I've added a link to the (hand drawn) map for this year's island.

I've also added descriptions of each zone.  I'll probably add little details here and there as the event approaches, but I wanted to provide overviews now for people.

As soon as Guu returned to the Ninja Village with the shard, word traveled fast. Amongst the populace of Ambrosia, murmurs began to spread. When the pink one left Mokukure, hand and hand with her friends, excitement filled the air of her home town. And as their princess parsed her way through the wood, and the city was plain in sight, so close she could almost hold it in her hand, the city was in jubilation.

Princess Guu had returned to Ambrosia.

I awoke suddenly, blearily staring up at the ivory ‘ceiling’ for a moment before blinking hard and forcing my eyes to refocus. Still white. Beyond the feeling of stiffness settling around my neck and a nagging pain at the base of my skull, I could perceive only white.

“Jesus, where am I?” I blinked, almost startled by the sound of my own voice. “Did...did it finally happen? Am I dead?” I paused, thinking back. “I didn’t even think that was possible.”

I slowly rose to a seated position, despite the protest of my apparently overworked muscles. If I was in-fact dead, I had some choice words for whomever thought of the idiotic idea of including pain in the severance package.

“Hello hangover,” I found myself muttering, raising a calloused hand to cover an eye, as if that would make any difference. “Glad to see you’ve come along for the ride.” I blinked hard once more, shaking the haze from my vision. The rest of the decor looked to be as bland as the the...ceiling. Or whatever it was. “What is this, a white factory?”

With a deep breath I finally coerced my complaining sinews to support my weight, standing shakily beside what I soon realized was some variety of fountain. I clapped my hands upon the fabric of my bespoke suit, its shape a good deal more crumpled than I would ordinarily have tolerated, as I shook the nonexistent dust from it. At least they’d had the decency to leave my suit.

“So I guess the obvious question,” I said to no one in particular,  “Is...heaven or hell?” I turned to examine the fountain, taking note of the shimmering waters covering a veritable carpet of shiny coins, all contained within walls of uneven marble shaped to resemble a cliff-side. Along the far edge, statues of flexing men struggled to tame weird horse-serpent hybrids. “Great,” I sighed loudly. “Italy. So, Hell it is.”

Dejectedly, I stepped toward the water’s edge and took a seat upon the fountain's rim. I felt the misty spray moisten my skin as I dipped a hand below the shallow surface to grasp for a lira. As my fingers fumbled with the slippery doubloon I caught sight of something across the far edge of the fountain,  immediately dropping the worthless coin as my eyes bulged.. “S-stormtroopers?!”

I stood bolt-upright, nearly tumbling into the waters as I scrambled around the edge toward what I prayed wasn’t some mean-spirited mirage. My polished loafers clicked against...whatever the floors were made of, making a bee-line for the trio of the Empire’s Finest. Nearly a full minute of sprinting later I reached their side, doubling over as I heaved tired breaths.

“Hello, Prime,” the closest of the soldiers announced cordially through their comm unit. “Are you interested in aiding the Empire?”

“Oh my God, maybe this is heaven!" I yelled, still gasping for air. The troopers stood in stunned silence as I composed myself, hands cradling blaster rifles. “Sorry, I’m usually in better shape than this.”

“...Right,” the leading trooper replied, tilting a helmeted head. “Are you...” he paused before repeating his spiel once more. “Interested in joining the Empire? We’re always glad to take on new Prime recruits.”

“Oh man,” I said, having finally caught my breath enough to form complete sentences. “I hope this isn’t some shitty dream. Quick, I’ll run over there like I’m fleeing the might of the Empire,” I said, throwing in liberal air-quotes around the last few words. “And you three shoot at me. I’ll be just like Han Solo!”

Silence hung in the air for a moment before I heard a shrill call from over my shoulder. “Prime! Prime!” A shabby-looking man with leather armor hustled over, brandishing a rolled-up piece of paper in his filthy mitt. “Do you want to join the Kingdom?”

“Screw off, Charla-lame, these are ACTUAL Stormtroopers. Do you have any idea how many of my childhood fantasies I’m about to act-out?”

