I Am So Totally An Evil Overlord [Original Setting]

[X] Plan Nekraa

 

[X] Sunshine
[X] Cuteness
[X] Masculinity

 

With those 3 votes, it finally looks like there's a winner.

[!!!] Sunshine
[!!!] Cuteness
[!!!] Masculinity


Calling it for these.

 

Character sheet updated

“In light the Saint was born, light was his weapon. To curse the Saint the dark hid in caves where he could follow naught. And yet the Saint braved the dark for he carried with him the light's protection.”

You didn't focus during the first part of the ceremony and you got stuck with these elements. This time you grind your attention to a razor sharp edge as you stare at the candle, drinking in every word.

“You who was born in.... sunshine,” there's a tinge of disbelief in the student's voice. Naturally you make a note to take vengeance for such a slight later, “In sunshine shall you grow and in... shadow... shall you perish. Bring forth thy origin and seal the contract in... sunshine.” she's ad-libbing, this kind of ritual is better adapted to the pedestrian elements where the responses can be memorized beforehand.

The glyphs flare, bleeding power from the three mages in the circle into you and showing you the path to use the power they taught you existed. You don't, as much as you wish you would, start shining like the sun. instead, the darkness of the room lessens ever so slightly on its own, allowing you to just make out the glyphs on the floor of those around you. The method lingers, the sensation of using your power, soft, warm, and disgustingly gentle as it feels.

And yet, the very act of using it seems to drain you, tearing the shadows from deep inside and replacing them with disgusting sunshine.

Spoiler: Curses of Sunshine

Choose one curse that your element of origin will inflict on you:

[ ] Wilting in Darkness: You become listless and might even take sick if you don't get enough sunshine every day. What do you mean like a flower? There's nothing flower-like about you at all. Nothing, whatsoever! You do heal faster in sunlight though.

[ ] Blooming in Daylight: The sun empowers you, but only the sun. You may recover mana much faster while exposed to direct sunlight, but are incapable of recovering mana otherwise.

[ ] Jumping at Shadows: Sunshine and darkness are natural enemies. You feel uneasy and stressed in the darkness, off-balance and find social actions more difficult, even as your alertness prepares you for confrontation. You totally aren't scared though. Nope. You. Are. Not. Afraid. Of. The. Dark.

You are bound, and you feel ever so slightly less comfortable in the dark chamber. You're not uneasy; you love the dark, completely! Darkness suits you... just... maybe not quite as much as it did a second ago. Besides, a true man, evil or otherwise, proudly bares all in the light of day! That's all it is; you're just upset that humanity's being deprived of seeing how awesome you are at this very moment.

Tactfully ignoring your distress, the second speaker takes up the ritual even as the glyphs surge for a fifth time.

“The Saint carried justice with him. It empowered him to chase down the darkness without rest or remorse. Until the day he died, he lived in justice, endlessly striving for that ideal. Cuteness,” she manages not to stumble at all, “you bring to the world. And cuteness shall you carry in your heart,” Fuck that. Fuck that so much, “Now reveal your power of bestowal and bear its burden with pride.”

Some part of you is reluctant to let this happen. You squash it down deep inside. You've decided to bear these awful elements with a grin! You'll keep marching forward because that's what a real man does! So you don't fight as the power rises in you, filling you once more, showing you a path to... what?

You don't sense much change as your second element blooms into the world, settling around you like a cloak. It doesn't seem to be changing you, at least not in any visible way. Yet you can't help but feel slightly different. Does your skin feel smoother? No. It doesn't look different at all, but, staring at your hands, you can't help but feel that they're particularly despicably adorable right now. Some alteration of perceptions, a sensation of cuteness divorced from actual physical changes?

You dismiss the power irritably, frowning as your second curse floats around you like a ribbon, carving its way through your magic in a storm of lace and frills and inoffensively soft pink.

Spoiler: Curses of Bestowal

Choose which curse shall bind you to cuteness.

[ ] Cuteness Backlash: Your power constantly seeks to consume you. Each spell subtly alters you with your own power, making you ever so slightly cuter free of charge. Avoidable by not using magic. More expensive spells prompt larger backlash.

[ ] Cuteness Radiation: Your power surges subtly out of control. While your mana is at its maximum capacity, it pushes out into the world subtly altering everything around you to be cuter regardless of your will. More potent the larger your MP pool.

