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The Persona series derives much of its terminology and inspiration from the works of Carl Jung, a psychologist who believed in multifaceted human personalities and an underlying subconscious of the entire human race.

Jung's concepts of 'Personas' and 'Shadows' are represented by beings in the narrative. Negative, repressed thoughts and feelings of humanity become 'shadows'. Some blessed with the ability are able to harness their shadow as a Persona, a summonable being that confers the ability to cast spells, grants superhuman strength and other such enhancements, and other miraculous feats.

Personas take the form of deities and other mythological figures from religions the world over, such as Thor, Kaguya, Michael the Archangel, or even the Mothman. The form a Persona takes is based upon the personality and inner thoughts of the person it stems from; a brash, tough-guy sort of character would likely have a Persona such as Ares instead of Ishtar.

The appearance of a Persona is equal parts inspired by the deity or figure it derives from and the quirks and personality traits of the summoner. A captain of the football team who summons Thor might have a Thor that shares the classic hammer and belt popularized by myth, yet might also wear a football helmet and thick athletic pads in lieu of armor.

The method of summoning a Persona varies from game-to-game in the series, but for the purposes of the RP, calling out to the Persona either vocally or mentally will be sufficient.

When choosing your character's Persona, you can draw from any belief set or religion in world history, but try not to get too obscure. Overwhelmingly powerful beings such as Lucifer are off-limits... at least for now.

Duplicate Personas will not be allowed. If someone takes Loki, you've got to choose something else. Luckily, there's an IMMENSE amount of things to choose from.

Another significant aspect of symbolism in the Persona series is that of Tarot cards; specifically, the 21 Major Arcana. Your character, and thus your character's Persona, will correspond to one of 20 of the Major Arcana (The World is off-limits), based on their personality and various personal dilemmas.

The Major Arcana that you may choose from are as follows:

0. The Fool - Associated with beginnings, innocence, spontaneity, a free spirit / Naivety, foolishness, recklessness, risk-taking

I. The Magician - Associated with power, skill, concentration, action, resourcefulness / Manipulation, poor planning, latent talents

II. The Priestess - Associated with intuition, Higher powers, mystery, subconscious mind / Hidden agendas, a need to listen to the inner voice

III. The Empress - Associated with fertility, femininity, beauty, nature, abundance / Creative block, dependence on others

IV. The Emperor - Associated with authority, father-figure-types, structure, solid foundations / Domination, excessive control, rigidity, inflexibility

V. The Hierophant = Associated with religion, group identification, conformity, tradition, beliefs / Restriction, challenging the status quo

VI. The Lovers = Associated with love, union, relationships, personal values, choices / Disharmony, imbalance, misalignment of values

VII. The Chariot = Associated with control, will power, victory, assertion, determination / Lack of control and direction, aggression

VIII. Justice = Associated with justice, fairness, truth, cause and effect, law / Unfairness, lack of accountability, dishonesty

IX. The Hermit = Associated with soul-searching, introspection, being alone, inner guidance / Isolation, loneliness, withdrawal

X. The Wheel of Fortune = Associated with good luck, karma, life cycles, destiny, a turning point / bad luck, negative external forces, out of control

XI. Strength = Associated with strength, courage, patience, control, compassion / Weakness, self-doubt, lack of self-discipline

XII. The Hanged Man = Associated with suspension, restriction, letting go, sacrifice / Martyrdom, indecision, delay

XIII. Death = Associated with endings, beginnings, change, transformation, transition / Resistance to change, unable to move on

XIV. Temperance = Associated with balance, moderation, patience, purpose, meaning / Imbalance, excess, lack of long-term vision

XV. The Devil = Associated with bondage, addiction, sexuality, materialism / Detachment, breaking free, power reclaimed

XVI. The Tower = Associated with disaster, upheaval, sudden change, revelation / Avoidance of disaster, fear of change

XVII. The Star = Associated with hope, spirituality, renewal, inspiration, serenity / Lack of faith, despair, discouragement

XVIII. The Moon = Associated with illusion, fear, anxiety, insecurity, subconscious / Release of fear, unhappiness, confusion

XIX. The Sun = Associated with fun, warmth, success, positivity, vitality / Temporary depression, lack of success

XX. Judgment = Associated with judgement, rebirth, inner calling, absolution / Self-doubt, refusal of self-examination

All of this may seem quite daunting at first until you realize that the suits of the Tarot symbolize the journey through life, involving feelings and emotions that most people experience throughout life. The key to choosing one for your character is observing their dilemma, the problem defining their stage of life and the challenges facing them in overcoming this problem, and choosing an Arcana that fits.

