The Invasion of Kurogane
The Golathius campaign for expansion begins with their Kurogane neighbors. They struck with quick, brutal precision that ravaged most of the countryside. They have seized control of much of Kurogane's territory, stifled their military, and have taken the Emperor hostage. Though, not all hope is lost. The Shi o Motarasu stand as the last remaining threat against the Golathian invaders. Though they are small in numbers, this band of samurai rebels possess unique abilities that may just tip the scales in their favor. Their goal is to reclaim the capital and save Kurogane's emperor, whom they hope will reunite the country and drive the Golathian armies out of their land. So, which side will you fight for?
In this Military Samurai Steampunk Epic, you can choose to be a Shi o Motarasu samurai of Kurogane, or an officer of the Galathian military. Each side will have various missions that could impact the overall plot. Luckily, BaneThanatos was kind enough to help me in this RP as he will be Co-GMing for the Shi o Motarasu and I for the Galathian army.
Kurogane
The inhabitants of this small island chain are relatively peaceful. They were very much behind on how fast the world was evolving, and they tended to like it better this way. As if they were to try to adapt with the technology that has been coming out across the world they would be at a disadvantage since their military consisted of mainly foot soldiers and archers but there were some people who took it to a whole new level. The people who did this eventually gained the name of Samurai's, most became just common thugs or merc's. Although, even if some of them tried dishonoring the name of what they had created a group came together and promised to make to keep these islands safe from what they created and they went by the name of The Shi o Motarasu. Although they were successful for a time at keeping these islands as peaceful as possible eventually the outside world felt that it was time to bring these peaceful islands out of their isolation. When they first invaded the islands many samurai and other militia died horribly as they weren't prepared for what technology these people had brought out. Making the inhabitants retreat to the smallest island of the chain and hold out for as long as they can.
Military:
Samurai: Most are known to have three unique talents, and not all of them studied in fighting with katana's. Some took up with fighting with spears and any other weapon they grew attached to. Also some of them wore traditional samurai armor, some had switched to using what they had salvaged from their bloody battles with the invaders to make armor and weapons.
Robotic Samurai: When the islands were first invaded not all of the invading force liked the idea of this and just tagged along to see what was going to happen (mainly scientists) and as they seen the blood that their nation had split they had snuck over to the what was left of the inhabitants and offered as much as they could. Eventually they created Robotic samurai's that ran on the power of steam.
Groups:
Shi o motarasu:
These are a group of people who wanted to get more out of their training and chose to explore their nation, eventually finding these mystical places that they seemed to enhance their physical powers to exceed that of a normal person. Either becoming ridiculously fast, strong, or being able to make their skin even stronger than steel. Although most of the people chose to stick with increasing their physical properties. It does deem like a great thing being able to surpass the normal expectations of what a mortal can do, it took a heavy toll on most people. It ended up killing most people who tried to undergo the training that it required to gain these powers and those who survived the training either tried to use their power to terrorize the citizens of Kurogane. Although, not everyone was taken in by the power and turned 'crazy' those that didn't go mad,and survived the training, founded an organization called the Shi o Motarasu. This organization started out as a simple mercenary group comprising of the individuals that eventually became known as Samurais. They kept chose to keep peace among what they had created and made sure that even they followed the laws.
Eventually after a couple of years the Emperor caught ear of these peoples noble deeds, and decided to offer them the opportunity to become Kurogane's elite force. Although the first time the current leader of the Shi o Motarasu declined claiming that it would they could keep peace easier if they just kept doing what they have been. Although after awhile, they agreed that they would protect this nation and the royal family. They ended up claiming that it was only to gain information upon how to protect this nation better. Although as the leader changed from the founder to Kiyoshi Katsu it became common practice before being allowed to join this organization they had to swear that they would lay their lives down to protect the royal family and the nation.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kurogane NPCs
Name: Kiyoshi Katsu
Age: 48
Personality: Calm and collective, Thinks before he acts,
History: Kiyoshi was one of the first to become what they started to call Samurai, and was one of the few who founded the traditional teachings of the samurai. Before all this had happened he was a child that was born into a military family and was raised to on the soul fact that he would one day give his life to the emperor or any of the royal family. This led him to become an emotionless killing machine, so to speak, and spent almost every day training as were they lived was quiet peaceful. Although he wasn't satisfied with how weak their military was so he eventually began pushing himself farther and farther. Eventually he made a name for himself becoming one of the strongest warriors known to this nation. At the age of 23 and after only a few small/bloody battles against thugs and bandits he decided it was time for him to devote his life to something better than this. He then joined an Organization known as the Shi o Motarsu which was a small group of warriors that started calling themselves samurais.
