WanderingDragon

One Piece: On the Strangest of Tides

@malmshodes

So, I take it we're supposed to meet there?

One Piece: On the Strangest of Tides

@WanderingDragon
At first I was a bit iffy about having a jack of all trades character(due to bad past experiences), but then I remembered every case is special. So your character is approved!

@malmshodes

Well, I've been wanting to find a way to emphasize Jaden's intelligence, rather than making him seem like a silent brute. I also figured it'd help to have a character who could compliment the other characters' skillsets without overshadowing them. Like, if one character had a broken leg, Jaden could at least patch it up until getting them to the doctor to apply proper treatment. That sort of thing.

One Piece: On the Strangest of Tides

Okay, consider this a first draft for my character. Background could use some work. But, I just wanted to get this in before the thread closes up.

"Fearless"

Picture

Name: Jaden Bernes
Alias: Fearless
Age: 15-18
Ship Role: Lookout

Personality: Fearless, as his alias implies, seems to demonstrate no fear in tense situations. He maintains a Zen-like calm and level-headedness. He speaks very little, believing that actions are more important than words. But, at times can display a sardonic and sarcastic sense of humor. However, living as a stoic can make one awkward in situations of high emotion.

Background: Orphaned as an infant, Jaden's life was the orphanage. While the adults said they cared for the children like family; they were abused and made to work from sunrise to sunset. While the other other orphans said they were family; they always fought and the older ones bullied and extorted the younger ones. In a pirate town rife with crime, violence and despair, Jaden saw little hope in his future.

Until he met an elderly librarian. The elderly lady often invited Jaden for tea where she taught him to read. From there, he studied the various books she kept. He studied history, math, sciences, philosophy and mythology. He also learned martial arts and tactics. With time, the other orphans were no longer a threat, but walking training dummies. As more time passed, Jaden learned not only how to win fights, but avoid them altogether, by reading the opponent's movements, anticipating their actions.

With no need to fear the orphanage, Jaden left the city. He worked odd jobs to get around; assisting a cook here, playing backup guitar there. When he worked on ships, his talent for reading situations made navigating and evading trouble easy. But not always.

One day, Jaden got into a fight with some pirates. A high-ranking marine recognized the techniques he used as "Rokushiki", a supposedly secret style only taught to the marines' elite. Jaden was given a choice; join the marines, or be executed for treason. Jaden's refusal led to him making short work of the grunts. But, their officer was also a Rokushiki practitioner. One far more advanced and experienced than Jaden

"Conceited brat! All you know are the bare basics! This is what real mastery looks like!" Dodging a lunge left Jaden open to a storm of Rankyaku. Hade he activated his Tekkai an instant later; he'd have been ripped apart. He washed up on an island where a fishing village took him in and nursed him back to health. It was here Jaden realized just how vast the world truly was.

If he hoped to survive, he needed true mastery. But how? A fisherman suggested Jaden head east; there he might find a Haki monastery and train there...

Skills:

• Proficient with wayfaring, basic ship repair, and first-aid
• Proficient at survival, cooking, forging, and sewing (mostly for repairing damaged clothing)
• Self-taught scholar and researcher

Abilities

• Matrix Flow Martial Arts: By studying the underlying principles of various martial arts, Jaden had developed his own fighting style. It can be said fighting Jaden is like trying to fight the air itself:
  - Elusive and suffocating like smoke.
  - Reflective, rebuffing, consuming and consuming like a tornado
  - Swift and forceful as a gale.
• Basic Rokushiki techniques: Soru, Geppou, Tekkai, Kami-E, Shigan, and Rankyaku
• Hyper Observant: Very good at reading people through body language and strong situational awareness, allowing Jaden to predict how a situation might unfold.

