Archive of Our Own ^beta

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Hey there!

So I’ve got RPG!AU stuff collecting dust in my Notes App & thought I’d post them here to give writers, fan-artists, role-players, game-devs & animators inspo? Lol, this will probably turn into an unorganized & incomprehensible mess, but I hope y’all will at least find this interesting or entertaining? I’ll do my best to give credit where credit’s due since nothing here is 100% original & provide links to the stuff I mention throughout. Most of them are gonna be links to fandom wikis, but they’re just summaries of the episodes/chapters I reference, so if you can, I recommend finding some way to read/listen/watch them to better understand what I’m going for.

Artwork by Lowah 

Now, to elaborate on what I wrote in the summary, My Hero Fantasia, or MHF for short, is loosely based on one of the EDs, an extra LN chapter & two of Horikoshi’s colour spreads. Obviously, this kind of AU & the tropes I use here are nothing new, but I don’t care because this is 100% self-indulgent & I’m not here to reinvent the wheel. That also applies to the endgame ships because MHF is gonna be BKDK-centric as I personally find Kacchan & Deku easier to write. Also, I like their contrasting dynamic & have different plans for the other characters that I’ll explain in a later chapter. So to get this outta the way & let anti’s who didn’t check the tags see themselves out, here are ALL THE OTHER SHIPS (endgame & established) I have in mind thus far:

• Shoto x Momo 
• Kirishima x Ashido
• Kaminari x Jirou
• Tokoyami x Shoji
• Iida x Hatsume
• Established Ochako x Tsuyu
• Established Ojiro x Hagakure
• Established Mirio x Tamaki x Nejire
• Established Eraser Head x Present Mic
• Established Recovery Girl x Gran Torino

Moving onto content warnings, I’ve thought about delving deeper into more serious topics like slavery, discrimination & abuse, but I’ve decided against it because:

1. It’s not the tone I’m aiming for in this AU.
2. I'm not qualified or skilled enough to write about those things.
3. I prefer reading over writing that stuff myself.

That isn’t to say I’ll ignore those topics all together because I think those things would still exist in their world, but I’m not gonna go into gory detail about it. It’ll make more sense when I go into the plot points & story arc ideas I have, but I thought I’d still mention it now to warn y’all a bit in advance.

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MAGIC SYSTEM NOTES:

— Mana can be found everywhere like energy particles in the real world.

— Age + Race determines a person’s Mana Capacity (how much they can store inside their body) & Mana Tolerance (how well their bodies can handle the Mana)

— The inability to store Mana internally + low Mana tolerance = Quirklessness

— Tolerance & capacity can be increased naturally through training or artificially through body modifications.

— The magic system goes by D&D logic (kinda):

• All spells consume Mana, but it can be replenished by resting or consuming certain foods, potions & concoctions.
• Spells are ranked from Levels 1-10; this is determined by the casting time, range, effects duration & activation requirements.
• Spells that use external sources (e.g. alchemic materials, spellbooks, wands, quarter staves, etc.) have a finite number of uses & require thorough understanding to use properly.

— Enchanted weapons, scrolls & tomes can offset the amount of Mana needed to cast it.

THE REALM OF SUMWHERE

Map edit is by yours truly. :)

KEY LOCATIONS

MUSUTAFU (結田府)

Visual Ref: Mondstadt , Vasselheim & Jura Tempest Federation

— History:

• Stole the name straight from canon.
• Originally started off as an outpost founded by retired human adventurers.
• Well known for their diverse districts, commerce & modern infrastructure.

— Demographic:

• Mainly consists of humans due to the lower Mana concentration there.
• Other races immigrate here for better business opportunities.

— Points of Interest: 

• Yuuei Adventurers’ Guild Building: Class 1-A & 1-B’s base of operations.
• The Dancing Tadpole: The nearest inn & tavern to the adventurers’ guild building. It’s owned by Tsuyu’s family, but currently being managed by Midnight.
• Power Loader’s Smithy: A blacksmith workshop where Hatsume works. Main place for Yuuei’s weapons, armour, upgrades & repairs.
• The Challenger’s Coliseum: The main venue for tournaments & competitions during All Might’s Day. (Additional Visual Refs: Victory Pit & Arena Ferox)
• Seijin Temple: A ninja school where Ojiro & Hagakure trained at. Moonlights as a shrine during the day.
• Shie Ward: The red light district in Musutafu; It’s the location for The Eight Precepts’ base of operations. (Additional Visual Refs: Cyrkensia, Wall Market & Traverse Town)
• Hosu Ward: The commercial district in Musutafu; The hometown of Eraser Head, Present Mic, Jiro, Kaminari, Ojiro, Hagakure & Shinso. (Additional Visual Refs: Weh'le & Liyue Harbor)
• Musutafu Magic Academy: A magic school where Uraraka & Hado graduated.
• Ketsubutsu Adventurers’ Guild Building: Shindo & crew’s base of operations.
• Isamu Adventurers’ Guild Building: The students from Isamu Academy’s base of operations.