Although when he joined them he wasn't quiet prepared for what type of training they went through. The reason that these warriors were special was because they found some mystical cave that the longer you fight/train in there the stronger it makes you. For example if you just spent all your time running in that place your speed and stamina would be increased beyond that of any normal human's capabilities. The only reason it wasn't allowed for everyone in the military to use was because for most people it was like a poison to them and basically would drain the life out of them. Only certain people were able to train within these places.
Kiyoshi spent most of his life being the second in command of the Shi o Motarsu, he often lead out secret missions with other members of their slowly growing group. Although when he came back from one of the missions he found out the founder of their orginaztion had a heart attack making him the leader of the Shi o Motarsu. As time passed their nation slowly became more violent until the moment they were invaded and forced to fight against a seemingly unstoppable force of machines that easily surpassed the strength of common military. He had to personally lead a force in to rescue the Princes and the Emperor. Although even he wasn't prepared for what they were up against and had lost allot of men on that rescue mission and was only able to retreat with the Princess. All that is left between the rest of their nation being enslaved was the Shi o Matarsu and the remnants of the military that was lead by the Princess.
Weapon: A Blood red Katana forged from unknown materials, said to be able to cut through anything known to man.
Abilities(3): Nothing is known about his true abilities as people believe that he isn't even mortal, since most haven't even seen him be injured from any type of weapon. It is also rare to him actually fight, and live to tell the tale.
Name: Isao Matsunori
Age: 34
Gender: Male
Personality: Charismatic, Intelligent, Patient, Ambitious, Honest.
Rank: Emperor of Kurogane
Weapon: An ornate Kodachi but it is mainly for traditional decor.
Ability: While Isao does not have any unnatural abilities, he does possess a genius-level mind and a natural tact for stratagem.
Biography: Emperor Isao Matsunori is a beloved man of his people, a feat his father, Uesugi Matsunori, could not match during his reign over Kurogane. Where Uesugi was proud and feared, Isao was warm-hearted and compassionate. This however does not suggest that he is a weak leader who could not stomach tough decisions. His succession began 10 years ago, just one month after the passing of his father. The Daimyo of Tsubaro, Unoshi and Kujikano were at the limit of their feuding and threatened to start a civil war. Had it not been for Isao's swift diplomacy and on-going negotiation with the political court, Kurogane would have been in shambles. This tiresome effort was well received by the people, as they quickly grew to acknowledge and recognize Isao as a great emperor.
He also did what no other emperor could not in the past: Grant amnesty to those who defected from Galathius. This allowed scientists, physicians and inventors, particularly from the Freethinker faction, to openly spread their knowledge and expertise into a much outdated Kurogane lifestyle. This was met with heavy scrutiny from the political court, who believed they would brainwash the people with their foreign ways. Not to mention that there could be potential spies among them. In truth, their influence greatly revolutionized Kurogane with low-scale steam-powered technology and modern medicine.
This in turn also put Kurogane at odds with Galathius, who did not approve of their hospitality towards these 'runaway traitors.' He is currently being held hostage at his own castle in the Emperor's Capital, heavily guarded by Galathian officers, and cut off from the outside world. It has been six months since the Shi o Moratsu helped princess Ayako escape. He prays for her safety, and hopes to reunite with her and his people very soon.
Name: Ayako Ichijou
Age: 26
Personality: Natural Leader, 'Spoiled Child'/Brat, Patriot
Bio: Ayako Ichijou was the last born in the Ichijou family, as her mother had died while giving birth to her. This caused her father to spoiler her even more than he would have before her mother had passed. She spent all her life living in the palace in the Capital city, getting everything she ever wanted. Even though her father spoiled her the only thing that was off limits to her was to leave the palace as her father didn't want to lose her. Although she didn't like being confined to the palace like a prisoner she loved her father so she obeyed him and did as he said. Since she wasn't allowed to leave the palace they had people of all talents come and entertain her.
She never knew much about what was happening around her. Even though she knew very little about the Islands her family ruled she had a large amount of pride for it. As did most of her peasants they admired her for her beauty and they many young girls wanted to grow up to be just like her. Although she knew she was admired, she didn't found out the extent of it until she was finally allowed to leave the palace at the age of 20,she was heavily guarded though, but as she was carried around the nearby cities in her Carriage people would flock to the streets to just watch her come by. This boosted,so to speak, her love for what her family ruled and she took pride in it. Eventually she became a large part of the laws that would be sent out and she tried to make everything better for the citizens of the country.
