could you talk more about your ideas/story for innovator?
yes ok i wont go too crazy but i will share some more yess
Innovator was made the head witchunter seeking out heretics who were trying to bring horrorterror worship onto Prospit based off of his symptoms initially, but as the rapid increase in respect and quality of life began he started leaning into it and coming to enjoy his job, eventually coming to expect that kind of respect and enjoying his power over people and the prestige. He starts imagining things instead of waiting for an actual hallucination to occur and lying about what he sees, because he makes commission and gains further notoriety and prestige whenever he makes an arrest, he starts sending people he knows are likely guilty to sometimes execution and often exile, he loves the performance in court, he loves being dramatic as hell and acting like hes having visions like someone in Ancient Greece who would be labeled a prophet for having an epileptic fit
He's actually personally responsible for Scofflaw's exile. Scofflaw comes up in a case that crosses him- an unusually large sect attempting a horrorterror communion is uncovered and stopped, with Scofflaw at the center. He isn't the leader however, who is uncovered to be another man, but he was at the center of the ritual circle to be channeled through. Scofflaw insists he isn't at fault and was coerced and forced into it, but Innovator doesn't feel like it would look good to let him go regardless. He doesn't feel bad or guilty when he orders Scofflaw be marked as a heretic- carving a scar into his barcodes- and exiled.
He moves to Alternia with the rest of the remaining Prospit-Derse officials after Derse wins, the mass evacuation and migration occurs and they all show up on Alternia to find Scofflaw leading a budding city-state. The Prospit-Derse governing bodies soon to become the Metropolis Central government take over the place, which is expected and somewhat welcomed, but Scofflaw is ousted from any kind of leadership position and isn't allowed to be a civil servant because of his Heretical status, so he turns to the followers who are still loyal to him and turns to crime. Innovator is getting sick of blind adoration at this point and joins him, eventually making himself indispensable, and Scofflaw inevitably believes that he cannot complete his own goal of an undying legacy without Innovator, and that he is nothing without him on his side.
Also: Innovator takes a horrorterror patron after finding a book in Alternian ruins, an ancient deer of life, putrefaction and decay. During the analogous events to the Problem Sleuth comic, Rather than simply become god, an imaginary version of Pernicious Innovator replaces his own deity, consuming the foul deer, and becoming: Demonhead Pernicious Innovator, The Loathsome Ooze, The Soul of Conceit, The Patron of One. It isn't GPI in nature- rather DPI. Ironically, as GPI is meant to be the master of all universes and not simply the one the comic takes place in normally- GPI already exists in this alternate universe, but has no personal connection to Innovator, creating a near paradox that makes them (DPI and PI) sick to think about. He can also do nearly anything within reason with his horrorterror magic because he is his own patron- so as long as DPI agrees, he can pull a LOT of power from him, considering he's in a committed 1 on 1 patronage and all that power can only go to him- DPI wouldn't take another disciple under just about any circumstance.
He's smart and capable enough of running the Twilight Scoundrels himself but he doesn't want to, he wants to run his funny magic shows and do whatever he wants, not make deals and contracts and worry about paperwork and legalities and trade negotiations! That's awful boring pointdexter shit. Which is why Scofflaw does it (he doesn't trust anyone but himself to do it because what if he gets betrayed and cheated, or someone else fucks it up). So he just has a really good time doing big crazy magic, and takes specific pride that his magic is REAL and NOT A TRICK and he's NOT a fake at all.
Unlike PI he's at this point, intentionally and consistently medicated for his schizophrenia, has a lower alcohol tolerance, and no top surgery. He does still stutter and have some anxiety issues, but they're much easier for him to push through and he lives for the stage. His posture is also really good in comparison. His health improvements counterbalance with his horrorterror patronage however- so he's about the same weight as PI.
scoff and innovator have an absolutely nightmarish codependent-adjacent little relationship and drive each other nuts and i like them soooo much. Also Innovator is REALLY on that Hannibal shit with Deadeye and tries to convince him that his regular intrusive thoughts about graphic violence are his secret real desires and that he's fucked up inside and he should embrace it and be cool like him and they should get married and kiss and stuff. God they're all so awful and compelling