For example, a student doing passably in school but facing the pressure of not being exemplary, not planning for the future, or not bettering the self through extracurriculars and other such activities, would be aligned with the Temperance Arcana. A young man who has discovered his sexual orientation and thus joined the community, yet still struggling with the repercussions of his discovery and coming out to his family, could be aligned with the Hierophant Arcana. A captain of a sports team who shows confidence and leadership on the field, but weakness and timidity at home when dealing with his abusive, over-expectant father, would be aligned with the Strength Arcana.

All this is quite vague for the ease of letting several Arcana align with your character and their various ordeals. Choose whichever fits the best to you, but do make sure it fits. Try making your character's background first, and then deciding on their Arcana afterwards.

Much like Personas, there will be no duplicate Arcana. Every character will have a different associated Arcana to promote character diversity and for general setting reasons.

Persona: Shadows of the Mind, being inspired by the larger Shin Megami Tensei series, will be using SMT elements and names spells. Your character can have an affinity for one element ('Strong Element') and a weakness to another ('Weak Element'). Your character can also have a strong affinity for healing spells, thus weakening the overall power of their affinity element but giving them a strong disposition towards healing their friends.

In the Megami Tensei world, the names of spells typically have names derived from languages throughout the world. However, for the sake of simplicity, for now these will be omitted. Simply commanding a Persona to spout fire will be sufficient.

The elements are:

-Physical (Strikes from weapons, Using your Persona to physically pummel an enemy)
-Fire (Fire spells have the prefix 'Agi' - In order of strength, the fire spells are Agi, Agilao, Agidyne.
-Ice (Ice spells have the prefix 'Bufu' - Bufu, Bufula, Bufudyne
-Lightning (Lightning spells have the prefix 'Zio' - Zio, Zionga, Ziodyne
-Wind (Wind spells have the prefix 'Garu' - Garu, Garula, Garudyne
-Darkness (Darkness spells have the prefix 'Mudo' - Mudo, Mudoon
-Light (Light spells have the prefix 'Hama' - Hama, Hamaon)

-Healing spells have the prefix 'Dia', and scale in power from Dia, Diarama, and Diarahan.

The elements of nuclear (frei) and psychic (psi) from Persona 5 are being omitted as well.

Horizon is situated in on the edge of downtown Toronto, on a private campus that stretches to a size of about 2 square miles (~5 sq. km). Most of this space is used for classroom buildings, and different subjects are housed in different buildings. The campus resembles that of a normal university; fitting, giving that Horizon's main purpose is college preparation.

Students attending Horizon have a choice of where to live; either on campus in one of the three dormitories, or near campus with family or a guardian. Most exchange students obviously live within the dormitories, and even some students whose family lives nearby elect to stay in the dormitories for a measure of freedom. The three dormitories are Martin (Male only), Lee (Female only), and Lavoie (Co-ed, separated by floor).

Though a boarding school, Horizon is revered as a generous institution that accepts students on good faith at regular intervals (mostly on account of the good-natured school president, Dr. Gauthier). Several students are wards of the state or orphans hopping from foster home to foster home. In addition, the school has a booming foreign exchange program, giving a large foreign student body. This diversity in attendance has given Horizon's student body a reputation of a rag-tag group of misfits; a reputation that some embrace, while others hold it in disdain.

Students are allowed free exit and entry from the campus during off-hours (weekdays after 4 pm, weekends) and enjoy a relative degree of freedom. The campus has a bus station that runs from the campus edge to the Toronto Eaton Centre; the largest mall in the city and a popular spot for students and tourists alike. Students with a driver's license and a car (16 years or older, and largely rare) can depart and return in this way.

Students are treated as adults and are expected to attend classes. Excessive absence will likely result in expulsion if it becomes habitual. Students are known to often work part-time jobs in the city or even work-study jobs on campus with one of the many departments headed by the school.

School lunches and dinners are provided on tuition cost, but students are known to frequent popular eateries in the area in lieu of this from time to time.

Horizon engages in multiple sports, including hockey, baseball, Canadian football, basketball, soccer, track & field, fencing, boxing, and even lacrosse. The school's mascot is the Screaming Eagles, but most teams simply go by the moniker 'The Horizon Eagles'. The school's colors are blue, purple, and black.

Outside of sports, on-campus involvement organizations include the orchestra, the choir, the art club, the newspaper and photography club, the A/V club, the chess club, and several others.

