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Use Gossip and place one clique member in one slot and then you can see their relationship in the other slot.

So me and Ninja teamed up and commissioned a pic from Mig showcasing Manchester and Sterett. Honestly one of her best works

1 Stress is equal to a +1 on whatever action/ability/spell/etc. you're making a roll for. A direct roll for, mind, not an indirect one like the Adventure action. Charm 2/Befriend 0 has a range of 0-4, add in 4 Stress bonus and it's a range of 4-8. Hence why it's useful for Befriend early on. Sheary's Help, when active (and you have to spend a turn to activate it, look for it among your Abilities), allows you to re-roll every roll once and take the higher result. It makes the bonus that attributes provide on rolls more reliable, since you're less likely to roll low numbers twice in a row than you are rolling low just once. The Gossip Action allows you to do that. It's a little messy, but select Gossip as an action, choose a target, and you'll see your target's relationship with every other student when you go to select a second target. Keep in mind, however, you only get that information if you're Informed of the first student.

1. Balanced, with priority given to your class-related attributes if you run low on background points. 2. I'd say no, put the point into Insight instead. Immediate libraries can be put to work, but they're mostly a luxury. Focus on studying in the Venalicium Library early on and you'll unlock them soon enough anyway. 3. Get your Clique together, unlock libraries if you didn't get the background, keep on schedule with your studies, and finish the tutorial part of Oan's adventure. Don't worry about not going on strings of grand adventures or spending a turn Resting every now and then because REs went badly, that's early game Academagia for you. Once you've got a few months of skill points and the odd extra attribute point under your belt you'll be ready for some adventures.

That, my friend, is still uncharted territory. I don't think it's really something to be discussed for the '39 release of the game, unless Legate has some special input...

