RedArmyShogun
Runs with Axes
Lore Thread and NPC directory for Project S.W.O.R.D., important enemies may end up here as well, in the form of new posts, if you wish to join the RP after the fact, drop me a DM and thanks.
Rules:
All RPN Rules apply
Posting speed and rule of two/four: All posts are required to be in within 7 days of the GM leader's progression post, faster or more often is ideal, this is the lowest number to remain in the RP. Failure to adhere to this for three weeks can end in PC death. Player will be ejected and not able to rejoin.
The Rule of Two/Four, when the players are all grouped into one you may only post after four others have posted after you, or four days have progressed. In smaller teams you may go again after two posts or two days. Just do not get excessive with this. There will be no turn order least it is requested by the controlling GM. These numbers are subject to change based upon player numbers and observed activity. What I’m saying is give others a little chance to post but not at the expense of a good flow, and don’t go one post later.
Exception - Should you have real life problems, such as sickness, legal troubles, etc, then yes, those should be taken care of. However, inform us of them if you can. Communication is key, we are not mind readers. Should your absence be longer than three weeks your PC will be retired till you can return.
This is a violence-based RP in accordance with new tagging rules, however, let's not get too graphic, which is an RPN rule anyways so eh.
The Staff reserves the right to change and add to these rules and will inform you of such.
[MECHANICS&TERMS]
The Arcane: An umbrella term once used to define all traits and abilities of superhuman, metaphysical, or otherwise unnatural origin. Centuries and even millenia prior, it was believed that all instances of this phenomenon were unique, often related to the culture it originated from or unique beings surrounding them. Modern science–while far from truly understanding the Arcane–has all but confirmed that these phenomena are connected by a similar source: a wave field tied deeply to the human psyche. Research is ongoing to understand these waves and the energy that comprise them, but science as it stands has no methodology to proceed. As it stands, science has only developed tools to confirm if an Arcane field is present and the intensity of the wave, and such technology itself was only stumbled upon through studies over the brain during different sleep phases.
Spell craft has become the default term for the logic-defying acts that can result from the Arcane. While some sources come from Eldritch explanations, others come from ancient mysticism, and even more from deep-rooted culture, all that have been documented and observed demonstrate the presence of an Arcane field. Spellcraft in short is the magic that some individuals can harness, and more dangerously, is innate to demons. The potential for Spell craft is much more common in some bloodlines tracing their roots back to esoteric cultural practices ranging from priests to alchemists but can technically be present in any human. By a matter of pride and adhering to customs, the users of Spell craft often opt to use the terminology unique to their culture regardless of recent findings that show all sources stem from the same Arcane fields.
Mental Fortitude is the only recurring theme amongst the Arcane fields. Whether it is Spell craft or Arcane Abilities, the human psyche and willpower are directly connected to their efficacy and existence. It is through practice and knowledge that Spell craft becomes stronger. It is through training and discipline that Arcane Abilities are honed. But, without Mental Fortitude, both weaken and can even fail their user entirely. This makes the mind itself both the greatest defense and biggest target for those combating the Arcane–and often the point of vulnerability that Demons Exploit.
The current understanding of the Arcane is that whatever energy source is drawn upon for both Spell craft and Arcane Abilities is likely limitless with only the Mental Fortitude standing as the gatekeeper for their use. That said, conviction and willpower do not seem to inherently make either Spell craft or Arcane Abilities stronger as an individual that has honed their skills whatever they may be will often still outperform an individual with ironclad convictions. Instead, it appears that as long as the Mental Fortitude of an individual remains constant, their abilities do as well. If their psyche or willpower waver, as do their abilities.
While Spell craft is effectively the magic that permeates the world, it does not directly explain all phenomena. Many humans and even beasts have certain gifts or increased physiological traits, and in many cases can even train to further enhance them. Throughout history, it has been proven that some of humanity has a spark inside them to be better than their fellow man in some way, shape, or form. Because of this, some forms of training and small groups within cultures have found ways to cultivate that spark, and that knowledge now exists within SHIELD. Arcane Ability is not mutually exclusive with Spell craft, as some individuals may only exhibit an affinity for one or the other, but not both.
Superhuman Abilities: Whereas Arcane Ability finds its source in the Arcane fields, some superhuman abilities come from other sources. Be it through technology or arms handed down through the generations, some abilities far surpass human limitations and are not tied to the Arcane.
Skills: Are talents one has developed via training or practice, martial arts, lock picking, parkour, even wall running if done to a limited degree. One which may be lacking in arcane has had years to months to learn things to fill in the gaps.