“Listen, Prime,” the leader of the Empire’s squadron said, more than a little weirded-out. “Do you know where you are?”

“Heaven?” I replied, blue eyes wide with anticipation.

“Wha- no, did you even listen to the speech before you woke up?”

I thought for a moment, the vague memory of a chatty spirit droning on about ‘the world I didn’t know’ coming to mind. “Sorta, I guess,” I paused, trying to remember the details. “I kinda…wasn’t paying attention.”

The trio of stormtroopers sighed, the medieval-styled envoy shaking his head as he walked back toward the fountain. “You’re in the Omniverse,” the trooper replied, his tone indicating that it wasn’t the first time he had to help an unacknowledged newcomer. “Our God, named Omni, brought you here to entertain him. As long as you do that, you can’t die and you can create anything your heart desires.”

“So...you said this wasn’t heaven, though...” I trailed off, my mind suddenly whirring with thought.

“It...it’s not,” the trooper repeated, his helpful facade beginning to show chinks. “It’s a lot to get used to and most Primes just learn by doing. Here, focus for a minute on something you want. If you try hard enough and wait long enough, you can make anything.”

My eyes grew wide once more as I looked down at my hands, pondering the trooper’s words. Wordlessly, I shut my eyes and began to focus. My thoughts focused, the image of a single precious thing becoming increasingly clear in my mind’s eye. Moments later, I felt the familiar weight within my hands.

“...Liquor?”

My eyelids flung open as I took in the beautiful glass bottle between my mitts. The breath was stolen from my lungs for a moment before I found words to describe my bliss. “Not just liquor, Glenfiddich Single Malt Scotch. This bottle is older than I am!” My shaking hands tore the seal off of the bottle, removing the cap and tossing back the bottle before the soldiers could utter another word.

“Look, Prime-”

I held a single finger up to silence the Imperial, slugging down the delicious spirit in large gulps with my vision skyward. The two more-lowly servicemen stood in stunned silence as their leader attempted in vain to interrupt my progress, to no avail. In just under a minute I had finished, now holding the empty Scotch bottle as if it were a precious infant.

“Are you done?” The trooper waited for a moment, taking the pause as an affirmative. “Alright, you get the idea. Do you want to join the Empire?”

“So, let me get this straight. I can make...anything I want. And I can do...anything I want?”

“Yes...” the white-clad solider replied hesitantly.

“Pass.”

I spun on my heel, flinging the empty bottle over my shoulder and marching back toward the fountain.

Character name: Sergeant John "Sleepy" Estes, AKA "MAD BULL 34"

Character source: Kazuo Koike's manga & OVA: MAD BULL 34

Character history: All history as contained in the OVA.
MAD BULL 34 is a giant-of-a-man police officer who works for the 34th precinct police department. He runs a prostitution ring in the 34th precinct which makes him a target by other gang bosses wanting to take over the territory. Despite Sleepy's penchant for going beyond the law and doing things that would classify him as a crooked cop, he always has good intentions within the law in his otherwise unusual ways to fight the war on crime. When Sleepy was only fourteen, his family was murdered by gangsters, and since then, he made it his mission to kill every gang boss and rid the city of organized crime.

Physical Description:




Stats:
ATK: 4
DEF: 5
SPD: 1
TEC: 0

Starting Proficiencies (3000 OM):
Physical Strength - 1000 OM,
Ranged Proficiency - 1000 OM,
Area Attack Proficiency - 1000 OM

Starting Powers:

MOVES: (1800 OM)
Hand Grenade - Tier 1 Super Move - 600 OM (Requires Ranged Proficiency & Area Attack Proficiency)
This classic weapon of war is just as effective in urban environments. Crafted in mass quantities, they are designed to be easily thrown at the same distance as a baseball.  A grenade can take arcs or fit in places in ways that bullets cannot, and packs a powerful explosive force. Set to a 5 second charge, its not unheard of for a thrower to find their own grenade tossed back at their feet.

Tear Gas - Tier 1 Super Move - 600 OM (Requires Ranged Proficiency & Area Attack Proficiency)
A staple for beat cops everywhere, tear gas canisters can be lobbed like grenades or fired from special add-ons to shotguns. Tear gas causes extreme irritation to the eyes and throat, potentially distracting or incapacitating a foe in a non-lethal way.

