Minimum effort, maximum result. Name: Hiroya 'Black Lightning' Mochizuki (望月広也「黒い稲妻」) (黒田大輝) Age: 29 Nationality: Japanese (Shinjuku, Tokyo) Appearance:
Biography: Born and raised on the streets of Shinjuku, Hiroya learned that the world wasn't fair early on. Strapped for money to support himself as a young adult, and his younger sister Miyuki's school tuition, he was caught in a desperate situation, culminating in low-life jobs for the Inagawa Group, one of Japan's largest Yakuza gangs. Eventually, a confrontation with a bosozoku gang led to them kidnapping his sister. Enraged, Hiroya stole an MP7 and HK417 from the Inagawa stronghold, sneaking into the bosozoku base and killing the gangsters who had held Miyuki hostage. Rather than offer a stern reprimand, his superiors saw his potential, promoting him to a clandestine assassin's role. After some years of performing covert operations for Inagawa, Hiroya (codenamed 'Black Lightning', or '黒い稲妻') was noticed by XCOM's recruitment divison. Come 2015, an alien attack pod had landed in Tokyo, with Miyuki presumed dead. Not soon after, an XCOM mole, serving as an Inagawa director, ordered Hiroya to perform a counter-assault on Thin Men, posing as Yakuza members assassinating Prime Minister Abe in Tokyo, and linking up with the remaining alien elements. The alien spies were easily outmatched by the vengeant Hiroya, who knew the streets like the back of his hand and wished to avenge his fallen sister. With minimal time wasted or public notified, the Thin Men fell one-by-one, and in moments, Hiroya had done the job, as usual. Before he could tell his superior of his most recent victims' odd blood and patterns, he had been spilled the beans: the Council liked his audition. Base of Operations: Asia Squad: Class: Scout Rank: Squaddie Personality: While Hiroya is able to take orders and cooperate if necessary, he is very much a 'lone wolf'- give him an objective, directions, and supplies, and he can produce an effective result all on his own. Still struck by grief over the apparent loss of his sister, he tends not to open up about his past, especially given his most recent occupation. Other: Theme Strengths: Stealth, recon, quick & short encounters Weaknesses: Drawn-out battle, being flanked Psionic-Potential: Y Mech Soldier Candidate: N
Name: Elizabeth 'Liz' Nicole Brooks Age: 23 Appearance:
Fairly timid, normal-appearing girl in her early 20s. Typically wears casual clothes such as sweatshirts, sweaters, and light jackets, with either jeans or sweatpants, depending on the situation. Height: 5'6.5" (169 cm) Weight: 104 lbs (47 kg) Likes: Caffè mocha, earl grey tea, cold & cloudy days, warm sweaters, understanding people, 80s/90s pop culture (Star Wars, FRIENDS, Animaniacs) Dislikes: Liars, alcohol, smoking, overly loud things like metal and sports cars Zodiac Sign: Cancer (June 30, Chariot Tarot) Special Talent: Although she never really put too much faith in herself or got a high level of praise, Liz is a great cook- especially when it comes to noodles. She herself doesn't know why in particular, but hey, whatever works.. Profession: Unemployed at the moment Bio: Liz grew up in Madrid, Iowa, a small town in the Midwest with a high school football team as the local pride. The daughter of a policeman and a librarian, she grew up looking up to her elder brother, who aspired to one day become the next Steve Jobs or Bill Gates. Liz didn't really know much about computers or business, but what she did pick up is that she wanted to see more than a sleepy, tiny town every morning. After graduating from a home economics class in a local community college, she moved out to Sol City to meet her brother- only to find that he had moved to Japan. With nowhere to stay, no job, and not much money, Liz is hoping to get her act straight soon. Personality: Honest and straightforward, Liz prefers to do things neatly and clearly, without lies or complication, which she strongly dislikes. She is rather timid at first, but easily opens up to anyone who proves to be kind and trustworthy. She tends to be more of an introvert, although she is not afraid to speak her mind, when necessary. Favorite Songs: Dexys Midnight Runners - Come On Eileen a-ha - Take On Me Whitney Houston - I Wanna Dance With Somebody Irene Cara - Flashdance! What A Feeling Toto - Africa Actress: Jenna Fischer ~mid-2000s (Live Action) / Saori Hayami (anime voice)
Just as sharp as any Inagawa Group meeting, Mochizuki Hiroya panned around the room, analyzing each one of his supposed comrades. They seemed as hardened and determined, yet light-hearted, as he would have expected from any elite soldier fighting an alien force. For just a moment, Hiroya took a gander at their motives; although it was all too obvious, he thought of the why. Did Zhu Yun, Ratana Chao, Omar Mahanti, Ichihara Maiya (finally, a compatriot, albeit with a slight Kansai accent), Esmaeel Sayyad, have someone special? A Kuroda Miy- No. That would have to stay locked in the back of his mind, forever. Not since..
Hiroya took note of their names in his head, hoping he would never have to curse them. Finally, it was his turn. Giving a nod of acknowledgement, he took a blunt approach:
Mochizuki Hiroya, at your service.
With a customary bow of the head, he motioned back, ending the formalities. Now it was time to check out the really important stuff- his role, and his gun.
To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high.
Name Daniel Stanley Wright
Age 19
Gender Male
Birth-date August 16, 1929
Birthplace Lachine, Québec, Canada
Appearance In the looks department, Dan checks off as any other Caucasian male- when necessary, that is. Messy brown hair, apple green eyes, and a fairly young, light-toned face, although his expression and mood can be portrayed differently depending on his current task. Standing at 174 centimeters, Dan is a bit under-average for his background and gender, although he does stand out when compared to others with shorter mean heights, such as Japanese. At 62 kilograms, he is slightly thinner than ideal, although he is still rather lean and healthy, out of necessity as a fighter for the Allied cause.
The clothes Dan wears are very much dependent on his mission. If needed, he can pass off as unemployed hoodlum, or an dashingly handsome stock broker in an English suit. His official SOE uniform is drab with touches of red, including a beret. However, at the moment, he has it packed away safely for formal occasion. As a undercover agent, he does what is necessary to hide in plain sight. To him, a dark grey trilby, shirt & tie, blazer, and pants do the trick.
Personality Socially, Dan tends to be a personal extrovert, confident and charismatic. His applications of such a nature tend to involve gathering information and/or compelling others to sympathy, be it providing help in his mission or fighting a common enemy.
His outlook on the world as a whole is, in a word, observant. Growing up in a world where he had to work hard to succeed, he was keen on just that. More of a pragmatist than an optimist, he tends to lean towards keeping things in realistic terms; for instance, he would prefer to capture than massacre a company of enemies, out of caution against an even more violent retribution.
When considering nature and means, Dan puts rationale over emotion. Always trying his best to stay a step ahead, this sometimes manifests in long-winded preparation for a key event, spending meticulous hours to make sure the end result is the way he wants. Especially due to his undercover persona, he tends to hide his feelings, and see efficiency as more important than cooperation in general.
Despite this, Dan enjoys the thrill of thinking on the fly and keeping his options open. As a by-product of his former passion in acting, he is at this stage quite good at improvising and spotting opportunities. A core part of this is his belief that inflexibility crashes hard- preferring instead to be a flexible, relaxed nonconformist.
Dan's motivations are based around one thing: his father. Every mission, operation, and confrontation, to him, is just another step in defeating the Japanese Empire and finding his father. In the ideal world, he is reunited with his father, and can return to a happy, peaceful life in Canada. However, he knows this is seldom the most realistic case; Plan B is his expectation. If he finds his father, if his father is alive, if his father is in one piece: if none of these factors hold true, he intends to swiftly and quietly eliminate whomever did such a thing to his old man.
Team Relationships N/A
Classification Dan's specialty is not, in fact, combat. Although he has trained and engaged in shootouts in the past, he prefers to get behind enemy lines, and keep his head down. When it comes to making the kill, he would prefer to do so in a discreet, contained fashion, with a revolver shot to the head. However, if it comes to it, he is far from a coward on the battlefield, eager to use whatever he can to the best of its ability, in order to subdue the enemy as efficiently and quickly as possible. Even though he is more than accustomed to sitting back and taking orders, when the time comes, Dan is not afraid to lead others into the fray behind him, using his charisma or even multilingualism to his advantage. On that note, his linguistic extent reaches English (fluent Canadian/Midwestern/Australian accents), French (fluent Québécois/French accents), basic Russian, and limited Japanese.
Experimental Gear
To the untrained eye, the APS is just another Soviet pistol. To the cabal of Soviets aware of this top-secret development, it hallmarks the next step in special operations firearms. The demand for such a firearm arose when KGB and Spetsnaz agents required a pistol stronger than the Tokarev, yet smaller than a more cumbersome submachine gun. In simple terms, a stronger, Russian-based machine pistol, along the likes of the Mauser M712.
The APS is a machine pistol fed through 20-round 7.62x25mm Tokarev. It features a three-position lever. The first position, "PR", is the safety. When pointed downwards to "OD", semi-automatic fire is enabled. Finally, the rearmost "AVT" position puts the APS in fully automatic mode. A selective-fire machine pistol, the APS is the balance between a compact pistol and a gun with a high rate of fire.
When equipped, Dan employs a Stechkin pistol in action. In nearly any scenario, his revolver is enough to do the trick, due to his low profile and efficient rate of fire. However, in the event that things get hot and he is the only member of the group left without a primary weapon, he can utilize the APS' automatic fire to unleash the equivalent of a submachine gun's power from his own pockets.
Daniel Stanley Wright was born in Lachine, a town on Montreal Island, on August 16, 1929. The son of a determined pink-collar worker who immigrated as a baby, Dan grew up without much money to throw around, so he learned from a young age to work hard and save what he could. As a child, he never really cared much for politics or military, spending his free time hanging out with friends, or listening to Canadiens games on the radio.
When war broke out between the Allies and Axis, the entire atmosphere around Dan had changed. The ball started rolling with the enlistment of his father in the Royal Rifles of Canada, 22nd Regiment. The last time 12-year-old Dan ever saw his old man was at the train station, while the 22nd Regiment departed for Hong Kong. With a hug and a wave goodbye, Dan finally realized that things were changing. Later that year, this would truly resonate, as the news broke that Hong Kong had fell, and that the Royal Rifles had surrendered along with it.
Emotionally scarred, Dan went into depression upon news of his father's surrender and capture in early 1942. Having to take a part-time job to help support his mother and sister, and having to deal with several other issues in his personal life, he nearly committed suicide by jumping off the Sun Life Building, sneaking out at night to head downtown. A stroke of luck drove him to bump into his uncle Ernest, arriving home from a play. With one last chance to vent his issues, Dan was rewarded with an invaluable piece of advice: to try his best, and never surrender. As it had turned out, his father Stanley was caught in the exact same situation as a young adult, and those principles pushed him through. Dan returned home, determined to live up what his father would have expected of him.
