Not my own words, but: "Enjoy memes and have a good time online, but develop a solid sense of self-worth that is rooted in a reality that doesn't disappear when the battery charge is empty."
@The Harbinger of Ferocity I think we're on similar wavelengths. I agree, it's critical GMs know who the characters are and how compatible they will be with the roleplay before they accept or decline them. That goes hand-in-hand with player-GM communication, another important and related topic. Somewhere down the line, before the character is accepted, there has to be dialogue between both parties to affirm expectations about the roleplay and how characters will fit within it. I'd say that communication in itself is an indicator of a player's dedication to their craft and their respect for the GM's work.
It can be said that in accepting a character, you're also accepting their roleplayer. Quality control is an issue in any roleplay that takes itself seriously. I'm coming at this from a 'literary' perspective, you could say. So as much as I understand the length and detail of a character sheet is a sign of quality and dedication to some, I'm not interested in any details that don't pertain to the plot or the character's role in the plot. Speaking for myself, I tend to be concise and to-the-point in my prose. I omit superfluous details, leaving enough to give the reader a sense of setting, mood and action, but not drowning in 'purple prose.' I think character sheets ought to be treated the same way.
Rather than eliminating the character sheet entirely, maybe all that's needed are amendments to give the reader and GM enough information about both the character and the player's writing ability. Something like a name, the barest of physical descriptions, an overview of his 'role' in the roleplay and a writing sample.
I acknowledge this is more or less a roleplaying wet dream and character sheets aren't going anywhere soon. But even if it encourages one budding GM or player to approach the hobby in a different way, I'll be satisfied.
The character sheet is one roleplaying convention every active member of this site is familiar with. It's so ingrained into the experience that it's expected players make one in just about every roleplay. GMs provide sheets to players for record-keeping, so that anyone involved can reference their partners at a glimpse. It's tidy and practical.
The level of depth, however, usually depends on how many sections the GM decides to add to the skeleton. Far too often character sheet skeletons are chock-full of superficial details, like favorite colors, likes, dislikes, full-blown personality analyses, age, sexuality and so on. At times, it feels like some sheets are such complete profiles, that there's nothing else to discover about the character: it's all laid bare for you before you've even got to roleplaying. Everyone knows what to expect from the character already.
I think that's a disservice to storytelling, to the intelligence of your fellow writers, and to the character themselves. When you turn a paperback over to read the plot summary on the back, there's no biography to read. Usually you'll find just a name and the relevance to the plot. The reader is meant to learn more over time, and follow the character(s) over the course of the narrative.
Instead of a sheet, I'd suggest GMs task players with writing samples that show a glimmer of their character. What they're like, how they act, speak and think. That's far more convincing than ticking off a list on a sheet. Instead of telling everyone your character has a short fuse in the sheet, write a scene in which he fumes over trivial details. Don't tell us your character is a 'master marksman,' write a scene in which she proves it by making a seemingly-impossible shot.
That said, I understand the need and/or desire for GMs to gauge their roleplayers' writing abilities, or determine how their characters fit into the world of the roleplay. Not every character is compatible with every setting, and not every roleplayer has the same writing proficiency. That matter is best settled at the interest-check level, with a clear, concise expectation for players to follow. How GMs and players work together to craft compelling, setting-compatible characters, is up to them - either via PMs, the OOC or in chatrooms like Discord.
The fact of the matter is characters are more than just lists of facts and biographies. The narrative is where they thrive, so make that their natural habitat. By all means, make a sheet for yourself so you can reference it and keep the character consistent as you write. But it's time we got rid of the character sheet as we know it and let them speak for themselves.
February 26th, 4901 YDC Keishi, Tokushiman capital A rat-tat-tat turned Viceroy Ito Kazuo’s attention from his papers to the door of his office.
“Come in,” he said. The door opened and in walked Defense Secretary Asai Kioshi, a tall, broad-shouldered man with a salt-and-pepper beard. A katana hung at his side, moreso a symbol of office than a functional weapon, but it was a reminder of Tokushima’s legacy. Of simpler times.
“Viceroy.” Kioshi nodded respectfully and sat when Kazuo gestured at the chair opposite his desk. “You wished to see me?”
Kazuo set aside his papers and lifted his reading glasses from his nose. He rose and stepped over to a beverage cart.
“Sake?” he offered.
“Oh hell, why not,” was Kioshi’s answer. Kazuo procured a bottle and a pair of glasses, and returned to his desk. Each man poured the other’s drink in turn, as was custom. Kazuo raised his glass and threw back his drink.
“I won’t lie to you, Kioshi,” Kazuo said as his throat tingled. “I’m concerned. Very. It’s only a matter of time before tensions escalate in the north. I’m only glad we’re not smack in the middle of the heartlands.”
“I’d hate to live in Avalia right now,” the Defense Secretary said. “Between Vaugemyr and Ecruir, they’ve got it bad.”
“Whole place is a mess. I’m just wondering when Kitagawa will get worse.”
“The Northern Fleet has Kitagawa pinned in a corner. Ecruir can contain the situation while he continues to gain ground in the heartlands. So long as the fleet is there, the Shogunate is out of the equation.”
“Which brings me to something that’s been on my mind. The Fibor,” Kazuo announced.
“They’ve been having oni problems lately,” Kioshi said. He poured another glass for the viceroy and Kazuo followed suit.
“The Fibor are Yllendyr subjects. Ecruir would be within his rights to send elements of the Northern Fleet to aid them.”
“It would,” Kioshi agreed, wiping his mouth. “But his attention is on Kitagawa. The oni are an afterthought in comparison.”
