Tales of Phantasmal Land Redux (NOW RECRUITING PLAYERS FOR INCIDENT!)

[Ikari]

Well, Sagus, I have to say I am very impressed.

First, the appearance? Creepy as hell at first, not that bad after a few seconds. (Just as ghosts should be, in my opinion)

Based on her powers and appearance, I had a rather heavy ''dafuq'' moment when I read her personality and, after reading her biography, realized it couldn't make more sense.

The biography is not only what you'd expect of a traditional japanese legend, but is also terribly realistic.

Her title and religious views are such perfect details, I can only applaud.

Your spells and spellcard being completed as well as every other aspects, you're the one who has the best progress in terms of character creation, even including myself.

[Hanzo K.]

Wow, and here I thought I was the top guy. If Ikari says you've outdone even me, then I'll have to accept the loss gracefully.

[Ikari]

Wow, and here I thought I was the top guy. If Ikari says you've outdone even me, then I'll have to accept the loss gracefully.

You aren't far at all, though!

I just like the traditional Japanese style of simple legends and stories, and I had a few Fridge Brillance Moments through my reading, giving me pleasant surprises every 5 seconds. It's really all on my personal preferences, not an absolute ranking.

[Hanzo K.]

Y'know what there needs to be though? More Beast Youkai than merely the types already presented.
I mean, there's only the Insect, Spider, Nekomata, Kitsune, and the two Rabbits. It's been shown that Shou was once a regular old Tiger Youkai before falling in with Bishamonten.

Incidentally, I might eventually make a Spider Youkai myself eventually.
You guys thought Minako was neat? She'll be even moreso. There's a lot of legends about Spider Youkai that are just ripe for the picking~!

[AnonymousPondScum]

Yeah, the original ToPL hadn't had a chance to integrate any material post-Subterranean Animism into the book. We should rectify this at some point. Naturally we will be remedying this.

[Ikari]

Indeed. I did create the most obvious classes, but I am indeed lacking in the UFO and + department. I'll rectify that sometimes later, once the game will be playable.

I will probably do the spellcard section tonight, I'll get to it right now and post it once I'm done.

[Sagus]

Thank you very much for the compliments, Ikari, I'm rather proud of her^^

About other beast classes, what about Hell Crows? They could be resistant to fire attacks and have a bonus for their own.

It's been shown that Shou was once a regular old Tiger Youkai before falling in with Bishamonten.

Actually, she was always a youkai; since tigers don't exist in Japan, she was a youkai that represented what the people at the time thought a tiger was like.

[Hanzo K.]

Oooh, I like that idea.

[Ikari]

Hell crows are 100% sure to be un-usable, because unlike fairies, there is no case of a Hell Crow that grew powerful without being fed a sun god, or that use spellcards.

That would be like playing as a kedama or a fairy maid in the SDM; It would be very very meh.

Sorry 

[Hanzo K.]

That we know of at least. At the very least, they're bound to show up as NPCs/Enemies in the spot that Okuu's also most likely found.
Also, do keep in mind that there's a few particularly nasty Fairy Maids at the SDM. We just haven't seen any that ARE powerful enough to have spellcards. Nothing stopping someone from making a Fairy Character that is one.

[Ikari]

Yeah, but the fairy race are a very fickle race; They DO have numerous examples of powerful, boss-worthy characters.

The crows have none. Okuu was fed a god by another god, and it's general knowledge that hell crows are particularly weak.

If someone does want to make a x or y that is boss-worthy out of a mook race, I recommend the "Youkai" class, which allows you to make your own race and give you more freedom.

While I'm not the kind of person that is ever-so-afraid of straying from canon, considering boss worthy mooks such as hell crows or kedamas as a "common occurence" (that is, making a race for them) is too far from the truth.

[Sagus]

Hm, but by this logic, making a Kasha race or a Nekomata race also doesn't make much sense, as the only examples of them we have in canon is Rin (which is thousands of years old and, therefore, exemplary) and Chen (which is the shikigami of a nine tailed fox).

