Story Choice 1: Apocalypse Tamer

Hi there, as we are approaching the conclusions of Underland and Kairos both (probably around April), it's time to see the future story choices. 

The Poll will be posted tomorrow alongside a general update to give you the latest news (including one about the schedule), so you may choose which story choice you're interested in early. That way, I may write down the outline, prepare the tiers etc... 

Hope you'll enjoy them.

------------

“Whoever reaches level 100 first will become Earth’s new Overgod.” 

So said the screen as the mysterious genius Anton Maxwell, CEO of Nextek Softwares, summoned the System to Earth. Minutes later, his company’s enchanted servers summoned invaders from alternate realities, woke up ancient gods slumbering beneath the earth, and turned major landmarks into dungeons terraforming the land. The Louvre Museum has become an actual pyramid, flooding Paris’ streets with sand and mummies; the Big Ben spews Victorian horror monsters; and Zeus rises again on Olympus.

All humans on the planet receive a small advance warning and the choice of a starting class; with the “game’s” main rule being that whoever reaches level 100 first will become Earth’s new master. Both Players and invaders immediately form factions as they start a battle royal of worldwide proportions to win the prize, with mankind targeted for extermination by monsters deeming humans as “easy EXP.” Chaos rules.

But Basil Bohen doesn’t give a crap about the end of the world.

A reclusive artist having made enough money on the internet to "retire" early, this Franco-Bulgarian retreated to the house of his dreams deep in the French countryside, living a peaceful life of fishing, farming, and playing Pokemon. Basil prefers the company of his pets to humans, especially his cat Plato, and doesn’t keep up with the news.

When the System comes, Basil unlocks the [Tamer] class… and realizes the end of the world changed little to his lifestyle. Instead of fleeing back to pockets of civilization in search of survivors Walking Dead style, he elects to simply adapt to the new world by domesticating the local monsters, fortifying his property, and waiting for things to calm down. Because things have to calm down eventually, right? Right?

Now, if only people would just leave him alone… he might actually become a god out of self-defense.

Basil feeding his pets, La Bande à Basil. Work by @Dinovoila_arts

Apocalypse Tamer is a “dramedy/semi-satire” take on the System Apocalypse genre, using the same mix of comedy and serious storylines as works like The Perfect Run. The title comes from the fact that Basil’s first and main class is [Tamer], allowing him to recruit monsters and talking beasts in his party (with his lazy housecat Plato as his ‘starter’). Think Pokemon and Shin Megami Tensei crossed with Rune Factory.

Basil himself is an atypical protagonist: humorous, grumpy, tough and no-nonsense, he was already shunning human civilization before the apocalypse and the end of the world changed surprisingly little. A true bear in human form, he turns to “befriending” (aka domesticating) the various sentient monsters in the area and couldn’t care less about becoming a god. Though starting in France, the story will eventually have Basil’s menagerie explore post-apocalypse Eurasia as they grow fed-up with constant attacks and decide to investigate how the apocalypse came about - and hopefully bring peace to the world.

Due to the System’s arrival and function, major landmarks are now dungeons summoning or creating monsters. Large factions have formed among Players and creatures: such as a reborn Olympus, trying to reestablish the old gods’ order; the Crafter-led golem armies of the Technocracy; the dreaded Apocalypse Force led by the Four Horsemen, which seeks to assimilate Earth into their demonic realm; and many more. All of them fight to determine which of their leaders will be Earth’s new Overgod.

The Louvre Dungeon in the ruins of Paris. Art by Enuryn.

The System is a refined version of the one used in Vainqueur and Never Die Twice, and unlike other stories was deliberately summoned to Earth by ambitious humans through technological means. Apocalypse Tamer will also reference other system stories of mine and go into details about how these Systems interact as part of a larger multiverse; and maybe even feature cameos from other works.

In short, pick Apocalypse Tamer if you want an humorous System Apocalypse story that mostly focuses on character interactions & development, exploration, taming monsters, and satirizing end-of-the-world elements.