Technological Warfare: While logic and reason may have taken a backseat in most of these encounters, prosthetics, enhancements and nanotechnology have made significant gains, if limited and suitable to induction to mere hundreds. Given differing philosophies and training standards these have not become universal as SWORD develops many projects and training philosophies to test what should be universal. It also bears noting that modern firearms are very useful in combating the two most common forms of demons and that human made optical and IR systems can pick the demons up better than the eye in a few instances.
Mystic Weapons: Mystic Weapons are those that were blessed or crafted by those of strong belief or out of materials that carry the cultural knowledge to bring evil to rest, such as Silver. Even in the hands of another the fields left behind in these weapons is such to give another an edge to slay the beasts. Given the unique and time consuming process to make these items they are not suitable for mass production and need a handler that is just as sturdy in mind as they are. Silver bullets alone are not enough. A number of historical artifacts or weapons made of exotic materials can fall into this category, to purported fragments of the Cross, Nichirin blades, or a firearm with silver bullets can be the forms of these.
There are also Mystic Armors, though far rarer and of lesser value than one would assume. Holy weapons are those made and blessed within religious orders and are a name change but same within effects. Mystic Arms do not make killing these beings any easier alone, just makes it so they can be destroyed.
Corrupted Weapons: Such weapons are those whose material has been corrupted or that serves as the medium for a pact. Rules or ideas of the above hold true, even if in the reverse, these weapons however are exceptionally rare (GM will hard limit these) and carry a price.
Curses: Rarer than a gift of power, they normally are a form of highly destructive power that is akin to a corruption, able to transcend bloodlines, it marks one as a target and grants power at often a horrible price. Most lose significant lifespan or are destroyed by the curse.
Curses work in a manner similar to the genetic mutation of Mages and Witches, in that it opens a specific eye of magic to enact the curse. Curses cannot be gained by Fallen.
Founded on August 10th 2020 by a United Nations Resolution in the wake of massive casualty incidents around the world and inability to keep secrets that were once history, legend and the myth, given the advent of a global wireless internet system and social media. In wake of public anger and resentment at the lack of transparency and what they saw as mass deception, accountability was demanded as deaths skyrocketed, many global governments took on the idea of simply organizing and combining the various hunter groups and special purpose law enforcement bodies. Such things took time and even in the chaotic situation, The Supernatural Warfare and Occult Research Division is slowly rising to the occasion, with a unified front and, even if somewhat limited funding.
(Bold and centering here, maybe spoiler tag) Operations and Branches
S.W.O.R.D. true to its name and mission is home to both the needs of research and warfare, and has branch offices across much of the world, given the sheer number and variation in assets it has proven to be a logistical nightmare, archives are being filed, research and theories gathered and a wide sweeping training program continues the work of many of the previous guilds as an attempt is made to consolidate, or at least specialize the training into a more uniformed whole.
Current branches are as follows;
Supernatural Combat Brigade; The main armed force of SWORD, composed of veteran hunters and new recruits, it is split into two principle formations.
Garrison Guards: Regionally different, diverse and based upon old regional templates, till the situation can resolve, they are equipped to handle basic level outbreaks and act at a functionary level to cordon off and block major outbreaks for other forces to deal with. Chiefly most of them are native to the regions or cultures they are based at, or problematic hunters that would be unable to perform well with others of clashing foundations or are otherwise unsuited for international operations. They tend to maintain a fleet of vehicles for their own use, or that of the MTF’s. In addition Garrison Guards are responsible for security and containment of captured test subjects and bases, with an MTF in reserve on a rotational basis.
Mobile Task Force: Also known as MTF’s, they are a rapid reaction force that contains the elite of the elite and even the newly, and if not forced upon it, Fallen hunters into its ranks. MTF’s are dispatched from one hotspot to the next to deal with large threats or die trying. Well equipped, well trained and hopefully, well led, they are the tip of the spear. Typically, MTF’s are given priority air transportation by UN member state nations on military flights, for area’s that is not possible, MTF’s can be deployed by SWORD’s small aviation fleet, which include a few private jets. Once at a location, Garrison Guards tend to take over transportation or offers whatever they have to spare to the MTF’s. Currently MTF’s have a wide range of skills and training standards that are still in the process of consolidation.
Next up is the Occult Research Brigade which is split into three components that oversee research and development, and archival activities. In spite of the name it does not purely study the Occult and Arcane.
Firstly, is the Procurement and Development Department which specializes in the development and procurement of weapons, gear and munitions, with a staff composed of scientists, religious men and followers of wicca, it is very departmentally focused within sub focuses that work together from time to time.
Next is the Research department, which is split into three sub wings that handle technological research, mystic research and demon research specifically, while some members go out into the field with MTF’s they are mostly found in bases around the planet.
