Guardian Princess Runealy

On the feudal world of Waldia, peace is maintained by an ancient barrier that seals away a demon horde. Women of the royal family are the heirs to the magic to protect this ward, and their rule has gone almost unchallenged until recently. Yet when Queen Lene was murdered under mysterious circumstances on the day she was to replenish the Barrier's power, Princess Runealy proved unable to complete the ritual. Faced with an impending demon apocalypse, the princess and her newly restored order of Guardian Knights made an emergency expedition to Earth. Desperate to save their world, they began draining their magical peers while also protecting Tokyo from monsters; they were committed to being the 'lesser evil.'

Many of their targets had one powerful question: “Why?” Afraid of opportunists racing home to ensure tragedy if word got out, the team only responded with secrecy at first. Yet they turned desperate as time began to run out, revealing more and more of the truth. This lead to a surprising truce, one that proved to be vital when drained magic only served to empower a demon lying in wait at the Barrier Shrine. In the end it was actually widespread cooperation that defeated this monster and completed the ritual; hurting others, even out of desperate need, was not the way to save their world! With the crisis averted, Runealy and the Guardian Knights have returned to Tokyo to make amends for their actions, help their new friends, and honor a promise to help protect Earth.

However, not all is well. Resentment grows in the Lormia province, which has been struggling to rebuild since its demon-influenced rebellion 125 years ago. Then-Queen Jemira quelled the uprising with excessive force and purges, leaving the area devastated. Though Queen Lene began making restitution over the last decade, political maneuvering hindered progress and there are rumors some of Lene's opponents were connected to her recent murder. Regardless, negotiations have stalled and Princess Runealy was kept ignorant of this aspect of her world's history in order to better focus on her magical studies.

Lormian leaders have seized upon recent events as an opportunity to travel to Earth. There, guided by a handful of demons that avoided being sealed, they seek power and allies. They will need both in order to defeat the Princess and ensure the downfall of the royal line. Not all of them are content with securing a victory on just Waldia, however; there are those who are now interested in conquering many more worlds... and Tokyo would make a wonderful first step in this plan.

Cast

• Runealy Waldia / Princess Runealy

• (If you have a character that is part of this theme, please list them here.)

Retired Characters

• Leti Helgard / Guardian Letinue

• Rosette Claville / Guardian Rose

• Skylle Wiess / Guardian Sky

Character Design

The visual theme is idealized European feudalism meets magical girl. While only a handful of people from the world are 'powered', the ones who are tend to fit a few broad points. Heroic characters are bright and colorful, with fanciful additions like gems and ribbons being fairly common. Emblems, fancy embroidery, and so on provide the 'idealized feudalism' aspects, mixing magical girl with high-class nobility and wealth. How much of each trait any one character has varies. Medieval weapons are very common for humans unless the character is a wand-user. Some characters include medieval armor to varying degrees, but this is not specifically required. Creative wand and magic use may allow characters to wield effects one normally wouldn't associate with medieval technology; please see the FAQ section for more details!

Human characters often incorporate important symbols into their attire. Examples may include their family's crest, one or both parts of Waldia's national symbol (a shield with a heart in its center, and it's acceptable to display only the shield or the heart if one prefers), regional emblems, and so on. This isn't a requirement, but is a convenient way to customize their appearance.

Villains are divided between demons and influential humans. Demons tend toward fantasy/RPG style 'monstrous humanoid' designs (dragon forms and such are generally not acceptable) and are usually very overt in their evil nature unless they have an immediate need to be subtle. They often form contracts with humans, offering the power to realize one's dreams at the cost of allowing the darkness to fester within them. The demons' ultimate goals are to eliminate the princess and thus ensure the Barrier collapses within a few generations (which would release an entire army of monsters), while also tempting others to cooperate with them. Beyond this, they are interested in ruining various other worlds; why settle for just Waldia when so many more lands exist to destroy?

Human villains tend to be either influential people from the devastated Lormia province or are schemers closer to the capital district. While the term 'nobles' is used to refer to them for simplicity, this group also includes scheming merchants and other talented individuals who have their reasons to oppose the royal family. Lacking magic of their own, these people make easy targets for demon contracts; some are well aware of what they're getting into, while others are tricked. Regardless, their motives begin to be twisted by the darkness within. Those with previously sympathetic aims become willing to go to dangerous and immoral extremes to achieve them, while those who already had cruel intentions become even more committed to their ways. Many of these characters affect an air of decadence and class, making their sinister nature a dark mirror to that of the Princess and her supporters. While their immediate health is unaffected, the evil power they wield is degenerative and will cut their life short within the next several years if left unaddressed; they are generally the long-term losers in any demon contract.

Ages vary significantly. Guardian Knights should be around age 12-18, with the most common ones being age 13 (Grade 7) at time of writing. This helps maintain age parity, which is important in a circle of friends. Human villains should be no younger than 12 so they are at least roughly the same age as the protagonists, but can be significantly older; adult villains are welcome and encouraged! Demons tend to be multiple decades or centuries old, though their histories/backgrounds have relatively few events despite this.

Names

Waldian names generally sound exotic to the people of Tokyo, evoking a fancy medieval feel. The cast list gives several good examples, and anything that might fit into a western-themed JRPG probably works well. Some more specific traits include...

1: If a Guardian Knight, their name should cleanly meld into their Guardian title. For example, Rosette becomes Guardian Rose, while Skylle is Guardian Sky.

2: The name should be hard for a 1980s or 1990s western anime/manga localization company to translate when the original Japanese producer won't tell them what the correct name is. Note how Runealy Waldia could instead be Lunari Wardia, Rosette Claville could be Loseto Crabiru, and so on. The name you app for should then be the result of the translators asking themselves "Which of these numerous valid ways to translate the name to English sounds the least ridiculous?" and then having a stiff drink. This applies to human characters regardless of their affiliation. If you need help with this, feel free to ask!

3: Demons are encouraged to have even more exotic names, ones that may sound unnatural by any standard. An example name is Kludezx (pronounced “Clue-dehs-iks”), who was featured near the end of the cast's introduction story, but anything that sounds outright inhuman works.

