We've had enough time to brainstorm, and need to solidify our foundations before we can move forward.

In this thread we need people to post their ideas, so we can easy see them. List and explain

-The protagonist
-How get got to Gensokyo
-Why he is staying in whatever region (for example: SDM, Higan, etc)
-Special relationships with the girls for their routes, which will create plot points.

Can you be more clear about what you need? I mean, didn't we write enough about the main character?

Well, if you want to know a reason for Anon to stay at SDM, it's because he was employed there. What other reason can we give? Let me think for the others, but if possible, write what exactly you want for the 4 things you asked.

Protagonist
CERN Anon. We’ve discussed this previously. He’s an intern at CERN.

Means for arrival
The LHC goes haywire, and Anon gets sucked in. Patchi might be casting some sort of spell which inadvertently draws him to SDM.

Reason for staying at SDM
The Great Barrier has been locked down by some magic failsafe Yukari set in place in the beginning, triggered by the LHC’s disaster and Anon busting through it. As such, Anon is stuck in Gensokyo while the Hakurei Shrine is no longer a functional gateway.

When Anon arrives, there is an explosion of energy which damages the SDM. Gates are bent, bookshelves toppled, flowers…deflowered,Flandre’s door unhinged/weakened, plates and windows broken, drops of sake spilled, etc. Think of it as an earthquake + tornado. Remi demands that Anon pay off his damages, and since he has no money he becomes an indentured servant. Butler time.

Special Relationships
Remi: Remi is usually sort of a control freak, because she can foresee things and slightly manipulate others using her fate haxx power. But she didn’t see this coming, and so CERNanon is sort of a strange novelty to her. He is something she cannot predict or control.
Flandre: nothing new. Still the “discover Flan is actually mature” idea.
Meiling: help repair gates, gets to know her, maybe teach some science.
Sakuya: nothing new. Still the “earn Sakuya’s respect as a butler” idea
Patchouli: help repair/organize Voile. Impress her with how science parallels magic. Try to figure out what happened to cause Anon’s arrival. Drag her outside.
Koakuma: nothing new.


Flowchart (ish)

Day 1
-CERN Prequel, LHC overload
-Anon lands in garden outside of SDM. Meiling probably finds him, and is shocked and wonders how he got past her and how he managed to do so much damage. Sakuya might show up too.
-Anon is taken to Remi. Remi demands to know who/what he is.
-Reimu shows up, and is rather annoyed. She demands to know what Remi is up to. Remi explains that Anon just appeared and it’s not her fault. Reimu shrugs saying that the Barrier is locked so he can’t get out of Gensokyo, so it’s not her problem anymore. Also mention that something happened to Yukari (like she is panicking or got knocked out or whatever).
-Reimu leaves. Remi demands that Anon pay for his damages. Anon refuses to serve her, and Remi tries to use her fate haxx power to make him. He still refuses which surprises Remi, so she changes her tune. Remi explains a little bit about what Gensokyo is, and that SDM is the best place to stay (running water, electricity?). And that if he left, he’d likely suffer a horrible death by a youkai before even reaching the human village. Maybe mention that Patchi might be able to get him home.
-Anon is shown to his room by Sakuya. Passes out.

Day 2
-Anon wakes up, put on uniform (we can do the maid outfit/pad joke here if we want)
-Sakuya or another maid guides him through the SDM, showing him where and what duties he will be doing. It’s all pretty much railroaded.
-Anon finds Meiling bending the steel gates back with her youkai strength. Is sort of shocked, but offers to help.
-Anon finds Patchi and Koakuma trying to repair their library. Helps a little bit. Thus Patchi and Koakuma are introduced.
-Anon helps with dinner. Flan shows up to everyone’s shock and worry, but they fake welcoming her out of fear that she’ll go wild. Flan might mention that she smells someone new, takes interest in Anon. He probably escorts her back downstairs to appease her.

Day 3
-Railroad over, route divergence begins.

I liked the idea of Patchouli of taking her outside. I was about to suggest it, since she never lives the library, and it would be a good idea for some romance.

For China, I think she can teach Anon to use Chinese Martial Arts, instead of her learning science. I mean, I don't think she has enough brain for that :) With no offense, of course.

For Remilia, another great idea! Anon is not affected by fate p0w4. Normally, in my stories I would put that the reason is that he was supposed to be dead, but he didn't die, thus his fate ended that moment, although his life not. But that's your choice.

