Unread postby JamestheFox » June 5th, 2017, 8:30 pm
First, to get us caught up with SV, the James Reports already posted, that weren't already here. Most of this, as always, showed up on the Skype Chat ages ago, so. If you are interested in joining and getting more stuff way ahead of everyone else, let me know!
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In KHVD, The World Order is not just a guideline those few people who travel the worlds try to keep to, it's a law, upheld by a coalition of worlds known as the Galactic Federation. This Federation divides worlds into two categories: Closed Worlds, which are the vast majority, and whose residents are generally unaware of the existence of other worlds, and Open Worlds, which consist of worlds of people who know of and can travel to other worlds. It is generally illegal to intervene in the affairs of Closed Worlds, or uplift them into an Open status.
Before the World Order was made into law and the Galactic Federation came into being, many Open Worlds ended up at war with each other, and many drained many nearby worlds dry of their natural bounty (and, in some cases, the population was enslaved).
Ultimately, the Keyblade Order teamed up with a number of worlds to stomp this madness down. The tyrannical worlds were defeated, and everyone else came together to form a federation. Each world still rules itself, but the Federation has its own army, funding, and laws that hold in all inter-world affairs. Representatives from all worlds (and more recently, from a number of multi-world organizations, such as the Green Lanterns) gather together, report to each other, ensure the laws of the worlds are kept, etc. At the very top of this council is a Grand Council(wo)man who acts as supreme judge in cases regarding The World Order, and whose job it also is to ensure that everyone below him or her (currently her) is doing their job. In times of war, they also have a number of emergency powers.
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The Clone War, starting in about 14 BKHVD and ending in 10BKHVD, was a relatively small war between two factions: The Galactic Federation as a whole, and a small group of worlds that wished a clean break from the Federation and its World Order, calling themselves the Separatists. At first it puzzled all involved, as despite this supposed desire, the Separatists for the most part maintained the very World Order they claimed to want no part of.
The Clone War was named such because the majority of the fighters in said war were mass produced clones, ordered clandestinely on the bankroll of a MIA member of the Jedi Order. Despite this, the Jedi notably protested their use, and when the war erupted anyway, joined the battle primarily to preserve lives on both sides, while trying to investigate the motivations behind the Separatist movement and the true story behind the Clone Army.
Master Xehanort, philanthropist Keybearer, aided the Jedi several times and went on many mercy missions to worlds affected by the battles.
It was ultimately revealed that Chancellor Palpatine, also known as Darth Sideous, a well-respected member of the Federation, was behind the creation of the Clone Army, and in fact was also puppeteering the Separatist movement from behind a number of proxies. His goal seemed to be to cause enough chaos to warp The Force that both Jedi and Sith use towards the darkness, and subsequently use the power the imbalance would grant him to wipe out the Jedi and perform a coup on the Federation, obtaining complete domination of all worlds. He was captured and imprisoned by the dual efforts of Mace Windu and Anakin Skywalker, but mysteriously vanished before he could be properly tried.
Few are aware that history could have taken a very different turn, if not for a chance conversation between Anakin Skywalker and a young Keybearer who was in the area on other business, shortly before the final battle.
This conversation was the last encounter with the Keyblade Order any member of the Galactic Federation had before the very last members of the old Keyblade Order fell off the radar completely, and their primary world vanished, replaced by an eerie castle. The last Keybearer, one Mickey Mouse, remains silent on the matter of what became of the Order afterwards.
It was the vanishing of the Keyblade Order and the barely averted annihilation of the Jedi Order that has resulted in the Federation making room to allow such protective organizations to have their own representatives in the Federation Council.
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Ahhh, the Keyblade War. I started this quest just a little before KH3D happened, and while it hasn't been supremely relevant, I have put together a mockup of how it all happened, which has been modified to include most of what was in KHχ and its derivatives (barring perhaps Union Cross' season 2, but I'll burn that bridge if/when I get to it).
There were, in fact, Unions, and a Master of Masters, and a Book of Prophecies, copies of which have been handed to the leaders of each Union. The Dandelions also exist, so.
A few minor differences:
- In those days, Kingdom Hearts was visible from the ground - always hovering just above a place known as the Origin Fens. So no "I'm gonna summon Kingdom Hearts" stuff. That said, the χ-Blade is also just sitting around, enshrined just beneath Kingdom Hearts, so "I'mma steal the χ-Blade and unlock Kingdom Hearts" is still a viable threat.
