Nasuverse FSN + SAO: j-jam it in!
- Thread starter daniel_gudman
- Start date
only instead of trying to go 'near' Shirou they must escape from him, Why? because instead of Kayaba giving him 'buffs' to become The Boss he just switched off the 'Limiters' to Shirou's abilities inside SAO and made one of Yui's siblings into a Shirou specialized interface with/to Cardinal, making the importation of Shirou's Magecraft readily accepted by the system (unwittingly becoming part of the Gaia and Alaya versions of SAO, something Like the Fae, Merem when he was alive and human or the werewolf boy and his killer) and thus whenever Cardinal (or the Alaya equivalent AKA the Spirit of the Players) needs a champion/Spokeperson/troubleshooter then Shirou gets the sudden urge to play that game.
BTW no, i'm not saying or mplying that he becomes a TYPE, instead IMHO he becames an unholy hybrid (in his relationship to the Virtual World at least) between a Nature Spirit and an Human Spirit inside SAO.
it's in the later part of the 'encounter' that they go near him to try and distract him while another raid group is finishing a Bounded Field to trap Shirou and give them the advantage (as IMHO Shirou shouldn't manifest UBW to overwrite Cardinal, because the mechanics are too confusing for me right now, and this is Fate!Shirou... who after some time and his specialized System Fairy may pull something like that).
BTW no, i'm not saying or mplying that he becomes a TYPE, instead IMHO he becames an unholy hybrid (in his relationship to the Virtual World at least) between a Nature Spirit and an Human Spirit inside SAO.
it's in the later part of the 'encounter' that they go near him to try and distract him while another raid group is finishing a Bounded Field to trap Shirou and give them the advantage (as IMHO Shirou shouldn't manifest UBW to overwrite Cardinal, because the mechanics are too confusing for me right now, and this is Fate!Shirou... who after some time and his specialized System Fairy may pull something like that).
As I was triying to say before, I believe Shirou giving hell to the [Frontline Players] whould have much more impact if he was working in the same toolbox as they are.
I see him breakin their [Supply Lines], bringing down their [Safe Zones], assassinating their stronger [Players], setting traps and ambuses and actually acting like a [Magus Killer].
I see him breakin their [Supply Lines], bringing down their [Safe Zones], assassinating their stronger [Players], setting traps and ambuses and actually acting like a [Magus Killer].
Heh... No? The Counter Force is a disembodied forze that ensures that Humanity doesn't self destruct mainly through serendipity. When the Counter Forze isn't enough the Counter Guardians appear, they operate only in the most extreme of circumstances and they do it throug brute forze.
Whe Counter Guardian Emiya manifests he does so as a veritable forze of nature with all the weight of The World behind him. This mainly translates in him having virtually unlimited Prana so he just apears and kills everything probably throug liberal abuse of Unlimited Blade Works.
Whe Counter Guardian Emiya manifests he does so as a veritable forze of nature with all the weight of The World behind him. This mainly translates in him having virtually unlimited Prana so he just apears and kills everything probably throug liberal abuse of Unlimited Blade Works.
Disclaimer: The following is all stuff that's based on heresay and wikia posts, and even if I chased down some of the magazine interviews to read, those were translated in the first place and probably not to the same excellent quality as Mirror Moon's work. So what follows from here is more like rumors, rather than anything really canonical, it would be easy to pick at.
...There are two Counter Forces.
The one operated by Gaia, that defeats, counteracts, or destroys anything that's a "threat to the world", and the one operated by Alaya, the Will of Humanity, which is like an immune system that purges any internal factor that could destroy humanity.
Gaia, with the authority of the world, created Primate Murder (DAA Number One) as an organism with the absolute authority to kill humans or something like that; it went on to be subverted/recruited by Altrouge (I guess that's spoilers for Tsukihime 2... somehow). I've heard that Arc has a contract with Gaia to act as a member of the Force but I don't remember where I got that idea.
Likewise I've heard that Jeanne d'Arc made a contract just like Archer did, only it was with Gaia instead of Alaya. I don't know where I heard that. She might have just been a member of the Counter Force that was recruited to derail something that would have gotten out of control.
I haven't decided if Diabel will be recruited by the Force of Alaya to manage the social conflict following Game Clear.
If Alaya's first attempt to solve things cheaply by recruiting a human as an agent to the Counter Force fails, then it solves things brutally by materializing a Counter Guardian that just destroys everything there. I'm not sure whether bystanders are sacrificed as collateral damage or sacrificed as Guardian fuel though; I don't know if Nasu's original Japanese made that distinction clear or if that was an artifact of the translation. I guess the rate of Guardian deployments is supposed to have gone up over the last few centuries. Well, if that's because a Dead Apostle would start up a Zombie Apocalypse or accidentally kick off WW3 by causing an incident that would subsequently be buried and send the local politics into a spiral of paranoia and end with nuclear bombs isn't clear. That, um, arguing that kind of distinction might be something really convenient for Kayaba to use on someone like El-Melloi II, in this fanfic.
I don't know what would happen to Shirou if he was at the epicenter of an Alaya Guard Deployment; he might be treated like a regular human or he might, um, synchronize?
By comparison, the closest thing to a Gaia Guard Deployment... well, I guess that might be when Zelretch stopped Type Moon from infecting Gaia? But that wasn't why he did that at all; Zelretch just killed him because he didn't like Bruensted's face.