[ ] Cuteness Fixation: Something in you craves your element. Instinctively you'll enjoy cute things and hate their converse. Social penalties to resisting the lure of the adorable, no matter how unbecoming it is for a man, a tyrant or EVIL. Actions to make things cuter receive a bonus.

You'll beat this curse into submission and turn it against itself somehow! Maybe there's some way to reverse its polarity and make everything get spikier and grow skull symbols or something. Yeah, there has to be! And if not you'll beat up reality until there is!

The third speaker, who you didn't pay much attention to last time, speaks now. Her voice is gravelly, a crone to the second's mother and the first's maiden.

“The Saint came to end the world's pain. It was pain that drove him forward, the pain of others that pushed him to act, and yet he knew not pain himself. Perfect and removed from the world, he could not know the pain of those he saved, could not grasp their hearts in his perfection.”

Your last element roars forth, eager to destroy that which is most admirable in the world. You try to restrain it, but the glyphs won't let you. Surely it will carve away at yo, a pure beacon of manliness. Your very nature is this power's antithesis. For what are you if not manly? Pure evil perhaps, but such evil would be formless without your passionate manly core to embody it.

You dread the feeling, the agony you know is coming. And yet, for whatever reason, the magic settles in the air around you, doing nothing for the moment? Perhaps it fears your innate manliness, your almighty magic is obviously an unstoppable spear! But maybe your pure masculine body is an immovable shield that isn't inferior in the least to t;hat spear. You can't think of any other reason why the power to destroy masculinity would pass you over.

Sadly, you can't say you escape this power's curse as easily as you do your own spell.

Spoiler: Curses of Destruction

[ ] Enemy of Mankind: Driven by your magic you cannot tolerate that which is manly to exist in the world. Upon seeing anything you think of as particularly masculine, you have no choice but to strike it down. It's easier to try.

[ ] Antithesis of Man: Any efforts you take to make yourself more masculine (disguise, muscle training, hormones, etc) will find their effects undone with interest. Leaving you worse off than you started. Learning what you'd consider feminine skills becomes easier.

[ ] Manslayer: Using your magic on or around anyone you consider particularly manly may have unanticipated side effects. Given you're at a girl's school this may be hard to see for a while.

It's done. Thrice awoken, thrice cursed; you're a mage now. You grit your teeth. That's fine, it's okay to be angry! You don't have to accept this even if you have to live with it for the moment. You're not denying anything, you're just expressing your very very manly rage. Besides, you're a mage now. Even a true man can express some emotion at that.

Still, there's one more phase to the ritual. After 3 elements, 3 curses, three people here, three candles and three 'blessings' for each element, it doesn't take a genius to know that the ritual has a third round to go. Being an evil genius, you even know what they'll say.

The third voice, the oldest of the three, speaks first this time: “Supplicant, will you strive to cure the pain of the world?”

“Of course! I'll purge all sorts of pain from the world!” The pains of not serving you, of not being awesome, of heroism.

Unflappable as ever, the second voice doesn't bat an eye. “Supplicant, will you carry the Saint's justice in your heart?”

“Naturally! I'll bring dark justice with me wherever I go!” You laugh at this, throwing your head back and giggling cackl roaring maniacally.

“W-wha...” The first speaker, the youngest, can't handle your intense pressure. You can almost hear the glare the second shoots her for the gaffe. “I mean, umm... rise then mage, and walk ever in the light.”

Grinning to yourself you spin around, pushing mana into your new power to bring sunlight until the room is bright enough to read in. Then you stride calmly toward the door and slam it open, ascending the stares proudly. You were supposed to make some small speech, some token of obsequience after the last phrase. But obedience suits you no better than cuteness or sunshine or sugary foods.


At least it's over with....

[ ] You better get to the new student orientation. How could you make a proper impression if you didn't even meet the school's welcome with an arrogant smirk?
[ ] Hah! Why should you attend a ceremony for normal students?
-[ ] Go back to your room and head to sleep early
-[ ] It's not too late to explore campus
-[ ] Go find Meleran so you can give her a proper talking to
-[ ] You're a mage! So what if the elements are a little different than you'd hoped, it's time to go practice!

 

[X] Wilting in Darkness
[X] Cuteness Fixation
[X] Manslayer

[X] You better get to the new student orientation. How could you make a proper impression if you didn't even meet the school's welcome with an arrogant smirk?

