[OOC] Law, Order, & Equivalence: A Fullmetal Alchemist RP

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[OOC] Law, Order, & Equivalence: A Fullmetal Alchemist RP

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"Alchemy. It is the scientific technique of understanding the structure of matter, decomposing it, and then reconstructing it. If performed skillfully, it is even possible to create gold out of lead. However, as it is a science, there are some natural principles in place. Only one thing can be created from something else of a certain mass. This is the Principle of Equivalent Exchange."

Thirty years have passed since The Promised Day. The nation of Amestris, the truth behind its existence having been revealed, has not had an easy path to tread. Many of their neighbors, rather than sympathy toward the people who had been manipulated over generations, were outraged that their people had died for such selfishness and only increased their aggression in an attempt to reclaim their lands. It took the better part of Roy Mustang's career as Fuhrer to safeguard his people and finally wrestle global tensions to a peaceful, if strenuous truce. But as always, a new day has dawned. And with the new dawn has come great change. Having understood that they had become little more than tools for the being known as Father, one of the first things Fuhrer Mustang did was retool, and years later completely disband the State Alchemists. In their place and from their ashes, he created AMSIF- the Amestris Military Special Investigations Force. A task force entrusted with the role of investigating and resolving incidents, foreign and domestic, deemed to represent a greater threat to Amestris and her people. While not all, many of these incidents involve the use of Alchemy, and particular focus is given toward seeing that Amestris never beholds another Promised Day or Ishvalan Massacre again. No longer reserved for Alchemists alone, AMSIF is a collection of many disciplines and a myriad of personages, from ordinary investigators to crack marksmen, even including a Xingese martial artist or two. The only question is- do you have what it takes? 

Premise
So, as the intro blurb hopefully implies, the idea here will be that players create and play characters that are members of AMSIF. You'll be assigned cases to investigate and resolve, and as the RP goes on you'll grow both as individuals and as a team (hopefully) and handle bigger and more dire cases as you go. 

AMSIF is a bit reminiscent of the State Alchemists, but with a few key changes. For starters, anybody with sufficient abilities can join AMSIF, and while Alchemy is one such ability it is not the only one. Secondly, there is no need to produce research results on a yearly basis like the State Alchs- AMSIF is a lot closer to a mixture of the FBI, SWAT, and a little Special Forces, and operates as such. Thirdly, AMSIF only has two specific "rules" to speak of;
1- Always do what is right for Amestris. Safeguard her, defend her, and crush those who would undo her.
2- Always remember that Amestris is her people. Not her government, not her Fuhrer, not even her soil.

Outside of those two commands, AMSIF officers are expected to adhere to the standard military procedures. Upon acceptance you're granted the rank of Major (with chance for promotion), and are given a silver pocketwatch- unlike the State Alchemist poketwatch, however, AMSIF's is adorned with the image of a rising phoenix rather than a dragon. 

Good luck out there. We're counting on you.

The System
Law, Order, & Equivalence will be using a Skill-based system. At character creation, players will select a small number (1-3) of skills or fields of expertise that their character is good at. Skills are multifarious and I'd like to keep them as freeform as possible; you pick what you want, and I'll do what I have to behind the scenes to make them work. Skills can be just about anything you like- things like Alchemy/Alkahestry, Marksmanship, Martial Arts, and any variety of melee weapons are to be expected, but you're also allowed (and encouraged) to invest in skills related to investigation, such as observation, behavioral analysis, a good memory, or any variety of knowledge. After all, not every culprit is going to openly taunt you to come after them- many will in fact cover their tracks and need to be traced to their hole before confrontation can begin. Characters will gain the chance to learn additional skills (or make their current skills more potent) as the RP progresses, but be aware that the more skills your character practices, the less good at each of them they are- after all, the more things you need to dedicate your time to for learning and practice, the less time each one gets. 