“So why don’t we send aid instead?” Kazuo said. “Think about it. By helping a Yllendyr vassal maintain sovereignty within its lands, we reaffirm Tokushima as a loyal ally to the Imperium. Ecruir’s attention stays on Kitagawa and we gain the support of the Fibor, should the war boil over.”
Kioshi sat back, running his fingers over his chin. “And since Fibor is neutral, we aren’t technically supporting either side.”
“Exactly. The oni are a small threat. It’s not a big risk to us, and it’ll allay any suspicions Ecruir’s gung-ho staff might have about Tokushima,” Kazuo explained.
“I think it’s sound. We can mobilize soon, early March, even.”
“You’re with me, then?” Kazuo asked.
Kioshi nodded. “I am, Viceroy.”
“Excellent. Tomorrow I’ll call the cabinet together and we’ll present it.” Kazuo drained another glass and let out a sigh, not out of exhaustion, but of relief.
- - -
February 27th, 4901 YDC Keishi, Tokushiman capital Kazuo left the conference room in a lively gait with his head high. It felt like his cabinet had agreed on something for the first time in weeks. Defense Secretary Kioshi knew how to craft a convincing argument. Under the veneer of goodwill and respect for the Fibor Dynasty, Tokushima would earn herself some breathing room and with luck, manage to keep herself out of the civil war. Just about everyone in his staff agreed with maintaining neutrality. A few had expressed concerns over doing so this way, but presented no better alternative, so it was decided.
In the coming days, King Inroc III received a letter from Viceroy Ito Kazuo, stating Tokushima’s intentions. It affirmed Kazuo’s wish for cooperation and goodwill between both their nations, and detailed the approximate strength of Tokushima’s peacekeeping force that would assist in the onis’ subjugation. It was sealed with the emblem of the Ito clan and hand-signed by Kazuo himself.
February 3rd, 4901 YDC Keishi, Tokushiman capital Viceroy Ito Kazuo rested his chin on his hands and sighed. It had been nearly three hours, with minor breaks in-between, and still his staff sat around the conference table, hurling arguments across the room. The news of Emperor Naerzo’s death had sent Tokushima into a buzz and deprived an already-exhausted viceroy of rest.
“Ecruir has more influence with the Imperial military,” the Defense Secretary said. “We can’t be sure of the Shogunate’s or the Fibor’s intentions. We need Ecruir’s assets to maintain control in the north.”
“Ecruir is a snake!” the Labor Secretary shot back. “He murdered the Fourth Prince and just as well could be responsible for the assassination of the Crown Prince. Is that a man you’d trust?”
The gravelly rasp of the Defense Secretary shouted back, and more voices added themselves to the din. Kazuo eyed them each from his perch at the head of the table. His head throbbed and pins-and-needles attacked his feet. He was irritated with the lack of progress, but it was also understandable. Tokushima never fostered a close relationship with either prince. The two members of the imperial family Ito had known best were dead and any dialogue with the two that remained would be starting from scratch, almost.
Kazuo wet his lips and stood from his seat. The chorus of dissent softened, then dissolved as he loomed over the table.
“I want to hear from both princes before we declare one way or another.” He turned to his Foreign Affairs Minister. “Send telegrams to both. Tell them Tokushima is open to talks anytime. I’m not rushing into this mess without a clear head. In the meantime, Tokushima will do as it has always done: acknowledge and serve the Yllendyr Imperium to the best of its ability. You’re all dismissed.”
A hush fell over the table as Kazuo’s staff exchanged looks. The Defense Secretary opened his mouth, but Kazuo silenced him with a hand and turned to leave. His cabinet shuffled their papers and followed him out.
- - -
February 14th, 4901 YDC Keishi, Tokushiman capital Kazuo read the letter again, tapping his pen to his lip. It read:
I write to you today with grave news, though you may have already heard it. Upon the death of my father, the Emperor Naerzo, and my brother Vomlur, the Crown Prince, this Imperium was thrown into chaos. My twin brother, Ecruir, has killed the Fourth Prince, has locked down his grip over the capital and the northern cities, and plans even now to kill me and resubjugate the nations of this world under his iron, dictatorial grip.
I write to ask you to lend me your aid. For too long, Yllendyr has been a force for more evil than good upon the world. The time is right for us to rediscover our mission, our purpose in this world. We are the protectors of the realm, not the conquerors and slavedrivers of the realm. I ask for your aid in deposing this evil traitor who would see you all cast once again in chains and whipped yet harder. I ask those who are sworn to Yllendyr, and I ask those who would not see its tyranny reinforced over them again.
As Emperor, I will end the practice of tribute but for what is required simply to pay the maintenance of the Auxilia, and I will grant all vassal nations the right to autonomous self-government in the framework of a federation. Furthermore, I will grant total independence to the five Dominions of the Isles, the Vershellen, the Kitagawa, the Fibor, Tokushima and Endaria. I ask all nations to help in spite of our differences to build a brighter future for all our peoples.
Sincerely, Emperor Olarth
He looked up from the paper to a thin, gaunt man seated opposite. Hanzo Tetsuya, Chief of Staff, shrugged and crossed his legs.
“It does say ‘total independence.’ That’s an awfully big promise to keep. And I can’t imagine Ecruir will take his hands off the reins and let him do it.”
“Certainly not,” Kazuo agreed. “This would be a drastic change to the landscape of the international community. Can the Imperium afford to let go of everything, just like that?”
“Olarth seems like an idealist. I’m not sure if he really grasps the weight of a decision like this. Emperor Naerzo and Crown Prince Vomlur were the movers and shakers. They had the political background and the brothers have to play catch-up.”
