Krockman's Potpourrific Grab Bag of Ideas

[dabantam]

Disney Wonder City: Tinsel Town

After the technological mayhem of Paradigm, we move on to the location of Season Three of Disney Wonder City: Tinsel Town. Based on Disney Hollywood Studios at Disney World, Tinsel Town is the movie capital of the world, home to many celebrities, movie stars, and even a few superheroes to boot. There’s even tv shows where fights with phantoms are filmed and presented to the public for entertainment. However, there’s also a shadier underbelly to the city, where nefarious dealings are happening, and the machinations of a certain Blot are underway. 

Like the other cities, Tinsel Town separated into districts, each one based on the lands (or in some cases, former lands) of Disney Hollywood Studios. These districts are: 

Star Street: The Main Street of Tinsel Town, Star Street is based off of Hollywood Boulevard. Similar to Main Street over in Wonder City, it serves as the main hub for Tinsel Town, filled with various restaurants and stores (albeit, flashier and more upscale). It also features a bus station that you can use to travel between cities. 

Golden Park: The recreational district, Golden Park is based on Echo Lake. Originally the grounds for an old studio warehouse, it has since been renovated and converted into a public park, featuring a large pond in the center and decorated with props from the old warehouse.

Studio 89: The main studio of Tinsel Town, Studio 89 is based on both the Walt Disney Studio Lots and the Animation Courtyard. As the hub of the cities film production, it also holds the strange honor of being the only district that doesn’t have any phantom zones (also, as a side note, the “89” is a reference to 1989, the year Disney Hollywood Studios opened up back when it was called “Disney-MGM Studios”). 

Twilight Boulevard: The entertainment district, Twilight Boulevard is based on Sunset Boulevard. Not only is it home to the Twilight Amphitheater and the Mayhem Records recording studio, it’s also home to several luxury hotels. 

Americana: The residential district, Americana is based on the old Streets of America land. While it’s home to many apartments and small businesses, it’s also home to a couple of old studio warehouses, as well as pathways leading to two avenues: Thriller Avenue and Midway Avenue. 

Thriller Avenue: An extension of Americana focused on theatrics, Thriller Avenue is based on Grand Avenue, Muppets Avenue, and the upcoming Monstropolis land. Home to a few small businesses and a pizzeria, it’s also home to the world famous Henson Globe Theatre. 

Midway Avenue: An extension of Americana focused on entertainment and carnival games, Midway Avenue is based on Toy Story Land. While it's mostly a residential area, it’s primarily a permanent carnival. 

Just as before, the districts also feature their own phantom zones (however, considering that Hollywood Studios doesn’t really have as many rides as the other parks, I’m going to pull from many of the rides and a few of the shows that were in the park over the years for inspiration). Also, in case it wasn’t apparent I’m only including elements from Disney and their similar subsidiaries like Pixar and the Muppets, so franchises like Star Wars and Marvel are out (with a few exceptions where they’re needed). These include: 

Sinister Cinema: An old multiplex that features multiple theaters that each serve as their own little pocket dimensions, Sinister Cinema is accessed through Star Street. It’s partially based on The Great Movie Ride. 

Runamuck Railway: An old railway system that stretches into a strange liminal space, Runamuck Railway is accessed through Star Street. It’s partially based on Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway. 

Raiders’ Tomb: An old studio warehouse that had grown into a dilapidated jungle temple, Raiders’ Tomb is accessed through Golden Park. It’s partially based on Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular! 

The Twilight Tower Hotel: An abandoned hotel that seems to house restless spirits, the Twilight Tower Hotel is accessed through Twilight Boulevard. It’s partially based on the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. 

Rock ‘n’ Roll Freeway: A dark parallel of the Mayhem Records recording studio, now resembling an enormous freeway formed from musical instruments and sound equipment, the Rock ‘n’ Roll Freeway is accessed through Twilight Boulevard. It’s partially inspired by the Rock ‘n’ Rollercoaster. 

Cosmic Warzone: An old studio warehouse that was once used for an old sci-fi tv series that’s transformed into an intergalactic battlefield, the Cosmic Warzone is accessed through Americana. It’s partially based on Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. 

Backlot Labyrinth: A winding series of back alleys littered with old movie props, broken down vehicles, and a river system and waterfall created from a series of busted pipes, the Backlot Labyrinth is accessed through Americana. It’s partially based on Studio Backlot Tours. 

Dread Theater: A dark parallel to the Henson Globe Theater, resembling a run down theater, the Dread Theater is accessed through Thriller Avenue. It’s partially based on Muppet*Vision 3D. 

Carnival of Terror: An abandoned carnival filled with worn down circus props and target activated gates, the Carnival of Terror is accessed through Midway Avenue. It’s partially based on Toy Story Midway Mania!

Dark Dream Isle: An eerie island filled with surreal, dream-like illusions, Dark Dream Isle is accessed through Twilight Boulevard. It’s partially based on both Fantasmic! and Nomanisan Island from The Incredibles. 

There’s also a few new additions to the roster of recurring phantoms, just like with Paradigm. These include: 

Gloparazzi: Strange camera-like phantoms that run around on two stubby legs, gloparazzi often run around and flash opponents, temporarily stunning them. 

Delirium Diva: Effeminate phantoms that resemble Hollywood starlets, delirium divas can teleport across the battlefield, either putting distance between themselves and their targets to fire a powerful scream at them or to come right up close to them and slash them with their claws. 

Directator: Phantoms modeled after old timey film directors, directators pull double duty as range fighters by firing sound blasts from their megaphones, and as support units, directing other phantoms, buffing them while also debuffing dreamers. 

And of course, we have a new cast of dreamers to add to our roster, including: 

Jet: (Dreamer of Launchpad McQuack) Nezzar’s chauffeur, drove the Coordinator and their crew to Tinsel Town in a limo on Nezzar’s behalf, an incredibly bad driver.

Bobbie Parker/Miss Wonder: (Dreamer of Mr. Incredible) A mechanic who runs her own garage on Star Street, Bobbie is actually a retired superhero named Miss Wonder, though she moonlights as a mercenary. 

Lucy Goodman/Glacier: (Dreamer of Frozone) Bobbie’s friend, Lucy is also a retired superhero known as Glacier, moonlights as a mercenary, mostly to keep an eye on her friend. 

Charlie: (Dreamer of Chip) An operator of an ice cream stand in Golden Park, Charlie used to live in Tuner Town back in Wonder City with his twin brother, Doug, the more serious of the two. 

Doug: (Dreamer of Dale) An operator of an ice cream stand in Golden Park, Doug used to live in Tuner Town back in Wonder City with his twin brother, Charlie, the more carefree of the two. 

Ace Storm: (Dreamer of Bolt) A former child actor who found a second chance as a mercenary, became a dog man upon awakening as a dreamer. 

Louis Cypher Heinous: (Dreamer of Cruella de Ville) An infamous fashion designer who moonlights as a cat burglar. Transforms into the Phantom Barong. 

Ryu-chan: (Dreamer of Baymax) A helper robot working at Studio 89, normally resembles a bulky, cute dragon robot, can transform into a tokusatsu style, dragon-themed battle form when entering phantom zones (taking some inspiration from the old tokusatsu series, B-Robo Kabutack).

Haruto: (Dreamer of Hiro Hamada) A young inventor who works as an intern at Studio 89 and the creator of Ryu-chan, capable of controlling a small swarm of nanobots to aid him in battle. 

Drew Canard/The Nightowl: (Dreamer of Darkwing Duck) A bumbling janitor at Studio 89, moonlights as the vigilante, Nightowl, a bit full of himself, forms an odd friendship with Jet.

Finster Crackerjack/Robodreamer: (Dreamer of Gizmoduck) Nezzar’s accountant, a bit clueless but surprisingly good at his job, is in possession of a device that transforms him into the cybernetic vigilante, Robodreamer. 

Golem: (Dreamer of Goliath from Gargoyles) A gargoyle who resides in Twilight Boulevard, serves as a guardian of the various buildings and hotels of the district. 

Doc Molar: (Dreamer of Dr. Teeth) The leader of the band, Muskrat Love, plays the keyboard in the band, she gave the Coordinator an invite to the Hendon Globe Theater. 

Flicker: (Dreamer of Animal) The drummer for Muskrat Love, the adopted son of the band’s guitarist, Red Chilies, wild spirit. 

Howard Parker/Rubber Man: (Dreamer of Elastigirl) Bobbie’s husband, a retired superhero known as Rubber Man, fairly nice guy, but insists on Bobbie keeping a low profile in hopes of keeping their family safe. 

Booster Parker: (Dreamer of Dash Parr) Bobbie’s teenage son, jock, a bit full of himself, possesses super speed and can fire shockwaves at targets 

Whisper Parker: (Dreamer of Violet Parr) Bobbie’s young daughter, a bit shy, is able to turn invisible and create force fields 

Cosmo: (Dreamer of Kermit the Frog) The owner and manager of the Henson Globe Theater, friendly if a bit stressed. 

Peggy: (Dreamer of Miss Piggy) Cosmo’s overbearing girlfriend and a performer at the Henson Globe Theater, snobbish diva, surprisingly skilled at karate. 

Foster: (Dreamer of Fozzie Bear) The resident comedian of the Henson Globe Theater, close friend of Cosmo, fairly lousy at comedy. 

Gonzalez: (Dreamer of Gonzo) The resident stuntman of the Henson Globe Theater, close friend of Cosmo. 

Ronnie: (Dreamer of Rodger Rabbit) A visiting comedian, former resident of Tuner Town, fairly bad at her job. 

Jayce: (Dreamer of Jessica Rabbit) Ronnie’s husband, a famous lounge singer, usually rather stoic, the only person who genuinely finds Ronnie funny. 

Morty: (Dreamer of Mike Wazowski) A stagehand at the Henson Globe Theater, straddles the line between being an optimist and being delusional, close friend of Solomon. 

Solomon: (Dreamer of Sulley) A stagehand and the comanager of the Henson Globe Theater, close friend of Morty. 

Rodney: (Dreamer of Randall Boggs) A former actor turned producer, and a rival of Solomon from his acting days. Transforms into the Phantom Chameleon.

Annie: (Dreamer of Jessie) The local sheriff of Midway Avenue, wild and fun loving, gets into a relationship with Betty Nova. 

Rocko: (Dreamer of Rex) A man who runs several carnival stands, dresses up in a dinosaur costume. 

Agnes: (Dreamer of Bo Peep) A woman who runs several carnival stands, gets into a relationship with Oakley, can summon spectral sheep to aid her in battle. 

Grizz: (Dreamer of Lotso) The city councilman in charge of Midway Avenue, seems friendly, but is actually working for the Phantom Blot. Transforms into the Phantom Bear. 

Brandy Elmer/Complex: (Dreamer of Syndrome) The owner of Studio 89, presents herself as friendly figure, but in reality, is not only working for the Phantom Blot, but is also the infamous villain, Complex, used to be a big fan of Miss Wonder before she was ultimately snubbed by her, causing her to devote her life to trying to prove that she’s better than her former hero. Transforms into the Phantom Sentinel. 

And that should do it for now. Let me know what you guys think in the comments. 

[dabantam]

Disney Wonder City: Paradigm

With most of Wonder City itself covered, I think it’s time we cover some of the other cities in the game. These other cities will be the locations of future seasons, each based on one of the Disney parks. So, without any further delay, here’s the setting for Season 2 of Disney Wonder City: Paradigm. 

