vietmyke

SPIRITUM

_{Fun fact: If you click the picture, music will play.}

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_{F A S T F A C T S
▲ Futuristic Fantasy setting
▲ Action, adventure, drama, romance, and mystery.
▲ Magic, airships, magitek, eldritch abominations and one hell of a road trip.
▲ Story shaped by the players. World-building encouraged.
▲ The RP itself will most likely progress at a slower pace, as people have other commitments that of course must come first.}

_{P I T C H}

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And cometh the swallowing darkness.
A blighted destiny by sinners south,
leaving only tragedy by powers wrought.
By hands of Lyssa and the touch of her lips,
those brought pure will face the tide.
Despair not for those lost in the darkness
but look towards the peace of the new dawn.
Canticle of Fajjar 17:1

The story of Spiritum is about a world known as Yerin, a world where magic and technology have mixed and flowed together for centuries. Long before man had conquered the world, creating massive metropolises, machines that could soar among the very heavens, and highways that stretched seemingly endless across the horizon, before it all a pact was made with the Gods. In exchange for our eternal reverence they taught us the secrets of magic, the ability to draw from the Astral Mist to bend and shape reality in ways thought to be unimaginable. The Gods gave them the gifts of powerful and magical minerals descending from the heavens in floating islands, and embedding themselves over and around the lands of Yerin. Large concentrations of these minerals fueled the industrialization of the world, and would form the centers upon which great civilizations would form around. Referred to as Levistone, when refined into Etherium fuel, these magical minerals served as power sources, mechanisms to enable flight, and the backbone of which modern technology would be built on.

It would be these valuable minerals which would nearly plunge the world into ruin due to greed and malice in equal parts. One of the kingdoms that had formed around massive deposit of Levistone would one day become the sprawling Vangar Empire. Over time the Vangar evolved into a strong military and industrial powerhouse. They used the Levistone to fuel their army and industry and over time the large deposits across their lands began to run empty. To ensure their continued prosperity, Vangar began to invade the many lesser kingdoms around them to secure their Levistone supplies for their own use.

This cycle has lead to the current state affairs with the Vangar-Rassvet conflict. The small Kingdom of Rassvet was a small but influential land with a storied history dating back to when the Pact was made. Rassvet followed a policy of strict isolation and neutrality for most of its existence, preferring to keep out of major conflicts whenever they could. Careful guarding and use of their own Levistone deposits have preserved them to state of potential power unmatched in all of Yerin. Seeing an opportunity to secure a massive boon to their Empire, the Vangar marched into Rassvet with the intent to annex the kingdom and secure their prosperity for the near future.

Leading the charge against the Vangar invasion is a special branch of the Rassvet military known as WARDEN. Selected from a very young age based upon their aptitude to draw upon the Mist, these warriors possessing both martial and magical skill far above the standard soldier. With the help of these warriors, the Rassvet army has managed to hold the much larger Vangar Excursionary Force at bay for a little over six months now. Though day by day the Vangar continue to gain ground and casualties mount in the thousands on both sides.

All the while the coming darkness as foretold by the Oracles themselves approaches. Many believe it is a product of the war and the dead. The corpses and the smell of blood driving the monsters from their hiding places mad with a ravenous lust for blood. Many also theorize that the rapid mining and usage of Levistone disrupting dens of monsters, and bringing them out into the forefront.

Among all of this, the story of Spiritum focus upon a group of freshly graduated WARDENs intent on going on one last road trip as a sort of collective 'family' before they are shipped out to the front lines. Par for the course things don't go as planned. One series of unforeseen events later eventually leads to this group coming to escort a young child with a mysterious necklace connected to the coming darkness and hunted by both Rassvet and Vangar on a world spanning journey to save it all.

_{O O C I N F O}

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Come check out our Discord

Welcome one and all to Spiritum, a reboot of a reboot of @Hexaflexagon's Spiritum RP. two parts Final Fantasy, and one part Lord of the Rings, Spiritum is a story about nations and nationalism, moral quandaries, plucky adventurers and the lengths at which individuals will go to preserve their power.

The world of Yerin is a living and breathing one. A world with its own convoluted and sometimes purely idiotic history spanning backwards thousands of years. It's a world with its own backstabbing aristocrats, religions, cultures, heroes, and prophecies. Yet at the same time much of this background has been intentionally left as vague snippets. Allowing players to add to the lore as little or as much as they please.

The story itself will go at a slower pace focusing more upon character interaction and development in the interest of creating good scenes and interactions between players rather than rushing forward from action set piece to action set piece. The focus always being on telling a good story. It's a strange tale about friendship, war, the inevitability of oblivion, the burden of fate, and the choices we make. But hey if it sounds like your thing well then why don't you come and say hi?

_{T H E C O M P E N D I U M}

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General world-building stuff for your reading pleasure. More will be added as we go on.

Y E R I N

Yerin is a planet roughly the size of Earth with an orbital period of 400 days. There is one unified supercontinent roughly the size of Pangea surrounded by a smattering of islands almost 25,000 in number, the largest of which is roughly the size of Alaska. As is expected temperatures are warmest near the equator and gradually become cooler as you approach the extreme north and south. The geography is varied from seemingly endless deserts to soaring mountains that stretch far into the sky. Civilization has left its mark upon this geography. Highways snake across the land connecting cities, forests are cleared to make perfectly calculated crop fields and land is torn upon to access the precious minerals beneath.

Though it would be foolish to say that man has conquered Yerin. The planet's wild spirit roars loudly. Beasts of all kinds roam the lands, many large enough to destroy most with nought but a flick of there claws. Large wyvrns and other flying creatures rule the skies harrassimg airships that dare to fly through thier territory. The seas are no better home to leviathans that would glady drag an unsuspecting sailor to an early watery grave. Due to the general ferocity of much of the local fauna, the people of Yerin have come to a cautious respect of the living world around them in most things.

All in all 10/10 would visit again.

R A S S V E T

A small kingdom surrounded on three sides by the outerlaying Vangar provinces and on one side by the ocean. Once a small collection of loosely united city states under the protective aura of a large network of Levistone- the largest placed in the center of its Capitol referred to as the Bastion- united close to 1,000 years ago by King Tyrol after centuries of infighting. Ever since then Rassvet has prided itself as an intellectual and cultural powerhouse among the nations of Yerin. Birthplace of the Industrial Revolution which propelled the world into modern era, many come flocking to its lands to pursue intellectual and business endeavors. Nevertheless, the real power that the kingdom possess is not in its people but upon the natural bounty they live upon. Along with massive deposits of Levistone, courtesy of its nearby floating islands, alongside abundant veins of iron and mithril in its hills and mountains, Rassvet materials are shipped around all of Yerin to be used in everything from cellular devices to tanks and ensures the continued prosperity of the kingdom.

