How might Nerima change?

[SpaceKnight of Chaos]

Actually, this is something I've just been wondering: does anyone have any suggestions how I should actually open the first chapter of this when I finally get around to writing it? Because, for some reason, I'm drawing a complete blank.

[Gideon020]

I was thinking sorta like the first chapter of Ranma with Yemon arriving at Nerima in the same fashion as Ranma and Genma did and then go on to describe the changes to Nerima since the days of the Nerima Wrecking Crew running around.

[SpaceKnight of Chaos]

Houston, we have a problem. Always wanted to say that. But, seriously, I've been over the 4E MM with a fine-toothed comb and I've found nothing that might serve as Lifen's curse. So now what do we do?

Well... to be honest, I've been doing some thinking, but I'm not sure my ideas are much good. Remembering that we got away with making Mousse's Jusenkyo curse a kitsunomimi in one of our stories, the existence of the 'dragonling' generator at 7th Sanctum, and remembering a race from the Races of the Dragon D&D splatbook -I think they were called Spellscales- I think I might have a unique form for Lifen to take. The Spellscales are draconic beings (that is, the descendants of dragon/mortal pairings), but rather than getting the physical abilities of dragons (flight, super-strength, fire breath, etc), they inherit the draconic affinity for magical energy, and I was thinking that we might use that as a 'base' for Lifen's form.

Basically, when she transforms, her physical capabilities are severely reduced (imagine going from, say, Ranma's level to Kuno's level), but in return she gains mystical capabilities in their place- an instinctive ability to draw upon and shape magical energy. The side-effect is that her form develops, well, draconic traits as a physical manifestation of this- horns, fangs, scaly skin, possibly wings (if we want to let her fly like her dad does), claws, spikes/scale-tendrils for hair, that sort of thing.

I can try my hand at her cursed form's appearance, but only if the two of you have no problems with this idea.

[Heaven's Deamon]

Sounds fine to me.

[SpaceKnight of Chaos]

Well, if you got no problem with it, I'll just wait to see what Gideon020 has to say about the idea. If it does go ahead, I've a few ideas for it:

*Perhaps the form has its own "personality quirks"? That is, when she's in it, it starts influencing her behavior in certain ways/certain situations?

*I think I recall that, in the last edition of D&D, dragons couldn't stand sugar (I recall reading the stats for a "sugar-bomb", a kind of pot that exploded in a cloud of sugar), so what about having it that sugar affects Lifen's draconic form? While her human form has a sweet tooth (which may or may not be a 'crossover' from her other form), her draconic form's appreciation of sugar goes a bit further. Basically, to put it bluntly, sugar not only gives her sugar rushes in "Spellscale" form... it gets her drunk.

*In order to keep Lifen's "dragon magic" different from Sakuya's "wild magic", I was thinking that Lifen's spells are innate, which makes them easier to cast but also limits what she can actually do. Basically, though Lifen can pull her spells off pretty much instantly and without the need for any kind of component (gestures, spell-chants, that sort of thing), she can only cast spells that create, for offensive purpose, a manifestation of one of the elements associated with the dragon- Acid, Fire, Frost, Lightning or Poison. Kind of like a Black Mage from the Final Fantasy series, only her spell-list is restriced to stuff like Thunder and Fire, no Haste or Saber.

[Heaven's Deamon]

Makes sense to me. If she meets Sakuya and is stubborn enough, I could imagine her trying to figure out ways to make element based support spells......which end up backfiring or having side effects whenever she tests them (example: trying to make a lighting element haste type spell, only to find it frizzes her hair)

[SpaceKnight of Chaos]

Yeah, I was thinking that she'd develop a pretty strong envy of Sakuya; not only can she gets all the magics you'd expect of a wizard, while Lifen can't use any magic unless she gets an enchanted item or takes an impromptu cold shower, and in the latter case she's stuck with hurling five flavors of hurt around, which is nice, but not really that impressive.

[SpaceKnight of Chaos]

Just thought I'd try my hand at a "look" for Lifen's cursed form. By the way, anyone got any suggestions for a "species name" to give it? Just so we've got something to refer to it by?

Also, while I'm thinking of it, do you think there might be a humour possibility in the idea that Michiko is initially ignorant as to the mystical elements of her fellow Neo-Crew members? Basically, during the early stages of the story, Yemon tries to hide his link with Okkuu (not to mention Okkuu's yokai nature) from her, Sakuya tries to avoid doing any magic around her, but in the end (perhaps when Lifen shows up?) it all comes out. Like how anime-Ranma tried and actually managed to keep his curse a secret from the other kids at Furinkan (and I don't see why folks call him less secretive than manga-Ranma if he managed to do that), only for it to end up being revealed despite his/her efforts.

