CORELINE (D20 Modern/D20 BESM Setting).

Thinking about 'Bleach' here, I recently found a Template for portraying Bleach-verse Shinigami.

Which makes me think of this: since Coreline is plagued with supernatural threats of many natures, the Shinigami as seen in the series (trained for a relative 300 Earth years in an academy) are actually starting to become a smaller breed, since, in order to bolster their numbers, they are doing like Rukia and 'deputizing' a lot of people.

And these people, as capable as they try to select them, sometimes are not quite comfortable with the whole thing with the Hakamas and the Zanpakutos and replace them with body armor and (phased-out) firepower.

This has divided the Soul Society in two major factions: the 'tradicionalist' Society, with people like Byakuya Kuchiki and 'sticking to their guns', and the 'modernist' Society, with people like Rukia and Ichigo and the teched-out, sometimes-anarchistic, 'deputized' Shinigamis.

"'Cause I wanna be Anarchy,
It's the only way to be...."

Here is the Template, as is (and it's a little high-powered, methinks).

Of course, I need help in sawing some things off.

-----------

"Shinigami" is an acquired template that can be added to any giant, humanoid or monstrous humanoid. The creature (referred to hereafter as the base creature) must have a Charisma score of at least 6.

A Shinigami uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

Size and Type
The creature’s type changes to Outsider. Do not recalculate the creature’s base attack bonus, saves, or skill points. It gains the incorporeal subtype. Size is unchanged.

Armor Class
Natural armor is the same as the base creature’s but applies only to ethereal encounters. It also gains a deflection bonus equal to its Charisma modifier or +1, whichever is higher.

Special Attacks
A Shinigami retains all the special attacks of the base creature. It also gains the Zanpaktou special attack

Zanpaktou (Su)
The Shinigami can manifest a spiritual Katana (which they gain automatic proficiency with) from their own life essence as a free action. It deals damage as a normal Katana, but gains a bonus on attack and damage equal to their Charisma bonus.

Special Qualities
A ghost has all the special qualities of the base creature as well as those described below.

Abilities
Str +4; Dex +6; Con +2; Int +0; Wis +2; Cha +6;

Environment
Any, often as base creature.

Organization
Solitary, Squad (5-8), or Division (12-20).

Challenge Rating
Same as the base creature +4.

Level Adjustment
Same as the base creature +7.

CORPORATE PROFILE: CAPSULE CORPORATION.​

-Headquarters: Tokyo-1, Japan.
-Regional Offices: Seattle, Washington; Denver, Colorado; Minneapolis, Minnesota; New York City, NY; Madrid, Spain; London, England.
-Majority Stockholders: Dr. Delemont Briefs, Bulma Briefs and Trunks Briefs, owning (collectively) 57% of total stock.

-Information: In their home universe, Capsule Corporation is the premiere megacorporation of the planet, producing and/or licensing everything from house electrodomestics to (literal) rocket science to weapons systems to cybernetics. In Coreline, they have had to fight off lots of bad P.R. that has come forth from the fact that a good deal of their managing arm is either composed of Saiyans or Saiyan sympathizers.
Capsule Corp. climbed to the position it is now on Coreline because of its trademark product: the Hoi-Hoi Capsules. Their technology of ‘capsular hyper-compression’ is, insofar, unparalled by any other company on the planet, and it has been this which has made other companies lease the Hoi-Hoi Capsule technology.

In payment, not only has Capsule Corporation been able to use their facilities to create their own products, but the companies produce a number of special systems just for them, such as replicated technology from the DBZ Universes.

Rules of Hoi-Hoi Capsules:

A Hoi-Hoi Capsule is a Tiny-sized object, a canister with a button on top and a label sticker on the side, color-coded as follows (these items as well, have the GM’s call of what they can be full of):

Blue: Storage Items (Empty).
Green: Storage Item (full of Rations).
Green with Red Cross: Storage Item (full of medical supplies).
Green with white bullet: Storage Item (full at least 4 or 5 extra mags or 2 extra belts-only standard ammo).
Red: Weapons.
Orange: Structure Package (see below).
Yellow with one white bar: Vehicle (bike, skates, surfboard, canoe) pre-loaded with safety gear.
Yellow with two white bars: Vehicle (common vehicle (motorbike, van, sedan, truck) pre-loaded with a tank full of gas and one emergency kit in the glove compartment/trunk/saddle).