Just before her 26th birthday a foreign nation had attacked the capital, where she was, claiming that this was all to better the this nation. The invading nation was called Galathius, they were driven by religious views and their technology vastly surpassed their own. Although when they invaded they had sent a large force to take the Emporer and his daughter, but when they did the force was intersepted by the Shi o Motarasu, the elite force of Kurogane. It was a very bloody battle as both sides lost allot of good men. Thee Shi o Motarasu were able to get Ayako out safely but her father ended up being captured. She was then transported to Kujikano, which is the home base of the Shi o Motarsu.Wanting to take her nation back she forced them to let her take charge of the rebel forces along side with the leader of the Shi o Motarsu, Kiyoshi Katsu.
Name: Arthur M. Fastworth
Age: 51
Gender: Male
Personality: Eccentric, Intelligent, Awkward, Obsessive
Rank/Title: Historian/Archaeologist/Inventor
Weapon: A stun gun he invented himself.
Specialty: Invention, Critical Thinking.
Biography: Arthur is a Galathian who defected over to Kurogane. An advocate of the Freethinker movement, Arthur is also a man of many trades. Before he left Galathius, he had written two books based on Galathian history, and was well on his way to inventing a device for mineworkers that allowed them to breathe clean air. He was granted amnesty seven years before the Galathius invasion and had even befriended Kurogane's royal family, most especially emperor Isao, whom he tutored for quite some time. Arthur and the princess escaped with the Shi o Motarasu. Though they were weary of the foreigner at first, the princess vouched for him, and overtime Arthur earned their trust. He stays with them at their rebel base as an adviser of sorts, but his main function is servicing the Robotic Samurai.
Golathius Empire
An aggressive, technologically superior nation fueled by its religious beliefs to expand and convert all toward the 'one true path.'
Originally established as a single-party state, the military dictatorship that exists today was conceived after a raging civil conflict between two rival parties. The Freethinkers and The Metal Brigadiers. The Freethinkers were the founding fathers of the Golathius nation, who promoted invention and progression, which paved the way for the industrial age of steam-powered technology. The Metal Brigadiers consisted of key military figures who were greatly influenced by the Order of the Golden Monarch, a religious organization the became the true driving force in overthrowing The Freethinkers. The Order believed in Tzarism, where a God named Aledon was birthed from the center chasms of the world, ruling all living things from a kingdom of jeweled caverns. Together, with The Metal Brigadier's military might and the Order of the Golden Monarch's growing influence over the Golathian people, they bullied the Freethinkers out of power and ruled in their stead for more than thirty years to this date.
Military Technology:
Stormdrone: two-legged machines, 7-9 meters tall that usually require a crew of 4-5 officers. They have mounted machine guns around the hull and at least one 57 mm cannon. Though they can pack quite a punch, they are quite slow and cumbersome. Small viewports can also make it difficult to navigate unless there is an officer relaying locations from the top hatch.
Gear suit: Officers wearing these suits usually carry heavy weapons or are equipped with plated shielding for front-line assaults. While the pilot is granted enhanced strength, they are quite slow and break down frequently.
Dragonfly: These machines are sleek, motor-cycle like hovercrafts that can handle a driver and depending on the individual's weight, one passenger. Dragonflies are used as scouting vehicles. Because of this, they are light armored and not well-armed.
Groups:
The Freethinkers:
The initial founders of Galathius. They acted as a democratic system composed of 17 educated men that came from every caste. Their reign was a renaissance era that brought forth a multitude of advancements in art, culture, science, and literature; Most notably, steam-powered machinery. This form of government would carry on for twenty years before The Metal Brigadiers, lead by General Lewis Mathis, came and cleaned out the current 17 council members of that time. Advocators to their cause lived on to fight the Metal Brigadier, and their military dictatorship for as long as they could. After the Cleansing, the Freethinkers are all but a faded memory. Many of them have defected to Kurogane, or have renounced their Freethinking beliefs all together.
The Metal Brigadiers:
Since the birth of Galathius as a unified nation, under the direct governing laws of the Freethinkers, the Brigadiers served as the primary military force for the country. They fought in countless battles against separatist forces and even served as police. Though as time passed, the ideology of the Brigadiers grew on its own and spawned beliefs that greatly differed from the Freethinkers. Their sacrifice for protecting this country drove them to believe that they were the rightful leaders - and that the Freethinkers were making the country soft. General Lewis Mathis would be the one to spearhead the revolution by storming the government office in Redwall Capital and kill all 17 council members single-handedly. Since that time, the Brigadiers have focused solely on producing advanced weaponry and technology, while keeping the Galathian people on a tight leash.
