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Story Choice 1: Apocalypse Tamer
🕑 Added 2022-02-16 11:27:43 +0000 UTCHi there, as we are approaching the conclusions of Underland and Kairos both (probably around April), it's time to see the future story choices.
The Poll will be posted tomorrow alongside a general update to give you the latest news (including one about the schedule), so you may choose which story choice you're interested in early. That way, I may write down the outline, prepare the tiers etc...
Hope you'll enjoy them.
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“Whoever reaches level 100 first will become Earth’s new Overgod.”
So said the screen as the mysterious genius Anton Maxwell, CEO of Nextek Softwares, summoned the System to Earth. Minutes later, his company’s enchanted servers summoned invaders from alternate realities, woke up ancient gods slumbering beneath the earth, and turned major landmarks into dungeons terraforming the land. The Louvre Museum has become an actual pyramid, flooding Paris’ streets with sand and mummies; the Big Ben spews Victorian horror monsters; and Zeus rises again on Olympus.
All humans on the planet receive a small advance warning and the choice of a starting class; with the “game’s” main rule being that whoever reaches level 100 first will become Earth’s new master. Both Players and invaders immediately form factions as they start a battle royal of worldwide proportions to win the prize, with mankind targeted for extermination by monsters deeming humans as “easy EXP.” Chaos rules.
But Basil Bohen doesn’t give a crap about the end of the world.
A reclusive artist having made enough money on the internet to "retire" early, this Franco-Bulgarian retreated to the house of his dreams deep in the French countryside, living a peaceful life of fishing, farming, and playing Pokemon. Basil prefers the company of his pets to humans, especially his cat Plato, and doesn’t keep up with the news.
When the System comes, Basil unlocks the [Tamer] class… and realizes the end of the world changed little to his lifestyle. Instead of fleeing back to pockets of civilization in search of survivors Walking Dead style, he elects to simply adapt to the new world by domesticating the local monsters, fortifying his property, and waiting for things to calm down. Because things have to calm down eventually, right? Right?
Now, if only people would just leave him alone… he might actually become a god out of self-defense.
Basil feeding his pets, La Bande à Basil. Work by @Dinovoila_arts
Apocalypse Tamer is a “dramedy/semi-satire” take on the System Apocalypse genre, using the same mix of comedy and serious storylines as works like The Perfect Run. The title comes from the fact that Basil’s first and main class is [Tamer], allowing him to recruit monsters and talking beasts in his party (with his lazy housecat Plato as his ‘starter’). Think Pokemon and Shin Megami Tensei crossed with Rune Factory.
Basil himself is an atypical protagonist: humorous, grumpy, tough and no-nonsense, he was already shunning human civilization before the apocalypse and the end of the world changed surprisingly little. A true bear in human form, he turns to “befriending” (aka domesticating) the various sentient monsters in the area and couldn’t care less about becoming a god. Though starting in France, the story will eventually have Basil’s menagerie explore post-apocalypse Eurasia as they grow fed-up with constant attacks and decide to investigate how the apocalypse came about - and hopefully bring peace to the world.
Due to the System’s arrival and function, major landmarks are now dungeons summoning or creating monsters. Large factions have formed among Players and creatures: such as a reborn Olympus, trying to reestablish the old gods’ order; the Crafter-led golem armies of the Technocracy; the dreaded Apocalypse Force led by the Four Horsemen, which seeks to assimilate Earth into their demonic realm; and many more. All of them fight to determine which of their leaders will be Earth’s new Overgod.
The Louvre Dungeon in the ruins of Paris. Art by Enuryn.
The System is a refined version of the one used in Vainqueur and Never Die Twice, and unlike other stories was deliberately summoned to Earth by ambitious humans through technological means. Apocalypse Tamer will also reference other system stories of mine and go into details about how these Systems interact as part of a larger multiverse; and maybe even feature cameos from other works.
In short, pick Apocalypse Tamer if you want an humorous System Apocalypse story that mostly focuses on character interactions & development, exploration, taming monsters, and satirizing end-of-the-world elements.
Comments
Edwin Jose
This gives me beware of chicken vibes I look forward to reading it
Ashlee Jacobsen
Also, Karios has the potential to have a follow on story con you see yourself doing that?
Icaimas
I´m not usuallly into these becoming-god stories, but a recluse who wanted to isolate himself from society slowly becoming god just because he wants peace and quiet sounds amusing. And if it´s an extension on your system multiverse from Vainqueur and co, this has so much promise!
Drew Lim
My pick is Apocalypse trainer. Nothing against women, i even prefer women as leaders in real life in most cases, but when it comes to reading, i prefer Male leads as i can put myself in his shoes or something of the sort.
Ashlee Jacobsen
Are you putting a poll up so we can get accurate numbers??
I need!
Ervin Ughy
Definitely this one! I loved your humor in The Perfect Run, can't wait for more. One thing though to keep in mind: It's sad, but true. Most people judge books by their cover, or in this case, title. Apocalypse Tamer is an awesome title that would lure people in to at least read the description. Leaf & Seed is the sort of title they look at for a nanosecond, then reflexively scroll past.
Definitely rooting for this one! Love the sound of the protag
Void Herald
I answered that question last time too; when I write, I have a very particular vision of a character, including gender, hair color, likes, dislikes etc... I can't imagine Basil as Basilea or Leaf as the Green Man; no more than I can imagine Mario from Super Mario as a woman or Samus Aran from Metroid as a man, because they would be different fictional characters entirely with different identities. It just doesn't work for me. Second, I was interested in a female MC to challenge myself and I was pleasantly surprised when it worked fine with Marianne as the co-protagonist in Underland. It's why I'm comfortable with offering Leaf as the MC in the other story choice.
Subliminary
IIRC you wanted a female protagonist to write. I’m confused why you don’t just outline *both* of your future stories as women. You didn’t do it last time or this time.
Mudcrab with a knife
Apocalypse tamer does seem best
Matthew Lewis Worthington
This is definitely the one prefer a new story that is inspired than a spinoff of a old story sad to see underhand go
Deathburn
I vote for apocalypse tamer
Void Herald
The tone will definitively be closer to the Perfect Run than Vainqueur, yes; with a mix of comedy and serious storylines. Though the main protagonist is quite eccentric, this is a story about someone so unable to fit in modern civilization that the apocalypse changed little for him ;)
Orm
Apocalypse Tamer's premise seems neat! As a Frenchman I bet you have some interesting ideas for the setting. I typically prefer more serious stories though, and couldn't get into Vainqueur for that reason. Would you say Tamer's tone is closer to that or Perfect Run, where the comedy's derived from the protagonist's dysfunction and how he relates to the world?
Sarnon
Hmm, did somebody say 'Pokemon'? Oh hell yeah! This got my vote!
Jacob Gondringer
Apocalypse tamer all te way!
Hi, I personally prefer the Apocalypse Tamer. Seems more interesting, and I'd like to find out what happens once the MC hits Overgod of Earth.
Void Herald
Yes, I intend to refocus on one story at once but produce more chapters of it (instead of two stories two chapters a week).
mhaj58
With both stories ending in April we only get to pick one?