Following a small and almost bloodless civil war, between nationalist and royalist parties almost 200 years ago Rassvet became a constitutional monarchy. Most of the power these days is held by the Royal Assembly. The Assembly is composed of 51 individuals, fifty of which are voted on by the citzenery and one of which is appointed by the King. The Assembly is generally considered a rather corrupt establishment run by bribes and the will of the donors. Nevertheless, it gets its job done and the people are generally willing to overlook said corruption. Having a general directive to keep trade flowing and insure businesses continue to invest in their lands the assembly follows a strict neutrality policy in any and all conflicts.

When Vangar invaded, the military was blindsided despite its stronger defensive position. Vangar armor rolled across farmland, airships bombed military aerodomes and infantary stormed underprepared border forts. The defenders were shattered and crushing blow after crushing blow pushed the Rassvet line to a stone's throw of the capital Orestia. Artillery smashed into the city that historians called the 'shining flame of progress', skyscrapers were turned to heaps of rubble and even the Royal Palace was partly damaged in the shelling that commenced. Morale weakened by the day and Vangar higher ups expected the Royal Assembly to offer a peace deal within the month.

The siege would only be broken by none other then Prince Fenris, eldest son of King Balthazar and a career military man. Fenris was promoted to General of the Armies to take on a job that five other men with twice his experience could not. Willing to take the drastic numerical losses needed to break the Vangar siege he give the Rassvet military its first victory it had seen in weeks. Slowly the Vangar have been pushed back to the border that they once easily took control of after a decisive campaign by Rassvet to push deep into Imperial territory.

V A N G A R

The mightiest sovereign state in Yerin. Originally a republic governed by a sprawling senate, the rise of the military brought about the shift to an imperial system 400 years ago. With the change in governance, Vangar began invading its neighboring lands, securing their land and resources, quickly becoming the largest realm in Yerin. While in the past the emperor was traditionally of the military, a purge of key figures in the military by emperor's long past lead to a brutal civil war making Vangar into an absolute monarchy.

While Rassvet may have been the birthplace of industrialization it was Vangar that harnessed it to its full potential. Using the power of factories and the assembly line they were able to supply there military at staggering speeds to fuel thier almost constant war economy. It was Vangar that perfected the magitek equipment that almost all modern infantry uses in combat. Though because of this Vangar is trapped in a endless cycle. They harvest resources, those resources are used to supply the army, supplies run low so they invade other nations and the cycle continues.

The current one in charge of perpetuating this cycle is High General Zalser Auckwaeld. The current head of the Imperial Excursionary Force, Zalser is of a different make than most Vangar Generals. Born in a lower middle class family rather than the auspices of the nobility, he worked his way to the top through hard work and dedication. At thirty three years of he is one of the youngest generals in the history of the Empire. Young, charismatic, loyal, and a tactical prodigy he serves as the face of a land whose capital is thousands of miles away.

F A I T H

There is one major religion in Yerin, the Order of Dawn. The Order is one of the oldest continually operating organizations in the world. Taking dominance after several religious wars about several hundred years prior the Order can be found almost everywhere. Independent of any government cathedrals and shrines can be found in almost every major city. While they technically hold no political sway outside of the border of Fazra, the floating city (the holy seat of the order) many governments cast edicts that favor the Order. The general idea being that it is easier to keep them appeased than have them declaring religious war against you.

The public are familiar with two major faces of the Order, the inquisitors and the maidens. The madiens tend to the day to day operations of the Order's many buildings. They offer guidance, spiritual healing and the occasional if rare exorcism. Generally there numbers are made up of orphaned young girls that are taken in and raised by the Order. They are taught how to harness magical power to perform a variety of miracles. The inquisitors on the other hand are the martial branch of the Order. Most serve as the police and defenders of Fazra from those that would wish to harm the holy city. Some though are seen throughout Yerin hunting down heretics per ancient accords signed generations ago. These inquisitors are more like special forces than any religious group rooting out those that would spread unpure words across the land.

M A G I C

Magic is the art of being able to pull from the Astral Mist. The Mist is the surrounding energy that encompass the space around Yerin in its plane of reality. Stars and galaxies are not as we know them but actually points of highly clustered magical energy within the Mist itself. The art of mastering this power comes in two parts. First and arguably the more important of the two is a person's natural aptitude as some are just wired to be more finely tuned to Mist than others. The second is actually learning how to use said magic, the memorization and knowledge of vast sums of knowledge whose complexities and intricacies mean the difference between a successful spell and leveling an entire city block.

The power bound in spell formulae may be used for healing, teleportation, destruction, creating illusions, and altering form. Though the mist also affected by the caster themselves and each magical burst is different from person to person. Magic is considered a danger, a blessing, the future, an art and a science all wrapped into one tight bundle. Despite its dangerous properties and potential for massive abuse, magic is seen as something of a sacred thing. As a gift from the Gods it carries with it a certain amount of weight and wonder that comes from centuries of religious thought. Due to its divine origins, the Church has a strong investment in the magical arts and its oracles are some of the best magic users in all of Yerin.

T E C H N O L O G Y

Technology in the world of Yerin has developed alongside and with advancements of magic. This fusion of the unknown and the rational being a fundamental building block in the world. From a technological level the world is futuristic compared to our own but close enough to our own reality as to not be totally distant. People drive cars, take trains and use airships to get around. They have wireless phones and their own form of the internet. It's a place where soldiers with assault rifles can be seen fighting against flying monsters and men that can call down electricity from the sky. They also have other more stranger things like giant walking war machines, matter replicators, floating cities and gunsblades.

In many places technology and the industries around it is seen as the way forward as especially in the Vangar Empire and its provinces where they have had to focuses heavily on technology, using magic and Etherium to augment and enhance rather than as the sole source of advancement. It's the general rule in all places, that technology general comes first as a military invention before slowly over time being filtered down into the general public's use.

W A R D E N

WARDEN can trace it starts back to the early years of the Rassvet. Following in the lineage of a monastic order of magic wielding knights who protected the kingdom from evils that normal men could not. WARDEN serves in the same general purpose of defense of the Kingdom but now do it as decisive shock troops using combined technological and magic power to shatter enemy lines and go on general suicide missions for most normal people.

Every year the Rassvet Government conducts a grand survey of all children within their lands ten years of age. They run the children through what amounts to a series of aptitude tests of all kinds. Those who were considered possessing desirable traits were then taken to the Capital to be trained in the Citadel. The sprawling complex that is essentially a city sized military base within a bigger city complete with its own security force, power supply and laws would become the children's home for the next ten years. Within they were put through hell through one of the most rigorous training regimes in all of Yerin.

Cross trained in a variety of disciplines, including but not limited to: Rifle and small arms marksmanship, close quarters combat and field surgery, WARDENs are trained in both conventional warfare as well as guerrilla tactics, and specialize in using magic in conjunction to traditional arms and armor.

Upon graduating WARDENs are placed into one of three tiers:

First Class are the best that WARDEN has to offer. Operating on a level beyond any member of the Rassvet military including their fellow WARDENs and consisting of barely one hundred individuals at any given time these individuals are regarded as some of the most fearsome warriors on the planet. 1st class WARDENs are given special privileges and are sent in to deal with the most important of matters and are usually working behind the insure the protection of Rassvet. They generally act as singular walking armies going in alone and without backup.

