❦ ░░ ⋮ r e v o l u t i o n MA⋮ID⋮EN ⋮ O/A ❦

What is most delicious?

Lies	29.0%	[ 18 ]
Truths	8.1%	[ 5 ]
Cupcakes	62.9%	[ 39 ]
Total Votes:			[ 62 ]

[velociraptor screech]

STATUS : OPEN FOR PLAY. THREE RESERVE SLOTS REMAINING.
Reserves are being accepted for Sparkle Damsel, as well as two additional members of the Surf Singers (oceanic motifs). No soloists or duos will be accepted at this time.

❦ W H A T ' S _ T H I S ?

sparkly magical girl roleplay with a dark intrigue heart


❦ A U D I E N C E

designed for bored oldbies, friendly to earnest newbies


❦ I N S P I R A T I O N

magical girls (and boys), authoritarian governments, child soldiers, secrets, lies, murder, sparkles


❦ F A I R _ W A R N I N G

contains dark themes, experimental rules, cupcakes


❦ W H E R E ' S _ W H A T ?

main ____ooc ____ profiles ____ writing help

[velociraptor screech]

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______On the roofs above the city, a glimmering figure was moving.

The girl paused on lip of a curled cornice, the gleaming magnificence of an old copper rooftop spread out behind her. Her limbs' pink sparkle reflected dimly off the aged metal, yet her large eyes seemed to notice nothing of it, narrowed intently on a distant goal. For all her ribbons and frills, her delicate heart of a young girl's face, she jumped buildings with the cynical grace of a tiger.

Finally her motions began to narrow in on a specific target. The tallest building in the city was awash in neon reflected on steel, a gaudy spectacle. Bright light and darkest shadows lay side by side, the gloom all the deeper for the brilliance surrounding it. Up, up, up she jumped, from the tops of neon signs to ledges to support beams, until she reached a particular shadow. The shadow that was too deep. The shadow holding secrets.

She ventured closer, slipping around a jagged piece of rooftop, the glaring lights behind her masking her disappearance into the depths of the alcove. Therein awaited a slender figure tucked in the far corner, illuminated by the faintest blue glow of magic. A pretty girl in an ornate teal and white dress, awash in lace and layers. Her golden hair hung in plaits of impossible thickness, teal and silver charms hanging from the white bows that tied them off.

Anyone in Ys would have known what she was on sight: a magical girl. The sweet champions of light and enforcers of justice. The hands of a benevolent government, kept pure and innocent in their sparkling youth and beauty.

The traveler gave the faintest shiver of excited tension. The wide-eyed expression on her face grew only more so as the other girl opened her mouth and spoke, voice high and girlish, but with a solemnity and a harshness quite unsuited to her young age. "Well? Have you done as I asked?"

Without a word, the first girl held her hand out. In the depths of her pink-clad hand she held a memory chip: gray, ordinary, innocuous. In tiny type, a label could be observed: 'M.A.G.I. Assembly Schedule and Agenda'.

The girl in teal smiled as she took it, vanishing it into a hidden pocket in her lovely dress. When her hand emerged, it held something small, something glimmering dully in the low light. Her pink-clad counterpart took it, breath harsh in her throat, expression solemn. Pulling her hand back, she took a moment to stare at her trophy -- a tiny red and gold pendent, shaped like a carnation.

"Welcome, sister," said the girl in teal. "Welcome to the Revolution Maidens."


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______Bit by bit, the rumors spread. All across Ys, the magical girls hear the stories: about strange things happening in their midst. Girls and boys vanishing unexpectedly. Magical girls spotted committing crimes, not fighting them. Propaganda scrawled across government posters, jagged letters that spell poisonous words, words that undermine the youthful purity so beloved of Ys. Claims that magical girlhood is naught but a bright facade with a rotten core.

Lies, surely. But they linger.

Now the annual Grand Meeting of the Magic Association of Girls Intrepid -- M.A.G.I., as it is always known -- is upon us. And the famous magical girls of Ys gather to attend it with suspicious hearts and uneasy minds. Innocent purity has been corrupted. But why? And to what ends?


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[velociraptor screech]

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______Our story takes place in Ys, a wealthy, modern and populous country located on a large island. Ys is ruled by the benevolently authoritarian Party, a meritocracy sworn to the cause of efficient and modern governance.

No one could doubt that the Party is a blessing, for they bear a celestial seal of approval. In the year after revolution swept the Party into power, a wonder occurred: the magical girls first began to appear. Magical youths they might be called, more accurately -- for there are males amongst them, albeit in smaller numbers than their feminine counterparts -- but the popular imagination has always focused principally on the pretty girl warriors, and the moniker of 'magical girl' has clung even to the boys.

Sparkle Maiden was the first, and fifty years later the original Sparkle Maiden and her seven successors are beloved symbols of Ysian society. She was joined in time by others, many others. Every city in Ys has its magical girls, and even towns, villages and rural areas often play host to their own sparkling protectors.

These magical girls fight demons and crime alike, protecting the civilians of towns and cities from such terrors. Though their civilian identities are strictly secret -- except, of course, from the Party, which enrolls all known magical girls in an organization called the Magical Association of Girls Intrepid (or M.A.G.I.) - magical girls are beloved celebrities and sources of hometown pride.

But cracks are showing in this sparkling new order. A rebellion is brewing in Ys, troublemakers who claim -- in lies and fables, surely! -- that the dear Party is in fact a predatory beast that keeps the country prosperous and sedate only through tyranny and suppression. And some of the magical girls have bitten the hand that holds them aloft. Full of wild theories that their cohorts are being exploited and killed by their oh-so-protective government, these lunatics have formed a secret organization dedicated to undermining M.A.G.I. and the government it serves: the Revolution Maiden.


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What's this, then?

Revolution Maiden is an experimental roleplay centered around teenage magic users (known, collectively, as 'magical girls' -- even the boys). These characters live in a world of dark secrets under a sparkly exterior, ruled by a predatory authoritarian government that uses magical girls as public figureheads and private weapons.

Oh? How's it experimental?

RM is a reaction to the vast number of shiny Gaia roleplays that tread water before swiftly dying. On an OOC level, our mission is to encourage and enable roleplayers -- veteran and newcomer alike -- to actually get in this thread and WRITE. In that interest, I (Raptor) have some unusual twists in mind:


❦ We're deemphasizing the traditional 'level' categorizations, which teach bad writing habits in the name of quality control. Don't think about your writing in terms of length. Think about it in terms of response: how much are you giving other members to respond to, and how well are you doing it?

❦ All posts are written in third person cinematic, both to preserve character secrets and to help emphasize the art of showing, not just telling.

❦ Our profile is short and sweet. PLAY with your toys, don't keep them on the shelf in a fancy box!

❦ We're offering a pretty but manageable post layout template to those who don't know how to code their own (or just want to hop right into playing!) This is a compromise between high-gloss roleplayers who crave pretty reading material, and function-first roleplayers who don't like having to spend time worrying about coding.