Weapons/ Items:

• Camping pack including various supplies such as a compass, looking glass, tent, water skin, mess kit, latrine, tinder.
• Smithing tools, including a whetstone.
• A sabre, lent to Jaden by a fisherman
• A Pistol, loaned by the same fisherman, and 20 rounds

@WanderingDragon

Okay, I did some editing to my character. I decided to make him a lookout, since his talents are best suited for that. However, he'd also be something of a jack-of-all trades. He'd know enough to fill in other roles should that character no be available. But, he's by no means an expert.

One Piece: On the Strangest of Tides

Okay, consider this a first draft for my character. Background could use some work. But, I just wanted to get this in before the thread closes up.

"Fearless"

Theme Music: Hearse The Halo, by Modern Day Babylon

Picture

Name: Jaden Bernes
Alias: Fearless
Age: 15-18
Ship Role: Lookout

Personality: "Talk is cheap, actions speak" is a maxim Jaden lives by: He says little, preferring to speak through his skills. Experience has made him slow to trust; judging people by their actions instead of words. He can seem cold and aloof on first impression. But, again talk is cheap.

Jaden prefers to avoid fights if he can. But, he has little patience for willful ignorance, and even less for those who abuse their power.

While carrying himself with a Zen-like cool, he does have a sarcastic sense of humor, and is something of a satirist. If an opponent manages to get a word out of him, it's usually some form of sass before he pushes the attack. However, he can be awkward when it comes to intimate matters. A life of controlling your emotions can make you bad at expressing them.

Being a driven young man; Jaden is constantly concerned with pushing his limits; academically, mentally, physically, and so on. He believes the path to power is through enlightenment, and the path to enlightenment is through discipline, study and practice. Always looking to learn, Jaden actually yearns for a teacher.

Background: Orphaned as an infant, Jaden's life was the orphanage. While the adults said they cared for the children like family; they were abused and made to work from sunrise to sunset. While the other other orphans said they were family; they always fought and the older ones bullied and extorted the younger ones. In a pirate town rife with crime, violence and despair, Jaden saw little hope in his future.

Until he met an elderly librarian. The elderly lady often invited Jaden for tea where she taught him to read. From there, he studied the various books she kept. He studied history, math, sciences, philosophy and mythology. He also learned martial arts and tactics.

One such book only had six techniques. But those techniques proved powerful, albeit dangerous if used recklessly. And so, Jaden learned how to anticipate danger, allowing him to avoid pointless fights. Eventually, he needn't fear anyone at the orphanage, or the city for that matter.

Feeling confident in his ability, Jaden began traveling. He worked odd jobs to get around; assisting a cook here, playing backup guitar there. When he worked on ships, his talent for reading situations made navigating and evading trouble easy. But not always.

One day, Jaden got into a fight with some pirates. A high-ranking marine recognized the techniques he used as "Rokushiki", a supposedly secret style only taught to the marines' elite. Jaden was given a choice; join the marines, or be executed for treason. Jaden's refusal led to him making short work of the grunts. But, their officer was also a Rokushiki practitioner. One far more advanced and experienced than Jaden

"Conceited brat! All you know are the bare basics! This is what real mastery looks like!" Dodging a lunge left Jaden open to a storm of Rankyaku. Unable to activate the Tekkai technique, Jaden was nearly ripped apart by a storm of Rankyaku. He washed up on an island where a fishing village took him in and nursed him back to health. It was here Jaden realized just how vast the world truly was.

If he hoped to survive, he needed true mastery. But how? A fisherman suggested Jaden head east; there he might find a Haki monastery and train there...

Skills:

• Proficient with wayfaring, basic ship repair, and first-aid
• Proficient at survival, cooking, forging, and sewing (mostly for repairing damaged clothing)
• Self-taught scholar and researcher

Abilities

• Matrix Flow Martial Arts: By studying the underlying principles of various martial arts, Jaden had developed his own fighting style. It can be said fighting Jaden is like trying to fight the air itself:
  - Elusive and suffocating like smoke.
  - Reflective, rebuffing, consuming and consuming like a tornado
  - Swift and forceful as a gale.
• Basic Rokushiki techniques: Soru, Geppou, Tekkai, Kami-E, Shigan, and Rankyaku
• Hyper Observant: Very good at reading people through body language and strong situational awareness, allowing Jaden to predict how a situation might unfold.