Fast-forward to 1946. Daniel Wright stars as the titular male protagonist in Collège Sainte-Anne's production of Romeo and Juliet. With a talent for acting, some say Dan is destined for Broadway or Hollywood. His family, faring rather well now, is extremely impressed by Dan's charismatic and strong-willed nature, earning the respect of many. But from his own eyes, he is not a career actor nor a hit with the girls. His primary interest in school and the future is criminology, out of a desire to protect his community and deliver justice to anyone who dares ruin a nation already afflicted by war. Both of these factors pique the interest of the Special Operations Executive.
Peggy and Dale Wright constantly received letters from Upper Canada College, the private boarding school in Toronto that Dan was supposedly staying in for senior year, on a scholarship. In reality, he was spending 6 months in Special Training School No. 103, or 'Camp X', an SOE training facility 60 kilometers northeast. He shared a room with 3 other trainees in their late teens; Aaron Ward, a Saskatchewan farm boy and outstanding Army Cadet, Joanna Nathans, Aaron's childhood friend and expert at martial arts, and Kazuto Sobu, a Japanese nisei from Vancouver. Over the course of the next few months, this group of four grew into a tight-knit team of friends.
On a chilly December night, all seemed silent, as usual. In the middle of the night, Dan awoke to an empty lower bunk beside him- Kazuto had sneaked out. On a search to find his friend at 0100 hours, Dan eventually caught 'Kaz' in the files room, stealing confidential information to transfer to other Japanese double agents in Vancouver. After a long chase, the confrontation ended when the commotion woke Aaron and Joanna, who helped apprehend their betraying comrade.
In recognition of the group's valor and resolve, they were graduated early and sent on their first special operation, related to their previous encounter: Operation Arquebus. Dan, Aaron, and Joanna had developed new identities, and were shipped off to Australia to serve as counter-intelligence agents.
Dan, rather, Michael Hudson, was a 23-year-old criminology graduate student from Ohio. Aside from his SOE and personal gear, which he kept safe, all his outfits and markings said so- his Ohio State degree in criminology (acquired via a scholarship due to hard times, as his father was involved in the Akron rubber strike of 1936), Cleveland Indians personal items (going so far as rooting for them over the radio, listening to them win the 1948 World Series), and clothes, all of which were purchased either in Australia or Ohio. His flat was beside 'Johnny Stargell' and 'Erica Robinson', two dating criminology students from Seattle. Although they considered eloping, a mission was at hand: posing as students under a suspected Japanese spy, teaching as a professor.
Their extended vacation in Brisbane came to a dramatic conclusion on the transport ship SS Katoomba, where 'Professor Umeda', actually named Ryosuke Seita, was boarded to link up with Japanese agents on New Caledonia. Disguising as Australian field medics (using their daily experience in the country to formulate passable accents). Aaron and Joanna waited until night, then confronted Seita alone, in the middle of a radio call. A shootout ensued- and although Joanna was shot in the arm defending her love interest, Seita soon collapsed to the floor, a round in his skull, Dan's revolver smoking behind the dead operative.
With Operation Arquebus complete, Dan's rise in the ranks took a new step. The SOE had a special agreement, and ordered him to simply meet with a 'Mr. Zubkov' in Moscow. After a few weeks studying basic Russian and the layout of Moscow, Dan bade farewell to Aaron and Joanna, and boarded the plane to Russia. Once he arrived, and was escorted to a base of what seemed to be KGB officials, who had him perform interviews & biometric tests. Then, following months of training in their means of espionage, weapons, and language, he was presented with his own Stechkin APS, and directive to a 'Squad 914'. Although he was unsure of its end goal or practical application to the Allies, it beat sitting in the green room of a Montreal theater, thinking of how he could have rescued his father.
Experience September 1946-January 1947: Camp X December 1946: Confrontation with Kazuto Sobu January 1947-June 1948: Operation Arquebus June 1948: Confrontation on SS Taroona July-October 1948: Squad 914 Training, Moscow October 1948-: Squad 914 Deployment
A whopping 3 hours and 15 minutes of... nothing, really. It took about 15 minutes for all the students to make their introductions and cement their impressions into Ryunosuke's brain —that is, mostly negative stereotypes—, longer than he predicted. For 20-30 people to say something that would take no longer than 15 seconds at most, these people were painfully inefficient. He shivered, in sheer anticipation of group projects. Although, to be fair, he did like metrics to see how far behind everyone else was. It may be lonely at the top, but it's not depressing to be lonely, is it?
Following the absurdly boring and slow self-introduction of the students came the somewhat less slow, albeit equally boring teacher introductions. Obviously, there was Kurihara-sensei. Then, a blissful silence. One of the advantages of sitting in the same desk all day, combined with his 'invisibility', let him pull off things most others would get caught for- listening to music, reading a book during a test, and in this case, falling asleep. Ryunosuke was quite tired: he had to wake up early on the first day of school to get everything prepared, spilled his coffee on his first set of uniform, and had to speed home and back to school just to get changed. Ugh.
Given that it was the first day, Ryunosuke reasoned that there wouldn't be much to miss. Clocking in to dream-land, he was able to lower his head in the corner fairly easily, and nobody so much as blinked his way (at least, he assumed so- what for)? Before he knew it, the time had come for his beauty sleep to end. His smartphone, which he only really considered a time-killer due to a lack of necessity to actually call anyone, doubled as both an alarm and an alibi. Before his nap, he had set an alarm to 11:55, with the default 'call' ringtone as the alarm. At 11:55 sharp, it buzzed, waking him just in time to shut it off before things got really awkward. Understandably, some heads turned.
"Ah, suimasen...", he muttered, hoping that would be enough to quell any suspicion.
Uesugi High, Fukushima 12:00 PM
The 'bell', a rather pleasant electronic chime to the tune of the Westminster Quarters, announced lunch, as it did the beginning of class at 8:30. This spelled the end of morning classes, as usual. Students were free to eat, socialize, practice sports, hang out, go to the library, or sit at a desk and do nothing by themself.
Asami Kurihara sighed, stretching her arms behind her neck. This was a new bunch, another set of names to remember, another year. Granted, this year's group was far from the worst, but there was still a lot of work to do. Saito, who seemed to revel in others' annoyance, and on the other side of the spectrum, the tired students like Suzuki, who would look away if a meteor crashed outside the campus.
Age: __ (dd/mm/yyyy [keep in mind RP is set in ~98 or so]) Height: _'__" (__ cm) Weight: ___ lbs (__ kg) Gender: Description: Personality: Driving Style: Likes: Dislikes: Backstory: Theme: Home Course:
Age: 19 (16/2/1979) Height: 5'9" (176 cm) Weight: 112 lbs (51 kg) Gender: Male Description: A slightly bishōnen-esque young man. Black hair in bangs, over clear blue eyes. Tends to wear jeans and a t-shirt under hoodie, with white/blue Adidas sneakers. When necessary, dressy casual is an option (t-shirt, unbuttoned short-sleeve button-up). Tends towards Osaka paraphernalia (Kintetsu Buffaloes, Gamba Osaka FC, etc); to match, a black, blue, and white color scheme on most occasions. Personality: Extroverted, by circumstance. Back home, an analytical, careful introvert, Tatsuji decided to adapt to a new environment by tackling it head-on: willing to take on challenges, and assertive in personal terms (although this could come off as brash and rude, especially considering formal Japanese custom). Tends towards a formal, last-name basis, but his close ones are referred to on first-name. Inquisitive, nearly to a fault, as a result of his extroverted and thoughtful behavior. Fairly decent Kanto accent, despite the occasional Kansai slip-up. Driving Style: Tatsuji's racing form is unrefined, yet methodical. An analyst at heart, yet an opportunist by nature, he quickly considers all his options... and picks the high-reward choice, regardless of the risk. This leads to either a very strong success, or, more often than not, a mistake that he needs to correct. Likes: Dislikes: Backstory: Voice Reference: Theme: Don't Stand So Close / Dr. Love Home Course:
Manufacturer: Honda Year: 1991 Model: Honda CR-X SiR (EF8) Color: Black Engine: JDM B16A SiR-V Drivetrain: FF 5MT Weight: 965 kg (2127 lbs) Power: 160 HP (162 PS / 119 kW) @ 7600 rpm Torque: 110 ft·lbf (150 N·m) @ 7000 rpm Condition: Second-hand: used, although regularly maintained Custom Parts:
Engine:
Drivetrain:
Brakes:
Suspension:
Wheels:
SSR Type C Rims (white, 16x7 f/r)
Advan Neova Tires
Interior:
Recaro Bucket Seats (front)
Exterior:
Cibié Fog Lights (clear)
Value: ¥1 500 000
Age: 21 (16/2/1977) Height: 5'6" (168 cm) Weight: 99 lbs (45 kg) Gender: Female Description: Personality: Driving Style: Likes: Dislikes: Backstory: Theme: Love Killer / Nando Home Course: Osaka Loop Line
Manufacturer: Honda Year: 1993 Model: Civic SiR-II (EG6) Color: White Engine: JDM B18C Type-R (Swapped in, originally JDM B16A SiR-II) Drivetrain: FF 5MT Weight: 907 kg (2000 lbs) Power: 261 hp (265 PS / 195 kW) @ 7200rpm Torque: 26.3 kg/m (190.4 lb/ft) @ 7200rpm Condition: Crashed, no longer in usable condition (these are the pre-crash specs) Custom Parts:
Engine:
Kakimoto Racing Exhaust
Toda Racing Forged Pistons
Drivetrain:
ORC Light Clutch
Brakes:
Spoon Sports Brakes
Suspension:
J's Racing Coilovers
Wheels:
Volk CE28NS Rims (16"f 15"r)
Advan Neova Tires
Interior:
Heavily stripped: down to the shifter, driver's seat, wheel, meters, pedals, and rollcage
Let's get it done right. Tatsuji pressed the throttle in neutral, revving his CR-X's B16 up. Hitting redline, he let go of the pedal, the engine humming as the RPMs dropped. He was focused entirely on his own: his own time, car, and self. The red Toyota MR2 behind him, as far as he should have been concerned, didn't exist. All he had to do was focus on putting his best effort into his own run.
Akin to a wake-up call, the red AW11 revved its own engine up, a supercharged 4A-GZE. Unlike its elder brother, the 4AGE used in the AE86, the GZE had a distinctly higher tone, both inside and outside. Complimentary to the B16 and its VTEC drone, the 4A revved back up in response, with the signature whine of a supercharger.
For that moment alone, Tatsuji recognized his opponent. It was, of course, only fair to acknowledge your opponent's bow before a sparring match. Like so, the engine rev was the bow, a sign of readiness and challenge. With that challenge in mind, Tatsuji shifted up, let go of the clutch, and accelerated forward, starting the timer. It may have been 7 years old and second-hand, but the CR-X could still move with agility and kick. Besides, it wasn't like the AW11 was any newer: the Mk1b model a few metres behind him was about 10 years old, but with the tuning and skills of the man behind its wheel, it could just prove to be a worthy opponent. Maybe even good enough for Tatsuji.
