ooc Salem University OOC (Open)

[Denim&Venöm 18,917]

Okay so the last idea didn't go over so well, but how about this one?

Rather than from alternate dimensions, what if some characters came from different times? The oppritunity to play characters from different time periods, all reappearing at Salem for some unknown reason.

Heck, the dissappearences could be isolated to Salem itself. Students and staff disappear, and the only thing known is that the magic that took them came from 'x' day in the future, and that the school needed to stay open for their return. Could be fun playing a character decades or even centuries out of place depending on how long the school was open for. 

[reader8363 1,281]

that is an interesting idea

[Buck Testa 5,505]

9 hours ago, Denim&Venom said:

Okay so the last idea didn't go over so well, but how about this one?

Rather than from alternate dimensions, what if some characters came from different times? The oppritunity to play characters from different time periods, all reappearing at Salem for some unknown reason.

Heck, the dissappearences could be isolated to Salem itself. Students and staff disappear, and the only thing known is that the magic that took them came from 'x' day in the future, and that the school needed to stay open for their return. Could be fun playing a character decades or even centuries out of place depending on how long the school was open for. 

I can feel that, though this could pivot the direction of the plot. Sort of a mystery of "what is this school" "where is it?" "when are we?" ect 

[Denim&Venöm 18,917]

@Duality are we redoing this or what?

[Duality 10,740]

4 hours ago, Denim&Venom said:

@Duality are we redoing this or what?

I was hoping for one or two other people to respond to your new idea before redoing things with it included. There seemed to be full consensus about wanting to go ahead with a reboot but these extra ideas have had a relatively low response rate and are disconnected enough from the original premise that they could easily alienate people if implemented without their input.

[dragon4111 914]

seems like fun alright

[reader8363 1,281]

If we do the outside time and space, is it alright if I do a filly?

[Duality 10,740]

@Denim&Venom

Folks seem to be in favour of it - how are you visualising it playing out at a practical level? I'm no history buff so I'll need your help to avoid gaping discrepancies here. 

[Denim&Venöm 18,917]

2 minutes ago, Duality said:

@Denim&Venom

Folks seem to be in favour of it - how are you visualising it playing out at a practical level? I'm no history buff so I'll need your help to avoid gaping discrepancies here. 

Well speaking of history, this is an alternate earth, so there should be an alternate history in our setting. This is a world of magic and furries, so things should not be an exact replica of our world. Plus in what other RPs do we get to experiment with such ideas in world building?  

This will factor in with where and how far back characters will be summoned. My original idea was that the time jumps take place entirely within the school. From the first days and weeks in the schools early founding to as recent as a few weeks. We could have it all happen with the schools founding in the 80s, or we could extend the schools creation even farther back. But that's if we want the displacements to be localized to the school. We could have it happen anyplace and any time within the world. At that point we could play around with the setting and lore a bit, everypony chipping in on what they'd like to see.   

Then after all that, everyone who disappeared comes back at the school int he modern day. How and why? That's for them to figure out. 

                          

[Duality 10,740]

1 hour ago, Denim&Venom said:

Well speaking of history, this is an alternate earth, so there should be an alternate history in our setting. This is a world of magic and furries, so things should not be an exact replica of our world. Plus in what other RPs do we get to experiment with such ideas in world building?  

This will factor in with where and how far back characters will be summoned. My original idea was that the time jumps take place entirely within the school. From the first days and weeks in the schools early founding to as recent as a few weeks. We could have it all happen with the schools founding in the 80s, or we could extend the schools creation even farther back. But that's if we want the displacements to be localized to the school. We could have it happen anyplace and any time within the world. At that point we could play around with the setting and lore a bit, everypony chipping in on what they'd like to see.   

Then after all that, everyone who disappeared comes back at the school int he modern day. How and why? That's for them to figure out. 

I think keeping it localised to the school would be the best idea, as Salem is focussed there by definition, although extending the school's history further back would also mess with a few key aspects of the world as it stands, not to mention force a fundamental rework of my character as well. Perhaps the time abductions can be localised to the island the school is on (especially considering all the bizarre warpings of spacetime surrounding it), predating the school itself by an arbitrary length of time while still keeping things centred on the school for the purposes of the RP.