Hey Schwarzbart I was the one who mentioned Tale of Wuxia a couple years back in another thread. Really glad you liked it! I've probably played through that game a dozen times. Unfortunately, as you noted, the pre-sequel is more of a typical RPG rather than a RPG/simulator hybrid like Tales of Wuxia was but it's still a fun game if you've played the first one. But still if you liked it you may be interested in the current game being worked on by that developer; like the pre-sequel I think this is more of a typical RPG but it also seems to have much more of an open world feel to it if that's your thing. The trailer was released a couple weeks ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvlVLS3NwQY While I highly recommend Tale of Wuxia I feel like I should warn you that the "official" translation was actually a community effort done with the devs approval and then uploaded to steam. What this means is that hundreds of people volunteered for it and as such the quality of the translation varies immensely. Some parts were done by people with an excellent grasp of both chinese and english while other parts are quite obviously google translated and barely edited. But if that doesn't bother you then go for it! There's currently a modding effort being done in the english community to improve the UI for the english version as well as to translate the free expansion which never got translated into english so hopefully we'll be getting more content for it soon. On another note it's funny that I haven't checked this thread in years but I've literally played every game mentioned. Birds of a feather flock together and all that Let me see if I can offer some more suggestions. -Choice of Games: Was mentioned back on page 1 but this company has really come a long way over the past couple years. Their games are also now available on the google play store, the apple app store, the amazon app store, and on PC through steam or you can play the games online directly through their website. Here's the full list for anyone who wants to check it out: https://www.choiceofgames.com/category/our-games/ And here's a few recommendations from me. -Choice of Rebels Uprising: My personal favorite, Choice of rebels is maybe the single best choose your own adventure novel I've ever played and I've played A TON of CYOA novels. It's incredibly in depth and if you wish to you also have the option of playing a mage character. You play as a rebel in a tyrannical magocracy ruled by nigh immortal blood wizards who've enslaved the populace. But if you wish it you can learn their blood magic and use it against them to lead your rebellion. Or don't, if you don't feel like it. The amount of options in this game are baffling. https://store.steampowered.com/app/748890/Choice_of_Rebels_Uprising/ -Psy High: Ok this one's definitely a bit more in line with Academagia so I need to throw it out there. Your a high school kid with psychic super powers at a super powered psychic high school. I can't really explain it any better than the official description. "Interactive teen supernatural mystery! You and your friends have developed magical psychic powers. Solve the case, save your school, find a date for prom!". https://store.steampowered.com/app/339510/Psy_High/ -Choice of Romance: Another one more in line with Academagia. You're not a teenager in this one but instead a young nobleman/or noblewoman who lives in medieval fantasy setting. In the country you live in all the nobles are mages so of course you can choose to have a magic focused character if you please. The plot involves you getting shipped off to the royal court by your family in an attempt to help you find a suitor or possibly increase your family's standing by playing court politics. https://store.steampowered.com/app/492370/Affairs_of_the_Court_Choice_of_Romance/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Winter Wolves: Was mentioned earlier in the thread but I don't think anyone linked any games. Winter Wolves is a small indie company that makes very high quality games. His games tend to be a mix visual novels/RPGs or visual novels/simulation. My personal favorite are his visual novel/rpg hybrid games set in Aravorn, his own medieval fantasy setting. Gonna forewarn you now but I'm a huge fanboy of all of the games Winter Wolves makes. Here's the home page if you want to browse the full collection: https://www.winterwolves.com/ And here's a list of games set in the Aravorn setting: -Loren The Amazon Princess: Visual Novel/RPG. The first game made in his Aravorn series, anyone whose played those old Bioware table top inspired PC RPGs will enjoy this series. A long fantasy epic with the option to play as male or female with multiple romances for both genders and sexualities, a large cast, different endings based on your choices and relationships, and turn based battles. As you'd expect from an epic fantasy game it involves saving the world from an ancient evil. Also comes with the free expansion pack Castle of N'Mar. This game also won several awards for an indie game. https://www.winterwolves.com/lorenamazonprincess.htm -Tales of Aravorn - Seasons of the Wolf: Visual Novel/RPG. A spiritual successor of sorts to Loren so it's recommended to play that first. Also set in Aravorn and after Loren although not directly related to the story of that game. Like Loren it's a long fantasy RPG with the option to play as male or female with multiple romances for both genders and sexualities, a large cast, different endings based on your choices and relationships, and turn based battles. Unlike Loren which has a more "epic" plot Seasons of the Wolf instead has a more down to earth and focused plot; you're not heroes trying to save the world, but just two elf siblings who were captured by slavers and are just trying to get back home half the world away. It uses an improved version of the game mechanics of Loren since it came afterwards. Also has an expansion called "Bad Blood" that needs to be purchased in addition. Game: https://www.winterwolves.com/seasonsofthewolf.htm + Expansion: https://www.winterwolves.com/SOTWbadblood.htm -Cursed Lands: Visual Novel/RPG. The newest game in the Aravorn setting that just came out a couple weeks ago. This one is a direct prequel to Loren the Amazon Princess so it's necessary you play that game first; and personally I'd also recommend playing SotW before this one as well. Uses the same game mechanics as Loren and SotW but even further improved. Like the previous two games this is a long fantasy RPG where you can play as male or female, features a large cast with several romance options for both genders and sexualities, different possible endings based on your choices and relationships, and turn based battles. I actually haven't played this one yet but I'm expecting it to be amazing just like the previous two games. https://www.winterwolves.com/cursedlands.htm -Queen of Thieves: Visual Novel/RPG(lite)/Dating Simulator. A spin off game in the Aravorn setting. Unlike the main titles which are lengthy RPG games this one is actually a dating sim set in a single city and its surrounding environs that exists in the Aravorn setting. It also has some lite RPG aspects like turn based combat, equipment & loot, skill trees, etc. but it's toned down in comparison to the main Aravorn titles above. As well as some thievery themed mini-games. In this game you simultaneously play as three sisters, all renowned thieves, who are the daughters of a legendary female thief called the Queen of Thieves who vanished when they were children. Romance options include both straight and lesbian love interests for all of the sisters. https://www.winterwolves.com/queenofthieves.htm -Amber's Magic Shop: Visual Novel/Dating Simulator/Shop Builder Simulator. The only Aravorn game that doesn't feature RPG features like combat. Like Queen of Thieves this is a dating simulator set inside a single city in the Aravorn setting as well as its surrounding environs. It doesn't have combat but it does have a neat crafting system which you use to manage and stock your very own magic shop. There are still some RPG aspects in the form of quests that require you to utilize the crafting system to craft very specific items and fill requests. In this game you play as a young dark elf woman named Amber; she's an aspiring alchemist and has moved to a large city to try and start a successful business. Romance options include both straight and lesbian love interests. And that's it for the Aravorn titles. Keep in mind he has a bunch of great games outside of Aravorn, I just personally am a huge fan of medieval fantasy RPG and simulator games. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Hanako Games: Ok I don't think I need to explain her games since she was in the thread earlier and all . Suffice to say, all her games are QUALITY. My personal favorites are Magical Diary, Long Live the Queen, and Black Closet, but really they're all great. To anyone who has played her games before but not for awhile go check out the website! She's had some great releases recently. If anyone wants more in depth rundowns on her games just let me know I've played almost all of them. https://www.hanakogames.com/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Speaking of Visual Novel/Stat raising simulators there's been a few releases on steam the past couple of years. To anyone not familiar with this genre they usually involve you mentoring a young girl(s) in order for her to grow up and become a successful adult and use a combination of visual novel storytelling combined with RPG like stat raising and schedule management simulation They tend to include various romance options for your "daughter" as well as multiple different endings based on your choices and her stats. To anyone whose played the amazing Long Live the Queen from Hanako games that would also fall into this category. -Littlewitch Romanesque - Editio Regia: Princess Maker was mentioned earlier in the thread so I think this deserves a mention. It's more of a visual novel in comparison to that series but it also features some simulation aspects such as stat-raising and mini-games to influence said simulation aspects. You play as a powerful reclusive wizard who's been tasked with mentoring two very talented but naive young witches. Raise their stats through mini-games and managing their schedules and lessons, send them on quests etc. https://store.steampowered.com/app/349300/Littlewitch_Romanesque_Editio_Regia/ -Princess Maker series: Way back in 2011 someone mentioned in this thread that Princess Maker 5 was being fan translated. Well that fan translation got picked up and made official and was released last week on steam. Over the past few years the developer has been trying to get the entire series translated and released on steam -Princess Maker Refine: An updated verson of the original game from 1991. https://store.steampowered.com/app/583040/Princess_Maker_Refine/ -Princess Maker 2 Refine: An updated version of the second game from 1993. This one has stayed a fan favorite despite its age. https://store.steampowered.com/app/523000/Princess_Maker_2_Refine/ -Princess Maker 3 - Fairy Tales Come True: Third title in the series. Originally released on playstation in 1997. I haven't actually played this one so I can't really comment on it but the general consensus among fans is that 2 was the better game. https://store.steampowered.com/app/650110/Princess_Maker_3_Fairy_Tales_Come_True/ -Princess Maker 5: The latest game in the franchise from 2007. If the other games in the series feel to dated for you this one is your best bet. I haven't played this one yet but the game was very well received on launch. In comparison to previous titles it's noted for being a much longer game. Some people liked that aspect while others didn't; it's up to you to decide. https://store.steampowered.com/app/724250/Princess_Maker_5/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Stardew Valley: I wouldn't really consider this one similar to Academagia but Harvest Moon was mentioned earlier so I think this deserves a mention. Obviously inspired by Harvest Moon and the genre that spun off of that this game is a combination of a farming sim and a dating sim. It also features some very RPG lite features like a bare bones action combat system. Start a farm, cultivate your land, harvest your crops, raise livestock, expand your farm with more buildings, explore the neighboring town and meet its extensively well written denizens. Find love and have a baby etc. I feel like much doesn't need to be said about this game since it's one of the best selling indie games of all time I'd be really surprised if anyone here hadn't heard of it. https://store.steampowered.com/app/413150/Stardew_Valley/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- And that's it for now. I've actually got a lot more to recommend but it's 2 AM and I've got class in the morning . I've got a whole list of games inspired by or similar to King of Dragon Pass as well as some very well written english visual novels for people who really liked the storytelling aspect of Academagia so I'll try to list those tomorrow when I'm free.

