Dragonball M: A DBZ RPG Sign-Up and Discussion Thread II

[Cyke]

One thing I forgot to add -- Ishtar intimidates Zaofan, but otherwise he harbors no ill will towards her. He's just never sure how to act around her. He just can't get a read on her, likely because of all his worldly experience, she often deals with the metaphysical, and so she's just utterly confounding to him. He wishes he could know her better, though.

Y'know...a DBM Thanksgiving would be a fun holiday special...though I fear for whoever has to cook the feast for this ravenous cast...

Oh, good one. Nothing will encapsulate their mirror opposite differences like that kind of set up!

(Also, just FYI I added a second post to reply to Cleric's post)

[KingofPie]

One thing I forgot to add -- Ishtar intimidates Zaofan, but otherwise he harbors no ill will towards her. He's just never sure how to act around her. He just can't get a read on her, likely because of all his worldly experience, she often deals with the metaphysical, and so she's just utterly confounding to him. He wishes he could know her better, though.





Oh, good one. Nothing will encapsulate their mirror opposite differences like that kind of set up!

(Also, just FYI I added a second post to reply to Cleric's post)

Come to think of it, what month are we currently in, in DBM, anyway?

And I've edited a reply onto my last post!

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

One thing I forgot to add -- Ishtar intimidates Zaofan, but otherwise he harbors no ill will towards her. He's just never sure how to act around her. He just can't get a read on her, likely because of all his worldly experience, she often deals with the metaphysical, and so she's just utterly confounding to him. He wishes he could know her better, though.

Well at least she's coming off as 'aloof'.

Perhaps though, that's something to work on improving. Zaofan's the bright-eyed bushy tailed vagabond chef, Ishtar's the worlds-weary (probable) GoD to be. There's certainly a lot of room for conversation between the two. Especially if his aim is to get a handle on dealing with Magical opponents and/or not be intimidated by horny blue women, with a penchant for pain.

She is, in essence, a spell-casters' worst nightmare; her built in resistances to outside influence, overall durability, and knowledge of a variety of esoterics making her a candidate for the best, "Defense Against the Dark Arts" teacher ever. Might make sense -- in light of the upcoming Auroc showdown -- and serve as a suitable justification, to have them interact more than they have ...

I think in total, they've said ten things to each other.

Sorta like how Ishtar only ever spoke to Jack the once, when she was using his blood to power a spell.

... Definitely need to work on having her interact more. Though with Sarada's absence in the upcoming arc. She'll have time to spread her wings, figuratively, I feel.

SO LET'S MAKE IT HAPPEN, COOKMAN.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Going to save the stuff I have planned for Blizz for when the next arc starts so Sarada can have something to do.

[Cyke]

Well at least she's coming off as 'aloof'.

Perhaps though, that's something to work on improving. Zaofan's the bright-eyed bushy tailed vagabond chef, Ishtar's the worlds-weary (probable) GoD to be. There's certainly a lot of room for conversation between the two. Especially if his aim is to get a handle on dealing with Magical opponents and/or not be intimidated by horny blue women, with a penchant for pain.

She is, in essence, a spell-casters' worst nightmare; her built in resistances to outside influence, overall durability, and knowledge of a variety of esoterics making her a candidate for the best, "Defense Against the Dark Arts" teacher ever. Might make sense -- in light of the upcoming Auroc showdown -- and serve as a suitable justification, to have them interact more than they have ...

I think in total, they've said ten things to each other.

Sorta like how Ishtar only ever spoke to Jack the once, when she was using his blood to power a spell.

... Definitely need to work on having her interact more. Though with Sarada's absence in the upcoming arc. She'll have time to spread her wings, figuratively, I feel.

SO LET'S MAKE IT HAPPEN, COOKMAN.

I keep wanting to make Zaofan shy (well, whatever "shy" means to someone as affable as him) around Ishtar, so it's not totally one sided. But yes, an actual conversation would do well. My only regret about Zaofan, Dash, and Ishtar cooking together back on Chroma was that scheduling didn't permit me to participate more in that cute scene, otherwise that would've been the time to do it.