IDEAS FOR OTHER ROUTES:

. Hakurei Shrine route (GENERAL): Fits perfectly with the already created beggining, doesn't it? If you want another thing, just make him appear in Hakurei's shrine, having destroyed the roof at his appearance, and staying there to repair it and to have a place to live.
- Reimu: Reafirmation of why she became a shrine maiden? Really no idea, just said the first thing it came to my head.
- Suika: Comeback of Onis, of course. Anon and she will try their best to convince them.
- Mima: No ****ing idea. Are you sure you want to create a route for her. i can't see any possibility of romance with her.

. Forest of magic (GENERAL): Good enough the already created beggining, but instead of going to the village, you go deeper into the forest, and rescued by Marisa/Alice or both.
- Marisa: Her meeting again with her father, who rejected her for being a magician.
- Alice: Research of a living doll + w4t3v3 you want. Out of ideas.

. Moriya Shrine (GENERAL): Same as Hakurei, but this time in this shrine. You arrive and fall near the shrine, and you are rescued by whoever you want from the shrine.
- Sanae: Perhaps her acceptance of being a shrine maiden, since she had some doubts at the beggining? Danger of both shrine gods dissapearing in this route.
- Kanako/Suwako: helping them not getting erased by losing peoples's fate, since a new god appeared. Each route differs in some parts, like how much you meet with Sanae or what type of battles do you fight. More nonsense like that.
- Hina: Well, you meet her when she was collecting misfortune, and you get to know her better that way. You are unaffected by this misfortune, somehow.
- Nitori: You help her build some thing, and to overtake her fear to meeting humans.
- Aya: Obviously, you help her to give newspaper to people, and not to lose her job when a rival agency appears.

. Human Village (GENERAL): The one written already.
- Keine: What is written already, plus that you help her to overcome her fear of being a half youkai, and because of that being rejected. Fights to protect the village for sure.
- Mokou: You make her understand that she must leave her needs of revenge, makes her friends (definitely) with Kaguya, and make her accept immortality. Maybe you become immortal too, or she loses it.
- Akyuu: Trying to find a way for her to lose that short life that she has, so she can stay with you.

Next part below, since there's too much written and I don't want to lose anything posted.

Part 2:

.Eientei (GENERAL ROUTE): You fall into the Bamboo Forest, and you try to find an exit with no success. When you pass out, you're rescued by Reisen, introduced to all the cast and they decide to let you be here if you work for them.
- Reisen: you help her in housechores (I suppose Anon knows how to do housechores, right?) and you get to know her better. Moon involved in war and request Reisen help, but she rejects. Then you help her regain courage to protect those she care, and fight against some people that attacked Eientei, or something like that.
- kaguya: Like Mokou, but from the other side. You realise she has manga, which she likes to read (some manga jokes here). Also, members of the moon tries to take her back there, but you do your best to protect her. Possible travel to the moon, perhaps?
- Eirin: you help her create new medicines with your knowledge of science, and try to find a way to cure the princess for her immortality. If you find the way or not, or if she is also immortal, is up to you, guys.
- Tewi: Like Mima, are you sure you want to create a route for her? How about she gets involved in all routes, and maybe a subroute? I can't really see her as a main character.

. Border of death (GENERAL): You appear suddenly at the base of the stairs of Yukari's house. After reaching the top, you encounter Yukari, who explains where you are and in what problem you put yourself. Then she will decide to make you her Servant/Shikigami, and give you a room here. You will also meet Ran and Chen the next day.

(ATTENTION ABOUT THIS ROUTE) I suggest separating this route in two. One is the already created Border of (Death or whatever else), and the other is Afterlife (or another name). In the former you can find Yukari, Ran and Chen. In the latter, Yuyuko, Youmu, Shikieiki and Komachi. If you don't do that, you will have 6 characters for one single route, which I think it's too much, and if all the routes posted before have a different beggining (if that's the plan), then you have a problem (unless you decide to transform Anon into a ghost even for Yukari/Ran route, which I don't think is good). Of course, the choice is up to you.

- Yukari: Answers of why Anon appeared here. Funny scenes like finding a microwave, and saving a cat that Chen decided to put in to dry it (that can be in all the routes). Also you will be able to see the inside of Yukari's gaps from the inside. Nothing more to add, out of fuel.
- Ran: Help her to do chores that Yukari puts you (or she makes you go with her). Discover the reason of why she became Yukari's shikigami... more things here.

