Kek's Isekai
| Kek's Isekai by QM Wuxian |
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The world of Kek's Isekai (ケクの異世界) is a world of fantasy anime influenced by the philosophy of 4chan's /pol/ and /x/ boards. The premise of this RPG is that the players get to play as themselves in a world of adventure and magic.
Kek
Kek is the god of chaos and darkness. He should not be mistaken for an evil deity: he represents the darkness that brings dawn, not the darkness of evil. His force of chaos represents freedom and creativity. As such, Kek is the patron of artists and NEETs. He is truly the most benevolent of all gods.
Mythic RPG
Mythic RPG is the system used for running Kek's Isekai. Mythic RPG is very simple and universal, and only uses two charts.
The Fate Chart is used to make skill checks and answer Yes/No questions. It works like an abstracted version of D&D where all checks are done with 1d100. Any question can be answered with this chart, whether it's a question about the environment or about the mechanics.
The Event Chart is used to answer open-ended questions and provides a list of words that are used for inspiration. It works like tarot.
Detailed review of Mythic RPG: link
Classes
There are four basic classes that players can choose.
| Class | Bonus Stats | Bonus Skills | Spellcasting | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warrior | / | Weapons (Average) | / | A master of martial combat. |
| Thief | +1 Agi, +1 Dex | 15 points | / | An accomplished savant of subterfuge and guile. |
| Sorcerer | / | / | Willpower | A magic user tapping into their own mind. |
| Priest | / | / | Wisdom | A champion of a deity of their choice. |
Advanced classes are obtained at random from spinning Kek's wheel. Advanced classes range from awful to awesome. The following advanced classes have been discovered so far.
| Class | Bonus Stats | Bonus Skills | Spellcasting | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Armsmaster | / | Weapons (Above Average) | / | An advanced form of warrior. |
| Gladiator | / | Weapons (Average) | / | A warrior whose skill rank increases when a crowd is cheering on them. |
| Knight | / | Weapons (Average) | Wisdom - 1 RS | A hybrid of warrior and priest. |
| Dark Knight of Vice | / | Weapons (Average) | Situational | A warrior who can channel one of the seven deadly sins, of increasing power. |
| Christian Paladin | / | Weapons (Average) | Faith | A warrior who gains Faith from reciting Bible verses. |
| Assassin | / | Hide in Shadows, Poison | / | An expert of stealth, poison and murder. |
| Con Artist | + 1 Cha | 15 points | / | A variant of thief, limited to social skills. |
| Fortune Teller | / | Fortune Teller (Average) | / | An expert at calculating people's fortune. |
| Elementalist | / | / | Willpower | A variant of sorcerer, limited to elemental magic. |
| Empath | / | / | Willpower | A variant of sorcerer, limited to emotional magic. |
| Wizard | / | / | IQ | A variant of sorcerer; spells must be learned and memorized. |
| Angelologist | / | / | Wisdom | A variant of priest; casts purification magic and makes pacts with angels. |
| Druid | / | Shapeshifting (Average) | Wisdom | A variant of priest, limited to healing, charm, and nature spells. |
Skills
| Rank | Cost |
|---|---|
| Minuscule | 1 |
| Weak | 2 |
| Low | 3 |
| Below Average | 4 |
| Average | 5 |
| Above Average | 10 |
| High | 15 |
| Exceptional | 20 |
Timeline
Humans are not native to Kek's Isekai. All humans come from our Earth, or have ancestors who originate from here.
- 297-313 - Following an edict against them by Diocletian, the Manichaeans of Rome were transported to Kek's Isekai.
- 1209-1350 - Following the Albigensian Crusade and their persecution by the Inquisition, the Cathars were transported to Kek's Isekai. They founded the city of Carcas in the Empire of Tyria.
- 2005 - Matt Furie discovered the prophet Pepe.
