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.
