How to make a Claymore
The Island of Arouet is far larger than Sutare (the home island of canon Claymore) and subsequently has more active Claymore. This larger roster in turn requites more candidates. A commonality between Arouet and Sutare, however, is the high mortality rate of Claymore candidates. Any given year may have thirty or forty candidates in a "class" of Claymore, but it is rare for more than ten to graduate. Even after candidates become Claymore, they are rarely immediately given a number. Most are placed under the tutelage of a senior Claymore, often ranking between fifteen and forty, to continue their training until they are deemed suitable for individual field missions.
As a rule in Arouet, Claymore candidates are taken in as children and favorably as young as possible. It is uncommon for a child to be considered for Claymore training beyond the age of six or seven, but it is not unheard of. Arouet also has a system for evaluating the likelihood of a successful hybridization using an attenuated strain of the parasite used to create Yoma. When anyone with a low likelihood of successful hybridization is infected, they will show flu-like symptoms with varying severity (death is extremely rare); however, a subject with a high likelihood of hybridization will show no signs of illness. It is standard practice for the Organization to travel to villages across the island, generally every few years, in an attempt to recruit subjects via this method. Even those that are older and survive it may be taken to the Capitol of Voltaire and taught a trade with the actual intention of creating pairs likely to have children capable of being used for Claymore experiments.
In many ways, Arouet is far more advanced than Sutare ever was. In many ways, it is quite the same. While the methods of choosing what Yoma flesh is used for a candidate may differ, the Claymore is still left with a never-healing wound known as a stigma. Described as a "hideous deformation that scares most those who see it," this stigma is the true sign of a Claymore. Male Claymore are given their stigma slightly earlier at age ten and sterilized simultaneously to minimize the urges associated with Awakening; female Claymore are traditionally given their stigma around their twelfth birthday, a process that also leaves them sterile. The process afterwards is described as the most pain these individuals will ever feel in their lives, but most survive at this point. Those with the best hybridization gain porcelain skin, fair hair ranging from white to blond, and may even develop elf-like ears or permanently retain their silver eyes. It is rare for even the poorest hybrids to retain dark skin or hair, and those that do are often considerably weaker than their counterparts.
The years that follow are spent training together in groups called "classes" with Claymore of a similar age. This is done at a set of camps owned by the Organization in the southernmost lands of Arouet. There, Claymore learn swordsmanship and how to utilize their new bodies. While some may even tap into the surface level of their Yoki, very rarely do they learn how to do this in their initial years. These Claymore are kept for as long as deemed needed, evaluated for graduation yearly, and held back if need be. Alongside the approval of the assessors, each student must be part of or individually complete a mission given to them. Upon graduation, they are assigned to a senior Claymore and work under their rank. Arouet rarely pits their Claymore against each other, factually minimizing competition at all levels.
Guidelines for Creation
Most characters should be wrote and designed to start out in part of a graduating group to be placed under a senior Claymore, although upon request, I may pick a different time. I don't intend on permitting characters to play out in the student years... simply because that's not the direction I was GM in. These characters will generally be between 17 - 19 years of age. While the fledgling, defining traits of these characters may be present, they should not be overly developed or innately powerful yet. I also provided the "general" backstory for most Claymore candidates, but if an idea is present outside of them, please do present it.
I'm all for creativity and expression, but I also like room to grow. I would like to see the story of these Claymore as they grow in this new setting. That said, I'm not opposed to some dedicated players making additional characters later that are somewhat further ahead in terms of individual progression than the initial plotline. I intend on somewhat tailoring story components to the characters in play regardless, so while there will be overarching plot elements, it won't be overly centralized to the extent of only having one relevant group.
Character Sheet
This is just a basic sheet. They may be altered as long as all relevant information is contained.
The Island of Arouet is far larger than Sutare (the home island of canon Claymore) and subsequently has more active Claymore. This larger roster in turn requites more candidates. A commonality between Arouet and Sutare, however, is the high mortality rate of Claymore candidates. Any given year may have thirty or forty candidates in a "class" of Claymore, but it is rare for more than ten to graduate. Even after candidates become Claymore, they are rarely immediately given a number. Most are placed under the tutelage of a senior Claymore, often ranking between fifteen and forty, to continue their training until they are deemed suitable for individual field missions.