A classic one. An RAF pilot goes to a primary school to talk about what it was like during the war. At one point he starts talking about one sortie he went out on. "There was me and my wingman, just flying over the cliffs of Dover, when all of a sudden two Fokkers jumped us and I had to break off." Theres some snickering as he continues on. "Fortubately my squadron leader was able to come to our help just as another three Fokkers engaged us." The snickering continues until the teacher speaks up. "Children, please. Stop snickering. The Fokker was the name of a German plane." The pilot looks at her and says: "Yeah but these Fokkers were in Messerschmidts."

Thank you for the post and the insights Rhialto. I don't think that I have ever paid much attention to the exact event that you describe, but it does ring a bell, even after... 2 or so years now. That said I am very happy to hear that a game I remember with such fondness manages to be as inclusive as you describe it. It warms my heart, both at the depth of the game, as we all seem to find small nuggets of gold, but also at your enjoyment of it, so thank you for sharing your thoughts!

I have cerebral palsy,. meaning that since birth I have been unable to walk. I have used a series of wheelchairs since I was around 4 years old. There are many reasons why I like Academagia (including its use of real Latin and its intricate setting and many possible play styles - often focused on developing truly intelligent rather than action-oriented heroes). There are also some reasons why the game may be criticized by others (its treatment of race has attracted some controversy about which I feel unqualified to say much - ditto its treatment of non-heterosexual love, especially before the four newest students were added in). But I am here to write about another aspect that I feel compelled to praise, but has not been mentioned as far as I know: its treatment of physical disabilities of the sort that I have that prevent the person from being able to walk. That is one of many reasons why I like Academagia - it is one of the few pieces of media I know about in which a character who cannot walk (minor, but still a character) exists but is not patronized. She is not treated as a tragic figure because she cannot walk, nor is her inability to walk treated as something that requires a tragic backstory (accident of some sort, terrible crime, etc.). Rather, she is presented as a character with interests that have nothing to do with her disability nor emphasize the mind over the (defective) body (building portable shrines) who happens to require assistance to travel where others would walk. Even her accident in which the player character gets involved is not one that could only befall a person who cannot walk - she trips and drops the portable shrine that she is carrying. I can certainly sympathize with this character's atrophied leg muscles, and would, but for the burden upon the animal, think that being carried by a gorilla is better than using a wheelchair. For this reason I was relieved to learn that the character was not forced to be carried by a gorilla due to lack of wheelchairs but chose it as a way to build the familiar bond. As a player, this otherwise minor incident - which need not even be encountered, as a random event - provides a fascinating perspective into the redemptive power of the most repulsive pillar of magic - mastery. Mastery is established as not merely being about affecting minds, but also as being about affecting brains. In game, this is represented as being able to cause severe strokes to people. However, there seems little reason why more carefully researched, carefully used, mastery could not be used to heal brains - curing cerebral palsy and other brain-related physical disabilities of the sort that occur within this random event. I sincerely hope that a later game in this series involves in some way the use of mastery to cure brain damage - enhancing the game's message, as I see it, that any skill can be used for purposes as good or evil as the person using the skill. On a further note, this random event is one of many reasons why I look forward to Y2's read-back feature - it would allow the player to reread random events and gain better better understanding of how random events develop various characters and the setting.