❦ The secrets-and-intrigue aspect of the roleplay is designed to discourage focusing on long-term character goals, instead emphasizing the here and now.

❦ Rather than being a pure chatterbox, the OOC emphasizes support: you're welcome, for example, to ask other people to beta read your posts. As any experienced writer can tell you -- no matter how good we are, it's always good to get a second pair of eyes.



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[velociraptor screech]

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______Please do not simply breeze past this! RM has some slightly different rules from the standard Barton Town roleplay, and you may run into trouble if you don't take the time to read them over.

❦ The basic rules of any Barton Town roleplay apply. Don't break the TOS: no explicit gore, no explicit sex. (I don't care about swearing.) I'm a fairly gentle overlord, so don't hesitate to ask questions or raise concerns, because I won't bite -- but I reserve the right of final call. Treat others the way you want to be treated.

❦ So, about the literacy level. We're not following the traditional categorizations. I expect you to spellcheck and use proper English, but we won't be measuring post quality by paragraph. When writing posts for RM, your primary objective is providing content for other participants to work off of.

To ensure this, rather than asking for a specific number of paragraphs, I'm asking for hooks. A hook is here defined as a character action that other characters can respond to: something vocal (a greeting, a question, a statement, a speech, etc.), or something physical (hopping up and down on one foot, walking through a doorway, making an expression, using an attack, etc. etc.)

You'll be asked to provide a minimum of three in each post. This isn't as simple as tossing up three lines and calling it a day! Since the name of the game is providing interesting material for other people to read and respond to, you're going to want to put some thought into storytelling: make your hooks interesting and appealing for other people to respond to.

❦ Here's the other thing about writing for this roleplay. Revolution Maiden is about secrets -- and that applies both ICly and OOCly. This means two things!

You may NOT reveal your character's true allegiance (to M.A.G.I. or to the Revolution Maidens) except through their IC actions. No talking about it in the OOC!

All posts must be written in third person cinematic POV. This means you write your posts as if you're a non-telepathic camera watching someone else's actions. Inner thoughts and feelings should only be hinted at through observable phenomena -- expressions, vocal tones, body posture, etc.

A guide to cinematic posting and additional tips and tricks will be posted before the roleplay goes 'live'.

❦ What about activity? Please post in the OOC at least once a week, so I know you're alive. After your profile is accepted and posted, you have a maximum of one week to post an intro into the main thread. After that, your obligations are simply to respond within a week of being 'tagged' at the end of someone's post. I encourage working out an explicit posting order, especially if your character is part of a larger group: that way no one gets skipped, and you'll always have a rough idea of how soon you'll need to finish your post.

If you fail to post within that one week time frame, the DM (i.e., Raptor) steps in and makes a short post moving the character off-stage in some simple way, freeing their posting partners to continue without them, and giving the late player another week to make a post moving their character back into the action. I will do this a maximum of three times: the fourth off-screen removal is permanent, and you're out of the roleplay! Likewise if you fall to post for your off-screen'd character within two weeks. Play with your toys.

One exception: if you need to hiatus, that's fine, as long as you tell me before you vanish. If it becomes a recurrent problem, we'll talk.

❦ A few final things. Anime-style images only, please. Two character maximum per participant. No .gifs in posts, good grief. You should have a posting layout, but it doesn't have to be complicated -- though please steer clear of super light text colors, they're hard to read. Additional rules may be added when and as needed.


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[velociraptor screech]

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______Magical girls are a relatively new phenomenon in Ys: the first, the original Sparkle Maiden, appeared fifty years ago. In the decades since, magical girls have begun to appear all across the country. Every city has at least one, when they don't have a full team, and even towns and rural areas may have a magical girl of their own. There's quite a bit of variety in the realm of magical girls, but all of them follow certain consistent patterns.

How do you become a magical girl, anyway?

You don't choose to be a magical girl: it's destiny. Within six months of his or her thirteenth birthday, every magical girl will either find their transformation object, or be given it by their cute little animal mascot (if they have a cute little animal mascot). For reasons unknown, no magical girl has ever had their first transformation after that six month point.

Here's the basic run-down.

Magical girls are thirteen- to nineteen-year-old youths (both male and female) who possess a magical object that allows them to transform into a fancily-attired magical superhero. The magical objects are tied to locations, passing from magically-selected recipient to magically-selected recipient as tenures end. Each magical object has a 'motif' attached to it: the theme reflected in the magical girl's name and powers. When transformed, magical girls all have shared baseline powers (jumping very high and far, going without sleep for long periods, resisting physical harm except from magic-based attacks), and four individual attacks of their own.

A magical girl's power gradually degrades as she gets older. Thirteen-year-olds are very powerful, nineteen-year-olds aren't that much more powerful than a regular human being.

Specific questions answered in greater detail behind the cut!


❦ What are you looking for in motifs?

There are two major restrictions on motifs: don't pick anything too edgy for a children's television show (so no, like, stripper magical girls), and be considerate to others by not picking motifs that are too 'broad' and might preclude too many other concepts. 'Magic', for example, is a little too general. 'Stage magic', on the other hand, is 100% kosher. This is sort of a subjective assessment, so if you're not 100% sure your motif will work, feel free to ask Raptor!

Motifs can be very literal -- fire or water, for example, an animal, an object -- or rather esoteric -- as in concepts like truth or beauty. While there are motifs that are quite similar to each other, no motif is outright duplicated. Nor does any magical girl ever have more than one motif. You can't be fire and water, or truth and beauty.

Motifs are tied to their transformation objects, which are tied to their locations. If a magical girl with a certain motif shows up in a city, her successor will have the same motif.

❦ How about the names?

They're always in the format of 'Sparkle [Word]. Two words only, and the first has to be 'Sparkle'. Yes -- even for the boys. The second word is always at least marginally related to their motif, although the connection doesn't need to be crystal clear.

❦ How about those transformation objects?

Shifting from one's civilian self to one's magical self isn't as easy as just wanting to do it. Transformation objects take the forms of everyday objects like pens, makeup compacts, lockets, watches, rings, or even cellphones. Once their object is in hand and they've summoned forth its powers (the words tend to vary from magical girl to magical girl), they're swirled around in a dramatic display as their magic replaces their regular clothing with their costume. There's often music. Almost all magical girls strike a dramatic pose in the immediate moments after, and shout their name and a threat at their opponents. No one knows why this happens, or why it's all but compulsory: it just happens.

❦ And their costumes?

This is more than just the fancy attire they wear (though it is often VERY fancy). Magical girls are disguised in every significant way: their voices change, their faces change, their hair changes. Unless someone actually witnesses a magical girl's transformation, there's absolutely nothing to tie the magical girl to her civilian identity.

❦ Okay, so. Give me a little more information about the magical powers thing.

You have a fair bit of freedom with these, as long as they fit the general 'magical girl' feel: their magic is always beautiful to look at, even when it's extremely hazardous. Younger magical girls can dish out attacks that could total a city bus, older girls are more likely to be limited to magical sniper shots, distractions, and defensive maneuvers. While the strength differs, all magical girls have four distinct magical moves, either offensive or defensive, all of which must be namedropped before use.

