Theme Spotlight: Star Driver
Dazzling the stage! Galactic Prettyboy!
As usual, there be spoilers here!
The history!
Centuries ago, in the midst of the Warring Ages, one of the worlds under the control of the Belkan Empire was home to a civilization known as the Entropeople. Although completely unable to channel magic of any kind, they put forth what effort they could into researching alternate means to fight against threats to the Empire. In the end, they turned to a power source perhaps stronger than any magic: emotion. Within the spectrum of emotion, they tapped into the mind's libido, a source always present in living things.
Using forbidden mass-based technology, the Entropeople developed a series of twenty-two giant robots dubbed Cybodies. These Cybodies ran on the libido of the pilot, enabling them to stand on even grounds with any magical or technological power in the war-torn multiverse. While most of these were Warrior class, four of them were designated as Maidens: support Cybodies. Two of them, more powerful than the rest, were King class, capable of amazing feats of power.
But then, as is so often destined to happen, things went Horribly Wrong.
It is unknown whether the conflict began as a result of the pilot or the Cybody itself, but Ayingott, the second King class Cybody, attempted to wrest the title of the strongest from the other King, Samekh. As a result, Ayingott was crushed, and Samekh grew more powerful... too powerful to be controlled. As it grew in power, it required more than what its pilot could give it... and began to drain the entire world of the Entropeople.
It happened quickly. Much too quickly to be stopped. Within minutes, the current generation of the Entropeople had become the last, as the libido of the entire species had vanished, consumed by Samekh. Only those few who were off-world at the time of the disaster were spared.
In order to prevent the Cybodies from escaping off-world and doing the same to the rest of the universe, they were sealed. The four Maiden class Cybodies became the seals, containing all the Cybodies within a pocket dimension dubbed Zero Time. Only a pale reflection of the Cybodies remained in the physical world. To fill the void left by Ayingott’s destruction, one of the Warrior Cybodies, Betreida, gained enough power to be reclassified as a King.
Because their planet and civilization was doomed, the Entropeople did not want to leave the Cybodies behind to be found in the future. A small contingent of those Entropeople with enough will to live on, along with the small number of unaffected ones, took the Cybodies and the bubble of Zero Time to another world, far away: Earth. They found a land which was currently unused, but which had traces of energy ideal for sealing great powers: the Land of Fuuka. The Cybodies were hidden underground, and twenty-two families were informed of their existence. They were each given a bloodline seal, and only one of every generation was chosen to receive this seal. Several families have lost their Marks over the generations because the current Mark-bearer did not pass it on before death (or in the cases of the Maiden Marks, before ceasing to qualify as a maiden). One of the twenty-two families, the Shindou family, vowed to protect the families of the four Maiden seals. Once a generation, those four families provided a young girl to become the Maiden of the East, West, North, or South, constantly keeping the seal strong to prevent the Cybodies from having a chance of escaping into the world.
Several generations passed, until the North Maidens finally faltered, willingly giving up control of her seal.
The information!
Marks
There are a total of twenty-two true Marks. Some of them, the Maiden and King Marks, can only be passed on to members of the family bloodline. The Warrior Marks can be given to anyone, and several of them have passed to different families over the generations. It is difficult to tell how many of the bearers of Warrior Marks are from one of the original families and how many have been passed over from elsewhere.
Marks, at their most basic, allow two things: they allow the bearer to enter Zero Time, and they allow the bearer to apprivoise a Cybody. Of course, they have to have a Cybody to begin with to do so.
The Glittering Crux, a group allying itself with the Ends of the World, have also managed to create fake Marks. These Marks are built into the masks its members wear, allowing anyone to have access to Zero Time or Cybodies. However, the masks do nothing else.
This does mean that anyone with a mask can apprivoise any Cybody, but they require the permission of the Glittering Crux to do so.
Zero Time
As the name implies, Zero Time is a bubble of space where time does not pass. Normal people are unable to access it. However, those with one of the twenty-two real Marks, or with the fake Marks of the Glittering Crux mask, can enter it. In addition, anyone with magical powers is able to find their way there.
Not much exists in Zero Time. There is little use for it, save to allow Cybodies to operate. Until all the Maidens’ seals have been broken, Cybodies will only work in Zero time, so it is sometimes used in operations to attempt to break those seals.