March 1998: the beginning of spring. Every spring in Japan, the ice melts, and the cherry blossoms bloom. To a small niche of car enthusiasts, who run dangerous night races down the mountain passes, it signals the beginning of racing season. These tōge racers, infamous for their suicidal speeds down poorly-lit, windy roads, are rife across Kanto, but the hotspot location is Mt. Hakone. Located in western Kanagawa, the beautiful, scenic mountain means much more to the street racers of Kanto, who come in from as far away as Tochigi to race and spectate. In fact, this is because as opposed to the typical singular route most mountains take up, Hakone has four iconic passes.
In the early 1990s, Hakone was dominated by the legendary Z Brothers; as the name may infer, two brothers who drove Nissan Z-cars. The elder brother, Ryuki Fujimoto, ran with a light, agile '82 280Z, and was an analytical expert who specifically mastered the Turnpike downhill. Noriyuki, his junior by 8 years, went with a more 'modern' Z32, and pushed his skills to the limit, tuning it up and dominating the Nanamagari hillclimb. However, after Ryuki retired from racing and Noriyuki moved away in the mid-90s, the street racing scene has seen a power vacuum of sorts. Several small teams have sprouted up, attempting (and failing) to shatter the Z Brothers' times, but none yet have been able to even mimic the success of a truly strong street racing team. Oh, that's probably where you come in. Or not, that's fine too.
HAKONE
Nagao: The de facto 'introductory course' to Hakone, Nagao spans just through Hakone and Gotemba, in the Kanagawa and Shizuoka prefectures. With a mixture of blind hairpins, decreasing radius corners and lidless gutters, this pass tests a driver's skill to the fullest, and is traditionally the first one run by street racers entering Hakone.
Nanamagari: Second on the list is Nanamagari, facing east to Lake Ashi. The iconic 12 consecutive hairpins in the middle section catches most drivers off guard after they have gotten used to the high speed sections both on the descent and the hillclimb. A narrow and dangerous course, this is where drivers and tuners test their skills and balance.
Tsubaki Line: This is the southernmost course, and the longest, in terms of time to navigate. Its first section on the downhill starts off as a very fast course, before abruptly switching to medium-speed hairpins and bends, both of which take most drivers off-guard. The corner most new drivers take notes at is the split road at Section 3. Here, a racer can regain or lose their position, by utilizing either a surprise divebomb into the inside, or by mistakenly overspeeding into the outside.
Turnpike: Perhaps the most treacherous (and most infamous) of Hakone's passes is the Toyo Tires Turnpike. A toll road located in between Nanamagari and Tsubaki Line, this extremely high speed course resembles the Shuto C1 expressway more than an actual mountain pass. Without a hairpin corner in sight, this course matches powerful, agile cars the best. When racing, no driver in their right mind pushes at 100%- that is, no one who survives.
OTHER PASSES Although once popular in the late 1980s and early 90s, the passes of northern Kanto, such as Haruna, Akagi, and Myogi have become subject to occasional police presence installed (due in part to popular media), making them impractical for street racing. Some racers still frequent the more remote routes such as Sadamine or Tsuchisaka in Saitama Prefecture, although their numbers pale in comparison to the Kanagawa/Tokyo racing scene.
HIGHWAY/CIRCUITS Of course, not all of the street races take place on the mountains. Those seeking high speed get their kicks in Tokyo, in two main locations. In the heart of Tokyo lies the Shuto C1 Expressway, a highway loop that surrounds downtown Tokyo. One may enjoy the unique scenery that surrounds the downtown area, such as office buildings in Ginza, long tunnels, and the Tokyo Tower. Experienced racers can take the high speed up a notch, although this requires sharper cornering. Even faster paced is the Wangan, or Coastal Bayshore Route, which stretches out of the cities, connecting Yokohama to Tokyo. The continuously straight and wide road is stretched, making the benchmark of 300km/h easy to obtain given proper conditions. Alternatively, racers also opt to take the legal option on Fuji Speedway, Yatabe Test Track, or Tsukuba Circuit.
Given the setting, almost every racer in Kanto makes do with a domestic Japanese car from the 1980s or 1990s. However, upon request with reasonable basis, it could be possible to drive an alternative vehicle. Naturally, this will mainly focus on 80s/90s JDM cars. For a chart referencing stats/specs, I made one here.
Honda
Civic: Affordable, reliable, and nimble, the Civic has been the staple of many street racers, most notably the kanjōzoku of Osaka. The go-to models are the EF9 or EG6 Civic SiR, although the EK9 Type R is a more modern take on the Civic.
CR-X: Nearly identical to the EF9, the first generation CR-X has similar ratings. However, in the mid 1990s, the branches split with the CR-X Del Sol, which used the Civic's B16A engine.
Integra: Ideal for an FF uphiller, the Integra is longer and stronger than the Civic, with a more powerful B18C engine. Most street racers driving the Integra do so with the Type R model, which is ideal for tackling the hillclimb.
NSX: The crown jewel of Honda, the mid-rear engine NSX was designed by the late F1 legend Ayrton Senna himself. Taking inspiration from Ferraris and fighter jets, this is a realistic no-no. Don't pick this.
Mazda
Roadster: The MX-5 Roadster, known in America as the Miata, could be considered the rear-wheel-drive equivalent to the Civic EG6: well-priced, agile around corners, and popular. Despite its minimal performance statistics, like the Civic, the Roadster is best when tuned and driven well.
RX-7: Extremely unique due to its rotary engine, the RX-7 is a car hard to compare. Its unique engine makes the most out of its size, pushing up to 276 horsepower stock from only 1.3 liters. However, this is a compromise for its poor mileage and reliability. The two most common RX-7 models are the FC3S, and the newer FD3S.
Mitsubishi
FTO: The Mitsubishi FTO is the dark horse of its kind: outshadowed by the Civic and Lancer Evolution. However, it is able to rival the Integra R in specs: a 200hp V6 engine and 1200kg.
Lancer Evolution: The hallmark of Mitsubishi is its 4WD rally car, the Lan Evo for short. With a powerful 4-engine and 4-wheel-drive, the Evo is a powerful menace that comes in three common models: the Evo III, the Evo IV, and the brand-new Evo V.
Starion: A forgotten relic, the Starion is a turbo rear-wheel-drive hatchback from the 1980s, similar to the Silvia S12 or AE86. However, it never took off, due to its late arrival to motorsports.
Nissan
Fairlady Z: Japan's edition of the V6 touring car, the Fairlady Z's newest iteration is the twin-turbo 3-liter Z32. Its heavy weight and loud, large engine naturally make it ideal for a power course such as the Turnpike or Shuto Expressway.
S-Chassis: The S-Chassis branches into three contemporary types: the first edition of 180SX and Silvia S13, and the second iteration, the Silvia S14 (with a facelift). All such vehicles are admirable RWD drift cars, using the 200hp SR20DET engine. However, many forget the 1980s S12, which had popups and a turbo CA18DET.
Skyline: Powerful, intimidating, and heavy, the Skyline's GT-R brand can strike fear with just its name. However, due to its luxuriously high price range, many start out by tuning a lower-level RWD Skyline, such as the R32 GTS-T.
Subaru
Impreza: The Subaru Impreza has had similar success in rallying to the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, its 22B dominating the scene with its unique boxer engine. Although the 22B is more or less a unicorn car, the GC8 Impreza WRX is a street-legal machine on par with the Lan Evo.
Toyota
MR2: With the engine behind the driver, the MR2 is a car that shares its traits with few affordable others. Street racers tend towards either the older AW11 (112hp N/A, 145hp supercharged) or the newer SW20 (163hp N/A, 218hp turbo).
Sprinter Trueno: Immortalized by Keiichi Tsuchiya and Takumi Fujiwara, the Trueno AE86 (and its Levin counterpart) are RWD tōge icons. However, despite the mythical status, the AE86 is actually quite minimalistic- sporting about 1000 kg and 112 hp through a 4AGE engine. Fans of Initial D know not to buy a Levin/Trueno SR, which is actually the less powerful AE85 model.
Supra: Another powerful heavyweight, the Supra JZA80 boasts a twin-turbo 2JZ engine, pushing 276 horses. Its older sibling, the JZA70, uses a single-turbo 1JZ, with similar power ranges.
ADVICE Firstly, note that this is a basic list, and your car selection may exceed this list if reasonable and period-accurate. As well, when checking price ranges and models, I would recommend goo-net-exchange.com as a good reference site. Do note that the RP is set in 1998, and cars would be at MSRP value if purchased recently IC.
Once dubbed the unofficial "King of Hakone", Ryuki Fujimoto started out in the early 1980s, when street racing was far less mainstream. Starting out with a then brand-new 280Z, Ryuki perfected his technique on Hakone's four passes. This gave him an edge, allowing him to analyze and adapt to new scenarios quickly. Over time, he developed a knack for reading the situation, and using his resources smartly to his advantage. Combined with his tuner friends at the Speed King shop, Hakone's Z soon achieved seemingly miraculous times on the downhills, especially the Turnpike, where circuit techniques were orthodox. His secret was weight- rather than a heavy, sluggish powerhouse, Ryuki's Z was light and power-efficient, allowing it to conserve corner speed.
After managing to 'conquer' the Kanagawa area, he made quick rivalries in Gunma. Although able to butt heads with other racers on Akagi and Haruna, he was easily bested by making the foolish mistake of challenging "Usui's Hachi-Roku". With a certain Tsuchiya behind the wheel, Ryuki stood little chance, and from then on learned an important lesson: to think with your head.
Once his brother Noriyuki was old enough to drive (that is, old enough to legally drive his own car), Ryuki was content with heading a two-man team. Thus, the Z Brothers of Hakone were spawned, Ryuki serving as the leader and mentor to his younger sibling. For years, this remained the status quo, until Noriyuki slowly begun to surpass his elder. Noticing this, Ryuki realized his decline was imminent, and accepted this fate, ultimately 'retiring' from the street racing scene in 1994.
One of the few Japanese MLB players, it would be hard to believe that Athletics relief pitcher Noriyuki Fujimoto was an accomplished street racer just 5 years ago. These days, the landed Californian lives in the "Japantown" area of San Francisco, with his wife and daughter. Jump back to 1990, and you would see an 18-year-old Noriyuki, fresh out of high school and ready to run his brand-new Z32 down the Turnpike.
Noriyuki grew up looking up to his aniki, and became a car fanatic just like him. Admiring Ryuki's 280Z, Noriyuki wished for something of his own once he turned 18. However, their personalities heavily differed. While Ryuki was the analytical, laid-back, 'yin' type, Noriyuki was very much a 'yang': energetic, outgoing, and fearless. Wanting something strong and fresh, but at the same time reflective of his brother, he picked the brand-new 1990 Z32.
Before legally owning his own Z, Noriyuki made a couple Turnpike runs on his brother's 280Z. Assuming that its 'slow' speed was the fault of the light, underpowered car, he had minimal expectations of it when racing his Z32. Naturally, he was sorely disappointed and given an easy beating from Ryuki, who was barely pushing it. He may have been fearless, but at this stage, he would also prove to be clueless.
