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by Europa Undivided » Mon Nov 08, 2021 9:56 pm
Britanania wrote:All right, after some consideration, I think I may re-open this but with a few changes.
1. A hard 2 character limit, not counting NPCs
2. Posting at least once weekly, unless you tell me you'll be busy ahead of time
3. Stricter rules on powers and uses
4. More explanation on plot-related items (e.g nullfields)
5. Consultation with me beforehand on any plot ideas
6 Addition of a co-op or two to help me manage things
by Britanania » Mon Nov 08, 2021 9:57 pm
Europa Undivided wrote:Britanania wrote:All right, after some consideration, I think I may re-open this but with a few changes.
1. A hard 2 character limit, not counting NPCs
2. Posting at least once weekly, unless you tell me you'll be busy ahead of time
3. Stricter rules on powers and uses
4. More explanation on plot-related items (e.g nullfields)
5. Consultation with me beforehand on any plot ideas
6 Addition of a co-op or two to help me manage things
How about those who already had more than 2 beforehand?
by Remnants of Exilvania » Tue Nov 09, 2021 2:46 am
by Naval Monte » Tue Nov 09, 2021 3:31 am
by CoraSpia » Tue Nov 09, 2021 4:46 am
by Britanania » Tue Nov 09, 2021 2:00 pm
CoraSpia wrote:So I can keep all 5 Kelvins? Nice. Post is definitely coming, had one written before getting rid of it when I thought it was going.
by Union Princes » Tue Nov 09, 2021 4:53 pm
by Britanania » Tue Nov 09, 2021 4:55 pm
Union Princes wrote:Still no discord?
by Britanania » Tue Nov 09, 2021 5:04 pm
by Faal Lot Himdah » Mon Nov 15, 2021 7:32 pm
by Naval Monte » Mon Nov 15, 2021 11:53 pm
Faal Lot Himdah wrote:---
by Faal Lot Himdah » Tue Nov 16, 2021 6:05 am
by Miekzhemy » Wed Nov 17, 2021 12:56 pm
Adyaa
Name: Nayaniin Adyaa [Адяа Наян, Adyaa Nayan] (given name Adyaa, patronymic Nayan/Nayaniin, full name Nayaniin Adyaa-Baghatur [Наянийн Адяа-Багатур]
Alias: N/A
Alignment: Dynasties (Great Yuan)
Age: 26
Appearance: A well-built Mongol, standing at a height of exactly 6 feet and carrying a perpetually deadpan glare on his face. His loose dark hair is often slicked back, and his facial hair is kept meticulously trimmed short.
Additional physical features: The irises of his eyes are tinged an unnatural shade of dark red; a distinct trait shared by all members of the Yuan Honor Guard.
Personality:
Adyaa outwardly exhibits a sort of by-the-book professionalism--stone-faced, disciplined, and humorless. He is analytical and coldblooded; a model soldier and hunter who is used to examining things from afar and evaluating circumstances in order to best take advantage of them. Even when at a disadvantage, he keeps his nerve and takes the most efficient course of action. At the same time though, despite being generally emotionless and indifferent towards others, Adyaa holds his own pride in high regard. He does not like being doubted or looked down upon, and this pride often manifests in caustic remarks or open condescension towards those he deems not worth his time. When faced with anything he perceives as incompetence or absurdity, he is not above expressing his disdain for it.
In the face of danger, Adyaa is ruthless and doesn't hesitate to kill, although he is aware that wanton slaughter is generally counterproductive. And should he find himself in a battle he cannot win, he would rather escape to fight another day rather than throw himself into it impulsively. He much prefers situations where he can operate independently of protocol and rules of engagement, often finding them as unnecessary constraints that only serve to hinder him. This and his love of the outdoors has led him to feel perfectly at home as both a sniper and a hunter overall. In the field, however, this love of the hunt often gives way to a lust for blood and thrill that borders on the primal. He relishes in the chase as much as the kill, deriving a certain pleasure from his soon-to-be victims' struggle and fear that those around him would see as either disturbing our downright barbaric. This twisted mindset has a tendency to bleed into his own philosophy on life, leading him to believe that, deep down, everyone is little more than a wild beast or a remorseless killer just like him.
Ideologically speaking, Adyaa holds fast to the belief that Metahumans are in every way the destined successors to mankind as a whole, and his time as a soldier battling the Resistance has only served to reinforce this thought. He sees Metas in service to the Resistance as nonsensical and absolutely infuriating, viewing them not only as traitors to their own species, but an anathema--something he believes should not even exist. He subscribes to a strict "It's us or them" mentality, believing that there can be no compromises, and that this war between humans and Metahumans will only end when one side is left completely extinct.
Abilities:
Predatory Senses - A Metahuman power that he's possessed since birth; Adyaa possesses incredibly acute senses of both smell and hearing. His ears are capable of picking up sounds well beyond the auditory level and range of a normal human, and with enough focus, he can do so with enough clarify to discern the most minute of details even through layers of overlapping noises (such as those of a specific animal, organism, or object), as well as approximating a rough distance to the source. His sense of smell is even sharper, allowing him to track a particular scent for miles - so acute in fact that he can even sense the pheromones given off by the emotions or instincts of those around him, such as fear.
