Boktai: The Sun Is In Your Hand



In a place not to far from here and now...the End of the World approaches.
The Undead appear, breaking the natural cycle of life and death.
The evolution of species ceases, and one by one, they become extinct…



Backgrounds:

Drop-In [Free]
You fall ass-first (or the closest equivalent thereof) onto the ground upon choosing this background, just outside of your rolled location. There is a treasure chest close by to you containing all of the Gear and Arsenal (if any) that you’ve purchased, and it will disappear after you’ve retrieved said items. The sky is pale and lifeless even with the sun high above, and you can hear the shuffling of the Undead nearby…

+/- No new memories, helpful or not, to settle you into this dying and undead world.
+/- No natural affinity to either side of the conflict.
+/- You are a gigantic question mark in the Will of the Galaxy, Immortals will not be expecting or prepared for you at first, and neither will what remains of humanity.

Solar Child [100]
You are a part of the surviving lineage of solar-blooded humans, and are thus a natural enemy of all things tied to Dark Matter. You have trained and fought for years against the Immortals and the Undead, helping the remnants of humanity survive in this dark era. Will you act as a shepherd for the survivors among mortal humans, or will you simply hunt down the Immortals yourself?

+ Combat experience and training for dealing with the Undead and their monstrous masters: the Immortals.
+ You have access to weaponry that is easily adaptable to the situation or the opponent you face.
+/- You are the natural enemy of the Undead and the Immortals, and immediately recognizable as such.
- You have no natural supernatural powers or enhancements without Arsenal, and are likely outmatched in a contest of raw power against Undead.
- I hope you enjoy dragging heavy coffins around.

Earthly Keeper/Maiden [100]
With the sun’s light diluted and Dark Matter poisoning the land, mankind is dependent on the light of Solar Trees to keep all of it at bay. You are the caretaker of one of such life-giving plants, acting as a healer and guardian of mortals. You hold the duty and responsibility of ensuring that your Solar Tree survives so that the settlements or life surrounding it survive as well. This is no easy feat, because the Immortals will do anything to curtail or poison such an artifact of life…

+ You are the caretaker of a sanctuary against the Undead and Immortals, very few of whom are able to even approach it.
+ You are valued by all surviving humans as an irreplaceable guardian and savior.
+/- Because of your occupation and duties, many will underestimate your ability to fight and defend yourself.
- You are priority number one for kidnapping or assassination missions done by Immortals, because you’re one of the only things standing between them and total victory.
- You’re probably spending all ten years of your jump as a glorified gardener, because the Solar Tree requires constant upkeep and care.

Solar Smith [100]
Blessed are the peacemakers. Humans have no natural powers to counter the supernatural fortitude of the Immortals, but they have the ability to make the tools to match them. You are one such engineer and builder, able to create the invaluable weapons and arsenal used by the Solar Children and vampire hunters. You work diligently with what little you have, having grown used to the scarcity of the darkened world you live within. Maybe you could even use your abilities to make weapons using the powerful Dark Matter of Immortals...but you wouldn’t do such a thing, would you?

+ You know how to craft and build weapons native to the world of Boktai, perhaps even a replica of the legendary Gun Del Sol.
+ You are very efficient when crafting new items.
- Solar Smithing is an old, old trade and you are very old. Your age is now 50+2d10 instead of the default one.
- You are probably going to spend most of your jump as a glorified item shopkeeper, unless you want to try and brave the Undeadening yourself…

Immortal [400]
Whether you were once a mortal human, animal, or simply formed from nothing is irrelevant. You are now an Immortal, a being infused with Dark Matter. From the beginning, you have helped herald the Undeadening and turned the world into one better suited for yourself and your kin. Humans are on their last leg and you live as one of the many rulers of the ashes. The Will of the Galaxy has declared your victory, so all that’s left is to enjoy it, right?

+ You do not age and will eventually regenerate from almost any lethal wound, right down to being reduced to a head or a limb.
+ You have access to Monstrous Powers, supernatural feats that set you far and above human beings.
+ At the jump’s beginning, Immortals are in a position of dominance and impending victory.
+/- The Dark Matter in your body gives you a distinct appearance – red eyes and chalk white pale skin.
+/- You are the natural enemy of Solar Children and humanity, and will be treated as such.
- While you can walk freely in the open most of the time, water and natural sunlight will damage you considerably and the latter can even disintegrate you completely if focused enough. For example, four solar panels all focused directly on your body…
- If you’re damaged enough, your chain may come to an abrupt end even if you could regenerate from it. This includes being atomized or beaten down enough while in your coffin.
- You are completely vulnerable and helpless while regenerating in your coffin.
- That victory will NOT last long if a certain Solar Boy finishes their journey, which begins not long after your arrival…

Hybrid [500] [To be changed into a perk]
[Dark Child/Half-Vampire equivalent. Going to be made into a perk. Access to Arsenal and Monstrous Powers, particularly a unique set for the first two options.]
Perks and Abilities:

[Drop-In]

Hey, Knock That Off! [100, Free for Drop-In] – Your nature as an unwelcome guest in the play the Will of the Galaxy has arranged makes heads turn whenever you do something notable. Whether taunting your opponent or using an ability nobody expected you to have, you find it easier to catch opponents off guard or distract them from what they were previously doing. This doesn’t last long and anyone with strong planning skills or determination can ignore or adapt to you, but sometimes a moment of weakness is all you need.

The Mysterious Jumper [100, Free for Drop-In] – The air of mystery and unanswered questions around you is a double-edged sword, but sometimes it’s one that can cut just the way you need it to. People who would naturally consider you an ally, whether from similar goals or personality, will be drawn to you and seek to learn more about you. Enemies will also be prone to underestimating you upon the first encounter. That said, mysteries tend to be solved or ignored after a while, so this perk only works on first impressions and little else – this won’t do much good once everyone gets used to your presence!

