RMMV Blades of Twilight [Tactical RPG]

[Frostorm]

Here I will post all the info on my project thus far...



Main Features

• Grid-based tactical RPG
• Seamless combat transitions
• On map battles (no side-view battlers)
• Environmental interactions (especially elemental effects)
• Small party size (3) so combat isn't a slog!
• Highly customizable characters
  • 14 skill trees (mix & match)
  • 50 job points to spend in skill trees
  • 150 skill points for attributes and/or skills
• Balanced stat system (all stats are useful!)
• Story-driven crafting system and side quests (WIP)
• Deep equipment system
  • Layered armor system (i.e. wear chainmail underneath plate armor)
  • Rune slots for special procs/effects
  • Gem slots for further fine-tuning
• Story emphasizes the bond between weapon and wielder
  • Bind a Soul Core to a weapon and it becomes sentient
  • Soul Cores grant Weapon Unleashes
  • Soul Weapons (weapons w/ a bound core) gain XP
• Last but not least, we got...
  • VAMPIRES & LYCANS!
  • ELVES & ORCS!
  • 

Setting: The game takes place in a world where magic is commonplace and the civilized races are in a state of cold war. The player's starting town is a village comprised of various outcast Orc clans and Elf tribes. (more on this later) Monsters roam the land, often naturally imbued with magic as well. This will be a Dark Fantasy themed game with some Dungeonpunk thrown in.

Spoiler: Factions

United Hordes of Skar: Named after Warchief Skar Skullgrim, their leader and also known simply as the "Orcish Horde". Formerly just a collection of various Orc clans, Skar's grandfather Orcus, the greatest Warchief in recent memory, was able to unite them nearly a century ago to wage war against the Dwarves. They succeeded in defeating the Dwarves and ended up subjugating them into slavery. Nowadays they have become one of the most powerful nations on the continent and have begun to industrialize, something the other races never imagined Orcs would achieve. This is thanks in no small part to the utilization of Dwarves as slave labor as well as harnessing their innate smithing techniques. Their military is undisputably the mightiest on the continent. Skar would like nothing more than to conquer the entire continent of Ur, but even he understands attempting to do so would mean the other 3 factions would unite against him.

The Scarlet Empire - Located adjacent to the Orcish Empire, they have developed close trade relations with the Orcs. Slavery is legal here as they often purchase Dwarf slaves from the Orcs. The Humans here have better relations with the Orcs than they do with the Elves. They are also more pragmatic and utilitarian than their Human neighbors, the Kindom of Cloudia. Their military is also superior in number compared to the Kindom of Cloudia, mostly due to a more aggressive and expansionist culture. Their primary export primarily consists of the vast raw minerals and resources found within their borders. This makes up for their land's less fertile soil, which often creates jealously and contempt among its citizens who are well aware of Cloudia's bountiful surplus of food. Members of the royal family don't mind however, since they're actually vampires! They rule their kingdom with absolute power and have implemented a strict monetary system. All transactions within The Empire must use Silver and all Gold must immediately be redeemed for Silver. This was enacted as a measure to deter and restrict the movement of Lycans within The Empire. Also, the royals get to hoard the Gold as a result lol.

Kingdom of Cloudia - Located adjacent to the High Elven nation of Ainu'thalas, they naturally have developed close ties with their High Elven neighbors. As a result, they are more spiritual and an inclination towards using magic compared to The Scarlet Empire. Slavery is illegal here and is culturally frowned upon. Despite this, they still maintain good relations with the Scarlets for reasons such as trade, safety (from war), and the mere kinship of being Human. Cloudia's military has a heavier reliance on mages compared to the empire, however. Their primary export includes products made by the kingdom's talented artificers as well as their impressive surplus of food/crops made plentiful due to Cloudia's fertile land.

High Elven nation of Ainu'thalas - Located on the opposite end of the continent from the Orcish Empire, they are far removed from the atrocities taking place there. While they do not condone slavery, they are rather ambivalent towards the plight of the Dwarves. This is mostly due to their perception of Dwarves being "fat, ugly, smelly, and SHORT", all of which are attributes opposite to what High Elves consider ideal. While they do have good relations with the Kingdom of Cloudia, they see them as inferior and second place after themselves. Most High Elves are also innately gifted at magic as well. As a result, their society and culture revolve around using magic in everyday life for even the most mundane activities.

Wild Elf tribes - While they are not considered a nation, there exists a handful of Wild Elf tribes living within various forests throughout the land. They prefer to be in tune with nature than live like their expansionist city dwellers High Elven cousins.

Misc. Orc Clans - Like the Wild Elves, there are a couple of nomadic Orc clans throughout the plains that chose not to assimilate with the Orcish Empire for whatever reason. They typically enjoy hunting in the wilds and living a simple existence.

Spoiler: Myth Zuth'Ash

Myth Zuth'Ash - This is the player's village and home town. Originally founded by a group of Wild Elves and nomadic Orcs who shared a common love for hunting and nature. As a result, a small portion of their population interbred, creating the Uruk'Eldari or Elf/Orc hybrids. The residents of Myth Zuth'Ash are some of the most tolerant and unprejudiced people throughout the land. At some point in the past, Myth Zuth'Ash became a refuge for Elves and Orcs afflicted by Lycanthropy or Vampirism. Today, the residents can be classified into 1 of 5 categories:

• Moonclaw Clan - Orc Lycans
• Bloodfang Clan - Orc Dhampirs
• Lythari Tribe - Elf Lycans
• Sanguri Tribe - Elf Dhampirs
• Uruk'Eldari - Elf/Orc hybrids (Lycanthropy/Vampirism depends on parents)

Uruk'Eldar = singular
Uruk'Eldari = plural

Note: For some reason, an Elf, Orc, or Uruk'Eldar fetus is only viable if both parents are Lycans or both are Dhampirs. If the parents are one of each, the result is a miscarriage or stillborn child.