The Order of the Golden Monarch:
will be added soon...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Galathius NPCs
Name: William Ames Mathis
Age: 60
Gender: Male
Personality: Demanding, Fierce, Belligerent, Stalwart, Prideful.
Rank: Commander in Chief
Weapon: An ornate family pistol and the Hightruth Sword.
Specialty(3): Stratagem, Swordsmanship and Marksmanship.
Biography: William Ames Mathis is the current and long standing Commander in Chief that has been ruling Galathius for over 15 years. His great grandfather, Lewis Ames Mathis, is the founding father of the Metal Brigadiers, who lead the coup, and personally ousted the Freethinker's council from their seat of power. Lewis used the same gun and sword that is in William's current possession, to murder the 17 council members of that time. He is the fourth oldest of seven brothers, three of which are active generals, while the other three have died either from battle or health complications. The youngest is never mentioned, though it is rumored he was disowned for unknown reasons.
Like all of his brothers, William was groomed to become Commander in Chief since birth. His father, Lukefield, showed little compassion towards any of his sons, save William, who he publicly appointed as his successor just days before his passing. The people generally respect William as their leader, though behind closed doors you'll find that he is a barbaric tyrant. Since his reign, there have been several assassination attempts on his life. Remnants of the Freethinkers movement had even amassed a huge uprising which sparked The Inner War, a four year conflict that ended in bloodshed. Had the Order of the Gold Monarch not intervened as a mediator between the people and the Metal Brigadiers, the war would have likely continued on and more than likely prevented their campaign for expansion.
An elaborate scheme was then made by newly appointed Magistrate Franz Dorgo. By prosecuting the Freethinkers as heretics who went against Aledon and the Galathian way, a propaganda campaign went out to convince the public that the Freethinkers were wrong and that William Mathis would be the one to lead them to salvation. Those who were advocates of the Freethinker way were publicly executed or sent to prison. It was known as The Cleansing, which took over 20,000 lives. A constant stream of pro-Mathis propaganda put together by the Order eventually kept the people in check. Soon enough, William Ames Mathis would be back in their good graces. The Massacre at Airemondth, where a group of Kurogane bandits pillaged the port city in Westgar, is what truly set off William Mathis' campaign to invade Kurogane.
Name: Franz Dorgo
Age: 62
Gender: Male
Personality: Well-mannered, Insightful, Cunning, Wise.
Rank: Magistrate to the Order of the Golden Monarch
Weapon: None
Specialty: Diplomacy
Biography: Magistrate Franz Dorgo oversees the entire Order and is the right hand man and trusted advisor to the Commander in Chief. Born and raised in Deigngard to a high class family, Franz graduated from university at age 20 before eventually joining the Order of the Golden Monarch. Because of his family's firm political ties with several key figures, Franz rose quickly through their ranks. He is well loved by the Golathians and is seen as a noble man of principle, with a limitless fountain of wisdom through his teachings in Tzvarism. In regards to Golathius' occupation of Kurogane, he has publicly stated his opinion on the matter. While he proclaims that "violence is not the answer," he also admits that "it is a necessary evil which will surely bring salvation to Galathius, for our pursuit in showing the world the Tzvaric way, will grant us high station with our lord, Aledon."
Timeline
1145 - Lukefield Mathis dies at the age of 73 due to illness.
- William Ames Mathis becomes the new Commander in Chief of the Galathius Empire
1146 - Franz Dorgo is appointed as the Magistrate to the Order of the Golden Monarch
1148 - The first failed assassination attempt is made against William Mathis
- The Inner War begins in Galathius
1152 - Emperor Uesugi Matsunori dies
- Isao Matsunori officially becomes the 7th emperor of Kurogane
1154 - The Inner War is declared over
- A minor clan feud occurs between the Daimyo lords of the Kurogane provinces
1155 - The Cleansing is initiated
- Emperor Matsunori officially declares amnesty to innocent Galathian defectors.
1158 - The Massacre at Airemondth
1160 - Galathius invades Kurogane
1162 - Our story begins...
Key Events:
The Inner War: The civil war that started between the rebel followers of the Freethinker movement and the Metal Brigadiers. The Freethinkers gained a lot of support from many Galathians from all over. Even still, they were overpowered by the Brigadier's military might. The Freethinkers had performed a series of terrorist attacks and engaged the military through several guerrilla warfare skirmishes. Their campaign eventually wilted once they were accused of inexcusable war crimes that they swear they did not commit.