Wait, This Is Stupid [200, Discount for Drop-In] – In this post-apocalyptic world covered in Undead and worse, it pays to have your wits about you. This means not doing anything stupid like handing over the MacGuffin to the antagonist or getting sucker-punched by the local Solar Child in your own home. You become more genre-savvy and can better predict impending traps or doom. This isn’t precognitive by any means, more of an enhanced version of common sense.

Without A Name [200, Discount for Drop-In] – Nobody knows who you are or what your stake in a given conflict is, or just how much of a threat you are (or aren’t). People you meet for the first time can feel something ‘odd’ about you, that you’re more important or imposing then you appear. Maybe even moreso than you actually are. What this means is that important individuals will be more cautious in dealing with you, or at least give it pause for thought. This makes it easy for the Jumper to remain neutral or untouched in a given conflict, aside from those who actively mean them harm. Choosing a side or attacking someone removes the effect of this perk, of course, but now it’s harder for you to be mistaken as an enemy or ally on accident.

Look Me In The Eye! [400, Discount for Drop-In] – You’re a stranger without a name, an uninvited guest to this world. You’re a rogue, and you’re going to make sure everyone knows it. Your presence, when established, is indomitable and impossible to miss. Enemies weaker than you are naturally intimidated, enemies stronger than you take your presence seriously. While this effect can let you steal a show or grab everyone’s attention, if you have nothing important or worthwhile to say or do, this perk’s effect will fade rapidly. Still, this ensures that when you have something to say, people are going to LISTEN.

I’m Full of Surprises [400, Discount for Drop-In] – Is it true? Maybe, maybe not. Your status as a wild card makes you unpredictable, and enemies will be more prone to tripping up when playing against you...even if you don’t have any actual ‘surprises’ in store. Your ability to bluff and make your opponents doubt their own superiority or advantages has increased greatly, and you can make a city-destroying monster take a step back when you make so much as a finger gun motion at them. This is temporary and will be overcome if the enemy knows your capabilities already or are smart enough to know you’re bluffing somehow.

My Will, My Way [600, Discount for Drop-In] – The butterfly effect can be a bitch, something a Jumper will learn early on in their career. People don’t meet the way they were supposed to, the hero doesn’t get back up, and the world is plunged into darkness all because you REALLY wanted that ice cream. No more. A Jumper can now instinctively sense when their actions will directly interfere with a world’s normal narrative or events, and whether the immediate consequences will be good or bad for them in particular. You won’t know the ‘how’ until it happens, so it’s up to the Jumper if they want to take that risk. This perk is especially potent for worlds with a set ‘fate’ or precognitive ability, but otherwise acts as a low-key ‘should I, should I not’ instinct for its user.

[Solar Child]

TAIYOOOH! [100, Free for Solar Child] – As your name would indicate, your weapons, gear, and magic are now solar-powered. You can now raise your arm towards natural sunlight and absorb it to gain a small ‘pool’ of energy that your Arsenal and magical abilities can use as a reservoir to power them. Arsenal items with magic (or lenses, or any other sort of solar powered items) will recharge quickly, though this gathered energy will also run out quickly with constant use. While you can use this Solar Pool to power magic from other worlds, you’ll find this will run out very quickly upon trying to use powerful magics or city-busters, and is best reserved for Arsenal or smaller techniques you don’t want to use stamina for. Shouting this perk’s name to gain energy is NOT optional.

Put Your Back Into It! [100, Free for Solar Child] – You know, when you decided to take it upon yourself to be a vampire hunter, you probably should have done more research on the all-important Pile Driver. Namely, the fact you have to drag the coffin of the Immortal all the way over to it. If you weren’t already, you are now strong enough to drag around 500-700 pounds over your shoulder. This isn’t as impressive as it sounds, but at least you won’t need to help to pull those heavy coffins along. You also have more stamina to spare in physical activity as a consequence.

Lighting the Way [200, Discount for Solar Child] – When times are bleak and the night is dark, a Solar Child will be the one to light the way. The Solar Child is recognizable as a source of hope and light to those who need it most, and others will find them easier to approach and ask for help even if their pride would normally make them reluctant to do so. This also makes it easier for the Solar Child to befriend those they’ve aided, never going unrecognized for their services and help. This doesn’t alter personalities or make sworn enemies of the Solar Child lay down their arms to ask for their help, merely making it so others who need a hero or a helper will recognize them as such, and that gratitude for their aid will be given.

Quiet as the Dusk [200, Discount for Solar Child] – The limited ammunition and sunlight that a Solar Child’s Arsenal depends on often makes it easier to avoid conflict with the Undead out in the open, and sneak around them to either escape or catch them off-guard. The Solar Child becomes skilled at the art of stealth and using the shadows to their advantage in that department, gaining the reflexes and awareness necessary to use the environment to stay out of sight. Anything that can bypass mundane stealth can overcome this perk, but if you’re not being focused on, it’s easier to slip back out of sight if your target is somehow distracted.

Surprise, Sunshine! [400, Discount for Solar Child] – In a contest of raw power, ordinary humans stand no chance against the power of the Immortals. That’s why it’s better to outwit them instead. When fighting an opponent you can’t defeat with brute force, you can gradually adapt to fighting their abilities and exploit weaknesses that become apparent as the battle unfolds. This can’t create weaknesses that didn’t previously exist or overcome invincibility that otherwise lacked flaws, but if you can survive long enough, you can find and use these flaws against your opponent to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

The Sun Will Rise Tomorrow! [400, Discount for Solar Child] – Even when things are at their darkest and defeat is certain, dawn will soon rise and banish that despair. Your optimism becomes genuine, your smile brighter, and your willpower becomes much stronger. Anyone who is in despair or have lost all hope can be revitalized by some inspiring words from the Solar Child, or maybe just smiling at them when they need it most. This applies to themselves as well, and a Solar Child can turn the worst day of their entire lives on its head and be ready to face the coming days ahead.