 

[X] Wilting in Darkness: You become listless and might even take sick if you don't get enough sunshine every day. What do you mean like a flower? There's nothing flower-like about you at all. Nothing, whatsoever! You do heal faster in sunlight though.

[X] Cuteness Fixation: Something in you craves your element. Instinctively you'll enjoy cute things and hate their converse. Social penalties to resisting the lure of the adorable, no matter how unbecoming it is for a man, a tyrant or EVIL. Actions to make things cuter receive a bonus.

[X] Antithesis of Man: Any efforts you take to make yourself more masculine (disguise, muscle training, hormones, etc) will find their effects undone with interest. Leaving you worse off than you started. Learning what you'd consider feminine skills becomes easier.


[X] You better get to the new student orientation. How could you make a proper impression if you didn't even meet the school's welcome with an arrogant smirk?

 

[X] Wilting in Darkness: You become listless and might even take sick if you don't get enough sunshine every day. What do you mean like a flower? There's nothing flower-like about you at all. Nothing, whatsoever! You do heal faster in sunlight though.
[X] Cuteness Radiation: Your power surges subtly out of control. While your mana is at its maximum capacity, it pushes out into the world subtly altering everything around you to be cuter regardless of your will. More potent the larger your MP pool.
[X] Antithesis of Man: Any efforts you take to make yourself more masculine (disguise, muscle training, hormones, etc) will find their effects undone with interest. Leaving you worse off than you started. Learning what you'd consider feminine skills becomes easier.


[X] You better get to the new student orientation. How could you make a proper impression if you didn't even meet the school's welcome with an arrogant smirk?

 

[X] Wilting in Darkness: You become listless and might even take sick if you don't get enough sunshine every day. What do you mean like a flower? There's nothing flower-like about you at all. Nothing, whatsoever! You do heal faster in sunlight though.

[X] Cuteness Radiation: Your power surges subtly out of control. While your mana is at its maximum capacity, it pushes out into the world subtly altering everything around you to be cuter regardless of your will. More potent the larger your MP pool.

[X] Enemy of Mankind: Driven by your magic you cannot tolerate that which is manly to exist in the world. Upon seeing anything you think of as particularly masculine, you have no choice but to strike it down. It's easier to try.


[X] You better get to the new student orientation. How could you make a proper impression if you didn't even meet the school's welcome with an arrogant smirk?

 

[X] Plan Nekraa

 

[X] Wilting in Darkness: You become listless and might even take sick if you don't get enough sunshine every day. What do you mean like a flower? There's nothing flower-like about you at all. Nothing, whatsoever! You do heal faster in sunlight though.
[X] Cuteness Fixation: Something in you craves your element. Instinctively you'll enjoy cute things and hate their converse. Social penalties to resisting the lure of the adorable, no matter how unbecoming it is for a man, a tyrant or EVIL. Actions to make things cuter receive a bonus.
[X] Enemy of Mankind: Driven by your magic you cannot tolerate that which is manly to exist in the world. Upon seeing anything you think of as particularly masculine, you have no choice but to strike it down. It's easier to try.

[X] You better get to the new student orientation. How could you make a proper impression if you didn't even meet the school's welcome with an arrogant smirk?

 

[X] Blooming in Daylight: The sun empowers you, but only the sun. You may recover mana much faster while exposed to direct sunlight, but are incapable of recovering mana otherwise.
[X] Cuteness Radiation: Your power surges subtly out of control. While your mana is at its maximum capacity, it pushes out into the world subtly altering everything around you to be cuter regardless of your will. More potent the larger your MP pool.
[X] Antithesis of Man: Any efforts you take to make yourself more masculine (disguise, muscle training, hormones, etc) will find their effects undone with interest. Leaving you worse off than you started. Learning what you'd consider feminine skills becomes easier.

Bloom, bloom, do magic at any free time you have under the Sun. Always keep your mana pool about some percent off from full.

[X] You better get to the new student orientation. How could you make a proper impression if you didn't even meet the school's welcome with an arrogant smirk?

 

[X] Jumping at Shadows: This is really the easiest to deal with. As long as we're GLOWING WITH SOLAR BULLSHIT, we'll never be in the dark!

[X] Cuteness Fixation: Because why not. There are bonuses to this!