...There are two Counter Forces.
The one operated by Gaia, that defeats, counteracts, or destroys anything that's a "threat to the world", and the one operated by Alaya, the Will of Humanity, which is like an immune system that purges any internal factor that could destroy humanity.
Gaia, with the authority of the world, created Primate Murder (DAA Number One) as an organism with the absolute authority to kill humans or something like that; it went on to be subverted/recruited by Altrouge (I guess that's spoilers for Tsukihime 2... somehow). I've heard that Arc has a contract with Gaia to act as a member of the Force but I don't remember where I got that idea.
Likewise I've heard that Jeanne d'Arc made a contract just like Archer did, only it was with Gaia instead of Alaya. I don't know where I heard that. She might have just been a member of the Counter Force that was recruited to derail something that would have gotten out of control.
I haven't decided if Diabel will be recruited by the Force of Alaya to manage the social conflict following Game Clear.
If Alaya's first attempt to solve things cheaply by recruiting a human as an agent to the Counter Force fails, then it solves things brutally by materializing a Counter Guardian that just destroys everything there. I'm not sure whether bystanders are sacrificed as collateral damage or sacrificed as Guardian fuel though; I don't know if Nasu's original Japanese made that distinction clear or if that was an artifact of the translation. I guess the rate of Guardian deployments is supposed to have gone up over the last few centuries. Well, if that's because a Dead Apostle would start up a Zombie Apocalypse or accidentally kick off WW3 by causing an incident that would subsequently be buried and send the local politics into a spiral of paranoia and end with nuclear bombs isn't clear. That, um, arguing that kind of distinction might be something really convenient for Kayaba to use on someone like El-Melloi II, in this fanfic.
I don't know what would happen to Shirou if he was at the epicenter of an Alaya Guard Deployment; he might be treated like a regular human or he might, um, synchronize?
By comparison, the closest thing to a Gaia Guard Deployment... well, I guess that might be when Zelretch stopped Type Moon from infecting Gaia? But that wasn't why he did that at all; Zelretch just killed him because he didn't like Bruensted's face.
actually Gaia too has a Counter Force (main example being Primate Murder).
that being said, Gaia's try to prevent it's death (while anihilating the source of said inminent threat) and continuoulsly tries to kill humanity, Alaya's try to make Humanity survive (and while it can't touch Gaia's servants it can put the resources needed so humanity doesn't got he way of the dodo) mainly by Killing Humans stupid enough to Sunder Creation with their stupidity.
bot Forces first actions are subtle, then come the enforcers (PM and CG who wipe everything even remotedly related to the threat)
and IIRC it was Gaia who wanted the other TYPES to kill the pesky humans living on it's surface, and when Bruenestrud was defeated by Zelretch she/he/it just adopted the True Ancestors and made them 'Part of Gaia'.
but what i do know about the Moonlit World.
that being said, Gaia's try to prevent it's death (while anihilating the source of said inminent threat) and continuoulsly tries to kill humanity, Alaya's try to make Humanity survive (and while it can't touch Gaia's servants it can put the resources needed so humanity doesn't got he way of the dodo) mainly by Killing Humans stupid enough to Sunder Creation with their stupidity.
bot Forces first actions are subtle, then come the enforcers (PM and CG who wipe everything even remotedly related to the threat)
and IIRC it was Gaia who wanted the other TYPES to kill the pesky humans living on it's surface, and when Bruenestrud was defeated by Zelretch she/he/it just adopted the True Ancestors and made them 'Part of Gaia'.
but what i do know about the Moonlit World.
.well, in my own non-canonical deluge of bad!ideas Kayaba MADE Player Shirou into The End Boss and provided him with a Nav Pixie/Fragment of Cardinal with the specific task of being 'Shirou's specialized Program/Interfase/Translator/encoder/whatchamacallit between his own Database and Cardinal' in order to offer more realism to the End Game (the whole "What to do when a freaking Knigt Templar Determinator who has previously won the Cosmical lottery for Random Overpowered Abilities/traits/Skill/Power and is gunning for you"... curiously? it's pretty common in the 'real World' AKA Nasuverse, especially as you delve into it's mysteries, apart from being hunted by anyone who doesn't want to recognize your right to exist *CoughEnforcersMACough* and everyone else who hunts hummies for shits and giggles).
so he really becomes part of both sides of Cardinal (his World Self and the spirit of the players self, wich by the way i'm naming them Cardinal and Yui respectively in my headcannon) much like the True Ancestors became part of Gaia (only in a much much lesser way).
so he really becomes part of both sides of Cardinal (his World Self and the spirit of the players self, wich by the way i'm naming them Cardinal and Yui respectively in my headcannon) much like the True Ancestors became part of Gaia (only in a much much lesser way).
Planning
Arrite, I'm soliciting input again.
First: what to do in chapters seven and eight.
Second: reviewing the broad outline of the [Aincrad Arc].
Chapters Seven And Eight
Since my latest Chapter Planning Exercise, I've revised a little:
7.1: Curious Rat
Argo drags Kirito and Shirou along on a special mapping quest.
(right now this is like 4k words, and it's gonna get longer)
7.2: Little Girls that are Cute and Scary
Ilya hunts down Silica and recruits her; then Ilya forces Silica and Shirou through the Rare Elements ID quest.