Note2: Vampires and Dhampirs differ in that Vampires are turned while Dhampirs are born with vampirism. Vampires are typically controlled by their bloodthirst and crave blood like an addiction. This is slightly less prominent if the Vampire was turned at a young age. Dhampirs can walk in the sun and blood serves as a boost instead of a necessity. Noble Vampires are those from the original bloodline of Vampires and are pretty much extinct, save for a handful of individuals. They are exceptions to the rule but are still susceptible to sunlight. Both Noble Vampires and Dhampirs can transform into a monstrous form with bat-like wings. In the case of Dhampirs, this requires extensive training and practice and typically isn't mastered until around age 16-20.

Note3: Werewolves and Lycans differ as well in the same way. Werewolves are turned while Lycans are born with Lycanthropy. Werewolves are usually feral beasts and rarely retain their higher-level thinking. Again, this is less so for those who turned at a young age. Lycans can also transform on-demand instead requiring a full moon, but this still requires practice and again usually isn't mastered until age 16-20. Some Lycans prefer to remain in a partially transformed state, gaining the increased physical prowess while retaining most of their humanoid form (with the exception of having a tail and furry ears).

Over the years, Myth Zuth'Ash gained a reputation for being a village of outcasts and monsters. It doesn't help that the residents are sometimes confused with actual Vampires and Werewolves, which are considered actual monsters. The village rarely interacts with the outside world, the only time they do is to sell their famous and highly sought after enchanted weapons and armor, crafted by the village's master blacksmith. This is the village's main export and primary source of income.

Spoiler: Characters

*Only Myth Zuth'Ash residents so far*

Protagonist – Player can choose 1 of 5 possible characters to play: An Uruk’Eldar (Elf/Orc), a Lythari Elf, A Sanguri Elf, a Bloodfang Orc, or a Moonclaw Orc. The player chooses 1 incubator to save in Prof. Zaos’ lab, while the other 4 are destroyed. This takes place 20 years ago.

• If you choose Uruk'Eldar your racial skill tree will offer divergent lines for Lycanthropy and Vampirism. Once you max out one of them (earliest lv15) you can get the following quest:
  • Rite of the Claw - You will have to fight yourself in a transformed state while you're in base form. This occurs in an "inner battle" so basically your just meditating.
  • Rite of the Fang - Same as above except you fight the Vampire form instead of the Werewolf form.
  • If you max out both lines in the tree, you can do both Rites simultaneously, but you will have to fight a 2v1 battle (extremely difficult). Once you win and obtain your hybrid form, a -50% XP gain penalty will be placed on you for the remainder of the game.
  • You are considered a "late bloomer" because most master their transformations by their late teens, while you have yet to do so by age 20. (Tetra often rubs in this fact)
• If you choose the Half-Elf or Half-Orc race, the villagers will treat you with apprehension and disdain due to your half-Human lineage. This only affects various NPC dialogue/banter in the village. Quests obtained in Myth Zultash will remain the same. However, there will be a few quests available or not available depending on which of the 3 races you choose, all of which are obtained outside of Myth Zultash. Note: After much debate, the half-Human race options have been removed due to it being nonsensical story-wise.

Professor Zaos – A Sanguri Elf and fanatic researcher of clandestine hybridization experiments. He is responsible for the creation of the player character. His research is kept hidden from the rest of the village, with only Yllana aware of his activities. While he has a seat on the village council, it is tenuous at best due to his eccentric personality and frequent affronts to nature. Age 42.

Durak – A Moonclaw Orc and assistant to Prof. Zaos. He often does the grunt work for Prof. Zaos’ experiments. He is surprisingly intelligent despite his brutish appearance. He also acts as the eyes and ears for Yllana, reporting to her if Prof. Zaos does anything she would not approve of. Age 33.

High Priestess Yllana – An Uruk’eldar Dhampir and the spiritual leader of the community. She occupies 1 of 5 seats on the village council. She is frequently involved in the village’s many affairs. Almost anything that occurs in the village happens with her implied approval. She secretly supports and funds Prof. Zaos’ research. She is Tetra’s mother and wife of the village chief. She loves to gossip. Age 44.

Tetra – A result of Professor Zaos’ research and a refined iteration of the same experiments that created you. Unlike you, Tetra was born using natural means and thus is the first and only successful 4-way hybrid of Elf, Orc, Dhampir, and Lycan. She counts as one of the few Uruk’eldari in the village and was able to master her transformed state at the young age of 12. She is currently the only example of a Vampire/Lycan hybrid in the village. She is extremely cocky and often expects special treatment due to her uniqueness and upbringing as the village chief’s daughter. She has always been better than you at everything despite being your junior. She is extremely rebellious. Age 18.

Chief Veritak – He is the village’s chief and also an Uruk’eldar Lycan. As chief, he also leads the village council and occupies 1 of 5 seats. He was surprised at Yllana’s pregnancy and Tetra’s eventual birth due to the common belief that Dhampirs and Lycans cannot interbreed successfully. This was, of course, due to Yllana’s secret use of Prof. Zaos’ research. Instead of anger for the secrecy, he was overjoyed at the thought of being a father. He tends to spoil Tetra to a fault. When it comes to governing the village, he is pragmatic and excels at making tough choices. Age 47.