- 2015-present - Following the rediscovery of Kek on the /his/ board of 4chan, all imageboard regulars (Futaba, 2chan, 4chan) are transported to Kek's Isekai when they die.
Cosmology
Metaphysics
The Isekai has a lower density than our Earth, meaning that it is a bit closer to the dream world than we are. This has three main consequences:
- Physical pain is only half of that in our planet. That is, everything hurts twice less.
- Visible, tangible magic is possible. This is witnessed in the phenomenon of classes and cheats.
- The environment is slightly less coherent and logical.
Earth and Hell
Kek has stated that our Earth is Hell, and that Kek's Isekai is the true Earth. Hell is a place of suffering because one must struggle to make a living. The Clown World meme explains that Hell is a world of inverted values where nothing should be taken seriously.
- "Earth is the domain of the archons, a vast prison whose innermost dungeon is our Earth, the scene of man's life." — Hans Jonas
- "Everyone who had ever lived was literally surrounded by the iron walls of the prison." — Philip K. Dick
Planes
- The Astral Realm is more or less the world of dreams. Magic in the Astral Realm is more powerful because it's made of low-grade magoi, the life substance of the earth and all living creatures
- The Shadow Realm is a parallel reality, a world of ruins and demons. Anons who use the Hide in Shadows hide in the Shadow Realm, and sometimes travel through it.
- The Gray Field was briefly mentioned in the Grimdark Quest, but nothing is known about it.
- Tartarus is a lower level of Hell where the damned are punished for their heinous deeds.
Planar Locations
- The Death Lodge is a special club outside of the universe where Isekai victims of interest wait for their next incarnation. In the tavern, magical screens show the adventures of their party. Those who are in the Death Lodge can temporarily manifest in the material world as ghosts.
- The Kuu Palace (空宮) is a dimension beyond time and space, inhabited by Tsathoggua. The Kuu, also called Void, can only be comprehended in great depths of meditation.
- The Akashic Records is a dimensional library where one can consult their Kek Consciousness.
Geography
Empire of Tyria
Threads: Kek's Isekai #3, #7, #8, #9
The Empire of Tyria is a human empire located on the western coast, with populations that originate from Western Europe. It's divided in three provinces: Tyria (English), Arania (German), and Pretia (French).
Religion
Hundreds of gods are worshipped in the Empire. Most prominent are:
- Kek
- Aqua, Eris (from the KonoSuba anime)
- Freya, Ganesha, Hephaestus, Hermes, Hestia (Hestiaca), Ishtar, Kali, Loki, Soma (from the DanMachi anime)
- Adenela, Ariadoa, Cerceus, Mitis, Valkyrie (from the Cautious Hero anime)
Visea
Visea is a dangerous city in the Province of Pretia, ruled alchemists, merchants and slavers. The city always has a faint smell of sulfur, and black smoke comes out of a gigantic factory chimney. Often, zeppelins can be seen flying in the sky.
Labyrinthia is a dungeon that has appeared near Visea. The entrance has the shape of a vulva and no one so far has come out alive. It's rumored to be the base of succubi.
Devapura
Thread: Kek's Isekai #4
Devapura (天成) is a city-state located between the southern edge of the Empire of Tyria and the Wasteland.
When the gods longed for mortal life, the Supreme Godhead created Devapura, the City of the Gods. In Devapura, most of their divine powers are stripped away and they have to build an alliance with the mortals for their own survival. The gods organized themselves into the Familia system. Only by joining a Familia can mortals enter the famed Danjon, where many fabulous treasures await them.
The Pillar of Heaven
The Pillar of Heaven (天柱) has a calm, Zen environment, with white pavement on the floor and crystal sculptures of snakes. For historical reference, it has been constructed by the goddess Nüwa back when Heaven was about to crumble on Earth. The Adventurer's Guild has made the first floors of the Pillar its HQ.
