if tma were a hades-style roguelike I think it’d be entertaining to have elias just show up like a little bitch and give you tasks that eventually give you rewards. I don’t think he’d show up as the final boss until much later on in the story (equivalent to the hades epilogue) where he’ll become the eye’s pupil and the player (presumably jon) has to kill him to stop the eyepocalypse or smth (don’t question my thought process too much I haven’t actually rationalised it all in my head yet lol)
can you tell I’ve been thinking about this a lot
I’m sure none of this is legible to the average reader, so I’ll try to lay it out with my thinking here (the canon TMA timeline has been completely thrown out the window so expect to be confused 🫵):
Jon is Zagreus, trying to escape the Institute and Elias’ grasp on him. Martin takes Thanatos’ place, kindling a romance with Jon and trying to help him where he can. Everyone else is a bit difficult to determine, since their roles in their respective narratives differ so much, but Georgie would be some mix between Megaera and Orpheus in the Institute (which will, of course, take the place of the House of Hades) - being both Jon’s ex and unable to reach Melanie (Eurydice) after Melanie managed to escape from the Institute’s clutches. Daisy takes Achilles’ place after giving in to the Hunt for Basira (Patroclus), wracked with regret and unwilling to leave the Institute for fear that she’ll lose herself again. Sasha is Dusa/Nyx for no other reason than I couldn’t find a better fit for her - it’s more like a comparison to how she functions in the game than a reflection of her character. I was originally gonna make Tim a replacement for Skelly, then I remembered that Gerry exists and that Skelly jokingly tried to get Zagreus to free him from his eternal torture and I figured that worked better - although for Gerry it would be less of a joke and it just won’t work for whatever reason. Instead, Tim is Sisyphus, because I think he’s most likely of the assistants to be thrown out of the Institute for gross misconduct (aka wooing filing clerks with Institute funds) - then I thought Rosie could be Hypnos, welcoming Jon/Player back to the Institute whenever he dies, and Elias would be Hades. Because of course he is. He might provide Jon/Player with little annoying tasks to do that aren’t technically necessary, but they generally have decent rewards so it would be greatly advised.
The Underworld regions are replaced by some weird mix of the real world and fear domains, since there isn’t really a canon TMA equivalent to Tartarus, Asphodel, Elysium or Styx. The bosses are reflective of the show’s season endings; so Jane Prentiss is the Furies, the Not!Them is Lernie, Nikola (and maybe the mechanical turk or the angler fish for good measure) is Theseus and Peter Lukas is Hades - the final boss. Or…. Is he?
I wanted the Avatars, providing Jon with Marks, not to overlap with each other. So, as much as I love and appreciate Mike Crew, I love Sky Grandpa more. And so, Simon Fairchild is the representative of the Vast. Mike might show up somewhere else, who knows (I do. He will)? Meanwhile, the other Avatars include Oliver Banks (End), Jared Hopworth (Flesh), Trevor and Julia (Hunt), Jude Perry (Desolation), Maxwell Rayner (Dark), and, in a strange turn of events unseen by even me, Alfred Grifter for the Slaughter and Hezekiah Wakely for the Buried. There is a severe lack of Slaughter and Buried Avatars, unfortunately, and I’ve resolved that Grifter and Wakely will be much rarer occurrences as a result. The other Marks will be given by Jane (Corruption), Not!Them/Nikola (Stranger), Peter (Lonely), Annabelle (Web) and the Distortion (Spiral). The first three in their boss fights, Annabelle as a replacement for Chaos and the Distortion as a replacement for Hermes. Meanwhile, Jon will be Marked by the Eye no matter what, and Breekon & Hope will be replacements for Charon as the resident eldritch deliverymen.
The available weapons are, of course, inspired by various Artefacts seen in TMA. The Web Lighter is the default weapon, with the Corruption Scalpel, Slaughter Gun, Slaughter Knife, Lonely Boatswain’s Call and Dark’ Dark Star eventually being offered as alternative options. I’ve had some thought into how they all might function, but I think I’ve talked enough to last a lifetime at this point. Collectibles include Gold (run-only), Statements and Eyes. Statements function much like Darkness and the Mirror of Night - providing Jon with Knowledge and allowing him to level up in some capacity. Eyes are akin to Nectar/ambrosia.
In terms of narrative, beating Lukas would allow Jon access to the Scotland Safehouse - only able to stay there for a little while before being forced to come back to the Institute as he grows hungry. After beating Lukas 10 times, however, a new mechanic is introduced much like how it is in Hades - and the Eyepocalypse begins. Much like Heat, it’s entirely optional, and it provides Jon with more power and might allow him to progress the story quicker. The regions’ aesthetics change drastically, with each chamber becoming its own fear domain as the Heat increases.
Statements found in the game’s rogue-like section and Statements found in the Institute function differently. The Institute Statements, which can be found scattered throughout the Archives and are unlocked after certain dialogue is triggered with other characters, provide insight into the world of Magnus and give Jon more Knowledge, as well as introducing characters like Agnes Montague, Gertrude Robinson, Michaele Salesa (who can be found in higher Heats of the Eyepocalypse) and Adelard Dekker.
Once all Institute Statements are found, and certain dialogue is triggered between the characters, Jon/Player is given a new goal: to be Marked by every Avatar/Fear in a single run. When this is successfully completed, roughly equating to completing Persephone’s request of inviting the Olympians to the Underworld, a cutscene will play - and reveal Elias as the Eye’s Pupil. You thought Peter was the final boss? Ha. No. Loser. It’s Elias. :)
I hate applying for jobs bc what do you mean I need experience and references and a driver’s license and proof that I’m allowed to work. why can’t I rock up to your place of business with my heart on my sleeve and a desire to make a difference in the world
The commission that was done for my donation to TMA for Gaza fundraiser. The drawing was done by the very talented @jouxlskaard and illustrates a little moment in the story One Slow Dance by me :D