— Traditions:

• The Vernal Equinox Carnival: An event that occurs near the beginning of spring; Inspirations include a Japanese holiday with the same name, Cirque du Soleil, Bunny Day & Hatching-tide.
• All Might’s Day: A holiday commemorating the legendary hero, All Might; Activities done around this time include firework shows & exhibition games. Inspirations include The Grand Magic Games, Day of Challenging & The Olympics.
• The Fall Masquerade: An event where people wear costumes & basically do activities you would do during Halloween; Inspirations include Masquerade Balls, Shibuya Crossing Costume Parties & All Saints' Wake.
• The Winter Solstice Banquet: Basically this world’s version of Christmas. Inspirations include Winter’s Crest, Feast of Winter Veil & Starlight Celebration.

MAJUU FOREST (魔獣森):

Visual Refs: Sunleth Waterscape, Korok Forest & Ancient Forest

— History:

• Stole this name straight from canon for the Forest Training Camp.
• The ancestral land of the Gnomes, Dwarves, Firbolgs & Halflings.
• Any attempts to settle there ended poorly, so most factions agreed to use it as a hunting ground rather than a settlement.

— Demographic:

• Home to rare fauna & creatures due to the high concentrations of Mana there.
• Gran Torino, Recovery Girl & Koda’s birthplace.

— Points of Interest:

• The Chimera’s Den: The main location where Deku & crew do their monster bounty.
• The Quiet Druid’s Hovel: Koda’s original home within the forest.

— Traditions:

• Yuuei Adventurers’ Guild Membership Trial: When adventurers want to join the guild, they must take a test. Said test involves completing a bounty for a monster from Majuu Forest within 3 days.

MIKUMO VILLAGE (海雲村): 

Visual Refs: Okino Residence, The Shire & Hateno Village

— History:

• The name is an homage to Prototype Deku’s name.
• Founded by former residents of the Majuu Forest.
• Known for their herbs, medicine & guides for hire (called the Pathfinders).

— Demographic:

• Considered neutral territory & a sanctuary due to it’s multi-cultural history.
• All Might, Masaru, Uraraka & Deku’s birthplace.

— Points of Interest:

• Kiyashi Plaza: The commercial area of Mikumo Village.
• All Might Monument: A statue built in memory of the legendary hero, All Might.
• Midoriya's Abode: Deku’s childhood home.

— Traditions:

• The Pathfinder’s Apprenticeship: The quest people must do in order to become a Pathfinder, which involves studying & working under a veteran until they’re deemed capable of guiding people through Majuu Forest on their own.

GOUSHIN DOMAIN (郷心領土):

Visual Refs: Dragonstone, Orgrimmar & Muspell

— History:

• The name is a mix of Prototype Kacchan’s surname (轟郷) & hero name (爆心地).
• The ancestral land of the Shifters, but they were hunted to near extinction by Humans for their body parts.
• Known for their elite squad of warriors (called the Drakewardens), handcrafted jewelry & enchanted weapons forged by dragons.
• Bakugou’s family came into power because they were the ones who took the land back from the Humans & are the last known surviving lineage of Shifters.
• Have a symbiotic relationship with the dragons, building around a volcano to accommodate them.

— Demographic:

• The population mainly consists of Orcs & Beastfolk (e.g. Aarakocra, Dragonborn, Leonin, etc.)
• Humans do peacefully coexist there, but they aren’t as welcomed as those with less common lineages (e.g. Tieflings, Satyrs, Changelings, etc.) or have dual lineages (e.g. Half-Elves, Half-Orcs, Simic Hybrids, etc.).
• Mitsuki, Kacchan, Kirishima, Ashido & Sato’s hometown.

— Points of Interest:

• Bakugou’s Abode: Kacchan’s childhood home.
• The Satsuou Plains: The main venue where the Rite of Passage Trials are held.
• Mount Haibori: A dormant volcano Goushin Domain is built around.