Based on EPCOT at Disney World, Paradigm is one of the top scientific centers of the world. Originally just a research center focusing on physics and space exploration, it has long since expanded into various other studies, such as environmental science, cultural science, and science of the mind, eventually growing into a full blown city. However, after arriving in Paradigm with your crew of dreamers (having heard rumors that the great dreamer, Elias, was last seen here), you soon discover that the city is suffering from its own phantom attacks and phantom zones. 

Like Wonder City, Paradigm is split up into districts, in this case, five different districts based on the lands of EPCOT. These districts are: 

Beacon Plaza: The heart of Paradigm and the main hub of the city, Beacon Plaza is partially based on World Celebration (more specifically, the area around Spaceship Earth). This is the entry and exit to and from Paradigm, accessed from the other cities through a metro system, its most striking feature being the enormous high tech satellite receiver/lighthouse known as the Beacon (based on Spaceship Earth). 

Oddyssey: The district devoted to researching the mind, Oddyssey is partially based on the Imagination! Pavilion. This district is home several strange experiments related to imagination, creativity, emotions, and dreams. 

Ecos: The district devoted to researching environmentalism, Ecos is partially based on World Nature. This district is actually further split into two subdistricts: the Agricenter, dedicated to research on land preservation and agriculture, and the Aquacenter, dedicated to ocean preservation. 

Innovation: The district devoted to scientific research and technology, Innovation is partially based on World Discovery. The oldest district in Paradigm, it’s home to several technological developments, as well as robots and progs (sentient computer programs capable of manifesting in the real world). 

Pangea: The district devoted to cultural sciences, Pangea is partially based on the World Showcase. Dedicated towards the study of various cultures, it is split up into several subdistricts modeled after several countries. 

Each of these districts also features their own phantom zones, each based on a ride or an attraction from EPCOT. These phantom zones include: 

Subcon Gallery: A strange, liminal space featuring broken equipment and illusions that trick the mind, Subcon Gallery is accessed through Oddyssey. It’s partially based on Journey Into Imagination With Figment. 

Terrorarium: An overgrown greenhouse that stretches out to infinite proportions and filled with dangerous plants from multiple biomes, the Terrorarium is accessed through Ecos from the Agricenter. It’s partially based on Living with the Land.

Skyfields: A cloudy expanse in the sky, the Skyfields are accessed through Ecos. It’s partially based on Soarin’. 

Submarine Graveyard: An underwater phantom zone made up of sunken submarines overtaken by coral reefs, the Submarine Graveyard is accessed through Ecos from the Aquacenter. It’s partially based off of The Seas with Nemo and Friends. 

Craterscape: An eerie Martian landscape, the Craterscape is accessed through Innovation. It’s partially based on Mission: Space. 

Cyber Highway: A digital highway that stretches and turns into infinity, the Cyber Highway is accessed through Innovation. It’s partially based on Test Track. 

Ominoso Ruins: A vast stretch of Aztec ruins choked by overgrown jungle, the Ominoso Ruins is accessed through Pangea. It’s partially based on Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros.

Trollwood: A wintery pine forest trapped in eternal night, Trollwood is accessed through Pangea. It’s partially based on both Frozen Ever After and Maelstrom.

Goliath Kitchen: An enormous kitchen, the Goliath Kitchen is accessed through Pangea. It’s partially based on Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure. 

Wonder Sphere: A dark parallel to the Beacon featuring ominous images of the past, present, and the future, the Wonder Sphere is accessed through the Beacon Plaza. It’s partially based on Spaceship Earth. 

Along with the usual recurring phantoms, we find some new recurring phantoms have been added. These include: 

Roblots: Mechanical versions of the blottle bosses capable of remotely controlling swarms of smaller robotic phantoms. 

Mad Drones: Flying mechanical phantoms that dart around the battlefield and firing a barrage of energy bullets at their targets. 

Wheelers: Lanky mechanical phantoms with limbs ending in wheels. They can speed around the battlefield and launch missiles at their targets. 

(As a side note, blottles and blottle bosses wear costumes based on which phantom zone you fight them in, pirate suits in Smuggler’s Cove, pinstripe suits in Spatter Alley, etc. It’s mainly a callback to the spatters from Epic Mickey.) 

Last but not least, Paradigm features a new cast of dreamers, not only opening up new adventures and side quests, but also opening new quests for previous dreamers. These new dreamers include: 

Byte: (Dreamer of Tron) A security prog who helps direct visitors to Paradigm. 

Ruby: (Dreamer of Reuben) An alien girl who runs a diner in Beacon Plaza, Ruby was originally a super soldier created by Gigan (his 625th attempt) and Skyler’s older sister. Normally appearing as a bear girl with yellow hair, she can transform into a more beastly, bulky yellow furred space creature. 

Sparky: (Dreamer of Figment) An avid graffiti artist who often frequents Oddyssey, he’s capable of bringing his tags to life to aid him in battle. 

Alegria: (Dreamer of Joy) A spritely creature, Alegria is part of a group of creatures born from the emotions of a girl named Rita after an experiment (in her case, being born from Rita’s happiness). Acts as a fun big sister to Rita. 

Triste: (Dreamer of Sadness) A gloomy creature born from Rita’s sadness, Triste acts as a comforting big sister to her, giving her comfort whenever she’s upset. 

Ira: (Dreamer of Anger) A hotheaded creature born from Rita’s anger, Ira acts as a tomboyish big sister to her, often motivating her to do her best at sports. 

Ekel: (Dreamer of Disgust) A critical creature born from Rita’s disgust, Ekel acts as a fashionista older sister, often giving her fashion advice. 

Paura: (Dreamer of Fear) A nervous creature born from Rita’s fear, Paura acts as an overprotective older sister, often protecting her from things and generally being paranoid about things (though she does seem unfazed by horror movies). 

Eden: (Dreamer of EVE) A security robot charged with protecting the Agricenter, she and Widget eventually get into a relationship with each other. 

Observer: (Dreamer of AUTO) An monitor robot in charge of overseeing the Agricenter. Is eventually hit with a virus, causing him to haywire and overly controlling of the center. Transforms into the Phantom Beholder. 

Vaiana: (Dreamer of Moana) A scientist working at the Aquacenter, she’s capable of summoning living waves and spectral manta ray to aid her battle. 

Mango: (Dreamer of Maui) A cocky sea spirit who’s capable of shape shifting into different forms. 

Patch-Up Patty: (Dreamer of Fix-It Felix) A maintenance prog capable of fixing any structure, has a shaky relationship with Betsy. 

Bust-Up Betsy: (Dreamer of Wreck-It Ralph) A demolition prog who’s often looked down on by others, really wants to prove herself as a real hero. 

Kandy: (Dreamer of Vanellope von Schweetz) A prog who once worked at the Cyber Highway before it was turned into a phantom zone. Ends up becoming friends with Betsy. 

Rev: (Dreamer of Turbo) A virus who disguised himself as a prog in order to live off the benefits. Transforms into the Phantom Speedster. 

Juan: (Dreamer of Jose Carioca) A charismatic malandro, ends up forming an odd friendship with Donnie. 

Paco: (Dreamer of Panchito Gonzales) A lively mariachi performer who moonlights as a mercenary, ends up forming an odd friendship with Donnie. 

Mateo: (Dreamer of Miguel Rivera) A young boy with a passion for music and the ability to summon alebrije to aid him in battle.

Hernan: (Dreamer of Hector) A ghostly figure who was barred from the afterlife after losing his memories of his mortal life, seems to remember Esteban though.

Esteban: (Dreamer of Ernesto de la Cruz) A famous musician so obsessed with the spotlight, he returned to the world of the living as a ghost to continue performing. Narcisstic and incredibly condescending. Transforms into the Phantom Calaca.

Maeve: (Dreamer of Merida) A mercenary who hangs out in Pangea, is incredibly skilled with a bow and arrow and can summon a spectacle bear to aid her in battle.

Lumi: (Dreamer of Olaf) A snow fairy created by Sigrid, has a very childlike personality and can be rather naive.

Sigrid: (Dreamer of Elsa) A woman with incredible ice powers, but little control over them. Chose to hide away in Trollwood to keep others safe in case she loses control of her powers (especially her younger sister, Alva). 

Renault: (Dreamer of Remy) The owner of a local bistro in Pangea, Renault is a skilled chef and a mentor to Ashly, having been the one who encouraged her to open the Dreaming Castle in the first place.

Charles Tailleur: (Dreamer of Lady Tremaine) Ashly’s stepfather, a cold and domineering man. Holds his investment in the Dreaming Castle over her head and is quick to remind her of it every time. Able to summon a spectral cat to aid him in battle. Transforms into the Phantom Tabby.

Gambit: (Dreamer of MCP) The leader of the progs, Gambit is the one in charge of overseeing the technology and systems of Paradigm. Eventually revealed to be working with the Phantom Blot, using her control over Paradigm to further his agenda. Transforms into the Phantom Motherboard. 

That’s it for Paradigm. Let me know what you guys think in the comments. 

[dabantam]

Disney Wonder City: Side Quest Dreamers

Along with the main storyline, Disney Wonder City also features several side quests, each featuring a cast of dreamers and some unlocking new phantom zones. These side quests are usually unlocked after completing the main quest of a district. Some will require you to meet certain dreamers, have them at a certain level, or raise their friendship level to a certain level. Side quests also take place at certain points of the day, something you can speed up by accessing your pause menu and choosing from one of four time periods: morning, evening, afternoon, and night. The following are the dreamers and new phantom zones encountered through the side quests. 

Nezzar: (Dreamer of Scrooge McDuck) Donnie’s wealthy uncle and an avid adventurer, surprisingly spry for an older man. 

Oscar: (Dreamer of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit) Max’s half-brother, a bit stuck up, but fairly friendly. 

Highcap Mountain: A towering, frigid mountain, Highcap Mountain is accessed through Tuner Town. It’s partially based on the Matterhorn Bobsleds. 

Beau: (Dreamer of Belle) An inquisitive young man and an avid reader, as well as a regular at the Dreaming Castle.

Rose: (Dreamer of the Beast) A young heiress who was cursed after offending a fairy. Usually appears as a cute monster girl, she can transform into a full blown beast at will. 

Flambeau: (Dreamer of Lumiere) Rose’s flamboyant head butler, he’s been affected by the curse as well, transforming into a kitsune/candelabra-like creature. 

Benjamin: (Dreamer of Cogsworth) Rose’s strict tutor, he’s been affected by the curse as well, transforming into a tengu/grandfather clock-like creature.

Chamomile: (Dreamer of Mrs. Potts) Rose’s housekeeper and mother figure, she’s been affected by the curse as well, transforming into a kappa/teapot-like creature. Often accompanied by a flock of small duckling/teacup-like creatures that aid her in her housekeeping and battle. 

Orion: (Dreamer of Gaston) A boorish, pompous mercenary, Orion is Beau’s “friend”, often attempting to make him into a “real man”. Transforms into the Phantom Hunter. 

Wonder Castle: An imposing castle and a dark parallel to Rose’s castle, Wonder Castle is accessed through Marches Town. It’s partially based on Sleeping Beauty’s Castle. 

Lacie: (Dreamer of Alice) A curious young explorer, she ends up in the depths of the Dark Wood after following Blanc. 