“Olarth is the pen, and Ecruir is the sword, if yesterday was any indication.”
“The Kitagawans had it coming, attacking Yllendyr garrisons like that.”
Kazuo grunted an acknowledgement and returned the letter to the desk. The unrest in the Shogunate was on the lips of everyone in the capital ever since the newspapers rolled off the press. Ecruir’s move was a message just as it was a military operation. One that promised retribution to all that defied the Yllendyr Imperium. Or more specifically, his Imperium.
“Ecruir controls the navy. He can project his influence where Olarth can’t. And for that reason, we won’t be declaring support for Olarth.”
“I get the impression you’re not declaring for Ecruir either,” Tetsuya said, squinting at his viceroy.
“Not unless he forces us to. I don’t want to be the one to drag this country into a war because of what happens in Ylleria. We’re a protectorate. We support the Imperium’s policies, answer when called, and that’s all.”
“And when both ‘emperors’ come calling?” Tetsuya asked. “Sooner or later, we may have to decide.”
“I know, Tetsuya,” Kazuo groaned. He ran a hand over the stubble of his scalp and let out a breath of air. “Right now, I’m concerned about spillover from the situation in Kitagawa. Last thing we need is rioting in the streets and Ecruir’s navy knocking on the door.”
Tetsuya looked at his watch, stood and gave him a reassuring grin.
“Hungry?”
“Starving,” Kazuo said.
“Come on, let’s grab a bite and come back to it later.”
Kazuo nodded. He folded Olarth’s letter neatly back into its envelope, dropped it in one of his drawers and followed his Chief of Staff out the door.
Tokushima (lit. Virtuous Island') is an island off the Kitagawa Shogunate's southern coast and a protectorate of the Yllendyr Empire. The island was originally the target of a military expedition to quell raids by pirates, and afterwards was granted to the Ito clan for its role in spearheading the offensive. It was settled by the Yamato, gradually supplanting the indigenous population. The Ito clan has ruled for centuries, formerly as daimyō, now as viceroys under the suzerainty of the Imperium. Yllendyr rule has resulted in widespread modernization of the island’s infrastructure and its military. It was the Imperium’s staging ground for its invasion of the Kitagawa Shogunate and continues to be an important asset to Imperial influence in the north.
Economy
Following Tokushima’s industrial revolution in the wake of contact with the Yllendyr Imperium, textiles were the island’s first major export. Cotton and silk produced in rural home workshops became a cornerstone of the market and were in high demand abroad. Agricultural mills were increasingly becoming steam-powered, increasing their productivity. With the rise of steam power came a demand for coal, a major import of the island. Railways, modern roads and land reforms paved the way for modern development and improved infrastructure. Tokushima implemented new education systems based on that of the Yllendyr, sent thousands of young students to academies abroad and hired foreign professors to teach modern subjects, such as science, technology, mathematics and foreign languages.
Demographics
The vast majority of Tokushima's human population is ethnic Yamato. The influx of Yamato peoples drove out most of the indigenous ogre population, which fled to other islands north of Tokushima (now the Fibor Dynasty). Minor tribes of humans also existed on the island and were integrated into wider Yamato culture. Yllendyr elves are commonplace on the island, most being military advisors, entrepreneurs and academics. Altogether, Tokushima's population numbers about 44.6 million inhabitants.
Culture
Prior to the arrival of the Yllendyr, Tokushima was within the Kitagawa Shogunate’s political and cultural sphere. There is still an underlying belief in bushido among the population, despite a military model based on Yllendyr organization. Tokushima is no longer bound by a traditional class-based system, but the mentality still exists among the older, rural population, and former samurai families proudly reflect on their acclaim. As the country continues to modernize, a duality between traditional and contemporary mannerisms, dress and beliefs is commonplace.
Religious Beliefs
Traditional Yamato religion, Kami-no-michi, is still the dominant belief in Tokushima, albeit with some alterations. The Shogun is not seen as a divine figure, a belief propagated by the Yllendyr after it took the country under its wing. The execution of the Shogun also did much to alter traditional perceptions. There is a growing atheist movement styled around Yllendyr nature reverence. Both religions involve ancestor worship, which has made the new movement palatable to some Yamato.
Location/Territories
In maroon, south of the Shogunate and west of the Fibor Dynasty.
Climate
Like the Fibor Isles, Tokushima is a temperate, forested country with distinct warm and cool seasons. The average annual temperature is moderate - about 37℉ to 60℉. Summers are warm and rainy, while the winter season is dry. Broadleaf, conifer and mixed tree ecoregions are present in Tokushima’s biome.
Military
Because it is a protectorate, rather than a true vassal or client state, Tokushima maintains a standing military, modelled on the Yllendyr Army’s organization and equipment. Yllendyr personnel are a frequent sight be they military advisors or Imperial troops stationed on the island, working in tandem with Tokushima’s forces.
The Tokushiman Army is some 400,000 strong at present, with many of its soldiers hardened by Yllendyr’s attacks on the Kitagawa Shogunate. It is divided into twelve divisions, plus an elite Viceroy Guard division. Each division comprises two infantry brigades, with each brigade having two regiments, and those three battalions each. A division also maintains a cavalry regiment of three squadrons; an artillery regiment of two battalions, three batteries each; a battalion of engineers; and a telegraph company.
The standard infantry rifle of the Tokushiman Army is the Shimizu Type 60 rifle. It is a box-fed bolt-action repeating rifle, with an internal magazine capacity of five rounds. The rifle is chambered for the 6.5mm Shimizu cartridge. A carbine variant exists for cavalry, about twelve inches shorter than the standard rifle. In addition to the Type 60 carbine, cavalrymen carry sabres of roughly 33 inches, giving them the reach to attack infantry below.