In addition, whenever Zero Time is opened (Glittering Crux is able to do so at will), anyone with the ability to enter who is within a certain radius will be automatically pulled inside.
Cybodies
Giant robots! They can be summoned with the apprivoise process. Those with true Marks actually enter a bubble in the chest of the Cybodies, and are known as Ginga Bishounen--Galactic Prettyboys (regardless of their actual gender). Those with fake Marks can only apprivoise from the outside by using a machine created by the Glittering Crux. Cybodies are completely unable to operate outside of Zero Time until all the Maidens’ seals have been broken.
Although it is very difficult, it is possible to repair destroyed Cybodies. The process itself is very risky to the Star Driver attempting to do so. The Driver must possess a very strong libido and is left drained of related feelings for a short time after the Cybody’s recovery. If the process is attempted by one without a strong enough libido, the person is left drained, forever, of their emotions and most of their mind.
Phases
There are five Phases in powers of Star Driver Marks. With each Maiden’s seal that is broken, another Phase becomes unlocked. At the beginning of the game, the North Maiden’s seal has been broken, so both First and Second Phases are active.
Everyone with a Mark, whether true or fake, has access to the First Phase. The First Phase is what allows a Star Driver to have supernatural powers in the real world. These powers are often somewhat limited, but a rare few may be stronger. Some examples of First Phase powers include limited mind control via kissing, animal possession, healing, and illusions They are usually singularly focused, but some have found creative uses for them.
The Second Phase is what allows the Cybodies to be piloted within Zero Time.
The Third, Fourth, and Fifth Phases are less important, as they will only come about if a Maiden’s seal is destroyed, but it is widely known within the Glittering Crux that the brigade’s goal is to bring about the Fifth Phase.
Star Swords
There are twelve Star Swords. Nine of them are owned by the Adult Bank division of the Glittering Crux. Two are in the possession of Takuto Tsunashi. One of them is currently lost.
Star Swords are primarily used by Cybodies in Zero Time, but those who are capable of using them can also manifest them in the real world. Because Star Swords are bound to specific Cybodies, only the Star Drivers for those Cybodies are able to use them.
Glittering Crux
All members of the Glittering Crux choose a codename for themselves. As all meetings are held with masks on, many members do not know the real identity of other members. The only way to be certain is to expose oneself as a member and give the salute, which must immediately be responded to.
While a single organization, it has a number of smaller groups within it: Vanishing Age (lead by Head), Bougainvillea (led by Ivrogne / Keito Nichi), Adult Bank (led by President / Kanako Watanabe), Filament (led by Scarlet Kiss / Benio Shinada), and the Science Guild (led by Professor Green / Midori Okamoto). There is also an Emperor division, which is currently empty. Currently, Vanishing Age is in charge of the brigade overall, but the leadership is fluid and depends largely on the success of the groups to further Glittering Crux's goals.
Each of the groups has a pattern to their members’ codenames as well. Most members of Vanishing Age are named after stars (Stick Star, Needle Star, Camel Star). Bougainvillea members take on mythological codenames (Undine). Adult Bank members take on corporate names (President, Secretary ,Banker). Science Guild names are always professors (Professor Green, Professor Silver). Filament names tend to be English descriptive phrases (Scarlet Kiss, Speed Kid, Raging Bull).
Adult Bank owns the cavern headquarters of Glittering Crux, along with the Cybodies and the Star Swords.
The goals of the Glittering Crux are simple: use the Cybodies to change the world. They wish to recreate the world, not only physically, but also reconstruct the entire economy of the world, placing themselves on top.
Character opportunities
Aside from the FCs, there is opportunity for OC members of the Glittering Crux. You may have access to a Cybody in Zero Time, but there are penalties for getting one destroyed. Along with access to Zero Time, the masks also allow access to the Phase powers. The masks of the Glittering Crux are one of the very few ways that someone with absolutely no magic can gain some small degree of power without any real consequences. In addition, as the Adult Bank group of the Glittering Crux owns the Cybodies, they may choose to give access to those members who prove themselves. Some of the Cybodies are reserved for those who have true Marks, but others can ICly be on time-share with the FCs who have them in the series.