To activate the capsules, one must simply press the button and throw the capsule away. The capsule will then ‘explode’ one (gear) or two (vehicles and structures) rounds later, releasing the item (and anyone who is still in the same place where they deploy must make saves as if the things fell on them). As well, the items have a button to return them to their capsule form. Once pressed, the item will super-compress back after 10 rounds (and anything living still inside it will have to make a Fort save, DC 25, or be crushed. Any objects remain untouched).

Capsulized Items:
Capsule Corporation offers the following items in capsule form:

Storage:
-Capsule Corp. Storage Item Alpha: An empty back-pack made of high-quality fibers. It’s water-resistant and has internal and external pockets for easy classification. Purchase DC: 12.
-Capsule Corp. Storage Item Beta: A Patrol Box. Purchase DC: 11.
-Capsule Corp. Storage Item Gamma: A 10 lb.-capacity Aluminum Travel Case with an Average-quality combination lock. Can be chosen to be refrigerated at no extra cost. Purchase DC: 13.

Weapons:
These weapons all come pre-loaded with one full magazine of standard ammo.

-Beretta 92F (PDC: 18).
-Colt M1911 (PDC: 17).
-Glock 17 (PDC: 20).
-Ingram MAC-10 (PDC: 17).
-Uzi (PDC: 20).
-HK MP5-K (PDC: 21).
-AK-47 (PDC: 17).
-M-4 Carbine (PDC: 18).
-Mossberg 500 (PDC: 17).
-M-60 (PDC: 23).
-Metal Baton (PDC: 10).
-Tonfa (PDC: 8).
-Nunchaku (PDC: 5).

Structure Packages:
Capsule Corporation also sells a set of housings with enough items inside them for short-term use (essentially turning them into massive camp tents). Almost all of the structures are made of high-resistance aluminum, which affords for cheap mass production, as well as all items being standardized. They are all designed, without exception, in a round-tent fashion with massive ‘CAPSULE CORP.’ logos painted on the sides, as well as gunmetal gray in color.
-Structure Package Alpha: a one-man tent complete with sleeping bag, battery lamp, propane kitchenette, survival knife, 12 trail rations, 5 chemical light sticks and one emergency medical kit. Purchase DC: 33.
-Structure Package Beta: A small, one-multipurpose room, one-bathroom house, complete with sofa bed, wind-up radio/flashlight, battery color TV, propane kitchenette, 24 field rations, one flare gun with 6 flares, a machete and three medical kits. Purchase DC: 35.
-Structure Package Gamma: A small house with one bedroom, one multipurpose room and one bathroom, complete with CB radio, AM/FM radio, a small TV, a sofa bed, a battery lamp, a propane kitchenette, 36 field rations, a machete, a gunrack with one M5 Scout Rifle and an additional box of ammo for each type, and five medical kits. Purchase DC: 39.
-Structure Package Delta: A large, two-story house with two bedrooms, one multi-purpose room, one fully equipped kitchen and entertainment center, as well as a CB radio, two walkie-talkies, a GPS, one satellite phone, two floodlights, a flare gun with 6 flares, 5 chemical light sticks, a machete, 48 field rations, a gunrack with one Mossberg 500 shotgun and an additional box of ammo and eight medical kits. Purchase DC: 41.

Getting your Capsulized Items.

(The following Capsulization system is quoted verbatim from the ‘D20 Dragon Ball Z’ D20 Modern conversion, located here: http://www.angelfire.com/games3/possabilities/d20_Section.html .)