Smith & Wesson NY-1 Revolver - 300 OM (Requires Ranged Proficiency)
This standard issue piece is favored by old-school cops that appreciate that punch and reliability provided by its .38 special ammunition. It fires at a rate of about one bullet per second, and can be reloaded in 4 seconds with the use of its accompanying speed-loader. Although it packs a punch at short range, its difficult to aim across a distance without adopting a stationary full-footed stance.

Nightstick - 300 OM (Requires Physical Strength)
Hewn from a solid oak wood, smart cops select a stick that is roughly the same length as their forearm. Used almost identically to a tonfa, it excels at tripping suspects, blocking melee strikes, and battering criminals.

Total 4800 OM, 200 OM leftover


I confirm that I have read and agreed to the Rules of Conduct.

Quote:This post will contain heavy spoilers for Nier Automata. You have been warned.

Character Name: Mega Man X

Character Source: Mega Man X/Zero series

Character History: From his inception after the Mega Man series to  his passing after the Zero series.
[spoiler]The result of all the effort and research of a certain Dr. Thomas Light, Mega Man X had been built as a masterpiece, a marvel of technology and passion. Pouring his very heart and soul into this creation, Dr. Light held the hope that X would fulfill his dream of unity between humans and robots. The sheer humanity and spirit within him would bequeath an unlimited potential to harness.

Unfortunately, Dr. Light feared that the world was not ready for such a revolutionary machine, and that Mega Man X in turn would not be ready to witness the world. So the doctor had him sealed away, to be put under simulations and stress tests for 100 years. Light would pass away hoping that X would emerge, pure and just, into a new world willing to accept what he was.

Fast forward to 21XX, and that happened to be exactly the case.

A man known as Dr. Cain had discovered Dr. Light's research and created the concept of the Replication Android, or Reploid. Human-like machines ultimately built in the image of Mega Man X were all but perfectly integrated into society, in a new age of technology. X was quickly and eagerly welcomed into this world, where he would strive with all his human spirit to make a positive difference and close the gap entirely. To this end, he joined the Maverick Hunter, an organization devoted to suppressing rogue Reploids and terrorists.

It all went terribly wrong when Commander Sigma became a Maverick. Betraying the Maverick Hunters and their purpose, Sigma would go on to lead a campaign of terror and destruction across the world. X and his newfound mentor Zero were forced to bear witness to his descent into corruption and insanity, and made to face it head-on.

As time passed, the conflict only became worse. The scales of destruction escalated higher and higher, until the entire world was plunged into the verge of ruin. Cities lost by the hundreds, lived ended by the millions, and the very atmosphere choked with fallout. It seemed to X that his efforts had only ever made progress in the wrong direction, and his hope seemed father away than ever. Even his relationship with Zero seemed inexorably tied to a destiny of hate and conflict, one that even Zero himself refused to see through.

It was with this mentality that he eventually resigned from the Maverick Hunters, and pursued a new path. If righteous action would not solve anything, then X would turn to peace and study.

Humanity had pooled most of its resources into creating the Jakob elevator: a massive pillar of an orbital elevator that would provide the gateway to the stars. The Earth seemed lost and decayed, and there was a wanting to expand into new worlds. X capitalized on this, but not in the idea one might traditionally think of. He founded the city of Neo Arcadia around the elevator, and aimed to turn it into a haven for humans and Reploid alike. His work and research would be devolved to quality of life and the advance of evolution.

Zero, X's faithful partner, soon decided he could no longer live as he was. He was a creation of war, built to destroy X and all that he wrought. To this end, he had himself sealed away in a secluded laboratory of confidential location. Zero hoped that he would go through same 100-year meditation X experienced at his inception, and thus emerge a better person.
X, knowing himself very well, knew better than to fight fate. The original Reploid did not think poorly of Zero, but would not allow his rival to be changed as dramatically as he wished.

