_________________________________________________________________________________________ Name: Constantine XI Title: End of Empires Class: Shielder Gender: Male Alignment: Red Faction Height / Weight: 172 cm/59kg Source: IRL History. _________________________________________________________________________________________ Personality: As long as there is an independent Greek Nation, Constantine XI is content with whatever agendae his Master gives him, although he’d prefer that said master not commit too many atrocities, even against - Ugh! - Turks. He enjoys life as someone reborn anew in this world and its little pleasures, such as tea and coffee (do not remind him that the Turks introduced it to his city after they conquered it), the sunlight through glass windows, and reading the newspaper in the mornings.
He also urges involvement in modern-day politics to his Master, such as funding a political party here, supporting a revolutionary movement there, and above all trying to keep Greece from going further into upheaval and debt - The only reason he does not waste his Noble Phantasms on that nation is because of his low opinion of the current leadership of the country (That and the fact that he’d get a Ruler going after him)...
Bio: At the back of his mind, Constantine XI had always known that he would be the last Emperor of the Romans/Byzantines, and that the Imperial tradition which began with Augustus, and the Constitutional tradition which began with Romulus, would end with him. Nevertheless, he bravely faced his destiny, looking for allies, money, and aid to help stem the inevitable. Few came, and his own blunders in the diplomatic sphere even hastened the Ottoman Assault on his capital, the now-dilapidated city of Constantinople.
When the assault came, Constantine XI made his final stand, making the enemy pay for every inch of ground, and choosing to make a desperate last charge at the Ottoman Sultan’s Janissaries when they finally came for him. It would be the end of a life soaked in misfortune, in futility, in an endless quest to stem the inevitable tide - He had no regrets except this: That he was leaving behind his people to suffer oppression under a foriegn power.
He died, but his legend lived on, in tales of being rescued by an Angel in order to restore the Empire in the future. Those tales, and the memory of his last stand, earned him a place in the Throne of Heroes, where he waited for the aspirations of his people to be fulfilled. Which they were, in part, when Greece itself was liberated but with Constantinople itself, now named Istanbul, remaining in enemy hands. Nevertheless, he can be content with that, content with seeing the descendants of his brothers prosper again in this new modern world.
He had found peace.
Weapon: Constantine XI carries an angelic sword which lights up in white and black flames when it strikes an enemy, as well as a coat and uniform which are supernaturally tough enough to serve as armor even against other Servants’ attacks. _________________________________________________________________________________________ Parameters: E-A stats usually. Strength: C Endurance: B Agility: B Mana: C Luck: E- _________________________________________________________________________________________ Class Skills:
Magic Resistance (B): Negates E, D and C ranked spells. It is difficult for them to be affected even by Greater Thaumaturgy.
Riding (C): One can flawlessly manage beasts and vehicles if they have received the proper training and adjustments. Most vehicles and animals can be handled with above-average skill. However, Constantine XI cannot ride the likes of Phantasmal Species such as Monstrous Beasts
Self-Field Defense (C): Applies damage reduction beyond defensive limits, but he is excluded from the effect's target.
Personal Skills:
Defensive Engineer (Custom, B): Constantine can improve the defenses of one’s lair, mundane and magical, by up to B-Rank, making them hard to penetrate by intruders. This applies to things as mundane as walls, moats, and reinforced concrete bunkers, as well as bounded fields and mystic sentries, which he gains an ability to interact with and reshape to more efficient parameters.
Military Tactics (Sieges and Last Stands, A-): Applies a + modifier to a single Anti-Army Noble Phantasm of oneself and allies and a rank down or - modifier to the enemy Anti-Army Noble Phantasm. Note that if not in a siege or last stand, this merely applies a rank up to up to a single Anti-Army Noble Phantasms with their rank not exceeding A of oneself and allies and a rank down (as long as it is not A rank or higher) or - modifier (as long as it has a +) to enemy Anti-Army Noble Phantasm.
Bravery (B): At this rank, the threat of overwhelming force does not faze Constantine XI, who can resist mental interference effects of this rank (note that Magic Resistance already negates most such attempts to interfere with the workings of his brain), but more importantly, it increases the Melee Damage he inflicts.
Battle Continuation (C, Fourth Personal Skill): A Skill that allows for the continuation of combat after sustaining mortal wounds. It will also reduce the mortality rate from injury. This Skill represents the ability to survive and/or the mentality of one who doesn't know when to give up, consisting of one's strength of vitality in predicaments. _________________________________________________________________
NOBLE PHANTASMS
Title: Legend of Imperial Rebirth Rank: A+ NP Type: Anti-Self Range: 1 Maximum Number of Targets: 1 Description: Legends say that Constantine XI was saved from death by an Angel, turned into a marble statue, and stored in a secret cave underneath Constantinople’s Golden Gate in order to await true resurrection, after which he will, with God’s help, retake the city, restore the Empire, and drive the Turks back to Central Asia. This legend resonates in the hearts of the Greek people today, giving needed strength to the Servant.
The Legend of Imperial Rebirth is a crystallization of those legends which form their own Noble Phantasm, a Phantasm which envelops his body and cloaks it in the stuff of myths, enhancing its wielder’s capabilities to far beyond what he had in life.
And by that, when brought to the brink of death, Constantine XI’s clothes, armor, and sword turn as white as marble, and all Parameters and Skill Ranks are raised by one rank. He also gains the benefits of Golden Rule (Body), meaning that while he can be physically damaged, the damage in question cannot make him ugly. Not merely that, but Military Tactics reverts to its normal form and can be used without a malus in situations which are not a last stand or a siege. This effect lasts till the end of the fight.