What sort of alternate history do you have in mind? A concrete framework would be ideal, as the RP would most likely experience fatal continuity and lore clashes if it was used as a 'worldbuilding experiment' across multiple players. If it's the island linchpinning the time abductions, the history of the external world may not be so crucial relative to the curious past of the island itself. Do you also have in mind some underlying reason for the time abductions, or should I generate an explanatory subplot for it myself?

[Denim&Venöm 18,917]

On 11/16/2019 at 9:48 PM, Duality said:

I think keeping it localised to the school would be the best idea, as Salem is focussed there by definition, although extending the school's history further back would also mess with a few key aspects of the world as it stands, not to mention force a fundamental rework of my character as well. Perhaps the time abductions can be localised to the island the school is on (especially considering all the bizarre warpings of spacetime surrounding it), predating the school itself by an arbitrary length of time while still keeping things centred on the school for the purposes of the RP.

What sort of alternate history do you have in mind? A concrete framework would be ideal, as the RP would most likely experience fatal continuity and lore clashes if it was used as a 'worldbuilding experiment' across multiple players. If it's the island linchpinning the time abductions, the history of the external world may not be so crucial relative to the curious past of the island itself. Do you also have in mind some underlying reason for the time abductions, or should I generate an explanatory subplot for it myself?

If we give purpose to the island prior to it being a school, then it should work. Maybe it was an independent city of mages built before the big reveal to the world at large, where magic users can openly practice rather than hide in society. 

I had been thinking up an alt. history timeline for a while now, and it's not really centered around one event but multiple what ifs. Like the Vikings staying in North America, the US siding with the central powers in WWI, Russia keeping Alaska and Hawaii, Tom Selleck plays Indiana Jones. Things like that. Various what ifs that people wondered about that could make great world building fodder. It also helps in the creation of unique characters and how their backgrounds are shaped by such history. I originally had planned Miko to be from a Japanese colony in South America. 

 And no, all of this may be irrelevant in regards to our island school. Doesn't mean we shouldn't include it anyways and make our school a part of the world rather than the world itself. And no again, I didn't really have an underlying idea for the reappearances. Maybe magic itself is changing? Hence why after a millennia of going unnoticed, it starts manifesting in supernatural events the world over and that change ripples across space and time, bringing back certain mages on the island to the present. 

[Denim&Venöm 18,917]

@Duality any thoughts?

[Duality 10,740]

On 11/24/2019 at 9:08 PM, Denim&Venom said:

@Duality any thoughts?

Sorry for the delay, it's been a wild ride lately with 10-hour workdays and weekends with no wifi. 

On 11/17/2019 at 5:30 PM, Denim&Venom said:

If we give purpose to the island prior to it being a school, then it should work. Maybe it was an independent city of mages built before the big reveal to the world at large, where magic users can openly practice rather than hide in society. 

I had been thinking up an alt. history timeline for a while now, and it's not really centered around one event but multiple what ifs. Like the Vikings staying in North America, the US siding with the central powers in WWI, Russia keeping Alaska and Hawaii, Tom Selleck plays Indiana Jones. Things like that. Various what ifs that people wondered about that could make great world building fodder. It also helps in the creation of unique characters and how their backgrounds are shaped by such history. I originally had planned Miko to be from a Japanese colony in South America. 

 And no, all of this may be irrelevant in regards to our island school. Doesn't mean we shouldn't include it anyways and make our school a part of the world rather than the world itself. And no again, I didn't really have an underlying idea for the reappearances. Maybe magic itself is changing? Hence why after a millennia of going unnoticed, it starts manifesting in supernatural events the world over and that change ripples across space and time, bringing back certain mages on the island to the present. 