Over time under his sibling's mentorship, Noriyuki developed his skills, improving his car gradually to adjust for his abilities and shortcomings. Finding an affinity for Nanamagari's hillclimb, he had his fair share of victories and losses, but through perseverance and determination to improve he grew to become the "rising star" of Hakone. But his time had come to 'graduate', and once he had finished university and Ryuki had retired, Noriyuki decided to pursue his baseball career and sign with the Yokohama BayStars. After the NPB exodus to the MLB, Noriyuki followed suit, moving to Oakland.
The owner of Speed King, Matsuyama-san is a veteran touge-spec tuner, having been in the business for the better part of 20 years. In his late 30s (although no one can truly verify this), Matsuyama is seen at Speed King on most days, tinkering with either his Roadster or R32. However, more rumors have it that the Roadster and R32 still take to Hakone's roads at night.
A Gunma local, Hayato sometimes noticed loud, fast cars making their way up Mt. Akagi as a teenager. Once he was finally old enough to buy a second-hand KP61 Starlet, he begun to race on Akagi, taking a job as a mechanic at the local tuner shop. Through this, he learned about his car and pass in and out, becoming a respected name on Akagi.
When the 'King of Hakone' came to challenge Gunma, Hayato stood up quickly to battle for Akagi. Facing off against the 280Z on Akagi's downhill, the two racers set a record time, with the Starlet overtaken on the last hairpin. Crushed, Hayato demanded a 'true' rematch as soon as possible, keeping in contact with the man he now knew as Ryuki Fujimoto.
Over the next few years, Ryuki and Hayato exchanged talk, time attacks, and became good friends. Finally, upon hearing of Ryuki's brother winning a couple of races, Hayato finally decided that he wanted a piece of the Hakone scene. Saving up, and moving shop to Hakone, Hayato founded Speed King, where Ryuki claimed he would get prolific business from the local racers. Serving as a 'foil' to Ryuki's mentorship, Hayato made progress on two Hakone projects to test the waters. Fine-tuning a Roadster for the tight downhill corners and upgrading a GTS25T Skyline for the hillclimb, Hayato was easily acclimated to Hakone, even teaching Noriyuki a couple lessons on the way. Once the Z Brothers left, Hayato saw a bittersweet boost in business, as formerly 'small-time' racers rushed to him, in hopes of becoming the next Ryuki or Noriyuki. Hayato quietly complied, knowing no one would reach that mark for a while.
Toyo Tires View Lounge: As the name suggests, the View Lounge is a viewing center and parking lot situated directly preceding the Turnpike. With a great view of the area and a large lot near the Turnpike, the View Lounge is notorious for being the gathering place for street racer meets at Hakone, regardless of the home pass.
Speed King Tuning Shop: Located in Yugawara-machi, just south of Tsubaki Line, Speed King Tuning Shop (Speed King, or even SK for short) is where an allegedly retired street racer settled down to tune up other touge-spec cars in the Hakone area. The convenient location and mechanic skill makes Speed King the ideal shop for Hakone racers. Owned by a man in his 30s named Kenjiro Matsuyama, Speed King's notable projects are a downhill-tuned Roadster and a heavily modified GTS-T R32.
Kotolier Café: A café and light dining establishment near Lake Ashi, Kotolier is a common date location, as well as absolutely heterosexual meetings between close friends that so happen to be male.
CHARACTER/CAR SHEETS
Age: __ (dd/mm/yyyy [keep in mind RP is set in ~98 or so]) Height: _'__" (__ cm) Weight: ___ lbs (__ kg) Gender: Description: Personality: Driving Style: Likes: Dislikes: Backstory: Theme: Home Course:
Play To Lose! We utilize the "Play-2-Lose" system: "Play To Lose" (Often referred to as P2L, or PTL), is the act of simply following the most logical and likely path in roleplay. It means taking into account your characters strengths and weaknesses, and being honest. P2L requires a lot of honesty, because a lot of the time, it can mean harm to your character. However, it is much more accountable and respectable than a "Play To Win" system. Note that this doesn't necessarily mean putting your own character at a strong disadvantage each time, but rather taking logical factors into account and giving your opponent the benefit of the doubt. Example - P2W
Takumi full throttled with a huge rev kick, shoving his AE86's nose in front. Pulling ahead, the Trueno maximizes its advantage by sliding, preventing its opponent from overtaking in return.
Example - P2L
Ryosuke begun to countersteer, hoping to adjust his FC at an optimal angle. However, due to the stress his previous actions had taken on his tires, his RX-7 slid outward. Such an opportunity would allow the 86 behind him to make a move, if the driver was adept enough to pass by.
Realism In terms or the type of 'realism' we'd expect of the races, the honest answer is that players are given the liberty to err on the side of caution and fairness. In other words, make the most reasonable and fair judgement, taking P2L in account. Regarding characters, obviously there should be no godmodding, metagaming or powerplaying. That also means no overpowered Gary Stus or Mary Sues. Your characters could be the most skilled drivers in the RP, but they are far from invincible. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses, which means everyone has a fair chance in the field of battle. So please, play fair. Although there are more lenient rules in terms of tuning and modification, we do ask that you do your best to not overstep your boundaries and do things realistically impossible. Real life is not a complicated world to understand as we all live in it. Japan takes place on Earth, not in space, so anything you would have your character do in the RP must be plausibly bound by the laws of reality, so that means no Fujiwara Zone. This rule cannot be emphasized enough; be mindful of your character's equipment and capability. Unrealistic scenarios such as an AE85 effortlessly "turbo kicking" past, say, a Skyline GT-R on a straight line, or a DC2 Integra drifting through a hairpin cleanly at 200 km/h, are naturally frowned upon. Make sure your character's actions are coherent and logical.
Times Now that you know what to do for a race, maybe it's over. How well did they do? Seek no further. Yes, I know it's not the most accurate and realistic time source, but the most reliable and comprehensive time attack list I could find was the Initial D Arcade Stage 8 World Record Times*note. For lore purposes, i've made a list here.
Hi! I've been interested in a relatively serious street racing RP for a while. On top of that I'm particularly interested in Japanese cars as a hobby, so I'm able to put 2 and 2 together here.
This RP will primarily involve street racers down the touge, or mountain passes, of Japan, specifically those on Mt. Hakone, in Kanagawa. Set in spring 1998, I wanted to recapture the nature and aesthetic that I enjoyed reading and watching the first season of Initial D, a similarly set manga/anime series. However, of course, I would ask that we keep direct references or similarities to the show and its creations at a minimum.
To be honest, I'd expect at least some understanding of cars and/or racing techniques to really get into the races. While a degree of technicality and reason is, naturally, expected, you're more than welcome to be creative and original, as long as it's balanced with realism. That does mean, however, that technical info comes into play a lot, such as vehicle specs, tire management, or racing styles.
If you have any questions or comments, I'd be glad to field them in this topic. Aside from that, thanks! SETTING
March 1998: the beginning of spring. Every spring in Japan, the ice melts, and the cherry blossoms bloom. To a small niche of car enthusiasts, who run dangerous night races down the mountain passes, it signals the beginning of racing season. These tōge racers, infamous for their suicidal speeds down poorly-lit, windy roads, are rife across Kanto, but the hotspot location is Mt. Hakone. Located in western Kanagawa, the beautiful, scenic mountain means much more to the street racers of Kanto, who come in from as far away as Tochigi to race and spectate. In fact, this is because as opposed to the typical singular route most mountains take up, Hakone has four iconic passes.
In the early 1990s, Hakone was dominated by the legendary Z Brothers; as the name may infer, two brothers who drove Nissan Z-cars. The elder brother, Ryuki Fujimoto, ran with a light, agile '82 280Z, and was an analytical expert who specifically mastered the Turnpike downhill. Noriyuki, his junior by 8 years, went with a more 'modern' Z32, and pushed his skills to the limit, tuning it up and dominating the Nanamagari hillclimb. However, after Ryuki retired from racing and Noriyuki moved away in the mid-90s, the street racing scene has seen a power vacuum of sorts. Several small teams have sprouted up, attempting (and failing) to shatter the Z Brothers' times, but none yet have been able to even mimic the success of a truly strong street racing team. Oh, that's probably where you come in. Or not, that's fine too.
HAKONE
Nagao: The de facto 'introductory course' to Hakone, Nagao spans just through Hakone and Gotemba, in the Kanagawa and Shizuoka prefectures. With a mixture of blind hairpins, decreasing radius corners and lidless gutters, this pass tests a driver's skill to the fullest, and is traditionally the first one run by street racers entering Hakone.
Nanamagari: Second on the list is Nanamagari, facing east to Lake Ashi. The iconic 12 consecutive hairpins in the middle section catches most drivers off guard after they have gotten used to the high speed sections both on the descent and the hillclimb. A narrow and dangerous course, this is where drivers and tuners test their skills and balance.
Tsubaki Line: This is the southernmost course, and the longest, in terms of time to navigate. Its first section on the downhill starts off as a very fast course, before abruptly switching to medium-speed hairpins and bends, both of which take most drivers off-guard. The corner most new drivers take notes at is the split road at Section 3. Here, a racer can regain or lose their position, by utilizing either a surprise divebomb into the inside, or by mistakenly overspeeding into the outside.
Turnpike: Perhaps the most treacherous (and most infamous) of Hakone's passes is the Toyo Tires Turnpike. A toll road located in between Nanamagari and Tsubaki Line, this extremely high speed course resembles the Shuto C1 expressway more than an actual mountain pass. Without a hairpin corner in sight, this course matches powerful, agile cars the best. When racing, no driver in their right mind pushes at 100%- that is, no one who survives.
OTHER PASSES Although once popular in the late 1980s and early 90s, the passes of northern Kanto, such as Haruna, Akagi, and Myogi have become subject to occasional police presence installed (due in part to popular media), making them impractical for street racing. Some racers still frequent the more remote routes such as Sadamine or Tsuchisaka in Saitama Prefecture, although their numbers pale in comparison to the Kanagawa/Tokyo racing scene.
HIGHWAY/CIRCUITS Of course, not all of the street races take place on the mountains. Those seeking high speed get their kicks in Tokyo, in two main locations. In the heart of Tokyo lies the Shuto C1 Expressway, a highway loop that surrounds downtown Tokyo. One may enjoy the unique scenery that surrounds the downtown area, such as office buildings in Ginza, long tunnels, and the Tokyo Tower. Experienced racers can take the high speed up a notch, although this requires sharper cornering. Even faster paced is the Wangan, or Coastal Bayshore Route, which stretches out of the cities, connecting Yokohama to Tokyo. The continuously straight and wide road is stretched, making the benchmark of 300km/h easy to obtain given proper conditions. Alternatively, racers also opt to take the legal option on Fuji Speedway, Yatabe Test Track, or Tsukuba Circuit.
Given the setting, almost every racer in Kanto makes do with a domestic Japanese car from the 1980s or 1990s. However, upon request with reasonable basis, it could be possible to drive an alternative vehicle. Naturally, this will mainly focus on 80s/90s JDM cars. For a chart referencing stats/specs, I made one here.