The Cleansing: Carried out by the Order. It was a declaration of the Freethinker's heresy and alleged war crimes committed against innocent Galathian civilians. With Magistrate Dorgo as the voice of the people, he publicly condemned the Freethinkers in a memorable speech, and Commander Mathis issued an order to execute all Freethinkers and supporters soon after. Those who exposed and identified advocates of the Freethinkers movement were handsomely rewarded. Many of them were killed on site or tortured in prison. Over 10,000 Freethinkers were executed, and another 10,000 are either imprisoned, missing, or unknown.
The Massacre at Airemondth: A port city in Westgar that bordered Unoshi territory was brutally pillaged by a group of bandits from Kurogane. The emperor immediately ordered an investigation. The group of bandits were found and apprehended. The leader soon confessed to the crime and agreed to be sent to Redwall Capital along with his men. They were publicly executed, then sent back to the emperor in pieces as a warning. Around 42 Galathians were killed in the bandit raid.
Character sheets
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Shi o Motarasu Samurai
Samurai CS:
Name:
Age:
Personality:
Appearance:
Weapon:
History:
Rank:
Ability: (You can pick only one of any superhuman type ability)
or
Robotic Samurai CS:
Name/Model Number:
Weapons:
Personality (If installed with one):
Bio (Obviously won't be long):
Quote:
Originally Posted by Galathian Special Forces Unit
Name:
Age:
Gender:
Personality:
Rank:
Appearance:
Weapon: (WW1 type of firearms http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...of_World_War_I or Steampunk inspired weaponry and/or any kind of melee weapon)
Specialty(2): (Are you an excellent marksman? Swordmaster? Gear suit, Stormdrone, or Dragonfly pilot? Anything you can come up with that is reasonable.)
Biography:
Rules:
1. Keep the fighting IC. Be respectful to your fellow RPers in OOC. Resolve anything through PM.
2. We understand everyone has different schedules, so we require that you at least post twice a week. Notify me or Bane if you can no longer be a part of this RP or are going to step away for awhile. If we get no response from you, we have the right to control your character to move the plot forward.
3. No insta-kills or godmodding are permitted between player vs player conflicts. No player can be killed by another player, unless agreed upon.
4. Please create your character according to the faction it is a part of.
5. HAVE FUN DAMN YOU!
- more information will be added throughout the week.
Roster:
Shi O Motarasu
Name: Shin Isamu (True Courage)
Age: 28
Personality: Loves to fight, Quiet, Calm, would rather give a terrible truth than to 'sugar coat eveything'
Weapon: (Same as in the Picture) A large one handed broadsword its width is twice the size of a normal broadsword, Over the handle of it is a slim rectangular hand guard with spikes face away from the users hand, the length of the blade is about the length of his body, Aswell as it being this large it is quite heavy being made of an unknown material like Kiyoshi's sword, but at the same the oposite, as Kiyoshi's sword is extremely light in weight, the material used to Shin's sword seems to make it heavier than what it would be if it was made of steel
History: Shin Isamu was born on a quiet and peaceful night, from two very boring an ordinary farmers in a small hut on the outskirts of Kujikano. He had been raised by both his parents until he was the age of 8, and on that day his parents had given him away to the Shi o Motarasu. As they had been out promising poor farming/peasant families a future that wouldn't able to be obtained by many and that their children will be seen as Hero's among the people. How could his parents have said no to an offer like that? Giving their child a life that they would never have been able to provide them. Although what they didn't tell them is that the training their child would be going through had a low chance of success and living from it. So low of a chance it was almost like 1 out of 1,000 people were able to accomplish this training.
They trained Shin from the time he arrived till the time he was ready to attempt the ultimate step into becoming truly one of the order, this is where the low success chance starts, at the age of 16 they moved had moved him into this weird cave that they claimed held special properties. When you first entered this place it seemed as just a normal cave but the deeper you would go into it, Shin could feel that the deeper he got the harder it was for him to take a step and every breathe was harder to take. As he made it to the deepest part of the cave he was barely able to stand as just the walk over to this took a heavy toll on the body, but he wasn't going to give up. He forced himself to endure all the heavy training they had the 'volunteers' do and every time he would awake he would notice someone that was here only yesterday was missing. Eventually after 4 years of this training they forced you to go through they claimed that it was time for him to leave as this cave seemed normal for him to be within.
Everything became so much easier than he had remembered upon the first time he arrived to this place. As they told him his training was finally complete they finally said that he was a member of their group, although as he walked out of the cave it seemed as if he was allot stronger than he had been what he remembers while he was in there. After awhile he found out there was almost nothing he wasn't able to lift. Before he got too far away from the cave one of the instructors handed him a map and told him to head to the black X on the map. He just found it easier to obey them as they were practically his 'step parents'. As he arrived there they a group of heavily armed people, he assumed were apart of the Shi o Matarasu escorted him to the armory. He was told to experiment with what they had until he found something he liked, so he did.
It's been eight years since he finished his training and he has been on countless missions, eventually rising up to second in command of the Shi o Motarasu. Through all these years he has gained many titles and is almost as well known as Kiyoshi himself. Although, he finds himself to be weaker than Kiyoshi some would beg to differ, as people some would bet their lives that they are on the same level.
Rank: 2nd in command of the Shi o Motarasu
Ability: 'Super Strength' so to speak, as he has surpassed the strength of normal humans by ten fold. Causing him to be able to lift almost anything, but even though he is really strong he lacks in speed.
Name:
Ariake Hatsugo
Age:
25
Personality:
Often found to be smiling and usually talkative, but her words are often shallow, not revealing herself. In effect, people think her to be an airhead: all brawn, no brain. Only two people know what she really thinks or how she really feels. Her brother who is a doctor and her best friend who died in the war.
Appearance:
Black long hair tied to high on her head; black, fierce eyes; 5'7"
http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs70/i/20...fx-d5nwmjt.png
Weapon:
Daisho (Daito and Shoto) sword pair
Naginata
History:
Arike has looked up to the Shi o Motarasu even when she was a child. Everyone but her brother and her best friend believed that she could get in--they became her inspiration. When she got in, she trained as hard as she could, even neglecting her brother and her best friend. She put on a mask of smiles so that people will both underestimate her and not expect what she was going to do. After much neglect, she finally made it in the Shi o Moterasu coming back home to tell the news.
Upon her return she did not see either her brother or her best friend. She asked around until she came to one of the battlefields. The ground was littered with dead bodies and at the edge, she saw the tents set up for the wounded. Inside, the tent was a hustle as everyone available tended to the wounded. She went in looking at the maimed, the wounded and the ones hanging onto dear life until she came to a quieter part of the room. She crept quietly inside and saw her bother looking over a dead body. Her best friend lay there covered in a white cloth. Ariake howled in mourning sorry that she had not even talked to her best friend before she died. It was long before she calmed down. When she did, her bother told her that she died while delivering food to the troops from her father's farm.
From then on, Ariake swore vengeance on all Golathius--to break the pride of their power and kill whoever gets in her way. Her brother did not approve but his hatred ran just as deep so he didn't stop her. She swore to always visit him as often as she could not wanting to experience the same thing she did with her best friend. From then on, she put all of her efforts into doing what she vowed to do, not even bothering to even make real friends. To her they were all just comrades.
Rank:
Third squad captain
Ability:
Inhuman reflexes. Speed is only as useful as the brain can register. Ariake had been able to train her brain to respond faster than she could process it. Bullets can be sensed from 3 feet away and dodged with inhuman speed. But even with such speed and reflexes, she can't force herself to consciously move as fast prolonged, such as running. She can only do so unconsciously.
Name: Shoto Yoshida
Age: 25
Personality: Despite his serious demeanor he is actually quite friendly. Likes to make jokes and pull small pranks. Loves to sing and dance but can’t hold a tune or keep a beat to save his life. However, that does not mean he is not a strong and strict leader. When it comes to serious matters such as a battle or a mission he is unwavering and unforgiving.
Appearance: Because of his ability he forgoes armor saying that it “Just gets in the way.”
Weapon: Guntana (His custom weapon that combines a sword with a 6 shot 9mm pistol.)
History: Born to a pseudo-wealthy merchant family that dealt mainly in the rice market. Shoto went to school, was tutored in the art of deal making, and apprenticed under his father. However, Shoto had no interest in that. He saw how much respect and trust the Shi o Motarasu was receiving from the people. Shoto wanted that so he joined them when he turned 18. Soaking in whatever they had taught he quickly moved up in the ranks. He soon found out his ability was Indestructible Skin. He could be shot, stabbed, or cut at and nothing would leave a scratch. That was until he took a mortar round to the upper chest and it broke his collar bone. It was then realized he was to valuable to be lost to an infection from a broken bone that they couldn’t otherwise get to. So from there he was promoted Captain of The Kurogane Royal Court Guard Squad and still honorably serves.
Rank: Captain of The Kurogane Royal Court Guard Squad
Ability: Indestructible Skin (Can still take a nasty hit and suffer from broken bones in which could cause internal injury via a punctured lung or the like.)
