RoflsMazoy — Roleplayer Guild

What is Akasha Agency?

"Akasha Appear! Arise from your slumber, you hidden selves…
-And unleash chaos."

Japan, 16th December 1970.

On that day, the Akasha appeared, but the people didn't know it at the time. They came quietly, only to certain regions of Japan, and they have remained ever since.

You wouldn't know it walking around by day. There was no panic. No one knew, after all. But soon enough, strange phenomena began to occur. People began to disappear at night. Odd incidents that couldn't be explained. There were whispers that the Kami had returned.

And they were angry.

February 24th, 1971

It was a snowy day in winter when the first nation-wide incident occurred. They called it the First Awakening. On that snowy night in February, the Akasha appeared. The Yokai of myth and legend suddenly attacked, with a seemingly unnatural, undying hatred for human life, they inflicted many casualties before the military was able to be deployed.

The military was able to weather the first assault. After they were deployed, the wave was quickly supressed, as the First Awakening incident was mostly isolated to the areas the Akasha had first appeared. However it was a victory with many civilian casualties, not to mention the assault itself was only the beginning of the ramifications of the First Awakening.

It gave birth to two distinct supernatural phenomena. 

The appearance of the so called "Yokai Villages":
In the areas the Akasha appeared, the barrier between the realm of the Yokai and the mortal realm had been permanently sundered. Supernatural beings walked freely amongst the humans, in those areas that had survived the First Awakening. Over time, the humans and Yokai there came to a peaceful co-existence. It wouldn't be for many long, hard years, as in the meantime all Yokai were approached with fear and suspicion due to the presence of the second phenomena…

The Akasha Scourge:
Seemingly the source of the aggression that had possessed the normally passive Yokai during the events of the First Awakening. The Yokai that could be communicated with described it transmitting like a "Plague", spreading from one Yokai to another until entire communities were taken over. It unleashed chaos on both human and Yokai communities alike.

Areas affected by the Akasha Scourge eventually become overrun with these mad Yokai, and even humans could be affected if they stayed too long, or were attacked by the infected. These areas were quarantined by the government, however in the earlier stages of the outbreak, all areas suspected of harbouring the scourge were also quarantined.

This meant many of the new Yokai villages, and the many towns the scourge originated in. In many cases, humans weren't evacuated from the places placed under quarantine, as the Akasha Scourge affected humans differently than it does Yokai. Most became frenzied and eventually died, like normal, but those who survived began to develop mutations.

There was a secondary wave of panic once this was made public. With all of the public's opinion at an all-time low, and with chaos threatening to erupt from dozens of fronts, it was clear something had to be done.

August 27th 1972

The Akasha Agency is formed.

In essence it was a way for the Japanese government to organize their various departments into one to form a better response to the emergency. Its leaders however immediately begin to put forward drastic initiatives, and the adoption of these initiatives ultimately helped to stem the tide of the Akasha Scourge.

One of their key initiatives was that they began to reach out the Yokai for information. However, due to the distrust the Yokai now harboured against humanity, it didn't prove to be a very effective tactic to start with. It wasn't until a certain event that the initiative would begin to bear fruit.

On November 4th 1972, the Kami appeared. Japan's Gods from folklore, and the rulers of the Spirit World. They made a proclamation to Japan. The Spirit World and the human world would remain separate. However if they offered unconditional aid to Yokai stranded in the Human World, the Kami would repay those efforts.

The Japanese government accepted the deal. Yokai Villages were now under the full protection of the Akasha Agency and the Japanese military. With the aid thus rendered, the Yokai were more ready to offer their information in kind.

They began to be able to coordinate their assaults and defences against the Akasha Scourge. They began to find greater and greater success in pushing back the threat. Eventually, it was thought that the Scourge had been eliminated entirely. 

No more 'active' cases of the Scourge were reported by the end of 1974, however a great many were still affected by it, in the form of mutations. The absence of all other symptoms made the government mark them as 'recovered', but the public's opinion of matters was still one tainted by fear, and these survivors would often face discrimination.

September 1, 1975

The Akasha Scourge returns.

When society had just started to rebuild, and the Government had just put forth the motion to disband the Akasha Agency, a 2nd wave of attacks began. The key difference between the first scourge and the new outbreak was the presence of a group of people that called themselves the Yomi Troupe. They posed as a travelling circus and unleashed a terror attack in the heart of Tokyo.

The Yomi Troupe featured many who had been mutated by the Scourge. Feeling ostracized by society, they decided to take back their dignity through force. They declared war on the Japanese government, with the stated intention of creating a world where those who had been afflicted by the Akasha Scourge could live fairly.

The war would end up lasting five years.

The Yomi Troupe were elusive, and they seemed to be everywhere. It was hard to tell which were simply copycat groups inspired by the Yomi Troupe's ideals, and which attacks were the actual group itself. In a controversial decision, it was decided the ones captured would receive the death penalty. It was done to make an example of the members of the Yomi Troupe, and show that the Japanese Government wouldn't tolerate the actions of these "ruthless thugs."

The main group was eventually cornered in their base of operations, a warehouse hidden in the forests some distance away from Osaka. Those trapped inside mostly chose to commit suicide by recklessly charging at the military as they closed in. The last one standing, the leader of the Troupe who had made that declaration all of those years ago chose to stay alive until the end. He made one final statement live on national TV before he was sentenced to death and executed.

"This is not the end. This is only the beginning."

While the main branch was gone, the copycat groups and other splinter groups formed when higher members of Yomi found their differences too great, remained. And while they could never match the true threat of the original Yomi Troupe, they were still genuine and dangerous threats that drained the Akasha Agency's resources at every turn.

July 4th, 1980.

After examining the data in what was left of the Yomi Troupe's files, as well as reports from the various Yokai Villages and the Spirit World and other gathered reports, there was something disturbing discovered. The live Yokai the Troupe had found in the wilderness were likely not remnants of the first Akasha Scourge, as expected.