Toronto itself is the most populous city in Canada and is heavily urbanized, being home to over 9 million people. Toronto is an international center of business, finance, arts, and culture, and is recognized as one of the most multicultural and cosmopolitan cities in the world. The diverse population of Toronto reflects its current and historical role as an important destination for immigrants to Canada, with nearly 50% of residents belonging to a visible minority population group, and over 200 distinct ethnic origins represented among its inhabitants. While the majority of Torontonians speak English as their primary language, there are over 160 different languages spoken in the city.

More information can be found on the wikipedia page. For more information on Horizon, the Persona or Megami Tensei settings, please contact me.

Name:
Age: (14-18 please)
Nationality
Sex:
Academic Class: (Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior)
Campus Involvement: (Sports, Music, None, etc)
Living Situation (Dorms, with Family nearby, etc):
Major Arcana:
Persona:
Strong Element:
Weak Element:
Appearance:
Persona Appearance:
Personality: (Optional)
Backstory: (Optional to list; if kept hidden, I require it to be PM'd to me. Keep in mind that you are all high school students, and word of your life tends to spread.)
Items, Possessions: (Horizon is a private educational institution and thus requires uniforms, but you have a degree of freedom in how to wear it.)
Relationships: (List individuals name, age, relationship with the character, and other relevant information)

Name: Natsuki Amano
Age: 16
Nationality: Japan
Sex: Female
Academic Class: Junior
Campus Involvement: Orchestra (Violin, Piano)
Living Situation: Dormitory (Lee)
Major Arcana: Death
Persona: Kaguya
Strong Element: Ice
Weak Element: Fire
Appearance: Natsuki is an asian female with a bit of a snobbish face. Her hair is straight and jet black, she wears glasses, and sometimes wears green contact lenses. She is quite short, only standing at 5'3".
Persona Appearance: Kaguya appears as a tall woman in japanese, traditional regal robes and moth-like features. She constantly sheds speckles of light.
Personality: Natsuki is outwardly snobbish and difficult to approach. She has more admirers than friends due to her closed-off, isolationist nature. She is studious and dedicated to her advancement through school, but shuns almost everything else. Those very few she is close to know that she doesn't readily show deep emotions. Most would describe her as aloof, even cold. She has a weakness for kittens.
Backstory: Natsuki grew up as the only child of a single mother in Yakushima, Japan. Her father died when she was only a baby, a victim of the harsh world of Japanese business who took his own life. Despite rather squalid conditions in her hometown, Natsuki grew up to be a happy child who treasured her beautiful surroundings and rich culture. However, her mother saw things more practically and drew the affections of a visiting Canadian businessman. The two were married and soon Natsuki and her mother were on a plane to Canada, where Natsuki would grow up from the age of 10 onwards.

Being proud of her heritage, Natsuki immediately despised her new surroundings and resented both her mother and new stepfather for ripping her away from her homeland. Her only option, in her mind, is to study hard, get into a good school and thus get a good job that allows her to work in Japan.
Items, Possessions: Besides generic implements such as her uniforms, school supplies and personal computer, Natsuki owns a green magatama necklace.
Relationships: Her mother Hisano Silverman (nee Amano), Her stepfather Grant Silverman, and her 2-year-old half brother Evan Silverman.
Other Info: She is fluent in English and Japanese.

The Daily Grind Coffee House - A coffee house just off of campus, owned by an elderly woman and staffed by her three grandsons. True to the name, they serve a different house blend every day of the week. Due to its proximity to Horizon Academy, it is a popular date or study location for students.

The Horizon Clock Tower - A hidden alcove within the schools' clock tower serves as an interesting and unique place for students to escape from the hustle and bustle of the main halls of the school. Entry is technically not allowed, but this rule is hardly enforced. The mechanisms of the clock tower operate above the maintenance area that serves as a place to sit and relax below, providing a noisy but consistent, rhythmic atmosphere. At night, this location also serves as a secluded make-out location for adventurous student couples.

#1: DJ Kawasaki - Bright Like Light (Welcome to Horizon Academy) #2: Yuki Kaijura & Shinji Hosoe - Xenosaga 2 Minor Boss Fight (Shadow Boss Fight) #3: Hiroshi Yamaguchi - Bayonetta - Battle for the Umbra Throne (Persona Awakening) #4: Jeremy Soule - Icewind Dale - Kuldahar (Meet Your True Self) #5: KOEI TECMO - Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIII - Guan Yu's Theme (Guan Yu) #6: Shoji Meguro - Persona 3 - Iwatodai Dorm (The Morning After) #7: ATLUSxP5: Sentimentable (Euthalia Nova) #8: Michiko Naruke - Wild ARMs 3 - Black as Sin, Red as Throne (Battle Against the Hanged Man

August 20th: Entered the Lonely Ice Rink, conjured by the doubts and inhibitions of Brendan Rathburn. Defeated Leviathan, the berserk form of Brendan's Shadow, which became the Persona Guan Yu.
August 21st: Entered the Ivory Halls. Encountered the mysterious Masked Figure and their Persona, Abel.