When a player attempts to do something in a post, I'll set a difficulty level and then roll a d20 to determine if they succeed or fail. A couple of things will contribute to this; if you're using one of your Skills, I'll add a flat amount to the result, determined by how many skills you have and if you've invested additional points into the skill in question. If your description of your character making the attempt is particularly good or creative, I'll give you Advantage on the roll (for you non-D&D players, that means I roll twice and use the higher number). And, depending on the circumstances, I may give you Failure Protection (which does not guarantee success, but rather nullifies any bad stuff that could occur from a failed attempt). However, nothing will ever reduce the result or inflict Disadvantage; the worst than can happen is I increase the result needed to succeed. 

Now, while there are many things that you will be able to try to do even without the aid of a Skill (searching an area, detecting somebody lying to you, throwing a punch, using a basic firearm to name a few), there are some things that are not possible without a Skill dedicated to them. The number 1 example of this is Alchemy in all of its forms, but also included are things like medical diagnosis, repairing complex machinery, the use of advanced weaponry, and intercepting coded messages. If you are ever unsure if something you would like to do  without a skill is allowed, please ask in the OOC and I will tell you.
I'll adjust this as need as we go.

How Alchemy Works
For the sake of this RP, I'm going to try to keep Alchemy and Alkahestry as straightforward as possible, because it can be all too easy to get tied up and bogged down in the specifics. For starters, the differences between the two; they will effectively be capable of the same things, but each one will be better at certain things than the other. Alchemy is slightly better at direct attacks and transmuting solids, while Alkahestry is slightly better at medicinal applications and transmuting liquids.

When you want to use Alchemy or Alkahestry, there are only 3 things I'm going to enforce.
1- Equivalent Exchange. What you make must be the same mass as what you used. I feel like the series proper covered this well enough.
2- A circle must be involved. Without an alchemical circle, drawn on the fly or pre-drawn, you're not transmuting. If you elect to draw the circle you'll be using where you'll use it, bear in mind that it will take time and concentration to do. Characters who use alchemy in combat can (and really should) have special equipment with a circle engraved and ready to go, like Roy Mustang's gloves or Alexander Armstrong's knuckle weapons.
3- It must make logical sense. FMA Alchemy is designed as a very advanced science, and while I'm not going to require expert knowledge of chemistry to utilize, I am going to ask that it not be treated like generic magic that can do anything because you're a wizard. Pretty much, as long as you can answer the question "Where is (whatever you're transmuting) coming from?" you'll likely never run afoul of this.

Things to Know
-For this RP we'll be taking all reference material from the Manga and the Brotherhood anime series. Please do not reference, allude to, or utilize characters or concepts specific to the 2003 series.

-This is considered an extension and sequel setting to the Manga/Brotherhood setting and timeline. Characters of the canon existed and may be referenced, but they will not be appearing in the RP. 
If you would like to make a descendant of a canon character and have a strong idea for it, I am willing to see what you've got and see if I like it. However, two lineages are off-limits for plot purposes; descendants of Edward & Winry, and descendants of Alphonse & Mei (for the story's sake we will be assuming that these two couples eventually wed). If you'd like to be descended from Roy & Riza, be aware that you will have a related NPC to account for that I will speak with you about via PM.

-I will not be accepting any character who has had something to do with a Philosopher's Stone. That includes characters who possess one, Homunculi, Living Stones, and characters that have created one themselves. Some of these are for plot reasons, others are because they're just too powerful.

-I will not be accepting any character who has as part of their backstory a meeting with Truth. At present I am unsure if I'll be permitting anybody to meet Truth at all, but if I do allow it said meeting will be a point of drastic character development and will be given the weight and time to ramp up that it deserves.

-You are free to have automail limbs if you would like. There will be a dedicated technician NPC associated with AMSIF to help take care of such things.

-If you have a strong case for the character I will entertain the idea of a character who has been blood sealed into armor (ie Alphonse, Barry the Chopper), but please make it a strong idea that contributes to the character's motivation.