Rather, the Scourge was starting to reappear on its own. And it was gaining momentum. The incident with the Yomi Troupe had helped contribute to the increase in cases of the Scourge, but the amount of cases increasing in regions that hadn't been targeted by them was also increasing.

If the Akasha Agency and the military had been at full strength and resources from the get-go, they would've been able to halt the storm quickly, as the numbers were still relatively low. However, with the various splinter groups to deal with, they were finding themselves stretched thin.

This was when the final new initiative the Akasha Agency would enact entirely on its own. To combat the ever growing corruption in almost every region around Japan, recruit the locals who know the land, to fight it. Give them the training and resources to be able to defend themselves and deal with the smaller scale threats, then expand the program to the entire nation.

Give enough incentives, like stable pay and steady work and you can make careers out of hunting the Akasha Scourge. The mutated victims of the Akasha Scourge were also included in this initiative. Most of them could sense the presence of the Akasha Scourge if it was close by, making them invaluable in rooting it out.

The possibility of not including them wasn't even considered. Great lengths were taken to make sure they would take part in these hunts. This would kill two birds with one stone, since the mutated had an ability that could not be replicated elsewhere, and it was a little known secret that the majority of people joining with the splinter groups the Agency was dealing with were these mutated humans.

It wasn't just lip service that they were recruited to help make Japan safer, however. A lot of research and testing went into creating the right protocols and structures to make sure these hunts were as successful as possible and had the least amount of casualties possible. There was no effort to make sure the mutated humans were always on the frontlines and likely to die. In fact, they were often one of the most protected, as their overall numbers was also beginning to dwindle due to the reduction in cases of the Akasha Scourge.

The initiative was a success in many ways. The local initiative was more effective than expected. In almost all cases, the local population of agents that had been recruited manage to lower the amount of cases in the immediate area dramatically. In some cases they eliminate cases within weeks.

January 1, 1981

As the initiative begins to spread throughout the nation, cases began to fall dramatically. Prominent activists who had been biding their time for such an opportunity used it as a springboard to fight for mutated humans' rights. A long since buried issue, under the guise of not wanting to 'shake the boat', it hadn't been talked about at all in parliament except for the various laws and initiatives that had been created to track them all.

Lobbyists were successful in getting the majority of these laws repealed. They continued to fight for mutated human's rights still, even afterwards, and eventually this led to Yomi's splinter groups eventually losing their power with the people as popular perception began to change.

The Akasha Scourge never really disappeared. It resurfaced time and time again, but as information continued to be collected, and the Akasha Agency's methodology continued to evolve, each outbreak has proved less and less of a threat.

It seems that soon, Japan may finally find true peace.

And now...

Japan, May 4th, 2020. It's been 50 years since the Akasha Scourge first appeared, and Japan has rebuilt. The cities have become beacons of modern technology, but there are many towns that are still in the process of modernization. The Old Guard has finally decided to retire for the most part, to let the a new generation of Akasha Operatives take up the reigns. 

And this is where our story begins.

Akasha Agency is a modern day supernatural Agency RP which draws on Japanese myths to form a different world, which is halfway between our world and the world of the Yokai, almost exactly in fact. The outbreak of a deadly illness known as the Akasha Scourge weakened the walls between the Spirit World and the human plane, allowing Yokai to walk freely among us. At the same time, the illness continues to elude all attempts to completely eradicate it. 

Even after 50 years, it still continues to appear every so often, infecting human and Yokai alike. The infected go berserk, and their physiology is irrevocably changed. Those that survive the infection find themselves unlocking a new psychic potential, but whether or not they can realize, or even control that potential is often not up to them (at least, on the surface). In this world, Operatives are front and center in dealing with the new frontier that the Scourge has made rise to the surface.

Whether it's your skill and physical capabilities as a Fighter, your knowledge and expertise as Arts, or your instincts and self-control as a Specialist, the Akasha Agency has a place for you. You'll find help you with your journey and what lies beyond. 

You'll face many challenges along the way, but you can do it Operative. We believe in you.

Current Setting: Sentouji City

Our story opens in Sentouji City, one of the first places in which the Akasha Scourge struck. What had once been nothing more than a rural farming town, is close to being a small city. Students of all ages will walk from their suburban houses, past old farms and traditional shrines, as a backdrop of apartment buildings and high-rises begins to fill the horizon. In the North of the city, you'll find it like the heart of metropolis anywhere else. And though modernization has been slow to reach other parts of the city, it's now considered fully modernized and it can no longer be described as "rural".

But there is still a legacy that the city will never forget.

Sentouji City is split into two districts, for a very obvious reason if you know the history of the town. The north-side is where most of the development of the city ended up being focused on, and many of the traditional places and the remnants of 'old town' reside in the south. This is because the North had once been the quarantine zone for the Akasha Scourge.

The quarantine was placed quickly enough to contain the Scourge to a certain part of the city. The phenomenon which allowed the Yokai to cross over from the Spirit World to the Human World was not localized to the North of the city. The south became one of the first Yokai Villages as Yokai fleeing the exlcusion zone sought refuge, and stranded Yokai also found they had nowhere to turn to.

The inhabitants of Sentouji, after initially being fearful of the Yokai, after a while welcomed them as they proved to be a means to fight the Scourge. A type of technique which would later be known as Arts were taught to any with the aptititude as an early defense against the Akasha Scourge.

After the tide of the Akasha Scourge had been eliminated, residents returning to the North of the city decided it would be easier to rebuild it from the ground up. The rest as we know it, is history. The Akasha Agency have a long past with Sentouji. Though the threat of the Akasha Scourge has greatly, the Akasha Agency has never left their post.

The local training center is still one of the largest the Akasha Agency has to offer. It relocated from the south district, it now occupies a high-rise building in the north side of Sentouji, and features several different Fighter Dojos on each level, as well as some of the best Arts training Japan has to offer. 

The local scene is also thriving in the South, with many local certified training dojos which offer more specific training and fighting styles to master, and many Yokai in the temples and hidden places of the South District still ready to teach students the ways of Arts Masters.