The Tokushiman Navy is modelled after the Yllendyr Imperial Navy, with consideration to terms that limit the naval power of protectorates, vassals and client states. Tokushima has hired Yllendyr advisors to train its naval establishment, and likewise has sent students to learn at Yllendyr naval academies. This training has instilled Tokushima’s naval officers with capable gunnery and seamanship skills. As Yllendyr does not permit nations under its influence to maintain battleships, the backbone of Tokushima’s fleet is twelve protected cruisers. A number of corvettes and torpedo boats make up the remainder of the fleet. Tokushima also has a sizeable merchant cruiser fleet it can call on as auxiliary vessels.
Magic Prevalence/Usage and Elemental Alignment
Tokushima’s original Yamato settlers brought their mind magic with them. It is used as a cultural art form, rather than a tool of war, but some schools practice a method of subterfuge with said magic.
History
Tokushima was formerly inhabited by primitive tribes of ogres, orcs and their cousins, like the other islands southwest of Ookijima. Throughout the medieval era, these islands were staging grounds for pirates, who would harry the Azai Shogunate’s southern coast and disrupt the flow of trade. In 1693, the Azai decided they would no longer tolerate this. They sent an army led by the retainer Ito Kageharu to quell the raids. The next few years saw a series of naval actions against the pirate bands in the south, which would steamroll into a full-fledged invasion of the islands. What was intended to be a precise attack to halt piracy became a military expansion.
Tokushima was named after the expansion, and was granted to the Ito clan as a reward for its service. It was now an official province of the Shogunate. Yamato farmers were given incentives to leave the mainland and work Tokushima’s lands. Ookijima’s daimyōs kept on a long leash, however, and the shogun could not prevent civil war from breaking out when they reached their boiling point. As the Azai Shogunate’s power fractured, Tokushima became more and more independent from the mainland.
Tokushima came into its own as a power in the region when it defeated the neighboring Hog Dynasty. The Hog was forced to cede control of swathes of land to the Ito, and its defeat paved the way for the Fibor Dynasty to succeed it. With this victory, Tokushima drifted further from Ookijima’s political sphere, which was now under the reign of the Rokkaku Shogunate.
When the Rokkaku Shogunate collapsed, the Ito formally announced Tokushima’s independence. Without a standing army or central government, Tokushima’s move went uncontested. As the daimyōs warred on Ookijima, Tokushima turned its attention elsewhere, to the newly-established Fibor Dynasty and other continents.
The next few centuries saw changes in Tokushima’s political climate that would erode the power of the elite. Ito Takumi ascended to the head of the Ito clan and adopted a style of rule based on the enlightened absolutism movement of two years prior. Under Takumi, the power of Tokushiman nobility was diminished and peasants were granted stronger legal rights. He promoted the growth of commerce, establishment of cultural and educational institutions and religious tolerance.
Six decades later, abuses of power by Daimyō Ito Ryouichi lead to a peasant revolt. The cowardly Ryouichi abdicated, leaving his brother Nobu as daimyō. Nobu was in favor of peace, and he opened dialogue with the revolt’s leaders to seek an amenable solution. The talks resulted in the drafting of Tokushima’s first official constitution. While the Ito were allowed to maintain their rule, the nobility were virtually stripped of their former power. The peasantry gained representation at the local level and could hold local offices. The constitution also separated Tokushima’s executive and judicial branches into distinct entities.
The Yllendyr first made contact with Tokushima in 4825 YDC. The Yllendyr brought with them weapons and machines the Yamato had never seen before and Daimyō Ito Katashi was interested in their technology and culture. A relatively bloodless confrontation resulted in Tokushima accepting the status of an Imperial protectorate. The country was effectively independent and in-control of its internal affairs, but its foreign policy was to be controlled by the Yllendyr. Ito Katashi allowed the Yllendyr to undergo modernization efforts across Tokushima. In the Imperium, he saw a chance to expand Tokushima’s influence and increase its quality of life.
In 4832 YDC, the Imperium launched an invasion of Ookijima. Tokushima was to be the staging ground of the operation, and was ordered to lend military aid to the war effort. The attack forced Ookijima’s daimyōs to cooperate in an unparalleled level of unity, giving rise to the Kitagawa Shogunate. However, Yllendyr was undaunted. With superior military technology, tactics and manpower, the Shogunate fell.
The Yamato people were divided - those on the mainland harbored a resentment for the Yllendyr that persists to this day, while the Tokushimans readily accepted the Yllendyr and their modernization. Tokushiman public opinion weighed in favor of the Ookijima invasion. Many believed the attack was the first step in enlightening a backwards country that still clung to a shogun. When the Yllendyr executed the shogun in 4840, many felt it would herald progress.
As modernization efforts continued and Tokushiman soldiers returned victorious from Ookijima, the public lauded the Yllendyr and the Ito clan. The nation has generally held monarchist sympathies since. A unique cultural phenomenon has emerged, combining traditional Yamato aesthetics with modern Yllendyr values and mannerisms.