-Be mindful when coming up with Skills that they shouldn't be either too broad (because I will ask you to narrow them down) or too specific (otherwise you won't get the roll bonus as often as you'd like).

-At present I will want to keep the RP at a max of 5-7 players, and players will be expected to consistently post every 7-10 days.

To be continued as needed

Character Sheet
Character Name
Character Moniker, if Desired

Personal Information
Age: Please no younger than 16-18 and no older than 50.
Gender: Male or Female please.
Height & Weight: Imperial System preferred
Appearance: Any style of picture is fine, as is a written description if you would prefer.

Background
Personality Dossier: A paragraph or two about how your character generally behaves.

Personal History: A paragraph or two regarding your character's life up to this point, especially any important events. Should include what spurred them to join AMSIF.

Notable Family: Names and a brief description (Ex: Alphonse Elric, Younger Brother & Fellow Alchemy Student). You may leave this blank if you'd like.

Abilities Analysis
Skills: You may start with up to 3 skills. Please include some details and flavor text as per the function, and if there is a particular part of the Skill in which your character specializes please make a note of it.

Equipment: A list of the items your character carries with them into the field. If they use specialized equipment, please explain what it is and what it does.

Misc.
Extra Details: Anything you think relevant not covered by above sections.

Change Log

4/4/19- Added new section about Required Skills to The System
4/7/19- Changed timing of the RP relative to the canon series. LO&E now takes place 30 years later rather than 40.

GM To-Do List:
-Add NPC Roster
-Approve CS's as they come in

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Hidden 6 yrs ago Post by Saltwater Thief

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Hidden 6 yrs ago Post by CelesteEste

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I really liked the manga, though I have not watched the anime. Nevertheless, interested.

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Hidden 6 yrs ago Post by Briza

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I wanna have what it takes! Count me in!

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Hidden 6 yrs ago Post by Vox

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I'll throw my hat into the ring - will have a CS coming up either today or tomorrow.

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Hidden 6 yrs ago Post by AdmrlStalfos19

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Still plotting my CS in my head. It'll prob take me a few days to put everything together, though.

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Hidden 6 yrs ago → 6 yrs ago Post by Vox

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FC: Imoko | DC: A85A5B

|| P E R S O N A L  I N F O R M A T I O N ||

A g e
"25 this year."

G e n d e r
"As female as they come."

H e i g h t  &  W e i g h t
"Last I was measured, I weighed in at 110 lbs and stood at about 5'2. And a half. Ish."

A p p e a r a n c e
"Blonde hair and blue eyes I got from mom - uh, I mean, Major Yun. Pretty much all of my face I got from dad. My left arm I got from an accident when I was younger. Got it amputated and replaced with automail. My figure I got from hard work and training, though, yeah, didn't hurt that mom - I mean, Major Yun helped in uh, certain places. Still, working out and acrobatics goes a long way on burning off all those sweets. That reminds me there was this muffin that's been waiting in the break room and... wait sorry can that last part be struck off the record? No?

... Anyway, what were we talking about? Oh, right, underwear. I mean, undercover wear. 

Mm, well I've never been too big a fan of dresses and skirts. They look nice, but they're always too restrictive or too showy. I'd get a bit self-conscious if I had to climb a building and I flash all my bedroom wear to whoever I'm running with at the time. Why would I be climbing buildings if I'm undercover? I don't know, what if a bad guy was trying to get away and we had to do a daring high speed chase? That happens sometimes in AMSIF right? Right, besides the point, I'm sure it wouldn't be too hard for you all to have an extra pair of slacks and button ups for me. Nothing too scratchy though, makes my arm act up."
|| B A C K G R O U N D ||

P e r s o n a l i t y
"Kinda weird to describe yourself, but I guess you can call me a 'roll with the punches' type of gal. I try to not let anything get to me too much and, well, when you grow up hearing about things like the Promised Day and seeing legends like Fuhrer Mustang and the Elric brothers, it's hard not to imagine that anything is possible in this world, you know? I guess people can sometimes call me boring for that, but yeah, I mean, like I said, it doesn't get to me too much. 

