AU Planning Meme (January & February)

[bravenewmods]

AU PLANNING MEME

Given the nature of AU, below is a form that can be used for planning purposes when plotting out your character. While it is not required to fill out the form, we encourage you take a look at the listings in this post and use them as a guide when setting up plots or planning character backgrounds.

<b>Player Name:</b> (What name you go by in-game) <b>Contact Info:</b> (What is the best way to contact you for plotting purposes) <b>Character Name:</b> (The name of your character) <b>Canon Name:</b> (What canon they come from) <b>Brief History:</b> (A brief blurb about the character, does not have to be overly detailed. This is used to give a basic idea of who this character is) <b>AU Ideas:</b> (Here is where you talk about what plans you may have for your character's intended AU. Reading this, others should hopefully get an idea of what you intend to do with your character's back story pertaining to the game's setting.) <b>Looking For:</b> (This section is for hypothetical things you would like to see, be it events, people related to them, whatever; canon parallels, character proxies, all of that goes here.) <b>Anything else?:</b> (Anything that you feel has been overlooked or that should be noted goes here.)

Comments

[bubblegumawaaaay]

Player Name: Levi
Contact Info: thecaffeinator

Character Name: Princess Bonnibel Bubblegum
Canon Name: Adventure Time
Brief History: Princess Bubblegum is the ruler of the candy kingdom who's generally a very pleasant person, but she has her angry moments. She's also a huge science nerd who makes all kinds of weird stuff.

AU Ideas: Okay, my first idea was a Ditto Shifter, but after thinking about it some more, I think she'd probably work better as a Fairy type enlightened with a sort of candy body similar to a Swirlix. She'll also be an Engineer!

So she can make things. FOR SCIENCE. Expect all kinds of ridiculous devices and whatnot.

I haven't yet decided where she'll be from. Probably some far, far away unnamed settlement or something. But she'll have found some old tech from another civilization at one point or another that sparked her interest in scientific things, and she ended up coming to Union in search of more technology to study.


Looking For: If she's coming from an unnamed settlement, there's likely no chance for previously existing CR, but fellow scientist characters/nobles/engineers would definitely be at the top of the list for getting CR!

Anything else?:

[loveshiscity]

Player Name: Stark
Contact Info: Plurk @ starkxravingxmad

Character Name: Daisuke Aurora
Canon Name: Heat Guy J
Brief History: One half of the buddy cop duo of the Special Investigations Unit that is headed by and maintained by his ambitious elder brother. He and his partner, a prototype android who is as kind as he is strong, work to stop the major the major criminal plots in the city's underground before they even start. It's a lot of work for them to do-- and a lot of paperwork that Daisuke doesn't want to do-- but they're the only ones around who have the freedom and autonomy to do it.

AU Ideas: I'm thinking on having here be a partial Fairy typed Kindred Soul who has got to be one of the laziest people amidst the Swords of the Savior. Rumor has it that his elder brother, an ambitious counselman, pulled a few strings to get him into the organization at all. Fortunately his skill in the field-- and the overprotective and oddly stylish Beldum that he has for a pokemon partner-- proves that he is something more than just a spoiled brat who can't do anything on his own.

Looking For: People to harrass Daisuke about not doing his job right, People for Daisuke to harrass out in the street and call it work, Weirdos to make friends with, and perhaps someone to play cops and robbers with?

Anything else?:

Why yes, he does wear those sunglasses at night too.

[bejustorbedead]

Are we going to have a 'Turn in your Badge!' scene at one point?

But anyways, Ky's the very uptight commander who means well, but is socially kind of awkward.

[expertonshutters]

They need to get some kind of P.I operation off the ground or something.

[soundmind]

Player Name: Mozart
Contact Info: noctowlnal or PMing this journal

Character Name: Maka Albarn
Canon Name: Soul Eater
Brief History: Take Hermione Granger and Haruhi Fujioka. Mash them up, add years as a child soldier and a scythe, throw in a deadbeat dad that can't keep it in his pants (and unfortunately has a lot of political clout) and you have Maka.

AU Ideas: I was thinking (and talking it over with your Rei player) that she'd be a Psychic/Fairy type since Maka canonically has perception abilities that literally let her find people all the way up to the moon. Kindred as well, perhaps, since she has a major complex about protecting small things/her own empathy gets the better of her sometimes.