Blanc: (Dreamer of the White Rabbit) A rabbit eared albino, he’s the personal attendant of Regina. 

Treasure: (Dreamer of the Cheshire Cat) An odd catgirl and a frequent visitor of the Dark Wood. 

Hetty: (Dreamer of the Mad Hatter) A bizarre woman who often goes on picnics in the Dark Wood. 

Regina: (Dreamer of the Queen of Hearts) An infamous influencer with an incredibly short temper. Transforms into the Phantom Rosebush. 

Fawn: (Dreamer of Peter Pan) An adventurous young girl often hanging out in Port Venture, often aided by fairies. 

Pierce: (Dreamer of Captain Hook) A particularly infamous smuggler feared by everyone. Transforms into the Phantom Crocodile. 

Lost Canopy: A maze of treehouses and rope bridges crisscrossing a dense jungle canopy, the Lost Canopy is accessed through Port Venture. It’s partially based on the Swiss Family Treehouse. 

Gigan: (Dreamer of Jumba) An alien scientist who worked for the Galactic Federation, he was the one that created Skyler (his 626th attempt), was sent down to aid Manta in tracking her down.

Pikko: (Dreamer of Pleakley) A member of the Galactic Federation and an “expert on interplanetary culture”, he’s sent down to aid Manta in tracking down Skyler. 

Zornac: (Dreamer of Zurg) A fairly incompetent invader, believes Betty Nova to be an actual space ranger. Transforms into the Phantom Invader. 

Madam Legba: (Dreamer of Dr. Facilier) A local witch doctor and a regular at Heebie Jeebie’s casino. Transforms into the Phantom Summoner. 

Selene: (Dreamer of the Caretaker from the Haunted Mansion) The cowardly older woman, Selene is the caretaker of the Hein Family Manor. Able to summon a spectral dog to aid her in her work, as well as in battle. 

Topper (Dreamer of the Hatbox Ghost) An odd ghost who’s something of a guide. 

Cindy Lopper: (Dreamer of Constance Hatchaway) A ghostly, condescending woman who had been married several times in life (all of whom died mysteriously). Transforms into the Phantom Bride. 

Dark Graveyard: An eerie graveyard bathed in perpetual night, the Dark Graveyard is accessed through Colonial Square. It’s partially based on the graveyard scene in the Haunted Mansion. 

[dabantam]

Disney Wonder City: Phantoms

The main enemies of Disney Wonder City, the phantoms are an ever present threat to the citizens of Wonder City. Coming in a wide variety forms, they are the physical manifestation of anger, despair, mania, disgust, disgust, and apathy. Originating from places known as phantom zones, phantoms are constantly threatening to break out into the city to go on rampages, requiring dreamers to enter the phantom zones to exterminate them. 

There are various types of phantoms to face in the game, usually possessing one of the five elements (blaze, wave, spark, gale, and stone). Along with a few varieties exclusive to certain phantom zones, there are several recurring types, including: 

Blottles: The most common variety of phantom, resembling round, blobby goblin-like creatures with big pompadour-like horns, usually attack with clubs.

Blottle bosses: A larger, stronger variant of blottle sporting two horns, blottle bosses attack with larger clubs, as well as leading packs of blottles. Whenever they appear, blottles attack in groups, directed by the bosses to use pack tactics.

Skeeters: Flying, mosquito-like phantoms with oversized heads and sharp, pointed beaks, skeeters attack by divebombing targets and skewering them with their beaks. Fast and speedy, though their health is fairly low and can easily be taken out in one or two hits. 

Bookworms: Wizard/caterpillar-like phantoms riding around on flying spellbooks, bookworms flit around the battlefield and firing magical projectiles at targets.

Rumblers: Large, ogre-like phantoms, rumblers attack with heavy punches and create shockwaves by slamming the ground with their fists. Incredibly tough, but fairly slow and easily flankable. 

Blothounds: Wolf-like phantoms, blothounds attack in packs, being fairly fast and using hit and run tactics on their prey. 

Woofers: Stereo-like phantoms that run around on two, stubby legs, wooofers are primarily support units. While they’re capable of firing blasts of sounds at targets, they primarily boost the stats of nearby phantoms. 

Waddle bombs: Small bomb-like phantoms, waddle bombs usually waddle around the battlefield aimlessly until they’re hit with an attack, after which, they’ll immediately begin sprinting towards the player and explode if they reach them before being defeated.

Blot Knights: Particularly tough, knight-like phantoms that wield halberds and shields in battle. They’re easily able to attack from a distance while blocking frontal attacks, forcing the player to dodge and hit them in the back.

Visually, the phantoms take inspiration from a mix of Kingdom Hearts enemies (heartless, nobodies, and unverse), as well as the blotlings from Epic Mickey, possessing slick, rubbery bodies that seem to be made from some kind of slime, as well as having eyes and mouths that shine with a light the color of their element (red for blaze, blue for wave, yellow for spark, green for gale, and orange for stone). 

The phantom zones are dark parallel worlds to the various districts of Wonder City. Much like the districts, they take some inspiration from the lands of Disneyland and Magic Kingdom from Disneyworld, as well as some of the rides in those lands. The phantom zones can be accessed through breaches hidden within districts, with some districts housing up to two breaches, with more opening up when partaking in sidequests. These phantom zones are: 

Spatter Alley: A rundown urban area accessed through Tuner Town, partially based on both “Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin” and “Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway”. 

The Clocktower: A large, ornate clock tower filled with various figurines, the Clocktower can be accessed through Marchen Town. It’s partially based on “It’s a Small World”. 

The Dark Wood: An eerie forest filled with unsettling trees, and oversized flowers and mushrooms, the Dark Wood can be accessed through Marchen Town. It’s partially based on both “Alice in Wonderland” and “Snow White’s Enchanted Wish”. 

Rumbling Jungle: A large, dark jungle with a large river running through it, Rumbling Jungle is accessed through Port Venture. It’s partially based on the “Jungle Cruise”. 

Smuggler’s Cove: An ruined island town used as a hiding place for smugglers and their hoards, Smuggler’s Cove is accessed through Port Venture. It’s partially based on “Pirates of the Caribbean”. 

Horizon Observatory: A towering abandoned observatory, the Horizon Observatory is accessed through Progress. It’s partially based on “Space Mountain”. 

Star Factory: An abandoned tech factory filled with half finished robots, the Star Factory is accessed through Progress. It’s partially based on “Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters”. 

Rainbow Ridge: A large towering mountain housing several abandoned mineshafts, Rainbow Ridge is accessed through Wonder Gulch. It’s partially based on “Big Thunder Mountain Railroad”.

Miracle Swamp: A large swamp filled with briar patches, Miracle Swamp is accessed through Wonder Gulch. It’s partially based on both “Splash Mountain” and “Tiana’s Bayou Adventure”.

The Dark Mansion: An even darker, more dilapidated version of the Hein Family Manor, the Dark Mansion is accessed through Colonial Square. It’s partially based on “The Haunted Mansion”. 

With all of these different phantom zones, you’re probably wondering something by now, something that you might have noticed from the first Disney Wonder City post: where are the Disney Villains? Well, they also have dreamer counterparts as well. However, unlike most of the other dreamers, these guys aren’t playable… at first. Initially serving as the antagonist of each district, the villain dreamers serve as recurring obstacles, eventually ending up in one of the phantom zones and transforming into a boss phantom, serving as the main boss of that chapter after being overtaken by their powers. After being defeated, the boss phantom returns to their normal self, after which, they become playable and added to the gacha pool. These dreamers include: 

Brutus: (Dreamer of Peg Leg Pete) A large, burly mercenary, he’s a rival of the Three Musketeers. Transforms into the Phantom Brute. 

Grim: (Dreamer of the Evil Queen) An incredibly beautiful and vain male model, he’s actually Winter’s older halfbrother, as well as being incredibly jealous of his looks. Transforms into the Phantom Crone. 

Don Krake: (Dreamer of Ursula) The leader of a seafolk mafia, he’s an infamous wheeler and dealer, always making offers to those in need… for a price. Transforms into the Phantom Kraken.

Manta: (Dreamer of Gantu) An alien officer sent down to Wonder City by the Galactic Federation to retrieve Skyler, though she’s become disillusioned with the Federation after they signed off on creating the super soldier in the first place. Transforms into the Phantom Soldier.

Plutarch: (Dreamer of Hades) A manipulative conman and Heracles’ uncle, he’s one of the big movers in Wonder Gulch, making several land claims through trickery. Transforms into the Phantom Volcano. 

Heebie Jeebies: (Dreamer of Oogie Boogie) A haunted scarecrow, Heebie Jeebies (or “HJ” for short, being embarrassed of his full name) was Sam Hein’s right hand man once, enjoying jokes just as much as Sam until one day he took a prank too far. Now he runs a casino in Colonial Square. Transforms into the Phantom Scarecrow. 

Odessa: (Dreamer of Maleficent) A fairy who aids the mastermind of the phantom attacks. Transforms into the Phantom Dragon. 

Again, these aren’t all the dreamers in the game, as there are some more included in sidestories, as well as more included with future locations. However, there is one individual who’s running the show. One person who’s essentially egging on the other villain dreamers into going to the lengths they do, and that person is the Phantom Blot. 

Originally appearing in the Mickey Mouse comic strips, the Phantom Blot is something of an oddball compared to other Disney Villains. For one thing, while he only appears in Mickey Mouse settings and similar settings, he has an air dread about him, even in the tamer Mickey Mouse media (and especially in the European comics). Compared to the other villains Mickey faces (who are mostly just bullies), the Blot feels like a legitimate threat, even if it is more cartoony, like stealing a special credit card that lets him rob any bank he wants or stealing all the collar in the world to make himself more vibrant and colorful. The Ducktales reboot makes him even more intimidating, by turning him into a witch hunter determined to destroy all magic in the world as revenge against the witch, Magica De Spell. And of course, no discussion of the Phantom Blot is complete without talking about Epic Mickey, which topped all other depictions by turning him into a terrifying eldritch abomination that Mickey accidentally created from paint and thinner, ultimately bringing ruin to the world of the Cartoon Wasteland before being sealed up in a bottle (and even that isn’t enough to fully contain him, with all the enemies and the creature you “thought” was the Phantom Blot being his drippings). Hell, even Twisted Wonderland gets in on this, with the main bosses being people who underwent a process known as “overblotting”, where certain characters are overwhelmed by negative emotions and their own magic and transformed into monsters. If there’s anything you can take from all this, it’s that whenever the Phantom Blot shows up, things start to get serious. 

With all of that being said, the version of the Phantom Blot that appears in Disney Wonder City is something of a devil figure. He’s often seen chatting with the villain dreamers, often egging them on to act on their worst impulses. He also seems to recognize the coordinator, implied to have been the one who brought them to Wonder City in the first place. Designwise, the Phantom Blot has a tokusatsu-esque appearance, his burly figure covered completely in monochromatic armor, save for a pair of green lights on his helmet where his eyes are.

That’s it for now. As always, let me know what you think and if you have any ideas you’d want to share.