Sol Trance [600, Discount for Solar Child, cannot be taken by Immortals] – Using your natural connection to sunlight and with the help of a Messenger of the Sun, you can merge with your sunflower companion to become a literal embodiment of sunlight. Your speed and reflexes ascend just above the human peak (this increase is very slight if you are already well above this), and all of your light-based or fire-based abilities become much more potent. In addition, you gain the following abilities:

-Sol Prominence: Your punches and kicks become strong enough to dent reinforced steel, and are infused with raw sunlight that will quickly illuminate and burn an unprepared enemy. This is obviously very potent against beings made of Dark Matter or otherwise weak to light.
-Sol Flare: You can create and manipulate solar-enhanced flares, acting as fire normally would except enhanced by Sol Magic, burning away the Undead and warding off darkness. You can create and control fire the size of a small room, though it will quickly be extinguished once you release your control over it. You are also immune to fire and light-based attacks yourself while in this form.

You are the bane of all Immortals in this form, and raw Dark Matter is extinguished by your presence alone. This form is temporary and can only be maintained for a minute, up to ten at a time after some training and improvement. The Solar Child won’t be able to return to this Trance for at least an hour after using it. In addition, both abilities drain directly from either your stamina or the solar pool used by TAIYOOOH! if it is available. It’s very likely you will be exhausted of energy depending on how you managed use of your abilities.

[Earthly Keeper/Maiden]

Keep the Sun [100, Free for Earthly Keeper/Maiden] – With the Undeadening weakening the light of the sun, it falls to the Earthly Keepers and Maidens to collect that precious life-giving sunlight and give it to those in need. The Earthly Keeper gains an understanding of gardening and tending to crops if they lacked it already, and can specifically grow any edible fruit or vegetable that will collect sunlight from the ongoing days. Once it is ripe for harvest, this food will restore the energy and stamina of those who eat it in short bursts for each piece consumed. This will prioritize the energy pool given by ‘TAIYOOOH!’ and any energy used for light-based abilities.

Always In Your Heart [100, Free for Earthly Keeper/Maiden] – It’s not enough to be a caretaker of the Solar Tree or the plant life around it – people need caring for, as well. You gain an instinctive empathy with other people, being able to recognize their current mood and needs with just a glance. This allows you to know when someone needs company or perhaps want to be left alone entirely. You won’t have any context or immediately discern what’s the cause of their current state without some mundane detective work, however.

Gentle Hands [200, Discount for Earthly Keeper/Maiden] – So many things and people have died in the wake of the Undeadening, but that doesn’t mean what was lost can’t be restored. The Earthly Keeper/Maiden picks up a natural talent for repairing trauma, gaining the ability to conduct mundane first aid and act as a soothing presence for the mentally scarred or physically wounded. Others will perceive the Earthly Keeper/Maiden as a gentle soul, and will open up to them more easily. Ordinary medical knowledge aside, this is a knack and does not grant any sort of knowledge or experience – The Keeper/Maiden can still make mistakes in dealing with these wounds, and anyone who would distrust or hate them normally will not open up to them via this perk.

Green Thumb, Yellow Sun [200, Discount for Earthly Keeper/Maiden] – The harvest is the ultimate bounty of life and growth. In this darkened era, it is imperative that it is collected as soon as possible. Any mundane plants or crops that the Earthly Keeper/Maiden personally tend to will germinate and grow three times as quickly as they normally would. Magical plants or crops with supernatural properties do not count for this, with the sole exception of ones made with ‘Keep the Sun’, though any others will be more healthy as a consolation.

A New Day [400, Discount for Earthly Keeper/Maiden] – Life ends and begins again. The Earthly Keeper/Maiden can enforce this cycle so that the dead do not rise and that the land will give life once more. With a touch, the Earthly Keeper/Maiden can prevent the dead or dying from becoming Undead or some other twisted aberration of life that isn’t total resurrection. In addition, they can purge corruption and death from a room-sized patch of soil, making the land fertile and removing negative magical or supernatural effects from it. Powerful or long-standing corruption is much more difficult and tiring for the caretaker to remove, and may even backfire if their willpower is not strong enough on its own.

Try Me Next, Filth! [400, Discount for Earthly Keeper/Maiden] – Because of all the healing and gentle work the Keeper/Maiden must do, many make the mistake of assuming that they’re weak and easy to pick off. And then you teach them some fucking respect when you slam that bull-headed Undead into the ground with a suplex. Enemies are more prone to (perhaps fatally) letting their guards down on the assumption you cannot fight, and ones who are normally proud or short-sighted will make this mistake constantly. You also gain total mastery of mundane hand-to-hand combat against the undead, able to fight one at least twice your size with an equal amount of force.

Our Sun [600, Discount for Earthly Keeper/Maiden] – The prized ability of all those who tend to this dying world: The ability to create and maintain a Solar Tree. It is this very ability that stands between life and total extinction in this world, and must be protected at all costs. The Earthly Keeper/Maiden’s yield from Keep the Sun is twice as potent when grown from a garden containing a Solar Tree, and can even grow crops that magically heal physical injury when consumed. With time and effort, they may even create a new Solar Sapling that will eventually germinate into a new tree, though the creation process will take at least years of time and a significant investment on the Earthly Keeper/Maiden’s part, and growing the new sapling in the first place will take years of exposure to open sunlight before it grows into a true Tree.
[Solar Smith]

Back to Basics (100, Free for Solar Smith) – Everything needs a foundation. Houses need bricks, fire needs fuel, crazy guns need an understanding of gunsmithing. You know have a complete knowledge of basic, Wild West era ballistics and how to handle mundane gunpowder. Won’t be of much use in this world unless you’re fighting other humans, but hey, sometimes simple is best.