Leningrad: How do you hide these under your uniform? Mahan: Can you please not? Leningrad: Not what? Mahan: You’re getting closer to me. Leningrad: I just need to find out if they’re fake or not. Mahan: What!? What do you mean by fa- Leningrad: Luckily I can feel the difference. Mahan: ...oh you better not- eep! Leningrad: Hmm. Interesting. Mahan: Interesting, yes, can you let go of me now? Leningrad: Oh come now Mahan. I’m good but not that good. I need to throughly test them. Mahan: Can you not? Leningrad: Oh, there’s Kongou. Let’s ask her opinion shall we? Mahan: I’m going to kill you. Leningrad: All the reason for me not to let go. Oh Kongou! Kongou: What...are you doing? Mahan: Can you tell Leningrad to please stop and let go of me-eep! Leningrad: I’m trying to tell if it’s just the bikini giving her this bust or if she’s had it all this time and if it is fake or not. Mahan: I can tell you that it is very much real, now can you let me go-ooo! Leningrad: Heh heh. It’s like a squeaky toy. Kongou: *sigh*

Belles in bikini's that I have commissioned Melisa with Mahan, Leningrad, and Kongou And from https://www.deviantart.com/cutesexyrobutts

For the Clique thing, I spam Befriend until they join up. Maybe burn a Stress Bonus if it proves necessary, that plus the Garden Gallery should be enough to make getting any second or third friend possible (so long as they're not in a Clique already, of course).

According to the Lore, Baron Midian is the son of Baron Midvis of Hattingdon, he was a spoiled child, but forced to do several apprenticeships in his youth, after his father's death, he became the baron of the province.

My priority for backgrounds are: - get each attribute to 2 (maybe with the exception of Insight if I know I can get war to 2 in the first week) - get Wealthy, after all in year 2 the wealth of your parents limit how much money you get every other week. - Secret Background / Academy of Thei (or is it Thai?) if I want Gate / Mastery magic - Apprenticeship Page because level 10 Favor from Professor can give skill max increases (because with this background you can get skill max increases with 3-4 actions the skill max increases in other backgrounds are nice but no longer that great) The remaining rest go to flavor

I suspect such devices don't have specific names, given that it never came up in Y1 (as far as I can remember). Legate'll have to confirm/deny, though.

Higher Charm, relationships and/or Befriend skill, but trying to recruit someone who's already in a Clique is pretty much a lost cause. Like I said, very high penalty.

@Schwarzbart: Your parents or grandparents are immigrants from a country far to the east. You have eyes that people in Mineta and the Empire of Man may consider strange (5 random student -1) Although your parents never talk to you about the country they came from, they taught you some basic skills with a game called wei-qi that is unknown to the other children whom you played with. (+ 1 Properties of Arithmetic, +1 Strategy, +1 Logic) Your parents also trained you in some combat techniques that seem unknown to the Empire of Man.(+1 Fitness, +1 Athletics, +1 Wrestling, +1 Wrestling Max)

You could do worse than befriending Zoe early and rushing study max bonuses. It's also possible to get Insects informed during Oan's tutorial, since there's an Insects investigation check that you can fail to get informed of the subskill, but whether you actually fail it is pure luck unless you save/load. The color-coding system for the Befriend Action is basically irrelevant, since Befriend has a bunch of extra modifiers that change the odds of success drastically. Such as your target already being in a Clique already, that's a very high penalty to your roll.

@waimaozi: Easiest way to learn about planning, without a doubt, is through studying zoology (because the insects subskill, when trained to a certain level, gives a bonus to planning and other things). If the character is not taking zoology, get the character's plot skill to 4. This unlocks the gamers' guild, which trains a character in, among other things, planning. The Mad Hill Obstacle Course, unlocked with a Striving Against the Foe subskill (Compete skill) of 2, increases acrobatics, among other things, through use.

If you're not planning on your great-grand children taking that char into Y2 than Pebbles is probably worth it, yes. At least I assume the whole Stress Minimum thing is still broken, otherwise definitely pick Pamela.

