[GUIDE] WTF IS A NATURAL ABILITY and more!

[Marushii]

ALL ABOUT CHARACTER NATURAL ABILITIES:

All members of Halloween begin with ONE natural ability. These "natural abilities" are skills that are shared with their entire species, however whether or not they can perform said ability is dependent on their "clan." The term "clan" in Halloween merely refers to a select group of a species that shares the same natural ability. Clans in this game are up to the players to create, and there can be more than one clan with the same natural ability.

If there is more than one natural ability listed in the species guide, characters do NOT get both abilities. These merely represent the abilities known and used in play. Players are not limited to these abilities and are free to create their own ability as long as it relates to the character's species. A frost demon being able to spit fire makes no sense, but a frost demon being able to breathe frost IS doable.

Natural abilities are a skill used in a character's daily life. It is a skill they use again and again, and has NO EFFECT in a combat situation.

When a character reaches the next year (Year 2/3), they can choose to either gain a new natural ability OR improve their current natural ability. Please keep in mind that when making a new natural ability, it will be accessible to any future questers and should be able to be used by another member of your students' species. Natural abilities are NOT unique per character! In addition, natural abilities must be approved by staff prior to IC use.  

[Marushii]

YOU MAY ONLY BEGIN WITH ONE NATURAL ABILITY!

Some species in our info guides have more than one natural ability listed. Take a look at the Grim Reaper entry, for example:

Quote:

Grim Reaper:
xxxxxCommon Desc: These were originally considered agents of death that would go to the Human World to harvest souls. Usually the more souls they harvested the stronger the reaper. These days, their ancestors enjoy a life of tranquility due to the Reaper Examination Tests that all Reapers must do before they can adventure to the Human World upon graduation. Grim Reapers generally carry a scythe-like weapon.
xxxxxNatural Ability:
xxxxxxxxxx • Shadow Shift: For a few crucial seconds, grim reapers can shift into a shadowy, wispy intangible substance. They cannot sadly, pass through walls this way.
xxxxxxxxxx • Sense Soul: A Grim Reaper has the ability to pin-point exactly when a soul ready to be reaped is. While in Halloweentown, this ability merely lets them pinpoint the exact location of ghosts -- there are no souls to be reaped in Halloween Town.

Grim Reapers have two natural abilities: Shadow Shift (allows them to turn briefly into a shadow), and Sense Soul (allows them to know where ghosts are). Even though both natural abilities are listed, you may only pick ONE. In the game, these two natural abilities are represented by at least two Grim Reaper clans: one group specializes in being able to turn into a shadow, the other specializes in finding souls. Depending on which clan your character comes from, they can either turn into a shadow OR sense souls.

In order to have both natural abilities, the character must reach Year 2 and take the other ability they do not have. In picking up an additional ability, their current ability will not increase in power.

For example, a Grim Reaper that has Shadow Shifting can either pick up the ability to sense souls or improve their shadow shifting ability. Should they perform the latter, there are several ways they can go about it: they can increase the length of time they turn into a shadow, twist the shadow into various horrifying shapes, or even learn how to slip under doors as a shadow.

So long as the natural ability relates to the character and species, just about anything goes!  

[Marushii]

HALP I NEED AN ADMIN'S APPROVAL

To request approval for an additional natural ability, please fill the following out:

[color=blue][size=16][b]Natural Ability Addition Request[/b][/size][/color]
[b]Character Name:[/b]
[b]Character Race:[/b] Demon/Ghost/Monster/Reaper/Undead
[b]Character Subspecies:[/b]
[b]Character's Natural Ability/Abilities:[/b]
[b]What Year Is Your Character Now?:[/b]
[b]Natural Ability Request:[/b]

If during role-play, you discover that you don't use your character's natural ability that much or if at all, you may request to change your character's natural ability. You may only do this ONCE.

[color=green][size=16][b]Natural Ability Change Request[/b][/size][/color]
[b]Character Name:[/b]
[b]Character Race:[/b] Demon/Ghost/Monster/Reaper/Undead
[b]Character Subspecies:[/b]
[b]Character's Natural Ability/Abilities:[/b]
[b]Proposed New Natural Ability:[/b]
[b]Reason:[/b] Why do you want to change your natural ability?

 

[demon_pachabel]

Natural Ability Addition Request
Character Name: Shehk Iordanescu (Previously Shehk Strigoi prior to IC Adoption)
Character Race: Undead
Character Subspecie: Pricolici
Character's Natural Ability/Abilities: Shifting (Wolf Form --> Humanoid Form)
What Year Is Your Character Now?: Year 2
Natural Ability Request:

Okay, I asked about this in Q-and-A stuff so it's more of a 'Passive Ability' Request that can be picked up by several races in the same way Shehk did, so rather than a 'Racial' natural ability it's a 'anybody under circumstances' ability:

Fog Breath - Prolonged exposure to certain types of 'living' fog (noted by being more dense and giving a feeling of suffocation to the breather) for more than a couple of weeks can leave one with the ability to exhale fog. Exhaling too much of it in a short period of time can leave a person wheezing and/or with the hiccups. This is a conscious ability, so the user won't just be walking around coughing up fog all over without intending to.  

