This is the second entry into my fantasy RPG style series of unfortunate guild/party members being made useful. I've been playing around with the idea of making a game around this theme for about a year now. Fantasy RPG's tend to have a lot of bureaucracy; but unlike the real world the introduction of elements like magic, spirits and different races really pushes the tolerances for how individuals can be removed and reinserted into varying roles.
For example in this image a party employed sorcery to salvage whatever function they could squeeze out of this aspiring party member, at the cost off disregarding entirely what that aspiring party member is. My idea for a game in this theme is an RPG where instead off hemorrhaging gold or EXP to strengthen your team, instead you have to transform your party members into consumables or equipment because they're the only augment that will give you a fighting chance.
For the time being this idea is just a pipe dream, but I'll be drafting some ideas for it while I work on my usual art/captions.