The Finer Things (100, Free for Solar Smith) – It’s not just about firing bullets, of course. You also need to know how to properly work metals and make them durable enough to stand against the Undead. You gain an understanding of metallurgy and become a skilled blacksmith, with plenty of room for growth. Plus, any melee weapons you forge become much more durable than they would normally be. This requires a personal touch, however, so this durability won’t be in place if you find a way to industrialize your craft.

With This Herring (200, Discount for Solar Smith) – The almost total ruin of civilization tends to put a damper on resource hunts. So, you learn to work with what you have. You can now make your engineering work with half of the materials you would normally need to complete something. While things made of dirt or poor metals obviously won’t last very long, you find you can get a lot of mileage out of just a fistful of good material. This doesn’t apply to any mechanism or device more complicated than a grandfather clock, or bigger than an ordinary car tire – at that point, you have a different problem entirely.

The Sum of the Sun (200, Discount for Solar Smith) – Now we’re talking. You now know how to construct Lenses that absorb sunlight, converting it into a pool of magical energy to store into a Battery. At its most basic use, this collected energy can be used to fire pea-sized sunlight bullets, which can be reloaded with just raising the weapon to the high noon sun. With some time and experimentation, you can fire these bullets through different shapes and sizes, as described in Arsenal...maybe even in new, creative ways you can think of?

The Blood Will Tell (400, Discount for Solar Smith) – This is a dangerous craft, Jumper. Tread lightly. You can now infuse any personal weapon (that is, no bigger than a Rocket-Propelled Grenade launcher in modern day) with a thirst for blood, giving it a magical hatred of all things flesh. The weapon, regardless of its prior properties or metal, will hit twice as hard and be twice as deadly as it was before. But at a cost. Each time the weapon strikes true against a foe, it will deal half the damage onto the user, bypassing all defenses completely. You best have a way to heal quickly, lest your weapon claim both you and your enemy. This only amplifies damage done by the weapon itself, not any special properties or magic it may have. A bullet will hit with twice as much force, but the sunlight in them won’t be any brighter.

Light Side of the Moon (400, Discount for Solar Smith) – While the sun is an all-purpose battery and bullet against the Undead, versatility is sometimes needed. You can now convert collected solar energy from ‘TAIYOOOH’ or ‘Sum of Sun’ into the elements of Frost, Flame, Earth, and Cloud (wind). This doesn’t make the used energy more powerful, but changes the properties of the weapon to inflict damage based on these elements instead of pure Sunlight. Against certain opponents (or just things that are flammable), this can prove more deadly than ordinary rays of sunshine. If you chose this perk alongside Sum of Sun, you know how to construct devices that do this work on their own, while users alongside TAIYOOOH! can do so using their own energy reserves, firing bursts of the elements from their hands.

Twice As Bright (600, Discount for Solar Smith) – It’s been a dream of mankind to make an eternal energy source, one that is easily accessible and infinite in use. The latter isn’t exactly true, but now you can harness the energy of the Sun, or even just a star your planet happens to be orbiting. You can now construct larger batteries than those simple handgun-sized devices and substitute the solar energy for almost any magical or technological device on your person. Larger and more complicated devices require larger batteries and a longer charge time, and powering an entire starship or city would probably take up a large amount of space and an entire day of initial charge-up, but if you have the time and the parts, it can be done. You may decide if the charge-up sequence is passive or activated by a switch when building the battery. Note that some energies cannot be substituted (such as those from a divine source), and in some cases solar energy is much less efficient than what it would normally use. Use common sense.

[Immortal]

From Darkness (100, Free for Immortals/Hybrids) – Dark Matter is not a mere byproduct or fuel for the Immortals – it is the absence of light, the empty abyss between the stars that directs and dictates the Will of the Galaxy. Anywhere that there is a lack of natural light – from the shade of a tall building to a pitch black dungeon, the Immortal may raise their hand to absorb the Dark Matter from this void. This acts as an energy source for the user that can be used to fuel their Monstrous Powers or any magical abilities they possess, with the exception of anything based on light (lasers, sunlight, etc.) which is their natural bane. This slightly boosts the potency of offensive abilities, but cannot be used on any healing abilities that work on the living – Dark Matter burns and rots the living, not restore them. This pool is twice of the size of the pool given by ‘TAIYOOOH!’.

Can you take this alongside ‘TAIYOOOH!’? Of course! However, storing both sunlight and Dark Matter in one’s body at the same time will cause the energies to burn up against each other, rapidly destroying the user’s body from the inside in an excruciatingly painful fashion. The same reasoning is applied to why you don’t mix gasoline and fire in a single container. Attempting to use Dark Matter with a non-Dark lens or enhancement will cause the weapon to damage itself and eventually break with constant use, though it will temporarily gain a slight power boost when used as such. Only a Hybrid can hold safely both energies at once, and even then, it’s painful for both their bodies and their minds…

By the way, it is perfectly safe for a Jumper to use this. Your benefactor protects you from the negative effects of Dark Matter. That said, you also can’t use it to become an Immortal or a Hybrid without perks, as a consequence. If you want to have your cake and eat it, you’ll have to spend points on it.