Name: Gauthier Blanchard Titles: Royal Witch Hunter, Field Agent Age: 52 Race/Ethnicity: Human Continent of Origin: Carthus Gender: Male Class/Subclass: Witch Hunter
Physical Attributes
Height: 5’ 6” Weight: 167 lbs. Appearance Description: Gauthier is a stocky, broad-shouldered bear of a man. What he lacks in height he makes up for in girth - a heavyset frame and slabs of muscle, tempered by years in the field. His face is lined by age, head balding and chin hidden beneath a thick nest of hair, but his eyes shine with purpose, belying the wrinkles at their corners. Sausage-like fingers and rough, calloused hands are the product of a life on the road, at home wrapped around the hilt of a sword or grip of a pistol. Though aged, Gauthier carries himself with the gait and energy of a man half his years. His reflexes are still sharp - though maybe not quite as fast as they used to be. Day To Day Attire: A plumed, wide-brimmed hat and greatcoat give Gauthier a distinctive appearance, adding to the bulk of his frame. Affixed to his garments are prayers and litanies to ward away the fog’s corruption. He wears a pair of thick boots and leather gloves on the trail and is protected by an ornate chestplate - a gift from House Lacroix for his service to Vicelles. While the craftsmanship is still impressive, its luster is no longer as bright and it bears the marks of battle.
Psychological Attributes
Honest * Stubborn * Resourceful * Grim
Sexuality: Heterosexual Relationship Status: Single Personality: Ever since Gauthier left prison, he’s sought to reverse his ways and become a better man. The path from criminal to witch hunter meant he’d be a protector of humanity, no longer a predator. He resolved to be an honest man - no lying, no cheating. He speaks what he knows to be true, and does his best to make good on his word. Gauthier is an altruist, concerned for the wellbeing and happiness of his fellows. He’s convinced in the virtue of his work - that it keeps people safe and able to live normal lives. Sometimes, however, the ideals he aspires to aren’t enough. Sometimes people go missing in the night, or a mangled body is found behind a barn, or a small hamlet suddenly goes quiet. The reality of the situation is Gauthier simply cannot save everybody in Vicelles, and that pains him.
Gauthier’s youth of crime imparted experience that comes in handy in his battle against the fog and its creations. Ever the opportunist, he can think on his feet and make the best of a bad situation. Anything can be used to gain the upper hand in a scuffle. It is this resourcefulness that has saved his life more than once. A life of crime also gave him a certain intuition when it comes to reading people and situations.
Habits:
Gauthier keeps his head on a swivel, constantly checks over his shoulder and never sits with his back to a door.
Gauthier keeps a journal of the deeds he’s done in service to the witch hunters, and occasionally keeps small mementos - a vampire fang here, harpy talon there, etc.
Beard scratching.
Hobbies:
In his travels, Gauthier has come to appreciate horses. He enjoys riding and caring for them, and knows a thing or two about different breeds and appraising them.
Fears:
Failure. More than anything, Gauthier is afraid of his inability to act in the face of danger, and the consequences that might have. He wants to defend those who cannot, and the idea of failing to do so is an anathema to him.
Gauthier fears that someday his past will catch up with him - that someone, somewhere, might recognize him for who he was, that old grudges may demand settling, and unsolved crimes answered for.
The fog. Though he has sworn himself to fight it, Gauthier, like most, is deeply unsettled by the nature of the fog. There isn’t a day he spends hunting its offspring where he is not, even a little, afraid.
Likes:
Horses
Music
Hunting
A strong pint
Une belle femme
When a plan comes together
Dislikes:
Crime
Monsters
Constraining supervision
Abuse of power
The fog
When a plan falls apart
Skills
Marksmanship: Gauthier has had plenty of time to practice his shooting skills over his fifty-two year lifespan. He can hit a target reliably - depending on the reliability of the gun, of course.
Horsemanship: With a fascination of horses comes the know-how of riding and care.
Resourcefulness: Gauthier can think quickly and act to impending predicaments, using tools and the environment to even the odds.
Witch/monster hunting: Naturally, Gauthier is proficient at his occupation. He’s trained to track, hunt and eliminate threats caused by the fog and undermine its influence where found. This includes combating insidious magic and those who wield it.
Intuition: Gauthier has a knack for reading situations and people. With relative accuracy, he can decide whether to run or fight, who to trust, who to be wary of, discern a lie from truth, and so on. Of course, he isn’t infallible, but is often right more than he is wrong.
Possessions
{This list is optional, but may be useful for you!}
Possessions Generally On Person:
TBA
Weapons:
Matchlock pistols: Gauthier carries a pair of matchlock pistols of Kopenbect design. Unlike muzzle-loading matchlocks, these are loaded from the breech, by unscrewing the barrel from the chamber. As a result, no ramrod is needed to push the bullet in place. The barrels are rifled for accuracy and are tapered from the breech to the muzzle. The dimension of the ball is larger than the barrel’s bore, eliminating the need for wadding. The barrel’s taper compresses the ball to fit the bore as it is fired. These pistols generate high gas pressure behind the ball, achieving greater muzzle velocity than muzzle-loading guns. Formerly carried by witch hunter Alain Dupont, these were passed on to Gauthier upon the former’s retirement.
More TBA
Armor:
TBA
Pack Contents:
TBA
Magical Items:
TBA
Potions:
TBA
Creation Materials:
TBA
History
History: Gauthier was not always the virtuous hunter of corruption that he is today. His father died fighting in a border conflict when he was young, and he spent much of his youth without a strong masculine figure. As a result, he fell in with an unscrupulous crowd, eventually earning pocket change as a runner for a gang of outlaws. First, he ran messages. Then, he started running illicit goods, weapons, sums of money and other shady packages. He progressed through the hierarchy as he aged and earned the trust of his handlers, becoming street-level muscle and then something of a lieutenant for the local boss. He had blood on his hands by age fifteen, and into his twenties, he was notorious within his locale as a tracker, assassin and a sharpshooter.