Storage Items
+Small: Small storage items include things the size of a backpack up to things the size of a child’s toy box. A cooler that one would take on camping trips is one such storage item. Items of this size have an additional Purchase DC of +2 (applied to the PDC of the selected Storage Item).
+Medium: Medium storage items include things the size of a hope chest, or trunk, up to a normal refrigerator. The additional Purchase DC for items of this size to be capsulized is +4.
+Large: This is generally the limit to a Storage Item’s size without it becoming a structure. Items of this size include some types of large refrigerators, trailers, garbage bins, and anything that occupies an entire 5ft. area or 5ft by 10ft area. The additional Purchase DC for things of this size is +6.
+Anything larger than Large has a Purchase DC increase of +2 to the previous amount.

Structures & Vehicles
+In the d20 Book listed under “Life Styles” in the “Equipment” section, there is a table outlining the Purchase DC for different types of housing. To get Capsulized versions of each of these types of housing, go down the list and add a cumulative +5 to the Purchase DC of each. So if you want a home the size of a Small Condo to be Capsulized it would have an overall Purchase DC of 33, while if you wanted one the size of a Large Condo it would have a Purchase DC of 40.
+Most capsule homes, not to mention most homes in general in DBZ are round in shape and have plenty of windows. Additionally anything that is put into a home that is capsulized remains there when the home is returned to its original state. Nothing is damaged or anything.
+A small note. Any character with a Capsule home should have insurance for it. Capsule Corp. offers this, with Capsules scanned when bought and everything in the home accounted for when the policy is drawn up.

NEW FEAT: Photographic Memory.
You have perfect recall of everything you’ve experienced.
PreRequisite: Int 15+.
Benefit: You can recall everything you’ve seen, read ir experienced perfectly. If you forget some detail your character should remember, you can ask the GM to remind you. You get a +2 bonus on any skill rolls for which rote memorization is useful (at the GM’s judgment).


NEW FACTION:

THE KNIGHTS OF THE TRUE TIMELINE.​

Everything about them is unknown. What they came from. Where are they going. What are their capabilities.
What is known is that they are the most vile bunch of bastards out there. And that they will not stop –ever- until they’re dead.

Agenda: To correct ‘the mistake’ that is the existence of the Multiverse.
Structure: Terrorist organization separated in cells.
Symbol: Silhouette of two clocks, one of which is crossed out with a black line.
Most Common Allegiance: The Knights of the True Timeline.
Requisition Limit: 50 (Military, Illegal).

The Knights of the True Timeline is a collection of zealots which are joined together in one single belief: that the existence of parallel universes is wrong, and which must be corrected by any means necessary.
And this correction they make by eliminating any factors that would deviate one specific timeline from its ‘parent’. Technology is destroyed, people are killed, characters are brainwashed and/or brutally convinced to stay on a certain path. For this, they have access to incredibly advanced technology and resources, which vary greatly from cell to cell.

The changes that happened in Coreline, they believe, is the greatest affront that has ever happened, which requires supplemental ‘cleansing’, innocents be damned. Their first official act in Coreline was the destruction of part of suburban Surrey to eliminate an Alternate of Vernon Dursely that had become an anti-magic spokesman. This attempt killed Dursely, his family, and 100 other people, as well as injuring thousands more. Their agenda after that has been of major street lynchings punctuated by the occasional attempt. No intelligence agency has been able to infiltrate the organization, no cell knows the specifics of all others, and any attempt to capture a cell alive has been rewarded with the cell members killing themselves.

One thing that the Knights don’t know, or don’t seem to care about, is that their attempts to ‘correct’ the timelines have done nothing but to create more deviations, in essence creating a vicious circle.

(NOTE FOR GMs: The KOTT is supposed to be the mysterious, 'do all, be all, watch all' bad guys of this setting. There's no target they cannot reach, no technology they don't experiment with, no mercy to be attained from them, and all of their members fight to the death. Encounters with the KOTT's members, be them the point of an adventure or a random encounter, should be disturbing to the Player Characters and, in some way, rewarding, be it from the fact that they are wiping out full-blown scum or the fact that all of the KOTT's members have top-of-the-line gear to loot).