Yuan Metahuman Programme - A rigorous process adopted (and steadily improved over the years) by the Mongols to engineer their own highly-specialized Metahuman soldiers; Several of Adyaa's attributes have been artificially enhanced to near superhuman levels through a series of taxing magical rituals and medical procedures.
- Strength of Body - The "baseline" enhancement undergone by the typical rank and file; Adyaa's body has been altered to weather both the elements and excessive physical punishment. Bones are hardened, skin is toughened, blood is thickened, and pain is dulled. At the same time, he has a stunningly high level of endurance and stamina, allowing him to last much longer under intense physical activity and stress.
Biography:
WIP
Additional information:
WIP
Jie
Name: Jie Xiu-ren (介修仁 Chieh Hsiu-jen)
Alias: N/A
Alignment: Dynasties (Great Yuan)
Age: 20
Appearance: A young woman of Chinese nationality, who typically carries herself with impeccable form and appearance. She has sharp facial features and long dark hair often tied back in a ponytail.
Additional physical features: The irises of her eyes are tinged an unnatural shade of dark red; a distinct trait shared by all members of the Yuan Honor Guard.
Personality:
On the surface, Jie often conducts herself in a very prim, proper, and respectful manner, driven by her immense desire to succeed in life and make a name for herself. At the same time though, Jie occasionally gives off a somewhat boisterous and immature streak - a behavior that she makes a conscious effort to subdue in the presence of her elders and superiors. Additionally, she is still rather inexperienced and sheltered when it comes to war at all, oftentimes leading to behavior that some may describe as spoiled, pampered, or naive. This is further exacerbated by her wealthy upbringing, resulting in an almost habitual propensity towards opulence, frivolity, and vanity.
Under pressure, however, she comes off as incredibly focused and exhibits an almost desperate strive for perfection and praise. She is quick to act, intelligent, and typically idolizes the serious and disciplined culture that often dominates the military. As such, not only does she wish to excel as a respected officer, but she has also shown to have an impressive list of skills that presumably take much training besides, such as her skill with a sword or linguistic knowledge. Much of this attitude is the result of her self-avowed "miserable upbringing" alongside her elder brothers that she considered as more talented and privileged, leading to her feeling grossly overshadowed. This seemingly competitive environment and her own ambition has led to her developing a severe inferiority complex towards her siblings and any that she perceives as "better" than her, though this has since been balanced by a stronger work ethic after joining the military.
Likewise, Jie's time on deployment has served to humble the woman somewhat, leading to her harboring a strong sense of both justice and relative sympathy for not just her allies, but enemies as well. In fact, despite the deep-seated warrior culture of the Honor Guard and her own brief experiences of combat, Jie has yet to take the life of another person. While this is primarily due to her position as a scout rarely placing her in such situations, she subconsciously shuns the act of killing overall, believing that doing so would only bring her a feeling of remorse.
Abilities:
Spiritual Retrocognition - A Metahuman power that she's possessed since birth; Jie is capable of seeing glimpses of past events that have occurred within an area around her, ranging from as recently as a few minutes to several days prior. These events manifest in the form of featureless, spirit-like silhouettes and figures, which can take on the vague shape of and mimic the mannerisms of living beings. Such attempts to view these events often require a great deal of focus and mental preparation before doing so, and typically place her in an almost catatonic, trance-like state for extended periods of time. Moreover, she is unable to discern most fine details of whatever she witnesses (such as sounds or any identifying features of another human), nor is she able to interact with them in any tangible way outside of mere observance.
Though it is hard to tell for sure, she has grown to believe these mysterious figures are indeed of a being's own spirit--a remnant of their very soul, left behind like a footprint in the mortal realm. This is often reinforced by her sightings of similar figures in unnatural or disturbing positions, aimlessly wandering as if distressed through places that were the site of immense death and destruction, such as old battlefields.
Yuan Metahuman Programme - A rigorous process adopted (and steadily improved over the years) by the Mongols to engineer their own highly-specialized Metahuman soldiers; Several of Jie's attributes have been artificially enhanced to near superhuman levels through a series of taxing magical rituals and medical procedures.
- Fleet of Foot - Jie's body has been altered to grant her an almost supernatural level of agility and nimbleness. Physically, this is accomplished through an overall lightening of her body without loss of strength nor durability to herself. Likewise, her bones and joints have been made more pliant, allowing for greater freedom of movement and flexibility. These changes are just as neurological as they are physical, having augmented her brain to more swiftly read and assess situations around her. This and her physiology allow her to not only process, but also react to things well beyond the capabilities of your average human, often within as little as a tenth of a second.
- On Eagle's Wings - A power bestowed upon scouts for covert and reconnaissance operations; Jie possesses the ability to take on the bestial form of a golden eagle, granting her a means of flight and travel through the air. In some ways, however, this has proven to be a rather unstable modification. While she can seamlessly shapeshift back and forth at will, her physical enhancements are purely tied to her human form. At the same time, any grievous physical harm inflicted upon one form has the risk of being mirrored upon the other, with sometimes incredibly dangerous effects.