That doesn't mean I don't know when to knuckle down and do hard work though. Sometimes I get too focused kind of to the exclusion of everything else. It's a sort of trance I get into, like when I get a particularly interesting case and I'll spend hours or days poring over all the details before I realize that I haven't eat the entire day. I think my longest streak was three straight days of not eating before I got a bit peckish. Right, but, uh, sometimes I do have a habit of getting sidetracked when things don't particularly interest me.

I mean. I just get side tracked - when - things - uh... no. Yeah. I've got no defense here."

H I S T O R Y
"Not too much to tell outside of what you've probably already dug up. I mean, you already have one person who's literally watched me since before I was even born, haha. Uh, sorry, I mean, she's not going to have access to this file, right?

Right, too late to worry about that anyway. My dad is Shu Yun, a Xingese professor. My mom is Anne Marder Yun, an Amestrian alchemist - but uh, I guess you guys know that since she's part of AMSIF and all. Anyway, they met while mom - Major Yun - was over in Xing doing research. They got married, moved back here, and then they had me and my sister.

I didn't have a particularly exciting childhood growing up, except for when dad took us to see an acrobat show from Xing. I was enamored. I remember my parents always telling me how I could never stop talking about the show after I saw it and was always begging them to let me learn. So they did. They even let me learn Xingese martial arts while I was at it. They found me a teacher for both, but I got more into acrobatics and, not to brag, but I got really good at it. I was even about to enter the professional circuit until the accident. 

It wasn't anybody's fault really. We were just preparing for a show, one of my biggest since I remember my teacher telling me how a lot of talent scouts would be coming, but we were in an old building, and during one of the stage rehearsals, the roof crumbled and I got trapped underneath. By the time they got me out, my arm was completely ruined. I could never really look at gelatin the same way after that. Uh, anyway, yeah, after that I got it amputated and replaced with automail thanks to some strings my parents pulled. I could never really get back into being a gymnast though. 

After that, I was a bit lost and aimless. Studied architecture for a little while, but it didn't really suit me. Eventually I thought 'hell, why not military, Mom seems to be doing okay in there,' and so, yeah. I did. Applied to the Bradley Military Academy, got accepted, passed with full marks and honors, and then after that I thought 'hell, why not AMSIF, Mom seems to be doing okay in there,' and, well. Here I am."

F R I E N D S  &  F A M I L Y
Shu Yun
"He's my dad. He's a bit of a nerd. He specializes in the history between Xing and Amestris, and after meeting my mom they've got really deep into sort of the similar history Alchemy and Alkahestry has. He more focuses on the effects both forms of science has had on the cultural and societal side of things."

Anne Marder Yun
"She's my mom. She became really enamored with the Elrics when she was younger and got into studying Alchemy as a result. In particular, she's been building on Alphonse Elric's theories on the connections and similarities between Alchemy and Alkahestry and how the cultural histories of Amestris and Xing respectively shaped both forms of science."

Marilyn Yun
"She's my sister. She's become an Alchemist like mom. She's been kinda following in both our parents' footsteps, really, and has been dabbling in trying to combine the two sciences."

Roselyn Sollner
"She's... she's a really close, uh, friend, of mine."
|| A B I L I T I E S ||

S K I L L S
Acrobat*
"You train in something for pretty much all your life since you were four, you're bound to get at least decent in it. Balance, agility, grace, it's all required. And being an acrobat isn't all about doing fancy flips and tricks, there's some serious athelticism involved. People always forget the grip strength you need to not slip on a bar or the muscles and stamina required to you know, do an entire routine that's essentially you using your entire body as one big free weight. I've gotten pretty into bouldering as a result."

Investigator
"As an acrobat, I got pretty used to spotting small details and reading body language. It was shored up a bit when I studied architecture for a little while. I got even better after going through the military academy."