Bear in mind you don't 'win' the roleplay by having the most powerful character. This is an intrigue game, remember? Also bear in mind that because magic is so subjective, powers are subject to Raptor's approval. Don't set your heart on anything in particular -- this is the NUMBER ONE thing you're most likely to be asked to tweak.

There is an additional set of inherent powers associated with being a magical girl. All magical girls can jump great distances. All magical girls can go with very little sleep for prolonged periods of time, allowing them to maintain a normal civilian life in the daytime and go demon- and crimefighting at night. And, until the very tail end of their careers, all magical girls are highly resistant to mundane conventional weapons, and may only be injured magically.

There are no combo attacks per se, but teammates may be accustomed to combining their separate attacks into a single offensive.

There are no known ways to get power upgrades. However, magical girls may come prepackaged with two powers that are weaker/stronger versions of the same basic attack.

❦ What's this about them having a time limit?

A peculiar aspect of magical girlhood is that magical girls lose their strength as they age. A thirteen year old newbie might well be able to total a city bus in a single attack; in five years, that same girl might be reduced to using her magic as a distraction, and relying on physical attacks for actual oomph. Note that in a fight between a young magical girl and an old one, the younger girl is not always favored! Power loss is gradual and can be adjusted to, and a canny older girl is likely to have a much better idea of how to use her powers and how to think strategically during a fight.

❦ Can they have cute animal mascots?

Yes. Keep them small and non-dangerous, please! These guys serve as information sources, mentors, and companions, not fighters.

❦ Can they have weapons?

Yup. They don't need them, but they're certainly permitted.

❦ Are they parts of teams?

City-dwelling magical girls are, in teams of up to five, proportional to their city size. Their motifs will typically follow a certain 'theme'. For example, Keris, Ys's largest city and capitol, is protected by a team of five, each of whom bears as a motif a traditional youthful virtue: these are Sparkle Maiden (motif: kindness), Sparkle Damsel (motif: curiosity), Sparkle Mademoiselle (motif: pluck) , Sparkle Ingenue (motif: innocence), and Sparkle Knight (motif: courage). This team is the oldest in Ys, and is currently on its 8th roster.

Small cities are the territories of duos. Towns, villages, and rural areas produce soloists, magical girls with no connection to any other magical girls.

Within the context of the roleplay, there are two 'seeder' teams with predetermined slots. All other magical girls are either soloists or part of participant-made teams, which may or may not be open for application (creator's prerogative).

Traditionally, magical girls do not leave their territories, and if they must, they remain in their civilian guises. To do otherwise is a procedure breach punished by M.A.G.I. Thus, the only time magical girls from different parts of Ys ever meet is at M.A.G.I.'s annual meeting.


Hey, what do they fight, anyway?

Demons, mostly. These are monsters that show up almost every night in Ysian cities and towns. Some are mindless bloodthirsty killers, interested only in killing and eating human flesh. Others are almost human in shape, intelligent and subtle in their machinations. All demons are, of course, quite evil.

No one's quite certain what demons are, or how they got here. There are mentions of them in Ysian history books, but certainly their numbers seem to have increased dramatically in the years since the revolution swept the Party into power. A common theory maintains demons are a celestial punishment for sins... or perhaps a form of magical terrorism from one of Ys's many rival countries.

The crazies in the Revolution Maiden have their own theory. They claim demons aren't otherwordly at all: that the Party is somehow manufacturing them. That's impossible, of course -- everyone knows you can't do that.


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[velociraptor screech]

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______Revolution Maiden's factions work a liiiiittle differently than those in most roleplays. We're an intrigue game, after all. Rather than two clearly distinct factions, we instead have a faction within a faction: a whispered enigma lurking in the shadows, its members maintaining their pretense of loyalty to the general cause.

M.A.G.I.: The Magical Association of Girls Intrepid

No matter who your character is, he or she is on M.A.G.I.'s membership rolls. In fact, ALL magical girls are members of M.A.G.I.: the Ysian government requires it. Not that any magical girl has ever refused this privilege, of course -- why would they? It's a wonderful honor.

M.A.G.I. serves two explicit purposes, and a third purpose never mentioned to the public.

First, with its Party ties (and, thus, access to the civilian identities of all magical girls) it's the only organization able to contact all magical girls working in Ys, making it the only possible facilitator both for the yearly meeting of all Ysian magical girls, as well as the main coordinator during major crises. If a magical girl team is being overwhelmed by particularly strong or numerous demons in their territory, it's M.A.G.I. they appeal to for reinforcements.

Second, M.A.G.I. recognizes new magical girls when they appear, and informs them of the rules. These rules include: minimize property damage and civilian casualties, keep your identity secret, don't abuse your powers for your personal gain, and don't infringe on another magical girl's territory unless M.A.G.I. gives you clearance. Infractions are dealt with at the annual meeting. In the most severe cases, M.A.G.I. knows a dangerous secret: how to permanently remove a magical girl's powers.

The third and final purpose of M.A.G.I. is to monitor and identify those magical girls powerful and loyal enough to take additional little jobs from the government. Only those magical girls who have been approached know what these jobs are, exactly. But if you believe some of the darker rumors (stemming from the treacherous mouths of the Revolution Maiden, surely) they can be sabotage, thefts, distractions -- even assassinations.

M.A.G.I. is under the leadership of the current bearer of the Sparkle Maiden title, as well as the rest of her team, the Sparkling Youth -- the most venerable team of magical girls in Ys. (Now in their 8th roster.)

The Revolution Maiden

No one's quite sure when exactly this started, or who is leading it. Its membership is cloaked in shadow. Some magical girls don't even believe they really exist. But most people agree: Revolution Maiden has one purpose, and one purpose only: to bring down M.A.G.I., and the Party.

What are Revolution Maiden members told? They're told that all the evils in Ysian society come from the machinations of the Party leadership. They're told that the Party actually hates and fears magical girls, and constrains them to rules and regulations only because it cannot otherwise control them. They're told that the true reason magical girls are taught to keep their identities secret is to avoid revealing the truth that every magical girl is murdered the moment her magic is weak enough to leave her vulnerable to the government's forces. And they're told that those demons magical girls fight? The Party made them.

And they're told one other thing: that when the time is right, they'll strike back.

Revolution Maiden membership is EXTREMELY secret, and even its staunchest loyalists will only know the identities of the magical girl who recruited them, and any recruits they themselves collect. To be caught out as a member of Revolution Maiden would be subject to the severest of punishments.

Revolution Maiden members have only one thing to identify themselves. Somewhere on their person, they will bear a small charm shaped like a red carnation: the symbol of Revolution Maiden.

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[velociraptor screech]

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❦ T E A M S

░░░░ the S P A R K L I N G _ Y O U T H
The original and most venerable group of magical girls in Ys, the Sparkling Youth are national heroes and celebrities. Sparkle Maiden is the de facto leader of all magical girls. She and her team are also the leaders of M.A.G.I. Tied together by a group motif of 'youthful virtues', they are centered in the capital city of Keris.







