My Brilliant mecha idea!

[Cloud]

I am really interested in OVA mecha so i am going to start planning now so when it comes out, I will be ready. In the mean time, I am going to ask my players what kind of mecha story they like the most. Then when i get that data, I will present it here so I can

A: be really lazy and get some great ideas
B: use the ideas of my fellow OVA players and GM's
C: hopefully get a better idea for a mecha storyline (i havent really ran one before)

Thanks in advance.

[Inquisitor Melchior]

Count me in. I'll try to offer what help I can, but I've only ever run one Mecha game, and it was in BESM not OVA, so I don't know if I'll be able to help all that much (I've watched Neon Genesis Evangelion, Rahxephon, Gasaraki, and Bubblegum Crisis: Tokyo 2040 about 10 times each if that counts ).

I too am eagerly awaiting OVA Mecha (and OVA Fantasy for that matter). Many of the hints Clay has posted have piqued my interest, and the rules he's leaked for the supplement show a lot of promise.

If anyone's interested we could probably start a thread to develop some effective house rules to tide us over until the new books release, however, I'd want Clay's permission and forum development guidelines first, so-as not to step on his toes or violate his copyrights.

[Inquisitor Melchior]

I'm not sure if you really want any ideas yet (given that you haven’t posted the poll), but I thought I might offer what I like, and a few ideas, anyway (I hope I'm not being a pest with all of these posts on sundry concepts, I just like to share my ideas, the worthwhile ones anyway).

Saying what Mecha genre I like the most is a little more difficult than with some genres, after all Mecha, as a genre, is so diverse and versatile. The genre I get most drawn into are the mythology based philosophical and speculative ones like Evangelion and Rahxephon, however I also enjoy a good war Mecha based on deep characters, such as (most) Gundam, Gasaraki, Robotech, Bubblegum Crisis and Nadesico. There are even series like Outlaw Star that don't seem quite mecha, but which carry an underlying 'Mecha' feel (mainly because of the robotic arms on the ships, and the prominence these 'armed spaceship' battles took in the series) that I enjoyed. The genre I'd like to see more of, given its relative dearth, is fantasy mecha like Escaflowne, (the mecha segments of) Rayearth, Xenogears (okay, so it's clearly Sci-fi, but it has a distinct fantasy feel), and Vanguard Bandits (An old PS1 title by Working Designs that had interesting 'armored knight' style giant mecha).

There are several Mecha concepts I've devised at one time or another, however, in the interests of not flooding you with useless half-finished ideas, I'll just submit two of the better ones.

Hazritter
In a dystopian future a foul plague has ravaged mankind. Known as the Umbris this plague infects the blood through air, water, food, or contact, resists all available forms of treatment, and kills slowly over a matter of years causing painful black welts and skin lesions. Every creature on earth has become infected, save a select few humans who by a seeming stroke of genetic luck are immune. These select few, known as O-types (as their blood is completely free of any of the 'factors' by which blood is normally typed and categorized) have segregated themselves from the rest of the world, forming the vast mobile floating metropolis of Lemuria (most often situated in the center of the Atlantic Ocean). Those who are not O-types are never allowed to enter the luxurious residential levels of Lemuria, but if they are lucky and loyal, may earn the privilege of living in the bowels of Lemuria, maintaining its many mechanisms. This is not an easy position to receive, however, as innumerable plague diseased people desire to escape the outside world, terminally polluted by the countless machines that provide Lemuria's resources, and to enter Lemuria where the medical technology of the O-types is able to suppress the symptoms of the Umbris. The young men and women of the Hazritter Corps are the most privileged of those chosen by the O-types, given immense biomechanical armors called Hazritter that can adapt to any environment, they are charged with protecting Lemuria and its many supply ports from the denizens of the 'Quarantine Zone' (what the O-types call any area not within the direct control of Lemuria). It is even rumored that a Hazritter pilot who proves himself worthy may be chosen by the O-types, and genetically altered to become an O-type himself (and thus free of the plague and entitled to live with the other O-types in the upper levels of Lemuria). Still, despite this great promise, dark rumors of dissention also trickle through the ranks; questions as to why the umbris has persisted, unabated, for so many generations; questions as to why the O-types quarantine themselves even though not a single O-type has ever fallen ill; and whispers of a dream that all Hazritter pilots share of an exquisitely beautiful, yet inexplicably eerie dark haired young woman who pleads silently for her rescue from a pillar of black iron to which she is shackled.