Her dad insisted on her taking a Dark type scythe and learning to use it, even if she doesn't like using it, he insists it's for her protection. He's the aide to a councilman and, yes, is still a womanizing loser. Maka does all she can to avoid him by hanging out in Ninetales Vale, disassociating herself from him, studying hard at school, etc. Said councilman provides support for her since he's kinda like an uncle figure in her life and she's too proud to accept help directly from her father. She is also a strict vegetarian (except Magikarp after much convincing) and first bonded with an Espurr.
Looking For: I've hashed out with Rei-mun as well that she'd help her go ghost-hunting, I am very much interested in more friends for Maka (because dang that girl needs to get out of her book shell...f)

Relatives isn't so far out considering, again, her dad can't keep it in his gd pants--I mean Maka's mother is a huge unknown, all that's known is she must be Japanese since Maka's stated to be half in canon.

Since she's basically Hermione as a shonen protagonist as well, yeah, count on her ending up nagging quite a few people to do their work and do it right, but she rarely regards someone as a legitimate enemy unless they're super duper bad. Vitriolic friendships is nothing new to her.

Anything else?: oh you know

[future_sight]

Putting this here now even though I'm kind of brain dead, so I'm sorry if I don't make much sense. I have two potentials:

Lux is a super brainiac bookish type (also Psychic/Fairy), so I think they would be adorable nerd friends together.

Nozomi is a Ninetales Vale resident, and is basically everybody's mom. Seriously. Maka is thoroughly adorable, so she'll likely adopt her in some capacity. She's also good friends with Rei, so that's another connection.

[frozenflame]

Wrong Account because Lazy

Yes, adopted sibling. Probably knows Maka's dad. Probably hates him too. Maka probably knows her dad...probably didn't vote for him.

[underwearfortomorrow]

HELLO FRIEND. Since you have stuff figured out with Rei I will slide you the other Hino. He's her cousin and he lives at the shrine with her. He's usually around the vale and he works at Nozomi's shop. He's a friendly hobo with a horrific fashion sense.

[evokedorpheus]

Hello, hello! I play this loser who's a Ninetales Vale resident! Minato's mostly just a weird, quiet Absol Shifter who's been living in the neighborhood for a few years, it's possible that Maka's seen him around!

[cantdealwiththis]

Aaaaah, I'm late, but this is a new muse who I miiiiiight possibly be looking to app here as well.

Crona will definitely be coming from elsewhere, but potential CR?

[expertonshutters]

Player Name: Jami
Contact Info: takatorabatta

Character Name: Hayato Ichimonji
Canon Name: Kamen Rider Spirits/Kamen Rider (1971)
Brief History: Long story short, Hayato was a normal photographer who got kidnapped by a global terrorist organization and was turned into a cyborg. Before they could brainwash him to be apart of their evil army he was busted out by ANOTHER cyborg that just so happened to go by Kamen Rider.

Hayato took up the mantle of Kamen Rider so he could fight in Japan while his friend went overseas to fight evil in Europe.

AU Ideas: Surprising no one, Hayato is going to be apped in as an Enhanced. If the mods allow, he'll just show up in Union as an "earthkin" and try his best to keep people from finding out he was actually an experimental abomination. It'll work until he fucks it up.

He was originally a Calderan war photographer and was captured during the conflict with Gigas so that's a thing. In Union he's hoping to stick around long enough to get work and maybe start over. My hope is for him to be pretty involved in the community as a huge busybody.

Looking For: I would love anyone from Calderan to know him. He's not exactly a subtle person and he would be somewhat infamous as a photographer who likes to capture injustice. Also he was out on the battlefrield during the conflict with Gigas so anyone knowing him then would be awesome, too! It's also of note that it would have been documented that he was missing in action.

As far as Union cr I am up for anyone you want to throw at him. He's a friendly, well meaning guy even if he's super nosy. Also if there are any bad guys around that he can try to get in trouble with that would be fun.

Anything else?:

[chaosoverlay]

Player Name: Kerry
Contact Info: nyatsuhi

Character Name: Vector
Canon Name: Yu-Gi-Oh! ZeXal
Brief History: An innocent, well-meaning kid that gets his friends into all kinds of troublesome situations despite totally not meaning to...
...just kidding! He's an evil, insane rock alien thing, and extremely good at manipulating others, even his own 'allies'. Before he was an alien, he was a peaceful human prince who the real big bad brainwashed into insanity because of it's plans blah blah plot. He kills himself after murdering nearly everyone else in his kingdom, lol. Kids show, yeah right.