The Night Mandate

Sentouji City's population of Yokai isn't as numerous as it used to be. The reason is something known as the Night Mandate. Eventually a method had been found to return the Veil separating the Human World and the Spirit World to a more stable state. This meant no Yokai was ever stranded on the other side any longer.

Still, many didn't want to leave. They had good memories of the Human World, and wished to stay. However, the rules and values of the humans and Yokai were fundamentally incompatible. Not all Yokai are inherently 'good', and in the Spirit World there's hardly such a moral compass amongst the more comomon Yokai. The wrong kind of Yokai allowed to live permanently in the human world could cause untold chaos.

To remedy this, the Yokai treated with the Japanese Government and formed something called the Night Mandate. During the day, no Yokai would be able to cross over into the Human World, but at Night the gates are let open, for whichever areas still have them. Yokai can choose to cross over and stay indefinitely if they like, as long as their application is approved by the Japanese Government. But only at night can they make the crossing, and many mischievous Yokai will choose to come along for the ride.

The Akasha Agency helps with managing this issue on the human side. Mostly it's just to make sure Yokai don't get into too much trouble. The Kami passed a decree saying that Yokai entering the human realm must abide by their rules as part of the Night Mandate, but Yokai being Yokai, who can say how effective such a decree really is? Any Yokai caught breaking the rules is returned to the Spirit World to face punishment there, or at least any the Akasha Agency can get their hands on.

This takes us to the likely scene of where our protagonists will be, the night of May 4th, 2020. The Akasha Agency's local Shokuden職田 for the night, the place where our Operatives will be assigned their very first missions. Shokuden職田 are repurposed civilian facilities which serve as the local hub for missions in a particular area. This particular Shokuden職田 is located in the South side of the city, close to an area which has proven to ne a popular place for Yokai to appear.

It promises to be an eventful night for our Akasha Operatives. If their skills are up to the task, they may make it just as uneventful a night for the townsfolk as any other night for them is.

((Sentouji's Shokuden職田 doubles as the training facility for Specialists. At night Fighters can challenge the local more physically inclined Yokai in Yasugi Park for training. Arts users can come to the local shrine for training in a selection of Arts, including Seihon(製本), Sonshō(損傷), and Uranai(占い).))

Akasha Operatives

Akasha Operatives are the Agency's elite agents, sent directly on the field to combat the Akasha Scourge. Or at least they used to be. Now it's a much more widely reaching field of experience, separated into three distinct classes depending on the field they most excel in. Each class corresponds to a certain type of expertise which each represent one field which the Akasha Agency has jurisdiction over when it comes to its affairs.

Fighters specialize in direct combat and pure fighting skill. They are the frontline in a squad of agents. Assignments that require Fighters are ones that require the quick application of force, which often can't be achieved as easily by other classes. 

Arts is an umbrella term used to describe the various techniques and types of Magic the Akasha Agency employs on its missions. It can be anything from exorcism, divination, seals and talismans, to direct elemental manipulation and the like. 

Arts practitioners generally take on a more expertise heavy, investigative role compared to Fighers. Bringing their unique knowledge to solve problems which may have more to them than meets the eye.

Specialists are unique, in the sense that this is the class for those who have Mutations. Mutations from the Akasha Scourge can make it difficult to practice Arts, and while it never stops them from being Fighers, their methods for engaging in combat often go against the grain and require a different kind of training.

In the past they were vital to rooting out the Akasha Scourge due to their ability to sense it. However the role hasn't vanished because it was discovered that Mutated humans possess a sort of intuition. If it's something at all remotely to do with the Akasha Scourge, they tend to gravitate towards it. Not to mention that their unique abilities mean, more often than not, they can suit any team composition.

An Operative can train in all three styles if they are so inclined, (Specialist's have an extra condition of if it's possible), but career Operatives can also specialize in a single one.

The purpose of this system is to be able to quickly determine a prospective agent's strengths and weaknesses, streamline the process of assigning Operatives to missions. Each Class has a standardized baseline to compare with other classes, and separates the various levels of strength displayed in each Class via Rankings, starting at Rank 1 and going up to Rank 9.

Breakdowns on each class, including how to write one into a character sheet are listed below.

Fighters

Operatives who specialize in direct combat utilizing a mix of martial arts and/or weapons expertise were once known as Kenshi. In the old days, this was due to the fact that in some areas, conventional ballistic weapons were hard to come by for the average citizen. Many took to training with traditional weapons and hand-to-hand martial arts. 

Many of them took up swords. It seemed quite odd, but a relatively harmless thing. Swords would obviously be some of the first of the weapons that would come to mind when thinking about taking one up. However, there were all kinds of swords, from all over the world. Real Katana were obviously rare, but there were falchions, broadswords, scimitars and more. It was quite a novelty from the outside looking in.

They were never a majority. It was in fact quite the opposite, but at one point the Akasha Agency was providing mass training from a large dojo. It was a public showing of the new initiative, so media presence was allowed, and even encouraged. When some of the media began to cover this story, eventually it was said of them:

"They are like Samurai, except without orderly discipline. Rather than Warriors(Senshi-戦士), they are more like Swordfighters(Kenshi-剣士)".

And the name stuck.

Their skillset prioritizes direct combat above all else, and they are greatly suited to rough situations. If there's a rowdy Yokai in need of a beating, or there's need of some force to back up a negotiation, you'll definitely want a Figher by your side.

Martial arts can reach superhuman levels for the average character in this setting. Average citizens, not so much. Basically just think... anime. Augmented with mystical weapons and other potential additions to a character's background, there are many ways to play a Figher.

Character Framework - Fighter

Fighters have no specific requirements to be accepted by the Akasha Agency other than passing a general physical fitness exam, and proving that they can fight. Fighter characters may start at Rank 1 to about 3. Most Fighters start at Rank 1, but the Ranks from 1 to 4 are split into general aptitude rather than field experience. A talented Fighter can start at Rank 2 or higher, but only truly exceptional Fighers can start at 4 or higher depending on a number of factors.