Vulca – A Bloodfang Orc and the village’s master blacksmith. He has taken you up as his apprentice and protégé. He is one of 3 blacksmiths on the continent with the knowledge to craft Soul-forged weapons but refuses to sell it to outsiders. His trademark rune blades and runic armor (not the Soul-forged variety) are highly sought after and have given the village a monopoly in the market which contributes a significant portion of the village’s revenue. Some call him a Runesmith, though that is because most are unaware the runic enchantments found on his wares are actually the result of his wife's efforts. He also has a seat on the village council. Age 46.

Alruna - An Sanguri Elf and a skilled enchanter. She is also Vulca's wife and is responsible for enchanting the runes onto Vulca's crafted weapons and armor. They work as a team, creating the finest rune blades and runic armor available on the market. However, production is limited due to the fact that they are just a 2-man team. This results in Vulca's wares to be very highly-priced with a seemingly neverending demand. Something the village is quite thankful for. Age 42.

Talia - An Uruk'Eldar Dhampir and the daughter of Vulca & Alruna. She often manages the front end of the family's smithy/shop. She sometimes gives secret discounts to her friends when her parents aren't around.

Granny Zaela - An old Bloodfang Orc and Tetra's maternal grandmother. She was present during an event known throughout the village as "The Great Blight", though she was but a child at the time. She has an annoying habit of asking youngin's to fetch miscellaneous items for her. Age 71.

Ellaria – A Lythari Elf and owner of the village’s restaurant/bar “Auntie Ellaria’s Authentic Elven Cuisine”. (thx @Failivrin for the idea) The remaining seat on the village council belongs to her. She is best friends with Yllana and they are often found chatting and gossiping in her restaurant. Needless to say, she is an excellent chef. Age 43.

Fenrik - A Moonclaw Orc and renowned Blademaster. He runs a dojo in the village along with Agila to train anyone willing to learn the martial arts. As a Blademaster, he is extremely capable in the use of all melee weapons, however, his favorite weapon is his trusty greataxe Skuldauði. He often collaborates with Vulca and helps test his creations, giving him feedback when necessary. Fenrik is a true weapons connoisseur. You are able to duel him in the dojo for extra XP, but be warned, he is lv45 and meant for late-game players. Age 37.

Agila - An Lythari Elf and excellent Archer. She is Fenrik's wife and manages the dojo alongside him. Her personal weapon is custom made longbow she's named Trueshot. She is also good friends with Ellaria and Yllana and can sometimes be found at Ellaria's restaurant when she isn't busy running the dojo. She is also an avid foodie. She can also be fought at the dojo for extra XP, though she is lv30. Age 37.

Serac - A Human Lycan the village adopted and someone you looked up to as a kid. He is also Gnarg's older brother, despite having no blood relation. After his 1st transformation, revealing a silvery-white coat representative of a rare lineage long thought extinct. Perhaps this is why he left the village to pursue his own adventures 2 years ago. He was considered a prodigy of his generation, being highly adept in both martial and magical arts. Serac also served as a personal tutor to both Gnarg & Alanis before he left the village. Age 27

Runt - An annoying Bloodfang Orc child that sometimes causes mischief around town. Someone put him in his place! Age 8

Noobu - Another annoying child, this one's a Lythari Elf though. Runt's best friend. Age. 8

Gnarg – An Moonclaw Orc and one of your best friends. He considers you a friendly rival but often falls just short of your abilities. He is constantly training to improve his skill with the blade. He prefers large heavy weapons but is adaptable to all weapon types. He can also utilize magic but is subpar at it compared to Alanis. Despite his brutish demeanor, he is actually quite perceptive and an excellent tracker as a result. Age 20.

Alanis – A Sanguri Elf and another of your best friends. She probably has a crush on you but her pride forbids her from expressing it. (if you choose to be female, she will be a lesbian) She often acts as a mediator when you and Gnarg have an argument. She has an innate talent for magic, especially Water and Ice magic. She can also wield traditional weapons but doesn’t have the physical prowess that Gnarg has. Age 20.

Gameplay:

• Combat is a grid-based tactical RPG and takes place on the same map you're exploring.
• Seamless transition into and out of combat with visible on map enemies (no random encounters)
• Build your own class with 12 skill trees you can invest points into
• Party size of 3, which improves the pace of combat and reduces moments of sluggishness common in some TRPGs.
• Multi-elemental and environmental interactions (think Divinity Original Sin 1 & 2)
• Use your learned skills out of combat as well to interact with the environment, Golden Sun style!
• As Vulca's apprentice, you will have access to crafting weapons and armor
• Bind Soul Cores into your Soulforged weapons, granting it a weapon unleash (like Golden Sun)
• Level 50 cap

Spoiler: Spells & Skills

Skill System:
Each skill tree is divided into 5 tiers. Tier 1 will cost 1 JP to unlock, Tier 2 will cost 2 JP to unlock, and so on and so forth until Tier 5, which will cost 5 JP to unlock. This means it costs 15 JP to reach the max tier of a certain tree. You gain 1 JP per level, so you will be able to get max tier for any 3 trees of your choosing. This leaves 5 JP remaining, which you can spend to learn a special tier called "Spellweaving" which contains multi-element spells and hybrid physical/magical skills. You aren't forced to follow this layout, you can spread your JP into many different schools/disciplines if you wish.