I think the island would be better served by being left mysterious and seemingly formerly uninhabited for the initial section of the RP, much like the abductions and possible magical shifts. The island's bizarre and exceptionally magical nature could well be the keystone underlying Gabriel Lazel's successful banishment of the daemons, continuing that thread of worldbuilding, and could well link into the time abductions and possible magic shift with a fair sprinkling of ancient legends about a sorcery-strewn island untethered from lands mapped by man. If you don't have anything in mind the lore defaults to my clutches. 

I mean, an alternate history is fine and indeed somewhat expected given the context, but you'd most likely be the only one of us who could decipher your own idea of it for any practical purposes, unless you're willing to generate a few full maps of current and past country configurations. Most characters we've had don't have much of a concrete national background at all, let alone an alternate timeline one, and I myself know very little at all about the overarching sociopolitical trends of the last 6000-odd years. Devising a whole alternate history and whatnot seems a bit of a waste if all we're going to do with it is reference a couple of places for our character bios and ignore the rest in favour of events on the island anyway.

[Denim&Venöm 18,917]

6 hours ago, Duality said:

On November 16, 2019 at 10:30 PM, Denim&Venom said:

 

I think the island would be better served by being left mysterious and seemingly formerly uninhabited for the initial section of the RP, much like the abductions and possible magical shifts. The island's bizarre and exceptionally magical nature could well be the keystone underlying Gabriel Lazel's successful banishment of the daemons, continuing that thread of worldbuilding, and could well link into the time abductions and possible magic shift with a fair sprinkling of ancient legends about a sorcery-strewn island untethered from lands mapped by man. If you don't have anything in mind the lore defaults to my clutches.

I'd be down with that, though if we don't have a concrete endgame for the dissapearences, I did have an idea for the cause. What if the time dissapearences all stemmed from a student with an affinity for time magic? An exparament gone awry mixed with the island's unstable properties causes the whole thing?

 

[Denim&Venöm 18,917]

13 hours ago, Duality said:

I mean, an alternate history is fine and indeed somewhat expected given the context, but you'd most likely be the only one of us who could decipher your own idea of it for any practical purposes, unless you're willing to generate a few full maps of current and past country configurations. Most characters we've had don't have much of a concrete national background at all, let alone an alternate timeline one, and I myself know very little at all about the overarching sociopolitical trends of the last 6000-odd years. Devising a whole alternate history and whatnot seems a bit of a waste if all we're going to do with it is reference a couple of places for our character bios and ignore the rest in favour of events on the island anyway.

We didn't really do much with our worlds history last game because there wasn't any really. Other than a few examples of past magic, no one talked about it because it was probably IRL history and no one cares to mention that. A world where the back grounds and current events are altered could be incorporated better. And if no one objects to me hijacking that part of the lore, I'm fine with crafting a backstory to the world of Salem. Cause frankly, what other RPs are there to do such a thing? 

[Denim&Venöm 18,917]

@Duality still alive out there? 

[Duality 10,740]

10 hours ago, Denim&Venom said:

@Duality still alive out there? 

Christmas rush hitting work hard, unfortunately. I was planning to post today of my own volition, however, so I haven't quite forgotten. 

On 11/27/2019 at 2:17 AM, Denim&Venom said:

I'd be down with that, though if we don't have a concrete endgame for the dissapearences, I did have an idea for the cause. What if the time dissapearences all stemmed from a student with an affinity for time magic? An exparament gone awry mixed with the island's unstable properties causes the whole thing?

I might just mix this up with the original plot and have the original big bad Blackrose be the guy messing with time. This is definitely starting to take shape in my head.

On 11/27/2019 at 8:52 AM, Denim&Venom said:

We didn't really do much with our worlds history last game because there wasn't any really. Other than a few examples of past magic, no one talked about it because it was probably IRL history and no one cares to mention that. A world where the back grounds and current events are altered could be incorporated better. And if no one objects to me hijacking that part of the lore, I'm fine with crafting a backstory to the world of Salem. Cause frankly, what other RPs are there to do such a thing? 

Fair point. You wanna sketch out the barebones of this history here or shall I put my money in the general location of my facial orifice and make an OOC thread for Salem-Mark-2-to-be?