Title: Hexamillion Wall Rank: D NP Type: Fortress Range: 1 - 50 Maximum Number of Targets: 1000. Description: The Hexamillon was a wall stretching throughout the Isthmus of Corinth with two castles on the end, and which had been repaired and rebuilt multiple times against invaders, never-succeeding in its objective. Nevertheless, Constantine XI was one of the last rulers to try and strengthen it, turning the wall and castles into a strongpoint which had to be broken with Gunpowder and Cannons...
A wall is conjured up across the battlefield with two castles at either end, and both wall and castles can shoot arrows of pure prana. This wall can withstand most mundane and magical attacks, and can be strengthened to B-Rank by someone, not just Constantine XI, with the appropriate Skill (usually Defensive Engineer).
The size of the wall and the castles depend on the size of the battlefield itself, but it can theoretically expand to the length of the Corinth Canal, which has the same length as the IRL Hexamilion Wall...
Fighting Style: Constantine XI fights defensively most times.
Stats, Skills, and Noble Phantasms are used with ConmanWolf's Permission.
_________________________________________________________________________________________ Name: Lucius Tiberius Title: The Sword Emperor Class: Saber Gender: Male Alignment: Evil Height / Weight: 6'6/170kg Source: Historical Legend (La Morte D' Arthur). Also, Fate/Prototype. _________________________________________________________________________________________ Personality: The emperor of Rome is the embodiment of Rome's greatness. The final attempt to restore Rome's glory, and he might well have been in life. He is everything a greater ruler needs to be. Patient. Tactical. Wise. But all of that is meaningless when all you know is war. When all you know is a collapsing empire all around you. Even if he could restore life to the corpse it would be by filling it with blood taken from others.
But it is for Rome. It is to encourage the glory of Rome, and bring the whole world once more under its banner. It is arrogance, and ego that drives him. An unending need to conquer all others, and subjugate them under the banner of Rome.
If Rome is the world, than Lucius shall become a god over humanity. To stand at the peak above all of mankind, with no others to match him. Except one. It is unacceptable for one of greatness to deny themselves their position. Their right to rule over the world.
Bio: Rome was the empire that ruled all. It’s list of great emperors extends beyond the ones people recall. Caesar. Octavian. Otho. Domitian. The one all forget though is the greatest of them all. The emperor known as Lucius Tiberius. He who wielded the blade Florent.
His origins are simple. Rome was dying. The diseased and weak grip of the Emperor Leo had caused Rome’s body to decay. The people who once bowed to Rome had begun to pick at the corpse. Lucius himself was born of the line of Romulus, though the blood had become so diluted with eons that he possessed no godly powers himself. As such, he was swept up into the endless wars as another for the fodder. Known only as Lucius Tiberius. Given armor and a sword, and nothing else. He was expected to die like all the others. But he fought, and fought, and drove his sword into the hearts of his enemies. The fields became soaked in blood, and as he looked up to the sky, he made a vow to the Goddess Flora…
“I promise the tree of Rome shall grow, if only I had the right to rule.”
It was that moment, the blade of Rome appeared in the middle of a field. The dead who had fallen in war all moved to face the blade, in worship of it perhaps. This, the blade Florent, said to have been lost, appeared on that field as if by magic. Said to have been lost since the time of Romulus himself.
Generals arrived, and attempted to pull the blade from the pile of corpses. But all failed. From all sides of the kingdom, the rich and regal descended upon the field to claim the blade. But all failed. Emperor Leo himself, a withered husk of a man, unfitting to lift a sword, much less swing it, appeared in a carriage drawn by a thousand horses.
He failed. And nobody attempted after him. Nobody, but the boy called Lucius. Still not a man, he was a child in the eyes of Rome. In a motion, he gripped the blade, and pulled it free from pile of death. He was to be the emperor of Rome. at that same time, across the sea… King Arthur had pulled free Clarent, to become king of the Britons.
Lucius Tiberius earned the support of the nobles and the generals, who bowed to him as the emperor to be. Their desperation was perhaps to earn favor with the new emperor, but Leo refused. He was enraged, and drew his own blade. Only to topple, and die where he stood. His heart failing him in horror at his emperor being taken from him. So, it fell to boy, now named Lucius Tiberius, to rule as Emperor, and true to his word it flourished. The tree of Rome began to grow and spread its roots out once more. Lucius traveled to the Orient, where he sought to claim lands Rome had never touched. Years passed in constant war, as it was all he had ever known.
But after many years, he heard that a king of the Britans had appeared and ruled from a city known as Camelot. Lucius, arrogant and full of pride after having conquered the mysterious lands of the Orient, turned his attention to this king. Lucius demanded that Arthur pay him tribute and recognize him as his sovereign, as had been done by Britain since the time of Julius Caesar. Arthur refused on the basis that the British kings Belinus and Brennius had defeated Rome in the past. In retaliation, Lucius, still boiling with arrogance, gathered his army from all over Africa, and Spain.
The battle was met at the coast of the Channel, as Arthur dare not let such a force of nature step into his kingdom. A wise choice, but still a costly battle was held. King of the sword and Emperor of the Blade clashed. Their swords sparking against each other. Holy sword against a cursed blade that had tainted Rome. Clashing, striking, and echoing through the land. But a cursed blade can never beat a holy blade forged in the heart of a planet.
Arthur called upon Excalibur, and the light of the holy blade burned away at Lucius’ being. The last sound the emperor made was a roar of laughter. Overwhelmed as his mind cracked from the agony. All that remained was his sword. The army broke and scattered.
Thus ended the legend of Lucius Tiberius. In his last moments, some claimed they heard a scream of fear as he was erased from the face of the Earth.
Weapon:Florent - Primary Weapon. Read Noble Phantasm Section for more details. _________________________________________________________________________________________ Parameters: E-A stats usually. Strength: B Endurance: B Agility: A Mana: B Luck: A _________________________________________________________________________________________ Class Skills:
Magic Resistance (B): Negates E, D and C ranked spells. It is difficult for them to be affected even by Greater Thaumaturgy.