Second Class WARDENs are generally squadron leaders put in charge of Third Class WARDENs, and are above the average cut and skilled combatants and tacticians. Those that are not in command position are sent in squads to deal with direct concerns that while troubling do not require 1st Class intervention. Only the best of the Second Class have even a chance of being promoted up to 1st Class.

Third Class WARDENs are the general face of WARDEN as they are the most numerous and the most commonly seen by the public. They work alongside the regular forces of the Rassvet military as independent detachments working in tandem to complete operations. Their most common use is as shock troops designed to create large holes within enemy positions to be exploited.

L E V I S T O N E

The catchall term for powerful, arcane minerals, Levistone is filled with magic energies and can be harnessed as powerful power supplies. Most modern day applications of Levistone consist of refining it into Etherium fuel, for use in various technologies, though they have also are in use in their raw form. With their faint blue glow, large Levistones seem to have other effects such as keeping monsters away, and large Levistones are often placed in the center of small towns, or around larger cities to keep monsters at bay. However, the process of refining Levistone into Etherium fuel seems to have the reverse affect, as many monsters appear in greater numbers when Etherium fuel is used or burned.

M I S T B U R N

Using and manipulating the Astral Mist to cast magic is both physically and mentally taxing, requiring both extensive training and innate talent to utilize effectively. Alongside conditioning and training, the amount of mist able to be handled by one person often varies from person to person, and an individuals "capacity" to handle large amounts of mist is often hereditary. Mist is dangerous when not handled properly, and overusing or abusing the use of mist and magic can cause a state known as Mistburn. Mistburn is split into 5 separate stages.

STAGE 1
The first stage of mistburn is the most minor and is fairly commonplace amongst those that regularly practice and cast magic. Stage 1 happens right after an individual pushes past their natural mist limit. The afflicted will begin to feel symptoms similar to that of withdrawal: loss of powers, lightheadedness, vertigo, general fatigue, pains throughout the body etc. Individuals at this stage can generally recover through rest and recovery, or specialized drugs designed to reduce mistburn and fatigue.

STAGE 2
Stage 2 occurs when one forces themselves to continue using or processing mist while in Stage 1. Those that have experienced Stage 2 of mistburn have often compared the feeling to something akin to an adrenaline rush. The headache and fatigue fade and are replaced by an increasing heartrate, more potent abilities and an almost sort of natural regeneration. Patients have reported feeling more alive, and their reflexes feel quicker and more responsive. Their skin is almost warm to the touch- as if they had been baking in the sun for hours. Aggression and instinct increase dramatically and individuals suffering from Stage 2 mistburn often feel as though they have obtained a type of second wind and have pushed passed whatever was holding them back and are capable of continuing.

STAGE 3
In this stage the individual body has taken in much more mist than a normal person should have taken- to put it lightly. As an individual enters stage 3 they begin to suffer from irreversible damage. Stage 3 symptoms include: burning hot skin and high fever, extremely or completely dilated pupils, dangerously high heart rate and most notably glowing veins and eyes as the mist pushes through them. Around this stage, an individual's raw magical ability has increased somewhere in the field of almost ten-fold and physical strength and speed are beyond superhuman with minor wounds on the body now healing quicker than a blade can cut. It is also at this stage when mental faculties began to decline rapidly: Increased mania, paranoia, and aggression abound. Anyone suspected of reaching stage 3 of mistburn is either drugged and sedated or executed immediately. This stage is often regarded as the point-of-no-return, as patients are difficult if not impossible to control and only care for more power and taking in more mist.

STAGE 4
Stage 4 is the closest any individual will come to being a 'living God'. By this point, an individual is practically more mist than man. An individual's entire body glows and is so hot that nearby individuals may receive retinal damage and heavy burns merely from being within a short proximity. The skin begins to crack and disintegrate into dust leaving only mist held together in a human shape, and a life span of approximately ten minutes. There are very few recorded accounts of Stage 4 mistburn, but it has been guessed that if one wanted to, they could likely lift and move mountains with their mind.

STAGE 5
At Stage 5 an individual achieves what is known as a Full Burn. Following the extremely short lifespan of an individual at Stage 4, the body is entirely replaced with mist and the body collapses in on itself before detonating outwards with roughly the intensity of a thermonuclear warhead.

Character Template

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• Characters will be fresh WARDEN graduates and should be around the same age range (20-21)
• This RP is not first come-first served
• I don't need things to be paragraphs upon paragraphs long, but quality is key!

_{T E M P L A T E}

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Image goes here

NAME
AGE | HEIGHT | BLOODTYPE

_{A P P E R A N C E}

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Extrapolate on that Image. Give us a good idea of what they look like.

_{P E R S O N A L I T Y}

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The character's outlook on life, how they tick and how they operate

_{B A C K G R O U N D}

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What's there story, where do they come from, how does there history reflect what they have become. Remember that as members of WARDEN they spent a significant majority of thier life within the Citadel.

_{C O M B A T}

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The character's general combat style. Do they prefer to get up close and personal or like to stick to the back. What weapon's they use and such.

_{N O T E S}

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Other various stuff.

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Copy and Paste version

[Sub][b][color=darkgray]T E M P L A T E [/color] [/b][/sub]

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[Color=lightgray]
[center]Image goes here

NAME
AGE | HEIGHT | BLOODTYPE[/center]

[Sub][b][color=darkgray] A P P E R A N C E
[/color] [/b][/sub]

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[I][indent]Extrapolate on that Image. Give us a good idea of what they look like. [/indent][/I]

[Sub][b][color=darkgray] P E R S O N A L I T Y
[/color] [/b][/sub]

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[I][indent]The character's outlook on life, how they tick and how they operate
[/indent][/I]

[Sub][b][color=darkgray] B A C K G R O U N D
[/color] [/b][/sub]

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[I][Indent] What's there story, where do they come from, how does there history reflect what they have become. Remember that as members of WARDEN they spent a significant majority of thier life within the Citadel.[/indent][/I]

[Sub][b][color=darkgray] C O M B A T
[/color] [/b][/sub]

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[I][indent] The character's general combat style. Do they prefer to get up close and personal or like to stick to the back. What weapon's they use and such.[/indent][/I]

[Sub][b][color=darkgray] N O T E S
[/color] [/b][/sub]

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[I][indent]Other various stuff.[/indent][/I]
[/Color]

Mobile Suit Gundam: LIFELINE

Space outside Annona Colony Docks

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"Registering hits on target!" Galahad called out as the enemy interceptor whipped past him and into the maintenance tunnel, taking a half dozen 90mm shells and a score or two of 30mm rounds along with it. Debris from the interceptor showered him along with pieces of the colony wall as it tore past him and through the shaft. Moments later, there was a dull explosion, and a slight rocking noise, and camera feed appeared in the corner of one of his Tommy's viewscreens. The pinkish white explosion and flying chunks of some small, ancient aerospace craft.

