WARNING THE INSANE RAMBLINGS OF A LUNATIC
-Spoilers for OIHS and FBMA Below-
I'm going to talk about thoughts and theory's of both games in no particular order, probably one more than the other, cause if I don't get this out there I'll go crazier.
Lets start with a quote from Lancaster from the OIHS Mage guild. "Funds? You need unspeakable talent and not a small amount of luck to be spirited away to Xyerlinn for free. I imagine the next supreme mage will enjoy such a treatment." Foreshadowing? Duh dun duuuh.
Thus our second outworlder from Earth appears. Is whisked away to Xyerlinn for free by the Epistem Zino himself, who once again saves the day. I love the immediate contrast between the main characters of OIHS Phil, and FBMA Sam.
Phil is a pessimist and self degrading, he's constantly feeling sorry for himself, makes excuses for his failures as not his fault or forced upon him. He makes it abundantly clear that he has no talent and without skills he wouldn't be anything. He struggles with his existence, is beaten down, SA'd (although he enjoys it), and is under constant threat of various degrees. He tries his best to make it through each day but he doesn't really have hope for tomorrow. He has no goals except his own survival. He relies a ton on Sepheni and Arwen, he often states that they'll get him anything he needs as if he were some kind of sugar baby. He wants for nothing... except magic. He covets magic like no other, and at times it seems he is willing to do anything to obtain it. He thinks he is a passive, a coward, and weak; yet is willing to use his skills to dominate others, including the innocent. He also calls himself a decidedly good person often, as if he's trying to convince himself. Phil is only good to his friends and postures a lot with doing the right thing. This can be seen directly with Sepheni, where he always supports her in a hypocritical way. That time when she helped that thief child, Phil questions her then relents. Sepheni truly opens him up to kindness not the other way around.
Sam on the other hand (as of right now) is kind, sweet, has a lot of humor, sassy, confident, and is quick witted. He gives major nerdy himbo vibes to me, kinda like a Superman. Despite not having Core Skill: Charisma he blows Phil out of the water in terms of communicative skills. Phil has no friends or family, a total loser in his own words. Phil is not entirely at fault because the System prevents himself from revealing his past life, however Phil cannot hold a conversation, most of them go to and I quote "A comfortable silence". What about Sam? We have no idea what kind of social life he could've had on Earth. He is free to talk about it but he hasn't yet. It is a bit mysterious. He also never explains to anyone (except Zino) that he is an outworlder and most people seem to ignore his references. During the very beginning of FBMA we learn Sam has every magic affinity (It is unknown if he has the supreme or taboo magics, I would assume not.) When I learned this I could feel Phil burning with raging envy in Hell. Not only that he is immensely talented, learning spells quickly; I do enjoy that he uses Earth science to amplify his magical ability. Every character Sam dates is interesting, sweet and cute; although the chemistry is high I don't feel as though there is much substance yet. Xyerlinn the academy itself feel alive and brimming with magic, the more I read about it the more I want of it.
I think Sam could end up becoming Phil's greatest enemy. Phil is fated to become a Tyrant of domination. Kidnapped by Drux'galoth who is trying to take over the world. I think multiple things could possibly happen. When they are teleported back to... who knows where. Drux's castle, his lair, a dungeon, a cabin in the woods, Hell? He is obviously going to be pissed off. Maybe he will threaten Phil, or try to kill him resulting in a chase where hes cornered and needs to use his Skill, or maybe he just laughs at being foiled once again and takes an interest in Phil. Somehow Phil's skills will be revealed to Drux and this will fascinate him. He will want to weaponize Phil. Many things could occur, being a powerful mage he could get the truth out of Phil easily, forcing him to speak on his Skills. Revealing that he gets more powerful skills from sex. This leading him to having Phil gangbanged by demons for months on end becoming a more and more powerful tool for him to use. Not only is Phil a hostage/bait, if he can control Phil he could probably win Sepheni to his side, or have him simply control her. He could bribe you with the Loom and that side quest with Lagos and Olaf could become relevant with you obtaining a Sirens Charm magic. With magic, no longer rejected by the world, maybe. Unless it rejects outworlders in general and not just Phil for being magicless. Perhaps Drux gives you free roam of his base? You are escorted around? Perhaps a demonic love interest? So far we only have Lagos and Olaf thruple, Alexi, and Zad but not really... Raul?.. no. All we