[dabantam]

Persona 5 Another Story: Pattie Gardner

Name: Pattie Gardner 

Codename: Sparrow 

Arcana: The Chariot 

Initial Persona: Nancy 

Ultimate Persona: Nezha 

Weapons: baseball bats and airsoft rifles 

A high schooler, Pattie is something of a tomboy. Heading to Hoosegow University on a sports scholarship, she actually comes from a long line of athletes, while her older sister, Minnie, has become a pretty successful Esports player. While John Doe and the others have had run-ins with her throughout the story, it isn’t until a week after Dean Fortunato’s death that he’s personally introduced to Pattie by the former Dean’s secretary, tasked with showing her around the campus and getting her acquainted with the layout. After spending the day with John, she offers him and his friends tickets to her sister’s next match at Madison Square Garden as thanks. However, things take a dark turn when they arrive at the arena and find that it’s disappeared, revealing that it’s become the latest Crime Scene. With Pattie in tow, worried about her sister, the Detectives of Hearts had no choice but to take her with them into the Arena of Greed. 

Investigating the Crime Scene, the team meets strange, robotic cognitions of Minnie and her teammates, resembling a mix of cocktail waitresses and ATM machines (something that genuinely freaked out Pattie). It soon becomes apparent that the team was being exploited by their manager, Ms. Carol Shaftman, for profit (among her crimes are pimping them out and blackmailing them into compliance). When the team confronts the manager on this, she doesn’t even hide her actions, revealing herself as Shadow Carol, the Culprit of Arena of Greed. Absolutely infuriated at what she was doing to her sister and the rest of her team, Pattie confronts Carol on this, only to be slapped across the face by the manager for “stepping out of line”. Pinning the high schooler under her foot, Shadow Carol proceeds to sic the shadow, Thrymr, on the Detectives of Hearts, all the while mocking Pattie for not being able to protect anyone and how she planned on giving her a “place on the team” (as she put it, a lot of “sloppy sickos” would pay top dollar for a night with someone as “fresh” as her). While this was happening, Pattie remained defiant the whole time, telling Carol to shut up and that she wasn’t going to get away with this. At that moment, Pattie felt a surge of energy course through her body, unleashing a shockwave powerful enough to send Shadow Carol flying off her feet. Getting back to her feet, with her resolve to bring the manager to justice steeled, Pattie awakened her persona, Nancy (something Merlot later comments that only a person with a particularly strong sense of self could do without confronting their shadow self). With her newfound powers, Pattie soon joins the fight, helping the Detectives defeat the shadow and sending Shadow Carol running for her life, cursing all the way as she fled deeper into her Crime Scene. After returning to the real world, Pattie joins the Detectives of Hearts, not only to free her sister and her teammates, but also to make Carol pay for everything she’s done. 

Appearance 

Real World: A slightly muscular sixteen year old girl with tan skin and short, blonde hair, wearing a baseball cap, red letterman jacket, and blue jeans.

Metaverse: Wears a brown and black speckled leotard and jean jacket, a pair of roller skates, and a sparrow themed mask. 

Personas 

Nancy: The Youthful Detective of River Heights 

The main character of Edward Stratemeyer’s Nancy Drew Mystery novels, Nancy is Pattie’s initial persona. Resembles a young girl in a brown Peter Pan collar dress, a sparrow themed mask, small wings on her back, roller blades, and a staff topped with a magnifying glass. 

Nezha: The Third Lotus Prince 

The protector deity of China, Nezha is Pattie’s ultimate persona. Resembles a fiery young boy with wild black hair, flaming wheels on his feet, a red sash wrapped around his body that act as a pair of wings, and a long, flaming spear. 

[dabantam]

Disney Wonder City: a Disney Action RPG Concept

You ever had one of those moments when you’re minding your own business and inspiration just jumps out of nowhere and sucker punches you in the face? Welp, I had one of those moments recently, and good god, was it a trip. I was spending some time playing putt putt with my niece and family. It was a pirate-themed putt putt place, so they were playing several pirate and ocean themed songs over the intercoms (and Don McLean’s American Pie for some reason). Among the songs they were playing were songs from The Little Mermaid, Part of Your World, Kiss the Girl, Poor Unfortunate Souls, those sorts of songs. Anyway, as I was busy sinking a putt, my mind began to wander, thinking about the various RPGs based on Disney properties. 

The first that comes to mind is the Kingdom Hearts series, which is sort of the definitive “Disney RPG” (despite how utterly, fucking baffling the timeline of events in the series gets as the series goes on). Next is the sadly defunct Disney Mirrorverse mobile game, which featured battle hardened versions of classic Disney and Pixar characters in an alternate universe on the other side of mirrors, where they have become supercharged by magic shards and face off against the forces of evil. The weirdest one is Twisted Wonderland, which is a jrpg/gacha/rhythm game hybrid set in a magic academy (which is honestly bizarre, seeing that the initial teasers made it look like a dating sim). The weirdest part of it is that the main cast is made up of attractive young men who are based on the classic Disney Villains (or “twisted from them” as the game puts it, whatever that implies, though it is a rather interesting concept). 

So with all of that said, it got me thinking about another genre of RPG, the action RPG… more specifically, the likes of Genshin Impact, Honkai Star Rail, Zenless Zone Zero, and most recently, NTE: Neverness to Everness. With a vast world to explore, vibrant casts of characters, and fast paced battles, these games have a huge following, and honestly, it wouldn’t surprise me if Disney wanted to get on top of this with a game of their own. However, I’d doubt they would just slap Mickey Mouse on Genshin Impact and call it a day (even Kingdom Hearts has fully original characters alongside the Disney characters). With that being said, I think I have an idea that’ll work perfectly for an action RPG. So without further ado, let me introduce you to: 

Disney Wonder City 

Taking place in the eponymous Wonder City, set in an alternate reality, you play as the nameless protagonist (after choosing your gender and name), having woken up in this strange world with no memory of how you got there (yep, it’s that trope). Luckily, you're soon found by a trio freelancers named Max, Donnie, and Geof, and brought back to their base of operations on Main Street. Waking up in the trio’s business, the Three Musketeers, you learn that this world is under attack from monsters known as phantoms, the only real defense against them being the dreamers, people who are capable of using magic by drawing on the energy of people from outside of reality (the Disney characters). With no way of getting back to your own world on your own, the Musketeers make you a proposition: act as their coordinator while they’re on missions, and they’ll help you find a way back to your reality. This serves as the crux of the gameplay for the game, where you collect dreamers, fight off phantoms, earn money, and explore Wonder City, with rumors of a particularly powerful dreamer named Elias who might be able to help you get home.

Gameplay is split between two different segments. The first part is the city exploration, where you travel through the various districts of Wonder City. The city itself is partially inspired by both Disneyland and Magic Kingdom from Disney World, with the various districts being based on the various lands of the parks. These districts are: 

Main Street: The main hub of the game, Main Street is primarily based on (obviously) Main Street USA. This area is mainly home to various shops, as well as the home of the Three Musketeers, your base of operations, where you can level up your dreamers and gear. 

Tuner Town: A residential district, Tuner Town is based on Mickey’s Toontown. This district is the home of the Three Musketeers and their neighbors, as well as several local businesses and shops. 

Marchen Town: The leisure district, Marchen Town is based on Fantasyland. An oddly elegant district, it’s filled with several high end boutiques and cafes, as well as the incredibly popular cafe, the Dreaming Castle. 

Port Venture: The coastal port district, Port Venture is based on Adventureland. An oddly tropical district, it’s home to a few smuggling dens, as well as a large population of seafolk (amphibious merfolk who sport legs, scales, and fins for ears). 

Progress: The technology district, Progress is based on Tomorrowland. A center of technological innovation, it’s also home to several aliens, as well as several inventors and robots. It’s also home to the Technodome, where you can fight simulations of phantoms in order to collect upgrade materials. 

Wonder Gulch: An outlier district, Wonder Gulch is based on a mix of Frontierland and Bayou Country. A district located just outside of the city (more of an outpost than anything), it's home to outlaws, mercenaries, and several frontiersmen. 

Colonial Square: The historical district, Colonial Square is based on a mix of New Orleans Square from Disneyland and Liberty Square from Disneyworld. The oldest part of the city, it’s home to several old shops and restaurants, as well as an actual haunted mansion, the Hein Family Manor. 

Venturing into these various districts, you can accept a variety of quests, as well as take on various odd jobs to earn money, buy items from shops, and interact with various characters. Also, for future seasons and special events, I’d imagine there would be new locations based on the other Disney parks, like Epcot and Animal Kingdom. 

The other half of gameplay involves entering areas known as the phantom zones, dark parallel versions of the districts where the phantoms reside. Entering these phantom zones with a team of three dreamers, you explore the area, facing off against attacking swarms of phantoms while also finding hidden treasure chests containing money and items. Throughout the phantom zones are special safe zones that not only act as places to heal your team and switch out dreamers, but also fast travel points, allowing you to teleport to different parts of the zone (provided that you’ve already reached those parts). 

Finally, we get to the dreamers themselves. Taking a page from Twisted Wonderland, each of the dreamers is based on a different Disney character, drawing their powers from them (as well as design inspiration). Each one possesses a basic attack, a special attack, and an ultimate attack. They also possess one of five different elements (blaze, wave, spark, gale, and stone) and one of five unit types (melee, range, tank, support, and control). During phantom zone exploration, you can have up to three dreamers on a team, as well as switch between those three during combat. You can also get new dreamers through the game’s gacha system, the flyer rally, sending out a burst of flyers to all of Wonder City to every dreamer out there.

Some of these dreamers include: 

Max: (Dreamer of Mickey Mouse) The optimistic leader of the Three Musketeers.

Donnie: (Dreamer of Donald Duck) The short tempered member of the Three Musketeers. 

Geof: (Dreamer of Goofy) The klutzy yet reliable member of the Three Musketeers. 

Millie: (Dreamer of Minnie Mouse) Max’s girlfriend and the owner of a local boutique.

Daphne: (Dreamer of Daisy Duck) Donnie’s overbearing girlfriend. 

Winter: (Dreamer of Snow White) An employee at the Dreaming Castle. Often mistaken for a girl because of his beautiful, feminine looks. 

Ashly: (Dreamer of Cinderella) One of the co-owners of the Dreaming Castle, as well one of the employees. Indebted to her stepfather for his investment in the cafe. Accompanied by a pair of mouse fairies that help her in battle. 

Tanya: (Dreamer of Tiana from the Princess and the Frog) One of the co-owners of the Dreaming Castle, as well as the head chef. 

Olly: (Dreamer of Aladdin) A pickpocket hanging around Port Venture, has a heart of gold. 

Marina: (Dreamer of Ariel) An inquisitive seafolk girl and the youngest daughter of the leader of the seafolk around Port Venture.

Robin: (Dreamer of Jack Sparrow) A seemingly clueless smuggler, though she proves to be surprisingly competent when she needs to be.

Lono: (Dreamer of Lilo) An odd young teenage boy with avid interest in photography. Heads out to Progress to photograph Skyler’s concert. Accompanied by a living straw doll that aids him in battle.

Skyler: (Dreamer of Stitch) An alien girl who was originally a super soldier, but came to Wonder City to become a rockstar. Usually appearing as a catgirl with blue hair, she can transform into a more beastly, blue furred space creature with four arms, antennae, and quills running down her back. 

Widget: (Dreamer of Wall-E) A cleaning robot and an avid collector of knickknacks. 

Betty Nova: (Dreamer of Buzz Lightyear) A deluded young method actress who was preparing for the role of “Betty Nova” for an upcoming movie, only to end up believing that she was the real Betty Nova.