- The only Chirithys belonged to the owners of the Book of Prophecies. Worryingly, the Dark Chirithy did not seem to be among them.
- Chirithy is one of a breed of Dream Eaters born from the Book of Prophecies - special creatures born from the power of the future and given form by the future's inhabitants. Think of them as chibi versions of people from the future. Each Keybearer receives one, seemingly chosen once their training is complete, and aside from serving as an advisor they also gift their abilities and powers to their wielder.
The major difference between KHχ and the KHVD Keyblade War is scale and time. The events seen in Back Cover are only the very start, the moment things start falling apart. From there, the Unions all split up, following their own paths to saving the world, all of which end up failing and/or causing the Foretellers and many among their subordinates to fall to darkness.
The final battle is a result of just about everyone deciding for one reason or another to head to the Origin Fens, where the fabled χ-Blade is enshrined, and to use its power to achieve their goals once and for all (or to protect the χ-Blade from those who would abuse it).
A number of big things happened in between the great falling out and the final battle... but I'll leave those for a little later on.
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As you may already have guessed, the Seven Princesses of Heart have been changed from their canon members. Among the seven, only Kairi and Belle remain part of the Princesses of Heart in KHVD.
'Who's replaced everyone else?' you might be asking! I've yet to unveil all seven Princesses in-story, but I will drop the names currently known and their current status:
Kairi (Kingdom Hearts): Safe, known to the VoaS, under the protection of Sora, Riku, Donald, and Goofy.
Belle (Beauty and the Beast): Captured by Maleficent
Nia (Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann): Captured by Pete.
Princess Peach (Super Mario Bros): Captured by Jafar.
Madoka Kaname (Puella Magi Madoka Magica): Captured by Dr. Facilier.
Roll (Mega Man): Safe, 1 Failed Capture Attempt, VoaS member destroyed, VoaS unaware of status, under the protection of Rock and the Galactic Federation.
?????: Unknown Status
The Galactic Federation is as of yet unaware of why Roll was targeted, or of anything related to the Princesses of Heart.
The mechanism by which Princesses of Heart function is perhaps different than in canon: Purity of Heart is in fact achievable, if only for a passing time, by other hearts, but Princesses posess within their own hearts fragments of the χ-Blade - specifically, fragments of the weapon's light, which keeps Princesses of Heart pure and overflowing with light.
This shard can be removed, and is passed down to a random pure-hearted girl upon the death of the previous Princess. Princesses can also willingly surrender their shard to someone else who meets the conditions to inherit the Princess of Heart status. Notably, the first to do this was one of the first Princesses of Heart, period.
Another odd mechanic noted by the Keyblade Order is that every Princess has or will have a "knight" who will loyally fight for their Princess. These knights have been observed to fight endlessly, even unto their own death, for their Princess.
Four of them now stand together, in the ruins of Hollow Bastion, putting everything they can into trying to break into Maleficent's abode.
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The Villains of a Sort, or VoaS, are a group of powerful villains led by The Mistress of All Evil, Maleficent. It is unknown where the heck Maleficent came from - she rose swiftly and suddenly, overwhelming a world and making it her base of operations in a matter of days. Shortly after, her influence spread like wildfire, thanks to the seemingly endless army of seemingly immortal dark monsters she suddenly obtained.
It is unknown exactly how many allies and flunkies Maleficent has obtained since her rise - different estimates claim they number anywhere between the hundreds and trillions - but it is known that she has a circle of allies that she deems closer than the others. Among them, Pete of Disney Castle is known to have been her most long-lasting and loyal companion, with everyone not Pete receiving far less trust than the big man himself.
VoaS General MO when it comes to taking down a world:
1: Scout the World for Princess Candidates, as quietly as possible. This can take anywhere from weeks to years.
1a: Try to figure out if the candidates are actually princesses (Pete was doing this when he came upon you in Wonderland’s Waking World). Takes a couple minutes to an hour per Candidate. Can take longer if the Princess is from an Open World or under heavy guard (Such as in a Prison).
2: Scout for the Keyhole, as quietly as possible. This is usually where they're discovered, and where a LOT of Open Worlds start screwing them over. This can take anywhere from hours to months.