It's odd too that Zaofan and Ishtar have fought like a dozen times side by side with each other already, but of the fighters most consistent in his life, Ishtar is certainly up there in appearances but well below the number of interactions as the others. I think the only other person Zaofan feels this way around is Asha'rah, and likely for many of the same reasons he's intimidated by Ishtar.

[Miburo]

You know, I was just going to have Held pay Blizzar, but at the rate of Icer corruption, Held might end having to actually find a way to blackmail his blackmailer.

The ultimate game of cat and also cat.

[Miburo]

I keep wanting to make Zaofan shy (well, whatever "shy" means to someone as affable as him) around Ishtar, so it's not totally one sided. But yes, an actual conversation would do well. My only regret about Zaofan, Dash, and Ishtar cooking together back on Chroma was that scheduling didn't permit me to participate more in that cute scene, otherwise that would've been the time to do it.

It's odd too that Zaofan and Ishtar have fought like a dozen times side by side with each other already, but of the fighters most consistent in his life, Ishtar is certainly up there in appearances but well below the number of interactions as the others. I think the only other person Zaofan feels this way around is Asha'rah, and likely for many of the same reasons he's intimidated by Ishtar.

See? Both Held and Zao have a rough time interacting with them! It's not Held, it's the fact that they think much differently. You can't fault these young strapping lads for being put off by all this cosmic mind expanding theories.

....When Held obtains the eyes that pierce the truth, he'll go catatonic from glimpsing the reality of all things.

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

You know, I was just going to have Held pay Blizzar, but at the rate of Icer corruption, Held might end having to actually find a way to blackmail his blackmailer.

The ultimate game of cat and also cat.

I'm sure there's an incident involving Blizzar and a Kanassans Prostitute that he'd prefer never saw the light of day.

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

See? Both Held and Zao have a rough time interacting with them! It's not Held, it's the fact that they think much differently. You can't fault these young strapping lads for being put off by all this cosmic mind expanding theories.

....When Held obtains the eyes that pierce the truth, he'll go catatonic from glimpsing the reality of all things.

Zaofan's had more interactions with Ishtar, I believe.

Held has ... one.

Zaofan has at least two.

DOUBLE.

[KingofPie]

You know, I was just going to have Held pay Blizzar, but at the rate of Icer corruption, Held might end having to actually find a way to blackmail his blackmailer.

The ultimate game of cat and also cat.

Held will have to have good timing. The rate in which the blackmailee could become the blackmailer and back again in Icer 'negotiations' is quite frequent.

[Cyke]

An exercise inspired by the previous discussion, I'm updating Zaofan's thoughts about the other characters considering everything that's happened so far.

Asha'rah: someone to be respected for sure, but her mythical nature is off-putting to the very earthly Zaofan. Beautiful like a supermodel in her God of Creation form, but just as inaccessible as one. Her blunt style of communication and sometimes brutal fighting style sometimes throw off the normally affable Zaofan. Plus, in the face of alien or otherworldly strength such as the Saiyans, Zaofan has a certain degree of pride in his own humanity -- almost like heritage -- and yet in the long run, humanity is nothing compared to the gods, creating a perhaps-unfair inferiority complex for Zaofan when he's around Asha'rah.

Charco: a superpowered human himself, Zaofan sees Charco as perhaps his closest match in terms of skill and power, but also recognizes the shared love of meats. He sees a slight but friendly rivalry with Charco, started almost out of a perverse sense of jealousy when Charco managed to Tyranno Blast a fourth of the team in one of their first training sessions. Still though, he feels a kinship with the Dino Man, and the more Zaofan learns about the Five Schools, the more he draws parallels to the various dinosaurs that comprise the Dino School.

Chuan: one of his first buddies on this trip. Zaofan respects Chuan's penchant for humility, and he's perhaps the first person in the game to teach the chef that there's more to contribution than just hitting and blasting; so, a few times early on, Zaofan would step up to act as like a nurse or assistant to the good doctor, especially when the game was more populated with heavy hitters

Dash: If Zaofan had to pick a successor, Dash could be it. Sharing many of the same traits, Dash instead has superior gusto and bravery, where sometimes instinctual impulsivity can be more advantageous than Zaofan's style of analysis and restraint. He is impressed with how much Dash has achieved despite her age -- when he was her age he was nowhere near as powerful as her, and he happily suspects that once Dash truly grows up, she'll surpass him.