— Traditions:

• The Rite of Passage Trial: When someone reaches the age of 20, they can participate in an annual competition where they need to do a series of challenges that test their mental & physical prowess. It’s not mandatory, but it’s frowned upon to not participate & they have to get 1st place to be eligible of challenging the current Chieftain.
• The Drakewarden’s Vow: It’s basically an arranged marriage, but it’s for establishing the bond between a rider & their dragon. Also, a 3rd party who knows the ritual has to be present & both parties have to consent for it to work.
• The Chieftain Challenge: A rare yet fatal opportunity exclusive to those who placed 1st in the Rite of Passage Trial that lets them challenge the current Chieftain for their position via a 1-on-1 duel. It won’t end until someone dies or surrenders, but the losers who surrendered have to wait 5 years before they can challenge them again.
• Divorce by Combat: Exactly what it sounds like.
• Courting Gifts: A common practice where the person who’s proposing will gift hand-crafted jewelry using their own blood & mana as material. Piercings are the most popular as they are the easiest to make & don't hinder movement.

THE KINGDOM OF PROMINENCE (プロミネンス王国):

Visual Refs: Askr, Demacia & Garreg-Mach Monastery

— History:

• The name comes from one of Endeavour’s Super Move, Prominence Burn.
• The ancestral land of the Fae, but were “assimilated” by the Elves.
• Known for their military (called the Knights of Endeavour), well-kept written records & Kyuuju Apples, a magical fruit with incredible healing properties.
• The orchard for said mythical fruit is heavily protected with magic to keep intruders away & keep its optimal growing conditions.
• The Todoroki Family are on bad terms with the Bakugou’s due to the constant territory disputes.

— Demographic:

• The population mainly consists of Fae & Elves.
• Humans & Half-Elves live there, but they’re viewed as inferior.
• Endeavour, Hawks, Midnight, Dabi, Inko & Shoto’s birthplace.

— Points of Interest:

• Todoroki Castle: TD’s childhood home.
• The Kyuuju Apple Orchard: A magically protected orchard known for growing the country’s famous mythical fruit, the Kyuuju Apple. (Additional Refs: Dohn Mheg & Radiant Garden)
• Fort Borei: A large stronghold that protects the Kingdom of Prominence’s borders.
• Shiketsu Adventurers’ Guild Building: Inasa & crew’s base of operations.
• Seiai Adventurers’ Guild Building: The girls from Seiai Academy’s base of operations.

— Traditions:

• The Knights of Endeavour Vigil: Basically a knighting ceremony for those who join the Knights of Endeavour.
• The Ironclad Marking Ritual: The supposedly out-dated practice of placing prisoners of war under indentured servitude with a magically binding contract. Half-Elves & Humans are known to hold this status & are called the Ironclad. Breaches in the contract will induce pain.
• Family Inheritance: A common practice where families will pass down a heirloom to the next of kin upon death. Magically imbued blades (e.g. swords, daggers, rapiers, etc.) are the most common, but other antiques work as well.
• Returning to the Origin: A special funeral practice reserved for members of the Todoroki Family where their ashes are spread on soil within the Kyuuju Apple Orchard.

KAMINO (神野)

Visual Ref: Qliphoth, Rotten Vale, Shadow Isles

— History:

• Stole this name straight from canon. 
• The ancestral land of the Kalashtar & Tieflings until AFO came into power.

— Demographic:

• The population mainly consists of demons & those from less common lineages. (e.g. Simic Hybrids, Vampires, Changelings, etc.) 
• More a home to deadly plant species & dangerous monsters rather than people due to the high concentrations of corrupted Mana.

— Points of Interest:

• Shigaraki Castle: The League of Villains’ base of operations.
• Sekoto Plateau: The location for All Might’s Legendary Sword.
• The Church of the Raven Queen: The base of operations for Tokoyami, Yanagi & Kuroiro’s cult.

OTHEON ISLAND (オセオン・アイランド)

Visual Refs: Eastern La Noscea, Toronbo Beach & Lurelin Village

— History:

• Stole this name straight from World Heroes Mission.
• Known for their tropical climate, gorgeous beaches & fresh seafood.

— Demographic:

• The ancestral land of the Yuan-Ti, Genasi & Tabaxi.
• Hado, Aoyama & Momo’s hometown.
• More of a tourists’ spot rather than an actual functional city.

— Points of Interest:

• Yaoyorozu's Abode: Momo’s childhood home.
• Verize Inn: A beach resort where Class 1-A & 1-B stay during the Summer Solstice Festival.

— Traditions:

• Summer Solstice Festival: An event that occurs near the beginning of summer. Inspirations include Coachella, Obon & Moonfire Faire.