Honda
Civic: Affordable, reliable, and nimble, the Civic has been the staple of many street racers, most notably the kanjōzoku of Osaka. The go-to models are the EF9 or EG6 Civic SiR, although the EK9 Type R is a more modern take on the Civic.
CR-X: Nearly identical to the EF9, the first generation CR-X has similar ratings. However, in the mid 1990s, the branches split with the CR-X Del Sol, which used the Civic's B16A engine.
Integra: Ideal for an FF uphiller, the Integra is longer and stronger than the Civic, with a more powerful B18C engine. Most street racers driving the Integra do so with the Type R model, which is ideal for tackling the hillclimb.
NSX: The crown jewel of Honda, the mid-rear engine NSX was designed by the late F1 legend Ayrton Senna himself. Taking inspiration from Ferraris and fighter jets, this is a realistic no-no. Don't pick this.
Mazda
Roadster: The MX-5 Roadster, known in America as the Miata, could be considered the rear-wheel-drive equivalent to the Civic EG6: well-priced, agile around corners, and popular. Despite its minimal performance statistics, like the Civic, the Roadster is best when tuned and driven well.
RX-7: Extremely unique due to its rotary engine, the RX-7 is a car hard to compare. Its unique engine makes the most out of its size, pushing up to 276 horsepower stock from only 1.3 liters. However, this is a compromise for its poor mileage and reliability. The two most common RX-7 models are the FC3S, and the newer FD3S.
Mitsubishi
FTO: The Mitsubishi FTO is the dark horse of its kind: outshadowed by the Civic and Lancer Evolution. However, it is able to rival the Integra R in specs: a 200hp V6 engine and 1200kg.
Lancer Evolution: The hallmark of Mitsubishi is its 4WD rally car, the Lan Evo for short. With a powerful 4-engine and 4-wheel-drive, the Evo is a powerful menace that comes in three common models: the Evo III, the Evo IV, and the brand-new Evo V.
Starion: A forgotten relic, the Starion is a turbo rear-wheel-drive hatchback from the 1980s, similar to the Silvia S12 or AE86. However, it never took off, due to its late arrival to motorsports.
Nissan
Fairlady Z: Japan's edition of the V6 touring car, the Fairlady Z's newest iteration is the twin-turbo 3-liter Z32. Its heavy weight and loud, large engine naturally make it ideal for a power course such as the Turnpike or Shuto Expressway.
S-Chassis: The S-Chassis branches into three contemporary types: the first edition of 180SX and Silvia S13, and the second iteration, the Silvia S14 (with a facelift). All such vehicles are admirable RWD drift cars, using the 200hp SR20DET engine. However, many forget the 1980s S12, which had popups and a turbo CA18DET.
Skyline: Powerful, intimidating, and heavy, the Skyline's GT-R brand can strike fear with just its name. However, due to its luxuriously high price range, many start out by tuning a lower-level RWD Skyline, such as the R32 GTS-T.
Subaru
Impreza: The Subaru Impreza has had similar success in rallying to the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, its 22B dominating the scene with its unique boxer engine. Although the 22B is more or less a unicorn car, the GC8 Impreza WRX is a street-legal machine on par with the Lan Evo.
Toyota
MR2: With the engine behind the driver, the MR2 is a car that shares its traits with few affordable others. Street racers tend towards either the older AW11 (112hp N/A, 145hp supercharged) or the newer SW20 (163hp N/A, 218hp turbo).
Sprinter Trueno: Immortalized by Keiichi Tsuchiya and Takumi Fujiwara, the Trueno AE86 (and its Levin counterpart) are RWD tōge icons. However, despite the mythical status, the AE86 is actually quite minimalistic- sporting about 1000 kg and 112 hp through a 4AGE engine. Fans of Initial D know not to buy a Levin/Trueno SR, which is actually the less powerful AE85 model.
Supra: Another powerful heavyweight, the Supra JZA80 boasts a twin-turbo 2JZ engine, pushing 276 horses. Its older sibling, the JZA70, uses a single-turbo 1JZ, with similar power ranges.
ADVICE Firstly, note that this is a basic list, and your car selection may exceed this list if reasonable and period-accurate. As well, when checking price ranges and models, I would recommend goo-net-exchange.com as a good reference site. Do note that the RP is set in 1998, and cars would be at MSRP value if purchased recently IC.
Once dubbed the unofficial "King of Hakone", Ryuki Fujimoto started out in the early 1980s, when street racing was far less mainstream. Starting out with a then brand-new 280Z, Ryuki perfected his technique on Hakone's four passes. This gave him an edge, allowing him to analyze and adapt to new scenarios quickly. Over time, he developed a knack for reading the situation, and using his resources smartly to his advantage. Combined with his tuner friends at the Speed King shop, Hakone's Z soon achieved seemingly miraculous times on the downhills, especially the Turnpike, where circuit techniques were orthodox. His secret was weight- rather than a heavy, sluggish powerhouse, Ryuki's Z was light and power-efficient, allowing it to conserve corner speed.
After managing to 'conquer' the Kanagawa area, he made quick rivalries in Gunma. Although able to butt heads with other racers on Akagi and Haruna, he was easily bested by making the foolish mistake of challenging "Usui's Hachi-Roku". With a certain Tsuchiya behind the wheel, Ryuki stood little chance, and from then on learned an important lesson: to think with your head.
Once his brother Noriyuki was old enough to drive (that is, old enough to legally drive his own car), Ryuki was content with heading a two-man team. Thus, the Z Brothers of Hakone were spawned, Ryuki serving as the leader and mentor to his younger sibling. For years, this remained the status quo, until Noriyuki slowly begun to surpass his elder. Noticing this, Ryuki realized his decline was imminent, and accepted this fate, ultimately 'retiring' from the street racing scene in 1994.
One of the few Japanese MLB players, it would be hard to believe that Athletics relief pitcher Noriyuki Fujimoto was an accomplished street racer just 5 years ago. These days, the landed Californian lives in the "Japantown" area of San Francisco, with his wife and daughter. Jump back to 1990, and you would see an 18-year-old Noriyuki, fresh out of high school and ready to run his brand-new Z32 down the Turnpike.
Noriyuki grew up looking up to his aniki, and became a car fanatic just like him. Admiring Ryuki's 280Z, Noriyuki wished for something of his own once he turned 18. However, their personalities heavily differed. While Ryuki was the analytical, laid-back, 'yin' type, Noriyuki was very much a 'yang': energetic, outgoing, and fearless. Wanting something strong and fresh, but at the same time reflective of his brother, he picked the brand-new 1990 Z32.
Before legally owning his own Z, Noriyuki made a couple Turnpike runs on his brother's 280Z. Assuming that its 'slow' speed was the fault of the light, underpowered car, he had minimal expectations of it when racing his Z32. Naturally, he was sorely disappointed and given an easy beating from Ryuki, who was barely pushing it. He may have been fearless, but at this stage, he would also prove to be clueless.
Over time under his sibling's mentorship, Noriyuki developed his skills, improving his car gradually to adjust for his abilities and shortcomings. Finding an affinity for Nanamagari's hillclimb, he had his fair share of victories and losses, but through perseverance and determination to improve he grew to become the "rising star" of Hakone. But his time had come to 'graduate', and once he had finished university and Ryuki had retired, Noriyuki decided to pursue his baseball career and sign with the Yokohama BayStars. After the NPB exodus to the MLB, Noriyuki followed suit, moving to Oakland.
The owner of Speed King, Matsuyama-san is a veteran touge-spec tuner, having been in the business for the better part of 20 years. In his late 30s (although no one can truly verify this), Matsuyama is seen at Speed King on most days, tinkering with either his Roadster or R32. However, more rumors have it that the Roadster and R32 still take to Hakone's roads at night.
A Gunma local, Hayato sometimes noticed loud, fast cars making their way up Mt. Akagi as a teenager. Once he was finally old enough to buy a second-hand KP61 Starlet, he begun to race on Akagi, taking a job as a mechanic at the local tuner shop. Through this, he learned about his car and pass in and out, becoming a respected name on Akagi.
When the 'King of Hakone' came to challenge Gunma, Hayato stood up quickly to battle for Akagi. Facing off against the 280Z on Akagi's downhill, the two racers set a record time, with the Starlet overtaken on the last hairpin. Crushed, Hayato demanded a 'true' rematch as soon as possible, keeping in contact with the man he now knew as Ryuki Fujimoto.
Over the next few years, Ryuki and Hayato exchanged talk, time attacks, and became good friends. Finally, upon hearing of Ryuki's brother winning a couple of races, Hayato finally decided that he wanted a piece of the Hakone scene. Saving up, and moving shop to Hakone, Hayato founded Speed King, where Ryuki claimed he would get prolific business from the local racers. Serving as a 'foil' to Ryuki's mentorship, Hayato made progress on two Hakone projects to test the waters. Fine-tuning a Roadster for the tight downhill corners and upgrading a GTS25T Skyline for the hillclimb, Hayato was easily acclimated to Hakone, even teaching Noriyuki a couple lessons on the way. Once the Z Brothers left, Hayato saw a bittersweet boost in business, as formerly 'small-time' racers rushed to him, in hopes of becoming the next Ryuki or Noriyuki. Hayato quietly complied, knowing no one would reach that mark for a while.
Toyo Tires View Lounge: As the name suggests, the View Lounge is a viewing center and parking lot situated directly preceding the Turnpike. With a great view of the area and a large lot near the Turnpike, the View Lounge is notorious for being the gathering place for street racer meets at Hakone, regardless of the home pass.
Speed King Tuning Shop: Located in Yugawara-machi, just south of Tsubaki Line, Speed King Tuning Shop (Speed King, or even SK for short) is where an allegedly retired street racer settled down to tune up other touge-spec cars in the Hakone area. The convenient location and mechanic skill makes Speed King the ideal shop for Hakone racers. Owned by a man in his 30s named Kenjiro Matsuyama, Speed King's notable projects are a downhill-tuned Roadster and a heavily modified GTS-T R32.
Kotolier Café: A café and light dining establishment near Lake Ashi, Kotolier is a common date location, as well as absolutely heterosexual meetings between close friends that so happen to be male.
CHARACTER/CAR SHEETS
Age: __ (dd/mm/yyyy [keep in mind RP is set in ~98 or so]) Height: _'__" (__ cm) Weight: ___ lbs (__ kg) Gender: Description: Personality: Driving Style: Likes: Dislikes: Backstory: Theme: Home Course:
Religion: Although the government of the Maritimes is strictly secular, the people are primarily Catholic, with Anglican, United, and Presbyterian Protestants also making up a large chunk of the population. This is a result of the heavy French Catholic and English Protestant settlement in the 1600s, as well as swathes of American immigration, especially following the American Revolution.