Name: Max Delaney
Age: 17
Nationality: Irish-Canadian
Sex: Male
Academic Class: Junior
Campus Involvement: Dance (Tap, Modern)
Living Situation: Off-campus condo (living with mother)
Major Arcana: Temperance
Persona: Satyr
Strong Element: Physical
Weak Element: Ice
Appearance: 5'5", blonde w. pink highlights, painted fingernails. Frequently has his tie undone. ((I found this picture in a Google search and decided it was perfect.)) Persona Appearance: Satyr is the hybrid of a man and goat, possessing the ears, tail, legs, and horns of the latter. He also sports a loosened tie, carries a flask, and is frequently seen dancing.
Personality: Aloof at times, yet outgoing at others, Max takes everything at his own pace, and anyone who passes him by or can't keep up is the one with the issue. Even if he can be difficult, he's a fun friend to have--though he may not always take things as seriously as he should.
Backstory: Max has never really felt he's had the guidance he's needed--nearing the end of his highschool career, he has discovered certain doors are already closed to him, as he fails to meet certain grade level standards. That realization, combined with the stress of his parents' divorce, means his current focus (to the near exclusion of all else) is to enjoy himself.
Items, Possessions: School uniform, smartphone, switchblade comb
Relationships: Hannah Delaney (Mother), Jacob Ackerman (Father, estranged)

Name: Keira Swanson
Age: 17
Nationality: American
Sex: Female
Academic Class: Senior
Campus Involvement: Amateur Dramatics/Theatre, School Newspaper, and Track (Running)
Living Situation: Campus - Lavoie Dormitory
Major Arcana: The Lovers
Persona: Iris
Strong Element: Light
Weak Element: Darkness
Appearance: Keira has long, mousy brown hair with golden highlights, and stands at 5' 10'' tall. She has soft, feminine facial features, though her nose is larger than average.
Her build is slim and her eyes are brown.
Persona Appearance: Iris appears as a woman in a long, white dress, with wings on her shoulders. She wears a pink, cross-body leather bag, and a gold horn necklace, which represents a love for communication.
Personality: Keira is chatty, fun loving and outgoing. She has lots of friends and enjoys socialising inside and outside of school life. Positive in her nature, she tries to see the best in everything and is a great person to go to if you are feeling down.
She is very loyal and will fight passionately for those she cares about, as well as strangers if the cause is just.
Her negative traits are that she can be a bit of a gossip, is stubborn, can be overly opinionated, indecisive, and prefers to socialize with those that are more refined.
An average student, Keira takes her studies seriously but lets her work slip in favour of a good time with friends.
Backstory: Keira grew up in Denver, Colorado. Her family moved to Toronto when she was 12 years old, due to her father relocating for work. Since their move, the family have increased their wealth and live very comfortably in the city. Keira hopes to go on to University to be a psychologist.
Items, Possessions: Handbag containing too many items to list them all, but including: purse, mirror, make-up, hand sanitizer, diary planner, smartphone, mace, keys with alarm, small photo album, pencil case, notebook, etc. Wears a gold necklace and a watch.
Relationships: Amy Swanson (Mother), Jeremy Swanson (Father), Nicholas Schwartz (Boyfriend)
Other info: Scared of cats

Name: Makoto Adiev

Age: 18

Nationality: Japanese

Sex: Female

Academic Class: Senior

Campus Involvement: None

Living Situation : Dormitory (Lavoie)

Major Arcana: IX. The Hermit

Persona: Kitsune

Strong Element: Ice (I was thinking about perhaps asking about charm, but i realize that ailments mostly don't do damage and just complicate things.)

Weak Element: Light

Appearance: Almost always looks messy and tired. Her uniform and hair normally look scruffy, and she has a grubby looking medical eye-patch on most of the time,
a bit of scarring seen under the eye that it is over. She's about 5'6'', weighing about 152 lbs. Long scruffy brown hair, and very light blue eyes.



Persona Appearance: A tall, well endowed woman sporting a kimono, with fox features (being ears and eight tails.)

Personality: Generally a quiet girl. Though she doesn't really have any kind of anxiety, she is always skeptical about making any friends and talking in general.
Will often say little and just agree with what people say.
Items, Possessions: School Uniform, Smartphone, Medical Eye-patch.