And lastly, there is the Archivists. These men and women pour over countless tomes, scrolls and tablets to organize, catalog and report findings dating back some two thousand years. On top of that they file new reports and bit by bit establish a library and system of file databases for SWORD.
Finally, there are a number of civilian and support personnel on retainer or handling various odd tasks such as cooking, mechanics or secretarial work, among other task.
SWORD Ranks it’s personal by job title and the MTF’s and GG’s are grouped into the category of Agent, Senior Agent, Special Agent, Inspector or Tactical Leader, Executor, (players likely won’t move past here) District Commander, Deputy Director, and Director. Command and personnel or decided by the mission’s needs while on the field rather than rank. Typically identifying by the title and first or last name, if is so informal that it is used in the field on a case by case basis with some preferring other titles, earned or pushed.
With the establishment of Sword, dozens of organizations were dissolved and reforged to work within it, all under the command of a board of directors and the United Nations Security Council, at the head of it all is a man named Charles Fowler. Known as The Director, he has a force with experience older than most current nations. Among the forces are the following;
Charles Fowler - The Director
(OOC Note, All of these factions are disbanded, they are only for characters that have been doing this work for more than three years. All fallen should be from the last three years and thus these factions don’t matter at all to them.
Additional notes, you can make your own if you want an older character and upon review I may include it in this list.)
Force 56, a US FBI and joint SOCOM unit that operated in portions of the US.
Congregation of Benediction, known by several names over the years, this was the Vatican’s secret unit that operated across many spots of the Catholic world.
The White Lotus and Black Tortoise, operating in the reaches of Korea, China and SouthEast Asia, primarily composed of Buddhist or Taoist monks.
Sons of Solomon, Jewish sorcerers or hunters that have operated in various parts of Israel and among Jewish Diaspora.
Wicca-Wisemen Council, a conglomerate of Wizards and Witches across the western world belonging to various sects and cults that answered the summons to SWORD.
The Goodman Group, a collection of famous families that have been hunters for a long time across various regions of the world, termed adventurers or government dogs by most, they have been rivals or allies of nearly every other group of key players.
Order of the Golden Fan, a Japanese based organization made up primarily of Buddhist and Shinto priests and priestesses who chiefly hunted Yokai, or what they called the demons around Japan for nearly as long as the histories of both religions in Japan. They practice a wide array of martial arts, though the Public Security’s Section 4 and it’s civilian recruits were main rivalries in this task since the Meiji Restoration.
Keepers of Saladin, an order of Islamic Demon hunters that formed from various cults that defended tombs and cursed sites of the ages, chiefly operate as the Garrison Guards in the Arab world to a wide degree and the Muslim world in general.
GRU Thirteenth Directory, formed by the Soviet Government and now Russian Federation, are trained in the use of heavy weapons and blessed artifacts to combat Demonic incursions across Russia and parts of her allies. Known for its skilled infantrymen.
Saint Cyril’s Sanction, named after a saint of importance to the Slavic World, this Eastern Orthodox faction operates across Eastern Europe in much the same capacity as the Vatican’s former hunters.
Guardians of Dashavatara, made up of local militia that knew to keep a secret, they operate across India and have a long history and traditions that are ancient.
Other than this there were several smaller formations and even individuals who all were pressed into service by Governments, to play ball and be paid for once.
[DEMONS]
Laughing at the notion of being connected to any faith of the human world, they have been called many things, monsters, demons, vampires, devils, unknowns. Many and more. Demons are not connected to any faith and are rather tight lipped on information concerning themselves, be it out of malice or ignorance. What is known is they are hostile to all life, particularly humans, coming from another dimension through means we do not yet fully understand. The first noted appearance in recorded history is now interpreted to be the Epic of Gilgamesh.
Not too much is known about the Demons, even they rarely answer questions of Origin or purpose, be it out of spite or lacking awareness, what few are willing to converse give half answers of laughter in response, with Archons typically seeing humans as not even true lifeforms worthy of conversation. Over the course of history have these beings disturbed mankind, with the most powerful being able to destroy a city, or shown malicious intent to man.
Regardless of time and period two things have been shown true, often these beings come to be by mankind’s own hand, through rituals or being in the wrong place or the wrong time. The second known fact is that becoming a demon host changes the genetic makeup rather quickly, be it drastic or barely noticeable on the outside, the inside is a different matter. Those strong in mind and purpose seem able to resist complete control, allowing for the minor mutations within mages.
While there are dozens, if not hundreds of forms and types, foundations within the mythos and history of mankind, two series of classification were given for the Demons, the first being a “Type” classification and the second being a Threat Level classification.