"Target is down for the count, kill confirmed. We're RTB." Victor reported over the command-net comms, before switching to his own personal comms between himself and Ayame. "A bit messier than I would've liked. We're not losing our edge are we?" he half joked as he watched a half dozen Tommy's as they flew towards the breach, rifles replaced with repair tools.

A small grimace filtered over his face as defensive line pilots broke ranks and flew towards the gap with reckless abandon. Even given the seriousness of attack, it was almost rookie how quickly the troops began panicking. Galahad frowned, if this was a taste of what was to come, the Empire would need sterner stuff than that to see them through to safe waters. Though to be fair, if it had been Gibraltar, Galahad might've had a bit more desperation to his tone as well.

"There's not much else we can do here, and we can't exactly scoop up people without EVA suits of our own. Best we head back before we get in too much more trouble." Victor said to Ayame through their personal comms, before he spun his own Tommy around and began flying back towards the main dock where the Nyx, and the rest of the royal procession sat.

Mobile Suit Gundam: LIFELINE

Space outside Annona Colony Docks

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"Boss it just cut into a maintenance section, its trying to get into the colony! We need to stop it now!"

"That's probably the best we could've asked for." Galahad muttered under his breath. "Alright we know where its going, now we cut it off!" He barked as he flew down towards the colony wall. The craft had found its hole but overshot, requiring it to double back before it could get in. That left enough time for Galahad and Ayame to get their mobile suits into position.

Galahad planted his mobile suit down just above the wall of the colony and unfolded his Tommy's bayonet from its storage section. He began firing his weapon directly across and over the open emergency tunnel while simultaneously opening up with his 30mm vulcans as well- the hostile craft would either have to change course of fly into a wall of gunfire. On the off chance it decided to fly at him, Galahad could at least stick his bayonet into the cockpit as it collided with his Tommy.

Critical Shell - A Mecha Roleplay

@Whoami
heavy breathing intensifies.

Critical Shell - A Mecha Roleplay

Did someone say giant robots?

Mobile Suit Gundam: LIFELINE

Annona Colony Docks

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"What the hell?! Its an ancient aerospace fighter! Its looks like its gonna ram into the colony,moving to intercept Boss!" called Ayame through the comms as she rocketed off in her Tommy. Victor took a moment to gather in his surroundings before he too shot off after the craft. The amassed fire from the mobile suit squadron around the dock had seemingly scared it off, and it had took off along towards the colony itself, leaving the dock safe for the time being.

The strange, ancient fighter was doing some sort of skimming maneuver against the colony walls, strange blades sending debris flying off the colony itself. It was managing to keep its speed and didn't flip end over end in a silent fireball, so Galahad assumed the structural damage to the colony itself wasn't too great. Still, he sent visual information to the command center along with locations, so patch crews could get their more quickly and begin patching up damage before it actually started becoming a problem.

"Keep after it, herd it towards the far pole. I'll try to cut it off!" Victor called into the comms as he boosted off, switching to a leading pursuit to better cut the distance between them.

"Use Mills bombs in flash configurations," Victor barked, opening up local comms with allied forces in the area, "Scramble the ships sensors or the pilot's senses, get them to bug off the wall or risk crashing into it." he continued, as he attempted to lob one of his own flash grenades ahead of the unknown craft. The flash wouldn't damage the craft or the colony, but the concentration required to maintain such speed while maneuvering so erratically must've been enormous, hopefully the flash would daze the pilot enough to force them to pull up and away from the colony wall, or interfere with the craft's sensors enough that such a maneuver would no longer be tenable.

"The Tommy's won't be able to keep up with it, we've gotta come at it from multiple angles or force it into a killzone." Victor called out as he attempted to calculate and cut the angle the craft was flying at whilst simultaneously directing the forces around him.

Mobile Suit Gundam: LIFELINE

Annona Colony Docks

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Victor wordlessly nodded as Gilbert exited their presence and made his way back to his primary post. Not much more could have been expected- Konig was a busy man, and for all of Victor's praises and titles, he was still a rather junior officer in comparison to some of those present. To top it all off, not everyone here was quite pleased that the 'Lion' was here. Sure, there was no doubting his prowess, but some Martian misgivings never really faded, and while most treated him with respect- not everyone was thrilled to see him. Though that could have been said for anyone about any situation really: Victor himself wasn't too fond of many of the Military's upper brass, most of them being pompous nobles born into military titles with only the select few- such as Konig, actually earning themselves the respect of a proper commander.

"Oh I wouldn't worry too much about it Izumi, I'm pretty sure most of them would prefer we didn't speak at all." Victor said with a light chuckle, garnering some sharp looks from nearby officers- which he feigned ignorance towards. "Nowadays, many people think words matter more than actions. Unless someone is offering to spirit you away to a life of luxury for the rest of your days in return for marriage, they're probably not worth speaking to."

"Ah, that was a joke, by the way. I do hope you don't plan on leaving me any time soon."

Minutes seemed to stretch on as hours as they waited for the Venue to slowly dock with the outer ports of the colony and for the princesses to begin their procession across the bridges and into the docks themselves. The Zerns did enjoy their ceremonies, but while the concepts were all fine and dandy, the processions themselves were incredibly dull and dreary. It was funny that despite one of the princess' reputations as a pop idol, her welcoming party was little more than over pomped, ramrod straight, and stuffy corps of officers.

"I honestly would rather be fighting back at the siege of Gibraltar then be here right now. Gosh has it been that long since the siege?" Ayame had commented quietly as they waited. The comment had taken Victor by surprise and he was unable to stop himself from turning and giving her an incredulous look before turning his head back straight with the rest of the formation.

"I believe you'd be alone in that thought my dear." Victor said almost wistfully, "While I appreciate the experience we gained and the mettle we've forged- the value it gives you to me as a commander, I would give my ship and all of my fancy titles for you to not have experienced it." Victor's face hardened for a moment, and his mouth took a thin grimace, scrunching like he was about to spit. The scowl lasted for a moment before it faded. He gave Ayame a sidelong glance, a small, sad smile, and uncharacteristic melancholy in his eyes.

"Too many lives were lost that day: young men, brave men, good men. And what did I get out of it? A title that reminds me of the men I failed. Ghosts that haunt me in my sleep..." Victor's voice trailed off for a moment. "Did you know I hate being called that? 'Lion'. Its a mockery to everyone I've lost and everything they stood for. I'm a soldier, not a mascot."

"You as well Ayame. You're a talented fighter, but more than that you're a soldier. A defender of peace- remember that."

"Glory is good. Safety is better. Peace is best."

---

Out of the corner of his eye, Victor caught Gilbert barking into his earpiece before stepping off abruptly. Victor's eyes narrowed. Something was going on, and he wasn't quite sure what. What he was sure of was the intended target. The princesses were the only new thing to the Colony in months, and the fact that something was happening as the Venue was docking was an obvious tell. His eyes shot to his ship- most recently docked and closest to the exit ports of the colony's dock, but more importantly his eyes rested on the four mobile suits placed on top of it- kitted out with ceremonial rifles and dressings, but warmed up and running.