(If there's another route, if not ignore until arriving to Yuyuko)
Afterlife (GENERAL): You die (the teleportation killed you). First you decide if you want to go with Komachi/Shikieiki or Ghosts. If ghosts, you appear near the sakura tree, and after feeling something evil from it and run away, you encounter Yuyuko/Youmu and after some things you stay with them. If not ghosts, you stay with Komachi/Shikieiki and see how their jobs are about (your judgement has been delayed).
- Yuyuko: Jokes about her UFW (Unlimited Food Works) if you understand it ;) Then more about the Sakura's tree and her power. Serious Yuyuko seen here.
- Youmu: Yuyuko tries to get the two of you together. You're taught swordsmanship by Youmu. More things like meeting the youkai that killed Youki (optional), and learning a new sword technique (you or Youmu).
- Komachi: Well, I like her route, but I must say that I don't know how to create one for her. Maybe it should be erased?
- Shikieiki: You help her relax (after all, she's a workaholic), and then the time will come when you will have to be judged and sent to somewhere far away from her. No more to add.

. Youkai and Fairies (GENERAL): Totally blocked. I can't think of anything. For Yuuka, I had some, but after reading a story that a person created in shrinemaiden(dot)org (has 3 parts at the moment, one of them is called Retribution in Gensokyo) I think that w4t3v3 I write can't surpass this masterpiece. I suggest you to search it and read it, perhaps you will get inspired.

That's all, and it was a big one :P If you're going to create that begginings, you can put something like this before ending the prologue: "At the last moments of losing my consciousness, I was able to see something: " and put different obvious options that will lead you to that routes (like Frog for Moriya Shrine).

General area outline for SDM. I'll use roughly the same formatting as Doc did.

Protagonist
Anyone, really. Could be CERN intern, in which case refer to Doc’s post for most of the hooks. Alternatively, he could be just some guy, probably a bit down on his luck. I was working with a young man who had just, in an unfortunate chain of events, just lost his job, his home, and his wallet, but even that could be potentially anyone.

Means for Arrival
If this is the unlucky protagonist, then an old idea we were working with is that he sees an ad in the paper for live-in work, and on going to the address for an interview either a) finds that the location in question has disappeared off the face of the map, and on further inspection accidentally drops into Gensokyo B) follows a rabbit c) gets hit by a bus, and ends up in Gensokyo instead of getting plastered. They’re all Lewis Carroll hooks, but classics are the best. Last idea: Protagonist is on his deathbed, and actually goes off the edge, but wakes up in Gensokyo.

Reasons for Staying
The easiest one is that he has no apparent alternative. Doesn’t need to be explained, really; Remilia could just convince him that there is no way back and staying at the SDM is best. Could also be that going back is just a very bad idea; this is especially relevant in the ‘death’ entry methods. Give the player the option to go back, just to get smeared over the tar when he does.

In any case, the protagonist can probably make a big mess on entry as Doc suggested, and is pressed into labour.

Character Details
Remilia: She’s the kind who likes to meddle because she thinks she can help you do it better. She can see how things fit together, and has an almost obsessive-compulsive desire to ‘fix’ things for other people. A string puller in every sense. Her’s is a kind of imperialistic hubris. I would have said that her motto “Remilia knows best,” but that is probably too maternal. The protagonist is probably someone who values self-determination, and tries to show, by example or otherwise, that what Remilia does is not always for the best. Alternatively, perhaps not all of Remilia’s interventions have been success stories, and the consequences catch up to her.

Even more alternatively, Sakuya dies. More on this later.

Flandre: In terms with her relationship with Remilia, it is probably a lesson for the elder sister; she needs to learn to let go. If Remilia is a control freak, Flandre’s apparent instability is probably frightening for her, motivating the former to keep her in the basement. Flandre, in turn, has to prove that she is perfectly capable of taking responsibility for her own life.

Sakuya: I’m sure everyone is aware by now how fond I am of Sakuya being on a timer. She would be useful as a tool to explore Fatalism and related philosophies. I’ll have to iron it out thoroughly later, but there are several ways she could have gotten herself into this mess. Remilia may have offered her a new life, but it is a life with an expiry date. Perhaps she is simply predestined to go kaput at such a time. In any case, the Lunar Dial is a device Remilia gave her to keep track of her time. An anchor, so to speak (remember Winter Residents of a Touhou Town? Where Remilia finds a Sakuya who had lost her past and her future? Yeah). The Dial is winding down/counting down/stopped, and Sakuya is in a hurry to get things done. She is the one who suggests that the protagonist stay at the SDM and help her out, because she needs to train a replacement ASAP.