Gauthier’s life as a career criminal changed when his gang acted on bad intelligence and assaulted a caravan under the protection of a high-ranking family. Most were killed in the ensuing skirmish, but Gauthier surrendered, having suffered a broken bone. He rotted away in the dungeons for a time, subsisting on dirty water and table scraps, before a man dressed in a high-collared coat and wide-brimmed hat opened the door to his cell and asked to speak with him. The visitor introduced himself as “Alain Dupont, Royal Witch Hunter.” Gauthier’s notoriety had not escaped the witch hunters who, as Alain explained, were looking for someone of his skillset. Gauthier could be a free man again - under the stipulation he repent his sins, put his past life behind him, and join the witch hunters.
With nothing else to look forward to, except the moldy walls of his prison, Gauthier agreed. He’d had plenty of time to dwell on his crimes until now, and had already started to grow penitent in custody. If he could absolve himself by serving the witch hunters, so be it. Under Alain’s tutelage, Gauthier became an apprentice witch hunter and learned the fundamentals of the profession. He refined his martial skills, became versed in esoteric knowledge to combat and identify magic and monsters of the fog, and underwent regular spiritual discipline to purify his mind against corruption and vice. He was also made to swear fealty to the throne and the Lacroix line. For the first year, he shadowed Alain on his travels, assisting and learning from the veteran hunter.
Gauthier found his new trade to be a natural fit, and came to appreciate the work he did - now he was tracking, trapping and slaying monsters and deviants, rather than honest men of Vicelles. He was elevated from apprentice to a fully-fledged field agent at age 29, and could now operate independently, under the crown’s jurisdiction. Presently, he has spent nearly 23 years as a witch hunter in the field, a veteran in his own right. Repentant of his past and yearning only to leave the world in a better state than he found it, Gauthier has taken to working with the Order of Vigilance to find a cure for the blight that preys on Vicelles.
Posting my sheet for approval! Because the possessions lists are optional, most are blank for now, but will be filled out in the near future. Just want to get to writing!
Gauthier Blanchard
Character Summary
Name: Gauthier Blanchard Titles: Royal Witch Hunter, Field Agent Age: 52 Race/Ethnicity: Human Continent of Origin: Carthus Gender: Male Class/Subclass: Witch Hunter
Physical Attributes
Height: 5’ 6” Weight: 167 lbs. Appearance Description: Gauthier is a stocky, broad-shouldered bear of a man. What he lacks in height he makes up for in girth - a heavyset frame and slabs of muscle, tempered by years in the field. His face is lined by age, head balding and chin hidden beneath a thick nest of hair, but his eyes shine with purpose, belying the wrinkles at their corners. Sausage-like fingers and rough, calloused hands are the product of a life on the road, at home wrapped around the hilt of a sword or grip of a pistol. Though aged, Gauthier carries himself with the gait and energy of a man half his years. His reflexes are still sharp - though maybe not quite as fast as they used to be. Day To Day Attire: A plumed, wide-brimmed hat and greatcoat give Gauthier a distinctive appearance, adding to the bulk of his frame. Affixed to his garments are prayers and litanies to ward away the fog’s corruption. He wears a pair of thick boots and leather gloves on the trail and is protected by an ornate chestplate - a gift from House Lacroix for his service to Vicelles. While the craftsmanship is still impressive, its luster is no longer as bright and it bears the marks of battle.
Psychological Attributes
Honest * Stubborn * Resourceful * Grim
Sexuality: Heterosexual Relationship Status: Single Personality: Ever since Gauthier left prison, he’s sought to reverse his ways and become a better man. The path from criminal to witch hunter meant he’d be a protector of humanity, no longer a predator. He resolved to be an honest man - no lying, no cheating. He speaks what he knows to be true, and does his best to make good on his word. Gauthier is an altruist, concerned for the wellbeing and happiness of his fellows. He’s convinced in the virtue of his work - that it keeps people safe and able to live normal lives. Sometimes, however, the ideals he aspires to aren’t enough. Sometimes people go missing in the night, or a mangled body is found behind a barn, or a small hamlet suddenly goes quiet. The reality of the situation is Gauthier simply cannot save everybody in Vicelles, and that pains him.
Gauthier’s youth of crime imparted experience that comes in handy in his battle against the fog and its creations. Ever the opportunist, he can think on his feet and make the best of a bad situation. Anything can be used to gain the upper hand in a scuffle. It is this resourcefulness that has saved his life more than once. A life of crime also gave him a certain intuition when it comes to reading people and situations.
Habits:
Gauthier keeps his head on a swivel, constantly checks over his shoulder and never sits with his back to a door.
Gauthier keeps a journal of the deeds he’s done in service to the witch hunters, and occasionally keeps small mementos - a vampire fang here, harpy talon there, etc.
Beard scratching.
Hobbies:
In his travels, Gauthier has come to appreciate horses. He enjoys riding and caring for them, and knows a thing or two about different breeds and appraising them.
Fears:
Failure. More than anything, Gauthier is afraid of his inability to act in the face of danger, and the consequences that might have. He wants to defend those who cannot, and the idea of failing to do so is an anathema to him.
Gauthier fears that someday his past will catch up with him - that someone, somewhere, might recognize him for who he was, that old grudges may demand settling, and unsolved crimes answered for.
The fog. Though he has sworn himself to fight it, Gauthier, like most, is deeply unsettled by the nature of the fog. There isn’t a day he spends hunting its offspring where he is not, even a little, afraid.
Likes:
Horses
Music
Hunting
A strong pint
Une belle femme
When a plan comes together
Dislikes:
Crime
Monsters
Constraining supervision
Abuse of power
The fog
When a plan falls apart
Skills
Marksmanship: Gauthier has had plenty of time to practice his shooting skills over his fifty-two year lifespan. He can hit a target reliably - depending on the reliability of the gun, of course.