SPARKLE ❦ MAIDEN
motif of kindness
DM-run NPC
x
x
x






SPARKLE ❦ DAMSEL
motif of curiosity
OPEN - female, 13 to 15 years old
x
x
x






SPARKLE ❦ MADEMOISELLE
motif of creativity
PLAYED by velociraptor screech
x
x
x






SPARKLE ❦ INGENUE
motif of innocence
PLAYED by Follower of Orion
x
x
x






SPARKLE ❦ KNIGHT
motif of courage
PLAYED by Shuuchi
x
x
x





░░░░ the P U R E _ M A I D E N S
Generally considered second only to the Sparkling Youth, the Pure Maidens are likewise national celebrities. They are the only team whose members all possess wings. Tied together by a group motif of 'religion', the quartet is centered in the city of Taran.







SPARKLE ❦ PURE
motif of purification
PLAYED by Follower of Orion
x
x
x






SPARKLE ❦ PURGE
motif of banishment
PLAYED by sick sheep
x
x
x





SPARKLE ❦ SERAPH
motif of growth
PLAYED by katty_angel
x
x
x





SPARKLE ❦ REAPER
motif of decay
PLAYED by katty_angel
x
x
x





░░░░ G L I T T E R _ F R E Q U E N C Y
A young team from a young city, Glitter Frequency are not yet Ysian household names, but they're on the rise. Tied together by a group motif of 'physical sciences', they are appropriately centered in the university city of Newton, home to Ys's foremost scientists.







SPARKLE ❦ SOUND
motif of music
PLAYED by TheOverCalculator
x
x
x






SPARKLE ❦ PRISM
motif of the light spectrum
PLAYED by Eoskara
x
x
x







SPARKLE ❦ BARO
motif of pressure
PLAYED by velociraptor screech
x
x
x





░░░░ P R E T T Y _ Y E A R
A well-known and respected team, Pretty Year is known for the diversity and flexibility its motifs give it. Tied together by a group motif of 'the seasons', they are centered out of CITY THAT NEEDS TO BE NAMED.








SPARKLE ❦ CHILL
motif of winter
PLAYED by eggsbert
x
x
x






SPARKLE ❦ BLOSSOM
motif of spring
PLAYED by Mercedeish
x
x
x






SPARKLE ❦ SUNRISE
motif of summer
PLAYED by 13tash07
x
x
x






SPARKLE ❦ SPLENDOUR
motif of autumn
PLAYED by Eoskara
x
x
x





░░░░ the S U R F _ S I N G E R S
A long time duo, the Surf Singers have just recently expanded into a trio with the emergence of a new member, reflecting boom times in their seaside city. Reflecting the importance the ocean has long served to Ysian life, this team is tied together by 'oceanic' motifs, and is centered in the old port city of Whitecliff.







SPARKLE ❦ CORAL
motif of coral reefs
PLAYED by vague and vogue
x
x
x


Two open slots! Suggested motifs include: storms, seabirds, squid/octopuses, fish, dolphins, tsunamis, sailors, shipwrecks, tropics, and many many more.



░░░░ the S H I M M E R _ M E N A G E R I E
A team from the most ancient city in Ys, Caerleon, a place seeped in folklore and myth. They are tied together by motifs of mythical beasts.







SPARKLE ❦ PHOENIX
motif of the phoenix
PLAYED by Caliah
x
x
x






SPARKLE ❦ NYMPH
motif of nymphs
RESERVED by 13tash07
x
x
x






SPARKLE ❦ BLAZE
motif of dragons
PLAYED by eggsberts
x
x
x






SPARKLE ❦ DOLEM
motif of golems
PLAYED by Corvosier
x
x
x





❦ D U O S
░░░░ S W E E T _ T O N I C
TEAM INFO NEEDED!







SPARKLE ❦ CURE
motif of health
PLAYED by jezebelian
x
x
x






SPARKLE ❦ SWEET
motif of candy
PLAYED by sick sheep
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TEAM INFO NEEDED!








SPARKLE ❦ MOON
motif of Easter zodiac
PLAYED by krogans
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SPARKLE ❦ STARSIGN
motif of Western zodiac
PLAYED by Little Miss Randomness
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░░░░ P A I R _ O F _ M E D I C S
TEAM INFO NEEDED!







SPARKLE ❦ REMEDY
motif of toxins
PLAYED by LIBRAtion
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SPARKLE ❦ BOOBOO
motif of medical supplies
PLAYED by Mercedish
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❦ S O L O I S T S








SPARKLE ❦ SLEEPYTIME
motif of sleep
PLAYED by Little Miss Randomness
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SPARKLE ❦ BUNNY
motif of Easter
PLAYED by Light_SpiritCat
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[velociraptor screech]

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______So, you made it through ALL THAT TEXT and you'd still like to participate? Marvelous!

What should I keep in mind?

Concepts to be careful about:

❦ Magical girls who aren't of Ysian heritage (i.e. quasi-Anglo). Magical girls of immigrant heritage do happen, although they need to be second-generation immigrants at least. Bear in mind that Ys has a lot of anti-immigrant sentiment, so 'foreign-blood' magical girls face prejudice in their everyday lives. Those who can't or don't hide their heritage in their magical girl personas catch flack from the public, and often aren't as beloved as their peers.
❦ Magical girls who are defiant of M.A.G.I.'s rules. They can be done, but must walk a very narrow line. A magical girl who is too unruly can find themselves in dire circumstances VERY quickly.


Concepts that are no-go:

❦ Magical girls whose families know they're magical girls. Magical girl identities are SECRET, even from their own flesh and blood. A character's parents may have their suspicions, but it is absolutely forbidden to reveal your secret to ANYONE. Even teammates aren't supposed to reveal their civilian names, though enforcement is lax if they're the same age.
❦ Magical girls who aren't part of M.A.G.I. For starters, all magical girls in Ys are automatically in M.A.G.I. More to the point, if your character isn't in M.A.G.I., they would have no reason to be involved in the roleplay's story! Your choice is between M.A.G.I. members who are loyal to M.A.G.I. or M.A.G.I. members who are loyal to the Revolution Maiden.
❦ Characters who are younger than 13 or older than 19. Magical girls are never younger than 13, and so rarely make it past 19 it happens once a decade. Stay in the regular range.
❦ Soloists or duos (for now). Sorry, but we're only accepting reserves for the remaining open team slots!


How do I reserve a slot?

Please send a PM to velociraptor screech titled with your requested character: i.e. 'Sparkle Pure', 'Sparkle Motion', what have you. I currently have a turnaround of within 24 hours.

In this PM, you will provide the following:

❦ A 100 x 100 pixel picture of your character.
❦ Character motif
❦ Character allegiance: M.A.G.I. or Revolution Maiden
❦ A one paragraph 'elevator speech' about this character, including their real civilian name. If you had 30 seconds to explain this person's background and personality, what would you say?