When you're creating a Figher, you'll want to think of two things in particular: fighting style and the weapon that they'll use. You'll want a character thread that is evident in their abilities, which can be translated smoothly into the outline below. 

Character Sheet Specifications

As a Fighter registeted with the Akasha Agency, you'll be defined by your Talents and Techniques. Your Talents, simply put, are your listed broad specialty/ies in terms of weapons and techniques as a Fighter. As an example, say you specialize in using a katana, you would list 'Sword - Katana', as a Talent. You could then put any specific fighting styles learnt afterwards, such as... uhhhh stuff, there'll be a full example down below, thinking up of another one purely for this is causing me pain. 

Techniques are specific strikes, moves, and maneouvers, that are the crystallization of your character's skills and fighting style. A rapid barrage of blows with blistering speed and power. A well timed precision strike, impossible for even the fastest to avoid. These are Techniques. Describe the move, slap a name on it, and that's a Technique, baby!! Woo!!

Techniques are the moves Fighters will directly be using in the RP for serious combat. It's important to go into detail about how the strikes land, to allow for other players to dynamically respond to it without needing as much direct input from you. Interactivity is the name of the game for Fighters, and while smaller fodder enemies can be dispatched freely in any manner you really wish, Techniques will be used extensively later on; to alleviate the pressure of needing to 'call' hits against tougher monsters, or other players.

Here's an example of a skillset for a prospective fighter; 
Fighter: Kunohana, Issei 

Rank: 2

Talents: Sword - Katana, Ganryu, Shukuchi, Long distance sprint
Ganryu is a style which chases the idea of speed that transcends the realm of mortal beings. It favors fast techniques which give the opponent little room to maneouver. They say the speed of it is unmatched, but that it can lack power compared to other sword styles. Shukuchi is a type of footwork which is greatly emphasized in Ganryu. At a basic level, it's the act of moving quickly without appearing as if you're moving at all. At a high level, it will appear as if you simply vanished and reappeared behind them. Issei Kunohana has much to learn before she reaches this level.
(I'm pulling all of this out of my ass by the way and you should too. The explanation here is optional, but if you're making your own sword techniques then I would appreciate an explanation. Otherwise, store bought is fine.)

Techniques: 
~
1. Tsubame Gaeshi - Swallow Reversal
An extremely fast strike which is difficult to avoid, said to have been created to catch a flying swallow without it being able to escape. It takes time to enter the correct stance to execute the technique, and the opponent must be on even ground with you to obtain the best results. This is a high level technique which Issei Kunohana is able to execute at a moderate standard. This increases the time she needs to set up the move properly, and the chance that she will miss, or fail the technique.
~
2. Flash Step - Lightless
Using the concept of Shukuchi, seemingly a single step that takes oneself a great distance. Issei Kunohana has attained mastery over the skill, far beyond her level otherwise, and attained the level of 'Lightless', which means she almost completely disappears from sight when using this technique. She can still be found however with keen eyes, and a sound intuition. Her trajectory can sometimes be predictable.
~
3. Flash Step, Stage 2: Instant Kill
Issei Kunohana executes a strike immediately after the use of Flash Step to add a deadly force to an otherwise regular attack. If catching an enemy off-guard, it has a high likelihood to strike the vital points. The skill is very deadly, but if she misses the attack, she will be left wide open, as she must commit all of her focus to landing the technique. This technique locks off the use of Flash Step for a little while as a result.

~

Starting at Rank 1, you can have up to three Talents and Techniques, gaining one of either a Talent or a Technique with every rank, or one of each if it's something small. You can have less and have them more complex or powerful instead. It's all up to the GM's and the player's discretions and how you want your overall power to be like. Focus on having a fun and interesting skill-set over being directly powerful. There'll be enough room for everyone to grow once the RP gets long enough.

As a final bit of advice, try not to make yourself a 'complete' character in the beginning. Instead, give yourself an open-ended skillset you think you would enjoy playing with or against the other players in the RP. Leave some room to see where your character's training and their interactions will take them instead on their journey, rather than setting it in stone, all by yourself. Have a goal in mind, but be prepared for the road to change ahead of you, basically that sort of thing.

Arts

The emergence of Arts was something born out of necessity when the Akasha Scourge first appeared. When the Japanese Military was deployed and soldiers began to fight the infected beasts, it was found that conventional weapons seemed to fare fine against the Scourge. Bullets and blades found their mark, and infected Yokai fell one by one. This isn't to say their defensive measures worked particularly well however.

Though the scourge made them frenzied, the Yokai were still in many ways Yokai. All of their mystical nature was still intact for those that remembered how to use them. How do you shoot the ones that remain completely intangible until the very moment they strike? How can you detect an Amanojaku(天邪鬼) that has already killed and impersonated one of your fellow soldiers? Not to mention small-type Yokai, difficult to strike and still exceedingly lethal. Large-type Yokai the size of buildings. Well, nothing really helped against those except for missiles and tank shells.

Still, for the rest, there was no real way to fight them. The Japanese Military took large losses early into the offensive against the Scourge. The adoption and development of Arts was something slow, but in a sense, it had always been there in the beginning. 

The relationship between humans and the uninfected Yokai populations of Yokai Villages was poor in most of Japan, but in the places where they were good, Yokai began to teach humans what would later be known as Arts. Arts are effective against most Yokai because it deals in the spiritual rather than the physical. Although a Yokai's individual characteristics can be vastly different from each other, they are all, on some level, still spiritual beings.

The first spells taught to humans by the Yokai were simple spells for warding against evil, spells for safe travel, and that kind of thing. The Yokai who knew how to utilize Arts were intelligent, and knew that most humans weren't as spiritually capable as they were so they stuck to the simple spells. It wasn't until the official efforts to accept and shelter all Yokai, that Arts began to be developed as a tool to be used against the Akasha Scourge. It's evolved over the years to become something of a true field of research. 