Transformation, Powers

Guardian Knights (and Runealy)

Most heroic characters in the setting gain their power from two sources in combination: A magical relic they wear (usually jewelry of some kind, or something wearable that has jewelry built in to it), which attunes to them when they take the Guardian Knights Oath. This Oath forms a magical link between the Guardian and Princess Runealy, power that grows in its own special way unique to each Knight. Transformations usually involve touching their relic and a phrase emphasizing both the part of the Oath that means most to them and a little bit about their hopes and dreams. For example, Leti calls out "To protect the Barrier, I am Guardian Letinue!," while Rosette instead favors "To protect and serve the Princess, I am Guardian Rose!" The exact phrase is character-specific and has some room for interpretation.

While untransformed, these characters exhibit little to no magical ability and they are as vulnerable as anyone else.

In their Guardian form, a character usually wields some medieval weapon and supplements it with elemental magic. For example, Rose uses a relatively light sword and fire magic while Sky has a lance and wind magic. Armor is common but not required, and generally isn't so pervasive as to drown out the 'magical girl' aspects of their appearance in any case. Note that form does not always equal function; a character with little to no armor on their person can still have strong defensive abilities if they wish. Other aspects of their magic, such as healing, buffs/debuffs, and so on vary wildly from character to character. Though they tend toward close combat, this is not a universal requirement. Guardians don't have to use a melee weapon; something like a longbow, crossbow, thrown objects, or even a magic wand for a long-range character is acceptable.

Guardian Knights are unified by their special Oath. While its exact tenets vary as the pledge is specific to each person who takes it, they all share four major points: An agreement to serve and protect Waldia (the nation/world), plus serve and protect Runealy. Whenever these goals conflict, Protect takes priority over Serve; if you disobedience can be rectified later, but if you fail to protect them then they are gone. It's important to note Guardian Knights are not expected to be everywhere at once! Failing to protect Rune because the Knight was somewhere else at the time isn't a breach of the Oath; Guardian Knights shouldn't constantly be in arm's reach of their princess! On the other hand, 'creative interpretations' of these tenets usually don't go well. Trying to forcefully pull Rune away from danger when she's being stubborn is fine, but knocking her unconscious in order to drag her away generally counts as a violation of the Protect tenet because hitting her is the exact opposite of protection. Thus, the Oath tends toward direct interpretations and encourages straightforward behavior. Significant violations of the Oath can result in loss of power, though redemption is possible depending on the character's motives and circumstances.

The Oath is not meant to be gamed and engineer a Guardian Knight's downfall. They don't have to live in constant fear of the slightest infringement stripping their powers, because the Oath doesn't demand perfection. Guardian Knights are expected to try their best to live up to these tenets, but only blatantly negligent or willful violations of them result in loss of power. It is primarily a tool to help express their morals and priorities, to affirm that the heroes are in this together. The Oath requires sincerity, and attempts to lie to it automatically fail. The narrative reason for this is that Guardian Princess Runealy already has enough drama written into it without introducing paranoia into the mix. One of this theme's core emotional values is that friends can help when you're at your lowest point. Therefore, 'Oathbreaker' (someone intentionally designed to betray the Oath) character concepts are banned. Anyone who takes the Oath is making a serious statement about their life!

The group has a Team2 attack called Noblesse Oblige. Participants get on opposite sides of the target and harass their defenses so a friend can land heavier blows, then switch roles. Everyone is important in this display of teamwork, so it's best to depict your character as both helping others and using their feints to land some good hits of their own. As the participating group increases in size, they might use basic formations such as surrounding the foe in a square or triangle layout, but that is about as 'tactical' as it gets. Anyone calling for this formation will point at their foe and shout "Noblesse Oblige, (Number)-fold!" where (Number) is how many total participants they want.

Runealy is currently the only one in the setting with a Banish attack, owing to her family wielding holy/anti-demon magic, but this isn't a hard ban on others having Banish or Purify techniques. There have been some talks amongst the cast's players to expand this to the Guardian Knights. We don't yet have a final proposal for this idea (and it would need to be approved by staff anyway), but it is something we're genuinely open to working on! This section will be edited at a later date once a decision on this topic is reached.

At this time, no Guardian Knight is able to fly long-term; gaining such an ability is a likely candidate for the team's 'upgrades' later on.

Villainous Humans

Enhanced by dark power gained in a contract with demons, these individuals have a variety of abilities. Some of them are easily described as 'evil mirrors' of the Guardian Knights, wielding medieval weaponry supplemented by dark magic. Darkness usually outright replaces the elemental focus of a Guardian, but it's acceptable to use 'demon fire' or 'evil ice' or so on if you prefer; just limit it to one such darkness-modified element. Virtually all such characters are Powers of Darkness.

The demon contract provides an artifact for the purpose of transforming into their combat form, usually a clipping of one of the sponsor demon's natural weapons (which later regrows after the contract ritual). This can include a piece of a demon's claw or fang, or similar aspect of them, which serves as the 'key' to activate the dark magic now residing within the contracted individual.

Each villainous character has their own transformation sequence, and there is significant room for personal interpretation; the following traits are suggestions to serve as the starting point for your own ideas. They might call out their motives, such as “Freedom for my home, no matter the cost”, “To destroy the princess and end the royal line”, or even “All worlds will bow to my rule”. Or they could recite lines from their sinister contract with a demon, the wording of which can vary from character to character.

Armor is allowed but optional. Most evil nobles prefer to look dashing and classy instead, but armor can be mixed in to varying degrees if so desired. Much like with Guardian Knights, armor is not required to have good defensive abilities (though it can be a hint to others that your character focuses on such things). Having so much armor as to be concealed by it is best reserved for concepts that want to effect an air of dark, dangerous mystique.

The lack of deeply specific details in this section is intentional. We welcome personal creativity, allowing individual touches to make your human villain unique! If you have ideas not covered in the points above, feel free to bring them up and see if they're appropriate for the setting.

Lower-ranked villains generally can't do long-term flight at this time, but might gain it as an upgrade later on. More advanced ones might be able to fly even at start of play.

Demons

While able to wield most of the options listed for human characters, demons tend to have a much more obvious affinity for evil energy and are fond of 'darkness waves' or similar attacks. Some nonetheless use 'dark elements' much like their contracted allies do, so this is up to personal preference in character design. Their bodies can also feature natural weapons, such as fangs, blade protrusions, claws, and so on. Beyond these changes, their overall 'power set' is similar to their human peers and this section will only outline notable differences. Due to being embodiments of evil itself, all demons are Powers of Darkness.