NEW CLASS:


What a Preacher is, in Coreline, switches between cults. Some of them are conmen of some kind, some of them have heard a higher calling, and depending on the cult a Preacher might be one more powerless cog in the machine or a large-caliber leader.
What they all have in common is that they combine a prompt use of vocabulary, pouring on the charisma and fingering to rouse the masses into doing what’s necessary at the time.
Select this class if you want your character to present an aura of righteousness and rouse the masses into whatever fits his whims.

The earliest a character can enter the Preacher advanced class is via the Dedicated hero basic class.

Requirements
To qualify as a Preacher, a character must fulfill the following criteria.
Skills: Knowledge (theology and philosophy) 6 ranks, Sense Motive 6 ranks.
Feat: Trustworthy.
Special: An allegiance to a specific religious faith.

Class Information
Hit Die: 1d6 + Con modifier.
Action Points: 6 + ½ character level, rounded down, every time the character attains a new level in this class.
Class Skills: The Preacher’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are: Concentrate (Con), Craft (visual art, writing) (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Knowledge (arcane lore, behavioral sciences, civics, current events, history, popular culture, theology and philosophy) (Int), Perform (act, sing, stand-up) (Cha), Profession (Wis), Read/Write Language (none), Research (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language (none), Treat Injury (Wis).
Skill Points at Each Level: 7 + Int modifier.

Table: The Preacher
Level-- BAB-- Fort-- Ref-- Will-- Features-- Defence-- Reputation
1st-- +0-- +1-- +1-- +2-- Sermon-- +0-- +1
2nd-- +1-- +2-- +2-- +3-- Righteous fury-- +1-- +1
3rd-- +1-- +2-- +2-- +3-- Bonus feat-- +1-- +1
4th-- +2-- +2-- +2-- +4-- Talk down (one target)-- +1-- +2
5th-- +2-- +3-- +3-- +4-- Divine favour-- +2-- +2
6th-- +3-- +3-- +3-- +5-- Bonus feat-- +2-- +2
7th-- +3-- +4-- +4-- +5-- Talk down (multiple targets)-- +2-- +3
8th-- +4-- +4-- +4-- +6-- Motivate the flock-- +3-- +3
9th-- +4-- +4-- +4-- +6-- Bonus feat-- +3-- +3
10th-- +5-- +5-- +5-- +7-- Talk down (all targets)-- +3-- +4

Class Features
The following features pertain to the Preacher advanced class.

Sermon
A Preacher holds great influence with those of the same allegiance. Beginning at 1st level, a Preacher gains a +4 bonus on all Charisma-based skill checks when dealing with members of his allegiance.

Righteous Fury
A 2nd level Preacher may launch into a Righteous Fury, where divine or spiritual inspiration lends him strength. For a number of rounds equal to the Preacher’s class level, he may use his Charisma or Wisdom modifier (whichever is higher) instead of his Strength modifier when making melee attacks, ability checks, or skill checks. The Preacher may use the Righteous Fury ability a number of times per day equal to his Wisdom modifier (minimum of once).

Bonus Feats
At 3rd, 6th, and 9th level, the Preacher gains a bonus feat. The bonus feat must be selected from the following list, and the Preacher must meet all of the prerequisites of the feat to select it.
Attentive, Combat Expertise, Creative, Defensive Martial Arts, Educated, Heroic Surge, Horse Trading, Improved Disarm, Iron Will, Medical Expert, Renown, Studious.

Talk Down
A Preacher of 4th level or higher can talk his way out of trouble. Either prior to the start of hostilities or during combat, the character can talk down a single opponent within 30 feet of his position. The target must be able to understand the Preacher. That opponent immediately stops fighting and reverts to an indifferent attitude regarding the Preacher and the situation in general. Any hostile action directed at the opponent by the Preacher or by an ally of the Preacher allows the opponent to act as he sees fit.
To initiate this talent, the Preacher must spend a full-round action talking to his opponent. The opponent must make a Will save (DC 10 + Preacher’s class level + Preacher’s Charisma modifier). If the save fails, the opponent stops fighting. If the save succeeds, the opponent continues as normal.
At 7th level, a Preacher can talk down a number of opponents equal to 1 + his Charisma modifier (minimum 1). The opponents must still be within 30 feet of his position.
At 10th level, the range extends to 60 feet and covers all opponents who can hear and understand the Preacher’s voice.