AU Ideas: ...and you can ignore most of his history, because trying to AU all that similarly to canon seems too much trouble for what it's worth.
He's definitely going to still be a two-faced, manipulative piece of crap, though. His typing will be Dark/Flying, and possibly an Analyst. I'll be honest and admit I'm only giving him that secondary type because I want him to grow his wings later.
It'd make the most sense for him to be an Enhanced, since that comes with mental instability, but I'm still thinking things through...
Looking For: If I go for making him an Enhanced, he's going to seriously do his best not to encounter/be noticed by any other ones, since he's going try to act like a 'normal' Enlightened. 'Try' being the key word here, of course: his cover isn't going to last forever, whether his deteriorating mental state ruins it or some other Enhanced recognizes 'that one seriously crazy guy'. That's where the fun is, honestly!

Either way, I would like to have people for him to fool 'befriend'. :D
If they're the type to believe in others even after being betrayed, that's even better! It's a long-term thing, but I would like him to eventually reach some kind of similar redeeming/turning good as he does in canon, so having someone to push belief in his 'good side' on him constantly until it actually sticks is probably necessary for that...

In the meantime, anyone want an annoying kid and/or a crazy villain to have conflict with?

Anything else?:

[expertonshutters]

hello friend did you say avoiding other enhanced lets have a party where we avoid each other.

[evokedorpheus]

I can offer this guy for Vector to 'befriend'! Minato would probably still believe in him after being betrayed too... before and after a betrayal, Vector can expect to be fussed over, at any rate.

[star_fighter]

Player Name: Ami
Contact Info: Plurk: Navigatortotheking

Character Name: Seiya
Canon Name: Sailor Moon
Brief History: Seiya is one of the star fighters who is in disguises as a famous male singer. He wants his song to reach his princess so that he can find her once more. His planet was destroyed and he is one of few left. He is charming and suave with an ability to make a girl smile.

AU Ideas: My ideas are very little at the moment. I would like for him to come from a rough background, either from an area that was mostly destroyed or something else to fuel him into becoming an idol to continue search.

Looking For: I would like Seiya to be a popular cute singer like in canon. He is searching for his princess which within AU I suppose can be changed to be whomever depending on the setting. I'd like to keep both the male and female version of him/her because I enjoy that dynamic and secret identities and him having a fan club. I'd love for people to call him on his stunts (which can be silly and ridiculous) or break his usual cool demeanor.

Anything else?: I got nothin' else

[faithfulflame]

I cannot offer much right off the bat, at least for idol things. I can offer Rei, who will totally call him out on his stunts and general nonsense. And generally be, y'know, Rei.

[allergictoloveletters]

Ami, for all her denial of it, is pretty aware of the music scene and would know about his music (though she wouldn't be as into him as she would Taiki). But she would likely feel incredible awkward if he tried to pull anything "cool" on her.

[actsmagnificent]

First up I've got Haruka for all the ridiculously petty negative CR that entails. Seiya has been at the top of my "wanted characters" list for ages, so hearing you were interested in apping him made my day!

And now, textwalls. I know you're planning on looking over the game info but I'll pull in recent game events here to see if any of this sounds good.

As mentioned on Plurk, there's both a large entertainment presence in Union and a city that was completely destroyed, Sanctuary. Since Seiya is an idol in canon more than an actor (though he does act too) you could maybe do something with the fact that radio and TV are growing industries? He could be a rising star, and there are plenty of aspiring idols in-game to get CR with, too.

Alternatively, if you DID want to go the theater route, there's two established theaters he could work for - the Union Divine Theater if you wanted him to work alongside Haruka and Michiru, or the Kricketune Theaters if you wanted them to be rivals. I can talk more about the Divine Theater in a later tag if that approach appeals to you, because it comes with fancy secret identities.

As for his actual plotline, with searching for his "Princess", you could very easily say that he's come to Union to look for someone important to him from Sanctuary. You probably couldn't set her up as the leader of Sanctuary (definitely not without mod approval), but maybe she was a mentor? Someone who changed his life for the better there? I have to admit I don't know much about Sanctuary - or even if there's anything to know about it - so my thoughts there are vague.

(This is really me going out on a limb, but since it occurred to me - the timing is good for him wanting to keep his search a secret, too: people in Union, the main city where BNW takes place, have recently decided to set up a center to rehabilitate science-experiment soldiers from Gigas, the city that destroyed Sanctuary. Union is doing this because they're opposed to Gigas's methods, but that also means that more people are announcing to Union that they used to live in Gigas and want to help. Maybe, even though these are defectors, the presence of Gigans in Union is too high for Seiya to feel comfortable. Or maybe he's just paranoid because Union pretty much has painted a "come get us next, Gigas" target on itself.)