Army: As a result of heavy American influence, the Maritime States Army (MSA) fields mostly American weapons. However, there is also British influence mixed in, as a natural effect of their heritage. Although non-interventionist and anti-imperialist, the MSA works hard to maintain national security and put down rebellions. As well, service is volunteer-based, making their forces small in relative numbers, yet efficient and high in morale. All in all, the MSA is composed of approximately 8,000 men. The bulk of the MSA employs local volunteer troops stationed in a state garrison (abbreviated as ASG, or Army State Garrison). These are located at ASG Saint John (NB), ASG Truro (NS), ASG St. John's (NF), and ASG Charlottetown (PE). All ASGs are located in the state capitol except for Truro, which is the centre of Nova Scotia and the Scotia-Brunswick Railway, making it an ideal location to deploy anywhere in the state quickly. The MSA is divided into brigades corresponding to their ASG (i.e. Truro Brigade, Charlottetown Brigade, etc.), split into 4 battalions which alternate in service, three on, one off. The typical MSA soldier is armed with a Martini-Henry rifle and Colt .45 revolver, while the support and stationed defense troops are armed with Gatling and Hotchkiss guns, with Colt sidearms. Chain of command is Pvt, PFC, Cpl, Sgt, Lt, Cpt, LtCol, and Col, while one General leads the Army.
4 men in a fireteam (Cpl) (4) 3 fireteams in a squad (Sgt) (12) 2 squads in a platoon (Lt) (24) 5 platoons in a company (Cpt) (120) 4 companies in a battalion (LtCol) (480) 4 battalions in a brigade (Col) (1920) 4 brigades in the Army (Gen) (7680)
Navy: Similarly to the Army, the Maritime States Navy (MSN) is composed of American/British-influenced coastal bases, with two per state (abbreviated as NSG- Naval State Garrison). These are NSG Saint John (NB-1), NSG Chatham (NB-2), NSG Louisbourg (NS-1), NSG Halifax (NS-2), NSG Charlottetown (PE-1), NSG Egmont (PE-2), NSG Cape St. George (NF-1), and NSG Saint John's (NF-2). Also akin to the MSA, the MSN is composed of volunteers, who compose NSG-based squadrons, divided into two divisions. NSG fortifications are armed with troops stationed with ASG-spec weapons and Rodman coastal guns. MSN ships are prefixed with MSS, standing for Maritime States Ship. The MSN also has sixteen monitors, one for each NSG, as well as two American-style protected cruisers, MSS Howe and MSS Tupper, which alternate in base. With approximately 15,000 in active service, the MSN is the core of the Maritime Armed Forces (MAF). Chain of command is SR, SN, LS, PO, ENS, LT, CDR, and CAPT, while one Admiral leads the Navy.
Marines: The special forces of the Maritimes, the MS Marine Corps (MSMC) is a special operations branch designed for both naval and land-based combat. Fielding only 600 men, the Marines are divided into ten companies of 120 men: two for each province, and the 1st/2nd Marine Elite Companies (MEC), the cream of the crop. Headquartered in Halifax, the Marines rotate deployment between local ASGs and NSGs. The MECs are based in Halifax, although they base variably depending on the operation. Most Marines are equipped with Mayflower bolt-action rifles and Colt M1878 revolvers, and Model 1881 Gatling guns for support. Mayflower Armaments is a Sydney, NS-based Canadian company that primarily produces rifles. Their current service rifle for the Marines is the Mauser-based bolt-action Mayflower Rifle 1883, although production for the Army and Navy is in the works. Although rail travel is the typical means of land movement, each Marine company has its own ship. Adapting the concept of Confederate blockade-runner designs, these ironclads are quick, powerful, and able to hold the entire company. Chain of command is PFC, LCpl, Cpl, Sgt, Lt, and Maj, while one General leads the Marine Corps.
History: The history of the Maritime States begins with European settlement, when the French set up colonies in the 16th and 17th century. These colonies, known collectively as Acadia, composed of the Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, eastern Quebec, and Maine. As Acadia developed in the late 17th and 18th centuries, they were the forefront of colonial conflict between Britain and France. After multiple wars between the two over the course of the 1700s, Britain eventually came out on top, and was settled by colonists from both old and New England.
When revolution broke out in New England, the citizens were split between the Patriots, who fought for American independence, and Loyalists, who wished to stay under British rule. This happened on the doorstep on the Maritime colonies of Britain, who were primarily Loyalist. It was at one point possible for the Maritimes to have joined America, but the Patriots had attacked violently, ruling out a state north of Maine. Once the Patriots managed to achieve independence, Loyalists and freed slaves fled to Nova Scotia. Former Patriots also begun trade relations with the Maritimes, beginning economic prosperity for both sides.
For the next 80 years, the Maritimes saw mostly peace, with some conflict in between. The first conflict of note was the War of 1812, which was preceded by a trade embargo that heavily affected Maritime trade. The Royal Navy was based in Halifax, and took the brunt of the war (although America never successfully invaded East Canada). Next were the Rebellions of 1837; although the Maritimes never played a direct role in them, they had a taste of Canadian colonists supporting American liberty. The American Civil War 25 years later saw minor Canadian activity primarily on the Union side, although this coalesced into the Fenian Raids. In April 1866, 700 Irish-Americans known as Fenians, many of whom were Civil War veterans, attacked Campobello Island, New Brunswick. Although the island was soon relieved by British forces, it led the Maritimes to wonder what would be necessary to defend their homeland.
That same year, politicians from British North American colonies convened at Charlottesville, PEI. Initially between the Maritimes to discuss a union, Ontario and Quebec joined in. The concept of a united Canada was discussed, although most Maritimers were against such a union that would make them irrelevant and powerless. The next month, Ontario and Quebec met in Quebec City to draw up a Canadian nation, but the Atlantic colonies were not present. Instead, they met at Halifax, to discuss an American-style independent union of states. From December 1866 to March 1867, all British North American colonies met in London to debate and discuss the new nations being drawn up. Eventually, on July 1, 1867, the new laws were put into place, and two new nations were formed: the Dominion of Canada, and the Federation of Maritime States, or Canada and the Maritimes.
The first Maritime election was held in September 1867, and was a contest between two Nova Scotians. Representing the Liberal Party, Joseph Howe served as the Premier of Nova Scotia from 1860 to 1863. An opponent of Canadian Confederation, he promoted a railway from Halifax through Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, as well as increased free trade. On the Conservative ticket was Charles Tupper, the Premier from 1864-1867 and a former supporter of Confederation. A trade protectionist and nationalist, Tupper lost the majority vote to Howe, who was elected First President of the Federal Maritime States. Howe's government was successful in installing a classical liberal state: lenient civil and economic freedoms under rational law. This resulted in prosperous, free trade with America, Canada, and Britain, who saw the Maritimes as a vital ally.
Howe's presidency eventually came to an end in 1873, as he died shortly before his campaign for a third term. His successor, Sir Adams George Archibald, won the election in Howe's place, continuing the laissez-faire form of governance. This American style of trade angered many pro-British citizens, who gathered at Pictou Island in 1876 to create the Pictou Rebellion, which demanded re-integration to the British Empire. Archibald was quickly ousted in the 1876 election in favor of Samuel Leonard Tilley, a Conservative who promised stronger government. Signing the Marine Corps into action, Tilley was a war leader who strengthened the government's power, quickly pushed the military to Pictou to end the rebellion, and raised taxes. Once the Rebellion was over nearly a year later, the Conservative policies finally took their toll. In 1879, following three years of reform for larger government, trade tariffs, stronger military, and tax introduction, Tilley's Conservatives were quickly voted out by the moderate Liberal Louis Henry Davies. Davies is currently serving his second term as the fourth President, making slow changes to lower taxes, streamline the government and military, and bring back free trade.
The Government of the Maritime States is heavily based on the Constitution. Government is strictly divided into three branches: Executive, Legislative, and Judicial. Similarly to the United States, the Maritime States advocate a rule of law under these three branches. The executive branch, the Presidency, runs the government and serves as a public head of state. The Legislative Branch, which is simply the Congress (as opposed to the American House/Senate system), creates, debates, and approves laws. The judicial branch, led by the Supreme Court (which, as opposed to America, are composed of non-political appointed judges), upholds the laws and Constitution. Elections are held every 3 years to decide Congress representatives and the President, which are divided into district. Congress is composed of one representative per district, making elections based on district. The President is decided by the Electoral College, which are distributed based on the amount of districts located in each state. This ensures both the will of the nation and a check against pure democracy. The President serves 3-year terms of a 2-term maximum, while Congressmen serve up to 4 terms. The Supreme Court consists of 12 judges, who are appointed from across the nation by merit as a judge or lawyer, as opposed to their political affiliation. The judges each serve 2-year terms, and may be appointed for up to 5, for a maximum residency of 10 years.
The Constitution is the basis of Maritime law, and as such, the nation as a whole. It is divided into Articles, which define its purpose. Note that this is not the literal word of the Constitution, but rather a summary.
The First Article states that all laws nation-wide are subject to the Constitution. As well, the document itself may be amended, given approval of two-thirds of the Supreme Court (at least 8 judges), two-thirds of Congress, and the President's approval. Amendments may be put into place as long as they do not interfere with Articles.
The Second Article states that citizens have a right to freedom and life. This constitutes two factors known as Rights:
The Right Against Aggression, stating that interference against a private citizen's life, property, or possessions is punishable by law.
The Right To Freedom, stating that every citizen has a right to freely trade within non-aggressive bounds, own property, defensive weapons, and speak freely in public.
The Third Article states that the government shall be divided into three branches: Executive, Legislative, and Judicial. It goes into depth regarding government organization, and is summarized in the first paragraph.
The Fourth Article states that for the defense of the state, a volunteer Army and Navy is necessary to maintain order and justice.
The Fifth Article states that religion and state shall be separate; at no time should one influence the other.
The Sixth Article states that the justice system must follow the spirit of liberty and justice for all, at all times, and must treat every individual equally.
The Seventh Article states that taxes, fines, and government imposition must not reach a degree to which one group is held over higher scrutiny than another, nor shall it infringe on individual liberties. However, it distinguishes the need for a Financial Appeal system, in which a company or businessman may be tried by a Financial Appeal Court in the event of misdemeanor, fraud, or monopoly.
The Eighth Article states that individual states must be treated and must behave equally. However, all states are subject to Congress and Supreme Court jurisdiction if necessary.
Values:
Firearms: A surprisingly large percentage of Maritimers take advantage of their nation's lax gun laws. Most homes have a rifle, typically either a Winchester 1873 (.44 Henry) or Martini-Henry (.577/450). For added personal protection, the British Bull Dog revolver (.44 Henry) is a popular choice, due to its affordability, standard ammo, and compact size.
Name Pyotr Ivanovich Rosenbaum (Russian: Петр Иванович Розенбаум)
Age 29
Gender Male
Birthdate / Location February 14, 1919 / Uzda, SSR of Byelorussia
Appearance Once a highbrow research student, Pyotr has been forced into the appearance of a normal Russian citizen: in other words, nondescript. He has taken steps to publicly conceal his heritage as a Jew: long since abandoned the yarmulke and phylactery,
Personality Self-Explanatory
Relationships This can be simple as each character eventually interacts with them, but this will be updated more in detail as the RP goes along.