Whether they use natural or manufactured weapons, most of them have some 'vicious' aspect such as serrated blades or jagged edges. It is not uncommon for a demon to provide some kind of poison to them. Whether their dark energy is just so vile that it lingers and harms its victims, or they have a biological poison, they delight in the suffering this brings to others. Most poisons aren't strong enough to kill a character outright (though they might be fatal to less extraordinary people), but can slow them down. The ones that are tend to be relatively slow-acting and can usually be fixed through magical healing. Nobles contracted to a 'poison-capable' demon might also gain some aspect of this in their magic, but such demons feature much more prominent poison.

Disguise magic is available, and is only foiled by carelessness or very careful scrutiny. Such disguises turn them into humans of various forms, with equivalent physical abilities. This is primarily intended to give them a way to participate in scenes where an overt demon would be unwelcome, and give them chances to observe others without provoking a fight.

Transforming is something of an odd concept for demons, since it's actually a matter of reverting to their true form. While disguise magic makes them look human, it also makes them fight like a normal person so they will need to revert to their demon body in order to do much. There is no specific phrase or ritual for them to change forms; something like a finger-snap, mockery toward their potential victim, and/or sinister laughter is usually sufficient. Demon characters can have something more elaborate if so desired, but it isn't outright necessary.

Demons are the most common source of magical power in Waldia. Anyone who needs the power to oppose Runealy can find it in contracts with a demon. This usually involves the monster approaching (or being contacted by, in some incredible cases) someone who desires the strength to achieve their goals. After some negotiations, a ritual is performed wherein the demon allows some of their dark power to enter and enhance a person. At first this seems like a one-sided deal in the recipient's favor, but this is actually not so. At the bare minimum, the demon's power begins to corrupt their thoughts and morals... making them willing to do things they would normally balk at. If the person is particularly susceptible to such influence, they may begin pursuing far more evil schemes than they had before. In the worst cases, outright possession and control by the demon is possible. Regardless, it sees them as little more than a convenient ally; the monster's power is always 'poisonous' to its recipient. Thus, anyone in a demon contract will die within the next several years if they don't get help, even though their health for a year or two after the contract might have no obvious problems. Particularly strong individuals could survive for a few decades, but even they will eventually succumb; deals with darkness do not end well.

It is common for demons of any rank to be able to fly. This is not strictly required, but it is a notable tendency.

History and Society Notes

This section is primarily intended to help potential applicants know what their character comes from. Thus it is more helpful for writing character backgrounds than anything else, as the focus of day-to-day action is firmly on Earth.

History

For thousands of years, Waldian history has been simple. Demons once devastated the world, until a woman with holy powers first created the seal that sucked most (not all, but the overwhelming majority) of these monsters into a sub-dimension covered by the Barrier. This is called the 'Abyss' or 'Demon Abyss.' Society quickly restructured around this, with her descendents becoming the royal family whose hereditary magic would reinforce the Barrier every several decades. Attacks by demons who had managed to elude the seal were infrequent, and easily dealt with by the queen or her chosen Guardian Knights; heroes awakened to their own magic potential in order to protect the realm. Life was simple and prosperous, especially for those who lived near the castle or the cities closest to it. In time, even the Guardians became unnecessary and one generation after another knew only peace under the kind queen of their era.

However, even a peaceful world has its flaws. There have been queens who dabbled in dark magic, and found their lives cut short by it. There have been times where a handful of demons remain outside the barrier, and shape events in cruel ways. The most prominent incident was roughly 125 years ago in the Lormia province that borders the capital district. When its leaders were influenced behind the scenes by monsters, they lead a rebellion that was met by Queen Jemira. She crushed the uprising with ease using her magic, then exacted revenge on the populace; political purges were frequent, and entire families were thrown out into the streets if even one among them had participated in the revolt. Order had been restored, but at the cost of leaving a region in such ruin that it has only recently begun to rebuild. Resentment toward the royal family festers to this day, as Jemira's successor simply left the situation alone and hoped it would sort itself out.

Things began to change in the last decade with the rise of Queen Lene, mother to Princess Runealy. Lene actively sought to reconcile with the Lormia province, relaxing trade restrictions and restoring some deposed families to power. She even sought proposals from others to actively invest in the region, though political scheming and selfish plans from certain circles slowed progress. While some enemies were able to be calmed by her enlightened intentions, others resented that they were declined various political or economic favors and plotted against Lene. On October 22, 2013, she was set to visit the Barrier Shrine and restore the world's anti-demon seal. Instead, the queen was found murdered in her bedroom; she had been cut down by a trio of jagged, fire-emitting claws. While that was clearly the work of demons, rumors have circulated that Lormian leaders or those sympathetic to them arranged for a lapse in security that day, which has brought any further negotiations with the royal family to a halt.

There were bigger immediate issues than a malcontent province, in any case. With Lene dead, the Barrier had not received any new energy and was slated to collapse within two months or less; that would mean the effective end of their entire world as a demon army emerged. Now this vital and urgent task fell to Runealy. While she had lived a sheltered, idealistic life in the castle as her mother focused on raising a magically adept queen first and foremost before politics would come up, the princess simply wasn't ready. Not her mother's equal in magical power to begin with, she was also too frightened and grief-stricken to complete the ritual. Attempt after attempt ended in failure, leaving Rune to eventually return to the castle in despair.

Rosette Claville and Leti Helgard approached her, offering alternate ways to repair the Barrier. After some debate, the trio decided on a desperate plan: Runealy would unseal the portal to a strange world they knew nothing about, and would visit it in the hopes of finding those they could take magical power from; a means of overcoming Rune's own relative lack of strength compared to her mother. She initially wanted to go alone, but they insisted on coming along. Unwilling to let them accompany her with no way to protect themselves, the princess retrieved several magical items from the castle vault; items that had belonged to previous generations of Guardian Knights. Taking a special Oath, these two became the newest members of an order that had been abandoned for centuries.