Divine Favor
Starting at 5th level, whenever a Preacher spends 1 action point to improve the result of a die roll, he rolls one more action die than his level would normally allow. The Preacher selects the highest die roll to add to his d20 roll.

Motivate the Flock
Through an inspirational prayer, the Preacher can urge the faithful to great deeds. If an 8th level Preacher spends one minute speaking and exhorting fellow members of his allegiance, all of those members within 60 feet of the Preacher gain a +2 morale bonus to all skill checks, ability checks, and saving throws for a number of rounds equal to the Preacher’s class level. In order to receive this bonus, a character must be able to both see and hear the Preacher during the entire minute of his motivational speech. The Preacher may use this ability a number of times per day equal to his Charisma modifier with a minimum of once per day.

A small EDIT note here: I added a quote to Gendo Ikari.

Aside from that, here's a couple of new things...

KOTT ‘BOLA GRENADE’.



Damage: 4d6.
Critical: -.
Damage Type: Slashing.
Burst Radius: 5 ft.
Reflex DC: 15.
Range Increment: 10 ft.
Size: Small.
Weight: 2 lb.
Purchase DC: 15.
Restriction: Illegal (+4).

A sadistic weapon used by KOTT ‘Correctors’, it was specifically made to kill any escaping targets. At first sight the ‘Bola Grenade’ is a metal ‘stick grenade’, but once deployed, chains extend from the central handle to expose that the grenade side and the lower part of the handle are actually weights on opposite sides of it. A pre-set timer avoids the user from being blown up as he winds up his throw.

As a rule, an ‘undeployed’ Bola Grenade is no different from a standard grenade in use. Once deployed, a Bola Grenade is a ranged weapon that can be used to entangle a Small or larger opponent. First, you make a ranged touch attack against the target. The target must be at least 10 feet away, as the Bola Grenade cannot be used against adjacent opponents. If the attack roll succeeds, the target is entangled. A target can free itself from the bolas as a full-round action or make an Escape Artist check (DC 15) on its turn to escape from the bolas as an attack action. The Bola Grenade’s chain has 15 hit points and can be broken with a successful Strength check (DC 20) as a full-round action.

If you entangle a creature with the bolas, you may attempt to trip it on your next attack. A failed trip with bolas does not allow the target to make a trip attack against you.

The Bola Grenade’s timer can be pre-set once deployed to a maximum of 5 rounds. If undeployed, the grenade will explode on the round after, like other grenades.

KOTT ‘LANCER’ ASSAULT RIFLE.
5.56mm. Assault Rifle.



Damage: 2d8.
Critical: 20.
Damage Type: Ballistic.
Range Increment: 80ft.
Rate of Fire: S,A.
Weight: 12 lbs.
Magazine: 40 Box.
Size: Large.
Purchase DC: 20.
Restriction: Mil (+3).
RULES: This weapon has the ‘Alternate Weapon’ Gadget attached to it, and so, it cannot be added to it again.

Sadistic in looks, this is the standard-issue assault rifle to the KOTT ‘Corrector’ teams. Recently, a number of them had been acquired by Genom Corporation (by bribing evidence locker clerks, since not even they want to deal with the Knights), replicated and sold as the M-1775 ‘Lancer’ CQC Assault Rifle.
It comes equipped with an underbarrel Chainsword (D20 Future Gear, pg. 13).