NABU ISLAND (那歩島)

Visual Refs: Everstream , Dragon Island & Death Mountain

— History:

• Stole this name straight from Heroes Rising.
• The ancestral home of the original dragons. (???)

— Demographic:

• Mainly occupied for dragons & creatures that can withstand the heat as well as the high concentrations of Mana.
• All attempts to establish a settlement there ended poorly due to the constant volcanic activity.

— Points of Interest:

• Mount Shiroyama: A volcanic cavern that acts as the nesting place for a large horde of dragons.
• Terakoya Inlet: The only area on the island where ships can dock safely.

GUILDS SYSTEM NOTES:

— Hero schools are adventurer’s guilds in this AU & can be found throughout the realm:

• Musutafu: Yuuei, Ketsubutsu & Isamu
• The Kingdom of Prominence: Shiketsu & Seiai

— Different departments within a school are separate guild branches:

• Support: A guild for artisans, blacksmiths & artificers.
• Business: A guild for merchants, scholars & information brokers.  
• Heroics: A guild for bounty hunters, mercenaries & adventurers.

— Guilds are responsible for: 

• Handling, classifying & posting quests onto the bulletin board.
• Giving the proper compensation upon a quest’s completion.
• Acting as liaisons between clients & adventurers for certain quests.
• Collecting & registering information about unknown monsters.

— Guild Masters oversee all guild branches within that city & Guild Deputies oversee a single branch.

— Dark guilds like The Eight Precepts (Chisaki’s guild) exist, but they aren’t recognized by the government & have limited resources due to their illegal practices.

— Quests are organized into 3 Categories: 

1. Bounties: quests that involve monster hunting or capturing people.
2. Deliveries: quests that involve transporting goods or escorting people.
3. Queries: quests that involve private investigations or other non-combat activities.

— A quests’ difficulty is ranked from E-Class to SS-Class.

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Now onto the meat of AU– the main storyline itself. Originally, I conceptualized MHF to be a full-blown JRPG with companion pieces & other multimedia spin-offs on the side. As such, I came up with a bunch of plot point ideas as well as story arc names to match (this is what I meant when I said this will be cliche & trope-y as hell):

1: INITIAL INDUCTION ARC

Inspired by the Quirk Apprehension Test Arc, the Final Exams Arc & the Chimera Rematch Fight from Heroes Rising

• DK leaves Mikumo Village for Musutafu to become an adventurer, meeting Iida & Uraraka along the way.
• TD gets added to DK’s group by Eraser Head for the Yuuei Adventurers’ Guild Membership Trial (audio ref: CH2, EP2 of CritRole - Campaign 1).
• DK’s group heads to Majuu Forest & bumps into BK’s Group during their trials.
• Both groups finish the trial together & split the loot among themselves afterwards.
• The two groups merge to do more quests for gear upgrades + magic user materials.

2: VERNAL EQUINOX ARC

Inspired by the Circus Arc in Black Butler

• BKDK’s Group take on a new quest that brings them to Shie Ward, where they look into a series of kidnappings & find Eri. 
• BKDK’s Group meets Jirou’s Band during the investigation & gets them to help after they find out that they’re also members of the guild.
• BKDK’s Group meets Momo & Aoyama later during a supply run & learns that they’re doing a similar quest, causing them to join forces.
• DK & Co. learn about the Eight Precepts & a circus troupe through Tsuyu when they stay the night at The Dancing Tadpole.
• DK & Co. find the circus troupe, take them down & save Eri as well as the other missing children afterwards.

3: CHALLENGERS COLISEUM ARC

Inspired by Villain vs Heroes Training Exercise & The Battle of Fairy Tail Arc

• DK & Co. get a better look at their guild’s facilities & meet Nezu, Present Mic, Midnight, Power Loader as well as other members of the guild along the way.
• Class 1-A have a 1vs1 tournament, concluding with BK placing 1st, DK 2nd & TD 3rd.
• BKDK’s Group meets Shoji, Sato, Koda & Tokoyami during the tournament.

4: TODOROKI RETRIEVAL ARC

Inspired by the Briarwoods Arc in CritRole & the Sasuke Retrieval Arc

• Class 1-A takes on another quest that brings them to the Kingdom of Prominence.
• TD goes missing while they explore, forcing them to split up & go look for him.
• Class 1-A learns that TD’s captors are actually the Knights of Endeavour & head to Todoroki Castle to get him back.
• Momo reveals TD’s past to everyone & tells them about his family’s curse. (queue flashbacks ft. TodoMomo)
• TD’s curse activates when he sees Class 1-A again & goes on a rampage, injuring BK badly in the process.
• Class 1-A look for a way to remove TD’s curse after they retreat from their 1st encounter.
• Momo wins their 2nd encounter with TD (visual ref: The Dracula Fight from Castlevania)
• Class 1-A confront Endeavor after they remove TD’s curse.
• Momo, Aoyama & Iida stay behind to help TD rebuild after Endeavour’s defeat.

