The room was dimly lit, and it stunk of cigarette smoke. The only light source seemed to be from a single lamp, hanging from the ceiling, and the light of day shining through the blinds behind the desk. This was enough light to see the state of the room. Papers occupied nearly every flat surface, including the floor around desks and tables. The top of a small TV was covered in them, and an old-fashioned turn-dial phone looked threatened to be overwhelmed by them. However, your attention was drawn to the desk in front of you. For behind that desk sat your possible employer. She was a woman, who appeared to be in her mid twenties insofar as you could guess, though being in her early or late twenties was not entirely out of the question. Her red hair was tied up in a ponytail, and she wore a white shirt. Her skin was pale, and she leaned back in her seat as she surveyed you. An ash tray sat on her desk, issuing smoke from a recently-discarded cigarette. The ash tray itself was much like the rest of the room: filled with clutter. The woman's eyes, which matched her hair, regarded you behind thin-framed glasses. She was neither tall nor short. Her appearance certainly was not unattractive, she was rather pretty to be truthful, but her expression was a focused, almost harsh one. She took a deep breath, and the cigarette in her mouth burned down further. She took it from her mouth and blew out smoke, then raised an eyebrow at you. "You don't have to look so worried, " she began, cracking a smile, "I'm not going to eat you. I guess you're here for the openings?" Nod. "Well then, let's see your credentials..." You offered her a paper, and she took it from you. She looked it over, her expression becoming serious once more. "Hmm... interesting, interesting... you think you'll make a good detective, then?" Nod. "Well..." she shrugged, "I was asking for new employees, and now you're here. It's not as if I see any reason to turn you away, your skills look pretty useful." She took another drag on her cigarette, then blew the smoke out. "So, you're hired." --- Unexplainable crimes that defy human ability. A detective agency that only some people can see. Deep in Kawa City, there lies what appears to be an empty lot. For some reason, this lot has been left untouched by builders. Some go to survey it, but they always dismiss it for some reason. It's simply ruled to be a place that's impossible to build on, for one reason or another. However, there are some people, some people with... gifts, that are capable of seeing what lies in this supposedly empty lot. Anyone considered supernatural is capable of piercing the veil that hides what lies in this empty lot. The Fu Sonzai no Gensō detective agency deals strictly in cases beyond the realm of local law enforcement. Those who are able to see it go to it to have cases of an unusual nature solved. Cases that someone with mere human capability could not possibly have perpetrated. And now, it's hiring. --- For starters, there's some information about the setting that's kind of important. [b]Magi[/b]: Capable of magic, invoked by spells and symbols, sometimes in conjunction with one another. Magical prowess is passed through bloodlines, some families having more or less mana then others. Magi will have an affinity, which can range from things like fire to gravity to numbers. Affinities(which are also passed through bloodlines) are not limited to the affinity itself, but also includes things that are conceptually linked to it. For example, a mage with an affinity for fire would also excel at spells involving "consumption", "ignition", and "destruction". Magi can preform spells outside their affinity, though it is more difficult to learn. Affinities cannot be for anything entirely man-made. Note: The most powerful mage in this setting has an affinity for mana. They will not be appearing in this RP, and mana as an affinity is strictly off-limits. [b]Onmyouji[/b]: Magical practioners utilizing onmyodo as opposed to western methods of magic. They are similar(magic is passed through bloodlines, they have the same affinities), yet their methods are fundamentally different. Effectively they use the same magic, but with different methods. Onmyouji use ofuda to cast spells, which can be applied to objects or even bodies for a variety of effects. Onmyouji are also adept at preforming exorcisms. Magic Traits: Some magi and onmyouji families possess a special "magic trait", an inherent magical ability connected to their affinity. These are quite uncommon, but they still exist. They require no spellcasting, and usually give some edge in ability. The magic trait "Illusion Break", for example, passively destroys illusions as the mage or onmyouji draws close to them. It also enables them to see through illusions. [b]Homunculi[/b]: Artificial humans created via a union of raw materials and a soul, homunculi are able to be created to a variety of specifications, from creating an ideal assassin to creating someone with the power to boost abilities. They have personalities and thoughts of their own, and an infinite lifespan. Most homunculi will hit a certain age and cease to age beyond that. Homunculi are NOT common, due to difficulties involved in creating them and the inability to simply create souls meaning some kind of sacrifice must be involved. [b]Vampires[/b]: Rather straightforward, vampires are human in appearance, and must drink blood to survive. They are faster and stronger then humans, and capable of