The Better Part of Valor (100, Free for Immortals) – The damned Solar children and surviving humans are all too aware of the common weakness to you and your kin, which is why you’ve picked up a good sense for when to flee. You can now sense the exact moment sunrise will approach in your area, and how long you have to hide from its rays. You also pick up a second sense for when an enemy has a weakness or a strategy in mind that has a high chance of working against you, informing you to flee. Be warned, you don’t know what or how they’ll do such a thing, and sometimes they’re counting on you running away…

Groundsoaked Blood (200, Discount for Immortals) – Blood is what sustains the living, and it is oh so sweet. You can now absorb blood recently removed from a living being into your skin or consume it like food. In addition, you can store blood within your unliving body and channel it with Dark Matter, using it as a weapon. Fire it as projectile, crystallize it into a weapon...the possibilities are endless. However, you have a limited pool of blood to use, and if a living being were to use this it’s likely they’d cause considerable damage to themselves in the process. Perhaps that isn’t a problem for you, however…?

Snuff The Light (200, Discount for Immortals) – It doesn’t matter what sort of lofty ideals the living may hold – they mean nothing in the cold face of eternity. You are now incapable of feeling despair at the idea of immortality or futility, something you embody as an Immortal, and in addition you know how to twist and turn your words to infuriate or damage the morale of an enemy. It’s especially useful if you’ve defeated them in the past or demonstrated your superiority...though sometimes, the living may be too strong of mind for you to deal with using words alone.

Primal Hatred (400, Discount for Immortals) – Immortals are the Will of the Galaxy made manifest, demanding that the living be culled into place so the world may once again grow anew. You are a superior predator, and thus have the instincts appropriate for one. You can now sense the presence of living beings and can gauge their strength compared to yours, along with how close they are to death. This range gets fainter the farther away they are from you, with a soft cap of a castle-sized building, and when you pursue, you will find yourself stronger, faster, and just a little more lethal than you’d normally be...a true predator, closing in for the kill.

Of Darkness (400, Discount for Immortals) – Dark Matter is entropy given form, that corrodes and burns away life to make something unliving from the flesh. Your manipulation of Dark Matter has gone beyond simply enhancing your form or Monstrous Powers – it is an extension of your being. You can now manipulate shadows into a solid form, using any darkness in the same room-sized area as you as a weapon. It moves and twists to your will, and so long as you have Dark Matter to use as energy, it can take any solid form you desire. You can’t manipulate darkness ‘inside’ the living or the unliving...unless, of course, you found a way to introduce Dark Matter to their insides…

They Who Hate Life (600, Discount for Immortal) – It isn’t just about surpassing mortals in existence, it’s about showing your superiority through TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT! You are now capable of harnessing Dark Matter and storing it in technological batteries, to use as ammunition in weaponry or as a power source...though, unlike the cursed Sun, this cannot fuel any technology that doesn’t somehow cause damage or destruction. The true power, and danger, of this perk however is the nature of Dark Matter…using pure Dark Matter on a dying or dead target will make them rise as the undead, creating new Skeletons, Boks, or even the mighty Vampires. They will be born with a hatred of all that lives, and will be twisted mockeries of what they were in life...though perhaps the strong-willed may yet hold onto themselves. While it won’t be as contagious as a true Undeadening, enough Dark Matter can create a true hell on Earth...perhaps even beyond your control. But will that matter to you? Destroy the living, and make the Will of the Galaxy known, Jumper.

I Am Jumper, The Unliving! [Free – Immortal only]
The name Immortals wasn’t chosen out of a hat. Having transcended the needs of an ordinary mortal, they are indeed undying and ever-living. The biological functions of the Immortal become inert and vestigial – they do not need to breathe, eat, sleep and do not age at all. What’s more, Dark Matter now heals them instead of burning them. This, combined with From Darkness, lets the Immortal restore their bodies and physical health in short bursts by absorbing Dark Matter and then distributing it to their form. They also gain a resistance to mundane weaponry, ordinary bullets and blades only inflicting scratch damage on their own, though it is possible to be ‘tapped’ to death by weak weaponry in large enough bursts. If that wasn’t enough, the Immortal can survive lethal damage by entering stasis, entering a coffin in which they will recover to full health the following night if their forms aren’t disturbed.

Of course, this is where the downsides come in. Dark Matter is now very much your bread and butter – nothing else will heal you or nourish you as an Immortal. What’s more, natural sunlight is your eternal bane – you will be reduced to ash after more than two minutes of exposure to high noon light, and you won’t come back from it. To make matters worse, this light can be replicated by artificial UV rays or the Sun weapons of the Solar Children, albeit in a slightly diluted form.

If forced to retreat to your coffin, you are completely vulnerable and unable to defend yourself in any way, your abilities useless until you regenerate. The most you can do is rattle your coffin to try and push yourself away to safety. Should you be dealt enough physical damage in your own coffin that you couldn’t normally survive or be blasted by the light of a Pile Driver for five minutes, you permanently die and the chain ends.

Uncategorized Perks:

Mysterious Wanderer Jumper [Free!] - Everyone in this world has a special title associated with them. Star Reader Zazie, Solar Boy Django, Dark Boy Sabata, Earthly Maiden Lita...the list goes on. You can pick a single title that you like for yourself, and anyone who identifies you or knows of your reputation will call you by this title. Nobody will think this odd, even in worlds where such is unusual. You can change your title at will, but it may take people a while to get the message about your new one.

Lunar Blood (500)* – There is only one Moon Beauty known to be left among the living, and she is in the clutches of the Immortals. No longer. You have true Lunar blood coursing through your veins, and it manifests as an unearthly beauty unmatched by any living mortal...even some of the less macabre Immortals sneer at you in envy. You can channel Lunar energy, which you passively collect from both darkness and moonlight, into any magic or Arsenal you use – changing it to a blue energy that stuns instead of kills. However, if you are able to harness the power of the Sun, you can combine the Lunar energy with it to use the Wild Bunch, a potent and destructive energy made from combining both the great powers of the Galaxy, able to send even an Eternal Piece reeling with a well-placed shot.