Unnamed Breath of Fire-like mecha concept
Gresshalt is a small war torn country on the continent of Drakkun, but they may soon become a world power. Though magic has gradually faded from Drakkun as the dragon bloodlines have grown thin, the empire of Gresshalt has learned how to utilize necromancy, technomancy, and alchemy to raise the race of dragons that once ravaged the continent of Drakkun, and to control them.

This process is not able to create a perfect dragon, instead only being able to create crude, soulless reincarnations of these fierce beasts, which the empire of Gresshalt has labeled 'Carrion Drakes'. The process of creating a Carrion Drake is a lengthy and complex one. First the Necromancer must gather the bones belonging to a single dragon from the Dragons' Rest -a vast dragon graveyard centered in a desert in Gresshalt- and must reconstruct them into a whole skeleton. If even a single bone is missing, out of place, or from another dragon's remains the Necromancer cannot revive it, however, if the Necromancer rebuilds the skeleton correctly he may then, in his atelier (workshop) with months of continuous effort, grow crude muscle, organs, and sinew over the skeleton. Once the Necromancer's job is finished the Alchemist must then begin his work, creating partially living armor of magic alloys who’s aura matches that of the dragon and may merge with it. The Technomancer must then craft the channels in the armor through which the Carrion Drake's 'wings of light' are produced (dragons in Drakkun do not have normal wings but instead produce wings of light similar to those of the dragons in Breath of Fire IV) and must make the Carrion Drake's Daedalus Wings; great artillery salvos that rest upon the Carrion Drake's back like wings (but in reality more resemble the elongated weapon lined verniers possessed by some gundams). After crafting the Daedelus wings, and the artillery they conceal (usually canister aether missiles, aether cannons, and occasionally power amplification arrays for the Carrion Drake's Medium), the Technomancer must build a protected cavity in the Carrion Drake's back within which the Carrion Drake's Controller and Medium may sit (it's essentially just a recessed cockpit without any windows). Once the Carrion Drake is complete it must be infused with blood harvested from those with strong dragon ancestry to infuse it with a semblance of life, still, a Carrion Drake is only able to function through the efforts of its controller and medium, and is otherwise catatonic (Carrion Drakes, in the end, resemble a cross between Evas and the dragons from Breath of Fire IV).

The empire of Gresshalt has built hundreds of these Carrion Drakes and plans to soon launch a campaign of conquest, unaware that souls are awakening in some of these Carrion Drakes, and that Gresshalt's greatest weapons could well become their, and all of Drakkun's, most fearsome adversaries.