Weapons/ Items:

• Camping pack including various supplies such as a compass, looking glass, tent, water skin, mess kit, latrine, tinder.
• Smithing tools, including a whetstone.
• Guitar
• A sabre, lent to Jaden by a fisherman
• A Pistol, loaned by the same fisherman, and 20 rounds

One Piece

@Courtaud
OC's. I'm leaning towards this being an AU setting where cannon events never happened. Though I might throw in some alternative versions of cannons down the road.
----
Well with that I've got more than enough interest. So I'll start on the OOC. It'll be bare bones so it'll be up later today and I'll add more as time goes by.

@malmshodes

I'll admit, that annoys me at times. I mean, I can understand if people are worried about playing canons accurately. But, sometimes they seem to go out of their way to rip out most of what makes the canon tick by pulling out its characters. It gets to a point where I wonder what the point even is?

One Piece

Hm. I might give it a go. I have a character that could be a Rokushiki user.

Street Fighter

Question. If you're taking out all of the characters and just keeping the setting, then what's Street Fighter about it?

Stranded in Isekai

Could be an excuse to use a character I've been working out. So, I could give it a go

The Crazed Kingdom, Gabaras

Thalion

The following evening had been a solitary, if restless one. Not helped by those noisy Dwarves drinking and cheering. Were they not aware they'd be heading to battle tomorrow? Or, may be they were, and the drinks was to ease their nerves. Some merriment before the trials that were to come.

And so, a restless mind drifted home. Back to the summer festival where drink and merriment were in great supply. Those nights saw young men scouring the streets for a young lady to dance with. Though, many hoped to do more than just dance in the streets. There was a lass he clasped hands with, there; a lithe, but shapely maiden with brunette locks that fell to the small of her back, and eyes that shimmered like the night's sky. It was a good memory, even if he'd never seen her since; the lass was from out of town, the festival and occasion to see relatives.

Thalion wondered what she was doing now. He wondered why he'd wonder such a thing. There were more pressing matters to concern himself with. And yet, the memory of a carefree night, with a belly of wine and the company and a friendly girl, put him at ease. Then finally, did he sleep.

The following morning, the young Half-Elf was slow to awaken. He merely had time to strap on that shepherd's axe before he was summoned to hear the announcements. He recognized the Half-Elf speaking; Oda Hideyoshi, the should be leader of Kogani. Why would someone as capable and believed as him turn down the crown? But, as much as he should pay attention, the lack of proper rest made much of the announcement go by in the blur.

"... But with the help of our mages, we can safely enter Gabaras... with these."

The glow of that crystal snapped Thalion back to the present. That looked familiar... Where had he read about crystals of that caliber? And there were several more of then? Well, he shouldn't put it passed a government entity to be able to acquire rare and expensive resourc-

"... But there is a catch... when an area of Gabaras is 'cured' from the reality distortions its citizens will appear out of thin air and begin attacking."

Thalion felt his jaw clench.

Don't you understand, Thalion? Those days art done! The heroes you study and idolize are gone; buried and forgotten! 'Tis an age of avaris, of hubris now! And that is why you must pity them not! Sympathize with them not! All who stand against this sacred mission, all who do not join our sacred mission are enemies!

When Master Elashor said this, it was as if he were a different person. Was that what was happening here? It didn't matter if these people were civilians. If they attacked, they were the enemy. And the enemy was to be killed.

It became more apparent joining this mission was a fools errand! He can't be apart of this! He had to- No, the card would track him if he tried to leave. Thalion shook his head and tried to focus. Surely these people don't mean to actually harm the civilians; this was a rescue mission, after all!

When it was time to get moving, Thalion followed his group to their cart. he sat in a corner, his face away from the others, trying to blend in. Then a song broke out from one of the Dwarves, and he caught his foot tapping, despite his predicament. It'd be nice to share a song. But, a fugitive doesn't sing.