[Denim&Venöm 18,917]

5 hours ago, Duality said:

Christmas rush hitting work hard, unfortunately. I was planning to post today of my own volition, however, so I haven't quite forgotten. 

I might just mix this up with the original plot and have the original big bad Blackrose be the guy messing with time. This is definitely starting to take shape in my head.

Fair point. You wanna sketch out the barebones of this history here or shall I put my money in the general location of my facial orifice and make an OOC thread for Salem-Mark-2-to-be?

Before we do that, we should probably get everyone else to weight in. They've been pretty quiet. 

@reader8363 @dragon4111 @Buck Testa @Passion 

Anything you guys would like to add?

[reader8363 1,281]

@Denim&Venom

sorry, work's been killing me with the holidays and i've been working on a filly. i have nothing to add

[Passion 3,484]

As outlined in one of my last status updates some time ago, I am currently not partaking in forum's life due to health issues. Doubt I will be in in nearest 2 weeks at the very least.

[dragon4111 914]

@Duality@Denim&Venom

Nah I have nothing to add,

[Denim&Venöm 18,917]

@Buck Testa @reader8363 @dragon4111 @Passion @Duality 

Guess that settles it then. I'll get to crafting an alternate earth for this world. I'll get a timeline done and submitted it for revisions. That way I'm not completely hijacking this RP. 

Now would you all like a detailed timeline or a cliffnotes on what's different vs. Our timeline? 

[reader8363 1,281]

@Denim&Venom
I'm fine with cliffnotes

@Duality
I'm not sure if I missed it, but since the restart of the character pages, I have to make my characters again. Will you be fine if I play as a little one, like the age of 7-10?

[Duality 10,740]

On 12/16/2019 at 9:19 AM, Denim&Venom said:

@Buck Testa @reader8363 @dragon4111 @Passion @Duality 

Guess that settles it then. I'll get to crafting an alternate earth for this world. I'll get a timeline done and submitted it for revisions. That way I'm not completely hijacking this RP. 

Now would you all like a detailed timeline or a cliffnotes on what's different vs. Our timeline? 

Probably moderately detailed cliffnotes, just so it's not impenetrable to anyone looking to join up later on.

On 12/20/2019 at 9:32 PM, reader8363 said:

I'm not sure if I missed it, but since the restart of the character pages, I have to make my characters again. Will you be fine if I play as a little one, like the age of 7-10?

Sure thing.

[Denim&Venöm 18,917]

Okay, here's what I have so far. An alternate world history influenced by the magic users of history. Feel free to pipe in your reccomendations. 

@Duality @Buck Testa @reader8363 @dragon4111 @Passion Oh and you too if you're still interested in playing @Lektra Bolt

 

Alternate history of Salem

 

• 7000 years ago, existed the magic kingdom of Avalon, located in north western European peninsula known as doggerland. Experiments of ancient mage kingdom results in geological disaster, flooding doggerland,  isolating the British isles and Denmark, causing the ice age and scattering the magic community across ancient Europe. Myths of Atlantis and the Fairy kingdom of Avalon are begun. 

• Surviving members of Avalon ruling class relocate to sanctum on the moon. Code of secrecy established to prevent further magic catastrophes. 

• Caesar isn't killed. Additional two months aren’t added to the calendar.

• Hannibal the mage wins against Rome

• Celtic mage Queen Buddicah forces the Romans out of the British isles.

• Viking colony established in North America.

• Mage Jean of Arc leads France into Theocracy

• The rogue mage Merlin aids Charlemagne in unification of Europe, crafting him the magic weapon Excalibur. 

• War between christian humans and Judaeo-pagan pelijae groups devastates Europe in 17th century.

• Sweden wins great northern war thanks to magical prodigy King Charles. United Scandinavia becomes world power.

• Japan doesn’t go isolationist. Expands colonies in South America.

• Mayflower Pilgrims flee UK for North America to establish Puritan, human centric colony. Roanoke colony survives. 