Anyway, to get back on topic, for Lifen's draconic form... hmm... I'm thinking she's covered completely in scales, seeing as how Taro's form is covered in fur. She remains human in basic structure, but things alter and shift around a bit- I was thinking she grows taller and more "willowy" in this form, though I'm not sure whether to have it that she grows more or less busty (there's comedic potential in either, don't you think?). Her fingernails lengthen and fuse into her fingers to make them into functional claws (though she lacks the strength in this form to make them into real weapons), but her hands are otherwise perfectly human. Her feet, on the other hand, turn into reptilian paws (see any of the reptile-based K-Girls for a visual).

Her hair withers and drops out in this body; her head is scale-covered and bald, but for a crest of erectable spikes (somewhere between a mohawk and a cockatoo's crest) that transmutes into horn-like scales (scale dreadlocks basically; dig up an image of 4e's Dragonborn and you'll see what I'm talking about) as it goes down the back of her skull and neck until it stops at roughly her shoulderblades. She also has a pair of upwards-curving horns that sprout from her temples.

The 'traditional' set of leathery wings, very large but very delicate, sprouts from her shoulderblades. The scales of the membrane's underside are very brightly coloured and arranged in a dazzling (literally) pattern (beyond this, I don't have a clue what colour(s) her scales are). They do let her fly, but they can't support much more than her own weight. In something of a continuation of the "theme" started by her wings, the tail that sprouts from her rump is likewise very long (about 1.3 to 1.8 times her height) and slender. It's extremely sensitive and actually prehensile, which may be tied to the first part but comes in handy either way- having it stepped on is less like having someone step on your foot and more like having them step on it after it was crushed under a brick.

I'm not sure whether or not to have her eyes change color, but otherwise that's everything I can think of off the top of my head.

[SpaceKnight of Chaos]

Just to let you both know, I've finally got that new computer ordered and it should arrive on... Friday the 20th of June, Australian time.

[Heaven's Deamon]

I don't have any qualms about the appearance, but I'm not the best at naming things unless it's meant to have some form of extra meaning, or is a pun of some sort.

[SpaceKnight of Chaos]

I wonder where Gideon is... if you like it, we just need his opinion on it then. So, what shall we tackle now? Her human-form fighting capabilities and draconic-form spells? Or give Sakuya Gosunkugi her going over so we can do up a profile for her?

[Heaven's Deamon]

I'm not sure where Gideon is, Do you have another way of contacting him? And with him absent, I'd say continue on Lifen at least until he returns.

[Gideon020]

Sorry about being gone, just got Metal Gear Solid 4 and I've been...distracted for lack of a better term.

The appearance of Lifen's cursed form looks suitably bestial and intimidating, and a species name might be a Jakyl Dragon, a flight capable agile dragon that relies on speed in order to take on enemies. Changing eye colors might be good for showing her emotions when I think about it.

As for what to take on next, perhaps draconic abilities followed by fighting abilities?

[SpaceKnight of Chaos]

So, any suggestions for how tall she is, precisely how long her tail is, and whether her bust size alters (and, if yes, how it alters) between forms? Also, when I mentioned her eyes "changing colour", I meant that they might be a different color in draconic form than in human form.

Okay, so we want to do up her abilities then? Alright... now, for 'spells', I was thinking that at this early stage, she's only got one, maybe two spells for each element (which, just to remind, are Acid, Fire, Frost, Lightning and Poison... maybe "element" isn't the right word there...), and each one is based around the manipulation of one damage type. As the story progresses, she might learn either A: how to mix damage types into one spell (creating a shround of "burning ice", ala the red ice from Zelda: Ocarina of Time), B: gain new elements (if we want to keep the D&D motif, Thunder and Radiant, possibly Necrotic and Psychic as well), or C: both A and B. If you two will give me your opinions on this idea/these ideas, I'll list a few possible "first level" spells that've been rattling around inside my brain.

For fighting capabilities in human form... well, we know she's an Amazon, so she'd probably have Amazon special techniques. Hmm... seeing as how Ryoga (and thus, Michiko) never learned the Bakusai Tenketsu, perhaps there'd be a certain... something... in having it that the Breaking Point is one of Lifen's basic moves? It'd probably also be helpful for her to carry over some 'damage reduction' into her cursed form, because otherwise she's pretty breakable.

Once Lifen is done, should we go over Sakuya, or should we discuss the rough outline of what happened in Nerima after Ranma & Shampoo left? Because we will need to know at least the generals of what happened in the past 20 years to help make this story work, after all.

[Gideon020]

Height I'm thinking about six feet tall, tail is four feet so it works well as a whip. As for bust alteration, perhaps Lifen is a cup-size bigger in her cursed form than when she's human.

The spells look pretty good from what I can see with your info and having the Bakusai Tenketsu should be an advantage in a drawn out fight.