And that's it! It's easiest for me to handle the coding myself, so I'mma gonna.

Once my reserve is accepted, then what?

It's time to make your profile! The profile code is below. You can choose to change 'color1', 'color2' and 'color3' to hues of your choice -- though please make sure text colors are dark enough to be read. Images are to be no wider than 350 pixels.

Once your profile is ready, it's time to shoot it to Raptor in a PM! Title the PM by your character name, and C&P your profile code in there. Don't freak out if the code gets a little screwy looking -- PMs will do that sometimes.

I ask that you give me up to 48 hours to review your profile. My turnaround is usually faster, but these are slightly more in-depth than the reserves! Don't freak out if you're asked to tweak something, by the by; I don't do it to be mean, I swear.

Only once you have my go-ahead will you post in the profile thread. As soon as your profile is up, you're good to go and able to post in the main thread! Huzzah!

Code below the cut!




[imgright]<Character image here. No wider than 350 pixels, please!>[/imgright][size=30][color=color1]»»»[/color][color=color2]『[/color][color=color3] M . A . G . I . [color=white]_[/color] F I L E S [/color][color=color2]』[/color][/size]
[color=color2][align=center][size=15][i]↳ information on member [size=20] <CHARACTER TITLE IN ALL CAPS HERE - i.e. 'SPARKLE MOTION'>[/size][/color][color=color2]
[color=color1][align=center]═══════════════════════════════════
[color=color2]═══════════════════════════════════[/color]
═══════════════════════════════════[/align][/color]

[size=11][size=20][b][color=color1]⇲⇲[/color]【 [color=color3]O V E R V I E W[/color] 】[color=color1]⇲[/color][/b][/size]

[size=12][b] [[ A G E ]][/b] [/size] [i]is[/i].... <age here>

[size=12][b] [[ M O T I F ]][/b] [/size] [i]is[/i].... <motif here>

[size=12][b] [[ T E A M [color=white]_[/color] A F F I L I A T I O N ]][/b] [/size] [i]is[/i].... <IF they are on a team, list it here. Otherwise, put 'Soloist'.>

[size=12][b] [[ P U B L I C [color=white]_[/color] P E R S O N A ]][/b] [/size] [i]is[/i].... <What sort of public image do they have? Bear in mind magical girls are celebrities. Are they a crowd pleaser? A showboat? An enigma? Do they talk to the press? Do they sign autographs?&

[size=12][b] [[ F I G H T I N G [color=white]_[/color] S T Y L E ]][/b] [/size] [i]is[/i].... <How do they act in a fight? Are they calm? Wild? Do they charge right in or do they take their time and analyze the situation? Do they cling to their team or do they go off on their own?&

[size=20][b][color=color1]⇲⇲[/color]【 [color=color3]M A G I C[/color] 】[color=color1]⇲[/color][/b][/size]

[size=12][b] [[ F I R S T [color=white]_[/color] P O W E R ]][/b] [/size] [i]is[/i].... <First power, with the name in bold. Describe what it looks like, what it does, and what the limits on it are.>

[size=12][b] [[ S E C O N D [color=white]_[/color] P O W E R ]][/b] [/size] [i]is[/i].... <Second verse, same as the first.>

[size=12][b] [[ T H I R D [color=white]_[/color] P O W E R ]][/b] [/size] [i]is[/i].... <You probably know how this works by now.>

[size=12][b] [[ F O U R T H [color=white]_[/color] P O W E R ]][/b] [/size] [i]is[/i].... <Huzzah, you're almost done!>

[size=20][b][color=color1]⇲⇲[/color]【 [color=color3]O T H E R[/color] 】[color=color1]⇲[/color][/b][/size]

[size=12][b] [[ W E A P O N ]][/b] [/size] [i]is[/i].... <not required, but optional>

[size=12][b] [[ P E T ]][/b] [/size] [i]is[/i].... <do they have a cute little sidekick? Give me a name and a description, please!>

[size=12][b] [[ P U P P E T E E R ]][/b] [/size] [i]is[/i].... <your Gaia moniker goes here!>

[color=color1][align=center]═══════════════════════════════════
[color=color2]═══════════════════════════════════[/color]
═══════════════════════════════════[/align][/color]


What about that free post layout you mentioned before? And are there things I should keep in mind if designing my own?

It's right below. You can see an example of what it looks like here. Any member of Revolution Maiden has full permission to use it at any time -- you do not need Raptor's go-ahead. If you want to use it as a base and tweak it to your liking, you're also 100% in the clear to do so. I recommend saving your code with cut-and-pasted color choices to a test thread of your own, to avoid having to mess around when you want to post to main.

If making your own post layout, PLEASE, no crazily huge images -- if you're taking up more than 400 pixels on the side of your post in pure picture, you're probably going a little overboard. Please make sure not to use super tiny text sizes for the regular post text -- size 10 font is about the smallest you should go. DO NOT USE VERY PALE COLORS FOR YOUR FONT. If I can't read it without squinting or highlighting, you will be asked to change it.


[imgright]< Character image here! No more than 350 pixels wide, please, and check your dimensions to make sure it isn't being skewed! NOTE FOR PHOTOBUCKET USERS: please make sure to modify your urls to include an 'o' in the first part after the http://, i.e. http://oi1300.photobucket.com/longassurltofollow.jpg. This is out of consideration for your fellow players who are Firefox users -- Photobucket and Firefox play poorly together. >[/imgright]
[size=30][color=color1]»»»[/color][color=color2]『[/color][color=color3] M . A . G . I . [color=white]_[/color] C O M M U N I Q U E [/color][color=color2]』[/color][/size]
[color=color2][align=center][size=15][i]↳ the actions of member [size=20] <CHARACTER TITLE IN ALL CAPS HERE - i.e. 'SPARKLE MOTION'>[/size][/color][color=color2]
[color=color1][align=center]═══════════════════════════════════[/align]
[align=center][size=9][color=color2]< Typical character quote here: i.e. "I am Sparkle Maiden, celestial guardian of kindness! In the name of pure youth, cease and desist!" >[/color][/size]

═══════════════════════════════════[/align][/color]

[color=color2][size=11]Text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text.

[color=color3][b]"Speech speech speech speech speech speech speech speech speech speech speech speech speech speech speech speech speech speech speech speech speech speech speech speech speech speech speech speech speech speech speech."[/b][/color]

[size=30][color=color1]»»»[/color][/size]
[list][list][list][color=color2]location: location they're at
with: with whom?
next tagged: next person tagged[/color][/size][/list][/list][/list]



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[velociraptor screech]

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______As you may have gathered, this roleplay has a... certain depth of information. The information that follows is not required reading material, exactly -- but it's definitely worth a peruse if you have questions. There's a good shot the answer is in here... and if it's not, once I've answered it, I'll probably add it!

Additional information about the roleplay in general



How many roles are there?