The nature of Arts, and how it relates to the Spirit World has given us a new understanding of our own reality, as well as that of the Yokai. And that Arts is not just a tool, or the birthright of the Yokai. It is something that can be harnessed to improve the lives of all living beings.

Character Framework - Arts

Arts practitioners have a standard baseline requirement of Arts knowledge to be accepted into the Akasha Agency. That may sound daunting, but it's actually quite easy to start down the path of Arts. It's as easy as knowing the signs of all basic Arts types, and where you could possibly use them or apply them on the field. As long as you know how to use some Artsand you have the requisite knowledge, you'll easily make the earlier ranks as an Agent.

But there's no skipping ranks, unlike with Fighters (although exceptions do exist). You have to take an exam every time you wish to rank up, and the difficulty goes up the higher you go. It's possible to take the exams all consecutively but Agents are also assessed on how well they can personally utilize Arts. It pays for a prospective Agent to hang around the learning centres (and even universities can teach Arts!), but inevitably they'll run into the question when learning Arts; do you want to specialize, or generalize?

On a basic level, there's obviously a use for every kind of Arts. The Akasha Agency has had almost 50 years to develop Arts, which has involved streamlining the process so humans can learn it, as well as trimming the fat which is no longer useful.

But there are some Arts which are just easier to learn than others. Some Arts are more effective than others. As well as the fact that sometimes one Agent's ability isn't as good as another's; it becomes a question of will you be able to find work as a senior agent, if other agents might be able to do the job better than you? It's not a situation that comes up for every agent, or even many agents. But it's just something to keep in mind, perhaps when trying to create an older agent.

Starting at Rank 4, an Agent will be judged more on pure ability than their knowledge over all the Arts. Higher ranked Agents tend to become more specialized as they gain more experience, further refining their skill-set to suit their needs. 

Character Sheet Specifications

On their character sheet, there are two things to take note of; Trained Arts, Signature Spells, and Rituals. Trained Arts basically means which fields the character is most well-versed in. There's an expectation that they have at least a little knowledge of all fields, but that these are the ones they can pull their weight in. There are many fields which have been defined, but some key ones are… 

Sonshō(損傷) - Direct manipulation of the elements (water, fire, wind, etc.)
Kin'yoku Shugi(禁欲主義) - Asceticism, traditional exorcism-type spells, directly harming spiritual bodies through prayer
Seihon(製本) - Binding, spells focusing on seals and restraints, as well as barriers
Uranai(占い) - Divination, seeing into the future or things like dowsing to find objects
Gishiki(儀式) - Rituals, things like last rites, and offerings to appease the gods. Important when getting closer to the spirit world on missions, you cannot enter without paying the proper respects.

These are just a few of the schools available in Arts. There are many more schools, more of which are being introduced to the Akasha Agency every day. Feel free to define your own schools as long as you can explain them (they don't have to have Japanese names, I just thought it would be cool).

Signature Spells is a list that your character would write out to demonstrate what they can do. It doesn't have to be a list of every spell your character can possibly perform, but should provide an indication of what they're capable of. One idea would be to display the spells your character is best at, and have everyone else assume their other spells aren't as strong, or aren't used as often.

It should be approached as "these are the spells that they'll use most often", and while I won't be placing a limit on how many can be listed, you should aim to keep it concise.

Rituals are, well, Rituals. The Rituals section is the place to put grand feats of magic which take a lot of preparation and planing to actually cast. Anything with using magic circles and a lot of components. It's good to define at least one here to show the upper end of what your character can really do. If you're planning on adding one, I would recommend adding the best that they can offer to do. Expect to go into detail about ritual preparation and components required. The actual casting can be left to IC for when we actually need to cast it.

Addendum
On an extra bit of flavor for the character sheet
Maybe actually I'll define an extra layer for Arts. So you have your broader 'Schools', you would consider them schools of thought, so all Arts under that School have a sort of basic premise that applies to all of them under that school. But a person will have a specific 'Style' of Arts which is the way those Arts are specifically cast which differentiates one group from another under the same school.

For example, under the Sonshō(損傷) school, you may have learnt spells under the Hibari style, which emphasizes large area of effect spells, or something along those lines? Kinda spitballing here but that would give it a more specific structure which you and others may be looking for?

Yokai and Half-Yokai Characters

Half-Yokai exist in the world of Akasha Agency, and as the offspring of humans and Yokai, Arts is practically in their DNA. Each one is scarily capable of learning new Arts, however as spells grow more complex, the playing field levels out to being just about even.

A Yokai's wellspring of power is just that, power. Technique is a challenge that all beings, Human and Yokai alike have to go through to master Arts. That being said, if you want your character to have a fighting style that combines Arts and Fighter techniques, you may want to consider playing a Yokai or Half-Yokai.

Full Yokai can be characters as well. However, I envision them taking more of an NPC role as more senior agents. This story is about the younger generation after all, Sentouji hasn't seen enough trouble to call in Senior Agents for a long time. If you're making a full Yokai character, please keep that in mind, but there may be chances for them to appear in background plot threads and story sequences which otherwise don't directly involve the main characters.

It'll become more apparent as soon as the RP starts, but uhhhhh… that's all I got on that right now. Arts agents can start at Rank 1 to 3 for now. Half-Yokai can start at Rank 4 if they prove particularly proficient, and full Yokai and more senior Agents can start higher.

Addendum:
On raw talent/power
Raw power in the Arts can take you to Rank 4 instantly, but higher ranks begin to expect more out of a prospective Agent. It can be quite a wall to breach Rank 4 into Rank 5 without a well and nuanced knowledge of the Arts. Some even say that Rank 5 is the true beginning of Arts Mastery.

Specialists

History of Specialists

The role of Specialists is one of the oldest, and one that has been changed the most since the initial founding of the class system which the Akasha Agency would eventually put in place. Their role in those early days was to detect the Scourge. Nothing more was asked of them, and nothing less than the best protection was afforded to them when it was possible.