When the trio arrived on Earth, they had no idea what would await. Tokyo proved to be inhabitable, but featured a society that was vastly different from anything they had seen before. Enrolling in Ohtori, the team effected a cover story of being from 'Europe' (others had guessed they were from there, so the Waldians went with it) and studying their peers. They found no shortage of magical heroes, people who probably would have helped if just asked... but the group feared what would happen if word of their world's plight slipped out to the wrong person. Would such an opportunist go to Waldia before they could return, and ensure a demon apocalypse happened? This possibility terrified them, and they swore to keep their situation a secret. This would mean taking magic by force... a regrettable decision, but they saw no other solution to save their world. They resolved to at least help protect Earth from monsters in while draining magic from their peers, viewing it as some measure of restitution for hurting Tokyo's heroes.

A few weeks into the process, they were joined by Skylle Wiess who had inadvertently triggered the portal while investigating the princess' sudden disappearance. Despite assurances that the situation back home had not significantly changed as far as Skylle knew, this arrival made the team worry that time may be running out. Desperation began to set in, and they began to share the truth with their fellow magical girls. It was a partial truth at first, “we need this energy to save a dying friend”, but piece by piece the full story emerged. To the team's great surprise, several of their enemies began to offer other solutions! These offers were gratefully accepted, leading to a truce that abruptly ended Waldian attacks on Earth's heroes.

Several of these former enemies accepted offers to accompany Runealy and the Guardian Knights back to the Barrier Shrine, crossing between worlds on an invitation to see the lives a tearfully thankful princess had insisted would soon be saved. It's fortunate they came along, as the Demon Vanguard Kludezx lie in wait to ambush the princess before she could conduct the restoration ritual. Worse, he absorbed all the magic that had been drained from others on Earth and became more powerful as a result! In the end, it wasn't hurting others from the shadows or stealing their energy that saved Waldia. It was widespread cooperation and kindness, as the coalition defeated even this empowered demon lord and their hearts invoked an outright miracle; with the Barrier in danger of collapse within mere minutes of the battle's conclusion, the Guardian Knights and several of Earth's protectors united to support Princess Runealy, allowing a last-ditch second attempt at completing the ritual to succeed and spare countless lives from ruin! This happened on November 22, 2013... a holiday now made all the more important by that recent help from Earth.

After a few days to rest and celebrate among a supernaturally-aware and grateful populace, Earth's heroes returned to Tokyo. Runealy gave a speech confessing the events of the last month to Waldia's public, vowing to never again resort to such cruel measures and promising to aid Earth in return for the salvation they helped provide. This went over quite well in the areas closest to the castle, where public sentiment was scandalized that their beloved princess had carried out such a scheme to begin with but most people were quick to admit they probably wouldn't have done much better in her situation; asking a terrified 13 year old to be rational when her mother had just been murdered and everyone was expecting an immediate solution to the Barrier crisis is a bit much! Thus, the public closest to the capital was very quick to forgive their to-be leader and call for her efforts to be recognized. King Raydel Waldia, acting as interim ruler, declared that his daughter was not yet fit to be a Queen who could protect the people but was on the right track; he promoted Runealy from Crown Princess to the newly created title of Guardian Princess as a compromise solution. Shortly thereafter, Rune and the Guardian Knights crossed through the portal in order to offer restitution and aid to their Earthly peers. Her father fully intended to handle the upcoming political problems himself, leaving Runealy free to grow into her magical duties and come to terms with her mother's death.

In the neighboring Lormia province, resentment flared to new heights. Unaware that Runealy has been sheltered from the truth of their situation, the public and leaders were furious. The princess had gone off to attack another world, then just walked off without addressing the problems in this troubled region? Then she was rewarded for it, given a lofty title and celebrated?! It didn't take long for Lormians to form a very different conclusion about events: Runealy must be dangerously incompetent, heartless, or well on her way to being the second coming of Jemira the Tyrant. Encouraged by this widespread outcry, a handful of demons that had avoided being sealed secretly approached Lormian leaders.

The demons made an incredible offer: Go to Earth. Seek opportunities that lie there. Find the Guardian Princess and demand she be held accountable, or kill her and take Waldia's fate into their own hands. A 'simple' spirit contract would grant them the magic necessary to stand up to this uncaring gloryhound who styles herself Waldia's future ruler. So the king had offered to resume negotiations? What of it? Surely this is just a stall tactic, their shadowy advisors insisted; the man had no reason to bargain in good faith with parties that rumors held were complicit in the murder of his beloved wife. They insisted that he was just buying time until Runealy came back with even greater power, which could then be used to secure revenge on the Lormians. Very final, absolute revenge from which there would be no rebuilding. Why wait to die?

In the end, the temptation of being able to stand up to the princess and force this situation to be resolved was enough to overcome their doubts. Several of Lormia's elite accepted dark contracts, and crossed over to Earth with demon allies right behind them. The portal fell dormant once this group arrived, setting the stage for a new battle.

Society Overview

How idealistic Waldian society is depends on who you ask. Those in the capital region love their life; even the commoners have decent homes, satisfying meals, and plain but nonetheless good clothing. Crime is infrequent, and what few demon attacks ever happened were easily stopped by the queen. Most people adore the royal family, who in turn try their best to secure dignity and prosperity for all. Aside from the occasional unfortunate reign, this has been true for almost as far back as history records. It has been especially so under the reign of Queen Lene, who spent most of her 15 years on the throne actively trying to improve everyone's quality of life. The general public was shocked and saddened to hear about her murder, and hope Runealy can continue her mother's legacy.

These tendencies gradually level out, then reverse, as one gets closer to the neighboring province of Lormia. Tricked into rebelling over a century ago under the reign of the egomaniacal Queen Jemira, they were quickly brought to heel in a show of excessive force. Fields were burned, homes were leveled, families were subjected to 'purges' for even token involvement in the uprising, and unreasonably heavy restitution that amounted to plundering was enforced. All of it in the name of 'preserving unity' and ensuring nobody thought to repeat such actions ever again.