Galathian Special Forces Unit
Name: Zaven Bauer
Age: 42
Gender: Male
Personality: Loyal, Courageous, Strong-willed, Intelligent, Patient
Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
Appearance:
Weapons: 6-shot Revolver, R.S.C. Model 1917 Rifle, Swordsaint blade, and Stiletto knife
Specialty(2): Swordmaster, Gunmaster
Biography: Lieutenant Colonel Zaven Bauer is also known as Mad Dog in the military for his participation in some of the most brutal operations in Galathius history. He was under Garland Mathis' special regiment, whose objective was to hunt down Freethinkers during the Cleansing. Ranked 1st Lieutenant at the time, Bauer was assigned to interrogate, torture, and execute all personnel that were associated with the rebel group. He was unofficially awarded a prestigious medal for destroying an underground Freethinker network that stretched from Deigngard to the Redwall capital. Garland Mathis took credit for the entire operation and received a public ceremony.
By the time Bauer was promoted up to Major, he had been involved in several anti-Freethinker campaigns and was assigned to one of the heavy assault squads that lead the invasion into Unoshi. Many of his squad members were from Airemondth, and with the massacre still fresh in their minds, they were out for revenge. These assault squads captured the Unoshi territory with relative success, reporting in a low casualty count compared to Kurogane's numbers. Many of the officers in Bauer's squad were court-martialed for war crimes against unarmed Kurogane civilians. Though they were demoted, they did not get dishonorably discharged and it was rumored that they were reassigned to the front lines under a secret squad.
After the successful operation in Unoshi, Bauer was offered a promotion to Lt. Col, along with a chance to lead a special forces unit assigned to combat Kurogane's elite warriors. He agreed under the condition that he could pick who would be on his team, and would be given a personal hangar as their base of operations.
Misc: Zaven Bauer is actually a mix-blood, with Kurogane ancestry rooted from his mother's side of the family.
Name: Roark Bergenstrauss von Middelsmark, aka Captain Roark, or Roark among friends
Age: 31
Gender: Male
Personality: Power-hungry, vindictive and stern, but first and foremost a man of cold reason. However, he would rather see his men in muck from head to toe than dirty his own boots. He does not inspire loyalty. For entertainment he duels, reads and make plans. He loves his schemes, in the political world as much as in warfare.
Rank: Captain (Army)
Appearance:
http://i.imgur.com/BEqJBag.png
Weapon: A long-bladed, basket-hilted one-handed sword and a semi-automatic pistol resembling Steyr Mannlicher M1894.
Specialty: Pistoleer, Duelist
Biography: Roark never knew he was going to be in the army, but he recognized power when he saw it, and wanted a piece of it for himself. He enlisted in the military, but to rise in ranks, not to die on the battlefield. That was for fools who believed in an honorable death. There was nothing honorable about dying, whether on the battlefield or in your own chambers. It was the ultimate defeat, nothing more, or less. If it happened before you were wrinkled and stoop-backed, your legacy would only be shame, not the honored remembrance in which so many believed in. Roark had been a secretary at first, but once he had gotten his hand firmly in the system, he sat gears in motion. It was painful, to have to lick boots and grovel in the dirt among his ambitionless peers. But it was worth it, as in a few years he was Captain, and commanded a force of two hundred men. That didn’t sate his thirst, though. He would climb further and further. Not before he had his feet planted on the tip of the mountain’s peak would he be truly satisfied.
Name: Charles Clarke (aka. Charlie)
Age: 24
Gender: Male
Personality: Positive, Talkative, and has a passion for machines and machine accessories I'll tell you what. Generally has positive outlook on life, and doesn't mind ending a few all the same.
Rank: First lieutenant of the Mechanics Corps
Weapon:
Side arm Only
Specialty(2): Mechanic, knows the Golathius Empire's war machines inside and out. He is also part of the Gear suit corps.
Biography: Charles Clarke, born to a small family of two, grew up in a military enviroment. His father was an officer in the Golathius Military, while is mother was a part of the Golathius Nurse Corps. In his academics, he excelled in mathematics and technological theory, which easily assisted in reserving a spot for him at the one of the prestigous military universities. While in college, he studied for his mechanic degree for militaristic cause, better known as weapon repair and development. Upon graduating from the university, he assimilated into the Golathius Army, where upon he joined the Mechanics Corps. It was there he was offered the chance to join the Gear Suit Squadron, which were being produced in limited quantities at the time. So Charles, being the initiative guy he is, joined gladly. After becoming a combat engineer later on in his career, he soon returned to the workshop. This is now where he spends his days, working on machines while his gear suit gathers dust, waiting for the next chance to light em' up once more.