These mutated humans are still unmatched in their role. However, the class of Specialists has come to play host not just those mutated by the Scourge, but all manner of human and non-human beings in an… odd state of existence. Half-Yokai who cannot control their inner powers, possessed beings who've some way or another struck a balance with their host/parasite. 

These strange beings with their uncanny senses are often of great value to the Agency. Many things still remain a mystery in Japan today. Though much has been learned in the last 50 years, just as many, if not more are still waiting to be discovered.

Specialists are often chosen on missions where it is believed their unconventional wisdom will help the mission find success. Worst comes to worst, an Arts Master using Uranai占い[Divination] can generally find out who is best suited to the task, albeit sometimes very vaguely. 

The Specialist Class has a long and complicated history, starting from the early days of the Agency's initiatives against the Scourge. The class now, is as much a social program as it is an asset to the Agency. These beings can (and still generally do) have trouble fitting into normal society. Because of the nature of their powers, the Akasha Agency was tasked to find a way to deal with them, almost from the very beginning.

The Scourge and Mutations

In those early days, there was still very little known about it. Three years after the first outbreak and it felt as if they were no closer to understanding the Scourge than when they began. About the mechanism behind the infection and its subsequent passing, and the mechanism that resulted in Mutations, all that was known was that the process was often traumatic.

Many didn't survive the sickness, and they were dead before the Scourge even left their bodies. A good deal of them that did survive were "Shell-shocked". The process was so severe, that they were left with symptoms we would now describe as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Strangely enough, younger children seemed more likely to avoid both sets of symptoms, (i.e. death, and the trauma) but all survivors would face a general fear from the rest of the general populace, despite repeated statements that they posed no real threat.

A finely tuned poison. That's how some amongst the Akasha Agency described it. As if there were an intention to be ascribed to such a thing. There was no simple answer to what was to be done about them. The first to discover the power of the survivors of the Scourge wasn't the Akasha Agency, instead, it was Yomi.

The power of the Mutated is Psychic in nature. That was the definition compiled after sifting through their research, and the agency's own findings on the matter. Their innate ability to sense the nearby presence of the scourge can be equated to a type of Extra Sensory Perception, or ESP which is common amongst claims of psychic abilities.

But it was mostly due to a broad definition of Psychic abilities that the definition was founded upon. The ability to sense things is one type of Psychic abilities, but the other type is fundamentally defined in a different way entirely. The ability to alter reality using the will of the mind, is perhaps the "easiest" way to categorize it. 

Psychokinesis, telepathy, these are all examples of such a concept. However, Mutations took it to another level, commonly involving the body itself in its abilities. Some were able to completely detach limbs and use them to attack people from afar, before re-attaching them without many issues. Some were along a more traditional vein, but there was a way to predict this. By way of utilizing the Scar, it is possible to predict the possible nature of a mutated human's power.

The Scar is the name given to a certain hallmark of the Scourge. In humans and Yokai, the Scourge will often twist their bodies into unnatural shapes, and over time it can even change their entire physiology into something else entirely. The more extensive the change, the less likely the subject will survive it.

Those that do survive the infection, no matter how insignificant the symptoms were before being cured, will be left with a 'token' of the experience which will stay with them forever. Some only have small marks, similar to birth marks, some have entire appendages or large parts of their bodies twisted and deformed. It varies from person to person. 

The location of the Scar can generally inform the nature of the power, and how it might be controlled. The head bearing disfigurement usually means the power may be entirely based on the user's will. The hands and/or arms possessing the Scar can mean an added somatic component is required, etc.

The Yomi Troupe displayed their formidable powers in the battle against the Akasha Agency and the Japanese Military. The Akasha Agency quickly recognized however that these abilities were as much of a danger to their enemies as they were to themselves. Even with knowledge of the Scar, their powers were difficult to control. Often times there was no true 'control', they simply unleashed their powers on the battlefield, and paid no mind to enemy or ally.

The rest when it comes to the Yomi Troupe is, as we know, history. They were eventually rooted out and destroyed, and though many groups would rise up to take their place, none would be nearly as organized or reach the same level of power. So the question became, what to do with the Mutated? The Psychic potential of the Mutated was kept largely a secret at this time, as it was believed a mass awakening of the Mutated would be disastrous given the climate against them at the time.

But it was already beginning. Many had witnessed Yomi in action, it would only take a few to put two and two together and discover their latent powers. Even Yomi hadn't found a method to control Mutated humans' powers properly, what could the Akasha Agency do?

They began the Specialist program while the initiative to involve them in the war against the Scourge had been underway for some time already. Neither one could be held back from deployment, as the situation was quite dire already. It was a little known secret that the program existed at the time, and its efforts were largely concentrated on finding the right method to help the Mutated control their powers.

To cut a long story short, the answer was therapy. Therapy and practice. Giving the Mutated a safe space to practice controlling their powers led to them finding the most effective method of, you guessed it, controlling their powers. With the amount of individual differences between any given subject, none of the programs in different regions showed sufficiently large differences in results after that however.

The program continued to find success and is still in use, even today. The local Shokuden職田 is used as a focal point and main training facility for the program, and activities will differ depending on the owner of the establishment.

Character Framework - Specialists

The Specialist program is a sort of social program for those in an odd state of existence that have difficulties controlling their own powers. So not just the mutated, but other strange beings often fill out the ranks. Even though it is a social program, the end goal is to reach the point where their powers can be utilized for their own gain. So while they're in care of the program, they are still recognized as Operatives, and can take up missions if they so choose.

Rankings for Specialists differ from the norm in this light, in that they're a little irregular in what they represent. Up to Rank 4, rankings represent assessed stages of the specific person's development, rather than being a measure of personal power. A Rank 1 Specialist can be just as powerful as a Rank 4, but the degree of control over their powers is what separates them.

At Rank 4, Specialists face a choice. Formally, it is the conclusion of the program, so they can choose to leave if they so wish. Participation in it is voluntary in the first place, but Rank 4 is when they are judged to not be a danger to themselves or society, and will likely be able to live a normal life. So they receive a formal declaration, and invitation of sorts. 