Each tier will contain 3 skills. The skill on the left is usually a utility skill. The skill in the middle is usually an offensive ability. Lastly, the skill on the right is always a passive. Each skill will cost 1 SP to learn, which is a different resource than JP. You gain 3 SP per level. SP can either be spent to learn skills or on raw stat increases.
Screenshot example: (disregard the fact that it says JP instead of SP for the stat boost screen)



Skill Trees: (you will be able to max out 3 trees by end game)

• Archery - ranged weapons
• Dueling - light and medium weapons
• Great Weaponry - medium and heavy weapons
• Protection - shields
• Aeromancy - Wind magic
• Cryomancy - Ice magic
• Geomancy - Earth magic
• Hieromancy - Holy magic
• Hydromancy - Water magic
• Keraunomancy - Lightning magic
• Necromancy - Shadow magic
• Pyromancy - Fire magic

Spoiler: Archery

Tier 1

• Analyze - Increases the target's chance to suffer a Critical Hit by 15 for 4 turns. Also reveals info on the target and adds it to the Bestiary.
• Arrow to the Knee - Immobilizes the target in place for 1 turn and reduces the target’s Speed by 50% for 3 turns thereafter.
• Efficiency - Passive: Critical Strikes with a ranged weapon generate 10 Focus.

Tier 2

• Leap - Jump up to 2 spaces away. Generates 8 Focus.
• Straight Shot - Deals moderate Weapon damage and pushes the target back 1 space.
• Careful Aim - Passive: Ranged physical damage is also increased by Intellect.

Tier 3

• Dip Arrows - Grants an additional element to your attacks for 4 turns. Element depends on nearby terrain types.
• Split Shot - Shoots 3 arrows in straight lines.
• Focused Draw - Passive: Increases Armor Penetration by a percentage equal to your current Focus.

Tier 4

• Escape Artist - Removes all slow and snare effects and grants +1 Movement this turn.
• Volley - Deals moderate Weapon damage. 3-tile radius Scope, 2-tile radius AoE.
• Eagle Vision - Passive: Increases your attack range with Ranged weapons by 1.

Tier 5

• Quick Draw - Grants an additional ranged attack for the next 3 turns.
• Headshot - Instantly kills the target. User’s Max HP must be greater than target’s Max HP. Target must be at least 3 tiles away.
• Sniper - Passive: Not moving increases the Critical Strike chance of normal attacks with a Bow by 100%.

Spoiler: Dueling

Tier 1

• Middle Stance - Increases Dexterity, Counter, & Hit chance by 5%. Active until another stance is used.
• Low Cut - Immobilizes the target in place for 1 turn and reduces their Speed by 50% for 3 turns thereafter.
• Opportunistic - Passive: Gain 10 Focus when attacking a target from behind and 5 Focus from the side.

Tier 2

• Out Flank - Sidestep to circumvent an enemy within a 2-tile radius. Generates 8 Focus.
• Steady Strike - Deals moderate Weapon damage and generates 4 Focus. This attack has a +15% chance to Hit.
• Duelist - Passive: Increases Counter, Crit, & Hit chance by 5% while wielding a single Light or Medium weapon.

Tier 3

• Disarm - Prevents the target from using their weapon for 4 turns.
• Multi-Strike - Hits 2 times. (3 times if Dual Wielding)
• Parry - Passive: Incoming damage is avoided when you successfully Counter.

Tier 4

• Duel - Challenge the target to a duel, increasing all damage you and the target deal to each other by 40% for 4 turns.
• Riposte - Increases your chance to Counter by 100% for 1 turn.
• Retaliation - Passive: Allows the use of up to both weapons when you Counter, generating 5 Focus when you do. Counters now scale with Strength & Dexterity.

Tier 5

• Blade Flurry - Grants an additional melee attack for the next 2 turns.
• Assassinate - Instantly kills the target. User’s Max HP must be greater than target’s Max HP & the user must be behind the target.
• Blade Dance - Passive: Successful physical attacks increase the user's Dexterity & Speed by 3%, stacking up to 5 times. At 5 stacks, the user gains an extra attack, consuming the effect.

Skills that can be used both in and out of combat: (these are all tier 1 skills)

• Archer: Analyze
  • During combat: Increases the target's chance to suffer a Critical Hit by 15% for 4 turns. Also reveals info on the target and adds it to the Catalog. (this is basically a Scan skill)
  • Out of combat: Reveals hidden objects nearby.
• Berserker: Crush
  • During combat: Reduces the target’s Armor by an amount equal to half your Strength for 4 turns.
  • Out of combat: Breaks down boulders in the way. (like Rock Smash in Pokemon)
• Duelist: Low Cut
  • During combat: Snares the target in place for 1 turn and reduces the target’s Speed by 50% for 3 turns thereafter. (think of this like Improved Hamstring in WoW)
  • Out of combat: Cuts down certain obstacles. (this is basically HM01 in Pokemon)
• Guardian: Provoke
  • During combat: Forces enemies to attack the user for 2 turns.
  • Out of combat: Allows for an extra dialogue option in certain situations.
• Wind: Gust
  • During combat: Pushes the target back by 2 tiles.
  • Out of combat: Blows away certain obstacles or puts out a flame.
• Ice: Freeze
  • During combat: Snares the target in place for 1 turn and applies Chill to the target. (Chill reduces speed by 25% per stack, 4 stacks = completely frozen)
  • Out of combat: Freeze puddles of water. (like in Golden Sun)
• Lightning: Flash
  • During combat: Blinds the target for 4 turns. (-50% Hit chance)
  • Out of combat: Lights up dark areas. (exactly like Pokemon's Flash)
• Earth: Tar
  • During combat: Delays the target’s turn and slows their Speed by 50% for 4 turns. Fire attacks will cause the target to burn.
  • Out of combat: Can be used to create a flammable tile. Required for certain mechanics.
• Water: Drown/Douse/Drench/Submerge? (need to decide on a name)
  • During combat: Silences the target for 2 turns. Applies Damp to the target for 4 turns.
  • Out of combat: Fills containers with water or puts out a flame.
• Fire: Ignite
  • During combat: Burns the target for 3 turns. (DoT)
  • Out of combat: Melts ice or burns certain obstacles. (i.e. use on a torch on the wall)