"Ayame, which pilots are on parade duty right now?" Victor murmured as his eyes scanned the mobile suits. "Things may yet heat up after all. Keep close."

Victor began making his way to the front of the formation, catching all manner of dirtly looks from officers who continued to stand upright and straight. Maybe they weren't aware of whatever was going on- it was highly likely, was it not for Victor's coincidental glance, he probably wouldn't have known either. It wasn't as though he had a earpiece with comms telling him what was happening. Which was part of the problem.

"Pardon me," Victor apologized as he approached one of the security officers. Before the officer could even reply, Victor had ripped the man's comms unit out of his ear and began putting it onto his own person. Moments later, he was sprinting across the gangplank to his ship.

Clambering up some ladder rungs mounted on the outer hull and onto the deck of the Nyx itself, Victor sprinted towards the nearest Tommy, while shooting Ayame a look and pointing at the second closest one. He slammed his fist on the foot of the machine a few times before the sensor looked down to face him. Jerking his fist backwards, the cockpit of the Tommy opened, with a confused Munifex Torren poking his head out.

"Boss what are you-?" Torren barely had time to ask as Victor rode up the cable to the cockpit and roughly grabbed Torren and yanked him out of the seat, throwing him the boarding cable before jumping into the Tommy's seat himself.

Luckily, the Tommy was already primed and ready to go- if somewhat underarmed for a fight. The Heckler rifles had been replaced with gilded, more ornamental ceremonial versions of the weapon and only had a single magazine's worth of ammunition loaded- though Victor was lucky that Torren was incredibly lazy and didn't bother removing the spare Heckler magazines from the Tommy's side compartments- and the mills bombs had been removed. In short, it wasn't his Knight Errant, but it'd have to do.

Victor began stomping his Tommy across the deck of the Nyx and towards one of the unused airlocks, Ayame likely not far behind him. "Victor Galahad, heading out." spoke into his 'commandeered' comms unit, now patched into the security team's communications.

Victor opened a second, private comm line with Ayame's Tommy as the airlocks opened, emptying them out into space. "Well, lets see what all the ruckus is about right? If we do it right maybe we won't get court martial-ed after this."

Mobile Suit Gundam: LIFELINE

Annona Colony Docks

---

"Commander on deck!"

There was a rapid shuffling, followed by a crisp almost uniform stomp of feet clasping together, and salutes flying to the brows of the men and women that made up the bridge crew of the HMS Nyx. Victor waited a moment before giving a slight nod, allowing the crew to return to their posts and continue their duties.

He made his way to the center of the bridge, a large, modern and open space unlike the older ships of the Zern navy. The center of the bridge was open and clear, save for a single console in the center that doubled as a tactical/operational map. A raised platform behind it held the Captain's chair, along with two others for either Executive Officers, Advisers, or VIPs. The rest of the stations were around the edge of the bridge, sunk slightly below the platform to keep the space open and allow an impressive view out the viewing windows of the bridge.

Tesserarius Aston nodded and stepped over to make space as Victor stepped into the center of the bridge, arms clasped behind his back. "Goings are a bit slow, the Caliban is a new ship class so the docking crew are still getting used to its dimensions. Connection points are standard though, so we should be secured in but a moment." Aston reported without prompting.

The two had a fairly easy to understand relationship. While Victor was technically in charge and understood his command and its abilities well, no one understood a ship like its own Captain. As a result, Victor trusted Aston to take charge and control the ship as he saw fit, allowing Victor to focus on more macro level details- or mirco, as Victor generally preferred to lead from the front and deploy in his own mobile suit when the goings got tough. Not that things got that tough these days.

"Excellent. I'll leave you to preparations then. The Caliban will be participating in the parade during the upcoming Expo, so we'll have to make sure the ship is given a proper scrubbing, the Venunsian dust ring hasn't been exactly kind to us these last few months."

"Aye boss, not to worry, I know how to clean up a crew for parade duty."

"Izumi should have a list of pilots being assigned to parade duty, she should get that to you soon. I should probably remind her to put Torren on the list."

Aston's face fell. "I understand that this could be seen as a punishment, but I'd rather not have the man who crashed his mobile suit into my deck on parade duty."

"Oh come now Aston," Victor replied with a chuckle, "Its not like the mobile suits need to move at all. They just stand there and look nice."

---

An Hour Later

With the Nyx now docked, despite docking procedures taking longer than usual, Victor and Ayame made their way off the ship and onto the docks proper. The dock itself had been cleared of all non-authorized ships, and anyone entering and exiting were on a short list- the Nyx luckily, was included on this list. This was the emptiest Victor had seen the dock in the few times he'd been on Annona since his deployment, and with good reason. Princesses Asallia and Sheena were among the Royals from the Venue that were set to arrive today- they had seen the massive ship from the viewports of the Nyx, so he wagered a guess they were coming in soon.

"Looks like we've made it just in time." Victor said in a slightly bemused tone to the commander of his mobile suit squadron, as his eyes scanned the docks. His eyes rested on one noble in particular, Gilbert König, a noble that Victor had worked with a few times in the past. "Lucky for us, looks like König is in charge of proceedings here. By far the least insufferable noble I've dealt with- He has his head on straight, which is more than I can say for some of them."

"Still, should probably be on our best behavior, huh Izumi?" Victor said with a chuckle and wink.

Victor made his way over to König, who was likely waiting for the Royals to arrive, snapping a short salute before falling in line beside him.

"Sir," he said quietly, as a greeting. "5th Battlegroup appearing as requested."

He gestured to Ayame and gave her the briefest of introductions, "Commander of my mobile suit squadron, Ayame Izumi."

To his memory, Gilbert had never been a man of many words, at least not with rank and file soldiers like himself. Not that Victor minded. After dealing with countless nobles that loved to talk, command, whine and whinge, it was nice to be able to communicate with clear, concise and short orders. With that, Victor clasped his hands behind his back and breathed out. Nothing left to do but wait for the Royals to arrive.

Mobile Suit Gundam: LIFELINE

The HMS Nyx

Over Annona Colony

---

The forward observation deck of the Caliban-class assault carrier sat just above the actual bridge of the ship, its wide viewing windows nestled beneath the ship's sensor arrays and various antenna. The already sparse interior of the observation deck had been stripped, and converted into a sort of Officer's Lounge- allowing Victor or other officers to get some nice and quiet time without having to intrude on the generally rowdiness of typical rank and file crewmen. Lighting was kept minimal, instead relying on the light from the sun, nearby planets and stars, while a low table and a few sections of couches kept the sightlines long and relatively undisturbed. In place of a bar, the corner had a single cabinet for liquor, as well as an antique globe that could be opened up to store liquor- a gift from the Royal family to Victor himself for his services.