Literally speaking, 2 x however many people are in the roleplay. There is no set 'cap' on recruitment and joining, with reserves for new players being opened and closed at my discretion. Once we get to the point of freeze #1, I'll set up an alerts thread for any person who missed the deadline but wants to be alerted once new players are being taken again.

How strictly plotted out is this roleplay?

Variable. There's a lot of framework built, and a broad plotline we're going to follow, but also a lot of room for players to go wild. I view my role as DM as guidance, not dictatorship.

If you're told 'no' to something you wanted to do with a character concept, it's generally not because I hate the idea, but because for one reason or another it will break the roleplay's theme. Please try to not get too attached to your cool ideas before talking to me -- sometimes I'm going to have to turn it down, even if I like it a lot, because there's secret info you're not currently privy to.

Speaking of those secrets... how many are there?

Three major plot twists and turns that will be hinted at before their eventual reveal. Any number of minor secrets, many of them within the hands of players.



Additional information about Ys



How do you pronounce that, anyway?

Sort of like 'ease', but more precisely like the 'eece' at the end of 'fleece', or 'geese'. The name comes from a mythological sunken city in ancient British folklore.

Other than the authoritarian government, what's Ys like?

Wealthy and modern. Ys is a really nice place on the surface, and if you don't dig too deep into things you can go your whole life thinking you live in the most wonderful country in the world. The cities are clean (in the parts the middle and upper classes visit), with beautiful and high-tech buildings full of colorful shops fueling a materialistic and consumerist society. The news talks a lot about good things that are happening, and very little about crime, poverty, or social unrest. Party-focused news is almost ALWAYS positive -- with little dashes of mild and unimportant 'failure' stories to keep from looking too perfect. The schools have an excellent curriculum, determined by the Party, which stresses patriotism and talks about how great Ys is in all things.

But if you're not middle or upper class, Ys is... not quite as nice. Poor neighborhoods and non-tourist attraction rural areas have a lot of crime and grime. People vanish a lot, without explanation. Ironically, it's often the Ysian poor who are most loyal to the country, perhaps in part because of the constant message they receive that their status would be far worse in other countries.

Intriguingly enough, the monsters magical girls fight almost always are spotted in middle class or upper class areas. Thus, magical girls can themselves stay quite sheltered, and the camera crews that come to shoot footage of them can show pretty, well-groomed neighborhoods.

What's the real-life cultural equivalent of Ys?

Revolutionverse is a minimalist version of real life Earth, where each country corresponds with a general RL culture. Ys is the 'Anglo' culture, e.g. British, American, Canadian, Australian, etc. Ysian names are mostly 'native English speaker' names, although children from immigrant families may have names referencing their outside ancestry.

Do they have religions?

There's a Ysian Church that's quasi-Christian, and most Ysians believe in things like celestial blessings. Other religions exist in other countries. Outside of motif nods, religion isn't likely to be a major focus of the story.

Is there immigration, and how are immigrants treated?

There's immigration, mostly poor people from former Ysian colonies. Fusang and Kusha have both contributed large groups of immigrants, historically, but immigration from those countries is currently limited (although not actually banned).

Immigrants tend to work in low-paying menial jobs, and are often subtly or explicitly steered towards living in ethnic ghettos. There are of course exceptions, immigrants who have made it big in Ys -- and those exceptions are used to excuse away the treatment of the others. Obviously they just don't want it enough, you know?

Ysian society is fairly xenophobic, although like any culture it varies from individual to individual. Immigrants' children are still officially Ysian citizens, and attend Ysian schools, but even those who are third or fourth generation are likely to often feel like outsiders. Even the nicest and most accepting Ysians tend to take as a given that their culture is the BEST, and other cultures are at least marginally inferior.

How are magical girls perceived in Ys?

Becoming a magical girl is an immediate ticket to fame beyond your wildest dreams. Magical girls are venerated in Ys on a level not entirely dissimilar to a state-sponsored cult, and it's not uncommon for a Ysian to be able to name most -- or even all -- known magical girls. Everyone has a favorite. In Ys, magical girldom is THE fandom above all other fandoms, endorsed by the state and permeating every corner of society.

Given the materialistic bent of Ysian culture, it should be no surprise this often means stuff. Amongst other things, every incarnation of every magical girl gets: dolls, plush toys, trading cards, action figures, posters, coloring books, costumes, etc. etc. etc. etc. (Cosplayers are common, and costume contests are quite popular.) Every new generation sees tell-all books supposedly written by retired magical girls, all portraying the life as glamorous and wonderful. Magical girls aren't able to collect the profits for the use of their image due to their secret identities, making them especially tempting for companies. The fact that a magical girl typically has a five to six year working lifespan is another benefit -- because all the merchandise must be reissued to inaugurate a newbie, even when she is nearly identical to her predecessor! The old merchandise becomes valuable collector's items.

The Ysian government does regulate some usage of magical girl imagery, of course -- it would never do to allow the heroines to be soiled by showing them scandalously, after all.

There is also a thriving industry centered around fictional magical girls. The humorous Sparkling Mineral Water is the star of a much beloved comic strip, and she's also the mascot for several products, most notably (and obviously) the Magi-Cola line of sodas and sparkling waters. The Magical Miss franchise is closely akin to the real world's Pretty Cure, showing the lives of magical girls in various fictional cities as they go on many exciting adventures. The franchise just wrapped up its fifth installment, Magical Miss Sparkling Stars, which traumatized a generation of youngsters (and danced a fine line of censorship rules) by portraying an 'evil' magical girl -- a portrayal only permitted because the villain turned out to be a demon in disguise.




Additional information about Revolutionverse



What other countries are there?

Several, but certainly fewer than there are in real life. This roleplay is set solely in Ys and doesn't have that much to do with Revolutionverse international politics, so countries will be named and described only when it's necessary.

Four known foreign countries are:


❦ Fusang. Its people and language are called Fusanese. Fusang is the umbrella 'East Asian' culture, with pieces of Chinese, Korean and Japanese language and culture in it. For a few centuries part of Fusang was under the now defunct Ysian Empire's control; as a result, the two countries have many connections to each other... but also plenty of lingering resentments. Fusang is poorer than Ys, but considerably more politically liberal, and its government is often accused of being the true force behind Ysian revolutionaries. On the other hand, Fusang is Ys's single most important trading partner. It's complicated.

❦ Kusha. Its people and language are called Kushites. Kusha is the umbrella 'Middle Eastern' culture, with pieces of Arab, Persian, Turkish and Jewish language and culture in it. The entirety of Kusha used to be Ysian colonies, and the fact that Kushites managed a humiliating underdog victory against their conquerors is still smarting nearly a century after. Fusang and Kusha are buddies, and Kusha is very much influenced by Fusanese political philosophy.