regenerating from any damage that does not destroy either the heart or the brain. The sun weakens them and causes them to fall unconscious, but they will recover when out of the sun. Vampires are frozen at the age they were turned, and cannot die of old age. [b]Yokai[/b]: A variety of supernatural creatures dwelling in Japan. These include kitsune, tsukomogami, oni, and many more variants. Their powers and appearances vary greatly. Some yokai have human or very humanoid appearances, (note: Ones played in this RP should be of this kind). Others can shapeshift to take such an appearance(Note: Also acceptable). They are universally possessed of a longer lifespan then most humans(barring things that can cause immortality or lengthen lives). [b]Familiar[/b]: Familiars are beings created by magi from mana. They are existences brought into being by a sustained donation of mana and a reinforcement of existence. Their abilities and appearance are entirely up to the magi who created them, but they must be sustained with mana in order to continue existing. They also require belief in their existence by their creator. Few familiars survive loss of this belief. I do not expect many characters to be familiars, and it must be discussed with me beforehand if you desire to create one. Now that that's over with, this RP is based heavily upon solving mysteries. And magic. Both will feature extensively in the RP. Player characters are to be employees of the Fu Sonzai no Gensō detective agency. This means that, by default, they must have some kind of supernatural ability. There is a Masquerade in place, so normal people won't know about the supernatural. --- Bios: Name: Age: Appearance: Personality: Abilities: Weapons/Equipment: Brief Backstory: --- Name: Ando Toshiko Age: 24 Appearance: [URL=http://safebooru.org//images/909/c4ed7b2f20b8df961c03805853f94b23ad400088.png?914558]She's a bit of a blatant expy. ^^;[/URL] Personality: Toshiko enjoys spending life with people she cares about, and generally makes for fairly pleasant company. However, she will change her behavior depending on the situation. When talking to employees, she is friendly, calm, and kind. When speaking with a perpetrator, for example, she makes a drastic change, approaching cruelty. In addition, it is not difficult to rouse her to anger and she has a remarkable lack of patience for someone who has taken a profession as a detective. When sufficiently angered, she will remove her glasses and and begin taking things extremely seriously. She enjoys cigarettes and seems to have something against organizing her office. Toshiko's ultimate goal is to attain immortality, as well as ensure no-one causes too many problems that interfere with having a pleasant life. Toshiko is terrible with money and spends incredibly frequently, sometimes on magical items and other times on things she simply thinks are interesting. Abilities: Toshiko has Fire as her Affinity. As such, she is highly skilled in spells relating to fire. She is capable of casting spells by "carving" symbols in the air using a lit cigarette. Notable among her spells is an Instant Ignition spell. While it requires a full magic circle to be "carved" in the air, it will instantly ignite a target. As Toshiko's affinity is fire, she is also skilled with spells involving "consumption", "ignition", and "destruction". In addition, she has learned spells outside of her affinity. These spells are primarily wards and illusions, which she uses to conceal the Fu Sonzai no Gensō building from the eyes of regular humans. Weapons/Equipment: Toshiko has a great deal of cigarettes with her at almost all times. Not only does she like them, but they aid her casting. She also has a suitcase, though she doesn't actually use it to store any important items... She says it houses something interesting and leaves it at that. Brief Backstory: Toshiko was born into the Ando family, a family of magi with the goal of accessing the plane of existence the gods dwell on. Early in life, Toshiko was mentored in magic by her grandfather. When she reached her late teens, she was sent to a Mage Circle in London to train. It was here that she chose to abandon her family's goal, firmly believing it to be unattainable. While her family was initially outraged by her decision, they eventually relaxed and came to accept their daughter. This was, in part, because Toshiko's sister had not displayed the same desire to give up. Deciding to pursue the goal of immortality, Toshiko returned to Japan and founded the Fu Sonzai no Gensō detective agency in an effort to ensure pleasant life wasn't disrupted. Also to make money. --- Approved Profiles: Ando Toshiko, head of Fu Sonzai no Genso [url=http://198.58.124.212:3000/topics/87/posts/ooc#post-1075]Kurosaki Tomoya[/url] [url=http://198.58.124.212:3000/topics/87/posts/ooc#post-1720]Iwajima Jun[/url] [url=http://198.58.124.212:3000/topics/87/posts/ooc#post-2215]Oda Kei[/url] [url=http://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/87/posts/ooc#post-2565]Ando Hanako[/url] [url=http://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/87/posts/ooc#post-2933]Kurosawa Etsuko[/url] [url=http://198.58.124.212:3000/topics/87/posts/ooc#post-3674]Ryuuzaki Kotori[/url] [url=http://198.58.124.212:3000/topics/87/posts/ooc#post-4299]Mearii Gekkou[/url] [url=http://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/15782]Nakahara Kaede[/url] [url=http://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/74870]Aikawa Yumiko[/url]