Oakley: (Dreamer of Woody) The local sheriff of Wonder Gulch. 

Mkuu: (Dreamer of Simba) A mercenary living in Wonder Gulch. Seems to have a sketchy past. 

Heracles: (Dreamer of Hercules) A mercenary living in Wonder Gulch. A bit of a showboatter, but a genuinely nice guy. 

Sam Hain: (Dreamer of Jack Skellington) The current owner of the Hain Family Manor. A bit of a narcissist and a prankster, though he never takes the joke too far. 

Carlotta: (Dreamer of Madame Leota from the Haunted Mansion) A ghostly woman possessing a crystal ball, serves as Sam’s right hand woman.

Shelly: (Dreamer of Sally) A patchwork woman, has feelings for Sam. 

(This is by no means all of the dreamers in the game, but I feel like these would be the most prominent in the main storyline). 

Outside of the phantom zones, you can interact with the dreamers and even improve your relationship with them by giving them gifts and spending time with them. This unlocks special rewards such as cosmetics and resources. You can also improve your dreamers by not only leveling them up, but also by giving them special items called wish trinkets that can boost their stats. There even exist special rare wish trinkets that are exclusive to specific dreamers that can upgrade their attacks, increasing their power as well as granting them new special effects. 

Well that’s all for Disney Wonder City for now. Let me know what you guys think and share any ideas you might have.

[dabantam]

Persona 5 Another Story: Professor Montresor

Name: Professor Hector Montresor 

Crime Scene: College of Wrath 

Evidence: an old photo of a younger Montresor in a park with a young Japanese woman. 

Shadow Self: Amon 

Appearance 

Real World: A bit disheveled looking older man with a greying beard and hair and dressed in khaki pants and a tweed jacket. 

Shadow Self: Looks almost identical to his real world appearance, save that he’s dressed in a judge’s robes, his hair is white, and his eyes are a piercing yellow. 

The psychology professor at Hoosegow University, Professor Montresor is a recurring figure in the story. First met by John a couple of days after the Hotel of Lust case, he seemed like a genuinely friendly and decent person, if a bit scatterbrained. However, as the series progressed, he slowly became colder and distant, as if his mind was elsewhere. Things eventually came to a head when the whole of Hoosegow University vanished into the Metaverse, becoming the College of Wrath. 

Finding the Professor in the Main Lobby, the team was concerned about his safety, though he seemed more concerned about the safety of the rest of the faculty trapped in the Dormitories (seeming oddly insistent about them being brought back to the lobby). While this was a little weird, the Detectives simply chalked it up to him being a fairly selfless person. However, as they searched the Dormitories and rescued more people, it slowly dawned on them that they hadn’t found a single clue hinting at who might actually be the Culprit, a sign that whoever it was has a particularly strong sense of self (allowing them to have more control over the Crime Scene than normal). After defeating the shadow, Ribesal, they found a clue, an old photo of a young man and a young Japanese woman in a park (which didn’t really shed much light on the situation). 

After the last of the faculty was rescued, however, Montresor seemed to become disturbingly ecstatic, making sure that all the faculty members were present. After getting confirmation, he proceeded to twist the top of a nearby table lamp, causing a cage to rise up from the ground, trapping everyone except for Julie, revealing himself to be Shadow Montresor, the true Culprit of the College of Wrath. With his true identity revealed, he demands his captives to return “it” to him or suffer the consequences, even going so far as to toss Julie aside and screamed at her to stay out of his business (something that deeply unsettled her, seeing that it was completely unusual for him to act like that). However, as he attempted to get answers out of the faculty, Shadow Montresor was caught off guard when Julie awakened her persona, Maltese Falcon, using her newfound powers to free the Detectives and the faculty. Seeing this, he deemed her a traitor and sent two shadows, Gremory and Paimon, to attack the team before heading deeper into the Crime Scene. After returning to the real world with the faculty, the Detectives were shocked to see that the faculty had fallen into a comatose state, a result of Montresor still holding onto their minds, showing just how much control he holds over the Crime Scene. This only incentivized them to return to the College of Wrath.

After the Detectives had prepared themselves, they returned to the Main Lobby of the Crime Scene, where, after a bit of investigation, they discovered a secret door leading to the Torture Chamber. There, they found several cognitions of the faculty members being tortured for information about “it”. The cognition of Dean Fortunato claimed that he took “it” to force the students to be more productive, the cognitive janitor claimed to have stolen “it” to the highest bidder, and several cognitive professors claimed to have taken “it” to claim as their own work for fame. Whatever “it” is, it soon became apparent that it’s something incredibly important to Montresor. 

Eventually, after defeating the three main torture tacticians, the Detectives make it to the Courtroom, where Shadow Montresor was presiding over a court hearing, awaiting the team. Seeing the Detectives had arrived, he proceeded to declare that court was now in session, claiming that this was the trial of the Detectives of Hearts. There, he accused them of being thieves, collaborating with the faculty to steal “it” from him, believing that they had been paid off for their compliance. When Julie tried to talk sense into her uncle, Montresor made his final judgment, finding the team guilty of corruption, theft, and treachery, the sentence being death. At this point, Shadow Montresor transformed into his shadow form, Amon, and proceeded to attack the team, initiating the boss battle. 

After the boss fight, Shadow Montresor reverted back to his more human form, left panting and slumped over in the ruins of the Courtroom. However, even after being beaten down, he still lashes out at the team, claiming that he won’t let anyone take “it” from him, and that he won’t fail “her”. This raised even more questions, as he was apparently doing all of this on someone else’s behalf. Trying a different approach, Julie spoke to the professor, asking who “she” was and why she was so important to him. 

Hearing this and calming down a bit, he explained that “she” was his old friend, a Japanese woman named Wakaba Isshiki, that he met back when he traveled abroad during his college years. She was an odd woman, but also an incredible genius, becoming one of the top scientists in the field of cognition. She and Montresor stayed in touch afterwards, keeping each other updated on each other's lives, with Wakaba revealing that on top of becoming a leading scientist, she also became a single mother, truly caring about her daughter (if he recalled right, she would be in high school by now). One day, however, three years ago during one of their correspondences, Wakaba asked Montresor for a favor. She asked him to hold onto a file containing information pertaining to a research project of hers. She suspected that someone was spying on her, and if the file fell into the wrong hands, it could be disastrous for the whole world. While he wasn’t entirely sure if that was true, he accepted the offer anyway as a favor to an old friend. A few days later, however, he saw a news article on the internet about the death of Wakaba Isshiki, having apparently walked into busy traffic as an act of suicide. This absolutely shocked Montresor, as he knew her better than anyone else and knew for a fact that she would never have done anything like that. Realizing that she may have been onto something about being spied on and her research being of incredible value, he doubled down on his promise, making sure that no one would ever get their hands on the file. Unfortunately, he failed that promise months ago, as when he went to check on the file in his computer, he found that it was gone. Naturally, it had to have been one of the faculty members, seeing as no one else could have had access to his computer. 

Desperate for answers, Montresor snuck around the campus, breaking into the other faculty member’s computers in hopes of finding the thief, eventually leading him to Dean Fortunato’s office. There, he found the Dean’s phone lying on his desk, opened to some strange page filled with odd symbols. Staring into the page, his mind went blank as… something took over. That was all he could remember happening before then. When Julie asked him what the research was about, Montresor explained that it was about the Metaverse itself, the collective consciousness of humanity. 

After the team heard his story, John pointed out that none of the faculty could have been responsible for stealing the file, because none of them had any idea where or that they were in the Metaverse to begin with. Hearing this, the professor admitted that he had made a mistake, imploring the Detectives to help him find the true culprit before things get worse, something the team gladly agreed to. With the Culprits' anger appeased and a new vow made, the College of Wrath transformed back into Hoosegow University and returned to the real world, the faculty members regaining consciousness once more with no real memory of what had happened.

Later that day, while everyone went their separate ways, Dean Fortunato was in his office, making a phone call to a mysterious figure. During the call, he Dean demanded compensation for what had happened, not only revealing that he had retained his memory of the Crime Scene, but also revealing that he was supposed to be the Culprit, hoping to use the app the figure sent him to make the students more productive (and make the school more successful in the process). When asked what had happened, Fortunato explained that one of his idiot professors got to it before he fully activated it, having been distracted by some paperwork he needed to take care of. However, things took a dark turn when the benefactor asked him if he had just left the phone lying around where anyone could’ve seen it, causing the Dean to panic. Realizing what was happening, Fortunato tried to weasel his way out of any responsibility for his actions, only to feel a sharp pain in his chest, like something was actively squeezing his heart. After several agonizing minutes of this pain, he collapsed onto his desk, dead as a doorknob (seemingly from a heart attack). 

Meanwhile, at the NYPD headquarters, Commissioner Aberdeen was reviewing the case files related to the recent string of confessions. While he couldn’t make heads or tails of why these people would suddenly confess to their crimes after spending so long hiding them, he was certain that there had to be a connection between them all. Just then, he received a visitor in the form of an imposing Japanese man. Confused by his presence, the man introduced himself to the Commissioner as Zenkichi Hasegawa, a member of Interpol. When asked why he was here, Zenkichi simply explained that the higher ups had heard about the recent cases and had sent him to investigate them, noting some unusual similarities to a string of cases back in his home country.

Amon 

Stage 1 

Shadow Montresor’s shadow form, Amon resembles an enormous, bipedal owl headed dragon with Montresor’s face stretched across his chest in a permanent scowl, large wings, and an enormous gavel in his hands. His attacks are slow and methodical, smashing his targets with his gavel, inflicting the Dizzy status effect, as well as casting a spell that inflicts the Forget status effect. 

Stage 2 

After being taken down to half health, Amon becomes more enraged, the scowl on his chest becoming more intense as he smashes his gavel hard enough on the ground to break the head off. Now using the broken handle as a lance, his attacks become faster, now inflicting the Bleed status effect with each blow. During this stage, he also becomes more agitated, immediately attacking one of the Detectives if they use the same action twice in the row. 

Stage 3 

Taken down to a quarter health, Amon becomes completely consumed by rage, tossing the handle aside, taking on a quadrupedal stance, and seemingly losing his ability to talk, simply roaring in rage. In this stage, he now has the ability to attack twice in one turn with swipes from his claws, as well as taking a turn to charge up a powerful AoE attack, requiring Scryer to summon shields for the team to block it. 

[dabantam]

Persona 5 Another Story: Informants 4

Informants (College of Wrath) 

Professor Hector Montresor

Arcana: Justice 

The psychology professor at Hoosegow University, Professor Montresor was the culprit of the College of Wrath. A few weeks after the event of the College of Wrath case, he invited John into his office to formally apologize for his actions in the Metaverse, having not been in his right mind at the time. In order to make up for what he had done, the professor offered to aid the Detectives of Hearts in any way he could, even offering to give John private psychology lessons in order to expand his understanding of the Metaverse. This proves to be incredibly useful, as it teaches John how to craft special items that allow him to explore deeper into the Metaverse (such as revealing hidden passages, uncovering invisible shadows, etc.). 

Matthew Henderson 

Arcana: The Hierophant 

Role: Unlocks religious items, some serving as mass healing items, while others deal AoE elemental damage to enemies. 