2a: If the VoaS got found out, do your best to still find the Keyhole. Preferably sending Heartless everywhere to make sure the heroes are preoccupied. Discovery by the natives generally makes searching for the Keyhole take MUCH longer.
3: Kidnap the Princess if they found one, and flood the Keyhole with darkness. Preferably at the same time. Every Princess capture has succeeded (except for Kairi and, unbeknownst to them, Roll)... but they've run into complications practically EVERY time. Usually they solve it by forcing the complication to deal with Heartless barring the way.
As far as Jafar's concerned, Peach was the most annoying Princess to kidnap. Mario was chasing him the whole way back to Hook's ship, even as the Heartless destroyed the world around him.
As far as Maleficent's concerned, Destiny Islands was the most annoying. Those goons just refused to stay dead, and it cost her the Princess.
As far as Facilier's concerned, Madoka was the most annoying. He had to deal with the timejumps and perfectly timing his attack for when Madoka was easiest to snare. And he STILL had to deal with Madoka's friends. If he hadn't had Hook directly on hand, those time-normalizing Heartless nearby, and Madoka already in the Brig when the Puella arrived, that could have ended badly. Hook concurs with Facilier.
Pete personally got real tired of Simon's shit, real fast. It took such nasty tricks as putting Nia inside his own body (making it hard to attack him without harming her) to make sure he could leave in anything remotely similar to peace.
Everyone who was involved in the operation agrees in retrospect that Belle was EASY, in comparison to the others. That said, Beast has been the biggest thorn in their side by virtue of being the one who's been assaulting their base the longest.
They ultimately try to stay away from Open Worlds if possible, since their first attempt ended disastrously (they still WON, but it cost them valuable time. And one of their members.) and subsequent attempts have ended even worse. They're saving a lot of them for once they can just blitzkrieg them with a rain of Heartless that covers the entire world, hopefully finding the Keyhole in the process. For now, most of their dealings with Open Worlds has been "Can we send enough Heartless that their troops can't come after us? Yes? Do it. No? Leave them be for now, let's not have their attention shifted to us."
The Galactic Federation is doing what they can, but their forces are spread thin by pre-set patrols and the sheer scale and nigh-invincibility of the Heartless invasion. They're currently in talks regarding trying to take the fight to them. However, they're divided pretty badly. Some feel that gathering forces to strike out at them would result in leaving entire sectors unprotected (for what little the protection is worth). Others think that any such attempt would be futile; the forces would just be lost to the Heartless inevitably sent their way. Others are more worried about this or that other group slinking about in the shadows, attacking any worlds the Federation takes their eyes off of for even a few seconds.
The only grim hope a lot of the Federation's higher-ups have is that defending the remaining worlds will get easier as more worlds are lost, freeing up enough ships and men to attack Hollow Bastion.
The Green Lanterns are also obviously spread too thin for the same reason. The Justice League are doing the best they can with their sector of the universe.
Honestly, this kind of insanity is historically the Keyblade Order's job. They be slacking.
Grand Councilwoman: "They be EXTINCT. *BECAUSE* this was their job. And we didn't *help* them!"
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The first Incubator Contract in KHVD (they weren't called that, and they weren't generally performed until after the Keyblade War ruined everything forever) was meant to be a simple power boost. A Keybearer named Puella Magica, seeking to stop the X-Blade from falling into the wrong hands, teamed up with an Incubator (they weren't called that until later, as well), who gave her power. It was her that came up with the term "Contract."
During that time, there was no apparent need to worry about entropy; Kingdom Hearts supplied for all. The Incubator wanted only to make sure that stayed the case. So he used his powers to draw out her power, and moved her Heart and Soul into what is now called a Soul Gem, to help her fight more effectively. Together, they started to learn of the nuances of being a MG, and using Lucid Materials, her gem was kept clean as they traveled together.
Over the course of their journey together, the Incubator gained a Heart of his own from being in contact with that girl. During the final battle of the war, Puella died, and the Incubator, grief-stricken, attacked her killer (who happened to have the X-Blade on hand). When his consciousness returned to the hive mind, he raged incoherently in his grief, which did not help the Incubators' "Emotion=Insanity" correlation. He was summarily reprogrammed, HARD.