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]Name: Sarah
Age: 20
Gender: Female
Personality: Kind, intelligent, loyal and most of all stubborn. Sarah has a great love for all technology of the world, ranging from the most simple of slingshots and steam powered clothes dyers to the greatest of Stormdrones that thunder across the battlefield and display the might of a empire. Despite this way of thinking though she will often tell people that is it not the weapon that makes a knight but the person themselves, which is the only real argument between her and her 'master' Tetsu tend to have, other than the normal one where Tasu insists she eats too much, though she refuses to accept that... Even after the five course meal. Because she is from the Golathius Empire she tends to get things mixed up from this country and has a very silly obsession with things called ninjas, as she will often call her inventions ninja techniques for no other reason than to sound cool. Despite both Golathius Empire and Kurogane being at war she seems relatively un-phased by this and openly states where she is from with some amount of pride, though when confronted by what her people are doing she will state "What all humans do" Showing that she has some hidden amount of knowledge of the theory of humans, war and leadership. She has shown that she is a great strategist but due to her silly nature it rarely shows.. Has an inhumanly-low tolerance for alcohol, and becomes a very 'friendly' drunk when shes drank to much.
Rank: Unwanted Student of Tetsuyama Miyamoto
Appearance:
http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/x...xArt/71206.jpg
Weapon:
Shubaki: A slightly shorter katana than normal, which was made from a shard of broken sword that she found on a abandoned battlefield that she was forced to pass through when her master Tetsu also moved through it, though she was able to find lovely decorated sword shards she worked on making it into her own, which was not a easy task given that the metal itself is really tough, by shaping it and then adding handle wraps to the end; something that she learned from watching Tetsu with his own sword. Later she added a small triggering device from a gun and even hollowed the weapon out slightly, meaning that when she fired blanks from the gun handle that the pressure from the fired round would travel up the blade and out small holes in the back, giving much more force and direction into her swings than she could possibly do at her current skill level. She hopes that one day she could even figure out a way to heat up the blade from the charge.
Blossom: The same as Shubaki but without the trigger ability and about the size of a Golathius Empire dagger.
Flare gun: A normal Golathius Empire flare gun that Sarah has modified so that she can use it to fire different large rounds from; ranging from normal flares to mini-grenades with different effects.
Golathius Revolver: Normal issue revolver
'Ninja' Techniques: Sarah's differing inventions, ranging from a lighter in the shape of a ninja scroll, to a water bottle of the same design...
Later: Heavy Bore Winchester rifle
Specialty(2):
Markswomen
Inventions/machines
Biography: Hailing from the Golathius Empire, this young girl was seeking adventure within the new land , and she planned on doing this while inside of the protective shell of a commandeered gear suit. However, this turned out to be her downfall since as it turns out people from Kurogane don't take kindly of Golathius Empire troops... Mistaking the suit as a scout for Golathius forces a bunch of local thugs pushed it over and started to damage the thing in hopes gaining the reward that would come from such a find! The girl was scared to say the least, but just then the banging on the suit had stopped and there was arguing outside; braving the outside world the girl opened up the suit and got halfway out, looking on at a handsome man, a white knight, saving her from the thugs! His skill with only a blade was a sight to behold to say the least! From that day forth the girl from the land of Golathius swore to follow, learn and have many adventures with her savoir... Much to Tetsuyama Miyamoto's regret....
Name:Tetsuyama Miyamoto
Age: 27
Personality: Tetsu is calm, cool, and collected. He is quiet and prefers swords over guns, since he considers firearms unworthy of a "true warrior". However, his quietness is not due to a lack of self-confidence; it is because he never shows fear for anything. Interestingly, despite his cold persona and ruthlessness he is an honorable warrior (aside from his dislike of guns in general), he despises fighting dirty and he refuses to attack his opponents from behind.
Appearance: http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/8665/vincentvf.jpg
Weapon: Although Tamashī resembles a Japanese Ōkatana, it is said to be able to cut through anything as it is even sharper than an Ōkatana.
http://northstarzone.com/sitebuilder...res/Yamato.jpg
History: During his days with the Shi o motarasu he looked for more strength as the rest of his comrades but unlike them he was not afraid to seek outside the bounds of the human body. He was blessed or cursed with a unique power. Once the Shi o motarasu forsaw their true ways he felt betrayed by them and decided to split. He cares little for sides and ambitions. The fight is all that matters so he is constantly looking for it. He has forsaken everything for it, some say even his humanity.
Rank: Ex member of Shi o motarasu. Currently a mercenary for the highest bidder.
Ability: Sword Summoner. He can manifest spirit like forms of cristalised blades to both attack and defend. Though he can summon a good amount they are not very fast or durable. A normal strike or gun shot is enough to brake them. He can manipulate them to levitate around him.