Xingese Martial Artist
"Along with acrobatics, I've kept up with my martial arts. At first it was because I thought it was cool, after it was because I wanted to get closer to dad's culture, and now it's pretty neat being trained in a different combat style than most people are used to. Not to mention I got to learn how to use things like staves, kunais, wakizashis, and daos, though I've been mainly focusing on hand to hand. Mo- Major Yun - says it still doesn't beat a gun though. I can't exactly argue with that."

E Q U I P M E N T
Automail Arm
"It's your basic steel automail."

Combat Knife
"A knife is always handy to have around."

Wakizashi
"For when I need a bigger knife."

Pistol
"Not my preferred weapon, but I'd rather not take my chances on actually using knives in a gun fight. I'm no King Bradley."

Journals and Pens
"Useful for writing things down and remembering stuff."

Chalk
"When you're working with Alchemists, I've found it's always useful to carry some around."

Hidden 6 yrs ago Post by Shandria

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I want to have what it takes. But RNG has screwed me more times than I care to admit in the past. 

Can....... Can I have a descendant of the man, the myth, the legend himself, Major Freaking Armstrong, who is somehow, nothing at all like an Armstrong, and in fact is basically the exact opposite?

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Hidden 6 yrs ago Post by Hero

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I want to have what it takes. But RNG has screwed me more times than I care to admit in the past.@Shandria

Honestly same, RNG has never been kind, but I figured it'd be fun to see what happens anyway.

Hidden 6 yrs ago Post by Eviledd1984

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Hi is there room for one more?

Hidden 6 yrs ago → 6 yrs ago Post by Briza

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 G e n e v i e v e    H a r p e r 
 T h e   H a l l u c i n o r 
( ' T h e   D r e a m   A l c h e m i s t ' )
♪

F e m a l e        2 6         5 ' 7 "         1 1 5  l b s .

A    h a l l u c i n a t i o n   i s   a   f a c t ,   n o t   a n   e r r o r ; 
w h a t   i s   e r r e n e o u s   i s   a   j u d g e m e n t   b a s e d   u p o n   i t .
— B e r t r a n d   R u s s e l l

B a c k g r o u n d
Personality Dossier: Wearing grim, depressive, and tired eyes with an attitude that implies she is simply going through the motions, Genevieve might as well be sleep walking through most of her day-to-day activities. However, she is fully aware of her surroundings and day-to-day happenings. Her sarcasm has little to no end and neither does her indiscreet perfunctory attitude. 

Personal History: The daughter of two scholarly and eccentric individuals Drs. Adele & Hopko Harper who were not just very well learned professionals through prestigious studies at the same prominent Central City University (where they both took up an occupation as Professors) but were also well-read and well-established as members of the the National Central Library in Central City Council. The two were brilliant in precision and accuracy as they sacrificed much of their time learning and studying Alchemy. They were well-known for their lectures on Time & Alchemy and The Never Ending Equivalent Exchange. To the Harpers, the equations for Equivalent Exchange was everywhere in the world, and the two doctors had a pension for picking apart every fiber of this science. In fact, the two were so dedicated to the molecular works of their studies that they were much later in age when they realized there was any chemistry between each other (and thus went on to get married); and of course, it was not until even later that they thought to have a child, who ended up being the subject of their own (unethical) experimentation. 

This experiment was labeled Timing of Thoughts, in which the the brain chemistry would be exchanged. The initial idea was said to be an effort to heal mental illness, but the truth behind the matter had more to do with Time Travelling. However, their experiment was proven to serve no such outcome nor was it considered a failure. (The two doctors believed no experiment was ever truly a failure as that broke their philosophical beliefs of Equivalent Exchange.) Instead, they learned that sacrificing actions could beat transmissions or frequencies of the brain waves to tamper with the chemical reactions (neurotransmitters) and how they communicate with each other. Their major study began revolving around prima materia, the pineal gland, and circadian rhythm, redirected through alternating (disturbing) sleep cycles.