While Lormia managed to rebuild, this is not the same as thriving. Today's wealthy elite are well off, but the general citizenry are only a notch or two above basic survival. They resent the royal family, and local traditions are full of reminders that their 'wonderful' queens have sat in a beautiful palace for nearly a century without lifting a finger to help. This stigma made it difficult for Lene to improve the situation, and it was made worse by those who stand to lose their comfortable administrative positions should Lormia's problems be resolved. Ultimately, the Lormian public is being manipulated by those who have an active interest in them continuing to live in poverty. Those in authority who truly are trying to help tend to find their efforts co-opted by more sinister peers, while demon influence and vicious rumors make it unlikely that the situation will be resolved in the immediate future.

Despite this rift, there are some aspects of society that hold true regardless of where one goes. A person's friends and family are generally seen as a 'circle of shields' that protect one another, and it's considered outright scandalous to abandon them in their time of need. This concept of mutual protection becomes markedly less pronounced with each degree of separation in a relationship, so while people pay lip service to concepts like praising a craftsman for “building a home to shield us from the cold” or a farmer for “warding away hunger”, it eventually becomes a forgotten ideal somewhere down the line. Nonetheless, Waldian society has many moral tales of just how important it is to stick together in troubling times and help each other; particularly idealistic characters might love these stories and do their best to uphold those lessons. More cynical ones are likely to just sneer and point at recent history as an example of how far such 'cooperation' truly goes.

It's important to note that Princess Runealy is probably one of the worst sources of information on Waldian society. She has been taught its idealized form, certainly. She can tell you all about that, and sincerely means it. Rune has even been surrounded by an inner circle that generally adheres to the same ideals she does. However, her parents have intentionally kept her unaware of the more vicious aspects of the world's history and the politics surrounding Lormia's situation; they hoped to resolve it on their own and be ready to hand her a 'clean slate' to rule over as soon as she was strong enough to maintain the Barrier on her own. This has lead to embarrassing gaps in the princess' knowledge, such as not knowing the names of each region in the realm and sometimes being unaware of who their leaders are. Having spent almost all of her life in the castle and its connected city, Runealy legitimately does not know there are serious problems lurking in society. Until she learns more, the princess is likely going to be terrified and stunned when she's attacked and decried by foes from Lormia; she has absolutely no context for understanding why this is happening.

Waldians use Japanese as their native/default language for 'storytelling sanity' reasons, though their slang and lingual priorities are somewhat different. Where someone from Earth might say “oh my god”, an equivalent might be “by the Barrier”; likewise 'abyss' generally replaces 'hell'. There is no specific list of lingual substitutions, and players are welcome to discuss additional thoughts on it. By this same token, some modern terms might confuse them at first. Curiously, they don't use Japanese honorifics by default but are open to the concept. Individuals may pick it up as part of adapting to life in Tokyo, and many choose to do so to varying degrees. New characters in particular are encouraged to show unfamiliarity with this aspect of the language, and gain proficiency with it over time if they wish to learn.

Modern technology tends to seriously confuse Waldians. The concept of a 'steel wagon' that moves without horses (e.g. a car), or a plastic box that silently hurls your voice clear across the city to one specific person (cell phones), and so on are completely new to them. All characters from this setting are capable of learning to use such technology, but it might take some work and somebody might have to explain things to them.

Princess Runealy does not benefit from Recognition Inhibition as far as other Waldians are concerned. The public is well aware of the royal women being their magical protectors, and this is largely the basis for Waldia's social/government structure in the first place. Note Rune is the only character this rule specifically applies to; Inhibition is in effect for all other characters in the GPR setting, and the Rune-specific interactions are 'one way'... that is, she doesn't automatically see through other characters' guises (with the exception of her Guardian Knights, who she provides magic to in the first place).

Character Motives

This section outlines likely concerns and thoughts any given type of character has, ones that help engage them with the setting's overall conflict and help bring them to Earth. You are welcome to expand your character beyond these thinking points, but the information here will address a lot of “why does my character care about X or Y?” topics.

Few specifically planned villains have been designed ahead of time. This is intentional; we would very much like to work with villain applicants to come up with something they feel is creative and unique to them while still adhering to the theme.

Universal Concerns

All characters have some reason to head to Earth. Waldia itself is simply not suitable for day-to-day storytelling, so they must go to Tokyo via the portal connecting these two worlds.

Heroes are staying out of the immediate situation in the Lormia province because it could destabilize things even further. Depending on their upbringing, they may not even be fully aware of the problem. Even if they do know about it, they might not be confident in what actions to take to resolve it and are wary of getting bogged down there long-term. All heroic characters instead decide to go to Earth for whatever reason. This is usually to seek out the princess since her wellbeing is important to their world's long-term health, but other motives might work as well so long as it ultimately brings them in contact with Rune and the Guardian Knights.

Villains have determined that trashing Waldia on their way out is a waste of time, and significantly risky in any case. Has Runealy left any secret Guardian Knights here? They don't know, and discovering this the hard way would be an exercise in high risk for low reward. Scheming nobles have no need for mundane resources (they have plenty of their own) and any magical items they might seize from the castle vault are likely ones they can't use. Denying Rune access to those might be nice, but it doesn't directly help their cause. Likewise, storming the castle would just tip their hand early; as soon as the heroes find out they would just march back (perhaps with several friends accompanying them) and retake it. Demons similarly don't care about the capital right now, because they're out to destroy the princess specifically rather than her home.

Thus, all villains in the setting have generally decided that destroying the capital district on their way to the portal is a bad idea; there are too many unknown and high-risk elements involved for too little benefit. This is a required decision so as to keep the narrative focused on Earth/Tokyo.

Put more simply, the political and strategic situation back on Waldia is being left alone by all characters at this time, and they will come up with some reason that their goals are better achieved on Earth.

Note that villains, regardless of type, are encouraged to be socially and emotionally aware. They should be seeking out ways to ally with others (either sincerely, or just manipulating them), and find ways to use another's heart against them. Overt battle is a significant part of the GPR theme, but so is intrigue on a personal scale.

Guardian Knights

At their core, a Guardian Knight is someone who has decided to be extraordinary. They support and believe in Princess Runealy, or they feel she has great potential that can be brought out with some help. Such characters are convinced life will be better if the princess is well protected and supported, enough so to take a sincere Oath to be her friend and guardian. They might not think she's perfect (and some of her more egregious mistakes prove Runealy isn't!), but they hold her in good regard and are firm enough in this belief that they are willing to go to Earth in order to help her. In fact, they might feel so strongly about this that they cross through the portal unpowered, intending to seek out Rune and offer to become a Guardian Knight upon arriving in Tokyo.