Pamela is quite weak compared to most. Though she is still a true Familiar, and has at least some potential. Mr. Pebbles is good for little else but screwing things up and providing comic relief.

In absence of any ability to actually test it ingame, I'd say yes, the perk seems to be correctly coded.

I recall there having been some discussion before on whether CoS% actually works for abilities like Run a Potentially Crippling Training Route, but I don't recall the conclusion. Either way the only way to make those abilities more likely to succeed is stacking CoS%, unless that doesn't work, in which case there's no way to reasonably change them. +10% CoD is not even remotely worth 1 point of Charm, unless you know what you're doing. It's not impossible to overcome, as Rhialto pointed out, but you'd really want to beeline those reductions ASAP and that's not something I'd recommend for a beginner.

@waimaozi: For a useful guide to how to maximize percentile based chance of success roles, including use of the Run Potentially Crippling Route, see , where I and @Metis hash out issues. Basically, the best ways to rig such an activity's odds in your favour are to play as an Aranaz or Avila student. Since Avila's core subject includes (through ways to maximize the Numerology subskill), a bonus to fitness, this may be the better college, especially if your character can somehow discover the Heraldry subskill Honor of Mallen Field and train it up a few levels (or to maximum) - this is possible. As for the sky pirates background, it best works with characters with high charm and charm-based classes (rhetoric/glamour). There are ways (temporary and permanent) to reduce the chance of discovery rate - see: https://academagia.wikia.com/wiki/Chance_of_Discovery

Usefulness, definitely. If you have a 2 in a class' related attribute to start with you should be fine taking that class. Maybe you'll have to do some extra studying on the side if one or two subskills are particularly hard, but that's nothing you probably wouldn't have to do even if you had a 3 or 4 in the class' attribute anyway. As much as you want to take into consideration, really. If you want to limit yourself to making friends with classmates in your college, you can. If you want to nab only the ones with the best Clique abilities and ignore everything else, that's also doable. Harder, but doable. If you want to have no friends at all, also possible, though not something I'd recommend, especially for a beginner. For a first playthrough, I'd say grab one or two people from your own college. Don't worry about their Clique Ability or skills, just read the description of your college mates and nab whoever you think you'd hang out with. There's students with Clique abilities that can completely change the way one plays the game (hi there Zoe ), but it's better to learn how to play the game normally before trying a playthrough where you do something like skip the Venalicium.

@waimaozi: I prefer to use the unlocked libraries backgrounds because it means that characters can use them without getting into trouble. Furthermore, when playing as a character who is taking Revision, access to the Library of Mantele from the very beginning makes it easier to justify studying non-class skills from the beginning because one is guaranteed increase in a class-related revision subskill.

This is all about propaganda and information control. Much like when we discussed "The Jewish Question" for a Kriegsmarine captain or Belle. Sure you could lock the captain up and dry dock the Belle. Which is ill advised, especially for the Japanese who are NECK deep in the shit during the Morgana war. Everyone else is gonna be facing issues. The Brits and the Japanese are facing existential crises. There is nowhere on either island to run. Precious few places to hide. They either put every gun to sea they can and win there... or they die at home. Plus, putting an "undesirable" captain to sea, doing something useful, is out of sight, out of mind. They don't have to name the real captain in press releases after all. There's other options as well. Hitler hand waved the whole race issue for an entire nation, the military government and the Emperor can manage it for one or two individuals. So it'd be a clusterfuck but it's something they can work with, and they have every motivation to do so.

To quote the ability description of Grapple for the Crowds: So, yes, it does require passing a roll.

I find that using Charm in Prose (ability unlocked with 10 Grammar), is an easy way to improve relationships for low charm characters who have at least some skill in Befriend.

Here is another comic I had done by Meliisa And a chibi Mahan by https://www.deviantart.com/kuraudia-nunyesu/art/PCM-Mahan-755768072 New Orleans art by https://www.deviantart.com/jcorbari spoilered due to lewdness

I wouldn’t say unsure. She’s certainly reserved, and somewhat concerned with mancester’s Behavior. She’s much more straight-laced, as it were. I’d recommend reading the story to make your judgements on her personality yourself.

You would be correct in that guess. Sterett is from my fic (shameless plug incoming) An Enterprising Captain which you can read in the Fanfiction area of this forum.

1. Yes, I assume they do. 2. Sources that add blanket CoS% (and theoretical sources that apply to something which includes the Adventure Action) do apply to all rolls made during adventures. Sources that do not include the Adventure Action do not, even if they logically should (I.E, casting a spell during an adventure does not benefit from +CoS% at casting spells). 3. No and no, see above. 4. Insofar that you'd have an X% chance to auto-pass any given roll during an adventure, sure. Personally I think that Cleanse and Remake spam + a source of Re-Roll (Sheary Warrington's Clique ability, Creative Approach or Seven Favors) would be a better way to make adventures easier, or failing that, an Avila character with Disorder the Heavens (Spell). Incidentally, did you forget about backgrounds? The Comet and Shattered Mirrors both add a blanket +1 CoS%...and how does 2+1+3+1=6, now that I look at it?