While there was no written rule that said no one could enter, usually when Victor entered the observation deck, it meant he wanted to be alone and left undisturbed- though there were always exceptions. Not that he ever asked anyone to leave, and he entered infrequently enough that for the most part the other officers on board were more than happy to clear out for their commanding officer. As such, Victor stood alone in the observation deck, in the red and white of the Zern Imperial Navy Uniform, impeccably tailored to his form, golden Signifer ranks emblazoned on his shoulders. At a waist chest high counter that ringed the outer wall of the observatory sat a cigar, leaning against an ashtray, its tip smoldering a deep orange, as small wisps of smoke wafted upwards towards the vents above.

Ice clinked against glass as Victor lifted a glass of whiskey to his lips and took a sip, the golden amber liquid pressing heat into his stomach as he stared at a crumpled and damaged photo unfolded and held open with his other hand. His eyes flitted from the picture, to Annona Colony, with Venus and the rest of its habitats in the background. He let out a soft sigh.

"I'm home." he murmured quietly, half to himself, half to the picture in his hand. He let out a soft snort at that. 'Home'. As much as he loved Venus, it wasn't exactly his home anymore- or at the very least it didn't feel like that anymore. The sentiment was a lot stronger now than it used to be- Venusian Zerns weren't Venusians anymore. It was a sad thought- the reason he joined the military in the first place now hating him.

"Venus is different now. Or maybe I'm different. I'm not even sure if you'd look at me anymore." he said softly, his thumb slowly tracing the outline of the face on the picture. He flipped the photo over and read the handwritten note- circled with a heart on the back for what must have been the thousandth time.

_{To my dear soldier, come home soon! - Amanda}

Pushing thoughts from his mind, Victor lifted his tumbler. He regarded the amber liquid for another moment before taking another sip of the drink. The warmth, slightly sweet and nutty taste of the liquor was an acquired taste. He had never had the luxury of actual liquor back on Venus- nevermind actually being able to afford it. It wasn't until he got promoted to Signifer could he afford to regularly buy luxury whiskey in any real quantity. He scoffed at himself, he could vividly imagine the faces of the people in his old neighborhood if they saw him drinking and tasting actual whiskey like some bourgeoisie pissant instead of holding his nose and downing the bootleg booze they used to brew in their basements.

"Alice, Victor called aloud, "What's our status with Annona Station?"

A moment later, a feminine- if slightly hollow voice rang through the intercom speakers of the observation deck. We have just received a report from Annona Station: Docking request has been approved, and accommodations will be provided.

Additionally, a note from Annona Station: "Welcome home, Lion of Gibraltar!"

Victor snorted audibly.

"Tell the Captain to bring us in- And tell the crew to be on their best behavior. We're going to be rubbing shoulders with Nobility soon."

Yes, Signifer.

Victor sighed and rested his arms on the short bar. This would be their first time docking in months- the 5th fleet had been out putting the Caliban through its paces. Getting used to the ship and its functions, testing mobile suit catapults and combat readiness drills and the like. All in all, it had been an incredibly dreary and boring few months, the Caliban had lost its new ship wonder and luster within the month. However now, with the Venue arriving in Venus soon, Victor and his crew would be expected to be on hand. Whether it was as a safeguard, a new toy to show off at the Expo, or just at Royalty's whim, Victor wasn't entirely sure, but chances were they would need something of him.

"Welcome home." Victor repeated to himself mockingly.

Welcome home indeed.

Mobile Suit Gundam: LIFELINE

Victor Galahad

The Lion of Gibraltar - Signifer

473║Zern Empire║Venusian║Male

Physical Appearance

Standing tall- often to the point of towering over his compatriots, Victor stands in at 6'4" with a lean, but wiry build. Victor's hair and beard are well maintained and kept short, and his skin is a smooth hazel, with a complexion that could be described as nearly flawless- if it weren't for the jagged scar down the left side of his face. His eyes are a warm amber, and his demeanor seems to exude an aura of calm confidence.

Personality Traits:

• Level-Headed
• Affable
• Pragmatic
• Observant
• Courageous

Biography:

Victor Galahad was born the first son of Thomas and Amanda Galahad on Gibraltar, one of the largest habitats on Venus, rivaling the size of Annona Colony. His father was a retired engineer in the Zern Military- injuries had left him unable to continue service, while his mother worked as a nurse at a local hospital. Due to his upbringing and his father's status as former Zern Military, Victor was never particularly well received during his childhood and was notorious for getting into dozens of fights throughout his school years. Despite his rough and tumble school years and rather humble family origins, Victor nevertheless managed to attain excellent grades, and after a short recruitment process with the Zern Military, earned himself a slot at the esteemed Deimos Military Academy- one of the most, if not the most decorated military academy in the Solar System.

The Deimos Military Institute was an extremely competitive area, success in this academy meant you were destined for greatness in military service as a leader in your respective fields. Failure, or even mediocrity meant you would find yourself in vitally important, but utterly boring staff and support positions. Despite some growing pains- Martian born students tended not to think very highly of him- Victor proved that he had what it took and more time and time again. He became a thinker and a strategist, able to come up with solutions that many of his classmates could not. Pitted against computer simulations programmed to understand even the most complicated battle tactics, Victor was trained in reading terrain, gathering information and even in espionage. Scoring high on aptitude tests, Victor was given his choice between pursuing service as a Naval officer aboard a combat vessels, or undergoing Mobile Suit training. He chose the latter.

Put through rigorous physical and mental training, Victor showed he was able of tactical thinking, leading his class-unit to the top during competitive field training exercises. Pitted against instructors and other teams of students, Victor and his unit competed in simulated wargames, training them in both ground and space combat tactics. Graduating near the top of his class, Victor was inducted into the 122nd Direwolves Mobile Suit Squadron at the age of 21.

His first tour of duty was on the HMS Hectate, a Stratos transport re-purposed for ferrying supplies between fleets on the front lines of the pirate conflict. Despite being a minimally armed warship with a notoriously short life expectancy- prime pickings for pirate forces, Victor managed to survive 17 successful relief missions in his first few months of duty. Shortly after his first year of duty, Victor was assigned the command of a wing of Mobile suits attached to a Rosencrantz light cruiser tasked with hunting down pirates or providing support to larger naval vessels. He rose steadily through the ranks over the course of the next few years.

While a successful and respected unit leader and pilot in his own right, Victor didn't earn any particular notoriety until 495, during the Siege of Gibraltar. This was a battle which took place between the remnants of the 16th Battlegroup, consisting of a Tearsheet carrier, a pair of Guildenstern cruisers and a pair of Rosencrantz light cruisers, attempting to break through a massive blockade and siege following the rapid and surprising entrance of a rather sizable pirate fleet. Cut off from reinforcements and facing the destruction of both the battlegroup, as well as the loss of Gibraltar, Victor and the rest of his squadron found themselves facing off against a large number of Turncoats, as well as militarized civilian ships. Following the death of his commanding officer, Victor managed to rally the remains of his squadron, regrouping with another depleted MS squadron and led them on a covert counteroffensive. With ammunition for their conventional weapons all but exhausted, the MS teams opted to carry and hurl the damaged remains of mobile suits into the enemy formations from close range. The Tearsheet's engineers had tampered and rigged the mobile suit reactors to go critical, and the resulting explosions were similar to smaller scale nuclear explosions of old.