Erosa: essentially his little sister ever since she saved him against Parsic in the tournament. Her simple, fierce, but fun loving attitude made an impression on him, and they fought very well together. Despite her accelerated growth and enormous -- traits -- the thought would never enter his head to think of her as anything close to an object of sexual desire because of that bond and youthful affinity.

Etrina: the Mistress. The relationship really shouldn't work, since she only gets more refined whereas Zaofan becomes more and more bohemian. Etrina is used to the way things ought to be in the social hierarchy, whereas Zaofan is very eager to meet and discover new cultures, things, people. Of course, his aimlessness leaves him willingly vulnerable to Etrina's unique brand of control. Still, a major draw for him is that Etrina can simply do a myriad of things that he can't, and he finds that fascinating. Only one of those things just happens to be magic.

And with that said, while he's happy to see Etrina or Erosa for the above reasons, seeing them at the same time makes him feel more whole since it's two kinds of love simultaneously.

Held: One of Zaofan's original bros and battle buddies in the game. Their fighting styles surprisingly complemented each other well from the start, and perhaps that's because of the animal base. But personality wise, Zaofan's attitude of exploration and Held's more tough but lively personality have lead to perhaps just as many beers shared between them as there are skulls they've cracked.

Ishtar: Discussed above in depth, but essentially, with Ishtar reliably coming from and dealing with forces that Zaofan just simply cannot relate to, Ishtar is a walking mystery. For an explorer like Zaofan, she is a being both fearsome and tempting in that regard. He respects her as a person and will readily acknowledge her considerable contributions to the group, but he finds himself hesitant to try and dig further, though he really would like to call her friend one day. She makes him uneasy but he really wish that wasn't the case, especially given all they've gone through.

Jack: Very happy that he's back among the living. His death best showed off Zaofan's sentimental side, as the two were pals during training against Battersea and Fife. Another kindred spirit, Jack's freewheeling love of life and his spirit of the traveling gambler struck a chord with the vagabond chef. And hey, they're supposed to open a bar and grill one day.

Meagan: At first a crush, but now a confidante, Meagan's matter-of-factly insight borne from a wisdom well beyond her years ensures a friendship with Zaofan. They might not always agree, and that's perfectly fine, but in battle he will have her back. Note: she was also the one who first taught Zaofan how to fly, which is now by far his favorite superpower. And so, every time he flies over a moonlit lake or speeds off to the rescue, he reflexively thanks Meagan.

Nevanlinna: Zaofan already knows a socialite and knows her very well. But Nevanlinna's attitude seems more hostile to him, and yet also a big target for derision, poking fun at her when possible to knock her down a peg. Zaofan being a vagabond who will never judge the origins of one's food, as a traveler who loves to meet folks of all walks of life, the haughty Nevanlinna is an opposite. Still, the very fact that she uses her power to battle injustice cannot be ignored, and though he might not admit it, he'll be sure to restrain his mockery to simple, light-hearted ribbing rather than trade full on insults that would risk driving her away. He appreciates what she brings to the team and he'd welcome her if it wasn't for her snobbery.

Ochazuke: Zaofan's most consistent friend in the game, to the point where he truly does think of Ochazuke as a brother in several ways. At first hewas intimidated but intrigued by Ochazuke -- similar to Ishtar -- but pressing further of their shared knowledge helped create a bond. Zaofan sees Ochazuke as what he could've been had he learned to stay put and focused on just one style, and yet variety suits Zaofan well; moreso, the much more disciplined, much more focused, much more observant Ochazuke has encouraged that search of variety within the chef. Zaofan sees Ochazuke as many things he is not, and he respects the path that lead Ochazuke to that point.

Parsley: Just putting this out there -- Zaofan is intoxicated by Saiyan women. But while that may be the default, he thinks of Parsley as so much more. Not initially attracted to her physically, rather he finds her as kind of like a combination of others on the team - the strength and ferocity of Sarada, the cutting edge of Etrina, the devotion to the craft as Ochazuke, and more. Seeing Parsley in action the first time wowed Zaofan, where he quickly made a mental note to not only test himself against her powers, but also to see if she could help him up his own game in the face of ever escalating threats. Thus, Zaofan sees Parsley as a wiser more knowledgeable tutor despite the fact that he is older. Parsley carries herself as a seasoned professional, and that piques his interest for self-improvement.