Hero - U is kind of similar as well as it play at a school where you take class and have to decide what you spend your time on. But personal I think that it took a turn to the worse when they decided that nearly every action including walking around eat away your time resource. https://store.steampowered.com/app/375440/HeroU_Rogue_to_Redemption/

I think that Academagia fans might be quite interested in a new game called Golden Treasure. It's just like Academagia; a growing-up time-management story sim, and it was actually partially inspired by Academagia. The twist is that you're a dragon. It's not out yet, but there's a free playable demo with hours of content: http://www.dreamingdoor.net/gtdemo/download/ Let me know if you play it. I'm interested in people's reactions.

A surprising number of people in Europe seem to know this one: What is heaven? What is hell?

Hitler wasn't all bad. At least he killed Hitler.

It has been suggested and approved that as the number of writers on this forum grow, there should be a place to compile their works so nobody gets lost or left behind. Such a compilation would also be useful for quickly finding any story on the site. So, here you go, a collection of the stories so far written, and a short summary of each. Unfortunately I was only able to include stories, not song parodies and other writing snippets for conciseness and uniformity. If there are any stories that I have missed, or any new ones get written, please notify me via PM so that I may add them to the list. If any writers would like to update the description of their stories, they may also PM me with details. The Improbable Captain DrYuriMom A free spirited lady gets chosen as the captain of a belle while on a tiger cruise. Can she take the reigns and defend the innocent families of so many sailors from the Morganas? Iron Fish Fallschirmjager A U-boat manifests a belle as the war begins, with an enemy right off the bow! A Bittersweet Symphony - The Tale of Manchester and Captain Falshaw Wellington99 Old wounds reopen for a weary veteran of The Great War as he gets pulled into an unfamiliar battlefield on the high seas. Ruhm und Ehre - Eine Geschichte von einem Kapitän und ihrer Belle Nel Celestine A loyal Kriegsmarine captain learns to work together with a proud and uncouth belle. Gipsy Soul TwoHeavens A tale of two lost ships in an unlikely partnership. The Return of the Iron Dog Scootia The crew of an unfortunate British corvette finds themselves an unlikely new ship. Ninjapacman's One-Shots Ninjapacman A collection of short one-chapter stories. So far there is only one. Hopefully he'll get off his ass and write more. An Enterprising Captain Ninjapacman The veteran crew of a destroyer find themselves on an important mission in the South Pacific. Rote Erde, blaues Wasser Käpt'n Korky An independent Kapitän reunites with his crew to begin Service with the INPF.

This is the first in a series of one-shots I had planned. It may be a while until I get around to the next, as I may or may not have a more in depth project that I am thinking of.