[dabantam]

Persona 5 Another Story: College of Wrath

Title: College of Wrath 

True Identity: Hoosegow University 

Suspects: Dean Vincent Fortunato, Marvin Tarr (janitor), Professor Kraft (physics professor), Professor Legrand (biology professor), Professor Montresor (psychology professor) 

Culprit: Professor Montresor/ Amon

Minibosses: Morax (cognition Marvin Tarr), Caim (cognition Kraft), Ribesal, Gremory and Paimon, Ukobach, Buer, Stolas 

Layout 

Main Lobby: The main hub of the College of Wrath, where all the suspects are gradually gathered. Resembles a normal campus lobby at first save for several full length mirrors that act as doorways to the Dormitories. 

The Dormitories: A maze of dorm rooms that seem to be prison cells accessed from the Main Lobby through the mirrors. 

The Torture Chamber: A maze of torture chambers entered through a secret door in the Main Lobby, the college’s logo plastered over every surface. To proceed, the team needs to fight off the three main torture tacticians to reach the Courtroom. 

The Courtroom: A large courtroom filled with several owl mannequins acting as the jury and court spectators, a large stained glass window featuring a Japanese woman dressed as Lady Justice over the judge’s bench, the boss arena of Shadow Montresor/Amon. 

[dabantam]

Persona 5 Another Story: Julie Winslow

Name: Julie Winslow 

Codename: Scryer 

Arcana: Temperance 

Initial Persona: Maltese Falcon 

Ultimate Persona: Horus 

Weapons: encyclopedia 

A young woman working at the local college, Julie is the teaching assistant for Professor Montresor. A hard worker, she often aids the professor in his lectures and organizes his paperwork for him during his more scatterbrained moments. First meeting John a couple of days after the Hotel of Lust case was closed, she seems to develop a bit of a crush on him. However, things take a dark turn when, some time after the Church of Gluttony case was closed, the college is transformed into a new Crime Scene: the College of Wrath. 

Inside the Crime Scene, the group not only encounters several of the faculty members, but also Julie and Professor Montresor as well. While investigating the winding labyrinth of the corrupted campus, finding clues and rescuing faculty members, the Detectives of Hearts find Julie being attacked by a cognition of the college janitor, who quickly transforms into his shadow form, Morax. After the shadow is defeated, the team attempts to help Julie find her way back to the main lobby, only for her to reveal that her prosthetic arm was stolen by one of the cognition faculty members. Not only did the team find the cognition (this time the cognition of one of one of the professors taking on his shadow form, Caim), but also Julie’s shadow self, seemingly a high priestess obsessed with the sanctification of “him” (whoever that is). While Julie was unsettled by this, she was happy to get her arm.

 However, when the last of the clues were retrieved, the group was shocked when Professor Montresor activated a trap, capturing everyone except himself and Julie. It was then that Montresor revealed himself as Shadow Montresor and demanded that the group tell him where they’ve hidden “it”, and demanded that they return “it” to him, or else. Horrified by this, Julie tries to reason with him, only for the professor to scream at her to stay out of this and toss her aside. While Julie was confused and terrified by what was happening, her shadow self arrived and claimed that Montresor was the one who needed sanctification, explaining that the signs were there from the beginning. At that moment, Julie realized what this shadow was: the part of her that realized that something was happening to Montresor and that he wasn’t acting like himself anymore (something that she denied for a while now). Wanting to help both the captives and the professor, Julie made peace with her shadow, transforming her into her persona, Maltese Falcon. Being taken inside of the persona, she proceeds to free the captives, causing Shadow Montresor to denounce her as a traitor and send forth two shadows, Paimon and Gremory, to attack them as he escapes deeper into the Crime Scene. While the team, aided by Julie, were able to defeat the shadows, they were shocked to see that the faculty had been kidnapped during the fight.

Returning to the real world, Julie revealed that Professor Montresor is actually her uncle, and that he was the one who vouched for her when she applied to become a TA for the college. However, the man she saw in the Crime Scene seemed like a whole different person than the uncle she knew, claiming that something was deeply wrong with him. Determined to uncover the truth, she decides to join the team in hopes of bringing Montresor back to his senses. 

Appearance 

Real World: A young woman with a black bobcut, dressed in a white blouse, a grey skirt, and glasses, has a prosthetic arm. 

Metaverse: Dressed in a black, futuristic pilot’s uniform, her prosthetic arm becoming cybernetically enhanced, and she’s wearing a falcon themed mask. Serves as the navigator of the team. 

Personas 

Maltese Falcon: The Elusive Statue 

The titular statuette of Dashiell Hammett’s novel, Maltese Falcon is Julie’s initial persona. Resembles a large, black and gold mechanical falcon that Julie rides inside of to manipulate the battlefield, analyzing enemies, and buffing the team. 

Horus: The Avenging Prince 

The falcon headed god of Egypt and the protector of the pharaoh, Horus is Julie’s ultimate persona. Resembles a large, golden falcon man mech. 

[dabantam]

The Gracious: Modern Elementals

Here we are, one last round of creatures (for now, at least). So far, I’ve covered the scraps, the familiars, tulpas of various kinds, and the homunculi. Now we’re going to cover the gracious, a new take on both elementals and the fair folk. 

Originally introduced in my Kalandero setting (among other creatures), the gracious served as a cross between the classical elementals and the fair folk, being capricious nature spirits that are often associated with the six elements of the setting (basically, the six types of magic people can harness). These elements are: 

Fire: Magic usually associated with fire and things related to fire, such as cooking, smithing, and glass blowing. 

Water: Magic associated with water, as well as ice and other liquids. 

Earth: Magic associated with rocks, dirt, and plant life. 

Air: Magic associated with the wind, as well as lightning. 

Light: Magic associated with light, as well as illusions, and luck.

Shadow: Magic associated with darkness, as well dreams, and void. 

The gracious themselves are: 

Ignits: The Gracious of Fire, ignits are the most vindictive of the Gracious. Having features similar to ants, they are hard working and diligent craftsmen, creating a variety of weapons and glassware of incredible quality. Many people actually desire these ignit made products and will actually track them down and trap these Gracious, promising to release them in exchange for a sword or a vase. While an ignit will be willing to go along with this, they will add one stipulation to their offering: never get it wet. Of course, after receiving their prize, the trapper will eventually forget about this stipulation, either using water to clean their weapon or filling the vase with water to put a bouquet of flowers, after which, it will end up dissolving into nothing, with the laughter of the ignit echoing through their home.

Laguna: The Gracious of Water, laguna are natural born romantics. Having features similar to fish and turtles, they often fall in love with mortals, shape shifting into more appealing forms to seduce them. They’ve even been known to marry these partners and start families with them. However, a laguna’s love is fleeting, as they will often leave their families behind should they find someone more appealing to them (it’d be more appropriate to say that they’re in love with love more than anything else). Unsurprisingly, many famous naval captains and winemakers in Kalandero claim to have some laguna blood flowing through their veins from a distant ancestor. 

Lithos: The Gracious of Earth, lithos are considered the greediest of their kind. Having features similar to moles and beetles, they hoard large piles of rare jewels and metals in their territory, often adorning themselves with uncut gems. They are often victims of robbers, either being trapped or tricked into drinking themselves into a drunken stupor, duped into giving their captors their jewelry or the location of one of their hoards in exchange for their freedom. However, the thief will soon discover that this jewelry will have turned into dirt when they return home, and the area where the stash was located is littered with hundreds of markers, rendering impossible to find the treasure trove.

Zephreans: The Gracious of Air, zephreans are the most actively malicious of the Gracious. Having features of various birds, they often attack lone travelers on stormy nights, either knocking them down with gusts of wind or blasting them with lightning. However, after the deed is done, the zephrean will splash their target with a healing ointment, healing them of any wounds and leaving them clueless as to what had happened. 

Shimrals: The Gracious of Light, shimrals are master manipulators. Often resembling living marble statues, they take a malicious glee in tormenting their victims through illusions and tricks. They often disguise themselves as wealthy nobles to enter the houses of lords, simply so they can sow the seeds of discord among themselves and their families. However, this only ever happens to noble families who abuse their power and their people, so in a twisted kind of way, the shimral is exacting a sort of punishment on them. 

Nyx: The Gracious of Shadow, nyx are the most mysterious of the Gracious. Often appearing as living shadows, they are the guardians of secrets and things that were never meant to be known. It’s said that those who delve into forbidden secrets will be haunted by a nyx, their very presence filling them with an overwhelming sense of dread.

Now this was where I left things off in the original post. However, I have since come up with some new concepts that expand upon them in more detail. 

Hybrids 

While the gracious don’t reproduce naturally like other creatures (being born from the elements themselves), there have been cases of hybrid gracious coming into existence. Usually a result of a natural disaster (hurricanes, eruptions, etc) mixing four of the six elements (light and shadow simply cancel each other out), these hybrids tend to be more reclusive, living in small communities away from their more commonplace brethren. These hybrids include: 

Buhars: The Gracious of steam, buhars are the result of fire and water elements mixing. Ephemeral and vaporous, they can be particularly cruel, creating illusions to trick and beguile victims, often leading them into dangerous traps. 

Steklos: The Gracious of glass, steklos are the result of fire and earth elements mixing. Surprisingly delicate for a gracious, they have a tendency to break apart, leaving behind dangerously sharp shards wherever they go. 

Blitzners: The Gracious of electricity, blitzners are the result of fire and air elements mixing. Malicious little pranksters, they have a tendency to shock people whenever they linger too close to their hiding places. They’ve become a lot more common in modern times with the advent of electrical lighting. 

Doros: The Gracious of mud, doros are the result of water and earth elements mixing. Often hiding in swampy areas, they can be quite territorial, tearing down any crops that are planted too close to their turf. 

Chionies: The Gracious of snow, chionies are the result of water and air elements mixing. Stoic and lonesome, they are among the most reclusive of the gracious, releasing a freezing aura on anyone that comes near. 

Sabloes: The Gracious of sand, sabloes are the result of earth and air elements mixing. Lacking a fixed physical form, they’re skilled shapeshifters, morphing their bodies into a variety of different shapes when they need it. 

The Vogue 

A more recent subclass of gracious, the vogue are the Gracious of “modern elements”. These gracious are associated with “elements” that were recently discovered or created by modern society. The vogue are: 

Polyplasts: The Vogue of plastic, polyplasts are the most prevalent of the modern gracious. Resembling living abstract statues or mannequins, they have a tendency to be flashy and narcissistic, often placing themselves in places where people can view them. However, not only do people find them uncanny and unnerving, other gracious (especially the more “natural ones”) find them revolting, actively attacking any polyplast they encounter. 

Gigers: The Vogue of radiation, gigers are the most dangerous of all gracious. Resembling ghostly creatures cobbled together from radiation suits, they are often seen floating around areas of nuclear fallout and nuclear power plants. Ironically, while their presence can inflict radiation poisoning on those who linger too close, they aren’t actively malicious, even going as far as to avoid encounters with people.

Progs: The Vogue of cyberspace, progs are the most common variety of gracious in cities. Surprisingly friendly for gracious, they resemble odd, blocky, pixelated creatures, eager to amaze and delight all who see them. However, they have a tendency to become clingy, often trapping people in digitized fantasies just for the sake of company. 