This isn’t all. You exist in perfect harmony with the two powers of the Galaxy, and can safely store both Sunlight and Dark Matter in your body without harming yourself (with the exception of Immortals). The strongest perks from your origin find their true potential unlocked by this balance, and you will have the power to change this world’s fate from that alone.

Hybrid (200/Free for Lunar Blood – Optional, cannot be taken by Immortal) – Aren’t you a curious creature? You have somehow found a limbo between Sol and the Dark, touched by the nature of Immortals yet still walking among the living. This gives you a little bit of access to both worlds – you can buy from either Arsenal or Monstrous Powers freely. You can also access items unique to your nature. This comes with a toll, however – you gain the Immortal weakness to sunlight and Sol magic, a weakness that will turn your flesh to ash if you let it reach you for too long. You also only get 1000 points total to split between Arsenal or Monstrous Powers.

Arsenal:

The Immortals and the Undead are many, with mortals being so few. In order to combat the might of the Undead, humans have created an Arsenal of weaponry to combat them. Gun Del Sol, the Sol De Vice, and many others all harness both the power of the Sun and Magic to turn the tide against monsters that would bring ordinary men to their knees.

Jump Del Sol [Free/100. Cannot be taken by Immortals.] - Whether dumped on your head by your benefactor, forged by your own hand, or given to you as a family keepsake, you have one of the coveted devices that make up humanity’s Arsenal. A Solar Child receives their first weapon for free. Each weapon has 1000 Arsenal Points to spend on it. Each additional weapon after the first costs twice as much – going from 100 to 200 to 400, etc. For each weapon, choose either Melee or Gun as its type.

Old Friends [Free/100] – So, you’ve probably been to other places before coming here, right? Well, don’t let me make you choose between them or new toys – if you have a gun that an ordinary human could carry or wield at their size, you may import them as Arsenal for free with each purchase of Jump Del Sol. However, adding Gun features to a sword or an axe, vice-versa, or a gun that an ordinary human could not possibly wield (up to tank-sized) will require an extra 100 points to import – at which point, they’ll be able to transform into the appropriate Arsenal.

Modular Weapon [Free for all Arsenal] – The whole is worth more than the sum of its parts. It’s a little difficult to fit all the different Frames, Lenses, or any other neat attachments you’ve made all at once on the weapon. No, really, they tend to be pretty bulky and cumbersome to swap out. Lucky you, you can switch between the various parts on your weapon with but a thought, and your weapon will change to the correct part or ‘mode’. This will only apply to things you bought in the Arsenal section of this jump, however – any special modifications you make yourself will need to be added and tweaked as normal.

[Guns]

(Lens) A Lens is what channels the collected sunlight into a magical energy. What sort of energies? Let’s take a look:
	Sol [First Free/100AP] – You can’t beat the classics, it turns out. This uses the sunlight in the battery to create...well, more sunlight. The bullets or rays you fire with this lens will burn with the fury of a hot summer day, and is especially potent against undead creatures or beings that feed from the darkness. The opposite is also true – this will fail to hurt anything made of light and is only slightly painful to the living. The first Gun Arsenal you buy with this option will acquire this Lens for free.
	Flame [100 AP] – Fire. It creates and destroys in equal measure, forging steel and searing flesh. The attacks used with this lens will burn with a raw, powerful fire. It lacks purity of Sol, but it makes up for it in raw, physical damage and the ability to spread even after the magic that created it has faded. Everything burns.
	Luna [100 AP] – The light of the moon shines upon you, Jumper. This is a unique Lens that fires a blue energy that does not consume any energy from your battery, letting you use it at any time. However, it does absolutely no damage to the living or the Undead alike. It can, however, stun them or knock them off balance with a well-placed shot. Best used as a last resort weapon or a way to non-lethally disable.
	Ice [200 AP] – To meet you. This isn’t any mere frosty chill. It is a cool customer. Alright, I’ll stop. This lens allows your Device to freeze things and people solid. How cold is it? Cold enough to freeze a layer of magma into a walkable surface. Be warned, the magic will fade rapidly, and the temperature will normalize with its environment after a few seconds, making the magma hot again and making the enemy emerge from its icy prison unless you make a concentrated effort to keep them frozen. Naturally, this makes it VERY effective in an already cold environment...
	Cloud [200 AP] – Steel rusts, stone breaks, monuments crumble. Wind will blow everything away. This Lens harnesses the power of air, creating a burst of wind that will often knock opponents off of their feet, though something heavier than a large human may prove difficult to tip over. The true power of this Lens, however, is its destructive power against solid, non-living material. Rock, marble, metal...the Cloud Lens quickly wears away at solid material, creating dents, tears, holes, and eventually dust. Magical or unusual metals are much more resilient against this, but you’ll undoubtedly do some damage to someone’s hard-earned possessions or personal castle if you use this enough in the right spots…
	Earth [200 AP] – From the soil, life springs eternal. Carried to meet the sun and the starlit sky, Mother Earth never forgets her children. This green Lens does very little damage against the living and undead alike, though artificial constructs that were not born of any ‘womb’ will find this energy will damage them quickly, the Earth rejecting their false life. The true power of this Lens, however, is the ability to quickly heal ‘wounds’ in plantlife and wildlife. Flowers will change from the dead to a full bloom, trees will bear fresh fruit for the first time in centuries, and so much more. Things of magic and power, whether Solar Trees or otherwise, are too much for a simple hand-sized Lens to possibly heal in one lifetime...perhaps you’ll find another way?
	Dark [400 AP, Discount Hybrid] – What use could you have for this? This Lens channels and fires pure Dark Matter, using its natural properties as a weapon. It will deal the most damage to living, sentient beings...and do absolutely nothing to those naturally born of darkness or death. What’s more, any living being you slay with this Lens will rise again as an Undead the following day. Please, reconsider. Trying to use this with a solar Battery will make your Device explode.