[Bilious]

Natural Ability Addition Request
Character Name: Christof
Character Race: Undead
Character Subspecie: Patchwork/Igor
Character's Natural Ability/Abilities: Interchangeable Parts
What Year Is Your Character Now?: Y2
Natural Ability Request: As a Y2 student, his ability with interchangeable parts now allows him to "summon" the last part he used magnetically back into place, albeit rickety until secured somehow? If he falls off the roof again, for instance, he'd be able to drag back arms or legs (or a head) that's lost and somewhat put himself back together. It might take a bit of time to get his aim just right though, when it comes to multiple lost parts. Like a sort of magnetism to his "soul" via increased fear.

In short: Upgraded "Interchangeable Parts"  

[kuropeco]

Natural Ability Addition Request
Character Name: Ren.
Character Race: Monster.
Character Subspecie: Gryphon.
Character's Natural Ability/Abilities: Shifting back and forth between human and gryphon form.
What Year Is Your Character Now?: Y2.
Natural Ability Request: Being able to shift certain body parts back and forth between human and animal. For example, his hands elongating into the eagle talons of his natural form without shifting entirely into the form.  

[lizbot]

Pach: ~ that sounds fine (and Emily is horrified for her friend)

Bili: it sounds fine ~ although I'd recc leaving out the term "summoning" as that makes it sound like he's all like "poof! got that part back yeaaah!" rather than having his bits just magically drawn toward his core being.

Kuro: as long as the animal parts are gryphon parts then that sounds kosher ~  

[Chobi_Chocobo]

Natural Ability Addition Request
Character Name: Tahki Yuki
Character Race: Monster
Character Subspecie: Arctic Gryphon
Character's Natural Ability/Abilities: Healing feather
What Year Is Your Character Now?: Y2
Natural Ability Request:
Warm in icy situations - gives her a slight advantage in the cold : ]

Natural Ability Change Request
Character Name: Charlie Night
Character Race: Demon
Character Subspecie: Fallen Angel
Character's Natural Ability/Abilities: He can sense when a friend is sad
Proposed New Natural Ability: He can feed off of sadness
Reason: Trolololol. I feel the original is not really a super natural thing and more of something most PEOPLE can do.  

[poke mattix]

Natural Ability Addition Request
Character Name: Astra
Character Race: Reaper
Character Subspecie: Fae/Fairy/pixie/SAME THING
Character's Natural Ability/Abilities: Shapeshifting
What Year Is Your Character Now?: Y2
Natural Ability Request:

If possible I'd like Astra to upgrade her shapeshifting ability to the point where she is able to change a few features of her body. Basically she could make her eyes glow red, nails grow sharper, and she grows jaggered teeth. Also, at times she'll be able to change how tall she is, from being as tall as a normal 16 year old would be to about half her current size (is good for sneaking) She would be able to hold this for about 10-15 minutes at the most.  

[Sosiqui]

Natural Ability Addition Request
Character Name: L.C. Malodore
Character Race: Undead
Character Subspecies: Plague Doctor
Character's Natural Ability/Abilities: Immunity: Immune to the symptoms/effects of germs.
What Year Is Your Character Now?: Two
Natural Ability Request: Upgraded Immunity: Partial immunity to FEAR-infections as well. Maybe 25%-50% chance of 'dodging' FEAR-infection? ~o_o~  

[lizbot]

Chobi:
Tahki's is fine
For Charlie do you mean like ~ get a bit of an energy boost off of sadness? If so that's fine.

Poke:
At some point we really need to figure out a better subspecies for Astra (the majority of those listed, your normal fae/fairies/pixies fall under demons. The most fitting for a fairy-like reaper would be the Slaugh imo)
For the shapeshifting, you'll need pick one. So she can either do the major height change or weaponize herself with pointy teeth and claw-nails, but not both.

Sosos: to be honest I really don't see how that would ever even show up in RP. I mean it's ok, but just....are you sure?  

[Sosiqui]

You're right! How about this?

Natural Ability Addition Request
Character Name: L.C. Malodore
Character Race: Undead
Character Subspecies: Plague Doctor
Character's Natural Ability/Abilities: Immunity: Immune to the symptoms/effects of germs.
What Year Is Your Character Now?: Two
Natural Ability Request: Adding: Minor empathy! Bleed-over from hanging out with/bonding with Riley so damn much. Also useful for a (future) doctor yes?

Basically, Mal can somewhat sense emotion within a very short range (say a 1 foot radius? or touch-activated?). This sensing is not consciously controlled and can't be targeted, much like, say, sharp hearing. It cannot be used to read thoughts, nor can it influence others' emotions in any way. Mal might sense, for example, that someone is feeling sad, even if they're disguising the physical 'tells' of the emotion, but it wouldn't know why the person was sad. Just that the emotion was there.

Extremely powerful emotions at close range may overwhelm/give Mal a headache.

How's that sound? ~o_o~  

[lizbot]

That sounds good to me ~ would you want to shift it to something more science-y sounding for him? Like a sensitivity/growing awareness to the shifts certain emotions cause in body chemistry?  

[Sosiqui]

lizbot

That sounds good to me ~ would you want to shift it to something more science-y sounding for him? Like a sensitivity/growing awareness to the shifts certain emotions cause in body chemistry?

Splendid, I am excited! And nah, I think I'll just keep it as empathy, if that's okay. XD Make it more clearly mental/damn mindflayer's fault. wink