❦ Kumari Kandam. Called Kumari for short; its people and language are called Kumarians. Kumari is the umbrella 'Southeast Asian' culture, with bits and pieces of Indian, Pakistani, Indonesian, etc. heritage. Kumari is another of the former Ysian colonies, and the most recently independent, standing on its own feet only for the last 60 years or so. In fact, the process by which Kumari gained its independence -- which was largely non-violent and made good use of diplomatic and strategic blunders by the Ysian government -- is the thing that started the downward slide in Ys that ushered the Party into power. Kumari is in a delicate position; it doesn't exactly love Ys in general or the Party in particular, but it absolutely relies on the Ysian market, so it's in no position to make waves.

❦ Trapananda. Its people and language are called Trapanians. The first on our list to have never been been under explicit Ysian dominion, Trapananda is the umbrella 'Latino' culture, akin to Spain and its former colonies in the Americas. An ancient enemy of Ys, medieval hostilities have since given way to a respectful -- if not exactly friendly -- relationship. Trapananda has complex internal politics and is similar to Ys in the authoritarian bent to its governing style; however, revolution ten years ago turned the country from a Ysian-like right-wing authoritarian state to a left-wing authoritarian state. While the two countries maintain a careful politeness in their dealings with each other, Trapanian immigrants -- once reasonably welcomed, if never numerous -- are now very rare.


Are there magical girls outside of Ys?

There are not. There's a reason for this... and I'm not telling you what it is. :3

Is there other magic?

Minor spells and lucky or unlucky objects exist, and some superstitions are true. Traditional Ysian belief says there are lost forms of extremely powerful magic, and the ancient Ysian kings and queens ruled using them. But it isn't a magic-heavy world, by and large. Magical girls are a very flashy exception to the rule.




Additional information about magical girls



How many magical girls are there in Ys, anyway?

About two hundred, give or take a few. There are thirteen cities in Ys large enough to take a team of three or more, with the rest spread out across small cities, towns, villages and rural areas.

How old is M.A.G.I.?

This upcoming meeting will be the 45th annual gathering. They've been around for quite a while.

How similar are the different generations of a particular magical girl role to each other?

In terms of appearance, weaponry, powers and pets, pretty similar -- but with slight mutations for every new iteration. Over several incarnations, they can change quite a bit. The modern Sparkling Youth all have noticeably different powers, costumes, etc. than the original team.

How do new magical girls learn the ropes?

Largely through trial and error. If they're lucky enough to have an older magical girl on their team, or a knowledgeable pet, they may be mentored. During the M.A.G.I. annual meeting, there are seminars for the newbies. But there's nothing as efficient or sophisticated as magical girl prep schools, or long distance mentoring programs: the rules about maintaining your territory prohibit it.

Bear in mind that a newly powered magical girl is VERY HARD to kill. The lack of official guidance isn't likely to get them killed, though it can certainly mean unnecessary property damage.

How do they get their transformation objects, anyway?

Varies from person to person. Some people get them fairly dramatically, stumbling upon them while fleeing a demon. Some people are given them by one of the pets. Some people just find a pretty trinket by seeming accident and pick it up.

What happens when they run out of power at the end of their tenure? Do they know when it's coming?

Their transformation object vanishes, signalling that their tenure is over, and another magical girl will take their place while they go back to being regular civilians. At least, that's what everyone is told -- it always happens in private, and no magical girl has ever witnessed another 'graduate'. They'll have a rough feel for when it's going to happen, but not an exact date.

What happens when a demon is killed?

The government takes care of it. There are street cleaner teams specializing in exactly this.




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[velociraptor screech]

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______Writing is a highly personal art, and every writer develops their own style by dint of experience. Therefore, the purpose of this guide is not to dictate exactly how you should approach putting together your posts, but to provide some input into some roleplay-specific tips and tricks. Like the F.A.Q., this section is always under construction. Roleplay members who have a particular trick they'd like to bring up are more than welcome to talk to me about writing a section!

About cinematic posting



Posting in cinematic POV is a big part of Revolution Maiden, and one of our selling points -- very few Gaia roleplays use this format, despite its benefits for roleplay! You may be saying to yourself, "Okay, but what is cinematic posting and how do I do it?" Never fear -- it's actually pretty straightforward!

Cinematic is a form of writing where you write as if playing the part of a camera in a movie, observing character behavior without delving into their innermost thoughts or revealing any information that an observer couldn't witness. It's the ultimate in showing, not telling.

Rather than revealing character thought patterns, you only hint at them by showing the outward signs: what the character says, what expression they have on their face, what they do. The reader learns character feelings and motives only when they reveal them by their actions. This style is traditionally a hallmark of action and mystery novels, because it allows the writer to keep the reader in suspense about character motive. As RM is an intrigue roleplay with a glossy outer coating of magical girl, sticking to cinematic posting lets us keep our secrets, heightening the tension.

By way of example, here's a short post written in third person:


Sparkle Baro chewed anxiously on her lip, watching the demon move below. She could see her teammate prone on the ground behind a pile of rubble, but she wasn't sure what to do. Oh, she thought, anxiously, wincing as she tapped her injured fingers against steel, I wish we had listened to the others' advice about looking where we leap! The monster suddenly paused and sniffed the air, scenting out the unconscious girl in the collapsed building. Moving on instinct, Baro dropped from her hidden position, gathering a ball of pressure in her hands even as she did so. No way was she allowing some demon to eat her friend! "PRESSURE BLAST!"

And here's that same post, written in cinematic:


Sparkle Baro chewed anxiously on her lip, her green eyes gleaming in the shadowed gloom as she tracked the movements over the monster below. Occasionally her gaze flicked, mouth twitching in a tense line, down towards a particular spot in the rubble below: the prone form of another bright-clad young woman was just visible amongst the collapsed brickwork and support beams, half covered by the pink fluff of insulation. A deep 'v' of worry formed between Baro's brows, deepening into a wince as she drummed her bloodied fingers on the steel support of her hiding place. The monster suddenly paused and sniffed the air, its jagged skull turning slowly towards the sheltering ruins. Just as suddenly, the red and blue figure of Sparkle Baro burst from her hiding place, dropping down towards the ruinous battlefield. Even as she fell, pretty young face marred by a fierce snarl of defiance, she drew into her injured hands an ethereal white glow. "PRESSURE BLAST!"

Learning how to do this can be a little challenging, if you're used to the third person limited perspective that almost every Gaia roleplay uses. Don't worry -- you won't be penalized for mistakes. Think of this as a way to flex your writing muscles and improve your descriptive powers.



About posting orders



These are not strictly required, but they're strongly encouraged. Most roleplays fall into these, anyway, just by the natural human desire to make sure everyone in the group gets a fair chance to contribute. A posting order is the rotation in which members post: Player A goes, then Player B responds to Player A, then Player C responds to A and B, then Player A goes again and responds to B and C, etc. etc. It can be helpful to agree upon an official posting order, because this lets you know for sure when your turn is.

Posting orders become impossible to maintain if a lot of characters are in the same place (I'd say six+ is the cutoff point). When this happens, the best thing to do is pick a posting partner or two -- characters in the crowd your character is primarily interacting with. After your posting partner(s) post, it's your turn -- you don't have to wait on EVERYONE in the group to respond before you do. (Although if you and your partner(s) are making up the majority of the scene, you may be asked to slow down and let other people post.) Don't feel obliged to respond to everyone, just those your character is interacting with.