With the Type Classification, names are used from the Catholic and American teams;
Infernals: These often come to reside in beasts or man and are primitive, hateful beasts that operate more on instincts than rational thought. Fueled by primal emotions there have been zero cases of peaceful communication with an Infernal. They seem to be akin to werebeasts or larger more monstrous forms of the original beast, they are known to seemingly show up from basic corruption.
Cohorts: Cohorts are demonic beings lacking the ability of higher thought but keeping the form of a human that is less capeable. Akin to Zombies or thralls, they are “living” slaves hellbent on destruction at the commands of their master, more often than not a Demagogue. For it is rare for Archons to make use of such weak creations directly. They have been known to develop with seemingly little cause and a few of these zombies have shown curious remnants of thought or memories.
Demagogues: Corrupted and twisted forms of humanity, demagogues have much in common with Infenerals at a superficial level, minus they are typically far larger, malformed and possess the ability to reason and speak, even if their sanity can be held to question. Some have been known to gift powers to others, though it is fairly rare. It is not unknown for Archons to bring these beings into creation. Or a cult that performed a ritual poorly. Though there have been cases to seemingly appear from nothing as with the previous two. Demagogues while tight lip on information have been known to be more “reasonable” of guests in the few sane and capturable cases, offering “gifts” for a price or amusement.
Archons: Are superior lifeforms as some have termed themselves, changing the human genome extensively and being the beings of legend and infamy that many a slayer has slain or been slain by. Beings of great magic or otherworldly powers. Typically, Archons come to power or form via rituals and consume the essence of the human sacrifice they are given in part of occult brokered deals. Normally the old personality is replaced by something else that is not the original host who is reshaped to be more aesthetically pleasing. Almost universally Archons retain a human form, even if unnatural in one or more aspects. Archons are hostile but tactical or strategic in their dealings with humans and thus all the more dangerous. They have been known to offer power in exceptionally rare cases, often to turn a human to their service, or into one of the other forms above or one of their own. They seem to lord over the other Demonic types.
Fallen: The Fallen are Archons that do not possess hostility to humans, they seem to peacefully join with others in times of need and are outright hated by the other demon types. The memories they leave behind are vague and unclear, the changes to those they join with, pronounced, just like Archons they seem human but with something always off, from animal ears to odd eye colors, point ears, sharp teeth or other unusual features and markings. In fact so little has information gleaned from them that even the name The Fallen was given to them by their brethren. They are an enemy of Demon kind and can absorb the essence of corrupted beings they kill. The effects of this are still being studied by S.W.O.R.D. As a subrace of the Archons this distinction will be covered more in the Lore guide.
The Fallen seem to disembodied forms that speak to their human half's, in conversations one knows happened but do not remember the context of. Or in the form of a small creature or even a small non-threating looking humanoid, reflective of what they offer. What seems to also be true is that the human personality seems to make up the core of the new being. While exceptionally rare, some of the fallen are would be sacrifices on behalf of a third party in which these unions take place. Often with the destruction of the third party.
The next classification is the Threat Type. While there are some general rules of limits that these types have been observed at, exceptions are possible.
E-Class
Jokingly called Everybody Class by some, these are beings whose power is dangerous to individuals and dwellings, often these are the Infeneral and Cohort's typical rank. While dangerous to most humans and soldiers, or those without weapons, they are the easiest to dispatch by the agents of SWORD and the most common.
D-Class
A threat across a number of rooms, usually reduced intellect with some cunning found in large animals.
C-Class
A threat whose combat power is around the area of a large building, they show high intellect, be it in primal cunning or conversational skills. Typically this is the greatest extent of power obtained by an Infernal or Cohort class. Seldom do Demagogues or Archons land here.
B-Class
A threat who is able to affect a localized area of a few blocks around them or shows guile and conversational skills.
A-Class
A threat who’s powers and intellect are able to destroy a portion of a City, grave threat to human life and property.
S-Class
A theoretical being of hyper intellect, who’s power can erase a city, none have been observed, least ancient legends are taken at face value.
-Directory may be updated with strong or noteworthy foes in archival format.
The Arcana Detector: Also known as TAD, is a metal talisman that was developed by the 2nd year of SWORD’s foundation, shaped into the form of a badge and with gemstone like sword at the center, based in principle upon the incense detectors that were in use among the Western European states, Chinese metallurgy and Japanese talisman seals. With intensity and the color of the glow, upon directing the back of the badge towards an arcane threat and one threat alone, will’s it upon it and focuses.
So far, the coloring system seems to be A, a bright red hue, a B, bright orange hue, C, a yellow hue, D, pale white hue. And E gives no reading at all. It is theorized an S rank would cause the stone to crack.
Last edited:
