[Meta thread] Iron's PokeRole Adventure: The Skull Ruins

[Dragonstrike]

If Heart had to choose a Artefact, I would choose the sword. Heart ancestor warn him about find a sword to be the first step in restored the ArcHeart clan. It is also fitting for the knight theme.

Keep in mind the Sword itself isn't directly related to that long term character goal, though.  If there's anything helpful that Heart will get from finding the sword and saving the region, it's that experience that will help him to lead his clan later once it's restored.  Doesn't necessarily mean he has to be the one who wields the Sword.

[Dragonstrike]

Those edits don't change the fact that you're still putting Iron on the spot and everyone in a potentially uncomfortable situation, Phantom.

[Lord Windos]

I just want to drop a reminder that not everyone is going to be able to wield one.  Yes, I know that most of our characters want to wield one for one reason or another.  There aren't enough of them for everyone to get one, though.  Even more so now that the Scims are probably going to end up with two of them, much to Nathan's displeasure...

I know that very vividly myself, and this is exactly why I've emphasized so heavily on Shiva ending up to wield one. It's THE climax of her very own hero's journey that changes for positive how she sees herself compared to the others of the group and if I'd be, well, deepy disappointed in you @Iron if you'd end up denying me and her this or at least let her play a key role in saving the region - her self-esteem just needs this. :C We've discussed and agreed on her Hero's Journey long ago, and there needs to be an event that serves as the point where her way of looking at herself is thrown upsidedown completely, something that various 'smaller'event's can't do - there must be some sort of critical turning point.

.....Dear, forgive me for saying this, but you're being very insensitive and somewhat underhanded by making such a blatantly pointed and selfish request to us and Iron. Given the deal we struck with the Scimitars, the group only has 2 Artifact/Treasures/Sacred Weapons to work with, which given that there are 4 members who'd want to use them (Not counting me, since I've given up the opportunity so that another may have it/less clawing over the weapons occur) means that half the group will be stiffed a Plot Device Item no matter which way we decide. Going to Iron and trying to cut the rest of the group out of the decision making process for one one of the weapons is tantamount to a 3 v 1 fight/debate over the last remaining Treasure while you get one for 'free' , which smacks me of not only unfair play but just causing needless grief for others.

Yes, getting an Artifact would more or less cement to you/Shiva that they've truly become a person of worth and heroism (And therefore permanently curtail any problems related to self esteem issues), but that's not the only way of doing so. Survivng the Skull Ruins and growing strong/rich from them alone should do that, for starters. Conquering Mt. Sentry, 'Beating' Seikamater and Learning the arcane secrets of Athenuem + Becoming More Than Human should also have done much to assure Shiva she's  not weak, useless, or ordinary. Heck, saving the region once before from the Vines by helping negotiations of such from that eremit (Now strongly implied to be Landerous itself) absolutely SHOULD have banished any thoughts of inadequacy from her - in fact, if it wasn't for Shiva help with summoning Primal Alteria and Lilith, we would have not found the Legend in the first place! Double Heck, Shiva's journey through Cheshire alone should have done much to help her come to terms with her own strength in character, not diminish it. Then there is her own contributions to beating the Scimitars, taking care of Dizzy until they made the transition to becoming Calam, being one the best breeder and craftsman of the region.....and so on and so forth.

Phantom, don't you see? Shiva's already become a heroic, important, and awe-inspiring character, and she should certainly at least acknowledge that she's done great things and become greater for it. She doesn't need an Artifact in order to fulfill her Hero's Journey or 'fix' her, for after everything she's accomplish the fae lady should be MORE than flush with pride, self-worth, and a whole lot of other positive emotions. As Iron themselves put it, Shiva is already one of the most powerful Trainers in the region, despite not being geared towards such a thing and not being particularly interested/invested in becoming what is essentially an Ace Trainer, which makes that all the more amazing, really.

If after EVERYTHING that I've outlined and reinterated is not or has never been enough to make Shiva 'complete' (To be succient) without her having a Artifact, or that her having it is so crucial to your idea of what would make your character 'complete' that you're willing to throw the rest of your friends under the bus and put Iron under pressure to outright give one to you for no other reason that 'Because I THINK my Character NEEDS it! ' .......

I honestly have only this to say: something is either deeply wrong with Shiva if after EVERYTHING she accomplished is not enough validation for her, or you're blowing things out of proportion and undermining everyone, even your own character, for the shake of getting a MaGuffin . Frankly, I'm not sure which is worse, or if they're even mutually exclusive.

