Hello loyal readers of my Chronicles of the Wayward Tome Hero! This is LoneTaker here coming at you all with something special!

After a long and thoughtful consideration (and one comment suggesting it), I decided to do an intermission chapter/Epic!

Reasons why being that:

A) Loads and loads of characters can be a bit hard to track, so I'm doing this for general convenience for both readers and myself.

B) Thought it might be a good way to organize my story from now on, not only to prevent drag, but also to incorporate a bit of a tradition that every 25th Epic uploaded, I do an intermission.

And C) Even I need a break from my own insanity, so why not.

So with that said, here's an intermission as I work on my other fics for the time being.


Intermission...

Epic 25(?): The Cast


Hierarchy of Party: Ever since Naofumi made Nan and his party comparisons to the Yakuza, I thought that it'll be fitting that Nan's party operates like that of a Yakuza Clan (or at least a rough estimate; I dunno, I ain't no Michael Franzese, that's for sure, and I only just recently watched YouTube videos about him).

Addendum 1: Regardless of position, all members are capable of holding their own in combative situations, and can and will coordinate accordingly with terrifying efficiency.

Addendum 2: Regardless of there being a hierarchy, all positions are enforced through respect and filial loyalty. Romanticized? Yes. But than again, an ideal is only an ideal if it doesn't come true.

Addendum 3: If I felt like it, I might commission mating suits and tattoos for everyone in the party for kicks. I dunno, I'm a huge fan of the Yakuza/Like A Dragon franchise, so it's a maybe.

Addendum 4: [Slave-] label is only a nominal label. They are not treated like garbage, but as everyone else in the party; i.e., like people. Just a title, not their identity.

Leader: Self-explanatory; leads the entire party from the front, oversees all of the party's operations, establishes all of the party's rules, all decisions are finalized upon this role's say in the matter.

Underboss: The number two of the party; acts as general advisor, logistical overseer, bookkeeper, rule-lawyer, and main enforcer of leader's will.

Enforcer: The main muscle of the whole party; lead combatants in the party, are often Lieutenants under the underboss, and usually assigned to brute-force their way through a problem if the situation calls for it.

Hitman: The troubleshooters; specialized combatants assigned to take out certain targets whether through discreet manners, or flush out any moles within the party.

Informant: The brains and intel-gatherers; acts as the main source of the leader's information-gathering regarding certain people, places, events, etc., and handles strategizing to negotiations.

Affiliate: Members without any specified roles; acts as extra numerical forces in greater-scale operations.

Guests: Temporary members in the party; their loyalty is uncertain, and are only let in because of the leader's orders.


Main Party:


Name: Nan Hon-Jah

Class: [Tome Fallen]

Level: 70

Affinity: [All Eight Elements] & [Ten Primordial Sins]

Alignment: Chaotic Mad

Equipment: [Forbidden Tome, Grimm the Heretic], [Grimoire Heart], [Lemegeton], [Sibylline], [Necromancer's Robes], [Mire Boots], [Wight's Rune of Spite], [Silver Wolf's Maw], [Bandit's Silver Thumb], [Visage of Madness], [Mystic Geas: Puppeteer], [Portable Dragon's Hourglass], [Patron Goddess of Cutting Edge Bitches: Malty (Hostage)]

Attack: 84 (+195)

Defense: 80 (+10)

Agility: 78 (+5)

Luck: 71 (+85)

HP: 610 (+95)

MP: 700 (+305)

Position: Leader


Name: Garou

Class: [Slave Brawler]

Level: 76

Affinity: [Dark]

Alignment: Chaotic Neutral

Equipment: [Assassin's Leather Armor], [Nightshroud], [Blade Gauntlets], [Primal Claws], [Katars]

Attack: 96 (+50)

Defense: 61 (-20)

Agility: 99 (+65)

Luck: 50 (+20)

HP: 800 (+20)

MP: 300 (-100)

Position: Enforcer


Name: Fubuki

Class: [Slave Monk]

Level: 77

Affinity: [Ice]

Alignment: Chaotic Good

Equipment: [Twilight Gunstaff], [Darkbane Gauntlets], [Twilight Cloak], [Twilight Hunter's Hood], [Mana Medallion]

Attack: 89 (+45)

Defense: 56 (+30)

Agility: 91 (+25)

Luck: 87 (+20)

HP: 570 (-50)

MP: 930 (+100)

Position: Enforcer


Name: Byakko

Class: [Hermit]

Level: 58

Affinity: [Fire], [Lightning], & [Light]

Alignment: Lawful Neutral

Equipment: [Medic's Scalpels], [Cleric's Cane], [Faithful Suit], [Blessed Silver Bracer Platings], [Field Medic's Utility Belt]

Attack: 57 (+20)

Defense: 55 (+100)

Agility: 64 (+30)

Luck: 52 (+50)

HP: 520 (+120)

MP: 520 (+120)

Position: Underboss


Name: Genbu

Class: ?