5: SUMMER SOLSTICE ARC

Inspired by the Hero Work Recommendation Project from Heroes Rising, the Cultural Festival Arc & CH7, EP11 of CritRole - Campaign 1

• BKDK’s group goes to Otheon & has a reunion with the rest of Class 1-A. 
• Class 1-A learn about the Summer Solstice Festival & meet Class 1-B
• Class 1-A assists Class 1-B with the preparations for the event & shenanigans ensue. 
• Everyone partakes in festivities before going their separate ways. (insert fluff & shipping fodder here)

6: GUILD WARS ARC

Inspired by the Joint Training Arc, Shie Hassaikai Arc & the Grand Magic Games Arc

• Class 1-A train in preparations for All Might’s Day & meet guilds from other parts of the realm during the event.
• The Eight Precepts crash the event & kidnap Eri.
• Class 1-A gets referred to Shinso, Ojiro, Hagakure & the Big 3 while they search for Eri & get more intel on the Eight Precepts.
• Class 1-A separates into raid parties & gets the other guilds to help them attack The Eight Precepts’ multiple bases.
• Everyone except BKDK’s group stayed in Musutafu after the raids to recover.

7: AUTUMN EQUINOX ARC

Inspired by CH7, EP11 of CritRole - Campaign 1

• BKDK’s Group gets sent to investigate sightings of beasts in Hosu Ward.
• BKDK’s Group return to Shinso, Ojiro, Hagakure & Sero for info on the beasts
• The beasts turn out to be Nomu summoned by someone from the League of Villains
• They warn the residents of the ward & help them fortify their defences (visual ref: CH4 - The Sanctuary from The Mandelorian)
• They just barely managed to do enough damage to force the Nomu back & the ward holds a feast to celebrate.
• BKDK’s Group returns to Musutafu in time for the Fall Masquerade & partake in the festivities. (insert fluff & shipping fodder here)

8: NOMU INVASION ARC

Inspired by Paranormal Liberation War Arc, 3rd ED & The Siege of Gondor

• Audience sees the creation of Nomu (visual ref: Hunter x Hunter [2011] Episode 77)
• Class 1-A look further into the Nomu & learn about All Might’s sword along the way.
• BK + DK go to find All Might’s Sword & find it split into two halves.
• BK + DK returns with the swords & allies to join their cause
• Everyone preps for war & the Yuuei Alliance is formed.
• Class 1-A confronts the League of Villains while their allies fight the Nomu.
• Class 1-A faces each member of the League of Villains like mini-bosses.
• Everyone except BK + DK gets KO’d, leaving only those two to face Shigaraki.
• DK lands the finishing blow, but also gets a grievous wound in the process.

9: WINTER SOLSTICE ARC

• The Yuuei Alliance disbands & everyone goes their separate ways to recover in the aftermath of the war. (insert hurt/comfort, angst & shipping fodder here ft. BKDK)
• Class 1-A works with Class 1-B again to prepare for the Winter Solstice Banquet.
• Everyone partakes in the festivities & Class 1-A watches Eri experience it for the 1st time.

10: TRIBAL TRIALS ARC

• Class 1-A celebrates New Years together before parting ways again.
• BK’s Group & DK leave the guild for Goushin Domain.
• BK shows DK around & goes through the Rite of Passage Trial with KR.
• BK becomes Chieftain after he wins The Chieftain Challenge & KR also gets promoted after completing the Rite of Passage Trial.
• BK gets together with DK. (insert shipping fodder here)

EPILOGUE: COMING OF AGE ARC

• Time-skips to when everyone has retired & settled down. (insert domestic fluff here)
• Audience gets a sneak peak of the next generation (both adopted & blood-related).

BONUS: DRAGON ISLAND SPIN-OFF

Inspired by the Heroes Rising Movie

• DK gets a mysterious egg while shopping for supplies & learns that it's a dragon egg.
• DK takes care of the dragon egg with BK’s help. (queue flashbacks to BK’s past & insert domestic fluff here)
• Class 1-A decides to go to Nabu Island to return the dragon & do some monster hunting.
• BKDK’s Group Finds a colony of dragons on the island & learns that it’s the ancestral land of the dragons.