During the assault, Victor's squadron launched a total of twenty two damaged mobile suits at the pirate fleet from close proximity, who didn't realize what was happening until their mobile suits started detonating around them. The success of the Victor's tactics resulted in the destruction of the the pirate flagship as well as several other key capital ships. Without the leadership to coordinate the large pirate fleet's actions, the ensuing disarray allowed the remaining Imperial ships to hold out long enough for a relief fleet to rescue them. While the fleet had been decimated and reduced to all but a single carrier and frigate, Victor earned himself the title 'The Lion of Gibraltar' that day.

Earning a medal for heroism, Victor was promoted to the rank of Signifer was given command of the specialized 5th Carrier Group, which he would lead on raids against pirate remnants until the end of the conflict. With his highly successful 'Fighting Fifths'- a carrier group made up primarily of Venusian soldiers, Victor is a well known face in the Zern Navy, and has been recently redeployed Venus in light of the rising tensions.

Skills and Abilities

• Military Training: Graduating near the top of his class at the Deimos Military Academy, Victor is well versed in ground and space tactics, and holds competency with a variety of small arms and military equipment.
• The Lion of Gibraltar: More than just a title of status and a household name, Victor is well known as one of the best pilots the Zern military has to offer. Even capable of keeping up with some that would call themselves 'Refined Human', Victor has excellent spacial awareness backed by years of combat experience and raw combat instincts.
• Homegrown Venusian: like most other Venusians, when compared to his Martian compatriots, Victor tends to be hardier and sturdier. Compared to other Martians, Victor is able to handle G-Forces better, giving him an edge in combat.

Personal Items and Equipment

• Photograph: Folded and somewhat crumpled and kept on Victor's person at all time is a somewhat faded and damaged photograph of a blonde Venusian woman.
• Officer's Sidearm: Strapped to a holster on his hip is a standard commander's sidearm. A conventional, compact pistol with a few ornamental markings on it denote it as belonging to someone of rank.
• Imperial Adjutant: Resembling a wristwatch, Victor keeps on hand a simulated intelligence named Alice. Not a true AI, Alice is nonetheless capable of interfacing with all standard Zern ships, communication systems, and key structures, allowing her to serve as a verbal interface for Victor to manage his daily schedule and communications. (Its a futuristic Alexa/Google Home.)

Strengths and Weaknesses

Amicable and affable, Victor is confident and friendly while off the field. In combat, Victor lives up to his title of 'Lion'. Resourceful, tenacious, and an excellent pilot, Victor places no emphasis on raw strength or finesse, instead using whatever is on hand to shape his strategies and tactics. Off and on the field, Victor is for the most part cool headed and reasonable.

More than anything, Victor struggles with the resentment his own people hold towards him. He's a venusian and he loves his home. As a result, he is conflicted between the ideas of carrying out the orders of those of his commanding officers, and protecting the people and place he came from.

Chosen Mobile Weapon

ZIMS-02Rc Tommy Commander Type Custom - "Knight Errant"

---

ZIMS-02R Tommy Commander Type

2nd Generation Custom Mobile Suit

Limited Production|| Victor Galahad

Unit Appearance

Victor's personal Commander Type Tommy takes inspirations from the Knights of old, with the pith shaped head unit being replaced by one shaped like a medieval visored barbute helmet, with a single feather like plume coming out of the back for the communication suite. The armor of the Knight Errant is also slightly thicker than the standard commander type.

Technical Details

Accommodation: Pilot only, standard three-screen cockpit in torso.
Dimensions: 18 meters
Powerplant: Medium-output Wilberforce Reactor
Equipment and Design Features:

•Minor Improvements
The Knight Errant has all the features of the baseline Tommy, but has been modified for better performance in regards to speed and mobility. Though not suitable for widespread application to the regular Tommy units, these modifications are beneficial to a Tommy with a more specialized role like the Commander Type.

•Vanguard Detachable Armor
Designed to provide the Knight Errant with improved defensive capabilities in close quarter situations and prolonged conflict, the torso, arms and legs of the unit have been equipped with additional litan armor plates at the cost of some mobility. These plates can be individually detached and ejected when too damaged to continue providing protection or when needing to reduce weight.

•Communication Plume
Mounted on the head of the Knight Errant is a feather shaped module, reminiscent of a feather or a plume on a knight's helmet. This ‘plume’ is part of the additional sensor and communication systems installed into the Knight Errant’s head. These boosted sensors and communications allow those piloting it to have a better grasp of the battlefield as well as greater ease in contacting their troops, even under heavy interference from Wilberforce particles.

•Booster System
An additional thruster is mounted to the Knight Errant's backpack and a system has been installed. Considered to be an ‘Emergency Booster’ the system greatly increases the output of the thrusters, essentially doubling the Knight Errant’s speed over the base model. However taxing the thrusters quickly builds up heat, limiting the usage of the system.

This system is intended to allow high-value commanders and such to escape from harm's way should their subordinates fail to protect them or simply fail in their battle outright. However more combat savvy members of the Zern military realizes the system’s potential and made adjustments to their own for more practical purposes.

Despite its intention the Booster System can be used regularly in bursts to enhance maneuvers and give sudden, almost disorienting boosts in speed during fights.

Weapons and Combat Capabilities

Handheld Armaments

•Holdovers
The Knight Errant can use any of the weapons and equipment the ZIMS-02 Tommy can.

•Gatling Shield
Combining both offense and defense into a single weapons system, the Gatling Shield features a 75mm 8 barreled rotary cannon- similar to the CIWS mounted on most Zern ships- mounted to a large composite litan shield. With selectable fire rates of 2000 and 4000 rounds per minute, and a hefty 2000 round magazine the Knight Errant can lay down a withering hail of fire for extended periods of time. The magazine and gun itself can also be ejected from the Gatling shield when its ammunition is depleted, or whenever its weight proves to be a hindrance to the pilot's speed and maneuverability. The shield also serves as a scabbard for the Nanocarbon blade.

•H-VIPER
The “High Velocity Imperial Precision Engineered Revolver” was one of the first, compact MAG weapons ever put into mass production. It takes the form of a mobile suit sized revolver with a flip-out cylinder holding 8-rounds of solid ammunition. This antiquated design is used as traditional systems of gas based, semi-automatic firing and reloading don’t work with MAG weapons.

Though small and considered a sidearm or backup weapon on paper, the H-VIPER is strong enough to outclass most traditional powder weapons in sheer firepower. Its range is somewhat limited and its ammunition minimal, but its accuracy and penetration are superb.

Unlike the Whiskey Rifle, the H-VIPER doesn’t suffer from delayed firing due to charge up time. This is thanks to a length of capacitors installed along the bottom length of the revolver’s barrel.

By drawing power from the mobile suit’s onboard reactor, the H-VIPER can not only charge its rails for a shot but store additional power for the second shot. As long as the weapon isn’t fired in rapid succession it will always have a shot ready with no wait time. This feature however comes at the cost of the revolver’s ability to charge shots however and demands the mobile suit have a moderate-strength reactor at the least in order to use it effectively.