That said, his knowledge proved to be of help when the Incubators realized "oh, hey, the amount of energy in the world appears to be decreasing, what do we do?" They had some of his memories on hand (a lot of the hive-mind's memories were damaged and corrupted by the near-end of the world that the Keyblade War wrought, so they didn't and still don't have all of the memories), and figured out that the energy built up from the MG effect outweighs the amount of energy spent in raising a human to adulthood. Quite simply, the Heart possesses untold power, if properly harnessed. And so they set out to save what little was apparently left of the world.
The Incubators' records of this event have been scrambled and corrupted pretty badly by the present day. They only remember that the world used to be much bigger, and then something happened, and the world's energy levels suddenly dropped, a huge chunk of the world vanished, and then the world's energy levels began dropping further. So they're correlating "Energy drop" with "World destruction."
And if they had emotions, they'd be the equivalent of the Spirals, fighting tooth and nail against this seemingly insurmountable force and shouting hot blooded declarations at it.
They don't know how to stop it, but for now, they have a way to fix the damage done, and so they'll do it. Even if it means sacrificing hordes of young girls to do so. Course, once they learn that all that was meaningless, it'd be a good thing they don't have emotion-capable hearts.
“... You mean... for all these eons, we've been sacrificing these people for... for nothing?"
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In the time of legends, shortly after the Keyblade War, there were once a number of Keyblade Wielders whose actions either shaped the infant Keyblade Order, or caused their first great challenges. For one reason or another, they eventually became associated with Cards in the Major Arcana (A set of cards used as trump cards in games and for divination in certain worlds). Their visages and legends were told in a special set of 22 cards, often used to teach young apprentices the unique virtues and vices connected to the Keyblade Order. Whether these vices and virtues were actually possessed by each Keyblade Wielder, or even if these Wielders actually existed, is unknown.
Major Arcana cards depicting these wielders are now unfathomably rare. There are only 2 full sets known to have existed in the last few decades.
One belonged to the lord of The Land of Departure. With his death and the subsequent razing of the world (followed by the world's transformation), this set's location has been lost.
Another belongs to Master Yen Sid. He is the only Master in recent years to have performed the tradition of teaching the vices and virtues of the Order through a game of cards (to a young Mickey Mouse).
0 The Fool
Virtue: Faith
Only a child when the Keyblade War ended, this child’s desire to ensure the peace of the worlds became a source of hope to the fledgling Order. She held Faith in the goodness of all around her, even unto her death. It is suspected by scholars in different eras of the Order that she was one of the first Princesses of Heart.
I The Magician
Vice: Inquisitiveness
A skilled mage. After the world was rebuilt, his first instinct was to try and understand what exactly had happened. He learned a great deal about the new structure of the worlds, aiding the Order in jumpstarting their new beginning, but his curiosity got the better of him. He entered the Realm of Darkness and never returned.
II The High Priestess
Virtue: Patience
Like the Magician, she sought out the reasons for the destruction and recreation of the world. However, she took the slow route, taking things as they came. Her patience allowed her, over her many years, to not only learn a great many things, but to use this knowledge to guide the order over many hurdles.
III The Empress
Virtue: Harmony
A well-loved leader during the Keyblade War, this woman was the emotional center of the Order, the one who was always there for others. While her husband was the one to keep the Order in a structured state, it was her that formed the connections that brought them together in the first place.
IV The Emperor
Virtue: Discipline
His strong, steady arm shaped a smattering of grief-stricken, powerful, and scattered Keyblade Wielders into the Keyblade Order. Ironically, some legends state that he himself never carried a Keyblade.
V The Heirophant
Virtue: Honesty
Brother of The Fool. A sage who spread the word of The High Priestess and The Fool as their agent. His honest words and disposition inspired trust in those he spoke to.
VI The Lovers
Virtue: Loyalty
Two Keybearers who were known for their undying trust and loyalty to each other. Though one or the other was often led astray by the forces of evil, each time the remaining bearer was able to bring them back on the right path simply through kind words.
VII The Chariot
Virtue: Willpower
A bearer who did not falter, even in the most trying of times, and was always moving forward. In the end, he refused to die until the end of a great battle, despite terrible injuries, and through his sacrifice and inspiration, his companions were able to win the day.
VIII Justice
Virtue: Impartiality
A warrior who served as judge in the early courts of the Order, always weighing evidence and always working towards a fair and just punishment for the guilty. Even those who died by her judgement were said to respect her decisions.