Relationships: Vadim Adiev (Biological Father, still keeps up with him via emails sometimes.), Aiko Dubois (Mother, has a hard time forgiving her for leaving her alone
for all that time, but stays quiet most of the time to keep her happy.), Max Dubois (Step-Father, though she thinks he is nice, she never took his second name. Greatful
that he helped her mother settle down, but generally doesn't want much to do with him.)

Name:Kieran Samuel Ikeda
Age:15
Nationality:Japanese-Canadian
Sex:Male
Academic Class: Sophomore
Campus Involvement:Swimming Team
Living Situation: Living with his mother, nearby.
Major Arcana: The Star
Persona:Pleiades
Strong Element:Light
Weak Element:Fire
Appearance:Kieran is a somewhat diminutive 15 year old, he’s often mistaken for someone in the year below rather than the sophomore he is. It probably doesn’t help that he wears a baggy open hoodie over his uniform. Persona Appearance:A single woman draped in a toga, tall and strong with a series of stars invoking the looks of constellations, her hair is long and black and her skin is white and fair. Her eyes glitter like stars in a moonless sky.
Personality: Kieran is an open boy, if one talked to him they’d probably call him the kid with no filter, or the swim fanatic. However due to this familial background he is extremely focused on succeeding, at least in competitions. And for some unexplained reason after such results are placed up he clams up, not talking much for a week after the fact.
Backstory: Kieran is the child of a Japanese sailor and a Canadian seamstress, a fling that when the father learned he was overjoyed, yet refused to stay. Even now Kieran carries that sort of chip upon his shoulder. Trying to prove himself the best in the eyes of his father. Something that keeps proving him wrong. Wounding his pride further and further. When Kieran was 4 he took to swimming like an otter, getting placed in competitions and such. He took his father’s name (Not out of malicious intent, but another way to try and tie himself to his father) and asked his mother to change it upon all legal documents. He went to Horizon Academy due to the closeness of the facilities. Integrating himself well within the swim team well into his second year.
Items, Possessions: Smart phone, School bag – Pens, pencils, notebooks, sharpeners, rubbers, Gym bag – Swimming goggles, trunks, change of clothes, swim cap (rarely worn)
Relationships:
Ryuji Ikeda – Father – Correspondence between the two is the primary means of contact between the two. With Ryuji Ikeda sending his son postcards, often with an excuse or a souvenir from the local port of call.
Anne Loiran (nee. Smith) – Mother – Kieran still lives with his mother even now. She has married another man but they are living in separate houses for now. Local seamstress.
Jack Loiran – Stepfather – Owns a tailoring business, tries to keep good with Kieran since ‘They are family after all’

Name: Maria Parazza
Age: 16
Nationality: Italian Canadian
Sex: Female
Academic Class: Junior
Campus Involvement: Yearbook
Living Situation: Off-campus house (30 minutes by TTC)
Major Arcana: The Empress
Persona: Vesta
Strong Element: Fire
Weak Element: Wind
Appearance: Taking more after her Italian father, Maria has olive-toned skin and dark brown hair, worn in a naturally curly bob. Her eyes are large and brown, most often accentuated by mascara (along with a little lipstick, this is the only makeup she wears). She has a plump figure, and stands at 5’2”.

Persona Appearance: Vesta appears as a fair woman in a golden chiton. She has flame-red hair and golden eyes, and carries a lit terracotta oil lamp.

Personality: Practical and responsible, Maria is used to being in charge. She’s not afraid to speak her mind if she thinks that people are acting stupid, and is always willing to give an opinion. Though she might come off as rigid to some, she is kind and caring at heart, acting as a second mother to her younger siblings (and anyone else who lets her).
She gets average grades in school, and plans to go to college for social work. In the back of her mind remains her childhood dream of travelling to Italy and opening a restaurant, but the practical side of her knows that it will never happen.
In her free time, she likes to cook. If a kitchen isn’t available, she’ll be reading. In fact, she hardly goes anywhere without a book.

Backstory: The eldest child of a Torontonian and an Italian immigrant from Naples, Maria grew up with a blend of both cultures. As a child, she spent a lot of time with her nonna in the kitchen, learning family recipes. With the deaths of both her nonna and mother in a car accident at the age of 10, Maria helped shoulder the responsibility of raising her 4 younger siblings.

Items, Possessions: A backpack with a variety of items, including a phone, mirror, makeup, sanitizing wipes, keys, candies, school supplies, and some books.
Relationships: Ciro Parazza (father), Adriana, Emma, Giovanni, and Flora Parazza (siblings)
Other info: Speaks Italian