It's nothing special, simply would you like to return to normal life, or would you like to continue with the Akasha Agency? Continuing with the Akasha Agency offers them the potential to elevate their powers further with the expertise the Agency has collected over the years, and a welcoming community with hundreds of other Specialists and fellow Operatives who may be more understanding of their struggles.

…But with the Akasha Agency there is always the threat of danger.

The reason the Specialists as a class still exists is because the Scourge still hasn't been fully understood, and is still seen making the rounds today. They are the ultimate Anti-Scourge weapon. Although Specialists tend to find success branching out to into the Fighter and Arts classes after learning to control their powers, they are still expected to be able to use their innate powers of perception to the benefit of the Agency when it is needed.

Sentouji City has a long, and storied relationship with the Mutated humans, and Specialists as a whole. It was the first city where the program began to find success. That being said, a lot of senior Specialists end up finding their way around the nation when being assigned to missions requiring their expertise, since as their powers continue to develop they can oftentimes find new and unique ways to approach situations that have never been seen before. Sometimes a mutated human's powers can even undergo evolution of some kind, to become something completely different. 

Character Sheet Specifications

As far as characters go, once again you'll want to make your Specialist somewhere between Rank 1 and 4 to start out with. At higher ranks, it's likely you'll have to try and fly with the plot that ends up getting thrown at you as a more senior agent. Since Specialists can take any job depending on their skills, they end up being selected less than others to give more experience to younger agents (or at least that's how Sentouji's Shokuden職田 tends to work).

The main thing you'll need to note down on your character sheet is your character's Scar/Aspect. Scars we went over earlier, and Aspects are just the equivalent but for a character that has a different sort of situation surrounding their given power source. If listing a Scar; describe the location of it on their body and in broad terms what it allows them to do. An example would be a Scar on their back allowing them to manifest a set of psychic wings which allow them to fly and launch attacks.

Write an Aspect as if it's something imposed on your character. An Aspect manifests itself, with or without the character's will, but fundamentally your character is 'human' to start out with. A Half-Yokai nature can still be considered an Aspect if the character isn't in control as much as they would like. 

Now, as for how to list the individual abilities your character can use, it'll heavily depend on your character and what exactly they can do. You could list them like Fighters and be specific about exactly what they can do and where it does it in relation to themselves, or like Arts where spells can be complex and conditional. But for Specialists, it's perfectly fine to be a little general with it and list the ability they have as just something they can do. It may be a good idea to go into a little detail on how using each individual ability 'impacts' your character. Like if it drains their energy, or requires intense concentration to the point that your temples hurt. 

There are many approaches to running a Specialist, and when it comes to them, nothing is particularly off the table. Their growth is focused on learning self-control and furthering their own self-development, compared to Arts' pursuit of knowledge as the answer, and the Figher's pursuit of strength and technique to become the strongest they can be. 

Specialists are pure potential, and the shape of that potential depends on the story you want to tell. 
(I'll be trying my best to not say no to stuff, but please just don't do mind control… and please don't try to tear reality a new asshole… Keep it grounded, at least a bit)

General Class Addendums

Addendum: Class names
You can think of alternate class names as something Operatives would make amongst themselves/their friends as a bit of a joke, and ending up catching on for one reason or another. The official card (or I guess the Agency's file on you) has your listed roles as coloured triangles on the edge of your card. The Agency accepts informal class specifications and writes them on file, as in the past it it has often led to regional variants of classes rising in popularity, leading to improved outcomes in other regions. 

It doesn't really mean anything IC since it's not something I'll enforce super hard. Consider it something like the Spellcasting styles I said about or something along those lines. Just a little added flavour in some direction or another, which may or may not do something for you in the long run.

General RP expectations

This section will contain some of the early RP structure and some general expectations going into the RP. I'll go through the expectations first, but there might be some stuff that slips through to other sections so it's better if you read all of it. Being 'General' expectations there's always gonna be exceptions to the rules, so don't take them as a too set in stone type of thing. It is mostly an advisement type of thing anyway, though. 

1. Be in it for the long haul.
While the RP may move quickly in the beginning, a lot of us can get busy after a while, or maybe something about our mental health might just snap and it gets difficult to continue posting for a while. That's why I advise you set your mentality to be in it for the long haul. Momentum inevitably fizzles out at some point, but as long as enough players remain, the RP doesn't dies. Which is why a good secondary expectation to set is...

2. Communicate.
You perhaps don't need to be talking all the time, but if you never raise concerns then they'll never be heard. Feel free to judge anything and everything about this RP, including maybe the way it's conducted and even any elements about the story you really want to because at the end of the day...

3. Everything about the story is made up.
Anything can be changed if people want it to be changed. Sometimes it needs changing, sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes it's not necessary to change it, but the story would be better if we did change it. You'll never know unless you ask, and we start a discussion about it.

4. Just don't be a dick. Please.

Thank you.

Structure

A lot of expectations are tied into how early stuff is going to be structured, also the stuff above is kind of the most important and I can't quite spare the brain power to separate these out properly right now. Anyway, this RP is going to follow a sort of Mission-based structure, in sort of one-night story arcs. All of the missions take place at night, since that's when the Shokuden is open. We will largely not be RPing the daytime. I'm aiming for a tigher sort of story structure with smaller things going on in general on a night by night basis, and slowly over the course of several nights the mystery will be revealed. 

On a given night, Operatives will either conduct missions, or do some training.

Missions follow a certain structure, so let's start with that.

Each mission has certain 'requested' classes. It'll be a combination of any of the three depending on the mission at hand. (Well, I'll be the one deciding though and it'll be mostly based on who we've got so don't worry about it too much.)
An operative is never assigned to something alone. At the very least you'll be in a pair, if not more.
Most low level missions and most of the missions we'll likely be starting with will be exclusively limited to these types of missions. As the danger level increases over successive nights, more and more agents will be allowed on the same mission.
There's a certain critical mass in which more Operatives doesn't necessarily equal better success rates. At about 5 agents it becomes difficult to coordinate as a team without a lot of practice, as an example.
Your partner might change multiple times, or maybe they won't. It'll all be up to you and your partner.