(Battery) The Battery is where the sunlight is stored, and acts as the ‘ammunition’ for the Device in the hands of the Jumper. They have no special properties on their own, with two exceptions noted below, aside from having a higher capacity. You can buy more than one battery to swap with another one at any time, letting you ‘reload’ when you lack sunlight or time to recharge. To recharge, just hold up the Device to the sunlight and yell ‘TAIYOOOH!’. Yes, really. Just don’t forget to keep all of them charged…

	Single [Free] – All Arsenal you purchase receive this battery for free. It’s a small, miniaturized battery that can hold about ‘one Sol’ worth of charge. It will run out of ammo quickly if you’re not careful about your shots, forcing you to think carefully...or perhaps not.
	Double [200 AP] – A bit bigger, a bit heavier, but a bit better. This battery holds ‘two Sol’ worth of charge, enough for a tough fight or two before needing a recharge.
	Triple [300 AP] – It requires some getting used to, but now you’re cooking with gas. Or sun, rather. This battery can carry you through a good dungeon crawl or three hard fights before needing a recharge, holding ‘three Sol’.
	Quad [400 AP] – This may be a little excessive, but better safe than sorry, right? This battery holds ‘four Sol’, enough for several powerful attacks or an entire dungeon crawl.
	Quint [500 AP] – Alright, now you’re just getting silly. This holds ‘five Sol’. You can go an entire day and a half without needing a recharge. Just don’t forget to get to it eventually!
	Hollow [200 AP] – What, this doesn’t appeal to you? You have a different idea in mind? Alright, well, if you want, you can receive an ‘empty’ battery. This doesn’t absorb sunlight or much of anything, but examining it can give you an idea of how to make a battery in the first place...maybe using your own energy source. Maybe even an energy that can use both Sol and Dark without damaging the Device. Who knows? It’s up to you, Jumper.
	Chaos [400 AP – Discount Hybrid] – Again, why? These weapons are meant to guard the living, not add to the ranks of the Undead. This battery doesn’t absorb sunlight, it instead absorbs Dark Matter from the shadows...being somewhere light is weak or absent is key to gathering energy. It works with all Lenses except Sol, which attempting to combine the two will lead to the Device exploding in your hands. Strangely, it’s awfully potent when used with the Luna Lens, making the stun even more effective…

(Frame) Finally, there is the Frame. The Frame determines the ‘shape’ of the fired energy when the trigger is pulled, and forms the primary shape of the Device. They are as follows:

	Shot/Spread – The ‘default’ type of frame. It can fire the chosen energy in the form of pellet-sized ‘shots’, which travel a good distance before dissipating. It can also fire a ‘spread’, making the energy shoot forward in a still ‘wave’ in the direction the user is facing, which is much more potent in damage but has a very short range that requires getting close. The spread can be used so long as the user holds down the trigger, but drains energy quickly if in constant use.
	Fighter [Free] – Everyone starts somewhere. This frame lacks the ‘spread’ function that normally comes with these frames, firing weak pellets that do very little damage. It’s good for stunning an enemy, but little more.
	Knight [100 AP] – Now we’re making some progress. This frame can use the shot and spread feature of the gun as normal. The bullets are just strong enough to slightly burn human skin, and the spread can cause considerable damage to the Undead if you catch them off-guard.
	Crusader [200 AP] – This feels a bit more like a real gun. The shots are now strong enough to pierce through a human as a ‘mundane’ bullets would, the magic extra potent, and the spread can sear off flesh with a well-placed attack.
	Dragoon [400 AP] – Bang. You’re dead. The shots are potent enough to blast the limbs off an unarmored human, the spread strong enough to melt an opponent. Naturally, with Sol, this is a very effective Undead killer.

	Sword-Spread – These frames only fire a short-ranged spread that is narrowed and focused into the shape of a sword, hence the name. Though this covers a much shorter area and requires care and quickness to aim, it is stronger in terms of raw damage and can pierce armor or tough skin more easily.
	Fencer [100AP] – Poke. More potent than the Knight but not quite better than the Crusader, this can damage some tough opponents, but not as much as you may like.
	Swordsman [200AP] – Prod. Officially stronger than a normal spread, this beam can punch a hole into several layers of armor and cause considerable damage to the enemy behind the protection.
	Swordmaster [300AP] – Shank. The beam is now potent to punch a hole into reinforced steel and even some magical defenses. Whatever’s on the other side likely now has a sword-shaped hole in its flesh.
	Samurai [400 AP] – Stab. Very little can stand between the spread and its target. This not only tears past armor and barriers, but the wound inflicted on an enemy will have an almost explosive impact on their insides. May your blade cut through the dark.