About writing action scenes



For most people, writing conversation is easy, and writing action is HARD. But it's also a lot of fun, and allows characters opportunities to show off their skills. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

❦ Communication is key. You should really always be talking to the people you're roleplaying with, but during action scenes it's especially important. Yes, this a roleplay about secrets, and we don't plan most things out in advance (aside from Raptor's general plot plans, anyway -- and even those are on no set timeline). But don't be afraid to talk to people and find out if they want to plan out parts of action scenes in advance, or even co-write action scene posts together. Having some level of 'script' can make the process smoother, and let you focus on the fun bits of writing about character attacks.

❦ Keep it quick. Unless a post is a collaboration between multiple players, action posts are best kept to one or two paragraphs. No, really -- keep it quick. An action post might well cover five seconds of actual time. Don't write a ton of character moves, because action scenes are all about action/reaction. Make sure you aren't being unkind to those who have to react to you, by giving them TOO MANY things to react to.

❦ Raptor is not the only person who can play DM. Obviously, I have the most pressing DM role in the roleplay. But you are ABSOLUTELY welcome to play DM for each other, if you want to take a few characters out for a jaunt against a demon, or some other adventure. You don't need my permission for it -- go ahead and do it!

❦ Don't obsess about winning. I've known many, many roleplayers who were hampered from greatness by this flaw. These are the players who compulsively play Too Cool characters, and ALWAYS think they deserve to win in a fight scene. And these are the players that tend to find themselves ignored, or avoided, as others figure this out! The truth of the matter is, letting your character fail is more interesting than letting them achieve flawless win after flawless win. Not only is it more interesting from a character reaction standpoint, it makes it more impressive when they do succeed. Plus, it sets you up as a good sport, if you're willing to let others have a place in the sun!




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[velociraptor screech]

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______Revolution Maiden is kicking off as Ys's magical girls gather for the 45th annual M.A.G.I. meeting. This is the only time of the year all the country's magical girls are in the same place, making it a natural time for otherwise disparate magical girls to meet and greet -- and also an excellent time for intrigue. M.A.G.I. is under the leadership of the Sparkling Youth, and meets in their territory as a result: Ys's capital city, Keris.


THE HALL OF MAIDENS



The headquarters of M.A.G.I., a beautiful building in the heart of Ys's upper class district. Serving as the de facto headquarters of the Sparkling Youth the rest of the year (as, after all, they lead M.A.G.I.) this is a lushly decorated and extremely elegant building, filled with meeting halls, sparring grounds, guest quarters (although the esteemed guests do have to share their rooms with at least one other person, for everyone to fit), and even a small ballroom. During the rest of the year, the forested area around the building serves as a public park, but during the M.A.G.I. meeting it is closed off to visitors.


THE MAIDEN'S SHRINE



Dedicated in honor of the first and most venerated magical girl, Sparkle Maiden. Stylized portraits of the first magical girl for every motif fill its alcoves, and it's common to use these portraits as a place to leaving items and messages for the current bearer of the title. The Shrine is where the M.A.G.I. conference begins, with a grand meeting under the watchful gaze of the Maiden's Statue.


THE CITY OF KERIS



Normally off limits due to the territory rights of the Sparkling Youth, during the M.A.G.I. conference any magical girl is free to wander its streets and fights its demons. Keris is the wealthiest city in the world, and a capitalist mecca. The central city is spotlessly clean and beautifully maintained, making it not only rich but beautiful as well -- at least in the parts you see on TV and in magazines.


KERIS COMMERCIAL DISTRICT



The beating heart of this consumer's paradise, the Commercial District is jampacked with just about every business you could imagine in a modern city. And, hey! Magical girls are celebrities -- shops are known to give them steep, steep discounts. Less greedily and more significantly, it is for some reason the primary target of the demons they fight. Keris has at least one demon almost every night, and this is the most likely place they show up.


KERIS SLUMS



Full of immigrants and the Ysian poor, these are almost NEVER seen in Ysian publications, or even referenced. Many Ysians genuinely have no idea Keris has a large and overcrowded underbelly. The city resources that keep the upper city so perfect rarely seem to make it to here, and, while its population does not starve, they cannot get ahead, either. On the plus side, for whatever reason, demons all but never show up in this area -- so of course a magical girl has no particular reason to go here, right? Right.



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[velociraptor screech]

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______This section is not a blow by blow description of everything that happens in the roleplay -- that's called 'reading main' -- but a general summary of major events as they unfold.


Prelude

The 45th annual meeting of M.A.G.I. has begun! Magical girls from around Ys have been arriving in Keris for the past few hours, officially on 'school trips' and 'visits to friends' to avoid raising parental suspicions. They are making their way towards the Hall of Maidens, taking advantage of any quiet corner or abandoned alley they find to transform into their magical identities. The first stop on their agenda: the Hall of Maidens, where Sparkle Maiden will give a speech welcoming her comrades.

But this won't be a humdrum meeting. Something is about to go drastically wrong.


Act I: The Girl In The Shrine

The discovery of a dead girl's body in the Maiden's Shrine grinds the M.A.G.I. meeting to a screeching halt! As magical girls begin to congregate around the area, Sparkle Ingenue -- taking up the leadership role of the strangely absent Sparkle Maiden -- orders all members to go to the dining hall to await further news, though Sparkle Cure argues with the Sparkling Youth's decision to handle the situation themselves. Once all others have left the shrine, however, it is revealed that the Sparkling Youth know who the dead girl is. Meanwhile, spurred by the two younger members of the trio, the Glitter Frequency team disobeys orders and goes to the library, not the dining hall, where they begin to discuss whether demons can pose as magical girls.

Reports of a demon emerging in the Keris Commercial District results in Sparkle Ingenue dispatching the Pretty Year team to deal with it. But the Commercial District isn't the only place harboring demons: Glitter Frequency finds themselves dealing with one much closer to home. Before they can call for help, the situation grows rapidly worse, when three demons attack the magical girls congregated in the dining hall.


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[velociraptor screech]

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______This information is updated periodically. This is not the kind of roleplay that stays on the same hour of the same day for ten pages, although timeskips will be discussed and forewarned before they occur.

❦ Current Date: Saturday, May 1st.

❦ Current Time: Around 1 pm. The M.A.G.I. meeting was scheduled to have begun right around now, but has been delayed by unexpected circumstances.

❦ Current Weather: Sunny and perfect, with only a few puffy white clouds in the sky. There's a slight breeze. The temperature is 65 Fahrenheit/18 Celsius.

❦ Notable current events: The Party is currently holding a meeting discussing instituting Maiden's Day, a holiday in honor of Ys's beloved magical girls. There is a major traffic jam snarling up one of the major thoroughfares, which is unusual in Keris.


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[velociraptor screech]

[velociraptor screech]

OPEN!