Bloodlines of Drakkun
Characters are encouraged to have multiple bloodlines, however, the stronger one bloodline is, the weaker the others should be.
Dragon: Though true dragons no longer exist, many in Drakkun carry dragon ancestry -though these bloodlines are growing ever weaker, and taking with them the source of Drakkun's magic. All Dragonbloods possess versatile magic abilities, as their bodies generate magical auras, however, these abilities are weak, even in those possessed of strong Dragonblood heritage. Additionally those possessed of high ratios of dragon blood manifest physical signs of their heritage, often possessing fangs, horns, spine protrusions, patches of scales, or other dragon-like anthropomorphic characteristics. Only those possessed of greater levels of dragon blood can successfully become Carrion Drake controllers.
Silpheed: Silpheedbloods do not possess latent magic as Dragonbloods do, however they are light and quick and tend to recover rapidly from injury. Those with high levels of silpheed blood often possess small vestigial feathered or insect-like wings on their backs and may, on rare occasion, possess feathered tufts in their hair and behind their ears.
Undine: Undinebloods can breathe underwater, swim rapidly, and can feel their environment through their bodies (this essentially functions like a sixth sense). Those with high levels of undine blood often have webbed fingers or toes, long veil-like fins that project from their backs, or even antennae.
Salamandre: Salamandrebloods are highly resilient to fire and heat, and can project waves of intense heat from their mouths. Those with high levels of salamandre blood often possess plates of organic armor on their backs, chests, or limbs; snake-like tails; and reptilian features; they may even possess fangs or lizard-like heads.
Torajin: Torajinbloods are generally muscular and of great stature, with tremendous strength and agility, and tiger-like features. Those with high levels of torajin blood may possess feline tails, retractable claws, cat-like ears, tiger-stripes, fur, and even tiger-like heads.
Phax: Phaxblood are taller than any of the other bloodlines, except perhaps Torajin, but appear lanky by comparison with long limbs and lean sinewy muscle. Phaxblood are also able to move with surprising speed and possess tremendous stamina (endurance). Those with high levels of Phax blood may have long faces; large teeth; horse-like ears or tails; short, coarse fur; cloven hooves for feet; or even horse-like heads.
Kinter: Kinterbloods tend to be smaller and more youthful than most bloodlines. They are the rarest of the common bloodlines, and possess unusually long lives, perpetual youth, and extraordinary vitality. Those with high levels of kinter blood may have pointed ears, unusually large eyes, or bottle-brush tails that grow from the backs of their heads.
Kitsune: Kitsunebloods tend to be graceful, elegant, stealthy, and quick-witted. Those with high levels of Kitsune blood may possess fox-like ears or tails, pads on their palms and feet, unusually thin and angular eyes, and even dual colored hair.
Kraken: Krakenbloods tend to have pale skin and little or no hair. They are highly resistant to the cold and possess tendrils that may protrude from their chests, shoulders, shoulder-blades, elbows, or faces; though the size, number, and dexterity of these tendrils is largely dependant upon the strength of the Krakenblood's heritage.
Limnean: All humanoid creatures in Drakkun possess some amount of Limnean blood, as this is the race that saved the world from the dragons in ancient times, and is still considered one of the most desirable bloodlines. Those with high levels of limnean blood tend to be fair of color and possess extraordinary mental powers such as clairvoyance and telepathy. Those with exceptionally high levels of limnean blood may even possess the ability to make their bodies glow and may have faintly glowing marks on their skin. All Mentalists and Carrion Drake Mediums must have a strong Limnean heritage.
Other Bloodlines: While numerous other bloodlines may exist, they are likely quite rare.

Occupations in Drakkun
While numerous fantasy occupations exist in Drakkun (including samurai and ninja, though none are native to Gresshalt), traditional Mages and Wizards are unheard of as Drakkun's latent magic is too weak. Instead a number of specialized magic disciplines have developed: Necromancers make pacts with powerful wraiths to gain control over life and death; Alchemists use compounds, rather than spells, to generate magic and to create empowered artifacts; Technomancers create mechanisms that channel and amplify magic energies; Elementalists channel weak magics into ambient forces to create spells that may start slow, but can be gradually heightened until they are incredibly powerful; Spirit Summoners call spirits to their aid through portal objects and talismans; Mentalists use psychic powers to predict actions, and even alter perceptions; and Thamaturgists draw from their own life forces to bolster their spells. Engineers also exist in Drakkun, however, as technology is highly dependant upon magic in Drakkun they tend to serve as mechanics who repair and maintain machines, rather than creating those machines. As various magic guns exist in Drakkun a character can also be a sniper, gun-soldier, or personal cannon expert, however, as aether guns and cannons are extremely difficult to make, and demand high prices from the Technomancers who craft them, such characters should be rare outside of the ranks of various national militaries. Carrion Drake Controlers are those possessed of powerful dragon blood who are chosen by the Gresshalt empire to control a Carrion Drake. With the help of a Medium a Controller may take over the mind of a Carrion Drake he occupies, awakening it out of its catatonic dormancy, seeing through its eyes, and controlling its every move. When a Controler channels his latent Dragonblood magics through a Carrion Drake it greatly enhances them. Mediums are mentalists trained by the Gresshalt Empire from a young age to, while within a Carrion Drake, act as a conduit between its mind and the mind of its Controller, allowing the Controller to take command of the Carrion Drake. Mediums all have strong Limnean blood and are also trained as mentalists to disrupt the minds of their opponents while sheltering their own minds and acting as a protective buffer to the minds of their Controllers.


