral Gear. On some occasions, most often in the case of smaller Astral Gears, SOULs are in possession of 2 or more. It is impossible to transfer Astral Gears between SOULs and other living beings as the weapon will disperse upon losing contact with its original wielder for either an extended amount of time or when another person touches it without the original wielder maintaining contact. Additionally, an Astral Gear may "break" upon receiving enough damage and disperse in a similar fashion to a SOUL. Resummoning is possible, but will necessitate a specific amount of Prana from its wielder. Each Astral Gear needs a set amount of Prana to take shape. It has been concluded that the more Prana a wielder needs to invest in summoning an Astral Gear, the higher its durability will be. However, maintaining an Astral Gear's form requires constant Prana to be feeded to it and as such, a portion of the wielder's Prana reserves will be occupied by it. The Approximation Phenomenon Mortal Ascension The Approximation Phenomenon describes the documented effect pertaining to the ordinary inhabitants of Gaea gradually shifting or adapting to the shift of physical standards that were different millenia ago. The shift itself is a rising one with living beings slowly growing in individual power. It is unknown what exactly the cause is though scientists have speculated that it might originate from the emergence of SOULs which resulted in a subtle influence of regular mortals. Others have claimed that it is part of natural evolution of races though this view has been critized for not being able to sufficiently explain the relatively homogenous increase amongst all races of Gaea. As such, there has not been an universally accepted hypothesis and scientists still debate until the present day. However, despite the lack of answers for its origin, the effects have very well been elucidated. As of now, the following key facts have been brought to light: 1. Nearly, if not all, inhabitants of Gaea are affected. 2. The shift in standards has been recorded to be as high as 10 times the original value. 3. The Approximation Phenomenon has no foreseeable end. 4. Some people seem to show signs of growth, similar to SOULs. If using SOUL Rank to determine the average power of a mortal, the following list can be drawn:
Rank E: Average Soldier Rank D: Skilled Soldier Rank C: Elite Soldier Rank B: Master Combatant Rank A: Prodigy However, despite the Approximation Phenomenon, there are still some differences between mortals and SOULs:
The Immortalization Effect Beyond life and death The Immortalization Effect describes the immunity of SOULs towards permanent death. As SOULs are generally composed of ethereal energy, a type of energy that is beyond magical and physical, they are much more endurable and stronger than ordinary living beings. Each SOUL possesses a core, a concentrated accumulation of ethereal energy, devised to grant stability to their current form. The core itself, much like a human heart, is responsible for regulating and ensuring the constant flow of energy to prevent them from losing their from. If a SOUL sustains too much damage, the flow of energy is disrupted and they begin to dissolve into countless, tiny, bright particles which then ascend to the sky. The particles are then absorbed by the world and sent back to the Throne of Souls where the defeated SOUL is restored and then ready for resummoning. SOULs that return to the Throne this way do not lose their memories. Furthermore, they do not bleed and do not die even if several of their limbs are missing. As such, when a mortal faces a SOUL, escape is the only viable option, but due to the Approximation Phenomenon, circumstances are quite different. Nevertheless, SOULs do not experience death like a mortal being. However, although SOULs cannot die, it is possible to hasten their loss of stability by targeting either the neck area or the area between their scapulas (shoulder blades). The latter is especially effective if hit due to the SOUL's core lying in said area, yet it is hard to target. A more reliable way is to target the neck area where the flow is the most concentrated (aside from the core). Ultimately, there is but one way for SOULs to die: When they are erased from the Throne. The Freeze Occurrence Statue Effect The Freeze Occurrence details the sudden inaction of SOULs for unknown reasons. It can occur at any time and with anyone. Nothing is known about the cause despite extensive research, except that all those affected completely cease any action and remain idle. Regardless of being in combat or simply taking a walk, those who are "frozen" are subject to their environment. As if they were like puppets whose strings were cut. To combat information leaks and hindrances, Astraea automatically desummons any SOULs that remain frozen for more than 3 hours. This time is reduced to 10 minutes if the frozen SOUL is within any area outside of Astraea's authority. Furthermore, automatic desummon only takes place if the COMB can verify the safety of desummoning without witnesses. However, SOULs on missions are unaffected by automatic desummoning. Scientists have speculated that it may be related to their summoning. As they are not traditionally summoned, it may originate from a side effect caused by the unconventional method... UPDATED The Yggdrasil Stream The prerequisite of life The Yggdrasil Stream (also called Mana Stream) refers to underground veins of pure mana that extend to the far reaches of the planet. As their name indicates, they all originate from the world tree, which governs the flow of the stream and thus allows life to prosper. As the source of all mana, the Yggdrasil Stream is a coveted source of energy as 100% pure mana flows through its veins und thus it is extremely potent as a resource. As a result, locations where the stream is dense if often used to build the foundation of a country. It is not uncommon for countries to go to war against each other simply for a good location that harbours a stream. A point that is lesser known is that using the stream faciliates negative entropy and thus leads to an exponential loss of mana. This in turn also diminishes the natural mana in the environment. However, this is of little concern for most countries and companies who utilize the stream, exploiting it with little regard to sustainability. As the stream is a highly sensitive phenomenon, it has caused the world to classify all those who exploit it as threats to be eliminated, causing the appearance of Calamity Seeds through sudden mutation due to changes in natural mana. Animals & Creatures From Herbivores to Carnivores There exist countless animals and creatures in Gaea, too many to list each and everyone of them. As a result, this database has been compiled to show the most prominent or useful creatures. Transport: Vanibo 
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Jan 29, 2019 7:32 PM
#6
 Calamity Seed Compendium Due to its size, the CS Compendium has its own thread. Please refer to the new thread for information on known CS. |
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