Horsemanship: With a fascination of horses comes the know-how of riding and care.
Resourcefulness: Gauthier can think quickly and act to impending predicaments, using tools and the environment to even the odds.
Witch/monster hunting: Naturally, Gauthier is proficient at his occupation. He’s trained to track, hunt and eliminate threats caused by the fog and undermine its influence where found. This includes combating insidious magic and those who wield it.
Intuition: Gauthier has a knack for reading situations and people. With relative accuracy, he can decide whether to run or fight, who to trust, who to be wary of, discern a lie from truth, and so on. Of course, he isn’t infallible, but is often right more than he is wrong.
Possessions
{This list is optional, but may be useful for you!}
Possessions Generally On Person:
TBA
Weapons:
Matchlock pistols: Gauthier carries a pair of matchlock pistols of Kopenbect design. Unlike muzzle-loading matchlocks, these are loaded from the breech, by unscrewing the barrel from the chamber. As a result, no ramrod is needed to push the bullet in place. The barrels are rifled for accuracy and are tapered from the breech to the muzzle. The dimension of the ball is larger than the barrel’s bore, eliminating the need for wadding. The barrel’s taper compresses the ball to fit the bore as it is fired. These pistols generate high gas pressure behind the ball, achieving greater muzzle velocity than muzzle-loading guns. Formerly carried by witch hunter Alain Dupont, these were passed on to Gauthier upon the former’s retirement.
More TBA
Armor:
TBA
Pack Contents:
TBA
Magical Items:
TBA
Potions:
TBA
Creation Materials:
TBA
History
History: Gauthier was not always the virtuous hunter of corruption that he is today. His father died fighting in a border conflict when he was young, and he spent much of his youth without a strong masculine figure. As a result, he fell in with an unscrupulous crowd, eventually earning pocket change as a runner for a gang of outlaws. First, he ran messages. Then, he started running illicit goods, weapons, sums of money and other shady packages. He progressed through the hierarchy as he aged and earned the trust of his handlers, becoming street-level muscle and then something of a lieutenant for the local boss. He had blood on his hands by age fifteen, and into his twenties, he was notorious within his locale as a tracker, assassin and a sharpshooter.
Gauthier’s life as a career criminal changed when his gang acted on bad intelligence and assaulted a caravan under the protection of a high-ranking family. Most were killed in the ensuing skirmish, but Gauthier surrendered, having suffered a broken bone. He rotted away in the dungeons for a time, subsisting on dirty water and table scraps, before a man dressed in a high-collared coat and wide-brimmed hat opened the door to his cell and asked to speak with him. The visitor introduced himself as “Alain Dupont, Royal Witch Hunter.” Gauthier’s notoriety had not escaped the witch hunters who, as Alain explained, were looking for someone of his skillset. Gauthier could be a free man again - under the stipulation he repent his sins, put his past life behind him, and join the witch hunters.
With nothing else to look forward to, except the moldy walls of his prison, Gauthier agreed. He’d had plenty of time to dwell on his crimes until now, and had already started to grow penitent in custody. If he could absolve himself by serving the witch hunters, so be it. Under Alain’s tutelage, Gauthier became an apprentice witch hunter and learned the fundamentals of the profession. He refined his martial skills, became versed in esoteric knowledge to combat and identify magic and monsters of the fog, and underwent regular spiritual discipline to purify his mind against corruption and vice. He was also made to swear fealty to the throne and the Lacroix line. For the first year, he shadowed Alain on his travels, assisting and learning from the veteran hunter.
Gauthier found his new trade to be a natural fit, and came to appreciate the work he did - now he was tracking, trapping and slaying monsters and deviants, rather than honest men of Vicelles. He was elevated from apprentice to a fully-fledged field agent at age 29, and could now operate independently, under the crown’s jurisdiction. Presently, he has spent nearly 23 years as a witch hunter in the field, a veteran in his own right. Repentant of his past and yearning only to leave the world in a better state than he found it, Gauthier has taken to working with the Order of Vigilance to find a cure for the blight that preys on Vicelles.
Tokushima (lit. Virtuous Island') is an island off the Kitagawa Shogunate's southern coast and a protectorate of the Yllendyr Empire. The island was originally the target of a military expedition to quell raids by pirates, and afterwards was granted to the Ito clan for its spearheading of the offensive. It was settled by the Yamato, gradually supplanting the indigenous population. The island used to be under the control of Ito’s daimyō, but the title was changed to viceroy after it fell under the suzerainty of the Yllendyr. Yllendyr rule has resulted in widespread modernization of the island’s infrastructure and its military. It was been the Imperium’s staging ground for its invasion of the Kitagawa Shogunate and continues to be an important asset to Imperial influence in the north.
Economy
Following Tokushima’s industrial revolution in the wake of contact with the Yllendyr Imperium, textiles were the island’s first major export. Cotton and silk produced in rural home workshops became a cornerstone of the market and were in high demand abroad. Agricultural mills were increasingly becoming steam-powered, increasing their productivity. With the rise of steam power came a demand for coal, a major import of the island. Railways, modern roads and land reforms paved the way for modern development and improved infrastructure. Tokushima implemented new education systems based on that of the Yllendyr, sent thousands of young students to academies abroad and hired foreign professors to teach modern subjects, such as science, technology, mathematics and foreign languages.
Demographics
The vast majority of Tokushima's human population is ethnic Yamato. The influx of Yamato peoples drove out most of the indigenous ogre population, which fled to other islands north of Tokushima (now the Fibor Dynasty). Minor tribes of humans also existed on the island and were integrated into wider Yamato culture. Yllendyr elves are commonplace on the island, most being military advisors, entrepreneurs and academics. Altogether, Tokushima's population numbers about 44.6 million inhabitants.