NEW RACE:

GAINAXVERSE ATLANTEANS (adapted from Ronin Arts’ ‘Occult Heroes’).​

This particular version of the Altlanteans is the one seen in the Gainax series ‘Secret of Blue Water’. Although the sole examples of this race are two of the series’ main characters (which were not the best examples), and the rest of the race itself has been believed extinct since the late 1800s, multiple fanfic authors have thought otherwise.
When the Vanishing happened, the CLULESS Virus had full access to their thoughts and their notes, to their desires to see this race (or, at least, this vision of the race) to still be alive.
And so, it happened. Several civilian cruise ships that were out on the ocean at the time reported the landing of humongous red ships that then turned into ‘moving islands’ (even though no military, Fiction or otherwise, could confirm these sightings). Some time after that, semi-mechanical PsiCrystals started to appear in the open market from a number of small Mediterranean companies.

And sometime after that, an organization calling itself ‘Neo Atlantis’ started to wreak havoc on the areas of Africa that weren’t part of the Pan-African Nation, mostly those on the coastlines.

The rest of the race denies their connections to this organization wholeheartedly (especially since, in their opinion, the organization is full of ‘black sheep’), but those NeoAtlans out there think just like the NeoAtlans of the series did, in that the Human race is nothing but slaves to the Atlanteans, and they must be conquered.

A Gainaxverse Atlantean is no different appearance-wise from a normal human, even though they look Mediterranean, with deep tanned skin, dark hair (of blues or blacks) and brown, black or jade eyes. Their main difference is their psionic aptitude, which enables them to control their bodies greatly (every Gainaxverse Atlantean is taught how to do this from childhood, even if they receive no further psionic training).

Personality-wise, Gainaxverse Atlanteans are self-confident and slightly aloof. Those Gainaxverse Atlanteans that are ‘evil’ see mankind as ‘sub-human’, while those who are ‘good’, while pleasant to stay around, can still present a paternalistic attitude. Both sides treasure knowledge and the power of the mind greatly.

Gainaxverse Atlanteans have colonies in South and Central America and in the North Atlantic.

RACIAL STATISTICS:

Type: Humanoid.
Size: Medium.
Ability Modifiers: -2 Charisma.
Base Speed: 30 ft.
Naturally Psionic: Gainaxverse Atlanteans gain 2 bonus power points at 1st Level. This benefit does not grant them the ability to manifest powers unless they gain that ability through another source, such as levels in a psionic class.
Resistance (Su): Gainaxverse Atlanteans can use psionic energy to increase their resistance to various forms of attack. A Gainaxverse Atlantean can spend 1 power point to gain a +4 racial bonus on saving throws until the beginning of her next action. This Supernatural ability can be used at any time-even on another creature’s turn.
Resilience (Su): When a Gainaxverse Atlantean takes damage, she can spend power points to reduce its severity. She can reduce the damage she is about to take by 2 hit points for every 1 power point she spends. This Supernatural ability can be used at any time-even on another creature’s turn.
Repletion (Su): A Gainaxverse Atlantean can sustain her body without need of food or water. If she spends 1 power point, a Gainaxverse Atlantean does not need to eat or drink for 24 hours.
Level Adjustment: +0.

"These so called knights are nothing more than thugs. Thugs with a bad reason to be going around beating the out of people, and a peculiar brand of madness. What other sense do their actions make? They went mad, or were driven there, and sombody gathered them up into these cells. Trust me, they aren't just blind pigs scavenging in the dark. There's a mind there, directing their actions. I've seen it before, this kind of focus. In Mordor." -An alt of Samwise Gamgee, talking about the mysteries surrounding the KOTT.

Me, I see them as a poorly thought out cover for some deeper plot. There is no way to determine a 'true timeline', not given quantum theory. Their very existance, even just watching events has changed them. So it's rather obvious to me that they are a. dumb or b. brainwashed.

Also, I've noticed that a few of the more recent shows to make the list are. . . shall I say, Post-apocalypse? Meaning they couldn't have had anywhere near the influence that they have today? Seriously, in 2001, where was the Bleach manga? NeoBSG woouldn't be seen by the world until 2003. There must be some kind of effect that was able to pick up on fandoms that didn't exist yet, fiction en potientia as it were. Then, it made these possible futures of entertainment into realities. Or at the very least, shadows of realities.