The conclusion of the experiment was never seen by Doctor Adele, as she passed away suddenly in the middle of the night due to what was thought to be old age. Doctor Hopko was able to see Genevieve contort or confuse reality for a number of targets at certain distances. While Doctor Hoko saw this was a giant leap in Alchemy & Nekyia, which Doctor Adele and he both agreed could be keys to not just Time Travel but opening the Gate of Truth as well. Meanwhile, Genevieve saw it merely as playing the childish game Telephone, where she slowly lost connection with everyone around her. It made her father happy, and she promised to herself after her mother's death that she would always strive to do whatever it took to keep him happy, even if it meant sacrificing her own happiness.

As time progressed and his own madness began to be revealed to him, Doctor Hopko saw that there was little use for Genevieve's state of mind. In a desperate attempt to conceal his unethical approach to parenting, he urged Genevieve to enlist with the Amestris Military Special Investigations Force, where she resides today, sleep deprived and coffee fueled.

Notable Family:

Doctor Adele Harper - (Deceased) Brilliant and well-known professors at the Central City University. Alongside her husband, Doctor Hopko Harper, she specialized in Time & Alchemy and The Never Ending Equivalent Exchange. She was later recognized for helping build a study for Alchemy & Nekyia.

Doctor Hopko Harper - Brilliant and well-known professors at the Central City University. Alongside his wife, Doctor Adele Harper, she specialized in Time & Alchemy and The Never Ending Equivalent Exchange. He is also recognized for helping build a study for Alchemy & Nekyia.

A b i l i t i e s   A n a l y s i s
Saturnine - Bending the light of the subconscious of select amount of targets in minimal distance. At worst it can cause delays in reaction, and at best, it can cause varying degrees of temporary neurosis due to severe confusion of reality through visual distortions. Targets can hurt themselves in confusion.

6th Sense - Due to being more academic than athletic, Genevieve was unable to truly master Xingese as a martial art. However, what she did develop was some sort of 6th Sense, which came much more naturally to her than physical combat. She has heightened sight and hearing that help her overcome day-to-day melancholy.

Academia - Like her parents, Genevieve is well versed in the literary world and well acquainted with the Central City Library. She is knowledgeable in various subjects, mostly including Alchemy, Psychology, and Sleep.

Equipment:

Chalk -  For Alchemy circles.

Coffee - For staying awake, as she sacrifices her own sleep cycle to induce it on others.

Flintlock Pistol -  A general term for any firearm that uses a flint striking ignition mechanism. This particular pistol is a family heirloom.

Folding Knife - A foldable knife with one or more blades that fit inside the handle that can still fit in a pocket.

Gloves - For performing Alchemy.

Pocket Watch - A gift upon joining the AMSIF.

M i s c e l l a n e o u s
Extra Details: Genevieve holds no ill-will against her parents.

Hidden 6 yrs ago Post by Saltwater Thief

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I want to have what it takes. But RNG has screwed me more times than I care to admit in the past. 

Can....... Can I have a descendant of the man, the myth, the legend himself, Major Freaking Armstrong, who is somehow, nothing at all like an Armstrong, and in fact is basically the exact opposite?@Shandria

<Snipped quote by Shandria>

Honestly same, RNG has never been kind, but I figured it'd be fun to see what happens anyway.@Hero

Well, I'm going to try to not have everything hinge on just dice rolls. What I can say is that if you put the time and effort into your writing, I think you'll find the rolls weighted quite well in your favor a lot of the time. 

@Eviledd1984 Come on down, we're still filling up!

@Vox Very nice, I'll chat with you about Anne at a later point in time. Everything seems to be in order, so you can add her to the CHaracters teb!