[X] Enemy of Mankind: Hey, apparently rage is VERY manly. Muhahahaha...

 

Easy immortality:

 

[X] Blooming in Daylight

About the least bad of the flaw, really. The other is actively negative, though very comedic.

[X] Cuteness Backlash

Who wants to be young forever, anyway?

[X] Enemy of Mankind

Antithesis is interesting, but it is too passive. Manslayer is interesting and active, but it's kinda limited to person. And I'm amused at our character forced to go against everything she taught as properly Evil-ly Overlord. y. So, Enemy of Mankind.

 

[X]Wilting In Darkness
[X]Cuteness Backlash
[X]Antithisis of man.

 

Votes Locked:

[8] Wilting in Darkness: (redaeth, MrGazzer, BFldyq, Ct613hulu, a2znut, Nekraa, Alphaleph, Larekko12)
[2] Blooming in Daylight (Grosstoad, theweepingman)
[1] Jumping at Shadows (Adyen)

[5] Cuteness Radiation(redaeth, Grosstoad, MrGazzer, a2znut, Nekraa)
[4] Cuteness Fixation: (Alphaleph, Adyen, Bfldyq, Ct613hulu)
[2] Cuteness Backlash: (theweepingman, Larekko12)

[6] Antithesis of Man(Grosstoad, MrGazzer, Ct613hulu, a2znut, Nekraa, Larekko12)
[4] 3 Enemy of Mankind (redaeth, Bfldyq, Adyen, theweepingman)
[1] Manslayer: (Alphaleph)

[8] You better get to the new student orientation. How could you make a proper impression if you didn't even meet the school's welcome with an arrogant smirk?: (Alphaleph, redaeth, Grosstoad, MrGazzer, BFldyq, Ct613hulu, a2znut, Nekraa)

 

Character Sheet has been updated.

If you don't even attend the matriculation ceremony, how could you declare your intent to conquer the school?

With that in mind, you join the steady flow of students heading toward the campus' most central building. Smaller than the magic studies department, it's nonetheless impressive. Ornate gargoyles cracked with age decorate a comfortable brick roof even as stain-glassed windows reflect a dozen disgustingly religious images of Saint Isabelle.

As you step inside the first floor auditorium, you spot Miss Gunson's eyes burning into you from near the entrance. Haha, if she's actually counting heads like that it's a good thing you came. Quietly, because you want your moment to be more dramatic and not out of fear of that dorm manager at all, you slip into a seat.

Looking for Meleran amidst the faces pouring into the lecture hall proves impossible to spot someone so tiny amidst the other students. And you don't yet know anyone else. There's nothing to do then, but lean back and wait for someone to dare entertain you.

Eventually the students are seated and the teachers file in, a slow formal procession of elderly men and women in dark colored robes. Only when they too are seated—an imposing wall on the stage that stares down the students' numbers with age and wisdom—does anyone speak.

The woman that steps forward has a face wrinkled from smiling. Though she is not the tallest amongst the teachers, she carries herself with a lazy confidence that sets you on guard as she approaches the podium.

“Hello,” the woman's voice stretches to fill the room easily yet retains a comfortable tone, “I am professor Sylvia Elvinera from the magic department. As the assistant dean of the faculty it is my earnest pleasure to welcome all of you to a wonderful year at Saint Isabelle's Academy.” She smiles, her eyes scanning across the room. It feels like she's meeting every students' individual gaze rather than staring at a simple crowd.

Yes! A true ruler should be like that, valuing every single one of her possessions on its own merits. Though the fact that she hasn't yet turned against someone as obviously threatening as yourself is a mark against her.

“As you no doubt know, our school carries a proud history and an internationally recognized reputation. Saint Isabelle's Academy was one of the first schools in the Central Plains to admit female students, and to this day remains one of the most prestigious. As of today you are a part of a proud legacy, and one that I have no doubt you will live up to.

However, that is not what I want to talk about today. Today is a day about you. For most of you, this is the first time you've been away from your families, the first time on your own, bearing real responsibility. Many of you have come a long way to study here. You probably don't know many, if any, of the other students around you. You have come here from seventeen different countries in the central plains,” She takes a deep breath settling her thoughts, “it's scary isn't it?” not in the least, “I remember how nervous I was when I was in your shoes, feeling like I'd let down my family, like I'd wash out, that I wouldn't be able to keep up or that I wouldn't make any friends. I know what you're going through.” You have no clue what that would even feel like.