Biography:
WIP
Additional information:
In her teen years, Jie took up both fencing and swordsmanship as an extracurricular activity and hobby - a talent that has grown to compliment her superhuman alacrity. As such, she typically carries a sabre or other similar officer sword with her while in uniform.
by Northern Socialist Council Republics » Wed Nov 17, 2021 8:15 pm
by Remnants of Exilvania » Sun Jan 02, 2022 1:52 pm
by Revlona » Sun Jan 09, 2022 7:59 pm
by Naval Monte » Wed Jan 26, 2022 12:50 pm
by Nagakawa » Fri Jan 28, 2022 11:15 pm
Name
Ikuhito (郁仁, Ikuhito)
Formerly known as Prince Ikuhito of Tochi (栃宮郁仁親王, Tochi-no-miya Ikuhito-shinnō)
Alias
Emperor Jiyu (治雄天皇, Jiyū Tennō)
Alignment
Dynastic Houses (Imperial House of Japan)
Age
29 (born 19 January 1991)
Appearance
Additional physical features
Height: 170cm
Weight: 68kg
Hair colour: silver
Eye colour: amber
Personality
Quiet, unassuming, and hard working, Ikuhito is described as a serious personality who rarely if ever lets others in on his true feelings. He does smile and joke, on occasion, but it is hard for people to pinpoint exactly how genuine it is.
Those close to him note that he appears heavily burdened by the responsibility he feels compelled to shoulder as the Emperor of Japan, exiled as the Imperial House may be, especially after he turned 20. He carries himself with an air of heavy gravitas, and is noted to have a particularly sorrowful quality to his eyes.
Ikuhito's favourite food is mapo tofu.
Abilities
- Archery: Ikuhito holds the rank of 1st dan in kyujutsu, the traditional Japanese art of archery.
- Iaido: Ikuhito holds the rank of 1st dan in iaido - the martial art of efficient sword draws - having been trained in it by his retainer Osanai.
- Grappling: Since young, Ikuhito has been trained in various grappling styles by his retainers. He is trained in judo under Yasuo Osanai (holding the rank of 1st dan), as well as in sumo under former ōzeki Enkaku.
- Chinese medicine: As part of the curriculum for Imperial princes, Ikuhito is familiar with traditional Chinese medicine, and knows how to brew various herbal remedies for a variety of ailments. He is also trained in acupuncture, and has been known to perform it on himself.
Biography
Ikuhito is the youngest child of Emperor Kunihito and Empress Tomoko. Born on the 19th of January in the year 1991, he was heir apparent since the day of his birth, as his older twin sisters Princesses Haruko and Natsuko were ineligible to take the throne due to their gender. As a child, Ikuhito studied at Ochanomizu Elementary, where his classmates included Masaaki Hosoda, future second-in-command of the Higuchi Clan; Sachiharu Osanai, the son of his retainer Yasuo Osanai; and Kisaburo Nagatomi, the late oldest child of yakuza lord Yoshiro Nagatomi, who was killed in a terrorist attack in Kaohsiung in 2006.
Ikuhito’s succession to the Chrysanthemum Throne was thrown into question following the New Year's Day Coup on the 1st of January 2000, when Toyonari Hikawa, aided by the four subordinate clans of Higuchi, Ashihara, Urayama, and Nagatomi, overthrew the Japanese government and forced Prime Minister Kanbun Yanagiba into exile, aftrer which he declared himself Lord of Japan.
Just one day before his 9th birthday, on the 18th of January, the Emperor fled Japan in secret, with the help of Mongolian sumo wrestler Enkaku. Along with his family and their retainers, Ikuhito flew out of Tokyo in the dead of night, going into hiding in Mongolia, where on the insistence of his father, he continued his education as if he were to be Emperor one day.
On the 18th of May 2020, Emperor Kunihito died of brain cancer, and the Gen'ei era came to an end. Consequently, Ikuhito became Emperor, aged 29, and chose the era name 'Jiyu' (治雄).
Additional information
-
Name
Yasuo Osanai (長内 靖雄, Osanai Yasuo)
Alias
-
Alignment
Dynastic Houses (Japanese Imperial Family)
Age
67 (born 30 October 1953)
Appearance
Additional physical features
Height: 170cm
Weight: 74kg
Hair colour: white
Eye colour: dark brown
Personality
Yasuo Osanai has a calm and cool demeanour, and though he comes across as a dignified old man, is nevertheless highly prone to going on long monologues, a trait that both Ikuhito and fellow retainer Enkaku secretly find annoying.
Osanai is an unapologetic Japanese nationalist, and often touts the uniqueness of the 'Yamato Race', which sometimes puts him at odds with the Mongolian Enkaku. He is also known to have metahuman supremacist views, despite his undying loyalty to the Japanese Imperial Family and his opposition to the metahuman rule of Toyonari Hikawa.
Osanai declares publicly that he does not have a favourite food, and that he eats only as necessary to sustain his body. However, those who know him well note that he is secretly partial to shime-saba (pickled mackerel sashimi) which he eats in large quantities with wasabi and ginger paste.