Level: ?

Affinity: None

Alignment: ?

Equipment: [Wayward Nomad's Garbs], [Silver Pocket Watch & Chain], [Silver Shortsword], [Silver Buckler], [Fafnir's Flametongue]

Attack: ?

Defense: ?

Agility: ?

Luck: 9,999

HP: ?

MP: ?

Position: Affilate


Name: Seiryu

Class: [Blue Tyrera Queen Spell Fencer]

Level: 70

Affinity: [Water]

Alignment: Chaotic Good

Equipment: [Rune Slayer], [Barbarian Armor], [Barbarian Helm], [Berserk Rune], [Berserker's Mantle], [Chimera Teeth Necklace]

Attack: 87 (+125)

Defense: 86 (+55)

Agility: 45 (+20)

Luck: 38 (-10)

HP: 650 (+250)

MP: 200 (+65)

Position: Enforcer


Name: Suzaku

Class: [Red Filolial King Adventurer]

Level: 71

Affinity: [Fire]

Alignment: Chaotic Neutral

Equipment: [Heat Nail], [Vermilion Robes], [Rouge's Cowl], [Mark of the Apex Predator], [Celestial Rune of Protection], [Mark of the Shadow Dancer], [Mark of the Apostle]

Attack: 76 (+120)

Defense: 29 (+15)

Agility: 120 (+70)

Luck: 80 +70)

HP: 150 (+40)

MP: 150 (+40)

Position: Hitman


Name: Rino

Class: [Slave Assassin]

Level: 63

Affinity: [Earth]

Alignment: Chaotic Neutral

Equipment: [Brave Compound Bow], [Spark Dagger], [Steel Throwing Knives x20], [Assassin's Cloak], [Shadow Mufflers], [Silent Step Sandals]

Attack: 63 (+80)

Defense: 38 (+10)

Agility: 81 (+120)

Luck: 84 (+90)

HP: 340 (+40)

MP: 280 (+40)

Position: Hitman


Name: Rio

Class: [Slave Swordmaster]

Level: 62

Affinity: [Water]

Alignment: True Neutral

Equipment: [Chokutō], [Salamander Scale Mail], [Wanderer's Cloak], [Crimson Armwraps], [Visage of Silence]

Attack: 76 (+120)

Defense: 60 (+70)

Agility: 78 (+70)

Luck: 33 (+95)

HP: 550 (+50)

MP: 250 (+20)

Position: Informant


Name: Wyndia

Class: [Predator]

Level: 75

Affinity: [Fire] & [Wind]

Alignment: Chaotic Evil

Equipment: [Dragoon Pike], [Bulletstorm], [Espar Robes], [Visage of Scorn], [Fog Gloves], [Demonic Rune of Bloodlust]

Attack: 79 (+150)

Defense: 47 (-20)

Agility: 84 (+100)

Luck: 25 (-25)

HP: 400 (-50)

MP: 250 (+100)

Position: Enforcer


Name: Khronos Gaia Hakuko

Class: [Vanguard]

Level: 75

Affinity: [Light]

Alignment: Lawful Neutral

Equipment: [Rune Gauntlets], [Brave Chainmail], [Rune Eyeglasses]

Attack: 77 (+30)

Defense: 78 (+15)

Agility: 70 (+15)

Luck: 55

HP: 620 (+100)

MP: 160 (+100)

Position: Informant


Name: Malva Gaia Hakuko (nee Melromarc)

Class: [Elementalist]

Level: 50

Affinity: [Fire], [Water], [Wind], & [Earth]

Alignment: Lawful Good

Equipment: [Silver Wand]. [Rune Fan], [Satin Garbs]

Attack: 50 (-20)

Defense: 40

Agility: 39

Luck: 61 (+50)

HP: 350 (+50)

MP: 500 (+100)

Position: Informant


Name: Fohl Hakuko

Class: [Cleric]

Level: 40

Affinity: None

Alignment: Chaotic Good

Equipment: [Silver Gauntlets], [Steel Bracer Platings]

Attack: 53 (+20)

Defense: 45 (+20)

Agility: 46 (-10)

Luck: 20

HP: 450 (+50)

MP: 100

Position: Enforcer


Name: Atlas Hakuko

Class: [Cleric]

Level: 1

Affinity: [Light]

Alignment: Chaotic Good

Equipment: [Mark of Divine Protection, Tzaphkiel], [Divine Rune of Judgement, Gabriel], [Mark of Cursed Bane, Belphegor]

Attack: 2 (+150)

Defense: 2 (+150)

Agility: 4 (+40)

Luck: 0 (-50)

HP: 20 (+1,000)

MP: 100 (+1,000)

Position: Informant


Name: Alpha

Class: [Perfected Homunculus Reaver]

Level: 54

Affinities: [Dark]

Alignment: Lawful Neutral

Equipment: [Faithful Suit], [Death Scythe]

Attack: 62 (+100)

Defense: 47 (+20)

Agility: 59 (+20)

Luck: 43 (+10)

HP: 360 (+100)

MP: 120 (+100)

Position: Enforcer


Name: Beta

Class: [Perfected Homunculus War Mage]

Affinities: [Fire], [Ice], & [Lightning]

Alignment: Lawful Neutral

Equipment: [Faithful Suit], [Thunder Coil Mace]

Attack: 54 (+80)

Defense: 50 (+10)

Agility: 57 (+20)

Luck: 49 (+20)

HP: 280 (+100)

MP: 550 (+150)

Position: Informant


Name: Chi

Class: [Perfected Homunculus Brigadier]

Level: 56

Affinities: [Light] & [Dark]

Alignment: Chaotic Neutral

Equipment: [Faithful Suit], [Weißer-Ritter 9mm Custom], [Schwarz-Drache 9mm Custom]

Attack: 54 (+120)

Defense: 51 (+10)

Agility: 63 (+50)

Luck: 49 (+100)

HP: 270 (+30)

MP: 240 (+50)

Position: Hitman


Name: L'Arc Berg

Class: [Scythe Saint]

Level: 66

Affinity: [Dark]

Alignment: Chaotic Good

Equipment: [Sacred Scythe], [Reaver's Braced Platings], [Obsidian Handwraps], [Mark of the Black Panther]

Attack: 75 (+150)

Defense: 60 (+75)

Agility: 70 (+50)

Luck: 60

HP: 730 (+150)

MP: 430 (+150)

Position: Guest


Name: Theresa Alexandrite

Class: [Magus]

Level: 65

Affinity: [Fire], [Water], [Wind], & [Earth]

Alignment: Neutral Good

Equipment: [Holy Aquamarine Cane of the Sea Sage], [War Cleric's Leather Armor], [Sacred Gemstones of Holy Healing], [Sacred Gemstones of Divine Smiting]

Attack: 70 (+100)

Defense: 55 (+35)

Agility: 58 (+25)

Luck: 73 (+100)

HP: 430 (+50)

MP: 800 (+400)

Position: Guest


Name: Glass

Class: [Phantom Fan Saint]

Level: 91

Affinity: [Dark]

Alignment: Chaotic Good

Equipment: [Sacred Fans], [Kimono of Mourning]

Attack: 105 (+50)

Defense: 84 (+50)

Agility: 123 (+50)

Luck: 51 (+50)

HP: 790 (+200)

MP: 830 (+200)

Position: Guest


Summons (Significant Individuals):


Name: Cue

Class: [Blade Balloon]

Level: 50

Affinity: [Dark]

Alignment: True Neutral

Attack: 90

Defense: 0

Agility: 50

Luck: 0

HP: 100

MP: 0


Name: Eight

Class: [Plague Balloon]

Level: 50

Affinity: [Dark] & [Earth]

Alignment: Chaotic Neutral

Attack: 10

Defense: 0

Agility: 90

Luck: 0

HP: 100

MP: 0


Name: Dystopia

Class: [Bird-Eyes]

Level: ?

Affinity: ?

Alignment: Lawful Evil

Attack: ?

Defense: ?

Agility: ?

Luck: 9,999

HP: ?

MP: ?


Name: Doppio

Class: [Doppelgänger]

Level: 65

Affinity: [All Eight Elements]

Alignment: Chaotic Neutral

Attack: 60

Defense: 60

Agility: 60

Luck: 60

HP: 400

MP: 400


Name: Baraka

Class: [Pazuzu]

Level: 70

Affinity: [Dark] & [Wind]

Alignment: Chaotic Evil

Attack: 92

Defense: 65

Agility: 70

Luck: 10

HP: 400

MP: 700


Name: Aabidah

Class: [Ziz]

Level: 75

Affinity: [Wind] & [Light]

Alignment: Lawful Neutral

Attack: 105

Defense: 50

Agility: 120

Luck: 60

HP: 600

MP: 300


Name: Iliad

Class: [Hydra]

Level: 65

Affinity: [Fire], [Earth], [Ice], [Lightning], & [Dark]

Alignment: Chaotic Neutral

Attack: 89

Defense: 99

Agility: 20

Luck: 40

HP: 900

MP: 300


Name: Ishmael

Class: [Seraphim]

Level: 80

Affinity: [Light]

Alignment: Lawful Good

Attack: 110

Defense: 110

Agility: 105

Luck: 100

HP: 1,000

MP: 200


Name: Strelitzia

Class: [Dryad]

Level: 80

Affinity: [Earth]

Alignment: Chaotic Neutral

Attack: 89

Defense: 70

Agility: 30

Luck: 100

HP: 1,100

MP: 800


Name: Gaelion

Class: [Bahamut Emperor]

Level: 100

Affinity: [Water], [Wind], & [Light]

Alignment: Lawful Neutral

Attack: 160

Defense: 180

Agility: 170

Luck: 70

HP: 1,700

MP: 1,000


Name: Yaelia

Class: [Wyrmlich Empress]

Level: 78

Affinity: [Ice] & [Dark]

Alignment: Chaotic Evil

Attack: 400

Defense: 400

Agility: 70

Luck: 0

HP: 200

MP: 200


Name: Rubicante

Class: [Iblis]

Level: 75

Affinity: [Fire] & [Dark]

Alignment: Lawful Evil

Attack: 105

Defense: 60

Agility: 100

Luck: 10

HP: 700

MP: 1,000


Name: ?

Class: [Stygian]

Level: 45

Affinity: [Dark]

Alignment: Chaotic Evil

Attack: 66

Defense: 33

Agility: 99

Luck: 33

HP: 399

MP: 199


Name: Bud, Lou, & Harley, The Arkham Triplets

Class: [Cerberus Hades]

Level: 85

Affinity: [Fire], [Ice], [Lightning], & [Dark]

Alignment: Lawful Evil

Attack: 120

Defense: 90

Agility: 100

Luck: 0

HP: 700

MP: 500


Name: Kaido

Class: [Adamantortoise]

Level: 99

Affinity: [Fire] & [Earth]

Alignment: True Neutral

Attack: 110

Defense: 260

Agility: 20

Luck: 20

HP: 1,500

MP: 100


Note: Other [Summons] include too many variants of [Undead] to feasibly list, a handful of [Automatons], a [Harpy], a [Salamander], a [Jackalope], a sapient egg monster/[Eggug], a single [Soul Eater], an entire tribe of [Trolls], several wild/feral [Werebeasts], [Lizardmen], and actual beasts, a [Lampad], the imprisoned [Daemons] in the [Lemegeton], a legion of [Gnolls], [Elder Mind Flayers] (and their lesser counterparts), and magic-adept [Liches], and to top it off, about roughly a handful of [Infantry] soldiers all modeled after the Symphogear Adaptors in appearance.

I swear to god, I'm a bit over my head here, and please call me out if I've missed a few.


To Be Continued...


Author's Notes: So, a few things.

First, I've applied for a Gerald Locklin Writing Prize Scholarship, so had to cut down on my writing for the sake of completion.

Second, I also have midterms for my Anthropology class, so there's that.

And finally, I've been binge-grinding Symphogear XD Unlimited since launch, and I now juggle FIVE Gacha RPGs in my phone. That, and also, I've been reading the Symphogear continuation fic, Distortions over the whole week.

So as for the story itself, I am proud to say that it's sort-of-half way done, and the canon has now been thrown out of the window after the whole [Adamantortoise] bullshit, and I plan to drench the entire rock that Melromarc is standing on in gasoline.

... Because next stop is Zeltoble, the mecca of slave trading. Do the math.

(Cue Evil Laughter reminiscent of Terumi from BlazBlue).

... Feel free to leave a comment or a review, for I'd like to know what my audience is thinking.