Their reasons for supporting the princess can be personal, such as appreciating something kind she did for them. Such motives work best if the character lives near the castle or its associated town, as Runealy has lived a rather sheltered life up until now. Or it might be a more pragmatic choice, realizing that if she dies without an heir to the royal family's magic then the Barrier will automatically collapse within a few generations; the prospect of a demon apocalypse on Waldia is a powerful motivator. Those closer to the capital might even be driven by fanaticism, believing more in 'Runealy the Princess' than 'Runealy the Person' at first; support for the royal family is very strong near the capital, and being able to serve a 'holy tradition' like this could be seen as a great honor.

They are generally heroic characters, though the exact means vary. It's possible for one of them to be very idealistic and kind to most people they meet, making for pleasant company to their peers on Earth. Yet it's also possible that a Guardian Knight could be a no-nonsense sort who is suspicious of others and insists they prove their worth before being trusted. They might even behave one way toward those from Earth, then be completely different around their peers. A Guardian Knight can be nice and friendly, but doesn't have to be; 'heroic' is given more emphasis than 'warm and fuzzy.'

Regardless of where your character falls on that scale, note that actual cruelty and villainry is discouraged. Guardian Knights are generally good people, even if some of them might have trouble expressing this. Significantly wronging or harming an innocent person is likely to end in Runealy requiring that Guardian to find their victim, apologize, and involve that individual in determining what proper restitution should be. Repeated and willful or negligent wrongdoing can end in dismissal from the Guardian Knights (and thus loss of power). Generally nice and empathic characters won't have a problem obeying the team's broad moral tone, while more cynical ones are still expected to know where the line between 'kind of a jerk' and 'actually evil' lies.

Your character should be willing to come up with reasons to get involved in situations on Earth. The more openly idealistic of them may decide protecting innocent people is worthwhile no matter what world they live on, and pursue youma or witches with the same enthusiasm they would fight Waldian demons even if the princess isn't around at the moment. It's also possible they could make friends with people on Earth, and step in to ensure this special person isn't hurt. More pragmatic ones might feel such threats are best neutralized before they get anywhere near Runealy (or the portal to Waldia), and thus cooperate with Tokyo's protectors. You don't have to participate in every single scene, but you'll probably enjoy things much more if you give your character reasons to be in scenes that aren't directly related to the GPR theme.

It is strongly encouraged that your Guardian Knight character have or quickly develop interests beyond the princess. Yes, helping Runealy is their primary mission and one they strongly believe in... but you will be much happier if you provide other outlets for your character to express themselves. Feel free to put them in school club activities. Have them explore Tokyo to learn more about its society and technology. Let them pursue hobbies and make friends outside their immediate circle. A character that is simply a fanatical shield for Rune and doesn't grow beyond this will be rather one-dimensional, and it could be hard for you to find scenes outside that specific interest as a result.

As a side note, money does not generally tempt a Guardian Knight. Some already come from wealthy families to begin with, and those who don't are quickly promoted to prominence upon taking the Oath. Being the princess' special friend and bodyguard pays quite well, enough to maintain an upper-class lifestyle even on Earth; Runealy brought sufficient wealth for the team to be well cared for.

Villainous Humans

Generally either influential figures in the Lormia province or schemers closer to the royal capital, these people have the widest range of motives and considerations. All of them have come to Earth for various reasons, and all were convinced or tricked into making contracts with a 'sponsor' demon who provided them the power they'll need to fight the princess plus her allies. This is a requirement; with the Waldian royal family holding a monopoly to granting conventional magical power on their world, villains would be desperate enough or sinister enough to turn to demons for the strength to oppose Runealy and the Guardian Knights.

Lormia was devastated a little over a century ago when then-queen Jemira put down a demon-influenced uprising with excessive force, and this will shape many villains' concerns today as the region has not yet fully rebuilt. The most sympathetic of them simply desire independence or reform and assistance in rebuilding, but the dark power within corrupts these people into pursuing this goal at virtually any cost. Such villains would try to limit the harm done to Earth while trying to defeat Runealy, but are willing to cross moral lines if they feel it's necessary. They would commonly voice concerns that Rune's actions (such as attacking Earth's magical girls to steal energy from them) suggest she will simply repeat the mistakes of “Jemira the tyrant” or is spending too much time tending to matters on Earth while ignoring concerns back home. While they might be surprised to initially discover she genuinely didn't know about their plight, this might also provoke them into seeing her as incompetent. Some of them might want Runealy dead, but others would be willing to accept her surrender or relinquishing claim to the throne; so long as the Waldian royal family's power ends here they will be satisfied that Lormia can now truly begin to heal and rebuild.

Other villains might express those same sentiments, but are really just using it as a convenient excuse for their own schemes. They might be upset over any number of historical or recent slights, such as not being given favored trade status when Queen Lene tried to ease restrictions on shipments to Lormia. Or perhaps their family was among those removed from nobility during Jemira's purges, and that person resents having grown up a commoner when they could have lived in a grand mansion; even Lene (prior to her death) recently restoring them to their administrative positions in Lormia might not have been enough to heal this resentment. Having tasted power and seen what opportunities lie open to them now, they want more. They wish to gather strength and rule over Earth, then later return to Waldia and conquer it before moving on to any other worlds they discover. Few means are too vicious for them. While their more sympathetic peers are reluctantly willing to engage in assassinations, use hostages, dabble in poison, and manipulate others... these harsher villains find such methods just as useful as open battle! For them, eliminating or disabling Runealy will simply be an enjoyable step toward much greater power.

Both groups are willing to cooperate with Waldian demons in general, as well as the Dark Fall faction as a whole, for various reasons. Some of them are deeply uncomfortable with this but see no other choice, feeling that any allies are better than none when fighting a princess with her special order of magical knights plus friends she has made on Earth. Others see kindred spirits in the darkness, ones who can help advance their goals in a show of mutual and sincere support. There are also those who feel they are simply manipulating others, and weigh favors given versus help received in return in the hopes they will be the long-term winner in such an arrangement. All of them will help Dark Fall members carry out various schemes, but expect assistance with their own plans in return.