To head off any misunderstandings or rebuttals......I'm not trying to be mean by stating all this, dear. I just want you to see that Shiva is already good and accomplished enough that she doesn't NEED an Artifact, and therefore doesn't need you to beg for one straight from the DM and implicitly screw out two other people from getting one (Since the 2nd Artifact the group gets means at least 2/4 people wanting one will get it). If that was the case, I don't think any of us would object giving your character a much needed power boost/pick me up like that. 

Personally, I say that Spira should at least be given one Artifact, as their chara is such a late comer to the campaign and hardly has any of the same Perks/Benefits/Resources as anyone else that getting such a Plot Device would be a very fitting and deserving power up for them. As for everyone else, Nathan more or less is the one that holds access/final say over the Red Chain, is at least on good terms with Mespirt that its possible they'll get together at some point, and the most Pokemon he could Mega Evolve and feasibly use (When the time comes for that), while Heart has both Doublade that can become a Aegislash in the future (Which is pretty much a Plot Deviced Pokemon in Cheshire) and guardian over a Moltres to be, so both of them also don't need a Artifact to be 'good' . I already removed Terra from the selection process, but even if he was being considered he's already tough enough as a Steel Human and has several ways planned of getting Special Pokemon (Including a Weak Genesect, if I can finagle a way of fossilzing/revivng those Parts before Post Game), so even he doesn't need one.

Point is, everyone doesn't need an Artifact so much that they deserve one without due process (Except possibly Spira), so when the time comes when we get the First Artifact, then either we decide diplomatically who gets it, or have Iron randomly determine who'll be the lucky recipient. Those are fair ways of deciding who gets an Artifact, and the most feasible ones in my opinion.

Do you agree, dear? Anyone?

[Spiritmon]

Yeah. Shiva in both my and Heart eyes, is the strongest member of the party. Heck, he even aknowledge her as his rival! And even state she is the strongest in the battle of Cottonee vs Koa. 

I will apal give up in the blade, since we don't need that. Heart already have more than enough perks. The Fire Bless of Jirachi, guardian of Moltres, Earthpower user and Trainer of Doublade. 

But just in case, it would be good if someone get the shield, since it might protect us against Deoxys attacks.

[Mikaruge108]

Spoiler

Personally, I say that Spira should at least be given one Artifact, as their chara is such a late comer to the campaign and hardly has any of the same Perks/Benefits/Resources as anyone else that getting such a Plot Device would be a very fitting and deserving power up for them. As for everyone else, Nathan more or less is the one that holds access/final say over the Red Chain, is at least on good terms with Mesprit that its possible they'll get together at some point, and the most Pokemon he could Mega Evolve and feasibly use (When the time comes for that), while Heart has both Doublade that can become a Aegislash in the future (Which is pretty much a Plot Deviced Pokemon in Cheshire) and guardian over a Moltres to be, so both of them also don't need a Artifact to be 'good' . I already removed Terra from the selection process, but even if he was being considered he's already tough enough as a Steel Human and has several ways planned of getting Special Pokemon (Including a Weak Genesect, if I can finagle a way of fossilizing/reviving those Parts before Post Game), so even he doesn't need one.

This is something that I brought up with Iron via PM, but Spira has a pretty strong connection w/ Darkrai, whether or not its the Plot Deviced one that appeared in Creshire or a lesser one, I don't know yet; (and neither does Spira) and how exactly the connection awakens, I left up to Iron. So he (Spira) does have something that could possibly become a PD, that I am quite looking forward to seeing.

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

(...) Do you agree, dear? Anyone?

I'm not really in the mood to discuss this point, but I do thank you honestly for investing all the time to write such a long post.

For now, I wished to make my point crystalclear as early as possible to prevent later drama; if I sounded offensive, I'm sorry for that, tends to happen when defending something of special importance to me. Shiva's development is going very very well, but I still kinda wish for a critical turning point where her way of seeing herself is completely shred to pieces to make room for a positive attitude and healthy self-esteem/ban all issues concerning this - a chain of events can't do that as efficiently as a critical point, it does prepare the path that leads to turning point. Playing a vital role in having saved the region via wielding one of the ancient Artifacts is the best opportunity for that; I guessed - if GM thinks of something different that provides the same effect and marks the Ultimate Boon, then I happily accept that.

[Iron]

We'll do the True Card at the same time as the Well, just assuming Shiva gets back alive.

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

That's very fine for me, as long as I've got Lilith with me, I'm positive that I'll return alive - that's the second time Shiva's ending up in some parallel dimension due to curiosity. I like this ♡

[Iron]

No one has gone into the Well room yet, correct?

[Dragonstrike]

No one has gone into the Well room yet, correct?

As far as I remember, that's accurate.