7.3: VS Third Floor Boss
A big red centipede that vomits acid lightning.
7.4: LD 2
8: Slimes' Floor
...Looking at the scenes I have planned, they're kind of... vague.
So, I'm going to be open-ended:
On the slimes floor, what do you, the audience, want to see?
Chapter 9 will climax against the Fake 5th Floor Boss.
Chapter 10 is finding, and defeating, the Real 5th Floor Boss.
He was under everyone's noses all along as a magecraft-instructor type NPC on the 5th floor, although it will be screamingly obvious to the audience, since they recognize the kindly old man who teaches Silica about familiars.
Arc Planning
So I was reviewing my Arc Plan, and I've got revisions:
Arc 1: Start
The current / first arc.
Through the fifth floor.
Arc 2: Class Change
Shirou does the blacksmith thing (well, more like, he does the craft-on-comission thing), Ilya does the Architect thing, Asuna does the Commander Thing, and Kirito joins the Cats, functionally as their teacher. So each of the four, kinda picks up responsibilities beyond just being a front-liner.
I think I might stick the "fix Ilya" thing in this time period; just based on where the story's going, this is already starting to push into the February or so in the story, so Ilya's running low on lifespan.
I want a few simple environment challenge floors here.
Arc 3: Disaster
The Safe Zones on the first five floors go away.
I still don't know what the disaster will actually be.
Existing suggestions:
1) Dead Apostle starts up a zombie apocalypse or somethin'
2) Church Executor-shaped NPCs bomb in (I'm not enthusiastic)
3) Biblical-style flood or similar such unpleasant plagues
I've decided to finish this up on the 25th floor, rather than squeezing it into the 10th floor, to even out the floor progression in the story.
Goals:
1) Thinker (and Yulier) show up, maybe even they're important to the nature of the Disaster somehow, like as exposition?
2) The 25th floor boss will be played by a human,
3) The 25th FB will be the thematic capstone to the arc.
...I'm thinking, I want to roll Grimlock's betrayal of Griselda into this time period.
...and do in the Cats around here, too. Maybe they'll wipe against the 25th Floor Boss right when they achieve their dream of "reaching the front lines"?
Arc 4: Adaptation
The in-game society adapts to the sudden influx of pseudo-new players now that Kayaba has shown he'll punish people who don't "play along."
I want to make Diabel the "hero" of the arc even if we don't see him upstaging everyone all the time.
Kirito comes to terms with his guilt and sorrow, or rather, Asuna and Klein help him out. Shirou and Ilya are not help at all, even though they try (Shirou's advice is borderline self-destructive, and the way Ilya talks about resurrection magic like it's really hard, instead of impossible, doesn't help at all).
Another one with focus on [Environmental Challenge] floors?
Arc 5: Avengers
Caynz and Yolko try to find out the truth of what happens to their guild, so we get a mystery story when they recruit the main characters to help them out. When they force his hand, Grimlock rips their faces off and the truth gets buried. Asuna tries to figure out what happened afterwards but can't.
Kuradeel shows up?
Arc caps on 50th floor. The 50th Floor Boss (a Joan of Arc kind of motif) is played by Griselda. Shirou can tell because she has a sword equipped.
Arc 6: Yui
Yui goes off the rails, does her whole psychotic breakdown thing, and gets picked up by Kirito and Asuna, and all that business.
I don't really have an idea of what else to do here; since Kibaou is still Diabel's sidekick I won't use him as the arc villain.
...I'm thinking, rather than hand Yui over to an "orphanage", the duo keep her? I feel like Shirou would push them in that direction, even if it's unintentional on his part. Ilya's reaction depends entirely on Shirou: if Yui is a competitor for attention then Ilya won't show any mercy, but if not, then Ilya might role(play) with it.
Arc 7: Terrorists
Laughing Coffin becomes a serious problem. Backed up with Grimlock's brainwashing, PoH recruits like, all the Red Players into Aincrad's version of Al-Qaeda.
Eventually Shirou solves erases those problems with Emiya-style heroism.
Climaxes when Grimlock is promoted to the 75th Floor Boss.
Arc 8: Secret Keepers
After Grimlock magnificently blows the Masquerade, characters argue about what to believe in, and what they'll do if it turns out magic really is real. Ilya and Shirou get outed as "real magus."
Arc 9: Last Boss
Shirou gets promoted to 100th Floor Boss. (The more I think about it the more I like it). Everybody has to deal with that. First, emotionally. Then, tactically.
General Notes:
1) I've got a long-term subplot for Griselda and LC worked out, so that's fine.
2) I want a long-term subplot for Diabel (suggestions?). Probably related to him becoming President of Aincrad or something equally opaque and/or ridiculous.
3) I have no idea what to do with Kuradeel, if anything.
4) I was gonna sacrifice One Snow and Itagaki on the Altar of Serious Business against the 25th Floor Boss, but I want it earlier than the Cats, so maybe like against Fake Zouken (Itagaki's wants to be an omyou user => Shikigami => familiars => accidentally trip the boss fight flag). I'm not 100% sure what to do with Hexadecimal after that except make him colder. Well, he'll switch guilds and join the BSM afterwards? I'm don't really have any plans for him until through the rest of the Aincrad arc. Well, I'm holding him in reserve, so that there's a guy around to use for a romance subplot with Yuuki.