Praxat: A newbie to the group, Zaofan hasn't had many interactions with her. He tried to approach her to ask more about her past -- she's the first frog person he's ever seen -- but battle soon ended that. She seems nice enough. One day he'll get to talk to her more.

Sarada: The queen. The warrior. The leader. That part about finding Saiyan women intoxicating? Zaofan very deeply felt that for Sarada at first, though it was completely unreciprocated. Zaofan would spend much of their early days trying to keep his cool and failing to do so. Just something about that strut and that raw power, to the point where he tried to think of her as a rival. She quickly surpassed him, and in turn that helped calm down any feelings for Sarada. But as time has gone on, he's learned that in desperate situations, following Sarada's lead has often lead to victory thanks to her confidence and sheer power. Thus, if Sarada's in battle, Zaofan is not far behind. Deep down Zaofan strives to be as powerful and as confident as her, to offset the times of insecurity and doubt that he can occasionally face in battle.

Sasheem: At first a friend, and then a betrayal. Zaofan's hurt feelings have caused him to consider Sasheem his polar opposite -- a mass murderer, a being without form, a living weapon of mass destruction, a blunt and cruel being, one with no care for anyone around him and will eat anything. By contrast, Zaofan is a cultivator of knowledge, a respectful explorer, a disciplined fighter, a do-gooder, a caretaker, an excellent host with a large array of support skills and lifehacks. Sasheem's betrayal -- playing Zaofan like a fiddle with P-Sta's life -- has shattered Zaofan's trust like no one else in the team; and indeed unlike most villains they've fought. But considering everything they've gone through and how Zaofan used to be very fond of Sasheem like a pet or wild child, he would never ever admit it but he'd save Sasheem from danger without a thought, only to regret it later. Zaofan is kind; Sasheem takes advantage of that, pushing the right buttons to provoke him.

Totoma: Another former friendly rival, Zaofan lightened up once he found out about Totoma's family's storied past and their history with food. An intrinsically aligned friend in that regard, Zaofan has greatly enjoyed one-on-one talks with the half-Saiyan, confiding in each other heart to heart talks about their experiences, hopes, fears, and dreams. While Zaofan may connect with others through battle or discipline, his bond with Totoma is evidence of the old adage that food brings together community.

[Cyke]

Additional:

P-Sta: Kind of corny, but respecting the drive for justice nonetheless. Zaofan has a distrust of traditional law enforcement, seeing first hand many villages with corrupt police officers who acted as bullies above the law, and reminded again in the aftermath of Battersea's rampages when he had police in his pocket trying to fill in the power vacuum caused by his death. Still, P-Sta seemed to be the real deal, and though they disagreed at times on how best to fight for justice, they still agreed that justice needed to be served. Thus, when Sasheem absorbed him, Zaofan's deep seated sense of betrayal comes from the fact that Sasheem essentially absorbed a like minded counterpart from the stars, someone he was becoming friends with so soon.

No real interactions with Cyanna or Tasure. He's aware of Cyanna's existence, but Tasure seems to know more about Zaofan than he does of her.

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

Cheh.

Do to unforeseen occurrences I wasn't able to write as much as I wanted to. Most of the way finished with the next segment of Ishtar's Timeskip Shenanigans, but we're looking at tomorrow at the earliest.

[Lord Falcon]

Huh. Makes me realize I never figured out an actual number for Ilargi/Tatenen's population. Safe to assume Ishtar's killed at least a few dozen million though, perhaps the low 100s ... watched the death of billions/trillions.

Also out of curiosity, how many has Asha'rah killed ?

Would her Wartime antics count towards her sum ?

That might be a complicated question. How many has Asha'rah personally, directly killed?

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

That might be a complicated question. How many has Asha'rah personally, directly killed?

At least two GoD (Indar'en, Hammer). Witch of the Moon.

... I suppose that's three on-screen.

As far as my question about wartime. More like ... would the kills that resulted from what she started be on her head, or Sakin ?