know is whatever Drux does with Phil it will turn him down the path of a Tyrant. Perhaps while exploring Phil must make decisions to have sex or not to have sex. Skills were becoming more of an enabler of his bad behavior and the player may have to make a decision on whether he will go down the path of good or evil in the second saga of this adventure. Will he pursue love or power? Sex for love and friendship is a good thing, Sex for skills and power is bad? How crazy would it be if you developed skills that negated magic making it so Phil couldn't even interact with magic, his greed pushing him further from magic. It's starting to feel like a berserk moment where they bust in and see Griffith completely destroyed and he just makes the deal to kill everyone with the crimson Beherit. Except it will be Sepheni and Zad bursting in and Phil will be clad in armor (cause no magic pours) sitting upon a throne of dominated souls. Phil might even end up dominating Drux'galoth. If Core Skill: Seduce Redirection will evolve once again and become an even more powerful charm skill, such as Core Skill: Mind Control. Lets be honest Charm Magic is mind control, it is used in a mostly sexual context but it's obvious why it's taboo. Just remember the Siren when she nearly killed Lagos by making him feel as though he needed to save her. Thats charm, to make one feel what they shouldn't, to think without thought, to move without will, even nature it's self charmed by whims. Since Zad is speculatively likely to be the Canon route for Sam, this will eventually lead to Sam being in OIHS with Zad as they attempts to save Phil together. Meeting at Phils moment of triumph or Phils deepest despair. The fact they are both from Earth doesn't feel like a coincidence. Almost like System/Fate was attempting to abduct Sam but Phil was taken by mistake. Aka the Systems luck based interference killing and reincarnating Phil. Phil could easily blame Sam for such a thing. The System feels mindless but also as if it has an agenda. Perhaps it only moves instinctually or mayhaps it needs an Avatar to intact its will. With the BAD END's it feels as though the System wants you to go somewhere or do something, don't think about home or earth or I'll stop time and fix everyone's memories. I'm surprised Phil isn't running around like Natsuki Subaru going "I can return by death!" and have time freeze to his advantage. It feels as though the System is trying to forcefully integrate into Magnolia, but the "Gods" or "Fates"? Just are not allowing this... thing... to enter their world. The Gods were mentioned a few times as the supposed granters of Supreme magics. Those favored by gods gain incredible abilities. Well I was thinking that every person in Magnoila with Supreme magic might actually be an outworlder, that Taboo Magic is natural to Magnoila and Supreme magic is actually pulled in by the gods. The Epistem Zino got a fated reading as well. He could just be special or he could be an outworlder from a different world than Earth, that is why he was able to figure Sam's origin so easily, yet remarkably surprised nonetheless. The System seemingly doesn't come to Magnalia often, its the stuff of near forgotten tales, so perhaps something occurred in the world that required Phil specifically? Perhaps the gods noticed Drax'Galoth could use a lover and asked the System to match make for him pulling in Tyrant Phil; meanwhile Drax who tries to pursue Sepheni is being cucked by Arwen. Enemies to lovers? Or enemies and lovers? Rawr! :o It is also possible that the System is like the Fates, it doesn't understand mortality, it's not with thought, merely action. It could also be psychological, the system acts in severe reverence to it's user, when Phil decided to tell Arwen about Earth it was his subconscious fear that activated the system and prevented that information from being leaked. Phil getting in his own way, once again. The System does seem to have conditions to developing skills, we know its done by sex, but the specifics of obtaining a skill is always interesting. 1. A Skill developed because of your actions before sex. Such as Artifact Intuition or Lesser Combat Intuition. 2. A Skill for your actions during Sex, Pleasing touch or Lesser Sex intuition. 3. A skill developing based on your actions after sex, debatably Gag Reflex control, Sin: Sense Guilt. 4. Skill developing because you sex'd with a specific monster or capable being, Affinity: Goblin, Cat-Like Reflexes, Sense Aura. 5. To obtain a skill Phil must reach an orgasm. If the target reaches orgasm and Phil does not, he won't obtain a skill. 