The Danjon
The Danjon (ダンジョン), the dungeon of Devapura, is the most important dungeon of the world. It's the only part of the world that cannot be penetrated by the gods and it has never been cleared by any hero. It's also the only place where Familias can gain power.
The entrance to the Danjon is on the first underground floor of Nüwa's Pillar of Heaven. In the center of the room is a ten meter long hole that leads straight into the Danjon. Within the circular room are multiple columns at equal intervals and above is a beautiful azure painting of the sky that resembles the real sky. Along the circle are gentle stairs that spiral down into the Danjon.
The creatures of the Danjon tend to lurk in the walls before jumping on their prey.
Iphionor
Threads: Wade's Thread #1, #2
The land of Iphionor, once called the Sapphire Yonder for the prevalence of gems, now called the Forsaken Reaches for its abandonment, has fallen sway under the spell of the frozen lord, Yavras the Demise, in his distant crystal vault. Yavras is worsening winter to strengthen his own magic. Iphionor is party of the Pōtaru Atesaki Empire (ポータル・あてさき).
History
Unable to handle the increasing difficulty of collecting shrinking taxes from an already isolated territory while warring with the hellish invasions, repelling the constant monster incursions, and thwarting the cyclic world-ending cataclysms, the illustrious empire of Pōtaru Atesaki withdrew its legions after four years and left the people to their own devices. When they left, the legitimacy of the regional governor (descended from the ancient monarchic bloodline that bent the knee instead of letting their citizens be slaughtered to keep them on the throne) plummeted in the sight of the population and roughly a third of the settlements declared independence overnight. The following year, when their wages couldn’t be paid almost two-thirds of his soldiers went rogue and cooperating with the bandit gangs growing in leaps and bounds, they began parceling out the territory.
By today, another third of the settlements have collapsed or fallen to warlords, with a small minority crawling back to “the true authority” of the realm. The only thing the province has going for it is the fact that the Adventurer’s Guild never left and with their policy of non-assistance to illegitimate conquerors, they have a soft monopoly on their services. It’s a significant boon to their continued survival but the market demand of those that can’t afford or can’t receive their help has opened the way for dozens of upstart mercenary chapters, community militias, and freelance monster hunters to fill the void.
Only the enormous amount of treasure-filled, trap-lined, and monster-infested ruins dotting the land has kept the economy from dwindling completely and despite the lack of outside aid, the people have drawn closer together than ever.
Religion
The Norse Pantheon and the Dungeon Soup Pantheon are both worshipped. The Cult of Mortifer also has a presence. Mortifer, the God of Chaos and Destroyer of Worlds, among other titles, has sent the faithful to return the world to absolution of primordial chaos.
Caelkirk
The city of Caelkirk, boasting almost fourteen-thousand permanent residents, it is a bustling metropolis by this world’s standards and home to a thriving population of adventurers working out of their Guildhouse. Only a handful of provincial troops are stationed here, but the local militia fills in the gaps and any help filling out their bounties would be sorely appreciated. Like any other settlement of Pōtaru Atesaki, they demand a ten percent tax on trade, alongside five percent for the Guild’s maintenance dues, though the latter is waived in the case of members. In recent years, the gnomish gambling and draught-house has fallen into disrepair but the temple of Zin has grown more popular, something the pious hold as a sign of prosperity and renewal in the days to come. It is two weeks and three days of hiking away, in woods that have largely been cleared of monsters and brigands.
- Zazar’s Exotic Fruits and Everyday Needs: A large, well-lit, and centrally located store not far from the adventurer’s guildhouse. Its primary claim to fame is a wide selection of juicy fruits from the distant south, brought back bizarrely fresh, and the rest of its relevant stock consists of quality ropes, tools, and torches waiting to be lit.
- The Place of Chains Shattered and Forged Anew: A tiny, pitch-black stall in an alleyway near the center of town, close to Zazar’s but nowhere near as busy. It doesn’t sell anything, it gives away scrolls detailing an esoteric and terrifying martial art that monks and priests alike would frown on.