Still, when they were unloaded and lead into their tent, they were met by one of the commanders and a holy woman, of all people. Still, much else seemed lost on Thalion, his troubled mind spinning again.

"We're not going to hurt those people are we?" He realized too late he had said too loud.

The Crazed Kingdom, Gabaras

Thalion

He would be quick, Thalion decided, and walked towards what seemed like a fence. It went up to his shoulder, and beyond it he could see a mage lobbing spells at soldiers in a formation. For a moment, the aspiring Duskblade forgot himself, observing the session. The spells were low intensity, more spectacle than substance. Each time the mage lobbed a fireball, the soldiers would form up, their tower shields forming a wall. Each time, the fireball would shatter into sparks against the shields. Afterward, another mage would busily snuff out the embers before they became full on fires.

"Can I help you?"

Thalion blinked back to himself, looking a soldier in the eyes. "Oh, er. I was wondering where the archive was? I figured I'd do a bit of reading before bed?"

The soldier was a tall elf, helmet off as he bore purple eyes and short blonde hair. "The archive?" The soldier spoke with a strange accent most likely that of an Amber Grove tribe. "No archive here. But there are scholars and informants to the north, surrounding the main gates of the general's camp. Are you looking for anything specific?"

Thalion's response caught in his throat. Exactly what he did not need right now! Still, would not answering him be suspicious? Maybe it would b- "Oh, just thought I'd read up a little on what we're up against!" Came out of him without a second thought. "Know your enemy, right?" He added, then immediately kicked himself. He shouldn't be talking so much, lingering so long!

"Ah... " The elven soldier nodded, a thumb coming to his chin as he thought for a moment. "A debriefing is due for tomorrow morning. Your best bet is to only wait-- but I stress, not even the magi or spies from each of the encampment knows what is going on. But if you follow that path... " The elven man points to a crossing path, aimed northward. "You'll find knowledgeable magi with theories. " He smiles, nodding his head to you as he puts his iron helmet back on continuing his patrol around the training area.

At this, Thalion nodded and thanked the elf. He turned and began up the path directed. Okay, so that didn't go badly. Soldier didn't ask any questions, no signs of- A thought occured; should he have asked after Master Elashor? No, that might raise too many questions. The authorities already knew Thalion tried to implicate him when arrested. He remembered how they laughed in his face, called him a liar. How they shamed and berated him for trying to frame an innocent man, as if the one they'd bloody and beaten later one wasn't the innocent party! It didn't matter. If Master Elashor, or any of the others were here, Thalion would encounter them in time. At least, he hoped.

He followed the dirt road as instructed, passing the many rows of tents as he sees a collection of elves, dwarves, humans, and even orcs preparing for the coming battle. As he progressed down the road, he could feel an intense amount of magical pressure, a telltale sign of a collection of magic already being used. More than halfway down the dirt path he could see a camp atop a hill surrounded by wooden walls but if Thalion looked closer, he could see tiny wisps of mana surrounding the wall like a shield of some sort. Guards and robed figures trailing the wall, most likely on patrol.

His gaze shifts back to down the hill and the path divides again from the left, he clearly see an opening surrounded by tents. But the tents here looked fancier, draped in blue-cloth, and were even larger than those near the entrance of the encampment. Robed figures and adventurers bearing staffs walked about in this area and he could easily tell that this was the place the elven guard had mentioned. Although most likely of no interest to Thalion, the pathway to the right was simply another dirt road trailed by tents and even more guards.

For a while, Thalion marveled at the place. He'd read about the use of barriers in military operations, even in some mage towers. But, to see it in person was... No, can't linger. The sun was getting low. He went down the hill, trying to keep gravity's pull from making him rush down the mountain. Steady steps, blend in, be a body in the crowd. He looked around for a bit, then turned to one mage. "Er, excuse me, is there anywhere I might get to look up something?" He inquired.