6. Skills level up, combine and evolve when specific conditions are met. 7? Potential rule: Sex that doesn't grant skills accumulates experience the System holds on to. 8? Phil's eagerness to obtain a skill plays a part in acquiring skills, the accumulated EXP is brought to the surface in times of desperation and great want. 9? The more skilled Phil is without his skills, the faster he develops skills. Understanding these rules allows Phil to abuse the System to develop the skills he will need to survive. Need a fighting skill? Fight and then have sex. Need a cooking skill? Cook while having sex. I think the reason Skills became rare was because orange-kun was getting tired of keeping track of them all. But any decision an author makes can be retconned. Are skills becoming rarer? Or is the system purposely withholding skills from you to evolve. Perhaps the system needs the magic of Magnolia to evolve and you are just reaping the carrot on a string the System provides? Your Core Skill: Seduce also seems to activate a lot unintentionally, perhaps this is the System activating it for you unknowingly. Charm is control, to bend even nature to your whims, thoughts and feelings given to the mindless nature around you. It is said that Adam was eventually able to get back home, back to supposedly Earth, but I have a feeling he means the past or the future and not dimensional hopping. That Adam may actually be Phil sent back to the past with time magic, and "going back" may actually mean to the future back to his friends Sepheni, Arwen, Zad, etc. There was only one user of Skills ever, and that was Phil. That is why the Old Seer in the fates room said "And of everyone, I had hoped to meet you most." Maybe an Amnesia story. Perhaps Phil of the future made the rules of the system for Phil of the past. Or multiverse Theory kinda like Future Trunks from DBZ and two Phil's will exist at the same time. Future Phil being the Tyrant. Did Future Phil kill Past Phil to reincarnate him? When the system asks if you want power, intelligence, wealth, or just to live again I wonder if that is you testing yourself. Time-ception. I got this theory when I heard the last Espitem was a Space Mage and how the main character immediately mentions the space time continuum, how they vanished and Zino took over as Epistem. Seems a little too convenient. SORRY this is all over the place but I tried my best.
Time for my list of questions that do not need to be answered but occasionally pondered? Does Seduce work on plants and insects? Charisma probably does attract bugs I'd assume. Why did that slime steal your semen? Was it just something slimes do, or perhaps this very first encounter is something far more nefarious. Clones with skills? A familiar? Does simply having skills make you more healthy in this world? Phil has mentioned feeling healthier and getting better rest, more alive. The game itself ponders whether it was system making you inherently stronger. Are the Japanese Talismans we see from the merchant actually foreshadowing for FBMA since it has a magical origin? I'm guessing Sargon or maybe Rowan. Is Makon and Sepheni getting art updates actually affecting the world. Are they not changing and it's just a gag, or are they changing because the world is manufactured by the system? Is Phil actually dead? That is why he doesn't have magic, he is closer to an undead, he was dying in the necromantic realm not just because he was there but because he is supposed be dead? "Isn't the Isekai protagonist supposed to be overpowered?" -Phil. Was the thunderstorm that knocked us into the dungeon actually natural, the world trying to kill us, a god, or a mage targeting Phil? The Dungeon asks you not to come back, but eventually we must either in OIHS or FBMA as there is a deeper part of the dungeon to explore. It is said that Orsu takes 2 bronze rankers under their wing to train into silver adventures, did Olaf and Lagos fail the Xyerlinns task and was recruited by Orsu? Feels awfully convenient they mentioned two specifically and I haven't seen them in Xyrelinn in FBMA. What was the purpose of Mikhail the black ram baker? Was it just to show the disparity between beastkin and humans? Or was it to once again to prove that your skills aren't all powerful for the 6th time? What happened to that sailor we told to go for it on the docks? How in the world do we not have Affinity: Human? I know OIHS isn't fully polished and there are many WIP still in the game such as in the Inn, the revamping only went to chapter 2 or 3 if I am remembering right. Do you plan on editing the first act before focusing on the second? Did anyone happen to pick up the Two enchanted rings you left at the mages guild? Or are they still there lost and forgotten? Will we get to see more of the unstructured magic that Lucian and Candace talk about, in FBMA? Will we learn about the Vampires monster hunters? What is with all the Bears? Regular bears according to Zad, Fire Bears mentioned in the Adventurers guild, Polar bear people Phil to Alexi, Fury bear beginning of FBMA, Bearkin cause of one of the Academy professors? If I had to guess your favorite animal I bet I could, especially after playing The Silvercrest Pilgrimage. How long has Phil been in the world? Paying attention to the number of mornings and days for each quests Phil has spent a minimum of 26 days and a maximum of 44.
Thank you for listening to my insane ramblings.