• Town of Salem found deserted. Records of witch trials found. Disappearances suspected as retaliation from mage community over witch trials.

• Britain's 14 colonies declare independence and form the United States of Vesperia, after Italian cartographer Amerigo Vespucci, and the Latin 'Vesper' meaning everything. 

• Mage Benjamin Franklin forms the Freemasons as a front to house the practice of magic in the Untied states and to prevent further repeats of the Salem incident.

• Napoleon flees to Quebec. Leads French conquest of Canada. Annexes French territory in North America and sells to the U.S, financing French-Canadian independence. 

• Us wins War of 1812 after UK violates US neutrality to invade Quebec.

• Mexican revolt against Spain fails. Spain remains colonial power in Americas.

• US wins Spanish American war. Gains Florida territory.

• Russia keeps Alaska and Hawaii colonies.

• Floral mancers prevent Irish Potato famine. 

• 19th century US divided over issues of pelijae- human equality, between pelijae influenced north and human centric south. Secession of Roanoke and southern states sparks the civil war and conflicts between southern settlers and native pelijae tribes.

• UK and Spain recognise confederacy. British and support stretches Civil War. spain attempts to take back lost territory. Texas delcares independance and joins union in war. Various native American Pelijae tribes join on Union side in exchange for sovereign recognition. South faces harsher devastation and economic collapse. Spain looses California and Baja territories. 

• Thomas Edison becomes one of the first scientists to study magic with the aid of mage Nicola Tesla. Research would remain classified for another century.

• Great war of 1914 eurupts. US maintains neutrality. Trades with both sides. Germany doesn’t invade Belgium until the UK intervenes on behalf of France. UK attacks US shipments to the central powers. US enters war as a central power.  Germany breaks through French defenses and march to Paris. Ireland uses conflict to delcare independence from United Kingdom. Central powers win.

• February revolution occurs. Romanov's flee with aid of mage Rasputin to Alaska colony. Alaska- Hawaii split from Soviet Russia to form Russian Tsardom in exile. Later known as the Alaska Republic.

• Leon Trotsky takes control of Soviet Union after Lenin. Deposes Stalin. Backs hostile expansion of communist influence.

• Great depression sparks collapse of Austria Hungary and Ottoman empires and Japanese attempt to regain disputed territory leads to 2nd great war in early 30s. The Jewish state of Poland, Europe's Israel,  is formed in the aftermath, with Albert Einstein as it's Prime Minister. 

• With German scientists staying in Germany, Nuclear weapons aren't invented.

• Defeat in 2nd great war sparks communist uprisings France and Spain backed by USSR. Leads to 3rd great war against the German Kaisereich, Scandinavian empire and UK in mid ‘50s.  Mexico splits from communist Spain. Soviet sinking of US & Canadian ships leads to North american involvement. France-Spain capitulate. Russia falls back. Armistice called. Demilitarized zone known as the Iron Wall,  established in east Europe. 

• Rock icon Elvis Presley dies a war hero. Tributes from fellow musicians spark Woodstock counter culture movement and hard rock music in the 50s.

• Threat of war over space race leads to the moon being declared off limits. All scientific exploration must be an internationally backed endeavor. Undermining of lunar exploration actually prompted by mage community to keep their secret moon base hidden. 

• China joins Soviet Union. Soviet invasion of east Asia in 70s sparks 4th great war.  German and Alaskan republic involvement on side of Japan, Taiwan, Philippines, Korea after territorial invasions. US and Canada join after invasion of Alaska. Sino-soviet collapse in late 80s. 

• Magical anomalies occurring in public leads to international cooperation in forming Salem academy and the declassification of Magic and it's history. 

• Present day: US is world superpower. Official languages are English & German.  Alaska & Hawaii are now Russian Confederation. Nova Scotia, New Finland & New England are now the Republic of Vinnland. All of Canada is basically Quebec. The German Kaiserreich is a world power. Japan has colonies in western South America. Russia is a divided feudal war zone. China has been divided under regional allied rule. Spain and France are "western bloc countries."