Spoiler: Stats/Attributes

HP = HP (Health points)
MP = MP (Mana points)
TP = FP (Focus points)

• Strength
  • Increases physical damage dealt (double Dexterity's effectiveness)
  • Increases Critical Strike multiplier by 1% per point
• Intellect
  • Increases magical damage dealt
  • Increases spell Crit & Hit chance by 0.1% per point
  • Increases spell Critical Strike multiplier by 1% per point
• Dexterity
  • Increases physical damage dealt (half Strength's effectiveness)
  • Increases Counter, Crit, & Hit chance by 0.1% per point
• Constitution
  • Increases Max HP by 1 per point
  • Reduces physical damage taken
  • Reduces chance to receive a Critical Strike by 0.1% per point
  • Increases Block chance with a shield by 0.1% per point
• Willpower
  • Increases Max MP by 1 per point
  • Reduces magical damage taken
  • Increases healing received by 0.1% per point
  • Increases spell Resist chance by 0.1% per point
• Speed
  • Hastens turn order
  • Increases starting Focus
  • Increases movement range
  • Increases Dodge chance by 0.1% per point

Spoiler: Armor & Augments

• Cloth - Reduces TP Charge Rate and MP Cost Rate by 5% per piece (10% for body slot) = 25% total
• Leather - Increases TP Charge Rate and MP Cost Rate by 5% per piece (10% for body slot) = 25% total
• Mail - doesn't modify TP Charge Rate or MP Cost Rate
  • chain mail (made from metals)
  • scale mail (made from scales)
• Plate - Drains -1 TP per turn (-2 TP for body slot) = -5 TP total per turn
  • confers the most amount of stats, but reduces Speed a bit (depending on material)

Soul Cores & Soulforged Weapons:
You will be able to craft "Soulforged" weapons, which are weapons that can accept a Soul Core. Soul Cores are obtained from mini-bosses in dungeons and are basically very strong monsters. Binding a Soul Core to your weapon will not only grant it a weapon unleash but also allows it to grow in power alongside you. The bond between weapon and wielder is an emphasized aspect of the game. The weapon becomes sentient once a Soul Core is bound to it. This means you will have random/evented dialogue and banter with your weapon. You can also enter your weapon's inner world, which is a 50-floor dungeon. If you get to the final floor and defeat your weapon's avatar, you unlock the ability to summon the avatar in battle.

Augments:
Certain armors can be layered. For example, a "Steel Breastplate" would have an augment slot called "Hauberk/Shirt" which means you can wear a Hauberk (mail armor) or Shirt (cloth armor) underneath. These items can also be worn by themselves instead of being used as an augment, you decide if it's worth the Speed penalty.

Weapons will have 2 augment slots:

• Gems: generally grants raw stats so you can fine-tune your character's stat allocation
• Runes: includes non-stat bonuses, which can be passive buffs or unique procs
• 2-handed weapons would have 2 of each augment type but still only 1 Soul Core

Other:
I forgot to mention Dual Wielding is a thing.

• Grants an extra attack for not just your normal attack, but also ALL physical skills
• Dual Wielding incurs a -15% Hit chance penalty and -25% Focus generation rate

Directional Modifiers:

• Attacking from the front
  • -5% Hit chance
• Attacking from the side
  • +5% damage dealt
• Attacking from the back
  • +5% Hit chance
  • +10% damage dealt

Spoiler: Story Stuff

Village's History: (The Great Blight)
65 years before the present day, Myth Zuth'Ash had only been founded for less than 20 years. In those ~20 years, the inhabitants had learned to set aside their racial differences and live together in harmony. They exchanged cultural traditions worked hard to create a place to call home, safe in a deep vale surrounded by mountains. However, one day a mysterious Human traveler stopped by the village to rest. Naturally, the villagers, a hodgepodge of Elves and Orcs, were wary of this Human but decided to give him the benefit of the doubt and offer him their hospitality. later that day, the Human watched a small group of friends, some Orcs some Elves, partaking in friendly duels with each other near the town square. They were trying to see who was strongest. The Human beckoned them over and offered them a choice of 2 potions that he promised would grant immeasurable power. The Human said: "Choose the red potion if you desire to wield great magic or choose the yellow potion if you wish for immense physical prowess." Naturally, most of the friends refused, but 2 of them obliged, each taking one of the potions. They immediately downed the potions but nothing seemed to happen so they accused the Human of his lies and gave him a beating. Several hours later, the 2 friends who drank the potions started to feel nauseous and decided to retire home. Sometime after midnight, one of the villagers reported a ruckus coming from one of the houses, and another reported seeing a glimpse of a feral creature. By daybreak, the village had found a dozen bodies but no culprit in sight. The next day yielded more of the same phenomenon while noticing bite marks on most of the victims. However, some victims had different bite marks from others. They also noticed 2 residents had gone missing. As the victims were being ready to be buried, they sprang back to life and attacked the grave keeper. One of the more astute Elves in the village immediately realized what was going on. There was a simultaneous outbreak of Lycanthropy and Vampirism ravaging the village. It only became more evident as more victims turned. Some of the villagers immediately suspected the Human traveler and wasted no time in interrogating him. As soon as they did, however, the Human revealed himself to be a Necromancer and summoned a handful of skeletal warriors in an attempt to secure an escape route. Luckily the residents of Myth Zuth'Ash were no strangers to combat. The village's veteran warriors quickly dispatched the Necromancer, but it was already too late. The damage had already been done. With every passing hour, more and more villagers were turned. Eventually, every single Elf and Orc of Myth Zuth'Ash was either a Werewolf or Vampire. These were the feral variety, not the civilized Lycans and Dhampirs of present-day Myth Zuth'Ash. After many days, the village was overrun, with mindless beasts and monsters at each other's throats. However, a group of children, while turned, managed to retain their sanity and free-will. They noticed the infection only robbed the adults of their higher-level thinking. Eventually, the dozen or so children and young teens formed a resistance and resolved to slay their former parents, neighbors, and loved ones. In the aftermath, the survivors found themselves forever transformed and alone with only each other to share their plight. Thus slowly but surely they rebuilt Myth Zuth'Ash, vowing never to welcome another outsider into the village again, especially HUMANS.