[dabantam]

Homunnculi: Lab Grown Laborers

Yep, it’s time for another group of creatures. This time around, we’ll be taking a look at a group of creatures I’ve had on the back burner for a while now: the homunculi. Originally part of an old story concept I toyed around with, the homunculi are a group of artificially created creatures that serve as a labor force for the society that created them (I actually plan on having them incorporated into one of the sequels for Late Night Sorcery, having been created by a city of demigods). These include 

Yups: Homunculi created as office workers, government employees, and pencil pushers, yups are the least intimidating breed. They’re usually short, about half the height of a human, and usually have an endearing, unintimidating appearance to them. 

Kimoras: Homunculi created as housekeepers, kimoras serve as cleaners, home chefs, and attendants. Partially inspired by the kikimora of Slavic folklore, they have features similar to that of chickens and foxes in a humanoid frame, having qualities of a house pet. 

Jethros: Homunculi created as farmhands, jethros are mostly found on farms, working the fields, tending livestock, and repairing structures and equipment. Usually big, bulky and muscular with thick skin and photosynthetic patches on their skin for extra energy. 

Galens: Homunculi created to work in hospitals, galens usually work as doctor assistants and nurses. They possess multiple arms, allowing them to utilize multiple tools at a time, as well as their skin constantly producing a natural antiseptic, keeping themselves and everything they use perfectly sanitized. 

Katraz: The most physically imposing of the homunculi, katraz are mainly used as guards and members of the police force. Utilizing an altered blueprint of the jethros, they possess skeletons that are reinforced with metal, more muscles, and secondary vital organs (hearts, lungs, brains) as backups in case the primary organs are damaged (or to give them an extra boost when used in conjunction with the primary organs). 

Hunnies: A mostly female breed of homunculi, hunnies work as waitresses, secretaries, and models (though some people mostly keep them around as “eye candy”). Resembling the idealized feminine form (outside of a pair of rabbit ears, long, fluffy tails, and sharper teeth), they also have a male counterpart called studs (obviously marketed towards women), both are hyper idealized in appearance yet ditzy. 

Handies: Homunculi created as repairmen and maintenance workers, handies serve as the primary maintenance crew for this society. Utilizing a modified blueprint of the galens, they possess multiple limbs to wield multiple tools, as well as possessing reinforced skeletons, tough skin, and a high resistance to electrical shocks. 

While the homunculi are primarily meant to work the jobs they were created for, they do have tendencies to work similar jobs if they’re close enough to their set of skills (a jethro working as a personal gardener, a galen working as a vet, etc.). They’re also dependent on their creators to produce more of their kind, though there are some rare specimens that have somehow managed to reproduce naturally. 

(Also, as a side note, in the original story idea, I had also planned on including some special homunculi that served as mascots for local businesses, showing a basic understanding of the business, but also acting more like animals. They would freak out due to the paparazzi agitating them with flash photography and essentially go feral). 

[dabantam]

Persona 5 Another Story: Father Tiberius

Name: Father Tiberius (Roland Murdoc) 

Crime Scene: Church of Gluttony 

Evidence: A bank statement addressed to an “R. Murdoc”, a pair of glasses, a family photo signed “Me and Rufus at the park”

Shadow Self: Tsuchinoko 

Appearance 

Real World: An older, heavy set man dressed in priest robes, his hair grey and receding 

Shadow Self: A flushed version of his normal self dressed as a Roman emperor, a laurel wreath sitting atop his head, perpetually drunk, and sporting piercing yellow eyes 

The priest in charge of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Father Tiberius is something of a cynic. First encountered by the Detectives after they defeated the shadow, dryad, in the Vineyard Maze, hiding for his life behind some barrels. While the team didn’t suspect him at first, believing that it was the businessman, Rufus Murdoc, they soon uncovered several pieces of evidence (including a pair of glasses, and a picture of Rufus and his brother, wearing those glasses, when they were young men), they soon realized that Father Tiberius was not only the Culprit, but that he was also Rufus’ black sheep of a brother, Roland Murdoc (having taken a new name as part of his ordaining). After his identity was revealed, he transformed into Shadow Tiberius (or rather, Shadow Roland), boasting about how he embezzled money from his own church for wine before proceeding to drop the Detectives down a pitfall trap, pitting them against the shadow, Nemean Lion. While he reveled as the team fought for their lives, the Culprit was completely blindsided when Matthew awoke his Persona, Father Brown, and aided in their fight. After the shadow was defeated, Shadow Roland ran off, escaping from the Detectives by crawling down a pipe to the Sepulcher. Realizing they couldn’t get to him yet, the team decided to head back to the Real World to prepare, as well as helping Rufus get back as well. 

After preparing themselves, the Detectives of Hearts returned to the Church of Gluttony, falling back down the pitfall, and entering the Catacombs through a crack in the wall. There, they eventually found a large sealed door leading to the Sepulcher, demanding an offering of at least four bottles of wine to enter. To do so, they had to defeat four different shadows hidden throughout the Catacombs and claim the bottles of wine that they were guarding. As they searched for the wine, the Detectives discovered several wall frescos depicting Roland’s past, revealing that he was a hedonistic party animal, living on his family’s dime before he got into a drunken car crash, killing the woman in the other car. While his family covered up the accident, they still disowned Roland, forcing him to turn over a new leaf and join the priesthood (not that that really made any difference). 

After entering the Sepulcher, the Detectives found Shadow Roland sloppily chugging from a bottle of wine before casually tossing it to the side and telling the team to leave their offerings where he can reach them and screw off. However, he soon realized that it was Detectives, simply asking them if they had finally learned to show some respect for their betters. When Matthew questioned if this was really what he was like deep down inside, the Culprit merely said he preferred the young man how he was before, never questioning him, always faithful, completely loyal to him. When Matthew called him out for his hypocrisy and pointing out that everything he’s done flies in the face of his vows, Roland snapped, telling him that there was nothing on the other side, no God, no devil, no Heaven or Hell, and questioning when he was going to grow up already. Things only got worse when the team points out the girl he killed in his drunk driving accident, causing him to spiral out in a fit of drunken paranoia, blaming “that stupid bitch” for everything that happened to him and believing that the whole thing was a conspiracy against him. Believing that the Detectives were part of this “conspiracy”, Shadow Roland smashed a wine bottle to form a makeshift shiv, and proceeded to attack the team, initiating the boss battle. 

After the boss fight, Shadow Roland reverts back to his more human form, his clothes having been burnt off, leaving him in his underwear and hungover, though slightly sober. Disappointed at the sight of his priest, Matthew chastised him for falling to this state. When Roland told the young man to keep it down (complaining about a headache), Matthew finally snapped, far angrier than the others had ever seen him before as he tears into the so-called priest for everything he’s done, stealing money from his own church to fuel his drinking habit, pointing out that his drinking was the reason he not only got disowned by his family, but also costing the life of a young woman. Hearing this, the Culprit exploded, claiming  knows he’s responsible for the girl’s death, explaining that he chose to join the priesthood in order to clear his conscience, though that never happened, forcing him back to the bottle. Shaking his head at this, Matthew explained that religion isn’t some magic wand that instantly gets rid of his guilt or fix his mistakes, especially if he never had faith in the first place. If anything, the man didn’t need religion, he needed help. After Matthew points out that the only way he’ll be able to truly repent is to confess to his crimes, Roland finally relented, apologizing for everything he had done before fading away. With the Culprit defeated, the Church of Gluttony transformed back into St. Patrick’s Cathedral, returning to the real world. Later on, as the team watches the live report of Roland’s arrest, they see the reporter interviewing the commissioner of the NYPD, Commissioner Aberdeen about the sudden increase in arrests as of late. While the Commissioner didn’t really have a legitimate answer for how all these people were simply turning themselves in, he did assure the public that the NYPD will get to the bottom of all this. 

Tsuchinoko 

Stage 1

Shadow Roland is still in his more human form, attacking with a broken wine bottle and summoning a shadow to aid him in battle. After being beaten down enough, he staggers about in a drunken rage, ranting about how he’s the emperor of this church before falling over the edge of the platform and into the basin of alcohol below. 

Stage 2 

Shadow Roland’s shadow form, Tsuchinoko resembles an enormous, fat, wine red snake wearing a laurel wreath on its head, rising out of the basin and flopping onto the platform. Insulted by the team’s disrespect, he proceeds to attack them in force, striking them with his tongue, spitting acidic globs at them and unleashing a gout of alcohol laced breath, the last attack afflicting confusion on the target. He also takes a turn to drink alcohol from one of the pipes surrounding the basin, healing him as a result. To stop this, one of the team members has to out of sight of Tsuchinoko  before firing a shot at a couple of barrels on a platform below, causing them to explode and setting the basin on fire. 

Stage 3 

Engulfed in flames, Tsuchinoko is in absolute agony and screaming in pain, his attacks becoming more volatile as he strikes with a flaming tongue, spit fireballs at his targets, and unleash a gout of fiery breath at the team, all of which can inflict the burn status. 

[dabantam]

Persona 5 Another Story: Informants 3

Informants (Church of Gluttony Arc) 

Rufus Murdoc

Arcana: Fortune

A particularly wealthy businessman, Rufus was one of the suspects of the Church of Gluttony. Originally the Detectives’ prime suspect after finding one of the pieces of evidence, a bank statement showing the cathedral’s funds being embezzled to the account of one “R. Murdoc”, they soon found enough evidence to reveal the true culprit as Father Tiberius (who in reality, was his brother, Roland). After the team brought Rufus back to the real world, everything seemed fine. However, the next day, the businessman arrived at the brownstone, claiming to have seen Marjory while he was at the grocery store and was hoping that she would be interested in a date with her (something which flattered the landlady). When he was alone with John, though, he revealed that he remembered the young man from the Church as one of the Detectives of Hearts, though he had no intention of exposing him. Instead, he wanted to show his gratitude, revealing that he’s the owner of a pretty successful cleaning company, and that he was willing to offer the young man a chance to work part time for him, as well as offering him and Marjory complimentary cleaning services whenever they needed it (not only opening up a new source of revenue for John, but also allowing him to free up some time for other activities) 

Charlotte Norstrom 

Arcana: Death 

A former crime scene photographer, Charlotte has since taken her photography in a more artistic direction. Having retired from the force a while back, she has since opened up her photography studio, focusing mostly on pictures of the cityscape and the wilderness. First meeting John while he was wandering through Time Square and unknowingly walking through her shot, Charlotte was initially annoyed by this, only to notice that he was surprisingly photogenic. Inviting him to her studio, she offered to take a few photos of him, as well as giving him some pointers on photography (the photographs he takes becoming skill cards in the Metaverse). 

Randall Salta 

Arcana: The Moon 

An eccentric young man, Randall is one of John’s more bizarre allies. Initially meeting John during a class at the local college, Randall corners him and reveals that he knows about his double life as Seeker, claiming to be a big fan of his work. Explaining that he runs a blog cataloging the various exploits of the Detectives of Hearts, he reveals that he has been receiving several posts from people talking about people who have wronged them. It’s soon revealed that rumors about the Detectives have been spreading throughout New York, causing people who had potential to become Culprits to become Fugitives. Realizing the potential threat of these Fugitives, John and Randall agree to team up with each other to track them down and bring them to justice (unlocking “Fugitive Hunts”). However, despite Randall’s apparent friendliness, John and Merlot couldn’t help but feel that something was off about him. 