Abilities
- Metahuman ability - Iron Body: Osanai possesses the metahuman ability to transform part of or all of his body into metal, rendering him impervious to bullets and other bladed weapons. He is able to remain in this state indefinitely at no cost; however, in this state, his speed and agility are drastically reduced, and his weight is also greatly increased. Furthermore, if he is thrown into water while his ability is active, he will not be able to transform back to his organic state.
- Iaido: Yasuo Osanai holds the rank of 8th dan in iaido, the martial art of efficient sword draws, having practised it since the age of 7. He has 60 years of experience in the martial art, and has memorised all twelve kata.
- Judo: Osanai holds the rank of 6th dan in judo. He won the gold medal in the -70kg category at the 1976 Summer Olympic Games. He favours sacrifice throws over standing techniques, with his tokui-waza being yoko-tomoe-nage (horizontal circle throw) and tani-otoshi (valley drop), and was admired as an athlete for his incredible agility and for his all-ippon style of judo, as well as for his unorthodox lapel grips and his ability to force kuzushi from unfavourable or downright losing positions. Osanai was also known for his chokes, which were sometimes so tight that his opponents would pass out before they had the chance to tap; his favourite chokes were noted to be sode-guruma-jime (sleeve choke / Ezequiel choke) and sankaku-jime (triangle choke).
Biography
Yasuo Osanai was born in Nagoya in 1953 to the aristocratic Osanai family. He is distantly related to the Japanese Imperial Family.
Close to nothing is known about his early life, although it is said that Osanai was a prodigy in many aspects, intellectual and physical. He gained recognition first at the 1976 Olympic Games, when he defeated Soviet judoka Timofey Ulyanov with a massive sacrificial circle throw to win the gold medal. Shortly after, he retired from judo, citing injury, and would go on to become a coach at Ochanomizu University, where he became acquainted with then Crown Prince Kunihito, who was studying there. Developing a close friendship with Kunihito, Yasuo Osanai later became a retainer to the Imperial Family and to Kunihito himself, serving as one of his most trusted aides following Kunihito's ascension to the throne on the death of Emperor Showa in 1986.
Osanai married university friend Sayo Kashiwaoka in 1987, and the couple had a son, Sachiharu Osanai, in 1991.
On New Year's Day of the year 2000, Toyonari Hikawa, leader of the powerful Koori-gumi yakuza alliance, overthrew the Japanese government with the help of the four clans of Higuchi, Ashihara, Urayama, and Nagatomi. In the chaos, receiving tipoffs that the Emperor and his family were in danger, Osanai scrambled to find safe passage for the Imperial Family out of Japan, eventually managing to secure a flight from Tokyo to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, with the help of Mongolian sumo wrestler Enkaku. Along with his wife and son, Yasuo Osanai fled Japan with the Imperial Family, and became a retainer to the Emperor's son, Crown Prince Ikuhito.
Additional information
-
Name
Byambajavyn Naranerdene (Бямбажавын Наран-Эрдэнэ, Byambajavyn Naran-Erdene)
Note: the given name is Naranerdene. Byambajav - Byambajavyn, rather - is a patronymic, not a surname.
Alias
Shikona: Enkaku Tenya (炎鶴 天弥, Enkaku Ten'ya), since 1999
Formerly known as Kongo Tenya (金剛 天弥, Kongō Ten'ya), from 1990 to 1999
Alignment
Dynastic Houses (Imperial House of Japan)
Age
46 (born 11 March 1974)
Appearance:
Additional physical features:
Height: 186cm / 6ft 1
Weight: 136kg / 299lbs
Hair colour: black
Eye colour: hazel
Personality
Contrary to the image of sumo wrestlers as stoic and dignified modern samurai, Enkaku has the jovial and cheeky personality of a joker. Though he did not show it in his public persona as a rikishi, Enkaku enjoys lame puns and practical jokes, and is thought of by those close to him as a gentle and playful giant. He has no outward interest in politics, and serves the Japanese Imperial Family on a purely personal basis.
Under his gentle guise, however, is a tumultuous personal life, characterised by long-held grudges and old regrets he cannot bear to articulate, coupled with the conflict between his loyalty to the Japanese Imperial Dynasty and his Mongolian roots.
Enkaku, as is befitting his profession, has a massive appetite, eating upwards of 5,000 calories worth of chanko-nabe in a single day. His favourite food is takoyaki - on one occasion, he ate 51 takoyaki in a single sitting.
Abilities
- Sumo: Being a professional sumo wrestler just on the cusp of yokozuna promotion prior to his retirement, Enkaku is incredibly strong and highly skilled in unarmed grappling. Despite being 46 years old, Enkaku still trains five hours a day, six days a week, whether on the dohyo or in the gym. Of particular note is his lower body strength; he can deadlift 800lbs and squat 750lbs.
Enkaku, like most other Mongolian rikishi, was a throwing specialist, favouring the left-handed hidari-yotsu grip. Slightly lighter than average for a makuuchi level wrestler, he relied heavily on speed and leverage in order to score wins, but had on occasion won bouts against similarly-sized wrestlers via straightforward yorikiri (force out), most notably his victory against yokozuna Yamatokuni II in May 1996, for which he was awarded a gold star. Enkaku's most common winning techniques are uwate-nage (overarm throw) and kubi-nage (headlock throw).