Culture
Prior to the arrival of the Yllendyr, Tokushima was within the Kitagawa Shogunate’s political and cultural sphere. There is still an underlying belief in bushido among the population, despite a military model based on Yllendyr organization. Tokushima is no longer bound by a traditional class-based system, but the mentality still exists among the older, rural population, and former samurai families proudly reflect on their acclaim. As the country continues to modernize, a duality between traditional and contemporary mannerisms, dress and beliefs is commonplace.
Religious Beliefs
Traditional Yamato religion, Kami-no-michi, is still the dominant belief in Tokushima, albeit with some alterations. The Shogun is not seen as a divine figure, a belief propagated by the Yllendyr after it took the country under its wing. The execution of the Shogun also did much to alter traditional perceptions. There is a growing atheist movement styled around Yllendyr nature reverence. Both religions involve ancestor worship, which has made the new movement palatable to some Yamato.
Location/Territories
In maroon, south of the Shogunate and west of the Fibor Dynasty.
Climate
Like the Fibor Isles, Tokushima is a temperate, forested country with distinct warm and cool seasons. The average annual temperature is moderate - about 37℉ to 60℉. Summers are warm and rainy, while the winter season is dry. Broadleaf, conifer and mixed tree ecoregions are present in Tokushima’s biome.
Military
Because it is a protectorate, rather than a true vassal or client state, Tokushima maintains a standing military, modelled on the Yllendyr Army’s organization and equipment. Yllendyr personnel are a frequent sight be they military advisors or Imperial troops stationed on the island, working in tandem with Tokushima’s forces.
The Tokushiman Army is some 400,000 strong at present, with many of its soldiers hardened by Yllendyr’s attacks on the Ashikaga Shogunate. It is divided into twelve divisions, plus an elite Viceroy Guard division. Each division comprises two infantry brigades, with each brigade having two regiments, and those three battalions each. A division also maintains a cavalry regiment of three squadrons; an artillery regiment of two battalions, three batteries each; a battalion of engineers; and a telegraph company.
The standard infantry rifle of the Tokushiman Army is the Shimizu Type 60 rifle. It is a box-fed bolt-action repeating rifle, with an internal magazine capacity of five rounds. The rifle is chambered for the 6.5mm Shimizu cartridge. A carbine variant exists for cavalry, about twelve inches shorter than the standard rifle. In addition to the Type 60 carbine, cavalrymen carry sabres of roughly 33 inches, giving them the reach to attack infantry below.
The Tokushiman Navy has undergone complete modernization, with many ships of its fleet having been made in Yllendyr shipyards. At present, it comprises six battleships, eight armored cruisers, nine cruisers, 24 destroyers and 63 torpedo boats. The navy has reached out to foreign companies to contract a submarine fleet, and currently has five submarines in operation. The navy’s flagship, Akagi, is the only one of its class, based on an modified Yllendyr class design. It is among the most powerful warships in service across the globe.
Magic Prevalence/Usage and Elemental Alignment
Tokushima’s original Yamato settlers brought their mind magic with them. It is used as a cultural art form, rather than a tool of war, but some schools practice a method of subterfuge with said magic.
History
Tokushima was formerly inhabited by primitive tribes of ogres, orcs and their cousins, like the other islands southwest of the Shogunate. Throughout the medieval era, these islands were staging grounds for pirates, who would harry the Shogunate’s southern coast and disrupt the flow of trade. In 1693, the Shogunate decided it would no longer tolerate this and sent an army led by Ito Kageharu to quell the raids. The next few years saw a series of naval actions against the pirate bands in the south, which would steamroll into a fully-fledged invasion of the islands. What was intended to be a precise attack to halt piracy became a military expansion.
Tokushima was given its name after the expansion, and was given by the shogun to the Ito clan, a reward for its service in the pirate war. With this act, it became an official province of the Shogunate. Yamato farmers were given incentives to leave the mainland and work Tokushima’s lands. Ookijima’s daimyos were never wholly under the yoke of the shogun, however, and he could not prevent civil war from breaking out when the unruly daimyos reached their boiling point. As the Shogunate’s power fractured, Tokushima became increasingly more independent from the mainland.
The Yllendyr first made contact with Tokushima in 1825. With a weak Shogun and civil war on the mainland, Tokushima was left to its own devices. The Yllendyr brought with them weapons and machines the Yamato had never seen before, and Ito, present head of the Itoclan, became interested and open to foreign ways. Seeing a chance to establish its influence in the north and destabilize the Shogunate further, the Yllendyr negotiated with the Ito clan, established trade and started the process of modernization on Tokushima. In exchange, Ito pledged its service to Yllendyr, who it saw as capable of bringing order to a destabilized Shogunate, and became an Imperial protectorate.
In a way, the Ito were right - the Yllendyr attack on Ookijima forced the daimyos to cooperate. This was an unparalleled level of unity, even resulting in the establishment of an effective shogun. However, Yllendyr was undaunted. With superior military technology, tactics and manpower, the Shogunate fell. Tokushima was the Yllendyr’s principal staging ground for their assaults, and many Tokushiman Yamato fought on their behalf.
The Yamato people were divided - those on the mainland harbored a resentment for the Yllendyr that persists still, while the Tokushimans, who readily accepted the Yllendyr, looked upon the elves more favorably. But now, with the Imperium divided between supporters of Olarth and Ecuir, Tokushima once again finds itself in control of its own destiny.
Alright, everything is filled out. May expand on what I have in the near future, but I think it's presentable.
Member
Plank Sinatra