For a time, the greater aspirations of X worked brilliantly. Aided by the four Guardians and eight Gentle Judges of his creation, X became a benevolent and messianic leader of Neo Arcadia. Humans began to rely on cybernetic implants to improve their lives and survival in the harshness of a still-pained world. Reploids became better, more refined and sleek, more human. The difference between them physically became so non-apparent, one might never the difference from just a cursory glance. They evolved together, and became closer as a result.

Science ascended to a new level, leading into the development of Cyberspace, the digital realm. X personally poured much work into this discovery, expanding this invention across Neo Arcadia to such a degree that it became a whole other world. This work culminated in the creation of Cyber-Elves: digital pixies with the power to manipulate technology in incredible ways. Their master, the Mother Elf, bore the same unlimited potential of X himself. With almost every Reploid, machine, and computer in the world ultimately made in the design of Mega Man X, he could share this prosperous gift with ease.

And one human, augmented beyond flesh and blood, took advantage of this. His name was Dr. Weil, and his acts ushered a new age of war. He turned Zero's body into a massive weapon, Omega, and he corrupted the Mother Elf into an avatar of chaos, the Dark Elf. With the power to control cyberspace, Neo Arcadia would bend to him whim.

X, the Guardians, and the army of Neo Arcadia fought boldly and valiantly, but what Weil had done could not be undone. The scientist and his magnum opus were ejected into space in hopes they would remain forever out of reach. And the Dark Elf, X's own pride and joy turned Maverick, was sealed away in an infinitely complex digital prison. The padlock that powered and sealed the cell was nothing more than the body of X himself, his forever-beating core hoping to lock away his forsaken creation.

For a time, Neo Arcadia was left leaderless, basking in a hollow victory. The ruling power, and the wealth of information he had shared to the world, were no more. One passionate young scientist named Ciel had a solution: to create a new X, and emulate all of his leading qualities.

The true X, now a Cyber Elf watching the world from afar, knew this was a terrible mistake.

The copy of Mega Man X was inherently flawed. It did not have the two-hundred years of experience that had made X what he was. It was created only to be seated upon a throne and expected to rule their nation. The power quickly corrupted him. With every problem, came a quick and dirty solution. He made no advancements, so focused was he on trying to maintain optimal conditions after the ravaging of the war. His work created an energy crisis, plunging much of Neo Arcadia into a dystopia.

The Guardians and the Judges, their very lives being X, held faith in the copy. All who held opposition were executed swiftly. The true Mega Man saw this, and could only have been more disgusted if that had been truly himself.

So X began his deep-seated plan, his countermeasure against himself. He sowed the seeds of rebellion, aided by a regretful Ciel. He created points of interest, to build the strength and morale of the downtrodden Reploids. And finally, he revealed the information of a hidden location, containing a mighty, slumbering hero.

The one that was always destined to destroy all that is X - Zero.

The destroyer awoke damaged, bearing no memory of himself or of the world he left behind. Yet beside that, his skill remained, intrinsically woven in his form. X gave him a weapon, the same one he had been lent so many years ago, and he gave him a purpose: to destroy the forces of Neo Arcadia, and protect its citizens from their maniacal government.

So he did. Zero slashed and shot, shielded and saved, did everything in his power to fight the creations of X. The military, the Guardians, the Judges- all fell to his innate destiny of destruction. And when Weil returned from his prison, when the Dark Elf was unleashed once again, Zero fought them, too. Only the humans, and the Reploids he had allied with, were spared from his uncanny ability. The war was brutal, chaotic, and harrowing, putting the lives of every last human on earth at risk.

In the end, there was nothing left of X's former paradise: the city had been wiped off the map, and all that it stood for now found solace in a last bastion of genuine life. X, Zero, and the Guardians all bravely their lives in the conflict. The undying spirits and legacies of the six of them were left drifting in the void of Cyberspace, animated by the last breath of the Mother Elf. In due time, they would be given form and purpose again, as something completely new.

