Persona (Oseng)

Persona: The RPG

Setting

NOTE: The anime factor for this is high, but not extreme please.

Kurosawa City, Inaba Island
Kurosawa is a fair sized city of about 200,000 people, the only city on Inaba Island to the south-east of Tokyo. There are regular ferry trips between Inaba and the mainland during the day, with a one way trip taking about two hours. There was a plan to construct a high speed, under-water train connecting Tokyo and Kurosawa, but the plan has stalled just before construction over funding issues and politics. The only other way on or off the island is via the city's small airport, which generally has flights to nearby major airports.

The island has a fairly strong economy based primary on the industrial sections of Kurosawa and agriculture from the surrounding farms and villages. Over all, it is on a better economical footing then most of Japan though it has only recently recovered from flooding caused by a minor hurricane. However there have been a series of strange disappearances, mental illnesses, murders, and other crimes that has left the Kurosawa Police Department both baffled and jumping to keep up.

Kujikawa High School

Named after its founder, Kujikawa High School is one of several high schools that caters to the youth of Kurosawa and the closest of the villages. While not the the best high school in the area, that honor going to the public Amagi High School and the private Tatsumi High School, it's students have consistently ranked above average on national tests and it is a well regarded educational institution.

Players should be students of this high school in their first or second year (of three going by the Japanese style), either transfer students or natives.

Satonaka Shrine

The Satonaka Shrine is an ancient Shinto Shrine, and the shrine is one of the oldest buildings on the island. The Shrine Priest's house burned to the ground last year, killing the priest and his wife. His daughter, who was out with friends, survived and is currently be cared for by her older brother who returned from studying on the mainland to run the Shrine. The Shrine sets on a beautiful set of grounds and was quite popular before the fire, but few locals visit it now.

Character Creation

Basic 1-5 system, 9 points to spend. Also, a big thank you to Peel for these.

Athletics
When elsewhere, this is superseded by your Persona's powers. But in the real world, it's all you have to go on.
1: 'Feeble'. You're a dying sick girl, or obese, or just a plain old wimp.
2: 'Normal'. You get picked in the middle for teams.
3: 'Athletic'. You're on the school team.
4: 'Champion'. You captain the school team.
5: 'Olympian'. Sometimes you miss school because you're competing overseas.

Academics
Don't feel obligated to be a utter moron just because you dropped out, but a genius will be expected to pay for it. 1: 'Dumb'. You're probably going to be held back a year, if you're still in school at all.
2: 'Normal'. You get Bs and Cs.
3: 'Bright'. You get As and Bs.
4: 'Smartypants'. You're a straight-A student, or a savant in one field.
5: 'Philosopher'. You're doing a university degree at weekends.

Charm
Your power over people.
1: 'Intolerable'. You're the lead character in a harem show.
2: 'Normal'. Oh him? He's alright I guess.
3: 'Charmer'. You have quite the circle of friends and/or hangers-on.
4: 'Star'. Dating you is a ticket to admiration.
5: 'Casanova'. You're the lead character in a harem show.

Qualities
Cripple: You're confined to a wheelchair or otherwise disabled. +1
Issues: Everyone has their problems, but yours are particularly bad. You have a severe phobia or some other psychological problem. Warning: This is not a gimme. +1
Martial Arts: You've learned in your grandfather's dojo, or perhaps from the school of hard knocks. -1
Wealth: Your parents are rich. You get all the latest electronics and are probably driven to school. -1
Opulence: Your parents are millionaires. You get prototype electronics from Daddy's company and travel to school in a limousine. -2
Psychic: You are psychically sensitive. It's easier for you to find portals to elsewhere, and for the GM to give you hints. -1
Streetwise: You have connections with uncouth types. -1
Feel free to come up with more, just run them by the GM first.

Persona
Your Persona is the externalization of your inner self, your dreams and drives and insecurities made monstrously manifest. When on the other side/the other world, these stats will replace or enhance your normal stats when applicable. 10 points for starting personas. Academics and Charm are exceptions to this. Qualities cost 2.

Strength
Your Persona's power at blunt fisticuffs or skill with weaponry.

Magic
Magical attacks are more versatile and powerful, but mentally draining.

Defense
The resistance to injury you gain by virtue of your persona.

Speed
The speed, mental and physical, of your persona.

Qualities
Almighty: Your Persona's magic is non-elemental and penetrates most defenses.
Incarnate: Your Persona absorbs attacks of its element.
Inviolate: Your Persona has no elemental weakness.
Gnosis: Your Persona has long-range sensing abilities.
Savior: Your Persona can heal itself and others.

Magical Powers
Your persona can spend a number of points on powers equal to its magic rating. You can have as many as you like provided you can afford them. The more points you spend on a power, the more mentally exhausting it is. Spending everything on one big one will get you a power only usable once or twice.
Attack: The power hurts people at a moderate range. 1 point.
Heal: The power heals people at a moderate range. 1 point. Only available to those with Savior.
Alter: The power enhances or diminishes a stat of the target. 1 point.
Enhance: The power is better at whatever it does. 1 point.
Extend: The power has a range of several dozen meters or more. 1 point. Can only be taken once.
Area: The power affects an area several meters across. Double cost.

Suit
Your Persona is associated with one of the suits of the Minor Arcana. Its attacks and defense are associated with that element (but it's conceptual, so feel free to be creative), and it is vulnerable to one other of your choice.
Coins (Earth). Material things.
Wands (Fire). Courage and drive.
Cups (Water). Emotions and relationships.
Swords (Air). Reason and authority.

Arcana
Your Persona is also associated with one of the Major Arcana of the Tarot. Pick whichever one you want, other then the Fool, but please try to ensure that it fits your character. Remember, your char's personas are a reflection of your char's inner self.

Appearance
It is a good idea to have a general concept of what your Persona looks like and how it compares/relates to your char's issues and inner self.