As a rule in Arouet, Claymore candidates are taken in as children and favorably as young as possible. It is uncommon for a child to be considered for Claymore training beyond the age of six or seven, but it is not unheard of. Arouet also has a system for evaluating the likelihood of a successful hybridization using an attenuated strain of the parasite used to create Yoma. When anyone with a low likelihood of successful hybridization is infected, they will show flu-like symptoms with varying severity (death is extremely rare); however, a subject with a high likelihood of hybridization will show no signs of illness. It is standard practice for the Organization to travel to villages across the island, generally every few years, in an attempt to recruit subjects via this method. Even those that are older and survive it may be taken to the Capitol of Voltaire and taught a trade with the actual intention of creating pairs likely to have children capable of being used for Claymore experiments.
In many ways, Arouet is far more advanced than Sutare ever was. In many ways, it is quite the same. While the methods of choosing what Yoma flesh is used for a candidate may differ, the Claymore is still left with a never-healing wound known as a stigma. Described as a "hideous deformation that scares most those who see it," this stigma is the true sign of a Claymore. Male Claymore are given their stigma slightly earlier at age ten and sterilized simultaneously to minimize the urges associated with Awakening; female Claymore are traditionally given their stigma around their twelfth birthday, a process that also leaves them sterile. The process afterwards is described as the most pain these individuals will ever feel in their lives, but most survive at this point. Those with the best hybridization gain porcelain skin, fair hair ranging from white to blond, and may even develop elf-like ears or permanently retain their silver eyes. It is rare for even the poorest hybrids to retain dark skin or hair, and those that do are often considerably weaker than their counterparts.
The years that follow are spent training together in groups called "classes" with Claymore of a similar age. This is done at a set of camps owned by the Organization in the southernmost lands of Arouet. There, Claymore learn swordsmanship and how to utilize their new bodies. While some may even tap into the surface level of their Yoki, very rarely do they learn how to do this in their initial years. These Claymore are kept for as long as deemed needed, evaluated for graduation yearly, and held back if need be. Alongside the approval of the assessors, each student must be part of or individually complete a mission given to them. Upon graduation, they are assigned to a senior Claymore and work under their rank. Arouet rarely pits their Claymore against each other, factually minimizing competition at all levels.
Guidelines for Creation
Most characters should be wrote and designed to start out in part of a graduating group to be placed under a senior Claymore, although upon request, I may pick a different time. I don't intend on permitting characters to play out in the student years... simply because that's not the direction I was GM in. These characters will generally be between 17 - 19 years of age. While the fledgling, defining traits of these characters may be present, they should not be overly developed or innately powerful yet. I also provided the "general" backstory for most Claymore candidates, but if an idea is present outside of them, please do present it.
I'm all for creativity and expression, but I also like room to grow. I would like to see the story of these Claymore as they grow in this new setting. That said, I'm not opposed to some dedicated players making additional characters later that are somewhat further ahead in terms of individual progression than the initial plotline. I intend on somewhat tailoring story components to the characters in play regardless, so while there will be overarching plot elements, it won't be overly centralized to the extent of only having one relevant group.
Character Sheet
This is just a basic sheet. They may be altered as long as all relevant information is contained.
Code:
[size=6][b][ If a character has a rank, place it here. If not, delete this. ][/b][/size]
[center][img]Picture reference[/img][/center]
[b][ Name | Gender | Age ][/b]
[b]Personality[/b]
[b]History][/b]
[b]Fighting Style[/b] Brief description of the fighting style. Include if they are Defensive or Offensive type. Include all signature techniques.
[b]Yoki[/b] Yoki is "demon power" and its expressed differently in most Claymore. Include how their Defensive or Offensive traits based on their type, any abnormalities with them, and any technique that's use includes Yoki (if listed here, no need to repeat in fighting style).
[b]Miscellaneous[/b] Throw in whatever you want.
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