Just spitballin' some ideas here.
Since the storyline of MK moving into the future is so unstable, what would you guys think of a game that looks back into the universe's rich history? Like, setting a game during the events of the tournaments that the Great Kung Lao fought in five centuries ago?
The story spans three tournaments, and follows GKL's trials as he rises to become the Mortal Kombat champion and savior of Earth, ending with the fateful battle where he is murdered at the hands of Goro. Along the way we see the beginnings of the Lin Kuei, Shirai-Ryu, and the Black/Red Dragon, and glimpse intriguing foreshadowings of events that will influence the next present-day chapter of the story. Some familiar characters such as Raiden and Shang Tsung would return, but the roster would be filled with new fighters based on 16th century warrior archetypes and older schools of magic.
Characters:
Great Kung Lao, combining certain traits of Liu Kang and Kung Lao. Perhaps he begins as a reluctant hero unsure of his worth and skills, but slowly begins to bring the bickering warriors of Earth together and becomes something of a leader. The various factions are mostly fighting for their pride, but after meeting all of Earth's champions and seeing the potential within them, he becomes the only one who has truly knows what they are fighting for, and he fights with the kind of sincere passion that the others lack. In the end, his death resulting from Outworld's treachery is a true tragedy and leaves Earthrealm's morale shattered for many tournaments to come.
Shang Tsung, who begins as a warrior/scholar who dabbles in alchemy in service of an Earthrealm king. He fights with ritualistic spellcraft and is a bit of a trickster. During the first tournament he takes the soul of a fallen opponent as a trophy for his lord, and is punished for breaking Earthrealm's rules of honor. He defects to Outworld to escape his death sentence and is taken under Kahn's wing as an apprentice. Tsung conquers the second tournament for Outworld after conspiring to prevent Kung Lao from participating, but is defeated in the third.
Goro, the young prince of the Shokan. Being younger, he is more modestly sized and is playable, kind of on Sheeva's level. He joins Shang Tsung in a bid to prove the Shokan's worth to Kahn and gain the Emperor's favor over the Centaurs. He begins as something of a laughingstock to the Outworlders, being a child prince of a lowly slave race, but as Tsung's secret weapon for the third tournament he unleashes his righteous anger with unbridled brutality and defeats Kung Lao.
Raiden, being Raiden. Perhaps in this era his godhood is more widely recognized among the Earthrealm populace, and he receives prayers and offerings and interacts more with the common people. He wanders out of the lives of mortals over the next centuries as he focuses on training new warriors to hopefully defeat Shang Tsung. This detachment will eventually lead to his present cavalier attitude about making sacrifices.
Takeda, having freshly left the Lin Kuei, will found the Shirai-Ryu over the course of the story while fending off Lin Kuei assassins. He fights a little more ninja-like than Scorpion.
Drahmin, the human warlord before he died and became an Oni.
A representative or two of the Lin Kuei who are NOT a Cryomancer. Maybe a Sektor-ish fighter with a penchant for gunpowder and fireworks? Like Dynamite Warrior?
A Cryomancer, under the employ of Shao Kahn. Their race is not yet near-extinct.
A Red Dragon. This is long before the Black Dragons formed their splinter organization, while the Reds were still the dominant power in organized crime. MK needs a more awesome Red Dragon representative.
An ancestor of Reptile, a general of Kahn's who fights for Outworld in order to regain Earthrealm for her people. She intends to betray Kahn as soon as Earth is in Outworld's hands. Her plan is discovered, and henceforward any Zaterran offspring are raised to be totally subservient.
A member of the "Mediterranean cult who bred warriors for the gods" that eventually gives rise to Johnny Cage. While the two characters shouldn't be too much alike, perhaps this one shares JC's cocksure arrogance.
Some representative of the order of Shadow Priests. Maybe even the first?
A Tarkatan. The mutations that gave rise to the race have not yet stabilized, and they look a bit more deformed and monstrous than today's.
A conquistador! Maybe he learns a valuable lesson about what it means to invade and enslave a foreign people. A burly dude, he wields a cannon-gun and a sword.
While we're here, throw in a Mesoamerican or Amazonian warrior to fill in for Nightwolf. Most likely has a rivalry with Captain Conquistador.
A Centaur. A PROPER one this time, even if it's a boss only.
And I guess we'd need at least 10 more people to round out the roster, but yeah, that's the gist of my fist. Discuss?