Biography:
Byambajavyn Naranerdene was born in Ulaanbaatar to a family of wrestlers. His father was judoka Byambajav Mönkhbat (1938 - 1995), and his grandfather was Bökh champion Mönkhbat Batjargal (1899 - 1980). He is a direct descendant of Chinggis Khan.
Naranerdene initially trained in judo, reaching the rank of 1st dan in 1989 the age of 15, but though he wanted to compete in judo at the Olympics, his father noted his robust physique and huge appetite, and encouraged him to join sumo instead. Coincidentally, Naranerdene was scouted around this time by former yokozuna Ashitaka, oyakata of Ashitaka Stable, and with his father's encouragement, followed Ashitaka to Japan.
On his debut in September 1990, Naranerdene took the shikona Kongo Tenya. He performed spectacularly in the lower divisions, winning three lower division championships, and was promoted to the juryo divison in September 1992, two years after his debut, whereupon he changed his shikona to Enkaku, meaning "the fiery crane". He would later be promoted to the makuuchi division in January 1994, and in March 1998, received promotion to the rank of ozeki.
A personal friend of Emperor Kunihito, whom he had met in person in 1995, Enkaku assisted the Imperial Family in their escape following the coup carried out by Toyonari Hikawa on New Year's Day of 2000, during which the government of Japan was overthrown. At the time, he was midway through the January 2000 tournament, and was being seriously considered for promotion to yokozuna, having won the November 1999 tournament; after fleeing Japan with the Japanese Imperial Family, the Japan Sumo Association, now under the control of Toyonari Hikawa, forcibly retired Enkaku in absentia, with Hikawa ordering that all mention of him be erased from official records.
Enkaku would later become the junior retainer to Ikuhito, who was 9 years old at the time of the Imperial Family's escape from Japan.
Additional information
Family name
Imperial House of Japan (皇室)
Dynastic head
Ikuhito, Emperor Jiyu
Other members
THE IMPERIAL FAMILY
- Tomoko, the Empress Dowager (智子皇太后): the widow of Emperor Gen'ei, who ruled Japan as Emperor from 1983 to 2000, and then from 2000 until his death in 2000 as Emperor-in-exile. She was born a commoner, and was known as Tomoko Sakaguchi (坂口 智子, Sakaguchi Tomoko) prior to her marriage to then Crown Prince Kunihito in 1976.
- Princess Haruko of Tochi (栃宮春子内親王): the daughter of the late Emperor Gen'ei and twin sister of Princess Natsuko.
- Princess Natsuko of Tochi (栃宮夏子内親王): the daughter of the late Emperor Gen'ei and twin sister of Princess Haruko.
THE EMPEROR'S RETAINERS
- Yasuo Osanai (長内 靖雄, Osanai Yasuo)
- Enkaku Tenya (炎鶴 天弥, Enkaku Ten'ya), real name Naranerdene Byambajav (Бямбажавын Наран-Эрдэнэ, Byambajavyn Naran-Erdene)
THE EMPRESS DOWAGER'S RETAINERS
- Masashi Tagawa (田川 雅史, Tagawa Masashi)
- Shinya Okunugi (小椚 慎也, Okunugi Shin'ya)
- Shigeyuki Kubota (久保田 茂之, Kubota Shigeyuki)
- Homare Kikkawa (吉川 誉, Kikkawa Homare)
Territorial claim:
Japan (claimed but not controlled; disputed by the Lei Family and the Hikawa Clan)
Political philosophy:
Monarchist
Brief history
The Imperial House of Japan, also known as the Yamato Dynasty, is the oldest unbroken imperial line in the world, tracing its lineage back to the semi-legendary Emperor Jinmu, who ruled Japan some 2,500 years in the past.
During the reign of Emperor Kunihito, the 125th Emperor of Japan, a coup was staged by Hokkaido-based yakuza Toyonari Hikawa, and the Japanese government was overthrown, with then Prime Minister Kanbun Yanagiba being forced into exile. Tipoffs from Imperial loyalists within the Hikawa Clan's alliance of yakuza families alerted the Emperor to plans by Hikawa to have the Imperial Family arrested and held hostage, and as such, through liaison with the Mongolian government, Emperor Kunihito, his family, and his retainers and their families fled Japan, going first to Ulaanbaatar, where they lived for eight years, and then to a mansion constructed specially for the Imperial Family on the auspices of the Mengyan Emperor (by then ruler of what was known as the Great Yuan) in the Gorkhi Terelj National Park.
The Imperial Family has continued to lay claim to the Japanese throne since their exile in 2000, though they do not possess the means to directly challenge Hikawa. Following the death of Emperor Kunihito in 2020, bringing about the end of the Gen'ei period, his son Ikuhito ascended as Emperor, albeit without formal enthronement, and took on the regnal name Jiyu, continuing to lay claim to the Chrysanthemum Throne in opposition to Toyonari Hikawa's regime.
by Miekzhemy » Wed Feb 02, 2022 2:35 pm
Reino de España y Portugal
Family name: The House of Bourbon-Reyes
Dynastic head: Queen Isabella III of Spain & Portugal
Other members:Territorial claims:
- King Carlos VI [father; deceased(?)]