But when X awakened once again, he found himself in a different void, approached by a smiling white figure...[/spoiler]

Physical Description:
[spoiler][/spoiler]

Stats:
ATK: 2
DEF: 3
SPD: 1
TEC: 4

Starting Proficiencies (1000): Ranged Proficiency

Starting Powers (2300): Super Jumping [Basic] (300), Survival (2000)

Starting Moves (600):

X-Buster [600 OM - Requires Ranged Proficiency]
  The X-Buster is a traditional, yet effective arm cannon. X can form one or both of his hands into X-Busters, an automated process that doesn't take more than a second. When readied, the Buster is capable of firing softball-sized energy projectiles at the speed of a handgun. These shots travel at the speed of arrows up to a maximum range of 30 meters. X is capable of shooting while moving, though at the sacrifice of accuracy.
  The X-Buster also contains an energy amplifier for charging up more powerful blasts. It takes 3 seconds to charge up a blast of safe maximum output, producing a shot about 3 feet in diameter moving at the speed of a rocket. X can still move normally while charging, but he cannot fire any weapons from his Buster. If both X-Busters are deployed, they cannot be charged simultaneously, and cannot fire normal shots while charging.
  X's advanced energy core allows him to theoretically fire shots infinitely, but ages of non-use have made the weapon inefficient; overuse of the buster can seriously debilitate him, especially charged shots.

Total Spent OM: 3900

I confirm that I have read and agreed to the Rules of Conduct.

Where did you find us? Dante here. I don't even remember at this point, and my first joining form doesn't say. Curse my ignorant past self.

To: frisk@avengers.org 


From: secondcoolestskeleton???@omail.com

Subject: you awake?
hey.

you awake?

Lilith was too dead to be tired. At least, that was what she told herself, because she had to be.

A vision came and went, and the siren couldn’t do a damn thing about it. She was perfectly still, watching a grinning darkness approach. She had opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Even if she had been able to vocalize any of her irrational, scared-shitless thoughts, the silhouette began speaking before she would have made any headway.

Omni. Omniverse. Omnilium. Somebody had an ego problem, but that was the least of her concerns. Lilith only barely followed along until the little presentation was over, and suddenly she found herself standing in front of some giant fountain, rubbing her temple through a painful haze in her brain. It was funny that she could remember Omni’s spiel more clearly than anything that preceded it--funny in a terrifying way, but funny nonetheless. She was Lilith; she was a Siren; she was on Pandora, and she had been right in the middle of...something. It was probably something that she gave fifty-fifty odds of surviving through, which was always fun.

Outside of that, she was coming up despairingly empty. A thought almost startled her, and she reached down towards the holster strapped to her hip, and exhaled a breath of relief; she still had a weapon. Power was slow to flow through her, she noted, but she found that she could grasp just enough to feel like the same old Lilith. Whatever had happened was less than ideal, and that was an understatement.

With a sigh, she ran fingers through red strands of hair, and wrapped them tightly, knuckles white. She wanted to pull, but she rather liked her hair--more to the point, however, was the nagging feeling that she needed to just move. Wanderlust was in her nature, and not even the creepiest of extradimensional extractions could make her forget that. Twisting her lips, she tossed up her hands aimlessly with a groan.

Stupid Omni bullshit.

Hands on her head, Lilith found herself walking an annoyingly large distance, eyeing one of the gates that she could see in the distance. She was unaware of the time that had passed, but having an objective in sight and mind--even one she didn’t understand--helped numb her mind just enough to function. She was consumed by idle thought and a vague sense of dread when she was alarmed by a sound behind her. Experience and instinct made her reach for her weapon, but her eyes were met with the vision of a startled young man, holding up his hands in a silent plea.

“Please don’t do that. I don’t want to waste ammo,” she spoke flatly, though she paused briefly when the stranger’s eyebrow quirked.. “Or shoot anyone. See, it’s bad on more than one level.”

“Sorry! I just thought you might have been a newcomer. You have that look.”

Lilith wanted to be insulted, but she realized that her aimless wandering probably made her look like a dumbass. It deserved a pass.

“I guess,” was her simple reply, punctuated by a shrug. “What, so you’re just...Helpful Person who just happened to come along? You don’t think that’s a little...” she motioned vaguely with a wave of her hand, “creepy?”

“There’s not a part of this that isn’t creepy,” the stranger countered matter-of-factly, to which Lilith could only offer a knowing nod. He had that right. “The best any of us can do is help each other out, although I’m surprised nobody’s come to scope you out yet.”

“What?” she asked in a huff, almost breathlessly. She was suddenly exhausted, and it wasn’t by her hike.

“Right, well...if you keep going west,” he stopped to point, presumably at the large gate that she had been trying to get to, “you’ll reach Coruscant, which is controlled by the Empire. To the East is Camelot, ruled by the Kingdom. More often than not, you’ll see representatives of each trying to recruit new Primes such as yourself.”

“Night’s still young,” she replied, taking to inspecting her fingernails like the topic was no big deal despite the gnawing, almost burning feeling in the pit of her stomach.

“You’ll feel better once you’re on stable ground,” he added out of the blue, as though he could guess how she was really feeling.

“I hope so, because so far this place kind of sucks,” she replied, taking her gaze off of the man and looking around. “I wasn’t kidding when I said I wanted to save ammo. I keep expecting things to go from bad to worse.”

“Well, you know you can just summon more, right?”

“Oh. Yeah. Omnil...ing…” she began to murmur, speaking steadily more slowly and softer in a vain attempt to cover a poor memory, “...ton.”

“Omnilium,” he nodded with a smile, though he drew the term out, supposedly so she’d catch it. “You’ll catch on. Primes always seem to.”

Lilith looked back at the man and squinted, pursing her lips. She remembered enough to know that most people were definitely not helpful for no reason, so naturally she wondered if he was going to ask for a favor next...or perhaps ask her to join some sort of cult.

Not that she would be against that, necessarily. Cults could be fun.

“I keep expecting you to try and jump me,” she said honestly, her eyes fixed on him in the most serious manner she could muster. “Or like...try to eat me. It seems like most randomly nice, strange men end up carrying around bags full of the body parts of dead relatives.. Creepy stuff. What’s your angle?”

“I thought I’d help. I was just passing through otherwise,” he said with a tight smile, and she could see him take an inch of a step backwards. “Which I think I’ll keep doing. I’m sure you’ll find someone from either side...eventually. You’ll be fine.”

Thank God.

“Suit yourself,” she shrugged once more. She paused before motioning with a thumb over her shoulder. “You said a place called Coruscant is this way?”
“Yeah.”
“Thanks.”

The siren turned to continue walking, and stifled a laugh when she heard the man’s footsteps steadily increase until he was seemingly at a light jog.

She was used to walking, so it wasn’t a big deal. Of course, it was also a way to delay the dread of finding out what kind of place Coruscant was--if that was even a thing. Creepy McCreeper could have led her to a death trap and she wouldn’t have known the difference.

Lacking other options, though, she pressed on.

Character Name: Avatar Aang

Character Source: Avatar the Last Airbender, Legend of Korra

Character History:

• Post Avatar the Last Airbender series, pre Legend of Korra.
  
• Young Adult, prior to the conception of Republic City.
  

• Requirements: None
  The Air Nomads did not enjoy violence, and as such many of the Airbending techniques are focused around freedom of motion. In the event of a conflict, however, Airbenders prefer to dodge incoming attacks, constantly evading a target until they wear themselves out. Experienced Airbenders learn a second layer to this defense known as the Dancing Leaf technique. This move involves using the body's evasive maneuvers to create channels of air that redirect attacks away from the Bender's body. When Aang preforms this technique, it looks no different than simply dodging, but to onlookers it would seem as if the attacker were nowhere close to striking true. Whereas his common evasive ability is based on Speed and Technique, the Dancing Leaf uses just a touch of strength with technique to actively direct a force along a desired path.
  

• Requirements: Ranged
  Pummeling Gale is a technique Airbenders use when evasion just doesn't cut it. Due to their peaceful ways, this technique is meant to simply bat a target around to control the battlefield and create space. With circular motions of his body, Aang creates arcing winds which race outwards, then curve back to strike at their target. These powerful winds are invisible but quite tangible. The simple move can be unleashed in rapid succession with ease, but deals very little actual damage. Batting a threatening target around like a fly is far more damaging to their pride.
  

Sometimes I do comedy. Sometimes I do art.
Enjoy.


"Wow..."
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"Aren't they beautiful, Tearen?"
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Just a little thing. I asked if there were day/night cycles and I wanted to do a thing based on that.