...I think I may have gone a little overboard with that dragon concept post...

Anyway, most of the Mecha campaigns I've played or hosted (one of each if I remember correctly) have all been of the 'mega shadow-government corporation hires mercenary mech-jockeys to quell vast armies of inferior terrorist rebels in space' variety, so I can't say as I have much experience to offer, just some unusual ideas.

By the way, if you really want to create an odd but highly original Mecha concept just flip through an encyclopedia and find three random articles (or better yet use the random article function on an electronic encyclopedia) then merge concepts from the three articles with the tropes of the mecha genre to create as coherent a concept as you can. It's wacky fun (honestly, I only suggest this because it's how I came up with the Hazritter concept, and it can be fun to try to make a coherent idea out of seemingly random concepts)!

[Clay]

I don't have the time to read over your ideas, yet, Melchior, though I'm sure they're awesome. However, just wanted to say write house rules to your hearts content. Who knows, maybe they'll get put into the final game and you get a nifty credit (and maybe something extra!) for your toils.

[TheGreyReversed]

Wow both of those concepts sound interesting but I think I prefer the second one. Do the seperate bloodlines form homogenous societies or do heteogenous locations exist where there are a mixture of different species? I was also wondering what excatly the main conflict in the campaign was or should be.

[Inquisitor Melchior]

Clay:
Don't worry about reviewing all of my concept posts, most of them are unpolished and unfinished (though I do greatly appreciate any feedback given).

As far as using any OVA rules or errata I post, though my posts are hardly professional quality works, feel free to publish or rework them as you like. Also, as I'm not writing these posts in hopes of remuneration, you don't need to compensate me for any OVA concepts I post that you choose to use. just give me credit under 'special thanks' and I'll be satisfied .

TheGreyReversed:
The dragon mecha concept is far from complete, however, I can answer your questions with what I've worked out thus far. Bloodlines should be fairly mixed (though no one should have all of the bloodlines in their ancestry). Most people have only one or two bloodlines that are strong enough to manifest (Even exceptionally mixed individuals should have no more than three or four manifesting bloodlines), and bloodlines that are too weak to manifest are merely side-notes in the character's genealogy. Obviously certain bloodlines will be more prominent in certain nations, and in certain areas. Those in cold climates are more likely to have strong Krakenblood, as this would make them more resistant to the frigid temperatures. The same goes for deserts and Salamandrebloods. Everyone has at least a little limnean blood somewhere in their ancestry (and royals and nobles are likely to have a high ratio of limnean blood). You could also easily say that most samurai are Torajinbloods, most ninja are Kitsunebloods, or create whatever 'common bloodline' groups you like. As a sidenote, persons in Drakkun are often identified with whatever Bloodline they most resemble, and certain mixtures of bloodlines may also have titles identified with them (a character with strong silpheed and kinter blood might be called a Fairy or a Sprite, while one with strong undine and dragon blood might be called a Merrow). If you should choose to play in this setting have fun with the bloodlines, mix them to taste, and don't feel as though you have to stick to just those bloodlines I created either (there are several common anthropomorphic tropes that could be made into additional bloodlines, such as dogs, rabbits, and even vampires).

As for conflict, the main conflict would be the wars between the various nations of Drakkun, though you could also feature predjudice between certain prominent bloodlines, and bloodline discrimination if you wish (Dragonbloods should be especially disliked outside of the Gresshalt military). After Carrion Drakes begin attacking cities the main conflict will likely shift to fighting them (or just surviving encounters with them), discovering the secrets behind their awakenings, and, if the party possesses any Carrion Drakes, trying to prevent their own from going rogue.

[Cloud]

Thanks for all the help. As usual i have had like no time to read anything or write anything in a while but bare with me. I will get to it soon... Currently i am learning c, visual basic and cobol simotaneously at college (not to mention haveing math and database classes to attend...)