Meiling: Meiling finds Sakuya inspirational: she thinks the maid strong, skilled, and refined, and the fact that she is human just amplifies these qualities. Basically, Meiling looks up to Sakuya (with or without romantic interest). If and when Sakuya disappears, Meiling will probably be affected somewhat, to say the least.

I don’t like the ‘Meiling as abuse victim’ dynamic. The violence is random, petty, and usually a bad gag. Maybe it’s because I don’t appreciate sadism. At all. Cruelty for the sake of self-gratification is the kind of de-humanising savagery one may find in undisciplined children. Sadism in fiction is, to me, motiveless and unjustified evil, and is almost always narratively damning on the character that exhibits it.

Ok, enough soapbox.

Patchouli: I imagine Remilia approaching her at some point and offering her a place as the librarian at the SDM. The resources available there tempted Patchouli enough to take it up. Patchouli is probably the one in the SDM who will most vocally acknowledge that she has a deal with the devil, probably as part of her repertoire of wry humour.

Academics in fiction are often seekers, having some question they need to answer, some puzzle they need to crack. They are often also inventers or artists, since discovery, innovation and expression go hand in hand. Patchouli probably has something she is seeking as well, whether it be some spell she is working on, some theory she needs to research, or some other project. The more headway she makes, the more withdrawn she becomes. Of course, the protagonist gets involved with her somehow; perhaps he just hangs around to help, offers some insight he brings from beyond the border, or through accident or otherwise becomes a necessary component of whatever Patchouli is working on (e.g. he reads or touches something he shouldn’t and gets some powerful spell lodged in his cranium.)

I also like the idea of Patchouli having to go on some grand journey to find a rare artifact or something. This VN needs an adventure story.

Koakuma: I really have no idea. She’s too much of an appendage of her master. Everything will need to be built up from scratch.


Daily Stuff

Assuming protagonist gets hit by a train/walks into a wardrobe

Prologue-I’m a sucker for good prologues. All readers know to look here for their foreshadowing.

Day 1
• Protagonist in reality. Ruminates on his poor luck.
• Promising ad in the paper though. Things are looking up!
• Protagonist put under a bus. Things look down.
o Alt: The address is gone. What a bummer. Investigates a bit, falls into rabbit/plot hole
• Protagonist wakes up in the SDM. He has made quite a mess. Remilia stands nearby, welcoming her to her abode.
• Protagonist asks all the expected questions. Remilia gives the Cliff-notes. To her, this young man fusses over the details too much.
• Protagonist obviously thinks about getting back. Remilia tells him this is impossible/a bad idea.
o If protagonist gets back to dying if he chooses to leave (assuming he would have died)
• Protagonist is overwhelmed
• Remilia largely ignores him, and wonders out loud what they should do with him
• On cue, Sakuya arrives with a broom and dustpan. She mentions that she could use some help around here, and suggests that the protagonist works here in exchange for food and board until someone has a better idea
• Protagonist protests
• Sakuya points out his wake of destruction
• Protagonist relents
• Remilia suggests that the protagonist sleeps on it before he tells them his decision. After all, she is in no rush to hear it.
• Protagonist is shown to a spare room. He goes to bed pondering his position.


Day 2
• Sakuya wakes the protagonist before dawn even cracks, and giving him a uniform and morning instructions. Conscription, it looks like.
• The protagonist protest, but Sakuya disappears without giving him heed. He gives in without much choice.
• He meets Sakuya downstairs, and complains. Sakuya, on the other hand, had already assumed that he will be working with them from now on, and is surprised that he had other ideas. When the protagonist questions her lack of logic, Sakuya declares the Remilia said he would, so it must be true.
• Protagonist is shown around the place:
o Library, where Patchouli and Koakuma is. Patchouli could provide more in-depth exposition than Remilia
o Gate, where Meiling is
o Kitchen(s)
o Various rooms in the SDM
o The stairs to the basement where the protagonist Definitely Should Never Go.
• Dinner scene

Day 3
• Sakuya’s training regime begins. She actually wanted to start yesterday, so there is a lot to catch up on
• Protagonist can perhaps choose to specialise in helping at the library or working the grounds with Meiling.