The Improbable Captain Chapter Two: Pensacola To the east of Hawaii August 31, 1939, 8pm Hawaii Time (evening twilight) It’s a little known fact that there is no railing along the maintop of the USS Pensacola. There’s only a single coffee-toned rope which serves more for ornamentation than actually preventing a girl from plunging to her injury or death on the cold, gray-painted steel plates below. It hadn’t been my intention to personally demonstrate this inconvenient truth, but then again it hadn’t been my plan to be one of the first captains to meet a Belle either. I remember the voice. It was lovely, reminiscent of angels laughing; the most beautiful tone to grace my ears in thirty five years on this Earth. I remember turning to face it even as I jumped back in surprise from the unexpected sound. I remember tripping over the sheet and being flipped upside down by my momentum. I remember falling head first and wondering how the crew was going to explain to Doug why they let me get my fool ass killed when I was supposed to be holed up in my berth. What I don’t remember is hitting bottom. Instead I found myself in a woman’s strong arms, looking up into the loveliest eyes I’d ever seen, deep ginger pools which made my soul sing. A smooth face the color of the rich flesh of my beloved redwood trees, unblemished by nature or cosmetics, framed those magnificent orbs. Raven-black hair caressed her round cheeks and luscious full lips as each ebony strand cascaded down behind her shoulders, held back by what appeared to be leather straps and feathers. “Wh…who are you?” I asked the apparition above me. I was only vaguely aware of anxious hollering from above. I couldn’t break my attention from this woman’s eyes. I visited Paris once with my daddy as a little girl. This woman’s smile belonged on the paintings adorning The Louvre. A smile fit for Aphrodite or Helen. “I’m Pensacola.” The smile turned to a frown. “And you’re in danger, Captain, as are all the humans on this and the other ships.” She kept talking even as she gently set me down to stand again, now atop the third turret of the cruiser. The action served to break the spell, somewhat at least, which had frozen my mind in that first instant falling into those delightful eyes. “Introductions later. We have only moments left before Desolation opens fire. Your orders, Ma’am?” “Captain?” I parroted dumbly in my confusion and wonder. My stupor was broken by the bright flash and thunderous sound of explosions to my left. I turned by reflex to confront a sight that still fills my nightmares. The USS Downes, her superstructure ablaze aft of her second smokestack as splintered steel flew in all directions from the gaping hole which had been her boathouse moments earlier. Orange and red flames roiled and licked the sky, blending with the green mist to form a perverse yellow halo above the inferno engulfing the stern of the hapless ship. Once again I owed my life to this strange girl who, quick as a thought, interposed her body between mine and the carnage, preventing with only her lithe form a piece of jagged shrapnel as big as my leg cutting me in half. By rights the scorched, glowing-hot metal should have torn us both to shreds, but she knocked it aside as if it were a twig leaving only a resounding “ping” hanging in the air. “What…what are you?” It was all too much to take in, yet the events demanded I break out of my confusion and take charge of myself even if nothing around me made sense. I didn’t even know where to start. “I’m a Belle,” the girl said tersely, clearly exasperated with me. “I’m the spirit of this ship and the yat'siminoli made manifest. You’re my captain. And THAT,” she added, pointing with her left hand to emphasize the discoloration in the distance beyond the Downes which was quickly taking the form of another warship, “is going to be the death of all of us if YOU,” now her right index finger poked straight into my chest pressing my brassiere against the skin between my twin peaks, “do not get your act together.” After the barest moment she added, “Sir.” Those eyes which had been so affectionate…even loving…moments before now bore into me, demanding action. Looking away from this impossible woman, my eyes fixed on the approaching warship silhouetted now by the angry glow of the burning Downes, which already was falling behind, as much as by the fading light of the waning sunset. It had all happened in seconds, and the men around me were only now starting to respond to the events. I can’t say how I knew, but at that moment it all clicked. The emotions I’d felt from the bulkheads. The reassurance I felt when facing the mist despite the pervasive dread all around me. Looking once again into Pensacola’s eyes, pupils glowing in the dancing light of the flaming destroyer just astern of us, somehow I knew…something. I had no words for it but it would have to suffice. There was no time. The rest would come later. “Can you, um, carry me to the conning tower, Pensacola?” I asked with what must have been the silliest, most sheepish smile ever. “I…uh…don’t know how to get down from here.” /*/ It may have hurt my pride being carried around like a child in the slim arms of a girl who looked maybe two-thirds my age at best, but she was right that moments counted. In the time it took us to make our way to the base of the conning tower, another shell had hit our little task force. This uncomfortably close round blasted one of Pensacola’s own seaplanes to sizzling bits but, miraculously, caused little additional damage. “It’ll take more than a hit from a Morgana pea-shooter to faze me, Captain,” had been her curt response when I expressed my concern at the impact. “Still we lost two good men to that hit. And that useless imbecile of a ranking officer your Navy saddled me with is going to get the rest killed in short order if you don’t muzzle him.” Those beautiful eyes were now smoldering with rage. “This Desolation is aiming for us, isn’t it, Pensacola?” I asked the question as the apparition’s slim arms deposited me on the deck just inside the conning tower hatch. Men looked at us in stunned wonder as together we made our way briskly up ladders and down corridors toward the navigation bridge. I did my best to smile encouragingly to every man I came across, and noticed when I glanced back that Pensacola was doing the same. It may have been my imagination, but it seemed the men stood straighter and moved more determinedly after we passed them. “Yes, Ma’am, she is aiming for us. The Downes was just in the way.” The venom in those words was palpable. “And she’s just playing with us or those would be armor piercing and not high explosive shells right now.” “Pensacola, can you increase the speed of the ship yourself? Without the