Poneglyphs

[EriChar]

So yeah, in the world of One Piece, Poneglyphs are a pretty big thing. Not only are they recorded in such a way that even an organisation like the world government does not possess the means to destroy them, but also contain highly confidential information and perhaps other things that one could develop through RP?

SPOILER: Click to show

{Le Anime Spoilzes}Also, apparently there are four poneglyphs that point the way to Raftel, meaning anyone on site will need the means to decipher them somehow if they wanna go there?

As the forum has gone on, it's always been a little bit vague as to whether characters are allowed the ability to translate poneglyphs? Canon dictates that Nico Robin is believed to be the only person left in the world who can read these legendary items, yet they do seem pretty essential to crews when in the latter stages of the Grand Line?

So yeah, I think we need to consider an official stance on how we treat poneglyph readers? Personally, my opinion is that given the thing mentioned in anime spoilers means that we must somehow make it permissible for people to learn the language, though I am torn on how we go about achieving this? As canon has shown, anyone with the capacity to read this strange language is considered a major threat by the powers that be, so naturally when discovered bounties would ensue? On the other hand, starting with a bounty is a bit of a thing so... It gets a bit messy?

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#Charmakingtrubbzagain

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[Shinku]

Cracking a encryption is a difficult thing when you don't have the code and especially when its written in a language you don't speak. If the language is unknown that might be right impossible, but often enough there's a connection from a living language to a dead one, so it might not be completely impossible. Just very very difficult.

How about making it possible to learn it, but with restrictions and requirements?

I like the idea that people who learn to read the poneglyphs have to do it in RP rather than just adding it to their backstory.

I also think that the character learning it need to have a high level of intelligence and skills.

A luffy-like chara breaking a code like that would look ridiculous in my eyes. And yes, people like Luffy might instinctively understand a bit of languages they don't know or be able to communicate with animals, but a poneglyph is a different thing... it's written down.. so I think it would be rather difficult to break by instinct and more by people who have a flair for written words (sure they can have good instincts as well... but I think it would be really a stretch if they were the type who never read any book at all but somehow still manage to read the poneglyphs).

Since learning to read the poneglyphs is quite a extraordinary skill, we might ask that people who learn it, can not learn Haki (or Gear/Aura). So you get the great power of reading but give up something for it in return. Which means you really should want to learn it or you wouldn't pay the costs.

Which might also mean that you first have to reach the Level C where you'd learn the Gear/Aura or Haki, before you can crack the poneglyph code.

That's my ideas concerning the question, what do you think?

[Vio]

<sup>With our site shifting into something of an Alternate Universe, I do think opening up the doors for this is a good idea. However, I'm more inclined to say that such a skill should be considered something of a legendary skill - an ability that needs to be earned, not bought.

I'd put it in a similar vein to that of Haoshoku (King's) Haki, where it does not cost systematically to earn it, but instead requires evidence of your character having the capacity for learning such a thing. In fact, I might even dare say that such a skill would be unique to Revolutionaries and those of a similar political sway. Much like knowing Rokushiki, I'd class it as a World Government secret, and thus knowing it would warrant an increase in (or the implementation of a) Bounty.

I don't really want to tie it down to our Experience system, though if all else fails it could be slotted into there. The reason being is that even an E Class character would be technically capable of deciphering the language, but I do think it should be subject to an auditions system. What requirements would I put?

It doesn't make sense to know the language if you've never encountered a Poneglyph in your entire life. Maybe we should consider marking locations where Poneglyphs can be found, and the character would need to somehow visit and study it to progress towards understanding. I don't recall it ever being mentioned how long it took Robin to learn it, plus she had access to Ohara's vast archives of knowledge, but I would say you'd have to have at least a handful of encounters with Poneglyphs to qualify.</sup>

[EriChar]

That sounds fair to me. My ideas were that characters could have already had contact with the language of the poneglyphs? For instance, taking a character who is an aspiring archaeologist from a family of historians, they could have found symbols in the notes of their relatives discoveries and cross referenced them with the libraries they found? I'd say that could be one way they to justify having skill with the language?