- Horgrim’s Hearth: A midsize, filthy, and foul-smelling store in the middle of town, equally far from the outskirts and mayor’s home. It is essentially a subpar version of Zazar’s, selling far inferior pieces of equipment to cheap adventurers and hardtack instead of fruit. Its only good quality is the fact that its rude owner is a skilled appraiser of magical artifacts and willing to do so for a small fee.
- The Dunkhift’s Family Forge: A midsize, clean, and approachable smithy closer to the center of town than the outskirts. It is a family operation and its current owner, Jegrim the fourth, a skilled but unspecialised smith that does a wide variety of work, mostly fixing wagons and shoeing horses, but he does possess some pricy armours and blades which, while not masterwork, can do the deed.
- Brunnarth’s Shrine: A small, cramped, and almost-hidden smithy situated on the outskirts of town, as close to the gates as physically possible. It is a one man operation, run by Brunnarth, an experienced Armsmaster and fanatic follower of Okawaru, who forges masterwork blades in worship and sells them at exorbitant prices. If someone can beat the man in a sparring match, he’ll reduce the cost to covering the material and nothing more.
- The “Incenstuous” Inn: A midsize house of ill repute, named for its constant burning of incense and its crass owner’s compulsion to shove as much innuendo in the public eye as possible. It boasts twelve full-time employees and fourteen anonymous part-timers, with a policy of wearing garish masks while “working.”
Other Locations
- Akotoshia: a region made of several small nations, at war since the disappearance of the god-king Shi. (Shi's Thread #1, #2, Kek's Isekai #6)
- Ancestor Valley: modelled after Iron Age Europeans. (Unexplored)
- Beastmen Kingdom: the furry kingdom. (Unexplored)
- Cthulhian Valley: a valley covered with a cursed mist that brings Lovecraftian horrors. (Kek's Isekai #3)
- Cursed Swamp: a swamp inhabited by the frogmen who worship the god Kek. (Kek's Isekai #3)
- Elven Nation: a civilization based on respect of others and nature. (Kek's Isekai #3)
- Malachite Theocracy: a human supremacist theocracy. (Kek's Isekai #2)
- Yamato Empire: the most powerful nation in the world, produces the greatest culture; modelled after Japan. (Unexplored)
- Wasteland: a burned land, cursed by demons, cursed by the gods, only inhabited by tribes of orcs, undead and other abominations. (Unexplored)
Influences
| Anime | Anime Location | Kek's Isekai Location |
|---|---|---|
| DanMachi | Orario | Devapura |
| DanMachi | Babel | Pillar of Heaven |
| DanMachi | The Dungeon | The Danjon |
| DanMachi | Colosseum | Colosseum |
| Chōyoyū | Yamato Empire | Yamato Empire |
| TenSura | Dwargon | Dwarven Kingdom |
| In Another World with My Smartphone | Kingdom of Elfrau | Elven Kingdom |
| In Another World with My Smartphone | Kingdom of Mismede | Beastmen Kingdom |
| Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic | Dungeons | Dungeons of Wadirma |
| Tower of Druaga | Tower of Druaga | (To be used) |
| Restaurant to Another World | Nekoya | Nekoya (outside of Devapura) |
| Death Parade | Quindecim Bar | Death Lodge |
| 4chan | Meme Location | Kek's Isekai Location |
|---|---|---|
| Cult of Kek | Praise Kek (picture) | Temple of Kek |
| Cult of Kek | Kekistan | Kekistan |
| Cult of Kek | Cuckistan | Wadirma |
| Pepe | / | Frogmen Swamp |
| SCP Foundation | SCP-015 | The Danjon |
| SCP Foundation | Ambrose Restaurant | Ambrose's Tavern (outside of Devapura) |
| /tg/ | Labyrinthia | Labyrinthia |
| /qst/ | Joker Quest | Tartarus |