The mage turned to him, wearing colors of a black coat, lined with red stitching signifying their allegiance to the Kogani. They opened their eyes revealing amber orbs. "The informant's tent is unavailable to lower-ranked adventurers and soldiers. " The mage spoke in a deep voice their Kogani accent showing. "What were you looking for... hafling?" The mage said, a suspicious tinge rolling off their tongue.

Damnit! Was he that obvious? He should run. He wanted to. He should never have come to this place. He should have fled elsewhere! He should... He should answer the question, at least. "Just looking to do a bit of reading before bed is all?" That insecure tinge at the end sounded like a did give away. He wished he could see his own face. Were his ears that obvious, despite this ridiculous hairdo? "Had an urge to look up magical phenomenon. You see, I haven't had much time to pack before I left home, so I'd nothing to read during the journey"

"Hmm... " The mage hummed ignoring your odd mannerisms and looked at Thalion with an observational gaze. His eyes met yours for a moment before they crossed around your body as if they were looking through him. "Describe this... phenomenon to me hafling. " The mage said again, this time with a higher tone, interest tying in with their words

He hesitated. How... Was this person reading his mind? Strange, he was sure he didn't sense the ebb and flow of mana to cast it. Or, was Thalion simply not paying attention? "Er, what do you mean?" Slipped out of him. He hoped he'd done a better job of composing himself this time

The mage chuckled, eyes cold and calculated- squinting as they stared. "The phenomenon. Tell me. " They said clearly, their gaze shifting into a critical one as the mage stared. As they waited for Thalion's reply, his fears were confirmed, lines of mana moved around their eyes but unlike most mages, the mana that pervaded their orbs was almost one to one. Only experts could cast magic with no inclination of magical aura-- perhaps this guard was the same.

Well, this was bad. If this mage could see that he had an encounter of the magical kind, then it would only be a matter of time before they discovered why he was here in the first place! They'd see that he'd escaped, and that he was brought to that factory under false pretenses, and that... That Thalion could be innocent. But, another question remained, would they look that far? Would they care if they did?

Best to try to cut this short. "I'm not sure if I recall. I... I was approached by something glowing. A sprite, or perhaps a will'o wisp, perhaps?"

The mage burst out in a deep laugh. Going into a daze as his head was whipped back, "Ah... Forgive me. " The mage said, their kogani accent more pronounced this time. They returned their gaze, standing straight as their eyes shifted into a calm stare. "I only jest, soldier. I can tell you are a criminal of sorts, but worry not-- there are many working through their debt in the encampment. " The mage's statement was broad, you could tell that they didn't know the specifics of your history.

"Ah... but let's see a sprite? Will'o wisp? Frankly impossible. Due to the intense magic energy gathering at Gabaras each encampment is installed with an anti-magic barrier of sorts. Even I don't know the specifics but that barrier is strong enough to ward out... even the strongest of spirits-- adding onto that we are in Kogani soil, spirits are more likely to become more apparent in the Amber Forests. " A chuckle followed again, the mage coming to pat his shoulder as they wiped a loose tear from their eye.

He nodded slowly. "Right, well, where might I find something to read?" Thalion grunted, gently brush the hand from his shoulder. That was enough socializing for tonight. He just needed to be on his way, and away from this invasive lout!

"No books I'm afraid, hafling. Anything related to the event is on lockdown unless authorized so- you'll have to resort to meek fairy tales or oral lore... but the night is young. You should rest, the day will be long tomorrow. " The mage nodded, winking, looking satisfied with their answer. "Now if that is all... return to your row. "

Thalion nodded, lest another word reveal something else, or at least prolong this awkwardness. He left, hands empty, and his head full with new worries. Somebody here knows something, and that's good enough reason to flee. But, that would be more unwanted attention. When he arrived at his tent, not even noticing which number he occupied, he collapse. Exhaustion? It didn't matter. Tomorrow, he'd only need to worry about surviving.