So, the Arrancar Civil War has been going on for quite some time now. There's still no definite end in sight due to everyone having their own thing to do outside of the RP, but the problem that raises is that it's become about as well paced as the Bleach manga.

For the sake of general activity (it can't be good as a new user to log in and see that the plot is one thread that's been going on and off for ages), and to start setting up new events for everyone to join (because the Civil War locks us down - we can't really set anything in the future after all, so everything has to have happened before this multi-month struggle) I propose we consider finishing off the thread as quickly as possible, and that might mean diverging slightly from what the original thoughts for the thread might have been.

The thread is basically done if the Espada win and the Army of Blood is scattered. I'm going to go ahead and say that no one (not even Dante) actually has to die in this thread for that to happen. Dante simply needs removed from the picture one way or another, and for the Army to learn of that and break into smaller clusters. You then open the possibility of multiple threads for people going forward to clean up the remains of the Army in whatever way they want to.

It all depends on if we are ready to move forward with something else and engage the members of the site. If we are, might be worth considering a Deus Ex Machina/Plot Twist of some kind to close off the Civil War.

I actually had an idea of something like a deus ex machina. I recently threw in the last of the Four Rulers of Hueco Mundo, and she's quite full of bitterness and hatred towards Dante, due to a belief her husband was assassinated by him - she has spent the past thousands of years building an army, and she's a likely candidate for the new antagonist for Espada, after Dante is defeated. It was also mentioned, that she had an alliance with Karasu (if either was attacked, the other one had sworn to protect them), further contributing to the fact, that she should appear in the thread as a deus ex machina. Maybe the "War of Karasu's Castle" could become something known as "Massacre of South", if she choses to try and hit two flies with a single strike at the weakened forces of the war - the newly formed Espada and Army of the Blood. Just an idea, though.

Sounds good - although how many tier 3-1+ would be in her army? People are weakened but they still wouldn't be wildly inconvenienced by a horde of faceless NPC's.

She will have around seven 'elite troops' under her direct command, three of which are actually already done! They are all 2-3. Then she will have three military generals, each of whom is around 2-2 to 2-1. She herself is a 1-1, and like a force of nature in the battlefield. It would definitely turn the tables of the battle and force the plot to a different, shorter ending.

So, my plot update is up! I am willing to moderate the thread to an end, if no one else minds.

If someone has some ideas, they should speak up, because we need to get the thread running again.

I can give you a hand. If we are going to be factoring Nox Xorik into the equation then might as well have some of them show up too to properly seal the deal. What's the plan for Dante? Because if there isn't a plan, we can make use of a bloodthirsty, unhinged arrancar with Seach personally showing up and offering him a way out as becoming an Eternal. That way, it looks like Dante died, his body could be paraded about, and we can have him come back and torment people later down the line for a surprise.

It would be awesome if Dante survived, and secured the safety of Heart of Darkness. Maybe Seach was interested in the said artifact and wanted to it to himself - it's not really said what it can do, but granting immense power, darkest desires of the wielder and immortality/resurrection seems like a valid thing. Maybe, much like Hogyoku, it can do anything a wielder desires? Or so it seems, given it's darker nature.

Let's do that then, and have Seach show up.

In regards to the HoD, we should definitely define what it is and does sooner rather than later. Rather than just 'making stuff happen', it might be better to have the HoD as a more 'cursed' artefact.

Since the Heart is a living thing, it stands to reason that it needs an energy supply. So, what it could do, is an exchange for a sacrifice (souls) it takes what it needs to sustain itself, and converts the rest to energy that would act as a temporary power boost to whoever made the sacrifice. As such it could have been a relic used throughout history, with 'great leaders' (actually weak beings who got their hands on the Heart) sacrificing followers to the Heart to keep themselves strong.

Throw in another drawback though that constant use of the Heart will bind the user greatly to it, and it will eventually begin leeching their soul away too.

What kind of power would the HoD offer? In my eyes, it could be somewhat like Hogyoku, but could lean it's power for a wielder to make them stronger, immortal, etc. It could still depend on the wielder, however - for Dante, I imagine it would offer strength, but to Seach, maybe a true body? It could have a price as well, but I am not sure about that yet.

I recall it being said that the HoD "speaks to the hearts of others". If indeed, as I suggested, this is the heart of an ancient (first) of the hollow kings, it could be a manipulative force in the world, seeking it's own benefit and amusement. It could bend others to it's will, and maybe even control them - I am thinking of the Ring from LotR, in the sense it affected the mind of those near it, making them want to take it.

So, tomorrow we're going to work on the plot thread and get it moving!

I can take care of Dante, Tau, Lambda and Katherine's POV.

[Only admins are allowed to see this link] it would be really great if you wrote Annora & Berenguer/Foxy(?) as well as Iota.

[Only admins are allowed to see this link] we should introduce Seach on the next turn. If you want to help, maybe you want to write Mu? I can do it as well, but taking some of my burden would be great.