- Alfonso Cortes [illegitimate elder half-brother; alive]
- Infante Juan [elder brother; alive]
- Spain
- Portugal
Political philosophy:
Officially speaking, the government of Dynastic-ruled Spain is one of a semi-constitutional monarchy, while still building upon the traditions and characteristics of its old-world government. To those in the know, however, the Spanish government in practice after the Metahuman Coup is little more than a sham. The Cortes Generales, while officially still an existent governing body, is an incredibly weak one. The "senate" and "deputies," made up of various local Metahuman lords and lower-ranking ministers, operate as a sort of advisory council in most political affairs. And with the fact that many of these positions are appointed and dismissed at the behest of the ruler, coupled with the Cortes being unable to enact most legislation without the express permission of the Crown, the monarch effectively rules with near-absolute authority.
Brief history:
Following the Metahuman Coup at the turn of the century, not every old world government was toppled in a bloody, violent overthrow. And among these states that submitted rather voluntarily to their new Metahuman overlords, the Kingdom of Spain was a unique case in its own right.
The later years of the dictator Francisco Franco's life preceded an eventual restoration of the Spanish monarchy. And when formulating his will, Franco was presented with a number of claimants as his options for a successor. Most if not all of these candidates stemmed from the previously-deposed House of Bourbon, with the most likely of which to take the throne being the Infante Juan, Count of Barcelona and designated heir of King Alfonso XIII, or Juan's son Juan Carlos, who had certainly proved himself personally loyal to Franco and, by extension, more likely to continue the Francoist policies of the Spanish State. In the end however (and after a rather sudden shift in general opinion by all parties), neither of these men found themselves at the helm of this newly-resurrected Kingdom of Spain. For upon Franco's death in 1975, a relatively obscure claimant found himself overcoming all the others, and cementing himself as the designated heir to the Spanish throne.
This man was Luis de Borbón-Reyes, who assumed the crown as Luis II of Spain. And in contrast to the heirs of Alfonso XIII, Luis could trace his family line back through the Carlists. This branch of the House of Bourbon stems back to Charles IV and his pretender son Carlos, and whose (and his descendants') claims to the throne sparked a series of feuds and wars against the regimes of Isabella II and her successors. This sudden and unexpected shift in the political landscape left many in the aristocracy suspicious of foul play, but oddly enough, this paranoia was quick to fade away into general acceptance and apathy.
What remained hidden from public eye in regard to the King, however, was a peculiar Metahuman ability inherent in Luis himself: control over the mind.
Most suspicion regarding the succession also faded due to the new King's policies. Luis' reign, compared to the Francoist regime, was thankfully benevolent, seeing a gradual return to parliamentary democracy beneath a constitutional monarch. Over the next few decades, he steadily reversed much of the stringent policies of Franco, increasing rights and liberties of Spanish citizens and passing sweeping reforms even at a loss to the King's own power. These things made King Luis exceedingly popular with the masses, and while the more hard-line, anti-secularist members of government offered much resistance, this too seemed to quickly die down just as their opponents had when the "Good King" Luis first took the throne.
It wasn't until the wake of the Metahuman Coup that the true nature of the King was laid bare. But fearing a bloody retaliation from Columbia, Hammer, and the new governments they put in place, King Luis abdicated the throne on behalf of his own Metahuman son. He took the throne as Carlos VI, and voluntarily submitted himself to the Dynastic System as the acting Lord of Spain beneath the Great Lordship of Western Europe.
This practically bloodless transition, however, was but a silver lining. The reign of Carlos was tyrannical, the opposite of his predecessor. His position as absolute Dynastic ruler of Spain, coupled with his domineering powers over the human mind inherited from his father, saw an almost complete return to old dictatorial regime that Luis worked so hard to dismantle. The rights of the common people were diminished, and the power of the Cortes Generales was all but cast aside in favor of the monarch. Even the aristocracy found itself sidelined in favor of a "new" nobility; a nobility of Metahuman lords that swore their unwavering allegiance to a de jure Spanish Crown that has become synonymous with the Dynastic Lordship of Spain.
And in the eyes of the commonfolk, popular resistance to the regime continues to evaporate almost as swiftly as it pops up; All thanks to the devious machinations of their mentally-domineering royals, subtly planting ideas and beliefs into just the right minds. Manipulating the most influential into believing and preaching whatever their beloved lord wants them to. And by extension, these beliefs thereby spread to those around them. Even over the decades since the Good King Luis' rise to power, this covert stratagem, paired with rigorous propaganda campaigns and subversive media control, has invariably led to the Lords and government of Spain steadily and effectively indoctrinating the populace into loving, loyal, and blissfully ignorant subjects. Oftentimes without the monarch so much as lifting a finger...