Click to viewAs usual, there be spoilers here!
The history!
Centuries ago, in the midst of the Warring Ages, one of the worlds under the control of the Belkan Empire was home to a civilization known as the Entropeople. Although completely unable to channel magic of any kind, they put forth what effort they could into researching alternate means to fight against threats to the Empire. In the end, they turned to a power source perhaps stronger than any magic: emotion. Within the spectrum of emotion, they tapped into the mind's libido, a source always present in living things.
Using forbidden mass-based technology, the Entropeople developed a series of twenty-two giant robots dubbed Cybodies. These Cybodies ran on the libido of the pilot, enabling them to stand on even grounds with any magical or technological power in the war-torn multiverse. While most of these were Warrior class, four of them were designated as Maidens: support Cybodies. Two of them, more powerful than the rest, were King class, capable of amazing feats of power.
But then, as is so often destined to happen, things went Horribly Wrong.
It is unknown whether the conflict began as a result of the pilot or the Cybody itself, but Ayingott, the second King class Cybody, attempted to wrest the title of the strongest from the other King, Samekh. As a result, Ayingott was crushed, and Samekh grew more powerful... too powerful to be controlled. As it grew in power, it required more than what its pilot could give it... and began to drain the entire world of the Entropeople.
It happened quickly. Much too quickly to be stopped. Within minutes, the current generation of the Entropeople had become the last, as the libido of the entire species had vanished, consumed by Samekh. Only those few who were off-world at the time of the disaster were spared.
In order to prevent the Cybodies from escaping off-world and doing the same to the rest of the universe, they were sealed. The four Maiden class Cybodies became the seals, containing all the Cybodies within a pocket dimension dubbed Zero Time. Only a pale reflection of the Cybodies remained in the physical world. To fill the void left by Ayingott’s destruction, one of the Warrior Cybodies, Betreida, gained enough power to be reclassified as a King.
Because their planet and civilization was doomed, the Entropeople did not want to leave the Cybodies behind to be found in the future. A small contingent of those Entropeople with enough will to live on, along with the small number of unaffected ones, took the Cybodies and the bubble of Zero Time to another world, far away: Earth. They found a land which was currently unused, but which had traces of energy ideal for sealing great powers: the Land of Fuuka. The Cybodies were hidden underground, and twenty-two families were informed of their existence. They were each given a bloodline seal, and only one of every generation was chosen to receive this seal. Several families have lost their Marks over the generations because the current Mark-bearer did not pass it on before death (or in the cases of the Maiden Marks, before ceasing to qualify as a maiden). One of the twenty-two families, the Shindou family, vowed to protect the families of the four Maiden seals. Once a generation, those four families provided a young girl to become the Maiden of the East, West, North, or South, constantly keeping the seal strong to prevent the Cybodies from having a chance of escaping into the world.
Several generations passed, until the North Maidens finally faltered, willingly giving up control of her seal.
The information!
Marks
There are a total of twenty-two true Marks. Some of them, the Maiden and King Marks, can only be passed on to members of the family bloodline. The Warrior Marks can be given to anyone, and several of them have passed to different families over the generations. It is difficult to tell how many of the bearers of Warrior Marks are from one of the original families and how many have been passed over from elsewhere.
Marks, at their most basic, allow two things: they allow the bearer to enter Zero Time, and they allow the bearer to apprivoise a Cybody. Of course, they have to have a Cybody to begin with to do so.
The Glittering Crux, a group allying itself with the Ends of the World, have also managed to create fake Marks. These Marks are built into the masks its members wear, allowing anyone to have access to Zero Time or Cybodies. However, the masks do nothing else.
This does mean that anyone with a mask can apprivoise any Cybody, but they require the permission of the Glittering Crux to do so.
Zero Time
As the name implies, Zero Time is a bubble of space where time does not pass. Normal people are unable to access it. However, those with one of the twenty-two real Marks, or with the fake Marks of the Glittering Crux mask, can enter it. In addition, anyone with magical powers is able to find their way there.
Not much exists in Zero Time. There is little use for it, save to allow Cybodies to operate. Until all the Maidens’ seals have been broken, Cybodies will only work in Zero time, so it is sometimes used in operations to attempt to break those seals.