Regarding the gender-switching: You could say that Seiya is a Pokémon Shifter (a person who can turn into a Pokémon or vice versa), but the Pokémon he shifts to is an all-female species. She was born a Pokémon, learned to shift into a male human, and the Princess is her Trainer. I mean what. You could then check with the mods to see whether it'd be okay for Seiya to have control over his biological gender as part of being a Shifter. Or - and this is probably the most doable - that Star Fighter is a female Zorua shifter who uses illusions to make her human form appear male, but she drops that illusion when she fights. All of this might depend on how important to you it is that Seiya's male form in canon is a disguise/the "senshi have to be girls" worldbuilding.

IDK. Shifter makes the most sense to me as a Seiya ability, but there are all kinds of Enlightened so there's got to be a way to make the gender-switching work. I have to run now, orz, but I hope this rambling helps as you think over the AU!

[cantdealwiththis]

Player Name: Levi
Contact Info: thecaffeinator

Character Name: Crona
Canon Name: Soul Eater
Brief History: Crona's an androgynous child who's had a terrible, terrible life. Experimented on and abused by his mother, and ended up sort of mentally unstable and antisocial as a result. Also has a sentient weapon named Ragnarok that pops out of his back and constantly bullies him.

AU Ideas: Crona is definitely an Enhanced. Looking at Dark/Steel typing, with a resistance to Fighting? I dunno what to use for his second ability yet. Maybe God of War.

History-wise, Crona's life has been pretty much the same. However, rather than have a shrieking weapon thing that pops out of his back and tormenting/making fun of Crona, it'll probably be some sort of split personality/hallucination. (And a Dark type Enhanced sword that Crona thinks is the one speaking.)

Other than that, it's highly unlikely that Crona came to Union willingly. More along the lines of being sent to spy on people by his mother.

Looking For: Kind, gentle souls to drag him out of his shell. Or try to, at the very least.

Anything else?:

[expertonshutters]

Oh jesus crona you poor child.

WELL I HAVE AN ENHANCED CHARACTER. POTENTIAL SHENANIGANS?

[lunchleader]

Player Name: Lisa
Contact Info: powerofredrangers

Character Name: Right Suzuki
Canon Name: Ressha (Express) Sentai ToQger
Brief History: He's essentially a 10-year-old trapped inside an 18-year-old body (literally!) who is also the red Sentai member of the ToQgers, a group of heroes fighting the evil Shadow Line on behalf of the Rainbow Line. While he can be naive and far too trusting at times, he is a loyal friend as well as the kind of Dumb Hero that really won't turn his back on anyone in need. He's also a Big Eater, and anyone messing with food for nefarious purposes - or just being cruel in general - will get an ass-kicking from him.

AU Ideas: Obviously, he's not going to be a ToQger in this AU, and he certainly won't be fighting anything like the Shadow Line (unless dealing with waves of Dark-type Pokemon counts). He'll be an Union native who wants to help every person and Pokemon in need, but just needs a way to do so beyond the occasional street scuffle with any random jerks bothering someone too much. Being native-born-and-raised in Union, I'd like for Right to know at least one or two law-enforcing figures that's had to break up his scuffles a few times, maybe even be used to lecturing him on getting into said scuffles in the first place. Also, if anyone's willing to recognize him as an urban legend for his sheer appetite, that would be great, too.

Considering the events regarding the Enhanced, Right might get the chance to truly help out by either helping with the construction, or by helping the Enhanced folks themselves. As in canon, he's not going to turn someone away just because they don't look or act "human" or "normal". Thus, any Enhanced characters willing to be befriended by Right would be awesome.

Finally, considering how important Imagination is in his canon (it's a source of power and everything), I might have him start out by being part of one of the theater houses in the city. Or maybe have him be a street artist of some kind. If anyone can help guide him (and me) towards a fitting career path for his creativity, that'll be great.

Anything else?: I am new to this game; please be gentle with me while I get my bearings here. In the meantime, please enjoy the following roll call:

[chaosoverlay]

oh, hey, I threaded with your AkaRed before! ...not on this account, obviously.

While my character won't be open about being an Enhanced at first, the way he's going to act for the time being will probably get along with Right pretty well, I think... on top of being someone who will need some Dumb Heroes to get him to stop being an ass later on, lol, but that's a future thing.