Backstory:
27 years before the present day, a group of adventurers set out from Myth Zuth'Ash on a quest to find a way of saving their village's failing economy. The party consisted of Veritak, Vulca, Gnarg's father, and Alanis' mother. The four of them eventually stumbled upon an ancient dungeon that was home to a powerful dragon. The dragon hoarded a lot of phat lewts. Upon defeating the dragon, the party went back to their village and brought some much needed wealth. But this would only be a temporary measure. Luckily, Vulca had the brilliant idea of reverse engineering one of the enchanted weapons they found in the dungeon. Eventually, Vulca created a method for mass-producing enchanted weapons and armor reliably. Since the village is hugged by mountains on 2 sides, the villagers decided to mine the mountain to obtain the ore required. They are lucky in that the mine yielded some very rare metals such as Mithril, Orichalcum, and Adamantite. Alanis' mother, an accomplished mage specializing in Holy & Shadow magic had also extracted the soul of the dragon, sealing it within a mystical orb. Vulca was inspired by this and is where his idea for Soulforged weapons came from. The group would venture out now and then in search of more Soul Cores from across the land.

Story:
Fast forward to the present day. The mines have run dry and the party of yore has not adventured in a long long time. Having settled down with families and kids now, the village council decided to send some of the younger generations to search for a solution to their impending financial crisis. Before they could, however, assassins infiltrate the village in an attempt to steal the blueprints for the coveted Soulforged weapons. They nearly succeed in doing so, but the player is able to thwart them. (this is the game's tutorial to combat) Vulca is gravely injured and crippled in the process and will most likely be unable to perform his usual work for quite some time. He would certainly have died if not for your timely intervention. This results in the village council expediting their plans to send out a couple of the young ones. Tetra, being the arrogant rebel she is, decides she doesn't need help from anyone else and runs off to prove she can save the village all by herself. Her father then personally requests you to go after her and bring her back, though he admits she won't do so willingly. As you set out, you are joined by your best friends Gnarg and Alanis, forming a 3 man party.

There will be other potential party members available later on, but these are who you start with. Keep in mind Humans are often racist and most of the world will be hostile to you, especially Human cities. You will encounter a party of Human "Heroes" at some point and they will constantly attempt to thwart you from time to time. They will function as a rival like in Pokemon. You will also meet Tetra at some point, only to find out she's obtained the corrupted Soul Core of an ancient demon and has basically fallen to the dark side. Eventually, the spirit pulling her strings becomes the big bad of the game, but before that happens, Tetra serves as an antagonist until then.

Tetra's (& protagonist's) plot points:

1. Runs off out of the village to prove herself
2. Defeats an ancient Demon and collects his Soul Core
3. Begins hearing "whispers" after binding the Corrupted Soul Core into her blade
4. Tells herself she's strong enough to resist the darkness
5. Meets the protagonist on a couple of occassions but refuses to join him/her each time
6. Eventually gets defeated by the protagonist during one of their meetups
7. Decides to embrace the Corrupted Soul Core's power
8. Falls to the dark side
9. The Demon within exerts more and more control over Tetra
10. Demon revels in his luck of finding such a powerful host
11. Protagonist must now save Tetra, somehow
12. Protagonist learns of the existence of an Angel kept captive by the High Elves as a source of infinite magical energy
13. Protagonist frees the Angel, but her corporeal form is already too weak after years of abuse
14. Angel sacrifices herself and becomes a Holy Soul Core
15. Protagonist harnesses its power to do battle with Tetra
16. Final confrontation with Tetra
17. Tetra saved/redeemed
18. True big bad moment
19. Stuff happens? lol
20. The End / explore the world at your leisure / do sidequests you missed