“So my message to you today is simple. Relax! Take it easy and try new things. Don't let fear of mistakes stop you from coming to adore this wonderful new vista. You do deserve to be here and I have every confidence that all of you will dazzle us in the years to come. Thank you very much for choosing to attend this school.”

As the students clap dutifully, the assistant dean steps back and three students rise from the first row and approach the stage. Slim with silver-eyes and snowy gray hair that remind you faintly of your presumed roommate, this girl nonetheless feels oddly faint. Her hair is unkempt as if she just woke up and she yawns visibly as she approaches the stage in a slouch.

Standing in front of the stage, she mutters a few sentences you can't actually hear, waves at the audience and turns to depart before being dragged back by her two companions. Sandwiched between them, she sighs and speaks up.

“Ah. How troubles.... Stop stepping on my feet Sera... I'm your student council president. Name: Elisa Meleran. Nice to meet you or something... That's enough right? No? Umm... Oh right! My little sister's somewhere in the audience. I haven't seen her in a while, and making up for lost time's a pain, so please just do me a favor and bully her for me or something lik...”

One of the two people at Elisa's side—a girl who carries her brown hair in a long ponytail—shoves the so-called student council president aside to address the audience herself. “She was joking,” Meleran Senior shakes her head side to side.

“A central policy of Saint Isabelle's Academy is that the students should take care of each other. As the student council we exist for your sake. If anyone,” She stares pointedly at the so-called president, “makes problems for you, please tell us and we'll be happy to help. Likewise, if you cause trouble, we will deal with you. I hope you all have a wonderful year. Now, Mother Joan Fareni will lead us all in a brief prayer.”

So, a straight laced vice-president standing behind that shameless sleepy woman... No! The fact that someone who dares call herself the president of this school can look so relaxed is dangerous. Being too relaxed simply means that she doesn't feel a need to hold herself to society's standard. Doing what she wants when she wants, isn't that the mark of a true man? Is this what they mean when they call someone a sleeping dragon?

Around you, the students close their eyes and bow their heads as the mother in question begins to speak.

[ ] Time to declare sovereignty! Stand tall and shout your challenge to the system like a real man!
[ ] Such matters don't concern you. There's no need to act.
[ ] Taking action can wait till later. A stage this small doesn't deserve you! Just pretend to pray.
[ ] Pray deeply to the dark gods of the world that you might rise anew as a better conquerer!
[ ] Write-in

Also, let's finalize that appearance choice:
[ ] Choice 1
[ ] Choice 2
[ ] Choice 3
[ ] Choice 4
-For the suggestion of this character image .5 protagonist points have been gained.
[ ] Other (write-in)

 

[X] Taking action can wait till later. A stage this small doesn't deserve you! Just pretend to pray.
[X] Choice 4

 

[X] Time to declare sovereignty! Stand tall and shout your challenge to the system like a real man!
[X] Choice 3

Time to hit our first road bump! And how Antithesis of Man was a silly choice!

 

[X] Such matters don't concern you. There's no need to act.
[X] Choice 1

 

[X] Time to declare sovereignty! Stand tall and shout your challenge to the system like a real man!
[X] Choice 4

 

[X] Pray deeply to the dark gods of the world that you might rise anew as a better conquerer!
[X] Choice 1

 

[X] Taking action can wait till later. A stage this small doesn't deserve you! Just pretend to pray.

A REAL MAN knows when to act, and when to hold back.

 

[X] Pray deeply to the dark gods of the world that you might rise anew as a better conquerer. Loudly.
"Oh Great Satan, please look on my efforts and bless me as I go into glorious battle against the Sleeping Dragon of Saint Isabella's! Grant me the strength to break her power and see her cast before me as leaves before the storm, to hear the lamentations of her vice presidents and the weeping of her kohai! Only then will she be allowed to join under my banner, and we will sweep through the school as glorious conquerors-"

Wow, she's so brave, declaring her candidacy for school president, don't you think?

 

[X] Time to declare sovereignty! Stand tall and shout your challenge to the system like a real man!
[X] Choice 3

 

[X] Taking action can wait till later. A stage this small doesn't deserve you! Just pretend to pray.
[X] Choice 4

 

So if a REAL MAN knows when to hold back, does that mean we can't at all?