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[
The Girl, The Myth, The Legend, Olivia Freaking Armstrong

Olivia Armstrong
The Headstrong Alchemist

Personal Information
Age: 19
Gender: Female
Height & Weight:  5 ' 7 " 92 lbs.
Appearance:

Background
Personality Dossier: Olivia is of course, from a very prestigous family. Few don't know of the Armstrong family line, and those who don't surely know of Major Alex Louise Armstrong, her father, at the very least due to his efforts in the past. Fewer people know of his daughter however, and fewer still would believe it's actually her when they meet her. Considering she comes from a line of Masculine, physically powerful muscle-heads people don't expect a smaller, more lithe girl to be the youngest member of such a family. But, Olivia is ultimately what they get, and that often annoys her that people find it so strange that she's not some hulking monstrosity. 

People even often misunderstand who she is, believing her to be her aunt until they meet her, and she has to correct them that her aunt is Olivier, not Olivia. A very similar, but ultimately different name. This is all to say she has trouble being compared to her family. She wants to be her own person, and be known for what she has done, and for who she is. Not for being just a member of a big family whose legacy was passed down the Armstrong line FOR GENERATIONS. Beyond this, she tends to be very quiet, reserved, and if you know the type of person who always seems to scoff, and push up their glasses before responding to you... then you probably know Olivia. One of the worse things about her to most people, is how much she respects King Bradley, and often seems to be living in a past she never lived. Like she believes she's still in the old Amestris, before the Promised Day. 

Personal History: Olivia hasn't thus far had a very impressive life. She spent most of her time growing up being told stories by her Father and Grandfather. She was always told of the grand legacy of the Armstrong line, and it was always suggested to her, or often even explained to her, that she would carry on this legacy, not as Olivia, but as an Armstrong. It was never something she particularly liked, and it was for this reason she became very close to her aunt, Olivier. Her aunt understood better what it was like to not be an Armstrong, but to be your own person. Having demanded undying loyalty and respect of her soldiers, she was the kind of leader who was known for her own deeds. This drove her to become more cold and calculated, unforgiving, and this is the reason she looks down on others often. It was due to her father and aunt's service that she became an Alchemist in the first place. 

Notable Family: Alex Louise Armstrong, Father. Philip Gargantos Armstrong, Grandfather. Olivier Mira Armstrong, Aunt. 

Abilities Analysis
Skills:

Booksmarts - She has an absurd knowledge of all things Alchemical. She could potentially tell you the exact makeup of each individual bone in your body based on your height and weight. If she can't, then the book she carries with her probably can. Not that she'd be interested in that sort of thing. 

Analysis - As she grew up trying to be the exact opposite of her father, she became clever, and calculated. She would rather spend a lifetime in the midst of battle analyzing a single problem to find a solution, than run around recklessly throwing punches and breaking things. This means that she's very good in situations that require her to work quickly while her life is immediately in danger, and think clearly about what the solution to a problem is, such as finding a way out of a corner, or opening a locked door.

Armstrong Arts - When all else fails, and she is forced to, she will fall back on what her family taught her. She will bring out the fury of the Armstrong Line, as it was passed down to her after Generations. She's good with a sword, trained by her aunt, as well as fist to fist combat, taught by her father. 

Equipment:

Book of Alchemy - Olivia knows that everyone forgets things, even her. For this reason she carries an Alchemical book that is filled with just about all the information one could need to know. It's basically a dictionary for Alchemists, holding within its pages information such as how to figure out the exact makeup of concrete based on its appearance, to the exact Alchemical ritual to do Human Transmutation. Forbidden as an act or not, she carries the knowledge of how to do so with her.

General's Sword - While certainly not a General, and far from it, Olivia carries her Aunt's sword, given to her on her 18th Birthday as a gift. She was trained with a sword just like it, and thus she's very skilled with it. Its only special properties are that it's a very recognizable sword really. 

Pre-Drawn Alchemy Circle Imprints - Always planning ahead, Olivia carries with her a folder of papers on which Alchemy Circles have been imprinted. She can use these to press them against a flat surface, and the Circle will be transferred. This of course, only works on solid, dry surfaces. It's useless in the rain for example, like a certain someone.

Clipboard - She's always got a Clipboard with her, and yes, it has many... many unwritten tickets on it. Just for you!