Spoiler: History of Lycanthropy

Centuries ago, there lived a tribe of Druidic Wood Elves deep in the forests of [name]. For a time, balance and harmony were maintained between them and nature itself. However, when the Great Elven War erupted many were pressured to join the war in aid of their fellow Wood Elves. Naturally, most of these Elven Druids declined as it went against their core tenets and philosophy. The few (usually younger Elves) that did decide to participate in the war quickly realized the true horrors of the battlefield. Their Druidic magic, while powerful, was not particularly effective against the many skilled Mages of the High Elven Army nor the deadly and feared Ninjas of the Dark Elven Legions. However, this changed when the Wood Elven Druids resorted to using a technique considered taboo, the forbidden Lupine Ritual. This technique, usually performed as a group, or more befittingly called a “pack”, is only possible during a full moon and grants the participants of the ritual the ability to transform into a powerful feral form that many cultures now identify as a Lycan. The Lupine Ritual technically grants the ability to freely transform into this Lycan form and back to their normal form during a full moon. However, the immense rage associated with being in their Lycan forms prevented many of these Druids from returning to their Elven forms again. This is the reason it was considered taboo and labeled a forbidden technique, but in the dire time of war, exceptions had to be made. Performing the ritual as a pack was a tactic used to curb this drawback since setting up a spiritual link with their peers would help the Druids resist being consumed by the intense rage. The strategy was for each group, or pack, stay together and attack as a unit, delivering tactical strikes against key targets. This worked well when the plan was followed, but as they soon found out, war is full of surprises and chaos. As soon as a Druid strayed too far from his pack, he/she would be consumed by the Lycan form’s rage and become a feral killing machine, attacking both friends and foe alike without hesitation, only stopping when killed. After the war, many of the Wood Elven Druids that performed the ritual became stuck in their Lycan forms with most of them being reduced to mere beasts. The ones that had the will to retain their sense of self-made many attempts to return to their former life, but almost always in vain. Every month, they would wait for the full moon for an opportunity to transform back into their Elven forms. Unfortunately, the rage and bloodlust in their hearts are at its peak during the full moon, the only time they can change back. This made reverting to normal practically impossible. Only 1 Druid managed to successfully transform back to their Elven form, [name]. Armed with the experience of this arduous trial, he returned to his Wood Elf village and began researching a way to save his brothers and sisters. Decades passed with no solution in sight, but at the very least, [name] created a tome detailing all the knowledge and experience he amassed on the subject of Lycanthropy. By this time some of these feral “Werewolves” had already begun reproducing, but unlike normal wolves, these “Werewolves” and their offspring could live for over 2 to 3 centuries since they were technically Elves. However, children of this 1st generation did not suffer from the uncontrollable rage as their parents did, even though they were born in the form of a Lycan. It was concluded that this was simply due to the adaptability and mental plasticity that infants and children possess. However, this second-generation possessed an interesting ability their parents did not. Since they were born with Lycan blood in their veins, their bites were infectious, causing any victim to turn into one as well. Interestingly, the victims of these Lycans were more akin to the parent generation, exhibiting the uncontrollable rage as the Druids did. It was eventually noted that this phenomenon was less pronounced when the victim was younger in age. To this day, it is assumed the original Druids that performed the Lupine Ritual have all passed away simply due to old age if they weren’t killed at some point. However, their legacy remains in what the world now knows as Werewolves and Lycans. It is important to make the distinction. Werewolves are turned at some point in their lives, usually by being bitten or by just getting bodily fluids in their system in some way, such as drinking Lycan blood. Lycans are different from Werewolves in that they are born with Lycanthropy and completely retain their intelligence and sense of self. Some have even trained to transform at will without needing the full moon. Others have mastered their transformation in unorthodox ways, such as a “partial” transformation which grants most of the increased physical prowess of a full transformation while retaining a more “humanoid” body profile and without any of the rage clouding their judgment. This is the preferred form most Lycans aspire to attain.

World Map (protagonist's village, Myth Zuth'Aash, is by the mountains in the Wildlands)

The yellow-green area in the middle is the aforementioned forest and plains where Wild Elves and nomadic Orc clans reside respectively.

Biomes Map:


Update: A bunch of screenshots!

Spoiler: Screenshots

 

[Kupotepo]

Thank you for sharing the game plan with us. Wow, I thought I write a lot.

Slavery is legal here as they often purchase Dwarf slaves from the Orcs.

Thank you for not dancing around the big elephant.

High Elven

Do you have only one type of elf in your world? Nevermind

Like the Wild Elves

Since you present the worldbuilding, how about the general geography of your world? Mountain, Ocean, and Forest?

 

[Frostorm]

Thank you for not dancing around the big elephant.

Lol yeah, I'm going for cultural realism here. There are other gritty aspects to my game's world I haven't mentioned yet. I just gotta flesh out more of the story 1st.

Also, I will eventually upload screenshots and videos now that I got the main combat system working.
Here are a few teasers:

 

[HumanNinjaToo]

Sounds very interesting. I like how you've basically taken common/traditional fantasy ideas and smacked them around a bit. I really look forward to a demo, and I expect a great story.

 

[Frostorm]

Sounds very interesting. I like how you've basically taken common/traditional fantasy ideas and smacked them around a bit. I really look forward to a demo, and I expect a great story.

Thank you, I'm aiming for a playable demo by the end of this month.

I'm really trying to make the protagonist's village like a "Konoha" from Naruto in the sense that it's a coalition of various clans/tribes that came together and formed a village despite their differences.

Edit: Btw, do you guys think I should include or exclude the Nephilim and Dragonborn racial choices? I only added them because a friend of mine mentioned he prefers to play Human looking protagonists. Obviously these 2 choices don't mesh with the story as well and would add more work on my part.

Imo, my initial intentions were to have the majority of the world be unwelcoming towards you. Shops in Human towns/cities will be priced higher due to your race. Guards will not let you thru certain areas. Even the Orc and Elf cities will see you as an abomination due to your hybrid heritage. (but perhaps your best friends can help with that) This is meant to be a HARD game, though I could add an EZ mode in the options lol.

 

[Kupotepo]

Btw, do you guys think I should include or exclude the Nephilim and Dragonborn racial choices?

It is depended on you if you are still energize, you might keep expanding. If you would to just get over with, you do not have to it.

 

[Frostorm]

It is depended on you if you are still energize, you might keep expanding. If you would to just get over with, you do not have to it.

But do you think it fits into the story or does it seem forced?

Edit: I added some plot points to the end of my OP.

 

[Kupotepo]

Alanis' mother, an accomplished mage specializing in Holy & Shadow magic had also extracted the soul of the dragon, sealing it within a mystical orb.

You tied the Dragonborn races to this backstory.

Are the Nephilim race is similar to the fallen angels?

I think for the mechanics' purpose, those races are really interesting to play. But, for the story's perspective, you have to justify those races because those two races are a really powerful race. I will say maybe for now.