Riding (B): Capable of handling modern vehicles with the skill of the best racers or pilots. Gains intuitive understanding of the mount they ride, as if a bond between them exists. Monstrous mounts appear at this Rank.
Personal Skills:
Bravery (B): The ability to negate mental interference such as pressure, confusion and fascination. It also has the bonus effect of increasing melee damage. Not usable under the effects of Mad Enhancement.
[Effect:] As the rank increases, the ability to resist mental interference as well as increase melee damage increases.
Imperial Privilege (A): An ability that, due to the insistence of the owner, Skills that are essentially impossible to possess can be obtained for a short period of time. In cases when the Rank is А or above, even the "burden to the body" can be acquired (such as Divinity).
[Effect:] Allows for the usage of additional skills, such as Mana Burst (Lightning, A), Chinese Martial Arts (A, apparently, he managed to make it to China in his legend), and also activating his Noble Phantasm, Florent, without having to fulfill the conditions for its use.
Incitement (B): A Skill that functions as the acquisition of the words and gestures to lead the citizens and the masses. Especially, when employed against an individual, it functions as a sort of mental attack. It is the skill of a tyrant king to gather than army, rather than a kind king to gather a Round table. One is a power over others by crushing their own, the other is to gather in peace and raise the hopes and dreams of others. Nothing is more Lucius than this skill. To dominate, and crush.
[Effect:] With this skill, Lucius has the ability that with just a few short words he is able to take people into a heated emotional state. This could be anything from sending everyone nearby into an utter frenzy, to making everyone pitifully sad. There is no real scope he is limited to, only limit is the amount of emotions he can instill in people. Granted that is still a very broad, as with it he can do things such as making someone believe that they're to be betrayed by their greatest friend, instill deep doubt about some of the their greatest beliefs, or make them even consider their entire life choices, each mental attack with in a simple sentence or two. Alternatively, he could also do something such as make his men have complete trust in him and yet also raise their morale of the entire army and keep it like that for months on end if needed. It was with this amazing ability that he was able to win many wars and command his men to the fullest.
A skill designed to control armies, and inspire cooperation amongst the various countries that made up Rome. When utilized on a crowd, this skill inspires confidence, or other emotions the user desires. It can be be considered almost on par with the power of a command seal. Almost. When utilized, crowds of NPCs fall to his command. Masters and servants have a higher natural resistance.
Title: Florent - Crimson Flower of the Goddess Rank: A+ NP Type: Anti-Unit, Anti-Fortress Range: 1 - 100 Maximum Number of Targets: 1000 Description: Florent is a brother sword to Clarent and symbolises someone’s rule over all of the people on the continent. Said to have once belonged to Romulus, it was forged with the heart of a demon at its core, and Flora's divine protections are engraved into the blade. It was said that Flora herself is the only one who can chose those worthy enough to wield Florent, a status that not even Jupiter can bestow on others.
Florent amplifies the qualities of an emperor, and grants several bonuses to them. Unlike Mordred who did not earn Clarent, Lucius is Florent's rightful owner and as such it will never reject him. It increases each of his physical parameters, and amplifies the magical energy he pours into it. Increasing the power of attacks that use mana burst.
Finally, it amplifies the aura of authority the emperor possesses. Increasing the rank of Incitement by one rank.
It is said that in the past when the sword was lost, thirteen laws were placed upon by Florent by thirteen emperors of Rome. Their imperial status placing restrictions on its usage, to ensure that no other could hope to use the weapon against them. These seals are placed upon the heart of the demon that acts as the core of the blade, and only by removing all thirteen seals can the full power of Florent be utilized.
The thirteen emperors are Claudius, Otho, Tiberius, Augustus, Trajan, Caligula, Hadrian, Domitian, Commodus, Gallienus, Valerian, Maximinus, and Septimius. Their rules can be considered quite asinine, and nearly impossible for any one man to bypass. Effectively making it impossible to use Florent's full power.
Except, Lucius cares not for the thirteen laws placed upon the blade. By pouring energy into Florent, he uses his own imperial privilege to shatter the seals. A beam of devastating light is released from Florent, cleaving its way through armies and fortresses alike. It is said that only a sword forged in the heart of the world could ever hope to overwhelm the power of the demon heart.
[Effect:] In it's standard form, Florent is a B-rank Noble Phantasm.
Florent amplifies all magical energy that is poured into it. Increasing the damage of Mana Burst attacks when used through Florent. General damage with Florent is also raised.
All of Lucius' physical parameters are raised by one. (From B+, B, B+ to A+, A, A+ respectively.) The user's imperial aura is also amplified. Increasing the rank of Incitement by one rank. (From B to A.)
Upon the true name release, Lucius pours magical energy into Florent, shattering the restrictions once placed upon it by the emperors of old. The beam of light released is capable of destroying even a fortress in a single swing, but doing so requires a great deal of magical energy.
Title: Flora - Radiant Grace of the Goddess Rank: B NP Type: Anti-Injury Range: 1 Maximum Number of Targets: 1 Description: Florent is the blade of Flora, forged from the heart of a demon. She placed her affections and love into the blade, and whoever wields will possess Flora's affections and blessings. It is said that whoever possesses Flora's affection shall be free from all suffering.
When battling Arthur, an attack destroyed his arm, but with Flora's blessing which he amplified by using the land's magical energy he was able to regrow the entire limb in a moment.
[Effect:] A constantly active noble phantasm that uses Flora's blessing to restore Lucius body. If injured, the injury begins to heal at an improved rate.
Minor injuries are restored within a short period of time. Roughly the same posting round the injury is dealt. More serious injuries, like being stabbed or gutted can be restored with a period of roughly two posting rounds. A fatal injury (as long as Lucius spirit core is not destroyed) can be healed within a period of four posting rounds.
Poisons or traditionally negative effects are purged from Lucius' body as long as he possesses this blessing. Should Florent be lost for a period of time, this noble phantasm is sealed until it is recovered.
Fighting Style: Lucius is basically Arthur/Artoria's dark counterpart, focused on swordsmanship with an uttelry bloodthirsty style of fighting.
His years had been successful, Egypt was led to greatness and prosperity and even a measure of hegemony over the petty states of the Middle East under his reign. However, he had alienated many people not just with his brutality, which he could have gotten away with, even turned into a strength, but also with his defiance of tradition plus the demeaning concessions with which he had secured the vast majority of his dominions against the overwhelming power of Britain. And now, with his son Ibrahim dying from tuberculosis as well and his grandson Abbas already dead, some suspect by his own command, it was the former’s task to hold back the tide of discontent which was still simmering in the areas where opposition to the Sultanate remained strong.
As the former Pasha, now Sultan, of Egypt lay on his deathbed, surrounded by his doctors, caretakers, servants, and relations, he looked around uncomprehendingly at first, gripped by the increasing senility which had arrived with his advancing years. Then, a glint came into his eye as he looked at his son, sixteen-year-old Sa’id, who was now the next in line (once Ibrahim had died) after Abbas’ death through poison administered in his wine. Then he said in a raspy voice:
“Even before I die, send out an army to Syria across the Suez - The British will be obligated to allow our passage, lest any rebels threaten their precious canal, more worth to them than a dozen cities. This army will be composed of conscripts from Egypt itself and several battalions of Sudanese, in order to make the instructions forwarded to them easier. What are these commands? To take hostages among the leading families of each town and city, and burn out any rogue shaikh, Bedouin tribe, or discontented noble who want to bring back the backwardness and chaos of the past.”
The hard edge came back to his voice as he continued, “At the same time, another army is to be sent down to the Sudan, where the ungrateful natives of the region claim the right to revolt due to our ‘oppressions’. As if The Highest himself did not smile upon me and justify my actions! Similar instructions are to be given to this force - Take hostages and give punishment for any hint of revolt!”
He coughed, his death was near indeed. “As for the Sharif of Hedjaz… Heap him with high honors and a reminder that any rebellion in Arabia will open the gates to the return of the heretical followers of Ibn Wahhab and his ilk. Hint at a marriage between your brother,” Sa’id then looked at him with some surprise at being mentioned, “And one of his daughters, a purest Sayyida who carries the line of the Prophet - Peace Be Upon Him - himself.”
Sa’id’s eyes opened wide at that - His father was shooting high, indeed, if he was aiming for one of his son’s future brides (for their religion allowed for four wives) to come from such a family. No, Sa’id knew that any sons he would bear with his future wife could claim the dignity of the Caliphate itself, and thus usurp another of the Ottoman Sultan’s shrinking raft of titles. He bowed before his father, amazed at his wisdom.
The Sultan of Egypt then took off his turban and put it on Sa’id’s head, saying, “You are the one and only successor to my throne - I have crossed many lines and risked hellfire to ensure that this is so. Now take up the sword as well as the throne, and do not shirk from taking the blood of rebel and ingrate!”
An oblique admission that Abbas’ death was indeed caused by him, and exhausted by this last movement, as well as his outburst, Muhammad Ali of Egypt lay down and finally expired, the boundless energies which he had put into administration and conquest both finally dissipating.
But for Sa’id, now Sultan Sa’id, once known only for his Francophilia and fascination with Western ways, the flames were just beginning to burn.
“Gather the leading men of the court, city, and army here immediately and have them pledge their allegiance. Muster the needed forces and send the needed messages, now. We will not let what my father has built fall down just because of the jealousy of blind and old men!” he barked out with surprising ferocity. “Egypt will stand!”
Sand and debris were being cleared out of the old necropolis, a site of the Ancient Egyptian civilization long forgotten by the current inhabitants of the land, who didn’t even claim to be its heirs. An old Coptic monastery, abandoned for at least several decades, had also been demolished in order to unearth ‘pagan’ artifacts on his orders, pagan artifacts that to a scion of the Enlightenment like him, were worth more than ‘current’ superstitions.
Who was he, by the way? Well, the great Jean-Agustin Pierrot, friend of the new Sultan of Egypt and unofficial head of the ‘Egyptologist’ community which lived in this new country, providing specialist knowledge and intellectual credibility to the current regime in exchange for being allowed to sate their passion for the very distant past, for the ancient civilizations which were more fascinating than the current mundane ones.
Pierrot was different even from the others, though, in that he was believed to regard his own civilization as boring. Superior to others, certainly, but still boring. And what was surprising was that these allegations were completely true - His Egyptomania had advanced to the point where he genuinely believed the ancients to possess greater wisdom and greater happiness than the people of today, so burdened by their cares and their focus on worldly wealth.
Not that he’d voice it out loud, though.
Anyway, why was he clearing out this old necropolis, and the magnificent ancient pagan temple which showed signs of being defaced even in the ancient past? Well, he had a hypothesis - The defacements, which occurred in the time of Thutmose III, who, to the surprise of people who still thought that ‘Scripture’ was an accurate source of history, had occupied Palestine when the Israelites were supposed to have been -
His heresy was interrupted by a messenger, a soldier from the contingent of troops Sultan Sa’id had dispatched to guard the archeological dig site from the surge of malcontents which regarded all Westerners as ‘Kaffir’. As the somewhat portly, balding Frenchman turned to the soldier - A callow youth barely out of boyhood, by his reckoning, and asked in halting Arabic, “What is it?”, he waited for bad news.
Thankfully, it was nothing of the sort… If one were actually attached to the mundane world of politics. For the youth’s message, given in Turkish (which Pierrot understood better than Arabic) was:
“You are being asked to attend a feast with the Sultan in Alexandria; the British and French Ambassadors are also invited and so will those of the Dutch and Austrians and the Americans. They all want to hear about your hypothesis about a… Female Pharaoh?” said the youth.
For this was Pierrot’s intended contribution to Egyptology, to prove that the builder of the temple he was unearthing belonged to a Female King, one who was so offensive to her successor that he had her name cut out from her own temple. There were even proofs in the very interior of the building, of the name ’Hatshepsut’ being placed in cartouches - The symbol of a Pharaoh's special status - in chambers where no eye was intended to see and which thus were spared the vandalism.
“What game is your new Sultan playing?” he asked, “Shouldn’t he be sending an ambassador to Austria right now or playing soldier to quell rebels?”
The soldier revealed himself to be slightly more intelligent than expected when he said, “He has already sent Rifa’a al-Tahtawi as his ambassador to the Austrians, with instructions to convey Egypt’s peaceful intentions towards everybody, its commercial affinity with Britain, and its desire to emulate France’s culture... Or so I heard from my superiors.”
How pert, Pierrot thought. So this is what the new initiative to educate soldiers produces.
His next words were, “How could I refuse? Tell the Sultan I will begin packing up. In the meantime, I ask for more soldiers to be sent to protect this place - I heard that rebel activity is picking up even here…”
Typical, I am being used for a public relations exercise…
Noble Arm Name & Appearance:Araw ng Paghahayag (Filipino for Day of Revelation)
Noble Arm Rank: B
Noble Arm Type, Element, and Range: Melee/Support, Truth/Information, and Close-range.
Noble Arm Abilities:
Liwanag ng Araw (Light of the Day/Sun) - Pablo glows with the light of the Sun, which allows him to dispel mundane and magical darkness, as well as illusions. It can also be used as a handy flash-bang.
Pagtatago sa Liwanag (Hiding in the Light) - Pablo can turn invisible to mundane and magical eyes, as well as cameras and other mundane tech... But only in board daylight or similarly bright illumination. The moment darkness falls, this invisibility ends.
Apoy ng Araw (Fire of the Sun/Day) - Pablo can unleash a wave of fire from his sword, a fire hot enough to melt metal, but not concrete.
Paghahanda para sa Paghahayag (Preperations for the Revelation) - Pablo burns himself in his own flames, then the resulting ashes scatter of their own will, moved by invisible winds to cover as wide an area as possible. Those touched by said ashes will then manifest avatars of their own sins and flaws, the inner darkness they previously suppressed. Should they defeat them, which is not guaranteed, Pablo will be ressurected with a rank up to his Noble Arm, a one-hour long rank up which allows him to access his last power.
Paghahayag (Revelation) - For an entire hour, Pablo glows brightly with the light of embodied, metaphysical truth which penetrates the mental defenses, magical defenses, self-delusions, and filters of anyone exposed to it, forcing them to confront the lies they told themselves and the lies others told them. Not just that, but it reveals the truth of what really happened to them and what they had really become, as well as what events in their lives had led them to take their path. This truth is shared not just with Pablo, but with everyone else who is within range of his light.
Misc. Abilities: Fencing, History and Literature, Basic Politics.
Personality: Pablo is a naturally reckless person who relies on his powers too often, but can take advice when needed. He also has a high opinion of himself and his intelligence, as well as a sense of self-loathing whenever this high opinion is proven to be wrong. Despite this, however, Pablo is a kind person, one who focuses on helping others as well as himself, and is aware of his flaws. He is someone who wants to have friends, and goes to great lengths to get people to like him and keep liking him.
*Likes: Sweets, Swordsmanship, History and Literature.
*Dislikes: Bullies, Spicy Food.
Fears: Showing his darker side to his peers.
Bio: Pablo's great-grandparents were migrant workers who came to the city of Manila in the Magsaysay Administration, looking for opportunity, and unlike many others, finding it. While said great-grandparents were menial workers, their children, Pablo's grandparents, were lowly clerks, while Pablo's mother became a lawyer and his father an Eskrima instructor. And so, Pablo grew into some wealth and affluence, despite his mother frequently taking on cases for free. Despite this, Pablo's life seemed normal, although he was more intelligent than his peers by a large margin, to the point where he took advanced classes. This made him feel isolated, and also the target of bullies. It became worse when he realized that he was bisexual early on.
He was afraid that if anyone found out, he would be expelled from his family and left out in the streets; he didn't want that. But at the same time, this was what he was born with, and he couldn't change it - he tried. The only people he can confide his secrets to, as well as doubts, were people on the Internet. Yes, foolish idea, but as long as he didn't reveal his name and personal details, he would be all right, right? Wrong, because eventually, one of those people, a woman, found out his personal details and tried to blackmail him for money.
Pablo had to make a choice: Risk his secret coming out, or steal from what was not his? He chose the former, and he 'came out' to his mother that day. Surprisingly, his mother was understanding; not entirely approving, but not rejecting, either. And so they chose to confront the potential blackmailer together, Pablo's mother had a gun, just in case.
The blackmailer turned out to be one a former plaintiff that Pablo's mother had successfully prosecuted, and now sought to ruin the life of her family in response. She was also a Noble Arms master with a Gauntlet that manifested darkness. Caught in a trap, Pablo and his mother risked death...until Pablo manifested his own Noble Arm, the Noble Arm of Revelations. Taken by surprise, the blackmailer was defeated through a combination of quick moves and sucker punches by Pablo. And after that, the boy transferred to Trinidad Academy, rejecting offers from more reputable institutions because Trinidad Academy was both in his country and closer to home.
Besides, he wanted to see if the New Director could pull off what he promised...
*Current Goal: See if the New Director can make Trinidad Academy a place for heroes.
Personality: Well-read, but lacking formal education. Knowledgeable of many things, but not social niceties. And of course, with a predilection for gluttony, making sure that every bit of food is eaten and every edible drink is drunk. This gluttony extends to knowledge as well; he wants to know more and more and more, reading every book and label and manual he can unless it's in a language he does not understand.
Surprisingly, he lacks obvious evidence of mental scars, something he is quick to reassure his teammates hides evidence of deeper trauma. After all, he would state, he was born poor and underprivileged and he had Powers. Of course, he Triggered like the rest of them!
Appearance: For his civilian appearance, Andrew regularly uses his stipend from The Wards to buy the trendiest civilian clothing possible, with a preference for blue and white shirts and jackets. He also reveals his natural hair color, which is brown.
As a Cape, Andrew uses his powers to turn his hair silver, because he thought it was cool. He also prefers the costume shown in his picture, because he likes it.
Biography: Andrew was deposited in an orphanage close to a Public Library. It was an orphanage of love, of warm food and light and a constantly burning fire in the winter. It was beautiful and musical and it was all he could want. Not just that, but the Public Library was close enough that even at a young age, he can cross over with minimal adult supervision and lose himself in the books for hours. He was intelligent, precocious, and it was clear that someone was going to adopt him after a while. However, he always insisted to his prospective parents that they pick another kid or set of kids first; they needed it more than he did.
This continued until he was past the normal age for adoption, but the boy had already resolved to work at the orphanage he lived in to take care of other children. Then one day, a person who came to adopt one of his friends dropped a suitcase after leaving in a hurry, and Andrew resolved to return it once the person came back... Only to find some of the younger kids have picked the locks, searching for candy.
After scolding the children, Andrew glanced through the suitcase's contents and found papers and a strange vial inside; some of the former in English. Reading quickly through them, he grasped enough to know that the vial was an illegal compound intended to be tested on the kid who was going to be 'adopted' by that man. More importantly, it was a vial that was likely to turn a person into a monster or give them a strong Power; whichever was more likely.
Rage filled the boy. As the 'adopter's' car returned to the parking lot, Andrew opened the vial and drank its contents without hesitation. If the man wanted to turn his friend into a test subject under the guise of adoption, he had another thing coming!
The man burst into his room as he doubled over in pain. Then blue light filled the area, and Andrew faced the fraud who was going to prey on his friend and prepared for a confrontation.
No one knew what happened after that, but some days later, Andrew arrived at the nearest PRT office, saying that he had heard about the budding 'Wards' initiative and that he had powers and wanted to join...
Powers/Skills:
Andrew is reasonably well-read and knowledgable, with a special focus on history and fantasy literature. He is also being taught how to fight with swords, guns, and strangely, axes; this training has made him athletic.
Hope Manipulation (Trump/Shaker/Master 8) - Andrew/Hope draws from his own Hope and the ambient hope of everyone within 50 meters of him in order to create a number of effects that cover every other Class of Power, including energy blasts, force-fields, energy constructs, flight, cellular regeneration, and material alteration.
The Drawback of this? This is Worm we're talking about; the world is crapsack and his teammates have strong traumas and the mental issues those cause, meaning that they might not be interested in hoping for a better future. Also, prolonged use (1 to 2 hours) depletes his hope and the hope of others, eventually sapping their will to live and rendering them catatonic and zombie-like if they don't commit suicide.
Lack of hope and excessive use of his powers can shorten this period further.
Sub Powers: These classifications assume an average level of hope in the affected area.
Energy Blasts (Blaster 6): Blue energy blasts of manually variable power capable of knocking a person off their feet and inflicting mild burns or blasting through unprotected flesh and punching straight through steel. These can be thrown as simple blasts or sustained beams.
Energy Shields (Shaker 6): Semi-transparent energy shields capable of halting a speeding car in its tracks with only moderate strain. Though, something as heavy and solid as a speeding armored truck will likely shatter them. Shields can be formed up to 2 meters away from himself, large enough to englobe him and anyone close enough to fit inside as well. The shields can be shaped somewhat but are always spheroid or semi-spheroid.
Energy Constructs (Master 2-?): Energy that can be shaped into tools, weapons, or small structures like miniature bridges that are as durable as titanium alloy unless specified otherwise. Can be as small as a screw or as large as a truck. However, the major caveat is that he must actually know how to physically build what he summons. For every object, he must have the theoretical blueprints for dedicated to memory. Technically, he could make anything, but advanced electronics and Tinkertech are far outside his reach. The more complicated the object, the more energy and concentration are required to create it. The most complicated thing he has managed to make with it so far is a wheelbarrow, but this power will only grow in utility and menace with time and study.
Flight (Mover 4/Breaker 1): Andrew can fly up to the speed of a small civilian helicopter, and his body is protected from the air resistance and friction of moving by his own power.
Cellular Regeneration (Brute/Striker 5): Andrew can heal his own injuries, even loss of limbs, and heal the same in others as well. He can also purge poisons and diseases and even rewrite another person's genetic disorders out of their DNA. However, he needs to touch the person being healed, concentrate his attention on them, and it costs a lot of energy.
Material Alteration (Striker/Changer/Stranger 2): Andrew can change the color, shape, and appearance of his clothing and any items he directly touches, but he cannot increase their durability; this means that he needs normal armor to protect his body, which The Wards provide. The changes are permanent but can only target inorganic or dead material (like his hair or clothing fibers). He can target something as small as a singular hair. He can alter an object's size to match that of something with equal weight. Effectively, mass is generally conserved.