Note that demon influence has degrees to it. At the minimum, it simply warps that person's interests and morals while still leaving their free-will mostly intact. At the extreme end, it can amount to outright possession; such characters may appear to have the full range of emotion and intellect you would expect of a person, but this is actually a front being put on by the demon guiding them. Interpretations between these two extremes are also acceptable.

It is common for such villains to seek out other allies. They might lie in order to present a more favorable image and attract followers, or offer wealth to those who would serve them for the right price. Well aware that they are the junior partner in any demon contract, most villains want to expand their own power base in hopes of one day turning the tables on their 'sponsor.'

It bears repeating that characters in this category don't have to be from Lormia. While they would be the ones with the strongest motives or historically-related justifications, people closer to the capital could be involved too. Such individuals might feel slighted by the previous queen (Lene, Rune's mother) or by Rune herself for various reasons. Perhaps your character was from a family loyal to the throne and placed in authority over part of Lormia, only to be recalled to the royal capital when Lene restored a previously deposed family to power in the province. Maybe they're a merchant who felt snubbed their proposals to exploit the devastated region failed to earn 'favored trade status' arrangements from Lene, and now seek to eliminate the royal family before securing better deals with Lormian leaders. They might even just feel Runealy is dangerously incompetent. So long as they have some reason to participate in social/political intrigue, they can fit in well with this setting!

Most human villains in this setting have some kind of excuse/justification for seeking Runealy's downfall even though her family is required to maintain the anti-demon Barrier. They might believe that there are other ways to power this ward and discovering one will make the royal family unnecessary. Or that by the time it does fall, they'll be strong enough to fend off the demon army themselves. Some want the Barrier to collapse, thinking the resulting flood of monsters will provide them or their heirs a vast army to command. Most of these reasons are wrong, but one can sincerely believe something that isn't true.

This group of villains fall into two categories: temporary and permanent antagonists. If temporary, your character is willing to be won over by the heroes. Their concerns can be realistically addressed over time, things can be set right, and forgiveness both to and from the villain is possible. Temporary antagonists will either stand down or join the heroes once satisfied that cooperating with them is the best way to resolve the villain's problem, and may seek to provide restitution to those they hurt. The demon-granted power within them can either be removed or purified at this point, likely involving a mix of destroying their sponsor demon (which would effectively end the contract) and a special ritual (which heals the lingering darkness within). Such characters would then probably need another power source, but the specifics of this can be worked out as needed. This will also probably remove them from Dark Fall by default, though the more sympathetic among them are likely delighted to be away from a group they only allied with out of apparent necessity. This route is best pursued by those who have generally sympathetic motives, or those whose actions are more strongly influenced by the demon power within them than normal and need extraordinary help before they can abandon their evil path. Temporary antagonists who are later redeemed will generally lose their Power of Darkness aspect.

Resolving a Temporary Antagonist's concerns should take real time and effort. Don't make it too easy; feel free to have them reject initial offers of help, and require multiple shows of good faith by the heroes before they stand down.

Permanent antagonists are so set in their ways that no amount of convincing, help, and understanding by the heroes will likely sway them. They will try to advance their goals by any means open to them, gladly cross moral lines on a regular basis, and keep expanding their sinister ambitions. They are the sort of people who would continue their plans to conquer or ruin various worlds even if problems in the Lormia province are resolved; having tasted power and seen how many opportunities lie beyond their home, they no longer care to turn back. Villains with more sympathetic motives can be permanent as well, though this requires them to be truly convinced that the Waldian royal line is irredeemable and Runealy must be removed from power; one is effectively saying that no amount of good done by the Guardian Princess and her allies, no outpouring of kindness, can resolve this villain's overall concerns.

Such humans generally shouldn't be 'monsters of the day.' Their motives are too deep for one-shot rampages to be all they're after. One supposes that 'generic assassin' encounters and things of that sort might work, but they should be very rare and used cautiously; please consult with Runealy's player and staff before doing anything like this!

Demons

By far the most consistent and easily understood category of characters in this setting, demons are embodiments of evil. They exist to spread suffering and ruin, hoping to devastate as many worlds as possible; even those interested in conquest wish to leave survivors in a bleak and miserable existence. Realizing their ranks have been greatly diminished by the Barrier sealing most of them away, the remaining demons love to tempt people with offers of power. This dark influence can make normally moral individuals cross lines they otherwise wouldn't, and demons find turning someone into a 'cruel puppet' this way to be very satisfying. This allows them to fight by proxy, though demons are quite willing to accompany their 'dupes' into battle if they see a good opportunity.

Demons get along fairly well with the Dark Fall faction. Some see them as allies of convenience, others feel they genuinely share the same goals, and a few believe they can manipulate this group over the long-term. Members of Dark Fall can generally ask for and easily receive help from these monsters, but the relationship is expected to work both ways; they'll do something for an ally but will want assistance in return later on.

Almost all of them want to kill or disable Princess Runealy. She is the only remaining heir to the royal family's anti-demon magic at this time, and if she is eliminated then the Barrier will inevitably collapse within a matter of decades. That would in turn release an entire army of monsters, which virtually guarantees their long-term victory. Some are fine with letting Runealy live, but only because they think it would be great fun to force the defeated princess to watch others suffer... a fitting punishment for her role in extending the time that most of Waldia's demons will have to remain trapped in the abyss.

Some demons are surprisingly intelligent and patient, willing to pursue detailed plans if it helps achieve their goals. They enjoy inflicting physical pain, but are even more satisfied by emotional wounds. They're very aware of the value of 'individual tragedy'; widespread devastation might make a magical girl unhappy, but hurting someone close to them can prompt a grief-stricken sobbing fit that demons find deeply enjoyable. This allows some of them to take a strong personal interest in Tokyo's protectors, helping the demon learn how to make any given trauma much more personal. This should be used as a motive to take an interest in characters beyond the GPR cast.

While they already have a decent group of followers through the use of demon contracts with people from Lormia, these monsters are willing to tempt others into siding with them. They might offer favors in return for help at a later time, or trick someone into feeling they share goals with these monsters. Overtly offering magical power is best done either to those who aren't already powered, or as a trick. Already powered characters having 'two magic sources' can be a potential theme problem, so please consult with staff (not Runealy's player, but staff themselves) if you have any plans like that. Temporary or permanent demonic influence (or outright possession, in some cases) might be possible, but must be done with extreme care; consult with staff and the relevant players before making any such moves.