In addition, whenever Zero Time is opened (Glittering Crux is able to do so at will), anyone with the ability to enter who is within a certain radius will be automatically pulled inside.
Cybodies
Giant robots! They can be summoned with the apprivoise process. Those with true Marks actually enter a bubble in the chest of the Cybodies, and are known as Ginga Bishounen--Galactic Prettyboys (regardless of their actual gender). Those with fake Marks can only apprivoise from the outside by using a machine created by the Glittering Crux. Cybodies are completely unable to operate outside of Zero Time until all the Maidens’ seals have been broken.
Although it is very difficult, it is possible to repair destroyed Cybodies. The process itself is very risky to the Star Driver attempting to do so. The Driver must possess a very strong libido and is left drained of related feelings for a short time after the Cybody’s recovery. If the process is attempted by one without a strong enough libido, the person is left drained, forever, of their emotions and most of their mind.
Phases
There are five Phases in powers of Star Driver Marks. With each Maiden’s seal that is broken, another Phase becomes unlocked. At the beginning of the game, the North Maiden’s seal has been broken, so both First and Second Phases are active.
Everyone with a Mark, whether true or fake, has access to the First Phase. The First Phase is what allows a Star Driver to have supernatural powers in the real world. These powers are often somewhat limited, but a rare few may be stronger. Some examples of First Phase powers include limited mind control via kissing, animal possession, healing, and illusions They are usually singularly focused, but some have found creative uses for them.
The Second Phase is what allows the Cybodies to be piloted within Zero Time.
The Third, Fourth, and Fifth Phases are less important, as they will only come about if a Maiden’s seal is destroyed, but it is widely known within the Glittering Crux that the brigade’s goal is to bring about the Fifth Phase.
Star Swords
There are twelve Star Swords. Nine of them are owned by the Adult Bank division of the Glittering Crux. Two are in the possession of Takuto Tsunashi. One of them is currently lost.
Star Swords are primarily used by Cybodies in Zero Time, but those who are capable of using them can also manifest them in the real world. Because Star Swords are bound to specific Cybodies, only the Star Drivers for those Cybodies are able to use them.
Glittering Crux
All members of the Glittering Crux choose a codename for themselves. As all meetings are held with masks on, many members do not know the real identity of other members. The only way to be certain is to expose oneself as a member and give the salute, which must immediately be responded to.
While a single organization, it has a number of smaller groups within it: Vanishing Age (lead by Head), Bougainvillea (led by Ivrogne / Keito Nichi), Adult Bank (led by President / Kanako Watanabe), Filament (led by Scarlet Kiss / Benio Shinada), and the Science Guild (led by Professor Green / Midori Okamoto). There is also an Emperor division, which is currently empty. Currently, Vanishing Age is in charge of the brigade overall, but the leadership is fluid and depends largely on the success of the groups to further Glittering Crux's goals.
Each of the groups has a pattern to their members’ codenames as well. Most members of Vanishing Age are named after stars (Stick Star, Needle Star, Camel Star). Bougainvillea members take on mythological codenames (Undine). Adult Bank members take on corporate names (President, Secretary ,Banker). Science Guild names are always professors (Professor Green, Professor Silver). Filament names tend to be English descriptive phrases (Scarlet Kiss, Speed Kid, Raging Bull).
Adult Bank owns the cavern headquarters of Glittering Crux, along with the Cybodies and the Star Swords.
The goals of the Glittering Crux are simple: use the Cybodies to change the world. They wish to recreate the world, not only physically, but also reconstruct the entire economy of the world, placing themselves on top.
Character opportunities
Aside from the FCs, there is opportunity for OC members of the Glittering Crux. You may have access to a Cybody in Zero Time, but there are penalties for getting one destroyed. Along with access to Zero Time, the masks also allow access to the Phase powers. The masks of the Glittering Crux are one of the very few ways that someone with absolutely no magic can gain some small degree of power without any real consequences. In addition, as the Adult Bank group of the Glittering Crux owns the Cybodies, they may choose to give access to those members who prove themselves. Some of the Cybodies are reserved for those who have true Marks, but others can ICly be on time-share with the FCs who have them in the series.