5) Has anyone figured out the Secret Difference between the Dojos and the Church and if so, do they think it's worth keeping up for a big reveal at the end, or should I quietly abandon it?
6) I feel more comfortable with the Arc Plan, but let me know what you think.
Arrite, I'm soliciting input again.
First: what to do in chapters seven and eight.
Second: reviewing the broad outline of the [Aincrad Arc].
Chapters Seven And Eight
Since my latest Chapter Planning Exercise, I've revised a little:
7.1: Curious Rat
Argo drags Kirito and Shirou along on a special mapping quest.
(right now this is like 4k words, and it's gonna get longer)
7.2: Little Girls that are Cute and Scary
Ilya hunts down Silica and recruits her; then Ilya forces Silica and Shirou through the Rare Elements ID quest.
7.3: VS Third Floor Boss
A big red centipede that vomits acid lightning.
7.4: LD 2
8: Slimes' Floor
...Looking at the scenes I have planned, they're kind of... vague.
So, I'm going to be open-ended:
On the slimes floor, what do you, the audience, want to see?
Chapter 9 will climax against the Fake 5th Floor Boss.
Chapter 10 is finding, and defeating, the Real 5th Floor Boss.
He was under everyone's noses all along as a magecraft-instructor type NPC on the 5th floor, although it will be screamingly obvious to the audience, since they recognize the kindly old man who teaches Silica about familiars.
Arc Planning
So I was reviewing my Arc Plan, and I've got revisions:
Arc 1: Start
The current / first arc.
Through the fifth floor.
Arc 2: Class Change
Shirou does the blacksmith thing (well, more like, he does the craft-on-comission thing), Ilya does the Architect thing, Asuna does the Commander Thing, and Kirito joins the Cats, functionally as their teacher. So each of the four, kinda picks up responsibilities beyond just being a front-liner.
I think I might stick the "fix Ilya" thing in this time period; just based on where the story's going, this is already starting to push into the February or so in the story, so Ilya's running low on lifespan.
I want a few simple environment challenge floors here.
Arc 3: Disaster
The Safe Zones on the first five floors go away.
I still don't know what the disaster will actually be.
Existing suggestions:
1) Dead Apostle starts up a zombie apocalypse or somethin'
2) Church Executor-shaped NPCs bomb in (I'm not enthusiastic)
3) Biblical-style flood or similar such unpleasant plagues
I've decided to finish this up on the 25th floor, rather than squeezing it into the 10th floor, to even out the floor progression in the story.
Goals:
1) Thinker (and Yulier) show up, maybe even they're important to the nature of the Disaster somehow, like as exposition?
2) The 25th floor boss will be played by a human,
3) The 25th FB will be the thematic capstone to the arc.
...I'm thinking, I want to roll Grimlock's betrayal of Griselda into this time period.
...and do in the Cats around here, too. Maybe they'll wipe against the 25th Floor Boss right when they achieve their dream of "reaching the front lines"?
Arc 4: Adaptation
The in-game society adapts to the sudden influx of pseudo-new players now that Kayaba has shown he'll punish people who don't "play along."
I want to make Diabel the "hero" of the arc even if we don't see him upstaging everyone all the time.
Kirito comes to terms with his guilt and sorrow, or rather, Asuna and Klein help him out. Shirou and Ilya are not help at all, even though they try (Shirou's advice is borderline self-destructive, and the way Ilya talks about resurrection magic like it's really hard, instead of impossible, doesn't help at all).
Another one with focus on [Environmental Challenge] floors?
Arc 5: Avengers
Caynz and Yolko try to find out the truth of what happens to their guild, so we get a mystery story when they recruit the main characters to help them out. When they force his hand, Grimlock rips their faces off and the truth gets buried. Asuna tries to figure out what happened afterwards but can't.
Kuradeel shows up?
Arc caps on 50th floor. The 50th Floor Boss (a Joan of Arc kind of motif) is played by Griselda. Shirou can tell because she has a sword equipped.
Arc 6: Yui
Yui goes off the rails, does her whole psychotic breakdown thing, and gets picked up by Kirito and Asuna, and all that business.
I don't really have an idea of what else to do here; since Kibaou is still Diabel's sidekick I won't use him as the arc villain.
...I'm thinking, rather than hand Yui over to an "orphanage", the duo keep her? I feel like Shirou would push them in that direction, even if it's unintentional on his part. Ilya's reaction depends entirely on Shirou: if Yui is a competitor for attention then Ilya won't show any mercy, but if not, then Ilya might role(play) with it.
Arc 7: Terrorists
Laughing Coffin becomes a serious problem. Backed up with Grimlock's brainwashing, PoH recruits like, all the Red Players into Aincrad's version of Al-Qaeda.
Eventually Shirou solves erases those problems with Emiya-style heroism.
Climaxes when Grimlock is promoted to the 75th Floor Boss.
Arc 8: Secret Keepers
After Grimlock magnificently blows the Masquerade, characters argue about what to believe in, and what they'll do if it turns out magic really is real. Ilya and Shirou get outed as "real magus."
Arc 9: Last Boss
Shirou gets promoted to 100th Floor Boss. (The more I think about it the more I like it). Everybody has to deal with that. First, emotionally. Then, tactically.
General Notes:
1) I've got a long-term subplot for Griselda and LC worked out, so that's fine.