Hope Sensing (Thinker 1): This allows him to sense the ambient emotion of hope in living creatures within 50 meters of him. This sense is incredibly broad, so he is unable to determine the number of people in the range or identify specific people. Within 5 meters of himself, however, he can apply greater focus to uncover hidden people, able to foil some Strangers or find trapped victims under rubble and the like.
Other: My favorite superpower is Actual Magic, which does not exist in Worm. Failing that, my own Hope Manipulation.
As he sought the source of the wraiths which haunted the apartment, slicing through ghosts with his magic blade as he went, Ken gradually, painfully, realized something. He did not want to abandon Reverio and Chinami. It wasn't right to do so, not after what they had gone through and what he had gone through. Was it so conventionally kind others might find it boring? Yes it was. But Ken wanted to own that behavior, make it his' and ingrain it into his psyche to the point where it was indelible. Why should he be afraid of them hurting him? Pain was a part of life, meant to indicate what damage needed healing and what dangers to keep away from, but it can also be a survival instinct gone wrong.
Same for Hate (capitalized); it was also a survival instinct, sometimes useful for taking out threats and disposing of truly monstrous folk, but more often than not going out of control and consuming oneself and all around them. As Ken located the glowing source of occult power which attracted ghosts into the apartment, as he sliced through that portal to the underworld with the Ame-no-Murakumo and thus ended the haunting, causing the ghosts to fade away into wisps of light and air, the boy saw that he had been afraid, afraid of Chinami's hidden strength and Reverio's open strength and the toxicity of his issues.
He breathed in and out, noticing he had been in the basement of the apartment - So cliche. Taking the stairs up to the abandoned building's ground floor, he found an unexpected gift: Several tied-up, blindfolded, and gagged Ninja from Izumo, all presumably sent to assassinate him, as well as a package which, judging by its softness, contained clothes.
There was a note attached: To Ken Illustrious Ikari, if you truly have the heart of a hero, go to a nearby bathhouse, take a quick shower as you're sweaty, then put on this outfit; it's completely mundane but you'll realize how clothes make the man. After that, well, your friend from Vanquelin is in the Grand Public Library. Love, the Mysterious Benefactor E.A.N.
"Mysterious benefactor?" Ken spoke out loud in response to the letter, "More like a stalker."
Either way, he realized the gift of incapacitated assassins was the request for the trust it was, and so after calling the police to arrest the assassins (he gave an anonymous tip), the boy went to a nearby bathhouse and after a quick shower, pulled out the package, which contained a silken semi-formal suit, blazer, and necktie of crimson and gold, with layers of kevlar and trauma plates made from prototype polymers, followed up by a pair of white gloves. It made him look every bit what he claimed to be; the rightful Emperor of Izumo.
Gaudy, Ken thought, but it fits my goals. The boy then found another surprise, a limousine driven by a female chauffeur with long tresses of black hair. A question escaped his mouth, "E.A.N, or one of her minions? We both know that the Fairy Godmothers are not as secret as they want to be."
The 'chauffeur' smiled and said, "Just let me drive you to where you need to be. Oh, by the way, I did not conjure this car; I bought it. I also don't know how to drive, although I do know how to use a variety of guns, including an Anti-Materiel Rifle," she then chuckled. "But -"
Ken responded somewhat snippily, "I'm going to the library to issue a challenge, not to flaunt wealth I do not have. I'm taking public transport."
In response to that, the 'chauffeur' grabbed him with surprising strength, and space shifted as he was briefly pulled into what seemed to be another dimension and then deposited just outside the library. His sword sheathed and strapped to his waist through a belt, the boy entered the library room, the 'Fairy Godmother chauffeur' having seemingly left him alone except to whisper, "Show me a good story."
He caught Darla's shout and knew that her offer of two million was not something he was interested in even though he needed the wealth. Walking towards where she, Reverio, and Mav were, the sun through the windows covering him in a corona of light (the 'chauffeur' had set up mirrors), the boy then spoke, facing the woman, "Someone who is truly in need would not need to offer cash for rescue; Milady."
Pulling off his left hand's new white glove, he walked back a few paces, to a spot where everyone, including a handsome boy his own age (Lambda) and a scruffy-looking older youth, could see him, he threw the glove on the floor, saying, "I am Ken Illustrious Ikari, claimant to the Imperial Throne of Izumo and newly-blessed by the 'Faerie Godmothers' of legend and folklore. I seek the strongest challenger there is, one who can help me increase my strength so that I can one day free my people from bondage and stand beside my friends," he looked at Reverio, "as a peer." Then he turned to Darla and said, "Gender is no object for a challenger, only strength and determination in their many forms."
Fifteen years after a catastrophe known as 'Second Impact', Earth is being attacked by Alien beings called 'Angels' which seek to raze the fortress city of Tokyo-3 for their own sinister purposes. These beings, similar to the Kaiju in movies, are immune to nearly all forms of conventional weaponry, and can only be opposed by strange mechs called ‘Evangelions’, which in turn are piloted by children, whose 'strength of heart' can cause the machines they run to emit the same energy that the Angels use to render missiles, artillery, and even nuclear blasts ineffective.
NERV, the organization which maintains and uses the Evangelions, is in fact a subordinate group for SEELE, a secret organization that secretly controls world politics to serve their secret agenda: The Human Instrumentality Project, which aims to merge all human souls into one entity in 'Third Impact'. Gendo Ikari, NERV's leader, had plans to bend the Human Instrumentality Project to his own agenda: To reunite with his dead wife, Yui Ikari, during the merging of all human souls. To do this, he made sure that his son, Shinji Ikari, would be the pilot of the most important Evangelion, Unit-01, and unwittingly bring about 'Third Impact'.