Once the mission actually begins, things might start to look a little different from the usual.

After being told what the mission is and accepting the mission, we'll immediately cut to somewhere in the beginning of the mission actually underway. As an example, if the missions is to clear out some killer clown ghosts from an abandoned theme park, you'd cut to both of your characters staring right at the front gate.
This is just to keep things moving at a relatively good pace. Ever had an RP die in the very first conversation before anything even starts? If you haven't just know that it is PAIN and worth avoiding at all costs.
Which leads into this point, which is a small warning that; by the way, if you do suddenly dissappear for a while without giving a good reason why (and probably if you do have a good reason why) you will be bonked. Your character may be knocked-out/kidnapped, maybe macguffined, but they won't be dead.
The reason being; to keep things moving forward and avoid being stalled by people suddenly dissappearing. There'll be maybe up to a 3 day grace period (probably more later or depending on how everything goes really) before your character gets hit by the bonk stick and we move forward with that.
And after that we basically just go forward until it's done!

Missions will basically be a 1x2 kind of deal(as opposed to 1x1) where I as the GM provide the background and setting for you to traverse into for the specific mission you're in. That's about it for missions, so I'll go over training next.

Training

Training is sort of like a mission but a little more free-form, and a little more about personal development. I personally run games on a sort of 'soft-exp' format where we take into consideration whether we've spent enough time and really 'done enough' to level up our abilities. Training will help out a lot with this, and Specialists in particular will need to go through with it for the program.

Here's a little skeleton breakdown for how training should likely go if you decide to do it for a particular night.

Start with a direction for your character to go in for the training. It could be as simple as wanting to try out a new move you've come up with(this could be sort of using the training as an excuse to 'debut' the new move in the RP), or it could be something to do with your character's story arcs and/or motivations.
We'll once again, skip ahead a little in the first post. Unlike with Missions, training may only be one or two posts depending on the purpose of it (look to the above examples as... well examples of that).
If you're training to gain experience, it may be to fight some enemies, or even spar with an ally. In the case of NPC enemies, you'll have to ask the GM for those. That's about it!

You can decide to do training for a particular night instead of doing a mission if you want you want some alone time to develop your character. There are other reasons but that's about the intended purpose for these. You can also use it not as a set of posts, and instead as a 'break' for your character, so they'll be training for the particular night/multiple nights until you feel ready to come back.

The purpose of training is to develop your character, and flesh out some of the things they can do, so they're a little more free-form, and much shorter than mission posts most likely. Rope in some other characters to have some fun shenanigans with, because you may be done long before a given mission will finish.

Different towns will have different training grounds. Training isn't specifically restricted to those grounds, but those are basically the defined stuff we have at the location to give an idea about what's available in the immediate area. You could perhaps find a way to train in other ways than the ones listed, it'll depend on the GM most likely. The current training grounds locations are listed underneath the town description (in case you missed them).

Character Sheet Template

Name
Self-explanatory

Age
16 and over, probably not putting an upper limit on age

Appearance
Describe them here if you don't have an image. I don't have a preference for either one, so feel free to use this as well if you just can't be bothered finding an image.

Personality
Be a little descriptive with this one, but a lot of personality will be evident with how you play your character.

History
Backstory time! You can combine Personality and History into a single Biography section, if you so wish. I'd recommend keeping a lot of cards close to your chest, as if you're describing how someone else would know your character's backstory. There'll be a lot of time to reveal sudden tragic backstories during the RP, and it could make for some good fun not knowing someone else's true history until they reveal it themselves.

(Side note, if you're planning on keeping secrets within your backstory, know that you don’t necessarily have to tell me if it's not going to be immediately relevant. You don't necessarily have to tell me about it at all, unless you think it may need approval for some element which might impact the world as a whole.)

Class Name
The default options are between Fighter, Arts, and Specialists. You can choose one, or be a hybrid between several depending on your character. See each individual class breakdown for details. Maybe you can also get creative with a differently named classes for flavour.

Character Specifications One
This is where you'll add your Class's specific features, which're outlined in the Character Sheet Specifications section in each breakdown. Replace the words "Character Specifications One" here with whatever it is you need for your Class's general 'identifier', i.e. Scars/Aspects for Specialists, Talents for fighters, and Trained Schools for Arts.

Character Specifications Two (Capabilities)
This is where you'll put the second part of Character Specifications which will usually be the general Capabilities your character can do as isolated moves/attacks/spells. Replace the words "Character Specifications Two" with the specific title/s of the section for your character. Techniques for fighters, Signature Spells and Rituals for Arts, and Abilities for Specialists.

(A note on multi-classes, you'll have to list all of the stuff from both. You may want to change your formatting if it seems too janky looking. Feel free to edit this format to your heart's content.)

Relationships - Optional
Feel free to add any existing relationships your character may have to other characters. This goes for before the RP and during the RP, it'll be nice if you keep it updated but it's likely something we'd remember anyway, which is why it's optional.

Other
Anything else you can think of which isn't covered by this template.

Here's a to do list for those who stuck it out to the end so you all know what I still have left to complete.

uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Arts and Specialists class breakdowns
Yokai and Half-Yokai special considerations
A bunch of stuff I came up with just now that kinda needs to go in but I can't put words on them yet (taken care of in addendums)
RP general housekeeping, how posting will go, what to expect, etc. (may go in the proper OOC instead of here)
Character Sheet skeleton (you may be able to figure that out though from everything listed)
OOC thread, including amenities setups like Post 0 or character lists - 25/02/2021 Still working on it
OOC post, probably gonna have to restructure this post since it's kind of a mess for having all the information you'd want to have ready at a moment's notice
First IC post (we would start here at this point, I already have exactly what it is in mind but haven't written it yet)
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