2) I want a long-term subplot for Diabel (suggestions?). Probably related to him becoming President of Aincrad or something equally opaque and/or ridiculous.
3) I have no idea what to do with Kuradeel, if anything.
4) I was gonna sacrifice One Snow and Itagaki on the Altar of Serious Business against the 25th Floor Boss, but I want it earlier than the Cats, so maybe like against Fake Zouken (Itagaki's wants to be an omyou user => Shikigami => familiars => accidentally trip the boss fight flag). I'm not 100% sure what to do with Hexadecimal after that except make him colder. Well, he'll switch guilds and join the BSM afterwards? I'm don't really have any plans for him until through the rest of the Aincrad arc. Well, I'm holding him in reserve, so that there's a guy around to use for a romance subplot with Yuuki.
5) Has anyone figured out the Secret Difference between the Dojos and the Church and if so, do they think it's worth keeping up for a big reveal at the end, or should I quietly abandon it?
6) I feel more comfortable with the Arc Plan, but let me know what you think.
I would have the Safe zone destruction be something suitably magic like. Remember that he's trying to 'teach' them as well as break their little hidey holes. Maybe make it a bonus boss? Something really big that's legendary in magic circles.
Demons are supposed to be big deals if I remember my Nasu lore right. Maybe one sweeps in and makes it's lair?
Demons are supposed to be big deals if I remember my Nasu lore right. Maybe one sweeps in and makes it's lair?
Makiri Zolgen's last 'Curse'... and that makes it vulnerable to pseudo DA/Vampire (because in Nasu they ARE differences between your everyday bloodeater and your Apostle) infestation and the 'Heretic' Purge against the players.
as for Itagaki, well, 'Spiritual' Familiar Vs a guy whose magics are specialized in binding and making spiritual beings their bitch? yeah they trigger the Red Alert Flag and it's super effective.
OTOH, Demons, there are :
True Demons AKA the Reality Marble originators AKA those before and beyond the realm/touch of Gaia.
and 'demons' like those seen in Mahoutsukai, Tsukihime, Melty Blood and referenced in KnK, still a big Deal, but not that much of a threat in comparsion to the greater ones.
as for the Church and the Dojo, for what i've seen the Dojo (apart from being for Good Guys) it serves for 'enviromental' deaths that are outside the control of our protagonists and serve as a 'link' to the outside world, while the Church is for bad guys and gives either 'bad advise' (but sinfully true and without ever lieing) or give them their most hurtful and harmfull truth that they can hear.
as for Itagaki, well, 'Spiritual' Familiar Vs a guy whose magics are specialized in binding and making spiritual beings their bitch? yeah they trigger the Red Alert Flag and it's super effective.
OTOH, Demons, there are :
True Demons AKA the Reality Marble originators AKA those before and beyond the realm/touch of Gaia.
and 'demons' like those seen in Mahoutsukai, Tsukihime, Melty Blood and referenced in KnK, still a big Deal, but not that much of a threat in comparsion to the greater ones.
as for the Church and the Dojo, for what i've seen the Dojo (apart from being for Good Guys) it serves for 'enviromental' deaths that are outside the control of our protagonists and serve as a 'link' to the outside world, while the Church is for bad guys and gives either 'bad advise' (but sinfully true and without ever lieing) or give them their most hurtful and harmfull truth that they can hear.
Finally, the Rat and the Sixth Ranger meet.
Hmm. I wonder what nickname he'll gain now that "the game has changed"? He's still stronger than anyone else participating in raids, but others ought to be catching up by now.
What do you call a guy who produces the best magial weapons, on demand, for free?
I can see Ilya wanting her guild to hold the monopoly on lolitas, especially given Silica's other rare quality of being a dragon-tamer.
I remember that you wanted to make Silica a character deeper than "the loli of Kirito's harem", so is Silica going to be scary in her own way, as the title suggests?
Maybe she's got a mischevious side, and shamelessly manipulates Shirou into doing mostly-harmless things for her?
Something similar to The Skull Reaper, but with a ranged attack instead of a one-hit-kill basic slash?
Different kinds of slimes. They start off alone, slow, small, stupid... but the further you advance, the more variety appears. Some of them come in packs, others move and attack quickly, others are large and more mildly-mobile obstacles than enemies, some camoflauge and ambush or otherwise strike from hiding...
The large, obstacle-slimes might be spawners. Players are encouaged to find ways to cooperate and exterminate them.
If two large spawning slimes meet up, they combine and then explode into flood of smaller slimes. Players start to designate scouts to keep an eye on the beasts, and try to alter the landscape in order to keep spawning blobs apart.
Definitely 1 or 2, rather than 3.
*thumbs up*
How so?
Shirou wouldn't be any more interested in Yui than in anyone else, especially since Kirito and Asuna would be taking care of her. If Ilya has already had another loli around in Silica without problems, then she wouldn't have a problem with Yui.
Alone or as part of a raid?
Maybe a romance arc? Diabel falls for some girl and thereby comes under tension between his public face and the face he shows to her in private? Perhaps he runs across Silica and becomes smitten with her? Or maybe he butts heads with Argo and the two develop a slap-slap-kiss rivalry?
Alternatively, Kibaoh or someone else close to him dies as a result of Diabel's decisions, and Diabel's guilt clashes with his ambition?
Or maybe Diabel discovers some personal magical talent with powerful applications but questionable implications? Some kind of mental influence effect which allows him to better observe and direct the actions of others?
His ambition demands that he pursue the hell out of that ability, to further the crusade for freedom, and to increase his own personal influence and power. But it might seriously hurt his reputation if anyone figures it out, and Diabel has increasingly come to value the opinions of his inner circle, such that he doesn't want to lose their respect.
This power might alternatively be some kind of Contract system similar to Command Seals, allowing him to control or empower the people who swear oaths to him.
Or Diabel gains some opportunity to bring Ilya to heel and eliminate her as a rival. The nature of this opportunity determines how much Diabel worries about the price, not simply to his own conscience but also to the overall power of the playerbase in their quest for freedom.
Can he accept a continued struggle with Ilya rather than get her guild completely wiped?
Does he decide that it's better to have Ilya as a rival than as a blackmailed subordinate?
Does he catch Shirou in a magical contract that could bind the Sixth Ranger to his personal service, but allows him to freely return to Ilya?
Maybe make HIM Diabel's conflict?
Perhaps Kuradeel becomes a very useful subordinate, if a somewhat distasteful one. Diabel has to weigh the benefits of keeping Kuradeel around with the guilt of allowing the man's excesses, especially as Kuradeel will only grow bolder if he's not stopped.
It's not simply a matter of public face, either, if he can use Kuradeel in a covert capacity.
Haven't noticed anything, or even that there was anything to notice. Interesting.
Not sure if I want to try and figure it out, or just wait and see what the surprise is.
Hmm. I wonder what nickname he'll gain now that "the game has changed"? He's still stronger than anyone else participating in raids, but others ought to be catching up by now.
What do you call a guy who produces the best magial weapons, on demand, for free?
I can see Ilya wanting her guild to hold the monopoly on lolitas, especially given Silica's other rare quality of being a dragon-tamer.
I remember that you wanted to make Silica a character deeper than "the loli of Kirito's harem", so is Silica going to be scary in her own way, as the title suggests?
Maybe she's got a mischevious side, and shamelessly manipulates Shirou into doing mostly-harmless things for her?
Something similar to The Skull Reaper, but with a ranged attack instead of a one-hit-kill basic slash?
Different kinds of slimes. They start off alone, slow, small, stupid... but the further you advance, the more variety appears. Some of them come in packs, others move and attack quickly, others are large and more mildly-mobile obstacles than enemies, some camoflauge and ambush or otherwise strike from hiding...
The large, obstacle-slimes might be spawners. Players are encouaged to find ways to cooperate and exterminate them.
If two large spawning slimes meet up, they combine and then explode into flood of smaller slimes. Players start to designate scouts to keep an eye on the beasts, and try to alter the landscape in order to keep spawning blobs apart.
Definitely 1 or 2, rather than 3.
*thumbs up*
How so?
Shirou wouldn't be any more interested in Yui than in anyone else, especially since Kirito and Asuna would be taking care of her. If Ilya has already had another loli around in Silica without problems, then she wouldn't have a problem with Yui.
Alone or as part of a raid?
Maybe a romance arc? Diabel falls for some girl and thereby comes under tension between his public face and the face he shows to her in private? Perhaps he runs across Silica and becomes smitten with her? Or maybe he butts heads with Argo and the two develop a slap-slap-kiss rivalry?
Alternatively, Kibaoh or someone else close to him dies as a result of Diabel's decisions, and Diabel's guilt clashes with his ambition?
Or maybe Diabel discovers some personal magical talent with powerful applications but questionable implications? Some kind of mental influence effect which allows him to better observe and direct the actions of others?
His ambition demands that he pursue the hell out of that ability, to further the crusade for freedom, and to increase his own personal influence and power. But it might seriously hurt his reputation if anyone figures it out, and Diabel has increasingly come to value the opinions of his inner circle, such that he doesn't want to lose their respect.
This power might alternatively be some kind of Contract system similar to Command Seals, allowing him to control or empower the people who swear oaths to him.
Or Diabel gains some opportunity to bring Ilya to heel and eliminate her as a rival. The nature of this opportunity determines how much Diabel worries about the price, not simply to his own conscience but also to the overall power of the playerbase in their quest for freedom.
Can he accept a continued struggle with Ilya rather than get her guild completely wiped?
Does he decide that it's better to have Ilya as a rival than as a blackmailed subordinate?
Does he catch Shirou in a magical contract that could bind the Sixth Ranger to his personal service, but allows him to freely return to Ilya?
Maybe make HIM Diabel's conflict?
Perhaps Kuradeel becomes a very useful subordinate, if a somewhat distasteful one. Diabel has to weigh the benefits of keeping Kuradeel around with the guilt of allowing the man's excesses, especially as Kuradeel will only grow bolder if he's not stopped.
It's not simply a matter of public face, either, if he can use Kuradeel in a covert capacity.
Haven't noticed anything, or even that there was anything to notice. Interesting.
Not sure if I want to try and figure it out, or just wait and see what the surprise is.
Since we're splurging ideas:
Ilya and Silica
Why is Ilya hunting down Silica? Does she want a mascot or something? (Actually I can totally buy that as Ilya's motivation)
Alternatively, Shirou and Silica end up doing the Rare Element quest together by chance and she gets hunted down by Ilya afterwards?
Slimes Floor
Shirou starts to experiment with adding conceptual effects into his forged swords, or at least twigging to the idea that it would be useful if he can pull it off.
Fake Zouken
Are people going to be getting wormed while Zouken remains unfound?
Class Change
You threw out some references to Alchemy being involved in smithing in the latest updates. I could see Ilya jumping on the chance to spend time doing stuff with Shirou if this is the case, which is when the project creep strikes.
Safe Zone Destruction
1) Perhaps the destruction should tie into the floor theme. For example, if you're going with apocalypse of [The Dead], have it accompany the floor with the [Dead Apostle] boss. More on this below.
2) You can use multiple of those scenarios. Specifically, [Invasion of the Dead] and [Executor Raid] go pretty well together.
Grimlock
While you said it was just Conservation of Names, it might be interesting if Grimlock became a prominent crafter. He could fill a role similar to Heathcliff - a well known, trusted figure who betrays the player base. Of course, since the game doesn't end when he's defeated, the aftermath for the players would be potentially interesting to explore.
Final Boss
When it was last discussed, the problem brought up was that a normal boss encounter would only test the combat ability of the clearing group. So, make it a [World Event]. Have the entire player base come under attack when the boss fight starts.
You could even introduce this mechanic with the [Safe Zone Destruction Event]; i.e. every 25th floor is accompanied by a [World Event]. Using the [Apocalypse of the Dead] as an example:
When floor 20 is reached, the Dead start to invade floors 5 and down. First isolated NPCs start to vanish. Then the more remote towns get destroyed. On the 25th floor, the Dead start to gather around the major cities on the lower Floors. Then, when the 25th Floor Boss is engaged, the Dead attack and the Safe Zones of the cities get breached. Maybe the [Teleport Gates] are down for the duration of the Boss Fight as well.
Ilya and Silica
Why is Ilya hunting down Silica? Does she want a mascot or something? (Actually I can totally buy that as Ilya's motivation)
Alternatively, Shirou and Silica end up doing the Rare Element quest together by chance and she gets hunted down by Ilya afterwards?
Slimes Floor
Shirou starts to experiment with adding conceptual effects into his forged swords, or at least twigging to the idea that it would be useful if he can pull it off.
Fake Zouken
Are people going to be getting wormed while Zouken remains unfound?
Class Change
You threw out some references to Alchemy being involved in smithing in the latest updates. I could see Ilya jumping on the chance to spend time doing stuff with Shirou if this is the case, which is when the project creep strikes.
Safe Zone Destruction
1) Perhaps the destruction should tie into the floor theme. For example, if you're going with apocalypse of [The Dead], have it accompany the floor with the [Dead Apostle] boss. More on this below.
2) You can use multiple of those scenarios. Specifically, [Invasion of the Dead] and [Executor Raid] go pretty well together.
Grimlock
While you said it was just Conservation of Names, it might be interesting if Grimlock became a prominent crafter. He could fill a role similar to Heathcliff - a well known, trusted figure who betrays the player base. Of course, since the game doesn't end when he's defeated, the aftermath for the players would be potentially interesting to explore.
Final Boss
When it was last discussed, the problem brought up was that a normal boss encounter would only test the combat ability of the clearing group. So, make it a [World Event]. Have the entire player base come under attack when the boss fight starts.
You could even introduce this mechanic with the [Safe Zone Destruction Event]; i.e. every 25th floor is accompanied by a [World Event]. Using the [Apocalypse of the Dead] as an example:
When floor 20 is reached, the Dead start to invade floors 5 and down. First isolated NPCs start to vanish. Then the more remote towns get destroyed. On the 25th floor, the Dead start to gather around the major cities on the lower Floors. Then, when the 25th Floor Boss is engaged, the Dead attack and the Safe Zones of the cities get breached. Maybe the [Teleport Gates] are down for the duration of the Boss Fight as well.
It would also be screamingly obvious to Shirou and Ilya, if they ever ran into him or heard anyone mention him by name. You should probably avoid that.
As for Shirou as the final boss, I'm not sure a boss raid is really the best final exam. What if instead of killing Shirou, the players had to survive him? Shirou gets unlimited respawns and a bunch of respawning NPC (or dead player) Enforcers under his command. The other players have to seize control of a particular location, build defenses, and hold it against Shirou's attacks while they build an [Exit Portal] or somesuch. And then maybe they have to get every surviving player up to the [Final Citadel] to actually go through, but that might be a bit much.
As for Shirou as the final boss, I'm not sure a boss raid is really the best final exam. What if instead of killing Shirou, the players had to survive him? Shirou gets unlimited respawns and a bunch of respawning NPC (or dead player) Enforcers under his command. The other players have to seize control of a particular location, build defenses, and hold it against Shirou's attacks while they build an [Exit Portal] or somesuch. And then maybe they have to get every surviving player up to the [Final Citadel] to actually go through, but that might be a bit much.
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Shirou has never met Zouken. Until they meet, Shirou is under the impression Shinji and Sakura live alone (HF Day 3, Old Man). Though, it's not impossible they might've met sometime between the end of Fate and the start of this.
Ilya might. In HF she figured it out right after meeting him. She'd recognize the name Makiri, and probably Zolgen. She might not recognize Zouken.
Ilya might. In HF she figured it out right after meeting him. She'd recognize the name Makiri, and probably Zolgen. She might not recognize Zouken.
I have actually just thought up a potential method to get Shirou to act as the final boss regardless of his own wishes...
What if after defeating the 99th floor boss, the raid group ascends the stairs to the final floor, only to find there is a sealed door. This door has on it a contract that states that the signer of the contract must agree to be agree to follow three orders from Kayaba Akihiko. In return, he will open the door and allow the players of SAO to ascend to the 100th floor. However, Kayaba makes it so that the only one allowed to sign the contract, is Shirou.
Realizing that they are at an impasse, Shirou signs the contract because it should only affect him and if he doesn't the players will remain trapped.
Upon signing it, Kayaba reveals that by signing the contract he has linked himself to something truly terrifying. Within the confines of the game, Kayaba has replicated the Command Seals and goes about giving three specific orders to Shirou to not just cut off any loopholes he might exploit to make the fight easier such as holding back or giving his opposition hints, but also uses this as an excuse to empower Shirou so that he can act as a true final boss to the game.
Out in the real world, Kayaba goes about setting up a special full dive interface just for Shirou. In this one, he utilizes the maximum potential of both his technological and thamaturgic knowlege, including the information he's gleaned from SAO and more importantly, Ilya's transfer of her soul to a new body. Using this new interface, he is able to directly link Shirou's soul to Cardinal in a far deeper way and as such, allows Cardinal to get past the limited information it has been allowing Shirou to use due to hardware constraints. As a result, Cardinal gains the ability to accurately render Shirou's full tracing capabilities within SAO. Tracing abilities which even if it used data rather than true physical material, he has been constantly training for two years, including looking extremely deeply into how to forge weapons.
This gives Shirou as a final boss an absolutely terrifying power boost to those who thought they understood his power. What's more, the final boss fight could be purposely skewed to maximize his advantages. The first part of the boss fight could be held on a long open field with an elevated platform on one side or something similar. As such the first phase would involve Shriou drawing on Archer's experience and tracing the black bow and firing Broken Phantasms. Then when the got in closer, Shriou would stop sniping and move on to barrages by using Trace Sword Barrel, except instead of using Aincrad mystic codes, he'd be firing Noble Phantasms ala Gate of Bablylon style. Finally, a small portion of the raid would be able to close in and face Shirou as he began to use not just the experience and abilities of the Holy Grail War Heroes, but also their true weapons in hand. As for Shirou not being able to afford this due to prana constraints... Well, 3 command seals. One command could be to hook himself into Cardinal, and Cardinal would in turn grant him unlimited prana for the course of the fight. Essentially, Kayaba would be turning Shirou into a pseudo Counter Guardian EMIYA. Beast of Aincrad anyone?
And my imagination got away with me again... sorry ^^;
What if after defeating the 99th floor boss, the raid group ascends the stairs to the final floor, only to find there is a sealed door. This door has on it a contract that states that the signer of the contract must agree to be agree to follow three orders from Kayaba Akihiko. In return, he will open the door and allow the players of SAO to ascend to the 100th floor. However, Kayaba makes it so that the only one allowed to sign the contract, is Shirou.
Realizing that they are at an impasse, Shirou signs the contract because it should only affect him and if he doesn't the players will remain trapped.
Upon signing it, Kayaba reveals that by signing the contract he has linked himself to something truly terrifying. Within the confines of the game, Kayaba has replicated the Command Seals and goes about giving three specific orders to Shirou to not just cut off any loopholes he might exploit to make the fight easier such as holding back or giving his opposition hints, but also uses this as an excuse to empower Shirou so that he can act as a true final boss to the game.
Out in the real world, Kayaba goes about setting up a special full dive interface just for Shirou. In this one, he utilizes the maximum potential of both his technological and thamaturgic knowlege, including the information he's gleaned from SAO and more importantly, Ilya's transfer of her soul to a new body. Using this new interface, he is able to directly link Shirou's soul to Cardinal in a far deeper way and as such, allows Cardinal to get past the limited information it has been allowing Shirou to use due to hardware constraints. As a result, Cardinal gains the ability to accurately render Shirou's full tracing capabilities within SAO. Tracing abilities which even if it used data rather than true physical material, he has been constantly training for two years, including looking extremely deeply into how to forge weapons.
This gives Shirou as a final boss an absolutely terrifying power boost to those who thought they understood his power. What's more, the final boss fight could be purposely skewed to maximize his advantages. The first part of the boss fight could be held on a long open field with an elevated platform on one side or something similar. As such the first phase would involve Shriou drawing on Archer's experience and tracing the black bow and firing Broken Phantasms. Then when the got in closer, Shriou would stop sniping and move on to barrages by using Trace Sword Barrel, except instead of using Aincrad mystic codes, he'd be firing Noble Phantasms ala Gate of Bablylon style. Finally, a small portion of the raid would be able to close in and face Shirou as he began to use not just the experience and abilities of the Holy Grail War Heroes, but also their true weapons in hand. As for Shirou not being able to afford this due to prana constraints... Well, 3 command seals. One command could be to hook himself into Cardinal, and Cardinal would in turn grant him unlimited prana for the course of the fight. Essentially, Kayaba would be turning Shirou into a pseudo Counter Guardian EMIYA. Beast of Aincrad anyone?
And my imagination got away with me again... sorry ^^;
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