If you want a dumb kid to be impressed by your Big Eater, and/or get into trouble with, this kid can do the job!

[encouragetomorrow]

BARRELS IN HERE HELLO FRIENDSHIP FRIEND OF FRIENDLINESS!!!

Which is to say, Honoka and Right are basically kindred spirits. She's a little more aggressively friendship and slightly manipulative on complete accident about it, but she and Right are gonna be good bros. They can also bond over food, as two of Honoka's favorite things are sleeping and bread. She's not involved in the theatre but she'd totally be down with helping him with creative stuff, as she is effectively the header of a nine-girl idol group.

[betterthanwu]

Player Name: Joysweeper
Contact Info: Joysweeper on Plurk

Character Name: Kuvira
Canon Name: Legend of Korra
Brief History: A young girl abandoned by her family and taken in by the ruler of a walled city of innovation and achievement. Ten years later and she's a star dancer and its guard-captain, and chafes to leave the city to help the rest of the country, though that is forbidden. She leads parts of the city into leaving and pacifies a city overrun by bandits and looters, and over the next three years does the same to the whole country. In that time the young woman is dubbed the Great Uniter, and although she fights with her people's interests in mind, she comes out of balance as she becomes more prideful and cruel. She is redeemed in the end.

AU Ideas: Steel-type Enlightened kid born in Refuge, though she doesn't know where it is or what it was called, with foolish parents who left with her and then later abandoned her in the wilderness. Their Gardevoir stayed with her and she was taken into Caldera, and there brought up by a wealthy influential Enlightened perfectionist.

This Kuvira worked just as hard as in canon for her approval, and participated in the war with Gigas, if more from the sidelines than the thick of the fighting. Union's intervention was very exciting, but her mentor forbade her to leave. In time Kuvira disregarded this and left anyway.

Unlike canon she has no followers with her, unless you count a sheltered Talts, and is less seasoned, forceful, and charismatic in general. She also has far vaguer goals than in canon, relating to wanting to help people who are cornered, like Union did. And to become stronger, of course!
Looking For: People she might know!

Kuivra's patron or mentor in Caldera sponsors or is otherwise affiliated with various people who show promise. Especially if they've screwed up in the past! Any old affiliates would be welcome. Suyin is usually supportive but can be controlling if someone isn't doing the kinds of things she wants.

There's a dramatic moment during a battle in canon. Someone falls off a cliff and is thought dead, but Kuivra catches him and later tends his wounds. I'd love someone she could have saved like that, or otherwise met in the field!

Finally, I guess someone from out of Caldera who could have encouraged her, directly or just by existing and talking about it, to leave. That would be cool!
Anything else?: I don't know what I'm doing! :D

[darer]

Sooooo. Hello stranger, I'm Kite, and I've got Thorin here who was heavily involved in Calderan military for the last 20+ years. As Earthkin and eventually fairly highly ranked, he was in the thick of the fighting, but they might still know each other!

Bonus points for him influencing her to go - he stepped down and left Caldera shortly after Union helped end the siege, even though his chances of getting into a leadership position in Caldera were probably pretty good. y/n/???

[serenesuccessor]

Player Name: Cat
Contact Info: Enjolsass on plurk!

Character Name: Naomi Mikano
Canon Name: Original Character!
Brief History: Naomi's a rather tiny fourteen year old girl with an older brother (Kou) and Mom. She's really a bundle of energy and incredibly childish so most people would probably think she's younger then she actually is. She has the tendency to get herself into trouble and not thinking before she leaps. Oh! She's also incredibly friendly and generally wants everyone to get along.

AU Ideas: Right now I know that she's an Eevee shifter who somewhere down the line will fret over what she'll evolve into. I don't admittedly have a lot of ideas except that she grew up in Union and her Mom and brother work at the medical center, so she probably goes there a lot to visit them.

Looking For: Anything and everything! Given she grew up in Union some people might know her, or at least her family. But... Yeah I'm pretty open to just about anything for her.

Anything else?: Um... I tossed her up on the TDM? I am also petrified I might mess things up so bear with me orz;

[rainsrespite]

If her mom and brother work in the medical center it's likely they know Yuuna. She's worked with the medics off and on, and made a few waves. If she's been around, it's plausible they've met. Yuuna's pretty good with kids, and helps a youth group out at the kung-fu school she helps an old man run. Maybe the basis for starting some CR.