	Rotating Spread – Do you like spinning, Jumper? I hope you do, because you will start spinning in a circle upon using this spread. It lacks shot capabilities but sure is great at making you dizzy and likely baffling foes!...no, I don’t get it either.
	Axel [100AP] – Spin! Slightly more potent than a spread from a Knight.
	Vortex [200AP] – More spinning! The spinning is faster and the spread is about as strong as a Crusader frame.
	Tornado [300AP] – Spin faster, Jumper! The spread is about as strong as the Swordsman spread, but with slightly better range. Assuming you can aim the damn thing, anyways.
	Tempest [400AP] – Are you dizzy yet?! This spread is exactly as strong as the Dragoon, and the spinning is fast enough to somehow deflect projectiles at you so long as you’re in motion. I guess that’s something?
	Heavy Shot – Sometimes, you just need to hit something harder. These frames lack a spread, but instead fire bullets individually the size of basketballs with a lot less range than ordinary shots, having the travel distance of a small room. However, they are much more potent in damage, and the force of impact can be enough to knock an enemy off their feet.
	Spear [100AP] – This shot doesn’t have very much range and eats energy like a hungry wolf, but it packs a serious punch, just stronger than a Crusader Frame.
	Lance [200AP] – Boom. Just as strong as a Dragoon frame and can knock opponents twice your size off balance.
	Javelin [300AP] – The amount of force behind the impact of a shot can punch a fist-sized hole in an unprotected enemy, likely rendering them dead in one blow. Now you just need to get close enough…
	Phalanx [400AP] – Now you see them, now you don’t. The force of impact is enough to send something your size flying up into the air, and it’s no slouch against things bigger and heavier than you, either. That is, if they survive the shot to begin with – this will blast an unprotected and unarmored enemy into pieces with a direct hit.

	Automatic Fire – The above options don’t sound like enough dakka to you? Alright, here’s some more dakka.

Gear: (MOST WORK)
Dark Loans Advance Card: Jumper Edition! [+200] – That’s right, you get bonus points just for taking this awesome item! It doesn’t even count towards your drawback limit! This black and red bank card, when swiped, will recharge all energy to any Arsenal you own. In fact, it’ll even recharge or reload items you brought from out of this jump! This will only be for this jump, however, and all attempts to duplicate the card or its effects will both fail and count as a mark on your record. What record, you may ask? Don’t worry about it, just sign here on the dotted line to get your great new card~.

Companions:

Drawbacks:

The Third Child (+0 – Can only be taken by Solar Child or Earthly Keeper/Maiden) – You are the third child of Vampire Hunter Ringo and Moon Beauty Mani, thus making Django and Sabata your brothers. You immediately have a stake in the impending plot, and your location is changed to match your origin: If you are a Solar Child, you are alongside Django as he first arrives at Fog Castle. Whether you are there to join him to avenge your father or trying to talk him out of it and drag him home is up to you. If you are an Earthly Keeper/Maiden, you are alongside Lita as she is locked away and captured by the Count. You can either wait for your brother to arrive as canon has scheduled, or break yourself and Lita free and maybe take on the Count yourself. This immediately gives you a stake in the plot and you’ll find yourself swept up in the main story of the first three Boktai games.

The Jumper of Groundsoaked Blood (+600 – Can only be taken by Immortal) – Forget the Count – YOU are the one who kidnapped the Moon Beauty and slew Ringo by your own hands. This has given Solar Boy Django an immediate vendetta against you, and will stop at nothing to kill you. Think the squishy human will be easy to deal with? Think again. Django knows how to counter all of your abilities and knows all of your weaknesses, and killing him will only lead to him miraculously coming back to life with more Arsenal tailored towards your destruction, which will self-destruct should you try and claim it yourself. What’s more, you do not have the plot armor the Count did – if you’re at the mercy of the Pile Driver, consider your chain over.

The Will of the Galaxy (+800 – Cannot be taken by Immortal) – Don’t do it. Seriously. Do you really need points that badly? Okay, suit yourself. The Will of the Galaxy is the nebulous force that moves to dictate the fate of the planet – it has noticed you and it’s not happy. You lose all of your pre-jump abilities that aren’t just skill or knowledge – those on their own still work. Your warehouse is also emptied out and inaccessible. Want to know where everything went? The Immortals have inherited your abilities and received a significant power boost as a result, and your items have either been scattered around the planet or are now being used by the Immortals, whichever result would be worse for you. To add to this, Hel has unleashed one more devastating attack on mortals within days of your arrival, while the Eternal Piece Jormungandr has awakened within San Miguel and has already destroyed the small Solar Tree within, in addition to most canon NPCs who could help you, and FINALLY Vanargand has somehow been unsealed and unleashed upon the planet as well, with Ratatosk helpless to control the beast. You must survive AND defeat all three of these titans of power while sustaining life within this dying world just long enough to finish your ten years here, or else your chain is a failure.

Should you take this drawback, you cannot Return to this world once you have left – it is simply gone. All you can do is delay the inevitable. Was it worth it, Jumper?


THE TREADMILL (+0) (MANDATORY if you took Dark Loans Card) – I’m sorry, Jumper, but it’s time to collect. Before you can decide if your chain is going to continue or not, you need to pay up. You will find all of your abilities, perks, and gear stripped away. Yes, this includes the Warehouse key. Don’t worry, you’ll get those back when you’ve paid up. Now, let’s do some math:

Count one month for every point of cp you received for taking the Dark Loans card.

Add another month for each in-jump item you recharged with the card.

Add six months to each non-jump item you recharged with the card.

Since we’re calculating this on your benefactor’s contract, add one month for each two months in your chain you’ve sat idle or let things resolve themselves. Even if you’ve been diligent and adventurous, you’ve likely had at least one or two idle periods, right? No shame in admitting it, they informed us themselves of how much time that is!

Finally, for each time you’ve tried to duplicate this card or get around this, add ten years. Oh, and even if you succeeded, we’ll be taking those back now.

Got a nice total? Good! You will be running on this treadmill for that amount of time. No, sitting still won’t do anything besides it tossing you off a cliff into another treadmill. Trying to escape brings you to another treadmill. Kill yourself, and you’ll wake up alive on a treadmill. Pass out from exhaustion, the treadmill is still running, and so must you. You won’t ever die permanently here, after all, we want you to pay up! When you’ve finished, you will go to the usual choice of whether or not you want to continue your journey. Thank you very much for your services to Dark Loans!