Now, twenty years later, the descendants of the House of Bourbon-Reyes look to the future. Perhaps, to some, a future that would see Spain regain its long-lost glory.
la Reina de España
Name: Isabella María Teresa Reyes de Todos los Santos de Borbón y Sicilia
Alias: Su Majestad la Reina [Her Majesty the Queen] / La Pájara (often pejorative)
Alignment: Dynasties
Age: 23
Appearance: A tanned, almost tomboyish woman that carries herself with impeccable posture and grace, with sharp, hazel-green eyes and dark shoulder-length hair. She is short but relatively fit, standing at a modest 162cm and weighing roughly 58kg. Her boyish nature is often reflected in her fashion choice, favoring refined uniforms, regalia, or even fitted suits over skirts and dresses.
Additional physical features: Though not outwardly displayed on her person, she regularly carries a Rosary of silver, paired with a devotional scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel below her garb.
Personality:
On the surface, Isabella often presents the front of a well-learned and easy-going monarch. She is gregarious, extroverted, and certainly not above humour and gossip in private conversation--much like the archetypal sporty, popular girl that thrives in the center of attention. At the same time though, she still carries an air of authority that commands respect from those around her, and it is these characteristics present her as an incredibly charismatic leader figure.
But while this behavior is by no means an empty facade, she also shares a number of less-than-savory traits from her tyrannical father. Hidden subtly below the characteristic charm, Isabella has a hotheaded and condescending streak about her. She is domineering, manipulative, and often downright rude towards those she sees as not worth her time, or those she considers rivals. Like her father, she also has a short fuse, and is prone to excessive rants and explosive outbursts when she finds her patience and mercy to be tested. All this stems from a deep-seated desire for respect, obedience, and attention--which in turn can be largely attributed to a pampered but rather negligent upbringing.
Thankfully, her brief military experience and subsequent accession to the throne has dampened much of this behavior - something indicative of her devotion to duty and decorum. She has a peculiar taste for uniforms, tankery, aviation, and almost all things military--an admiration that compliments her love of order, rigidity, and a plan that comes together.
A key element of her life that poses the most inner conflict, however, has always been her faith. Like most Spaniards, Isabella was raised from birth as a devoted practitioner of Roman Catholicism--an upbringing that has since fostered a particular zeal that has only grown in intensity as she's gotten older. As such, while she avoids showing it in public, she often finds herself overcome with shame and remorse for both her own selfish vices and actions as a ruler. In fact, this devotion is so great that she has been known to seclude herself for lengthy periods of time in silent meditation, fasting, and prayer.
Abilities:
Mind Control - Isabella possesses the mental ability to compel others to do her own bidding, with capabilities ranging from simple commands to the complete manipulation of ones' comprehension, perception, and beliefs. This is accomplished in a vague, hypnosis-like manner, either turning one's self into her own puppet, or planting ideas into someone's mind. This is most effective against mundane humans, and those that are either weak-willed, feeble-minded, or excessively demoralized. Conversely, Metahumans, telepaths, and those with stronger wills are much more capable of resisting these effects, if they so desire it.
In regard to physical commands, this application is much more temporary and situational, more along the lines of puppeteering than actual mind control. This requires a fair deal of sustained focus that both grows in difficulty based on just how many minds she bends to her will, and diminishes in effectiveness based on distance. She is also unable to compel others to accomplish the physically impossible.
Mental Projection - A perfected application of her aforementioned mental abilities; With enough concentration, Isabella is capable of projecting her own image into the mind of another, even over long distances. This manifests in the form of herself--appearing as a sort of vision, hallucination, or figment of their imagination--and is capable of communicating with someone in person rather than through a disembodied voice in their head. Likewise, in the case of those capable of resisting it, such a power often requires one's permission (or submission) to work properly.
Biography:
As the younger child of a ruling family, the Infanta Isabella grew up believing she would never inherit the coveted seat of their lordship. As her grandfather--and later her father--lorded over Spain and Portugal, they raised their children to succeed them, schooling them in the proud traditions of their nation. And Isabella's brother Juan, two years her elder and thus the heir presumptive, received most of the attention, and the princess often longed to find her own meaningful place in the family.
That place, however, became clear the day the young Isabella began to manifest the selfsame Metahuman powers of her forebears. And not long after she began using these powers to covertly influence those around her, she realized she was blessed with an extraordinary talent. Techniques that, while her father and grandfather could only master after decades of practice, Isabella began to grasp as early as ten years old.
But the more Isabella progressed, the more resentful she became. Why did her father waste so much effort grooming her oh-so inferior brother? Even outside of their Metahuman abilities, she was braver! Stronger! No matter how hard they were pressured to get along, Juan almost always became the prime target for Isabella's aggression. But rather than defusing this rivalry, the Infante Juan bristled at this brazen disrespect from her sister, and often sought to retaliate in kind. And as both grew into their teenage years, their rivalry only continued to fester, and their words became increasingly heated. Isabella would lambaste his weakness and incapacity to rule. Juan would berate her lack of humility and respect. These verbal altercations would only worsen until, in an effort to finally get a rise out of her, Juan would directly question not only his sister's loyalty, but her own faith in front of both their father, and the lords of the Cortes Generales. And it was these words that became the straw that broke the camel's back.