Now if only there was a ruleset for the Avatar world that I liked. . . Then I could stat Azula and add her to Akatsuki.

As I'm not so sure that +7 Level Adjustment on a Shinigami is correct(looks underpowered to me, though I'm no expert).
I've taken a look at the template by "Savage Species" standards.(D&D book specificly ment for playing unusual characters, and figuring out LA)
Feel free to have someone on the wizards boards double check, as I said I have fairly little experience with non standard characters(almost zero actually)
Also zero Bleach experience.

Size and Type:
Outsider: +0
Incorporeal subtype: +2
Size change(none): +0

Armor Class:
Natural armor is the same as the base creature’s but applies only to ethereal encounters. It also gains a deflection bonus equal to its Charisma modifier or +1, whichever is higher.
Might by +1, as this will (likely) be at least +3 AC.

Special Attacks:
Zanpaktou (Su)
Hmm, always ready 1d10 damage with (at least) a +3 to hit and damage bonus, definately more potent then normal 1-handed melee weapons, so that's a +1

Abilities:
Str +4; Dex +6; Con +2; Int +0; Wis +2; Cha +6;
First, WHY a STR bonus at all? Incorporeal creatures lack a STR score.
Aside from that, definately an unbalanced set of stat gains(+16 without the STR, definately at least a +1 here)

Level Adjustment(at present estimate):
Same as the base creature +5.

Sorry for a double post, but I at least wanted to finish the thing I started with that Rock Lee & Rockbell Auto Mail Inc. post before I went on christmas holidays.(may well be my last post this year)

***Confederation of Magic***

"Amazing"

Even Sensai Gai was at a loss for a better word for several of the things Rock Lee and himself had seen since arriving.

People walking through the sky as if it was solid ground, buildings that were much larger on the inside then outside.
Chests and other cargo containers that moved by themselves(with and without feet) and many other such things.

Even their guide given to them at the embassy for reaching the chambers of Guru Clef, the Cephiran Diplomat, was... interesting to say the least.
A pink rabbit of sorts that was apparently called Mokona.

A guide that was needed as the trip apparently went through at least a dozen of identical rooms with various crystal platforms.
People were constantly appearing and dissappearing on them.
Without a doubt a person could get lost almost instantly if they didn't know where they were going.

Eventually, this "jumping" ended in what appeared to be a waiting room.
A person, who didn't look much older then 10, dressed in white and holding a staff was already waiting for them.

"Right on schedule Mokona, as always. Welcome Gentlemen. I'm Guru Clef. Miss Rockbell said you would be coming" the boy starts as they appeared in front of them.

"YOU are the Cephiran Diplomat!? You're just a kid!" Rock Lee, still in a very bad mood, remarked.

-sound of a solid wooden staff hitting a human head could be heard by all present-

"I'll have you know that not even the Magic Knights could have gotten away with such disrespect.
For your information, I'm several centuries old already and also Cephiro's High Mage.
The highest magical power on Cephiro, save the Pillar herself. I would have thought a person in your line of work would know better then to judge by appearances" Clef admonished even before Sensei Gai had the chance.
Turning towards Sensei Gai: "And before you start apologizing, Miss Rockbell informed me that Mr Lee here would probably be in a very bad mood"

"Can I offer you anything before we get down to business?" the mage asks as he leads them through a door into his personal chambers.

"No thank you, Sir Clef." Gai responds, looking at Lee.

"Same here, I'd prefer getting down to business, sir" Lee responds politely.

C: "As you wish. Please hold out your hand then Mr Lee"

Taking the young ninja's right hand in a firm grip, Clef closes his eyes for a few moments as if concentrating on something.
With a smile on his face, he opens them again.

C: "You have great potential, you just MIGHT have what it takes to find what you seek..."

L: "What do you mean with potential exactly?"

C: "Your willpower my boy, Cephiran magic is as much magical talent as it is sheer force of will. And you have willpower the likes of which I've rarely seen"

G: "I know Lee's determination is extraordinary, but how will that get the material he'll need? If you don't mind me asking sir."