Misc.
Extra Details: She takes her job way too seriously, to the point that she seems to think she's even some sort of police officer, and will try to act as such in public doing jobs that are typically far below her position, such as writing tickets. She literally can't help it, it's an instinct that just kicks in and she just, starts doing it.

How's this?

Hidden 6 yrs ago Post by Saltwater Thief

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@Shandria It's an interesting idea, I just have a couple questions. 
-So, to make sure I understand, she has a book about alchemy and alchemy circle imprints, but she herself is not an alchemist?

-Is her Analysis skill intended to be a boost under duress that applies when she needs to figure something out while under fire, or had you designed it to be more general-purpose?

-Finally, I would like to know how her Book came to be. Did she write it herself, was it given to her, or did she find it somewhere?

Hidden 6 yrs ago Post by Shandria

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Well, since she's called the Headstrong Alchemist, yes, she's an Alchemist. 

Analysis is yeah, just like, in the midst of a stressful situation, she can generally keep calm and work quicker if not directly disturbed. Meaning of course, she'll still get put off of what she's doing if she gets actually hit. 

And the book is written by her, but everything is copied from other books, so she just copied everything she felt she needed into one single book rather than carrying a whole bunch around.

Hidden 6 yrs ago Post by Eviledd1984

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My apologizes i will have to back out of his rp.

Hidden 6 yrs ago Post by Saltwater Thief

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Hmm. Okay, that brings up something I probably should've included in the system design, so thank you for helping me in that regard. The idea was that while some things you can try to do without a Skill and still succeed, there are also some things you just can't do without the proper training. Alchemy happens to be one of those. So, if you'd like her to be an Alchemist, I'm going to have to ask that a Skill be spent on it.

You have my sincere apologies for neglecting to cover that.

I'll wait to talk about Analysis for now, since you might use it's Skill slot on Alchemy.

As for the book, the biggest thing is what it says about Human Transmutation. I'm fine with saying that she's copied some records of attempts at it by others from over the years, but given how taboo it is and how Father was basically the only one to achieve even a semblance of success at it (and how he took great pains to keep such things hidden) I don't think she'd be able to find anything that details the exact specs of a confirmed process.

Hidden 6 yrs ago Post by Shandria

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I would figure that the booksmarts skill which is already based around large amounts of Alchemical knowledge, would count for that. If anything, that's the skill I'll be switching over to it. 

As for the book, yeah it's not like a precise 'here's how you do human transmutaiton', it's more just, the thoughts on it, what people have tried, at least what was recorded and tried, and the makeup of the human body. It's not actually instructions on how to do it.

Hidden 6 yrs ago Post by Saltwater Thief

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@Shandria Well, the trick of it as I look is there's a bit of a gap between understanding the theories and the chemistry having the ability to influence them with the circle. However, if you want, the Booksmarts could be expanded to cover the manipulation as well.

Moving forward then, the way Analysis would work as it is now is the bonus would kick in when she needs to solve some form of puzzle or problem out while under pressure, since it seems to be more angled toward keeping cool in those circumstances. If that's fine with you, just add a small bit to the end of Booksmarts that notes she's able to do the transmutations (just for the sake of being thorough) and you should be good!

Hidden 6 yrs ago Post by Shandria

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That's fine with me, and I added:

"All this knowledge came from her studies to actually become an Alchemist, when she took things far more seriously than most seem to and ended up writing her own book filled with all kinds of Alchemical facts. By the time she was a full Alchemist, she had finished a book which was an amalgamation of every other Alchemy related book, or paper in general, that she could get her hands on."

Hidden 6 yrs ago Post by Bartimaeus

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I've been wanting to do a FMA RP for quite some time...I'll look through my character resources and see what I can whip up.

I'm not a huge fan of the dice system in this sorta RP, but if I create something I feel good about, I'm more than willing to deal with that small reluctance.

Also...I'm going to PM you about a little question I have, @Saltwater Thief.

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