To the shock of all in attendance, Isabella lashed out at her brother, the years of mutual disrespect and hate finally culminating in a bloody thrashing that, had it occurred in private, likely could have killed him.
It was a heat-of-the-moment action that Isabella regretted almost immediately. Not for nearly beating her brother to a pulp for everyone to see, but for the bitter realization that it was Juan's intention all along. With the heir presumptive still in their father's good graces, the tyrannical King Carlos wasted no time finally sending her far away from court.
This metaphorical "grounding" would see her attend an academy in the southern countryside of the French Order State, aimed at ultimately instilling a sense of duty and humility into the King's rowdy daughter. In many aspects, this was successful, the following years seeing a peculiar change in the young princess of Spain. She gain a newfound interest in the military and, although her own powers made it easier, she began to distinguish herself among her peers in France as an almost natural-born leader. Until at long last, she had finally found what had eluded her: respect.
And she wanted more...
That desire quickly became a crippling addiction. Isabella felt a burning need to be recognized for her talents. To put that pathetic wretch of an heir in his place. To strive for glory just as her father did. In fact, to her, all of Spain and Portugal should stand proud with her, and once again seize its place in the sun. They aspired to so much. Yet instead, the people of Spain--the faithful of Western Europe--all quivered in the shackles of their Irish oppressors. No, she believed. This was not the bleak world in which they would reside. This was not their destiny. But to openly challenge the Druidic Queen of Eire was suicide. A pipe dream at best, this much she knew well. But if she could not lead Europe, then she would lead Spain.
While she was still largely barred from court proceedings upon her return home--Juan was, unfortunately, still there--Isabella did find herself at the forefront of a newly-unveiled military machine: a fleet of Albionite steel, born from and manned by Spanish hands and Spanish blood. A symbol of strength and power embodied by massive airships and aerostats. A new Armada.
When not commanded by the King, Isabella took charge of this fleet personally, making an eventual home aboard the flagship Santiago. It was here that, even without use of her powers, Isabella garnered a special sort of respect from those that served beneath her. This respect from her fellow officers, in turn, earned the good graces of even some of the lords in the Spanish nobility. And for the first time (both metaphorically and literally), it felt as if she finally had friends in high places.
In April of 2020, she would command the Armada in the Dynastic invasion of Australia, serving with distinction as a dutiful representative of Western Europe and the Lordship of Spain. But it wasn't until her glorious departure from Australia, however, that events at home forced her hand. In the recent months before the invasion, the Resistance had already begun to fracture and scatter, with many choosing to flee into the shadows to fight another day rather than make a daring last stand. These cells would flock to haphazardly to any region they could reach, in the hopes of preserving whatever numbers and resources they could in the wake of Australia's fall, and Western Europe--and Spain by extension--was no exception.
It wasn't until the Armada was still almost day's journey from home, blazing a trail across the Mediterranean, that the Santiago finally received the news: The Resistance had finally struck, and done the unthinkable. The King and Queen were dead.
To those closest to her, never before had they seen their beloved commander so bereft of that ever-present composure. For almost the entire day, she cloistered herself away, lost in prayer for her departed father and mother. Overcome with worry for the future. For the succession. For her claim...
More details came in regarding the Resistance's underhanded strike as Isabella arrived home, revealing the King's death to have been via a bombing, the plot of which immediately placing suspicion upon members of the government. With the matter of succession still underway, the King's children kick-started a series of swift, anti-guerilla operations throughout the realm, as well as a government-wide purge of any ministers suspected of harboring Resistance sympathies. For once, it seemed that Juan and Isabella had finally ended their feud. Perhaps, set their differences aside and work together to bring justice to their father's killer. And it was here that she made her move.
While he himself was unaware of this, Isabella knew of Juan's sympathy towards these rebels. And while perhaps this sympathy was not enough to warrant him plotting against his own beloved father, this vague "evidence" proved to be all she needed. With the help of her own faction, as well as a touch of her own mental persuasion, Isabella managed to bring these treasonous opinions of Juan's to light. And to add salt to the wounds, she all but accused him of being complicit in the death of King Carlos. As a result, this led the lords of the Cortes Generales to not only throw their lot in with Isabella and bar Juan from the line of succession, but to outright declare him a traitor and have him locked away in prison.
And with nothing less than total support from her allies and the people, Isabella finally got what she desired for so long: a crown.
Additional information:
by CoraSpia » Fri Feb 04, 2022 5:34 am
by Britanania » Fri Feb 04, 2022 1:39 pm
CoraSpia wrote:Sorry, but the Southeastern US is the Kelvin's original base of power. He can certainly have influence in that area however ruling it completely is out of the question. Might I recommend he relocates to California, given Captain Quake has gone away?
by CoraSpia » Fri Feb 04, 2022 11:35 pm
Britanania wrote:CoraSpia wrote:Sorry, but the Southeastern US is the Kelvin's original base of power. He can certainly have influence in that area however ruling it completely is out of the question. Might I recommend he relocates to California, given Captain Quake has gone away?
Your apps don't say where their base of power is, and logic would dictate that it is in the Caribean based on the fact that that is where the current capital of the NAU is.
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