C: "Not at all, glad you asked. I know EXACTLY which material is up for the task.
I'll admit I had a feeling it would be THAT material ever before I could measure your student's potential.
Whether or not Mr Lee here was up to the task is what I had to check"

L: "What do you mean with "task", is there something I have to do before you'll give the material?"

C: "It's not like that. This material, Escudo, is very special. The only place in Cephiro, where it can be obtained, by those worthy, is the Spring of Eterna"

L: "And you're willing to take us to Cephiro and this Spring?"

C: "No"

L: "But you said.."

C: "I said the only place on CEPHIRO is the Spring. As it turns out, this world has a nr of locations that are very much like the Spring.
And like the Spring, you'll be tested to your limits if you wish to obtain the Escudo you'll need..."

G: "And you know the locations of these places?"

C: "Not directly, Mokona is the only one who can guide you to them"

L: "Guess we'll just have to get this Escudo then, won't we Sensei?"

C: "It won't be quite as simple, but you'll find that out in due time... Unfortunately I can't tell you any more about that.
SHOULD you indeed manage to obtain the Escudo, I look forward to seeing you again."

G: "Thank you for your help, we'll be going now"

C: "Don't mention it. Have a good day. Mokona, show them where they need to go alright?"

As the ninja's and Mokona left, Guru Clef couldn't help think back to a similar event from his own reality.
He has as much potential as those girls, he could well have been a Magic Knight. The girls almost didn't make it though.. I hope he succeeds..

The above and the below posts take some things from Magic Knight Rayearth.

Verec said:

"These so called knights are nothing more than thugs. Thugs with a bad reason to be going around beating the out of people, and a peculiar brand of madness. What other sense do their actions make? They went mad, or were driven there, and sombody gathered them up into these cells. Trust me, they aren't just blind pigs scavenging in the dark. There's a mind there, directing their actions. I've seen it before, this kind of focus. In Mordor." -An alt of Samwise Gamgee, talking about the mysteries surrounding the KOTT.

Me, I see them as a poorly thought out cover for some deeper plot. There is no way to determine a 'true timeline', not given quantum theory. Their very existance, even just watching events has changed them. So it's rather obvious to me that they are a. dumb or b. brainwashed.

Click to expand...

They have been brainwashed into service by their 'high Paladin'. Who he is is unknown. He, however, is undoubtedly one of the biggest SOBs out there.

Verec said:

Also, I've noticed that a few of the more recent shows to make the list are. . . shall I say, Post-apocalypse? Meaning they couldn't have had anywhere near the influence that they have today? Seriously, in 2001, where was the Bleach manga? NeoBSG woouldn't be seen by the world until 2003. There must be some kind of effect that was able to pick up on fandoms that didn't exist yet, fiction en potientia as it were. Then, it made these possible futures of entertainment into realities. Or at the very least, shadows of realities.

Click to expand...

I didn't had a theory behind how do the series are added in-game to this thing (personally, I just added them for the hell of it). But a theory I had been thinking of recently is that, once active, CLULESS read into the minds of the Creators and extrapolated. The Creators (mangaka, Executive Producers like Ron Moore or whatever) had at least an inkling of an idea of their creations at some point in that time, and CLULESS just manifested them.

Either that, or CLULESS is some '4400'-ish alteration to Earth in order to make it more 'useful' to a (formerly incoming) Bad Thing (being invaded by Fictions anyway and the world losing more than badly-better to deploy CLULESS and have the Earth join them).

Of course, this latter theory is pulled out of my backside and I don't like it a lot. So third theory would be, Coreline is NOT the 'True Timeline'. It IS a timeline that (pre-CLULESS) was very reminiscent of the True Timeline.

And no-one in Heaven, Hell or Earth (except the people inside the Mists) are the wiser.

Verec said:

Now if only there was a ruleset for the Avatar world that I liked. . . Then I could stat Azula and add her to Akatsuki.

Click to expand...

I'd say, check the Wizards Anime boards, but well... you probably have done so.

At least, they're trying to correct their Classes, last time I checked.