Classification What classification does the Soldier fall under? Include equipment or add its own section for it
Experimental Gear This will be thoroughly checked by me to see if it is plausible, but you can be creative with what you see. Requests for tweaks in its design may be asked for. Provide an image if possible, if not a good description of it.
Background The biography of your character. Keep fairly well made, making sure that enough is known about the character. Large details is optional. This can be updated as the RP develops on more.
Experience For those who are a previous reserve, that would only cover 'Military Training'. Myself and another user (Upon request) who have a little bit of fighting experience will add a tad more to it
Name: Katagiri Shō (片桐翔) / username is typically 'HawkStar' or 'HkS45'
Age: 22 (09/5/2003)
Gender: Male
Appearance: Sho, for the most part, looks the role of a young Japanese introvert- messy hair, glasses, and a slim frame. However, he inherits some traits from his American mother, such as green eyes, and a taller stature at 5"11.
Short Bio: Katagiri Sho is the son of a Japanese businessman and a former American Navy secretary. With his father on trips away from home most days, he spent lots of his time with his mother. Through this, she introduced him to many customs from the other side of the ocean, one being a military interest (she worked in the Navy base at Yokosuka, and Sho's uncle was a Navy SEAL). Thus, Sho grew up with appreciation for both Japanese and American ways of life.
Graduating college with a marketing degree, Sho now had to balance his favorite hobby, GBO, with a professional life. He found a quite effective middle-ground by working from home- making a living by selling products online. He spends his days mixing playing rounds with making calls and entering data.
Name: HawkStar (ホークスター in Japanese)
Gender: Male
Appearance: Definitely more athletic and rugged than its player, HawkStar is an imposing figure at 183cm and 80 kg. It bears some resemblance to its user, with messy hair and sharp, slate-blue/grey eyes. Typical color palette for clothes/armor is black and dark grey.
Level: 77
Skills:
Assault Rifle Proficiency 1000
Handgun Proficiency 1000
SMG Proficiency 750
First Aid 500
Knife Proficiency 500
Throwing 250
Other 1000
Specs:
Improved Reflexes x2
Improved Speed
Guts x2
Fast Aim
Signature Weapon/Combat Style: Sho has a preference towards German weapons such as the H&K HK416 and HK45, which he typically uses in combat. However, his main strength lies in his strategic ability to take advantage of the situation. When working in a team, he tends to plan beforehand, analyze, and give out orders, working with his comrades. Despite this analytical and strategic modus operandi, he does enjoy taking risky and dangerous attempts, often failing but capitalizing on every success.
Inventory:
Combat Gear & Leisure Wear: - Gray MSV ballistic vest (Type III Level) - Black special police jacket (no markings, built-in elbow pads) - Black tactical gloves (no fingers, knuckle lining) - Black special police pants (no markings, built-in knee pads) - Black patrol belt w/ pouches & pistol holster - Philadelphia Eagles t-shirt - Black Under Armour Valsetz RTS composite boots (toe cap, size 12)
Sho held his fist up, signalling to hold. As the fireteam leader, it was his responsibility to lead the way and give out orders. The mission was simple- infiltrate the cell, secure the package, and exit safely. Intel gave warning of about 20 gruntbots, and 2 minor bosses. The grunts were standard-issue: mid-level, AK-47-wielding baddies. Nothing out of the ordinary, at least in contrast to the minor bosses. They could have anything up their sleeve, from a combat shotgun to a Gauss rifle. Fortunately for Sho and his crew, killing these minor bosses allowed them to take the drops: the harder the fight, the greater the reward. As a result, the team was ready for anything: active members were expected to effectively use 2 primaries and 2 secondaries. To Sho, that meant an HK416 assault rifle, a UMP submachine gun, an HK45 pistol, and his personal favorite: an old-school Tantō dagger.
Making a quick peek into the entrance, Sho spotted two grunts making their rounds, in the standard 2-man patrol. If his timing was right, the next patrol would cross his line of sight in exactly 30 seconds. Patient enough to wait, he quietly relayed this information on to the 3 others on the mission, asking them to confirm their status. Sho, the fireteam leader, went by the handle HawkStar, with a more masculine appearance. On this indoors and close-quarters mission, he brought his UMP45 subgun and HK45 pistol with him- and his dagger, in case things got juicy.
Sho took one more glance, paused, then flicked his finger forward at hip height, signalling to go. Capricorn, the soldier behind him and the designated point man, turned the corner. The patrol grunts turned their head, and raised their AKs. For all Sho and Capricorn cared, they were like deer caught in headlights. At the same, practiced moment, they both fired at their respective men. Sho's UMP let its signature tat-tat-tat loose, ripping into the grunt on the right and knocking him down within two seconds. Simultaneously, Capricorn fired his Mossberg 590 shotgun, its fire briefly illuminating the dark room before striking the grunt on the left, sending him crumpling into the wall. Sure, the other enemies had been alerted to their presence, but Sho's team would not hold back.
The target slipped out of sight, the bullet narrowly missing its mark. Sho cursed under his breath and dropped back behind cover. The mission —if you could even call it a mission at this point— was already a mess. From the start, really, it was doomed. In theory, it was simple: the Merc Guild had hired him to
Standard Infantry Equipment Mayflower M1912-33 Rifle: Modeled after successful rifles of its time, such as the Springfield and Mauser, the Mayflower M1912 is a Maritime-manufactured bolt-action rifle designed for efficiency, accuracy, and reliant use. It weighs in at 4 kg, with a barrel length of 625 mm. Using .30-06 Springfield ammunition, the M1912 carries 6 rounds, in either individual bullets or stripper clips. The current upgraded edition, the '12-33', has better-tuned accuracy and is more reliable.
Rifleman: Mayflower M1912-33 Rifle: Modeled after successful rifles of its time, such as the Springfield and Mauser, the Mayflower M1912 is a Maritime-manufactured bolt-action rifle designed for efficiency, accuracy, and reliant use. It weighs in at 4 kg, with a barrel length of 625 mm. Using .30-06 Springfield ammunition, the M1912 carries 6 rounds, in either individual bullets or stripper clips. The current upgraded edition, the '12-33', has better-tuned accuracy and is more reliable.
LEGEND: Gray: Maritimes (沿海州連合) Red: Canada (Québec) Blue: United States (Maine) Yellow: France (St. Pierre & Miquelon)
Government type: Constitutional Republic
Head of State: President Louis Henry Davies
Head of Government: President Louis Henry Davies
Population: 1 165 410
Religion: Although the government of the Maritimes is strictly secular, the people are primarily Catholic, with Anglican, United, and Presbyterian Protestants also making up a large chunk of the population. This is a result of the heavy French Catholic and English Protestant settlement in the 1600s, as well as swathes of American immigration, especially following the American Revolution.
Army: As a result of heavy American influence, the Maritime States Army (MSA) fields mostly American weapons. However, there is also British influence mixed in, as a natural effect of their heritage. Although non-interventionist and anti-imperialist, the MSA works hard to maintain national security and put down rebellions. As well, service is volunteer-based, making their forces small in relative numbers, yet efficient and high in morale. All in all, the MSA is composed of approximately 8,000 men. The bulk of the MSA employs local volunteer troops stationed in a state garrison (abbreviated as ASG, or Army State Garrison). These are located at ASG Saint John (NB), ASG Truro (NS), ASG St. John's (NF), and ASG Charlottetown (PE). All ASGs are located in the state capitol except for Truro, which is the centre of Nova Scotia and the Scotia-Brunswick Railway, making it an ideal location to deploy anywhere in the state quickly. The MSA is divided into brigades corresponding to their ASG (i.e. Truro Brigade, Charlottetown Brigade, etc.), split into 4 battalions which alternate in service, three on, one off. Chain of command is Pvt, PFC, Cpl, Sgt, Lt, Cpt, LtCol, and Col, while one General leads the Army.
4 men in a fireteam (Cpl) (4) 3 fireteams in a squad (Sgt) (12) 2 squads in a platoon (Lt) (24) 5 platoons in a company (Cpt) (120) 4 companies in a battalion (LtCol) (480) 4 battalions in a brigade (Col) (1920) 4 brigades in the Army (Gen) (7680)
Standard Infantry Loadout Mayflower M1912-33 Rifle: Modeled after successful rifles of its time, such as the Springfield and Mauser, the Mayflower M1912 is a Maritime-manufactured bolt-action rifle designed for efficiency, accuracy, and reliant use. It weighs in at 4 kg, with a barrel length of 625 mm. Using .30-06 Springfield ammunition, the M1912 carries 6 rounds, in either individual bullets or stripper clips. The current upgraded edition, the '12-33', has better-tuned accuracy and is more reliable.
Navy: Similarly to the Army, the Maritime States Navy (MSN) is composed of American/British-influenced coastal bases, with two per state (abbreviated as NSG- Naval State Garrison). These are NSG Saint John (NB-1), NSG Chatham (NB-2), NSG Louisbourg (NS-1), NSG Halifax (NS-2), NSG Charlottetown (PE-1), NSG Egmont (PE-2), NSG Cape St. George (NF-1), and NSG Saint John's (NF-2). Also akin to the MSA, the MSN is composed of volunteers, who compose NSG-based squadrons, divided into two divisions. NSG fortifications are armed with troops stationed with ASG-spec weapons and Rodman coastal guns. MSN ships are prefixed with MSS, standing for Maritime States Ship. The MSN also has sixteen monitors, one for each NSG, as well as two American-style protected cruisers, MSS Howe and MSS Tupper, which alternate in base. With approximately 15,000 in active service, the MSN is the core of the Maritime Armed Forces (MAF). Chain of command is SR, SN, LS, PO, ENS, LT, CDR, and CAPT, while one Admiral leads the Navy.
Marines: The special forces of the Maritimes, the MS Marine Corps (MSMC) is a special operations branch designed for both naval and land-based combat. Fielding only 600 men, the Marines are divided into ten companies of 120 men: two for each province, and the 1st/2nd Marine Elite Companies (MEC), the cream of the crop. Headquartered in Halifax, the Marines rotate deployment between local ASGs and NSGs. The MECs are based in Halifax, although they base variably depending on the operation. Most Marines are equipped with Mayflower bolt-action rifles and Colt M1878 revolvers, and Model 1881 Gatling guns for support. Mayflower Armaments is a Sydney, NS-based Canadian company that primarily produces rifles. Their current service rifle for the Marines is the Mauser-based bolt-action Mayflower Rifle 1883, although production for the Army and Navy is in the works. Although rail travel is the typical means of land movement, each Marine company has its own ship. Adapting the concept of Confederate blockade-runner designs, these ironclads are quick, powerful, and able to hold the entire company. Chain of command is PFC, LCpl, Cpl, Sgt, Lt, and Maj, while one General leads the Marine Corps.