Soon after its production many other revolver-type weapons appeared, most illegally or custom made.

Fixed Armaments

•Flashbang Launchers
Mounted in the head of the Knight Errant, in place of the machine guns of the baseline Tommy, are a pair of low-caliber automatic grenade launchers. Only instead of firing explosives they fire flashbangs, designed to temporarily blind the visual sensors of mobile suits (save for its own). These can be used for escape or combat purposes in battle.

•Liten Hook-Cable
In place of the litan truncheon kept inside the Knight Errant's forearm compartment that most Tommy variants carry is instead a litan grappling hook mounted on a thin cable. Granting both utility, and limited combat effectiveness, the truncheon's electrical discharge system was added to the head of the hook, allowing the the Knight Errant to emit debilitating shocks on impact. These shocks can short out systems on enemy mobile suits and can potentially injure enemy pilots.

•Nanocarbon Saber
A slightly curved saber with a handguard produced by the Sharp Workshops. Though the blade is thin it is very sturdy and has an incredibly sharp edge able to stab and cut through Liten armor with ease. Initially given to the Command Type Tommy for ornamental purposes, the saber soon gained a reputation for its effectiveness and was kept on for practical purposes.

Strengths and Weaknesses

The ZIMS-02Rc Knight Errant has greater performance, communications, and speed then the baseline Tommy model, but is less maneuverable than other Commander Types while fully armored. Careful use of the booster system ensures that it can’t be easily caught or gunned down, and its choice of weapons make it well suited and dangerous in close quarters combat. However the Commander Type's speed is tied directly to its onboard booster system which in turn becomes its biggest weakness. Overuse of the system can cause it to overheat and risks causing the engines to explode all together.

Technical History

The ZIMS-02 Tommy was designed to replace the aging Redcoat and filled the role it did very well. However not everyone was satisfied. Though a good general purpose combat mobile suit, the Tommy was lacking in other areas and failed to deliver on the needs of those operating in more specialized roles. Sharpshooters, scouts, and especially officers and in-field commanders found the Tommy wanting.

However since the Tommy was designed to be simple and easy to repair, it also meant that there was plenty of room for additions and modifications. Instead of producing an entirely new mobile suit different parts and equipment could be made for the ZIMS-02 Tommy to adapt it to a new role.

There were limitations to this however, but one of the variations produced was the ZIMS-02R “Tommy Commander Type”

Concern was raised that officers in the field weren’t as well protected as they could be...mostly by the officers themselves. Though better than a Redcoat which some older officers and troops refused to move on from, plenty felt their Tommy’s warranted being somewhat better than the standard soldier’s given their greater tactical importance on the field of battle.

So the baseline Tommy was tweaked and given enhanced communications, an emergency booster system, and overall performance improvements. The changes were a big hit with officers, though many lower ranking soldiers criticized the employment of the Commander Type as an “expensive way to run away”. However the more capable officers and commanders within the Zern Empire proved the Commander Type to be more than just for show.

The increase in performance, though not significant, proved to make a difference in close quarters combat and the emergency booster turned out to have more practical purposes than just retreating. It wasn’t long before the Commander Type became highly sought after by those in the Zern Military looking for a higher performance mobile suit.

Perhaps as a gag referencing his name, or because of his actions at Gibraltar, when Victor was awarded his Commander type, the head of the engineering team had joked about changing the head unit into a medieval helmet. Victor agreed to the idea, and the Knight Errant eventually came to be.

---

Caliban-Class Assault Carrier

HMS Nyx
Assault Carrier

Sharp Workshop||499 R.C.||Zern Empire - 5th Battlegroup

Vessel Appearance

Like its sister ships the Scroop and Tearsheet, the Caliban features a similar design philosophy including a sharp, angular hull, with a knifelike bow that remains straight and narrow until the midship, before widening out at the stern. Hangar doors on the port and starboard sides are connected to a single large central hangar.

Technical Details

Crew Size Large
Dimensions:

• Height: 55
• Length: 270
• Width: 90

Weight Class: Medium
Equipment and Design Features:
•Medium Hangar
Located near the rear to midships of the ship is a sizable hangar. While not as large as its sister carrier, the Caliban is a dedicated mobile suit carrier, able to maintain a complement of 6-12 Mobile Suits,

•Catapults x2
There are two exits from the Caliban's hanger located on the right and left sides of the ship. With the hangar doors open a long, narrow catapult can unfold. All a mobile suit needs to do is position themselves on a catapult and an electrical charge will built, eventually launching the mobile suit forward at high speeds.

•Nanocarbon Beta Plating
The Caliban's hull is made of a very minimally armored Liten hull. However the addition of nanocarbon plating on the exterior of the ship significantly boosts its defense while keeping its weight relatively low.

Weapons and Combat Capabilities

Fixed Armaments

•Twin Barrel 200mm MAG Cannons x2
The Caliban-class employs dual barrel MAG cannons on its deck loaded with solid 200mm shells. Though relatively low in caliber these guns are highly accurate, with long range and very high penetration, allowing the Caliban to pose a threat even heavily armored vessels. When firing in concert, the Caliban makes use of staggered fire to mitigate the cannon's overall low rate of fire due to charging.

•MAG Assisted Missile Launchers x4
Mounted on the port and starboard side hulls are a set of munitions batteries that launch missiles via magnetic charges. Though taking longer to fire then traditional missile systems these ensure the missiles clear the launchers at high speeds, before their own propulsion systems even ignite, preventing misfires and accidental detonations.

•75mm CIWS x12
Positioned across the Caliban, hidden within the hull until needed, are twelve 8-barreled rotary cannons. These close-in-weapon-systems or CIWSs are arranged to give 360 degree bubble of fire protection should enemies come from above, below, or elsewhere. Their high rate of fire allows them to dispatch incoming projectiles with greater ease and better keep enemy mobile suits at bay.

Technical History

The latest ship in the line of highly successful Sharp Workshop Warships is the Caliban-class Assault Carrier.

Developed to fulfill a contract laid out by the Zern Navy for a ship with similar armament and power to that of a combat dedicated vessel, but with the versatility and power projection capabilities of a carrier; capable of taking part in fleet actions, as well as capable of operating on its own. The Caliban-class is the first of its kind in the Zern Navy, and fills the roles of 'light carrier', and 'assault cruiser' in equal measures. The Caliban sports the firepower needed to give pause to enemy fleets, and possesses extra flexibility and power projection in the form of mobile weapons.

The Caliban was meant to work in conjunction with an escort of Scroop destroyers, but was designed to be capable of operating on its own, allowing fleets to allocate valuable resources- such as escort ships- to other high value targets.

Compared to its sibling ships, the Caliban suffered from relatively high production costs, and only 2 have been made, with 8 more currently under construction. The first of its kind, the HMS Nyx has been assigned to Signifer Victor Galahad and sent to Venus, to gather field data on its performance.