[Genso]

I just read Kake's sheet and it was good like Ikari said. I can't help imagining Kagami and Kake together due to the similarities: both like to frighten people, both carry knives/a knife, and both have some sort of "tragic" past (hooray for dark and tragic pasts). I wonder......do ghosts sleep?

Also, do keep in mind that there's a few particularly nasty Fairy Maids at the SDM. We just haven't seen any that ARE powerful enough to have spellcards. Nothing stopping someone from making a Fairy Character that is one.

I see lots of videos with fairies that use master spark and other spellcards before.

[Hanzo K.]

Well here's an idea. how about the more general 'Crow Youkai'?
That way if say, someone wanted to be a crow, but not be a crow tengu specifically.
This would allow for the potential of both Mountain Crows(As seen in MoF Stage 4), Hell Crows(As seen in SA Stage 5), or just a normal Crow(As seen everywhere).
After all, they're animals, and thus, just as possible to become Youkai themselves like all the other animals.

[Ikari]

Nekomatas and Kashas (which are kind of cousin races, actually) are also noteworthy for being weak, since they're actual cats, and all.

The thing is, Chen and Rin show that it's possible for (Touhou) Nekomatas to take on a humanoid form and actually be a playable, strong (...Kinda?) characters.

While those two aren't the best examples, they didn't get their powers from an exterior source. (Chen isn't ALL about being Ran's shikigami)

 If you guys REALLY want an hell crow race, I can just make one. It's no big deal. I see you guys really want one, so why not? It's a first draft, though.

Hell Crows

Abilities

- 2hot4u: Naturally immune to fire elemental attacks or effects.
- Crow Form: Works exactly like the Vampire's bat form: allow them to fly faster, but prevents any action other than flying.

[Hanzo K.]

We could work that into my prior idea of 'Crow Youkai'.
For example, Hell Crow types would have fire immunity by default, while Mountain Crows would likely have an advantage against Wind element.

[Ikari]

Immunity to wind instead of fire sounds ok.

[Hanzo K.]

It's also been shown that there's plenty of crows of both examples, so odds are pretty likely that one or two are bound to become a youkai. Or in other occasions, a Tengu.
It's all up to how they go about things while as their respective pre-youkai states. One crow might be destined to live out a normal life. Others might have the potential to become a Youkai, and still another might have the potential to elevate themselves to Tengu-hood.

Youkai are something I happen to have quite a vast knowledge of. Even before I joined this fandom, I specialized in mythology.

[Ikari]

Yeah, every single animal can become a youkai, and that's why I'm very reluctant in making more beast races.

Virtually every single animal can, as you said, become one with the right backstory. That means quasi-unlimited races potential, each with different powers. While I agree to make a Hellcrow/Crow race, I will not include a whole new race for every kind of animal that exists. That's what the Youkai Class is for; To make your own things.

Thus, I hereby declare the arrival of the ''Beast'' race.

It works like the Youkai race, except you do not get a +5 fandom points bonus. Instead, you start with the skill ''animal form'' and an ability that will depend on your animal type.

Is that ok?

[Genso]

Youkai are something I happen to have quite a vast knowledge of. Even before I joined this fandom, I specialized in mythology.

You and me both~

[Hanzo K.]

That works pretty well. it's another freeform class, but hey. It's easy to work with.
While the Youkai Class works for concept-types like Rumia, the Beast Class allows for the creation of the Youkai that comes BEFORE Nekomata, Bakeneko.

[Ikari]

Exactly! And come to think of it, it's almost silly of me to NOT have included that in the beginning. So, everyone's ok with a separate freeform class for beasts?

[Sagus]

I just read Kake's sheet and it was good like Ikari said. I can't help imagining Kagami and Kake together due to the similarities: both like to frighten people, both carry knives/a knife, and both have some sort of "tragic" past (hooray for dark and tragic pasts). I wonder......do ghosts sleep?

Indeed, I think they would make a good pair. Even their colors match, both having a lot of blue, heh~

I don't think they need to, but there is a reference about Yuyuko sleeping (PMiSS, Youmu's entry: "She wakes up early in the morning before the mistress of the estate to patrol the gardens"). They probably can sleep if they want, but don't actually need to do it (like eating).

It's also been shown that there's plenty of crows of both examples, so odds are pretty likely that one or two are bound to become a youkai. Or in other occasions, a Tengu.

Wait, crows can become tengu? I don't recall reading this anywhere in canon material; Tengu aren't treated as beast youkai at all, after all, and as far as I know animals can only become beast youkai.

Although if it came from mythology, I suppose it's valid.

Exactly! And come to think of it, it's almost silly of me to NOT have included that in the beginning. So, everyone's ok with a separate freeform class for beasts?

Yeah, that might be better actually! The specific abilities one might have related to their anima? species can be discussed with the GM, like spells are.

[Hanzo K.]

Works for me! With the bonus racial ability being something based on the base animal, that's room for creativity/common sense.
For example, a Beast Youkai using Eagle/Hawk/Falcon as the base animal would naturally have an eyesight-related racial.



And it's actually stated about the animal-based Tengu that they were once animals. By the original definition, it was a 1000-Year Animal if memory serves.
Which would qualify Tewi as a Rabbit Tengu in a way. And it's been implied that she's not just a White Hare, but the White Hare of Inaba.

[Ikari]

I don't think they need to, but there is a reference about Yuyuko sleeping (PMiSS, Youmu's entry: "She wakes up early in the morning before the mistress of the estate to patrol the gardens"). They probably can sleep if they want, but don't actually need to do it (like eating).

I'm pretty sure as well that they don't need to. Yuyuko is hilarious whimsical even in death, and I'm sure Youmu told her a dozen of times that she doesn't actually need to sleep or eat.

I guess I'd sleep and eat too if I was a ghost like her, though, since it would be just as fun, without the consequences. (Getting fat and wasting time, respectively)

Currently working on spellcards, should be posted soon. It's quite a heavy chunk of stuff.
Beast race is now official then! I'll go update the races post.

Edit: Done. It's at the end of the page!

[Hanzo K.]

I'll be looking forward to the spellcards.

[Genso]

I don't think they need to, but there is a reference about Yuyuko sleeping (PMiSS, Youmu's entry: "She wakes up early in the morning before the mistress of the estate to patrol the gardens"). They probably can sleep if they want, but don't actually need to do it (like eating).

I'm pretty sure as well that they don't need to. Yuyuko is hilarious whimsical even in death, and I'm sure Youmu told her a dozen of times that she doesn't actually need to sleep or eat.

That's what I thought since I happened to remembered that entry. I usually see a lot of fanworks where Yuyuko dreams about her past life too. Just asking since Yumekuko's ability requires sleep.

[Ikari]

Genso raises a very interesting point.

"Well gee Ikari, if ghosts don't need sleep, can they fall asleep?''

Making them unable to fall asleep through magic can destroy any sleep-based character, so yes they can. Here's my whacky explanation.

Youkai uses magic, and thus do not actually use the biological version of sleep, but rather invokes in a person the desire to sleep. A ghost is still, fundamentally, a human, and thus have lingering memories of sleep. Sleep can thus be invoked in them, and that is why sleep-based spells will work on them.

Possibly breaking canon ftw.

[Hanzo K.]

That actually makes sense. Ghosts were once human after all, so it fits.

[Sagus]

And it's actually stated about the animal-based Tengu that they were once animals. By the original definition, it was a 1000-Year Animal if memory serves.
Which would qualify Tewi as a Rabbit Tengu in a way. And it's been implied that she's not just a White Hare, but the White Hare of Inaba.

Not really doubting you (since it's not nonsensical) but can you give the source for that?

Genso raises a very interesting point.

"Well gee Ikari, if ghosts don't need sleep, can they fall asleep?''

Making them unable to fall asleep through magic can destroy any sleep-based character, so yes they can. Here's my whacky explanation.

Youkai uses magic, and thus do not actually use the biological version of sleep, but rather invokes in a person the desire to sleep. A ghost is still, fundamentally, a human, and thus have lingering memories of sleep. Sleep can thus be invoked in them, and that is why sleep-based spells will work on them.

Possibly breaking canon ftw.

Canon don't mention anything about how ghosts deal with their ex-biological issues, so we aren't even really breaking canon :V