Demons are virtually always Permanent antagonists. They are made of evil energy, delight in cruelty, and generally can't be won over by any show of love and kindness. Redeeming such a monster would be a once-in-a-lifetime event if it ever happens. These are genuinely horrible, hateful beings who want to see others suffer, and the world would generally be better off without them.

'Monster of the Day' style demons are possible. Only a handful of monsters avoided being pulled into Waldia's demon-sealing Barrier, making their numbers limited. While most demons are smart enough to pursue long-term plans, a few have simply given in to their base desires and lash out. Players may freely 'GM' the latter type but this should not be done in excess; too many rampaging demons presents some thematic issues. GMs interested in running GPR demons will find some quick and handy notes at Monsters of the Day!

FAQs

This section handles various general topics that applicants might wonder about.

How are we handling the Origin Story Round Robin? - At your discretion. If you do not wish to participate in it, then your character's origin can either be handled in the background/history section of the application, or you can contact Runealy's player for potential GMing or other solutions. There is no one uniform answer to this, so we'll be flexible in trying to meet your needs.

How does the portal to Waldia and Earth behave? - It is generally dormant, and only recharges 'at the speed of plot demand.' If a new character needs to cross over to Earth, the portal works just long enough to do so and then stops functioning again. If someone needs to retrieve a plot-critical item from Waldia, they can quickly go back to get it and then return to Tokyo as soon as possible. The route is open if the narrative needs it to be for very specific reasons, but it is otherwise always closed in order to keep the day to day action on Earth.

What School does the cast go to? - The vast majority of them attend Ohtori. It makes the most social sense, given GPR characters tend to be from wealthy noble families or find themselves elevated to such upon taking the Guardian Knights Oath. It is also the school most suited for the 'high drama' aspects of this theme. Therefore, heroic and villainous characters of school age should probably go to Ohtori Academy. If your character isn't enrolled in Ohtori, then they likely don't have a school at all. Villains bear further clarification. Humans who are too old for school probably shouldn't be there. Demons should effect some kind of magical disguise if they wish to attend school (it is a good opportunity to study their potential targets, so this isn't as ridiculous as it might seem at first).

Are mascots available? Yes! Animal-style mascots may exist as a NPC attached to a full PC, or applied for as separate characters. Waldian wildlife is similar to Europe's with modest differences. Examples range from completely normal birds, to frogs with jewels grown into their back. Avoid fantastic or supernatural forms; griffons, dragons, and so on generally don't exist on Waldia. Mascots have all the abilities their Earth equivalents would (bird mascots can fly, for example) but no magical abilities. All mascots are intelligent and can talk, though they are either extremely unusual for their kind (your dog mascot is probably the only Waldian dog able to talk) or a genuinely unique creature.

Can I get more information on weapon design? - While most characters wield medieval weaponry supplemented by magic, there are some things that outright aren't allowed. On the other hand, creative use of magic can enable things you wouldn't normally expect. Steampunk, modern, and sci-fi weapons are generally banned. Firearms in general are also banned, even ones that might have existed in real-life feudal times. However, you might be able to make equivalents in some cases. If your character uses a wand that they want to hold like a firearm, simply give it a basic grip that enables this; nobody is going to have trouble with the wand curving such that it has a distinct handle. This gives the character a wand that fires energy or elemental blasts, but is vaguely gun-like. This is basically the best compromise available in the setting.

Or let's say your character wants an equivalent to a real-world or sci-fi 'flashbang' that sprays disorienting light and sound over an area. A lightning user might have a special gem that can store their electrical magic, which they throw at the target. The jewel could then release this flash of light and thunder to achieve the same effect, followed by flying back to its owner's hand for later re-use. If you want an elemental or energy sword instead of a sword supplemented by magic, the character could have a small wand that shapes their element into a blade. The key is to take the concept and make it magical; part of something wondrous that character owns rather than something mundane they got off a store shelf. Should you be uncertain whether an idea is sufficiently 'magic', feel free to ask for input. These examples are very broad, and if your idea still works after some noun swapping (“fire” instead of “ice”, etc.) then it's probably okay.

Remember that while all those options are available to demons, they also tend to make significant use of natural weapons. Blades coming out of their shoulders, sharp teeth, and so on are all fine additions. Those who do use manufactured weapons tend to have ones of a visibly 'sinister' design, with jagged edges and other twisted aspects to them.

Only one demon in the setting has the exact trait of three fire-emitting claws on each arm. This demon is Queen Lene's killer, and this specific feature is their telltale sign; Runealy will react strongly to that clue about her mother's murderer. Your demon character may have things that don't fit that exact description, however. Three claws with another energy type is fine. Four claws and fire is likewise okay. Only the specific combination of three claws with fire is restricted to a single particular demon character, whose design must be discussed prior to application.

Can I design another Waldian region for my character to be from? - Maybe, but you'll have to be very careful about this. We're trying to avoid making the political situation too complex, because that can bog down the narrative; Guardian Princess Runealy is primarily a magical girl story, like other settings on Battle Fantasia. This isn't an outright 'no', but please understand the obstacles to accomplishing this are pretty high; you'll have to convince both Runealy's player and staff that your idea is worth modifying the theme's geopolitical design over. Most characters should be from the capital district and its surrounding towns, or have previously worked at the castle before going to Earth, or from the Lormia province. Other regions probably exist, but we're merely not using them at this time in order to keep things simple.

Can people from Earth join? - This would be rare, but not impossible. Runealy might recruit someone from Earth if they showed incredible interest and loyalty. This is a very high standard however, and she will not casually provide the spark of power to awaken their magical potential as a Guardian Knight. In the event something like this did happen, they could either keep their Earth name or take on a Waldian name.

Obviously, people from Earth cannot be demons from this series. Someone from Earth could contract with one, but this would be infrequent and must be discussed before we allow the concept for application. Villains that manage to recruit someone from Earth are likely doing so only on a 'social' or employment basis, with no transfer of power involved (this is to avoid 'two power sources' theme issues).

I have other questions. Who should I talk to? Runealy Waldia's player is your best bet; feel free to page or @mail!