It happened; Shinji Ikari, while trying to save a fellow pilot, Rei Ayanami, triggered an incomplete Third Impact which devestated the planet. Fourteen years later, he was woken up and tricked into creating a Fourth Impact. Then he actually found his courage, grew up, and taking responsibility for his actions, defeated his father Gendo and risked all to restore the world by making it so that Angels and Evangelions did not exist. This was all in your History textbooks.
You live in the world Shinji finally succeeded in saving: The world of the Rebuild of Evangelion movies. It is a peaceful world (most of the population being subjected to Instrumentality and then having their individuality restored more than a decade later will do that). Some people resent Shinji Ikari for bringing down disaster on them in the first place, but even more revere him for actually growing a spine and reversing the damage and then some. You can even talk to him and his wife, Mari Illustrious Makanami, and his exes, Asuka Langley Sorhyu and Kaworu Nagisa (and his adoptive sister, Rei Ayanami), from time to time; you live in the same town.
But SEELE's lingering obsession and frustrated desires cannot be defied so easily...
------
You were camping out with Ken Illustrious Ikari, son of Shinji and Mari, when it happened.
The sky turned red again, the campsite was engulfed in a pillar of light, and instead of the pristine Hakone countryside, you are now on a hill overlooking Tokyo-3, a city you only knew from textbooks as the original Tokyo was restored when Shinji Ikari fixed everything. You see Sachiel, an Angel who was Shinji's first kill, advancing towards the city, mundane ordnance ineffective against it as seen in the history videos you were forced to watch at school. You have a few adult supervisors; among them is Adult Shinji himself, who is flashing back to the past he had thought resolved. One wrong move and you're dead, either by the hands of the Angels or by humans who might see you as enemy spies.
What do you do? What do you and the other children do?
II. Lore and System-less play
Consult the EvaGeeks WIki for further details, but long and short of it is that your OCs are from after Rebuild of Evangelion 3.0 + 1.0 (4.0), the final movie in the franchise as a whole. You are mainly OCs, kids aged 14 - 16, and the only adults are various Canon Characters who are with you camping out (you can play them with special permission). You do not start out with an Evangelion or any sort of Mech and have to rely on your knowledge of the world's future in order to get by... And said knowledge might be imperfect due to Alternate Universe shenanigans.
Do not let Gendo or SEELE or the JSSDF (Japanese Special Self-Defense Forces) catch you.
III. Rules
1.) No Godmoding or Powergaming, aka no controlling other players' actions, no defeating your enemy in one shot, and no shrugging of all hits without an AT-Field. 2.) Any consenting relationship between people of the same age group is allowed, whether it's Homosexual or Heterosexual. If you cannot stand such things, don't post here in the first place. 3.) Be polite to others. 4.) You do not start out with Evangelions. 6.) If you are permitted to play Kaworu, he has lost his Angel powers and cannot get them back. Disregarding this will lose you your permission. 7.) There are no stats or rolling; we go by pure narrative storytelling. This is not a license to cheat and win everything by yourself; see Rule #1. 8.) Rule #7 might change if enough players want it and it's really necessary.
IV. Character Sheet:
[b]Name: Appearance:[/b] (No IRL pictures) [b]Age:[/b] (14 to 16 if a kid; older if you're an adult) [b]Bio:[/b] (Backstory; at least one paragraph of four to five lines each - More is preferred.) [b]Mundane Skills:[/b] (What is your OC good at? [b]Personality:[/b] (At least one paragraph of three to five lines each - More is preferred.)
World of Darkness: Heart of Infinity (Anime Facelcaims Permitted; Sorry if you disapprove.)
I. Intro
Infinity City is the newest metropolis in the US, built on what was once Olympic National Park during the closing years of the 2000s' as part of a plan to stimulate the economy. A controversial project even among the many conducted in the World of Darkness, Infinity City was advertised to be a showcase of future technology, where all races and classes can live in peace and prosperity, law and order, where new methods of administration and education can be applied without restrictions from 'tradition' and 'culture'. Obviously, it was too good to be true.
Those who thronged to Infinity City for new opportunities found themselves preyed on instead, not just by Mortal swindlers and oppressors but by Supernatural beings who hid in the shadows and sought to influence the fate of the city. Vampires who sought blood and power, Werewolves who wished to protect the Earth but hated civilization, and Mages who sought to 'guide' Humanity to 'Ascension' according to their chosen ideals, Infinity City eventually became a secret battleground. For its fate will decide Humanity's doom... Or salvation.
Long story short, this is a World of Darkness (Old World of Darkness, specifically) roleplay set in the fictional city of Infinity, Washington. You get to play Vampires, Werewolves, and Mages (other Supernaturals need GM Permission), in an Open World where you can focus on politicking, action, and crime even as a greater threat rises in order to test your spirits...
Playable Templates
The Majority of Vampires claim that they were descended from Cain/Caine, the First Murderer, who was punished by God with a thirst for blood and vulnerability to sunlight... But managed to turn his burden into a strength by taking power from the blood he consumed. Creating more like himself, Caine created an entire 'race' dedicated to preying on the 'normal' masses of Humanity and eventually ruling some of them in secret. Now, in 2022, the Vampires of Infinity City are divided among the Camarilla, who seek worldly power to preserve their safety and pleasure, and the Sabbat, fanatic Caine-worshippers who want to destroy the Masquerade (aka the policy of secrecy that prevents Vampires from being hunted down) and prey on Humanity openly as the 'natural rulers' of the latter...
Werewolves, or the Garou, believe that they are the defenders of the Earth, aka Gaia, against the pollution and corruption which 'The Wyrm', a force of cosmic evil, fosters in civilization. In fact, most of them genuinely believe that civilization and its fruits are evil/corrupted and antithetical to Gaia, tainted by 'The Weaver', a force of cosmic order believed to be only slightly less evil than The Wyrm.