crew doing it?” She grinned like a kid told she could have whatever she wanted in a candy store. “I can to the extent that I have steam available.” “How fast?” “Maybe twenty-two knots.” “And what are we doing now?” “Twelve.” “Do it,” I gave my first order to Pensacola as I tried to visualize the actors in the game on a map in my head. “Put distance between us and the destroyers but also try and draw this Desolation away from them, so turn 30 degrees to port as soon as we clear Cassin and then slowly arc to 45 degrees as we put more distance between us and the destroyers.” “That bastard on my bridge won’t like it, but I’m happy to oblige, Ma’am.” “Can you fire your guns?” “I could if they were loaded, but I need the crew to load them.” “Torpedoes?” “Same, I’m afraid. My launchers are empty and secured. What armaments I have are stowed in the magazines. But be warned, I don’t have much on board since your Navy didn’t think I needed anything for a simple cruise from California to Hawaii. In any case, I need human beings to load them before I can use them.” “Then we need to persuade the crew to our cause.” “Isn’t that your strong suit, Captain?” Once again, affection entered Pensacola’s smile. “I suppose,” I grimaced, letting my doubt show. “But I’m generally not trying to persuade people while ducking high explosive shells.” “Well, here’s your chance to expand your repertoire, Ma’am,” Pensacola exhorted me with optimism I didn’t feel just as we reached our destination. The bridge. All that stood between me and destiny was a steel door. “Don’t they shoot mutineers?” I asked the door, knowing now that wherever I faced in the hallway I was still directing the question at Pensacola. Pensacola, the girl, just shrugged silently but the gleam in her eye shone brighter. “Well,” I sighed, “I know several Democrats who will be happy to join the firing squad. Shouldn’t keep them waiting…” /*/ “Downes reports they can still make eight knots and that most of the fires are out near machinery or the magazines.” “The good news is that we’re fitted for a Tiger Cruise, so the magazines were mostly empty anyway,” a voice very familiar to me responded to the crewman who had spotted the blinkers from the wounded ship. “The bad news,” my husband added in a decidedly sourer note, “is that we’re fitted for a Tiger Cruise and our magazines are mostly empty.” “They still have their torpedoes, Commander!” a gravelly voice I found much less appealing boomed in response. “We’re up against an enemy we know nothing about that has opened fire without provocation. We can’t get any signals out of this mist, it seems. It’s imperative that the Pensacola get the word out. Like I said before, we’ll order the Cassin and Downes to commence torpedo runs against the enemy so we can escape the fog to get the word out.” “Captain, you saw what one shot did to the Downes. It’s suicide! There are families on those ships!” “Mr Stirling,” Captain Miller’s face was red and his engorged nose looked like it might explode, “your continued insubordination is noted. Either follow my orders or get off my bridge! And helm, why the Hell are we increasing speed and turning about! I gave no such orders.” The poor helmsman looked about in tears as he tried to get the ship to do his bidding. “But sir…she won’t respond!” They talk about the “heat of the moment.” I could feel the burning hatred from Pensacola toward the man giving orders as a palpable force. By now, my presence had been recognised by my husband, and I could sense his own desire to flatten his Captain warring with duty and his confusion as to why the Hell I was on the bridge. In fact, others were noting my presence too. An awkward silence filled the room. I suppose there’s a reason I went into politics. “Captain Miller,” I spoke as evenly as possible, “you’re an ass. Speaking for the families on all the ships and for Pensacola herself,” my eyes darted to my left to see the elegant brown-skinned woman nod, “I order you off the bridge. Pensacola, muzzle the blowhard. Try not to injure him…too much.” “Yes Ma’am!” The girl looked so frail, but after being saved by her twice and carted across the ship in her arms, I knew she was much more than she appeared. In a moment she stood before Captain Miller. “Please resist,” she grinned dangerously. “Dory, what is the meaning of this? Who is…” My husband’s words were cut off as Captain Miller resisted. “Ooof…” the older man groaned and doubled over on the floor after a quick punch in the gut. “Pensacola!” “Oh, he’ll be fine,” the girl assured me cheerfully. “I’ve wanted to do that ever since the little prick walked on board. And for the record, he does have a little…” “Pensacola!” “But he does!” And this is helping me gain the confidence of the crew how? “Dory! What the Hell is going on here!” “Doug, I don’t have time to explain. That thing out there, it’s called Desolation and it has a lot more firepower than anything you’ve dealt with. This here,” I indicated the young Native girl standing over the Captain who remained in fetal position, “is Pensacola. Yes, Pensacola. Doug, just trust me. She’s this ship given form. I watched her bat aside flying shrapnel like it was a cheerleader’s baton. And she’s the reason why the helm won’t respond. I’ve given her orders to draw Desolation out away from the destroyers. They’re helpless, but with Pensacola we have a fighting chance.” My husband looked back and forth between me, Pensacola, and his captain who was just now beginning to unfold himself and try to rise. I knew the look on my lover’s face – duty conflicting with what he knew was right. You want to believe me, I can see it. It’s now or never, dear. “Pensacola, finish the turn to 45 degrees as we discussed.” “Yes ma’am,” the girl responded and I could feel the ship heave over again. “She’s nowhere near the helm and yet she can steer the ship, Doug. She’s a little slip of a thing and yet she just sucker punched the blowhard. Either believe me or get out of our way. I’m assuming command of Pensacola and I don’t care what Navy regs say about it. We’re not sacrificing families just because someone isn’t ready to die yet.” I glanced down at the captain as he pushed himself off the floor and scowled. I looked around the bridge, making eye contact with every man there. “Pensacola needs the help of each and every one of you to build up full steam and to load the turrets and torpedo tubes. And Doug,” I looked the man I married straight in the eye as I continued; “I need your expertise. Pensacola can’t do it without the crew. I can’t do it without you. Support me and we’ll get the civilians out of here safely. Support him,” I indicated with my head toward the now standing man with four wide stripes on his cuff, “and women and children die.”