 

[Frostorm]

I guess I'll keep them for now, but probably won't work on them until later. Thanks, I didn't even realize I could tie the dragon soul Alanis' mother capture to the Dragonborn race! The Nephilim race is basically half Angel half Demon, so yes very powerful. The only way I could justify their existence is either thru Prof. Zaos' experiments for perhaps they just found some random baby one day that happened to be that race lol.

 

[Kupotepo]

@Frostorm, what form of governments in those nations? I feel like you are going to create nations' operations differently for each nation.
It is not important for the story, I just wonder.

 

[Frostorm]

@Kupotepo I'm about to upload the world map, just gimme like 20 mins.
Ok, to answer your question:

• Ainu'thalas - Theocracy, ruled by a High Council of *very* old Elven Priestesses. (females in Elven society typically have more say in things)
• Human Kingdom A - Monarchy, ruled by a King who passes the crown down his lineage.
• Human Kingdom B - Also a Monarchy, but true governmental power/control is in the hands of a council of Archmages. The king is just a figurehead.
• United Hordes of Zog - Zog uses the term "United" to make it seem like his constituents matter when in reality he has absolute power and control. So basically a tyranny.

Also, things like this do matter to the story in my opinion.
For example, there will be a side story where Zog is trying to collude with the King of [Kingdom A] to form an alliance in order to wage war and eventually defeat their long hated Elven rivals. Zog wouldn't be able to accomplish this as easily if Kingdom A's government was controlled by more than 1 person.

Oh, and if anyone can help me come up with names for Human Kingdom A & B, that'd be awesome. I'm getting rather sick of calling them that lol.

Edit: Doh, I just realized there exists a "Games in Development" board. I wonder if I should've posted this over there instead...oh wells!

 

[Kupotepo]

@Frostorm, ok, the worldbuilding is important to your story. That is great to know.
In your map, I wonder why didn't United Hordes of Zog and High Elven nation of Ainu'thalas invade the Myth Zultash land?

Yeah, that is true about the "Games in Development" board. You can inform the moderator if you would like to move. The rules changed in the past.

 

[Frostorm]

@Frostorm, ok, the worldbuilding is important to your story. That is great to know.
In your map, I wonder why didn't United Hordes of Zog and High Elven nation of Ainu'thalas invade the Myth Zultash land?

Because it's hidden in the mountains. Once I'm done with the village map I can show you. It's basically surrounded by mountains on 3 sides. So it's technically considered a "vale", making it a natural fortress. People only learned of its location recently, which is why assassins were sent to kill Vulca and steal the Soulforged blueprints. Another reason they don't invade, assuming they can find the place, is because the village is the source of the highest quality enchanted weapons and armor available. (I've mentioned that is their main export) Most nations have an arrangement for goods to be imported on a regular basis, and people rarely mess with the status quo if it's working for them. Lastly, who'd want to attack a city full of pseudo-immortal beings? lol

Don't get me wrong though, if either the Orc or Elf nations decided to attack in full force, they would definitely be able to wipe out Myth Zultash with sheer numbers. This is why the village council is so worried about their economy. They need to survive and serve a purpose or risk being invaded.

The white area in between the Orc and Elf lands is also home to the Wild Elf tribes and nomadic Orc tribes, so I imagine the soldiers would be upset if ordered to kill their own race. The Wild Elves and Orc Nomads have good relations with each other due to their fondness for hunting and nature in general. Though they are different enough that they don't want to live together. The terrain there is mostly forest and plains, where the Wild Elves prefer to stay in the forests and the nomadic Orcs tend to stay in the plains, only meeting with each other to hunt and trade.

 

[Kupotepo]

@Frostorm, no rush ok. Take your time, ok. I am just really excited because your world is very similar to mine.

The terrain there is mostly forest and plains, where the Wild Elves prefer to stay in the forests and the nomadic Orcs tend to stay in the plains, only meeting with each other to hunt and trade.

Ok, I get it now. It is like an international special trading area.

Most nations have an arrangement for goods to be imported on a regular basis, and people rarely mess with the status quo if it's working for them. Lastly, who'd want to attack a city full of pseudo-immortal beings? lol

Whatever flow your boats just excited to know.

 

[Frostorm]

Your question is a good one though. It really made me think about why they don't attack. I will probably add a side story where you learn that the Orcish Horde is planning to invade and conquer Myth Zultash.

Oh, and those colors on the world map are just the nations' borders. The setting is not like modern-day, it's more medieval so the cities and towns are spaced far apart. There is a lot of empty space throughout the lands. An army would take a while to march from a capital city all the way to Myth Zultash. Some mages can use teleportation, but the range is limited and they cannot teleport entire armies.

 

[Kupotepo]

The setting is not like modern-day, it's more medieval so the cities and towns are spaced far apart. There is a lot of empty space throughout the lands

I understand it is not real, but I have to imagine those things you referring to. I forget that some countries in your map are pacifist while another nation is militaristic.

 

[Frostorm]

I updated the world map to give Humans more land.

 

[Kupotepo]

Is the reason behind of why you give more land to the human kingdom? I just ask for fun.

 

[Frostorm]

Because Humans have a habit of making babies? lol

Edit: Zog renamed Skar (if anyone has a better suggestion for the Orc Warchief's name, please let me know, thx)

Edit2: Added more characters.

Edit3: Which name sounds better? Zog, Zaard, or Skar? His surname will be Skullgrim.

Edit4: Added Granny Zaela and Village's History: "The Great Blight"

Edit5: Formatting and added Archery & Dueling skills. (other trees are done but I'm too tired to type it out rn...)

 

[Kupotepo]

Wow, you are really organized. Do you draw your own pictures for icons? It is looking unique and I see you pick the taller characters from the standard RPG Maker MV.