IX The Hermit
Virtue: Atonement
Another sage, whose grief and guilt of the old world was only cured through a lifetime of atonement. He who lived selflessly and without luxury touched many lives even as he secluded himself in the far reaches of an empty world.
X Wheel of Fortune
Virtue: Initiative
A warrior of little skill, intellect, or power in any great shape, who nonetheless influenced many great battles and changed the world simply by being in the right place at the right time, and taking the chance offered to him.
XI Strength
Virtue: Resourcefulness
A hero who used every ability, item, alliance, and other such resource he had at his command to overcome extraordinary odds.
XII The Hanged Man
Vice: Hubris
A bearer whose pride got the better of him. He sought out the Princesses of Heart to make them his brides, thinking himself to be the only man deserving of such perfect beings. In his hubris he was defeated not by the Order, but during a battle against normal warriors, who lead him into a grove full of thick, hanging vines. In the end, he was entangled in this garden, and was left hanging there, where eventually he died.
XIII Death
Vice: Despair
A bearer whose grief coupled with guilt, setting despair in his heart. In his guilt, he decided that all Keybearers must die, and he struck against the Order with the ferocity of one with nothing to lose.
XIV Temperance
Virtue: Moderation
A sage who kept the Order grounded in reality, and served as counselor to all who would hear her words. The High Priestess is her daughter, and learned well from Temperance the value of taking things as they come.
XV The Devil
Vice: Lust
A Bearer of extraordinary power. Far from being horrified by the destruction caused by the Keyblade War, The Devil was said to have been enraptured by the sheer power shown by the χ-Blade in its final moments. His only desire, it is said, was to reforge the χ-Blade. It was his notes that theorized that the Seven Princesses of Heart, combined with thirteen (yet to be seen) great Darknesses, would bring about the reformation of the χ-Blade.
XVI The Tower
Vice: Stubborness
She who claimed sovereignty over many worlds, believing that the Keyblade made herself and all other bearers worthy to rule over normal people. Lacking wisdom, her kingdom fell apart around her, and only after all the worlds under her dominion fell into ruin and what would be ages of suffering did she finally die, slain by her own “subjects.”
XVII The Star
Virtue: Tranquility
She who meditated at all times, never once giving into emotion, sought to be a mediator between light and dark. After the death of Justice, The Star took his place, serving as impartial judge in all things.
XVIII The Moon
Vice: Deception
He who lied and betrayed his comrades to the darkness with honeyed words. His manipulations brought many bearers off the path of righteousness, and his actions had far reaching effects, sowing disorder within the Order.
XIX The Sun
Vice: Self-Righteousness
A bearer whose splendor caused many to flock to her side. With this support did she command a crusade against the darkness, to stamp it out of the worlds. By her hands did many, many worlds be reduced to ash, deemed unfit for the Realm of Light. In the end, she and her forces flew into the Realm of Darkness, seeking to destroy it utterly. They never returned.
XX Judgement
Vice: Wrath
A terrible darkness that erupted from the Realm of Darkness following the Sun’s crusade. It took the form of The Sun and her forces, twisted and corrupted. This evil sought the end of all worlds, and required the full might of the Keyblade Order to strike it down. It is often debated if Judgement simply took the form of The Sun’s forces, or if those forces had actually been corrupted by the very darkness they had sworn themselves against.
XXI The World
Virtue:Involvement
A bearer who involved herself in the affairs of the order, going out of her way to help other bearers through their problems. Her kindness and wisdom aided many and guided the Order into a golden age. It was her actions that put an end to Judgement.
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As far as weapons development goes for Disney Castle's Gummi Ships, there are two major schools of development:
Blast Heaven: Essentially Disney Castle's "NEEDS MOAR DAKKA" development team. They specialize in weapons that will help you attack more often or more people at once.
W(e don't know what kind of)M(onster could survive)G(uns like these): Disney Castle's "NEEDS BIGGER DAKKA" development team. They focus on making stuff that "Vill *VREAK* ze enemy vike a wee twig!"
BH wants to be able to blot out the sun with their bullets and make their foes fight in the shade.
WMG just wants a single solid attack that'll punch through ANYTHING.
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Will be posting a few more Lore Pieces very soon. They'll show up here before they appear in SV.
Last edited by
JamestheFox on June 5th, 2017, 10:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.