I think perhaps this brings up the issue of 'advanced expertise' among characters that are rather skilled in their field? I know Vio and I have discussed the matter in private, but there are things like a navigator being able to use cloudy dials at sea levels, this poneglyph issue, and maybe even Brook's ability to influence peoples perception with his music? One could even go as far to say that there might be a special skill for almost any job? Like Franky being able to build so quickly like he did at Thriller Bark?

Personally, I think the ability to use these strong utility abilities might be worth being given in exchange for say a technique slot or something? Like, it's definitely a useful ability to employ these potent semi-environmental abilities?

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[viruswithshoes]

I think the idea is cool but I can't see any real use for it in the blues or the paradise half of the Grand Line. If we do anything with poneglyphs I think it should be an event. Maybe we can make some mini-glyphs that can lead to big treasures in missions or events but nothing as major as ancient weapons or One Piece.

[SheerHeart Attaku]

This is a really good question and it bares the question if the only thing stopping Luffy from reaching where the one piece is said to be is simply not having the Road Poneglyphs. 

Though as it stands I can't help but think it might be a bit unnecessary Viruswithshoes makes a good point that I sort of agree with to it being more eventful. 

Another point I would like to bring up is the assumption/fact that every person who could read poneglyphs was on the island at that exact time and that Nico Robin was the only individual to survive. Reasonably no one could actually prove whether or not there is anyone left, as it was the destruction of an island although it's used as a genocide tactic. I'd like to bring up how Gol D. Roger's wife was able to protect ace thanks to garp and although he was soon found out that was more along the lines of the pirate kind having a heir and the world needing to be rid of that, in the poneglyphs case I don't think it's...as much as a priority and thus could be possible that there are descendents alive that can read poneglyphs. It really all comes down to priority.

[EriChar]

The latter point is exactly why I think others may have survived with the skill; looking at the situation, Nico Olivia was already away from the island and only just got back in time to witness the destruction? It stands to reason that others could have been away, or could have been allies of the Oharan archaeologists that aren't native to the land? Since Ohara was a hub for learning, visiting scholars could have become friends with Clover and the like and learned the language before leaving again, it seemed like they were performing the task of investigating Ponyglyphs for some time before the attack and might have taught others that they trusted the skill?

Once the Island was destroyed, naturally anyone with half a brain would have known to keep their knowledge a secret, but that didn't mean that the knowledge was lost entirely? The seeds may have been scattered across the world but that doesn't mean they didn't still bloom?

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[viruswithshoes]

If we allow characters that can read Poneglyghs we should have a limit since it's such a rare skill. That or make it an expensive skill to purchase so we're not flooded with characters capable of such an uncommon thing. We could also have the skill come with an automatic bounty unless the character is a marine.

[EriChar]

I think like what was mentioned earlier by our Violet Goddess, it should definitely be something that is signed off on through legitimate application. I would say in a similar vein to how we expect a more substantial backstory for a C Class character, it should be like that and then some, with substantial backstory reasoning for why we should permit it?

As for bounties, that's a definite yes, however I should add that it would only be when the World Government is aware of the fact that someone can read Ponyglyphs? Perhaps abilities pertaining to ancient secrets like Ponyglyphs or the Hidden Weapons should have their own special category and instantly incur a hefty bounty addition since it poses a much greater threat than the thuggish actions of rookie pirates?

Taking into consideration situations like that with Donquixote Doflamingo and his knowledge of some World Noble secret that he is able to use as blackmail, I think there should definitely be grounds to create a 'special threat' category in Bounty Applications to cover things outside of ordinary harm to civillians/marines which most of the bounty seems to account for? For instance, one has to figure that when the Government discovered that Portgas D Ace was the son of the Pirate King, this would have had a big impact on the level of threat he was considered as?

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