Jean Barbier 

Arcana: The Star 

Role: unlocks horticulture, allowing you to grow plants to use as ingredients and crafting materials

[dabantam]

Persona 5 Another Story: The Church of Gluttony

Title: Church of Gluttony 

True Identity: St. Patrick’s Cathedral 

Suspects: Rufus Murdoc, Matthew Henderson, Father Tiberius

Culprit: Father Tiberius (Roland Murdoc)/ Tsuchinoko

Minibosses: maenad, dryad, naiad, Nemean Lion, satyr, shojo, clurichaun, heidrun 

Layout

Chapel: The main hub of the Church of Gluttony where all the suspects are gradually gathered. Resembles a Roman palace more than an actual church, the pews made of marble while the pulpit looks more like a throne, with several bottles of liquor strewn around. 

The Vineyard Maze: A vast maze of grape vines located around the church grounds, trapped in a perpetual sunset. 

The Catacombs: An underground cave system strewn with bones and liquor bottles, alcohol dribbling from the walls. To proceed to the Sepulcher, the team must locate four bottles of wine being guarded by shadows, and give them to the gate as “offerings for the emperor”.

The Sepulcher: A large cavern with a platform overlooking a large basin filled with alcohol being fed by several pipes, a large stone throne sitting at the center of the platform, the boss arena of Shadow Roland/ Tsuchinoko. 

[dabantam]

Persona 5 Another Story: Matthew Henderson

Name: Matthew Henderson 

Codename: Owl 

Arcana: The Hierophant 

Initial Persona: Father Brown 

Ultimate Persona: Maui 

Weapons: meteor hammers and crucifixes (capable of firing holy energy) 

A stout young man, Matthew is a member of St. Patrick’s Cathedral. A devout believer, he often helps in the daily upkeep of the church, doing everything he can to help the church’s priest, Father Tiberius. First meeting the team while they were leaving the Bean Guru, he was handing out flyers for a charity event being held at the church, hoping to spread the word about it and attract as many people as he can. Receiving the flyer, John receives a vision of the Velvet Room, where Prospero waxes poetic about the concept of religion, calling “little stories people tell themselves to make the world a bit more bearable”. While John pointed out that most people would take offense to their religion being called “little stories”, Prospero proceeded to go on an oddly iconoclastic diatribe, questioning what makes something sacred, or if ceremonies and vestments truly made someone pious. Nevertheless, John should watch out for false prophets.” Sure enough, when the team arrives at where St. Patrick’s Cathedral was supposed to be, they found that it had vanished. Knowing what they had to do, the Detectives of Hearts entered the Metaverse and into the next Crime Scene: the Church of Gluttony. 

During their time in the Church of Gluttony, the Detectives soon find Matthew in the Vineyard Maze, being attacked by a shadow, maenad. After being rescued, Matthew joins the team, hoping to find Father Tiberius in this madhouse of a church. However, as they traverse the Vineyard Maze, they soon encounter Matthew’s shadow self, a violent anarchist setting fire to parts of the maze, forcing them to find alternate paths. While Matthew was mortified by his shadow self’s actions, things only get worse when the team uncovers enough evidence to reveal that Father Tiberius is the Culprit of the Church of Gluttony. While the team was sent tumbling down a pitfall trap and forced to face off against the shadow, Chimera, Matthew was dangling from the edge of the pit, being kept from falling by his shadow self. Watching the shadow self of his mentor drunkenly laughing at the suffering of both him and the Detectives, Shadow Matthew asks Matthew if he finally understands just how corrupt Father Tiberius truly was and how he should have taken the evidence more seriously instead of trying to excuse it. Willing to do the right thing, Matthew made peace with his shadow, transforming him into his persona, Father Brown. Using his newfound power, he jumped into the fray, helping the team face off against Nemean Lion. After the shadow was defeated, the Culprit managed to slip away into the depths of the Church of Gluttony, forcing the Detectives to escape the Crime Scene and plan their next steps, with Matthew joining the team as their newest member. 

Appearance 

Real World: A stout young man with short blonde hair, and dressed in a button shirt and khakis, a small crucifix hanging from his neck.

Metaverse: Dressed in a cassock and wearing an owl themed mask.

Personas 

Father Brown: The Sleuthing Priest

The crime solving priest from the books of G. K. Chesterton, Father Brown is Matthew’s initial persona. Resembles a large, owl-like priest with a wide brimmed black hat, large round glasses, a cassock resembling wings, and wields an umbrella sword and a thurible as a mace. 

Maui: The Tropical Trickster

The trickster demigod of Polynesian mythology, Maui is Matthew’s ultimate persona. Resembles a large figure fashioned from tikis and palm tree fronds wielding a large fish hook carved from bone and attached to a rope. 

[dabantam]

Persona 5 Another Story: Gabe McNulty

Name: Gabe McNulty 

Crime Scene: Theater of Vainglory 

Evidence: A ticket stub from a performance of A Midsummer’s Night Dream 

Shadow Self: Puck 

Appearance 

Real World: A middle aged man dressed in a cheap suit and sporting slicked back hair, nicotine stained teeth, and sunglasses. 

Shadow Self: A pale skinned version of his normal self dressed in Shakespearean garb, he now sports a scraggly goatee and has piercing yellow eyes. 

A talent agent from England, Gabe is the manager of world famous rockstar, Champaign. First meeting the team when they first entered the Theater of Vainglory, he was in a panic, having been dragged into the Metaverse with the rest of the Apollo Theater (though he was more concerned about finding Champaign and getting back to the real world in time for the concert). However, as the Detectives investigate the Basement and rescue both Jean and Maurice, they also uncover a strange piece of evidence that was being guarded by the shadow, Cait Sith: an old ticket stub for a performance of A Midsummer’s Night Dream. While the others were confused by this evidence, Maurice showed a bit of annoyance at it. When questioned about this, he explained that Gabe would constantly brag about how he performed in an amateur production of the play when he was younger, apparently playing the part of Nick Bottom. Between this and the reveal that Gabe was the one who stole Jean’s notebook of music, it soon became apparent that Gabe was the true Culprit of the Theater of Vainglory. When the team confronted “Gabe” with this, he proceeded to reveal himself as Shadow Gabe, claiming himself to be the “ultimate puppeteer” and bragging about how Maurice was just his most recent creation as “Champaign”. While Maurice was disgusted by this revelation, Gabe was hardly going to let his most recent meal ticket get away, sending the cognition version of Maurice, Marionette Champaign, to attack the team, while he took the real Maurice hostage. Despite the team managing to defeat the cognition (with the timely aid of Jean awakening his persona), they were shocked to see that Gabe had managed to escape with Maurice into the depths of the Theater, forcing them to escape back to the real world and come up with a rescue plan. 

Returning to the Theater of Vainglory after properly preparing, the team enter the Basement, eventually finding an entrance to the Backstage. Here, they need to find the four pieces of Gabe’s “tragedy” in order to get to the Main Stage and House. To do so, they have to defeat the four clowns guarding them: Scaramouche (the keeper of beginnings), Arlecchino (keeper of tragedy), Pierrot (keeper of discovery), and Columbine (keeper of triumph). Putting the pieces of the Tragedy together, the Detectives discover Gabe’s past. He was once an amateur theatre performer, seeking to make it big as a Shakespearean actor. However, when he tried to apply for roles in more professional productions, he was immediately rejected by every theater troupe he applied to. Believing that he was rejected for not being “attractive enough” (though the Detectives would quickly learn that he was simply a mediocre actor at best), he soon sought out his vengeance against the world of entertainment, having a knack for discovering talent in others and cobbling together shallow acts for the unwashed masses, becoming the “ultimate puppeteer”. 

After entering the Main Stage, the team find both Maurice and Shadow Gabe, the former bound by puppet strings in the audience, while the latter was delivering a butchered soliloquy. Unimpressed by the lackluster performance, the team heckled the agent repeatedly until he snapped, breaking out of character and shouting at them to “shut their sodding holes”. Naturally unfazed by this, Jean proceeded to call Gabe out for not only stealing his songs, but for screwing with Maurice and treating him as his own personal meal ticket. Gabe simply mocked the song writer, claiming that he did him a favor giving those songs to Champaign, stating that no one would have listened to them if they were sung by someone as plain as Jean (all anybody cares about is appearances, after all). However, the Detectives were quick to point out that he’s nothing but a thief and a fraud, taking advantage of his clients just to make himself feel better about not being able to cut it as an actor. This infuriated Gabe, calling the team a bunch of “goddamn yanks and shitty little frogs” and claiming that they simply don’t understand the depths of his talent, just like all the others. As he said this, puppet strings descended down from the rafters and latching on to the Culprit. Claiming that he’ll force them to see his genius, the strings pulled Shadow Gabe into the rafters, initiating the boss fight. 

After the boss battle, Shadow Gabe, having reverted to his more human form, is left staggering to his feet, his goatee falling off in the process (revealing even that was fake). When he saw Jean approaching and fearing for his life, he tried to guilt him into backing off, claiming that if anything happened to him, Maurice’s career would be ruined with him. While this actually caused Jean to stop in his tracks, still feeling guilty about how he acted when thought Maurice was the one who stole his songs, Maurice actually managed to shut down the Culprit, making it clear that he was not only firing Gabe, but also coming out about the stolen songs, no longer willing to have his career stained by the agent’s actions m. Realizing that he had completely lost control of the situation, Gabe completely broke down in tears, bemoaning his fate. Having none of this, Jean called him out on his bull, claiming that he wasn’t “tragic”, he’s just pathetic. He proceeds to tell Gabe that while he can’t sing for shit, he can still write music, having hoped to form a partnership with Maurice. Gabe, on the other hand, couldn’t act, but he could still see talent in others, he just chose to use his skills to screw others over for the sake of his own ego, though it wasn’t too late to do the right thing and admit to what he had done. Realizing the weight of what he had done, Shadow Gabe agreed to this, apologizing to Maurice before fading away. With Shadow Gabe defeated, the Theater of Vainglory transformed back into the Apollo Theater, returning to the real world. Gabe is last seen during a press conference, where Maurice announces the end of his career and the truth of songs, with Gabe himself breaking down in tears as he admits that he’s the one who stole the songs in the first place. 

Puck

Stage 1

Having ascended into the rafters, Shadow Gabe sends down a large, marionette knight to attack the team, giving a hammy narration about “Sir Galavant of Primrose”, attacking with a long sword and bashing with his shield 

Stage 2 

After the knight is defeated, Shadow Gabe sends down a marionette wizard, “Grizzleward the Wise”, blasting fireballs at the team, as well as unleashing a wave of lightening 

Stage 3 

After the wizard is defeated, Shadow Gabe sends down a large marionette dragon, “the Terrible Glummsnarl”, unleashing a barrage of fire at the team and striking with its tail. After the dragon is defeated, Shadow Gabe attempts to find another puppet to attack the team with, accidentally exposing a long rope to them. Seizing the opportunity, Jean ran up to the rope, pulling down on it and sending Shadow Gabe’s shadow form, Puck, crashing to the Main Stage. 

Stage 4

Shadow Gabe’s shadow form, Puck resembles a hulking, donkey headed ogre with purple skin, white face paint, and the tattered remains of his Shakespearean garb, now resembling more of a wild man. Infuriated at having his performance ruined, he proceeds to go all out at the team, striking at them with a marionette being wielded as a club, stomping on them, and jumping up and grabbing onto the rafters, violently shaking it and sending debris raining down on them. He also receives a buff from the spotlights shining down on him, requiring one of the team members to shoot out the lights, fully dazing Puck when they’ve all been taken out.