History: The history of the Maritime States begins with European settlement, when the French set up colonies in the 16th and 17th century. These colonies, known collectively as Acadia, composed of the Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, eastern Quebec, and Maine. As Acadia developed in the late 17th and 18th centuries, they were the forefront of colonial conflict between Britain and France. After multiple wars between the two over the course of the 1700s, Britain eventually came out on top, and was settled by colonists from both old and New England.
When revolution broke out in New England, the citizens were split between the Patriots, who fought for American independence, and Loyalists, who wished to stay under British rule. This happened on the doorstep on the Maritime colonies of Britain, who were primarily Loyalist. It was at one point possible for the Maritimes to have joined America, but the Patriots had attacked violently, ruling out a state north of Maine. Once the Patriots managed to achieve independence, Loyalists and freed slaves fled to Nova Scotia. Former Patriots also begun trade relations with the Maritimes, beginning economic prosperity for both sides.
For the next 80 years, the Maritimes saw mostly peace, with some conflict in between. The first conflict of note was the War of 1812, which was preceded by a trade embargo that heavily affected Maritime trade. The Royal Navy was based in Halifax, and took the brunt of the war (although America never successfully invaded East Canada). Next were the Rebellions of 1837; although the Maritimes never played a direct role in them, they had a taste of Canadian colonists supporting American liberty. The American Civil War 25 years later saw minor Canadian activity primarily on the Union side, although this coalesced into the Fenian Raids. In April 1866, 700 Irish-Americans known as Fenians, many of whom were Civil War veterans, attacked Campobello Island, New Brunswick. Although the island was soon relieved by British forces, it led the Maritimes to wonder what would be necessary to defend their homeland.
That same year, politicians from British North American colonies convened at Charlottesville, PEI. Initially between the Maritimes to discuss a union, Ontario and Quebec joined in. The concept of a united Canada was discussed, although most Maritimers were against such a union that would make them irrelevant and powerless. The next month, Ontario and Quebec met in Quebec City to draw up a Canadian nation, but the Atlantic colonies were not present. Instead, they met at Halifax, to discuss an American-style independent union of states. From December 1866 to March 1867, all British North American colonies met in London to debate and discuss the new nations being drawn up. Eventually, on July 1, 1867, the new laws were put into place, and two new nations were formed: the Dominion of Canada, and the Federation of Maritime States, or Canada and the Maritimes.
The first Maritime election was held in September 1867, and was a contest between two Nova Scotians. Representing the Liberal Party, Joseph Howe served as the Premier of Nova Scotia from 1860 to 1863. An opponent of Canadian Confederation, he promoted a railway from Halifax through Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, as well as increased free trade. On the Conservative ticket was Charles Tupper, the Premier from 1864-1867 and a former supporter of Confederation. A trade protectionist and nationalist, Tupper lost the majority vote to Howe, who was elected First President of the Federal Maritime States. Howe's government was successful in installing a classical liberal state: lenient civil and economic freedoms under rational law. This resulted in prosperous, free trade with America, Canada, and Britain, who saw the Maritimes as a vital ally.
Howe's presidency eventually came to an end in 1873, as he died shortly before his campaign for a third term. His successor, Sir Adams George Archibald, won the election in Howe's place, continuing the laissez-faire form of governance. This American style of trade angered many pro-British citizens, who gathered at Pictou Island in 1876 to create the Pictou Rebellion, which demanded re-integration to the British Empire. Archibald was quickly ousted in the 1876 election in favor of Samuel Leonard Tilley, a Conservative who promised stronger government. Signing the Marine Corps into action, Tilley was a war leader who strengthened the government's power, quickly pushed the military to Pictou to end the rebellion, and raised taxes. Once the Rebellion was over nearly a year later, the Conservative policies finally took their toll. In 1879, following three years of reform for larger government, trade tariffs, stronger military, and tax introduction, Tilley's Conservatives were quickly voted out by the moderate Liberal Louis Henry Davies. Davies is currently serving his second term as the fourth President, making slow changes to lower taxes, streamline the government and military, and bring back free trade.
The Government of the Maritime States is heavily based on the Constitution. Government is strictly divided into three branches: Executive, Legislative, and Judicial. Similarly to the United States, the Maritime States advocate a rule of law under these three branches. The executive branch, the Presidency, runs the government and serves as a public head of state. The Legislative Branch, which is simply the Congress (as opposed to the American House/Senate system), creates, debates, and approves laws. The judicial branch, led by the Supreme Court (which, as opposed to America, are composed of non-political appointed judges), upholds the laws and Constitution. Elections are held every 3 years to decide Congress representatives and the President, which are divided into district. Congress is composed of one representative per district, making elections based on district. The President is decided by the Electoral College, which are distributed based on the amount of districts located in each state. This ensures both the will of the nation and a check against pure democracy. The President serves 3-year terms of a 2-term maximum, while Congressmen serve up to 4 terms. The Supreme Court consists of 12 judges, who are appointed from across the nation by merit as a judge or lawyer, as opposed to their political affiliation. The judges each serve 2-year terms, and may be appointed for up to 5, for a maximum residency of 10 years.
The Constitution is the basis of Maritime law, and as such, the nation as a whole. It is divided into Articles, which define its purpose. Note that this is not the literal word of the Constitution, but rather a summary.
The First Article states that all laws nation-wide are subject to the Constitution. As well, the document itself may be amended, given approval of two-thirds of the Supreme Court (at least 8 judges), two-thirds of Congress, and the President's approval. Amendments may be put into place as long as they do not interfere with Articles.
The Second Article states that citizens have a right to freedom and life. This constitutes two factors known as Rights:
The Right Against Aggression, stating that interference against a private citizen's life, property, or possessions is punishable by law.
The Right To Freedom, stating that every citizen has a right to freely trade within non-aggressive bounds, own property, defensive weapons, and speak freely in public.
The Third Article states that the government shall be divided into three branches: Executive, Legislative, and Judicial. It goes into depth regarding government organization, and is summarized in the first paragraph.
The Fourth Article states that for the defense of the state, a volunteer Army and Navy is necessary to maintain order and justice.
The Fifth Article states that religion and state shall be separate; at no time should one influence the other.
The Sixth Article states that the justice system must follow the spirit of liberty and justice for all, at all times, and must treat every individual equally.
The Seventh Article states that taxes, fines, and government imposition must not reach a degree to which one group is held over higher scrutiny than another, nor shall it infringe on individual liberties. However, it distinguishes the need for a Financial Appeal system, in which a company or businessman may be tried by a Financial Appeal Court in the event of misdemeanor, fraud, or monopoly.
The Eighth Article states that individual states must be treated and must behave equally. However, all states are subject to Congress and Supreme Court jurisdiction if necessary.
Values:
Firearms: A surprisingly large percentage of Maritimers take advantage of their nation's lax gun laws. Most homes have a rifle, typically either a Winchester 1873 (.44 Henry) or Martini-Henry (.577/450). For added personal protection, the British Bull Dog revolver (.44 Henry) is a popular choice, due to its affordability, standard ammo, and compact size.
okay yes this is my dawne sheet please stop stalkin me thanks
“Who the hell cares?”
Overview
Name
Mizutani Hiroyuki / 水谷裕之
Age
15 (12-2-2003)
Gender
Male
Orientation
Ideally hetero, realistically too socially anxious
Social Class
Middle: Hiroyuki's parents both work long office hours.
Defining Hobby
Null: The answer in between, null (無, mu) states that the question has a false premise. In such a case, it's a question of commitment. While he could if he liked to, Hiroyuki doesn't want a quirk, commitment, or club. This is simply because he's too much of a shut-in to function in a club environment; a typical end for him is withdrawal and inactivity anyways.
Occupation
N/A, although Hiroyuki recieves a "man-en": a monthly allowance of ¥10 000.
Characterization
Physical Description
Although seldom neat and tidy, Hiroyuki's looks aren't the worst. Dark, unkempt bangs wave in front of an equally effortless face. Although typically black, his eyes and hair have a chestnut brown glow in the sun: one of his few similarities to his sister. His eyes, nose, and cheeks are, while about as Japanese as it goes, somewhat rounded and effeminate at points. His build is, although masculine in the literal sense, rather skinny: somewhat lanky, too, given his barely above-average height. In terms of apparel, Hiroyuki tends towards a smart-casual fashion taste in public: t-shirt, an unbuttoned short sleeve dress shirt, and jeans usually do the trick with sneakers. Color palette is typically dark and cool: black, muted blue, and white.
Personality Traits
Shut-in: While not entirely a hikikomori in the literal sense, Hiroyuki does the absolute minimum to keep social contact: aside from school or some other pressing matter, Hiroyuki enjoys heading straight home and dashing to his room, slamming the door.
Socially inept: At a first glance, Hiroyuki is usually percieved to either be extremely tired, depressed, or suffering caffeine withdrawal. Coincidentally enough, one of those typically checks out in the mornings. An introvert at heart, he is a social minimalist: only really doing the minimum social activity required for a positive standing.
Pragmatist: When it comes to solving a problem, Hiroyuki holds the 'minimum-input, maximum-output' dogma: lazy and minimalist when possible, an ambitious iron will if necessary.
Grumpy: Not in the sadistic or snarky sense. In spite of his quick wit, Hiroyuki's long since learned his lesson to keep his mouth shut. Given his heavily pragmatic and moody nature, it's only natural that basically anyone around him seems happy-go-lucky.
Decisive: Hiroyuki isn't entirely a downtrodden wreck. If he can manage to set his mind on a task, Hiroyuki seldom changes his mind or shirks from the task at hand. Spending whatever free hour he has devoted to a perfect plan and execution, he does not stop until the results come.
Likes & Dislikes
Likes:
Manga/Anime
His computer
Browsing internet boards
Video games, especially old arcade fighting/racing games
Ramune
Dislikes:
Whatever's new on TV
Dynamic extroverts
Real-life interaction
Physical exercise
Anyone that bothers him
Home Life
Hiroyuki has a mother, father, and sister, in theory. Biologically? Of course, he has direct relation to all of them. Physically? Thankfully, they're all alive. Realistically? Not really. His elder sister, Sayako, left for college on the mainland two years ago; even then, they never really talked anyways. Hiroyuki still lives with his parents, but they seldom interact. Both caught in the office rat race, his father and mother work long hours, only interacting with their son to send some appeasement allowance or clean his clothes and make food.
Personal Motivation
Hiroyuki, as stubborn as he may seem, does have some visceral needs. The only reason he's never pushed to do anything is because he has nothing worthwhile: a deep ambition to succeed, a thirst for attention, the warmth of a close friend or special someone. But if Hiroyuki ever did find some way to slip any of those motivations into his life, however, he'd work day and night to keep it close to his heart. But until then, he is content with aimlessly going with whatever life presents him.
Miscellaneous
Relationships
N/A
Belongings & Inventory
Silver iPhone 6S Plus
Generic 'star-lit night sky' lock screen, upon a 50-digit passcode (it's actually just 3 and the first 49 digits of pi) the home screen is an SFW anime girl
Apple earbuds
Black case
Gaming computer at home (although he mostly just browses internet boards and certain websites)