Sunday, November 24, 2013

Background to the Pendulum of Fate

well, i'm posting the setting and background of the story. i'll admit, i'm much a nerd and a geek, so no judgment please. lol anyway, i have to make sure that it  makes sense that is why i have background to the story. lol. due to the lack of time, most of the information i gathered are from wikipedia. so much for reliability.
here goes ....

The Pendulum of Fate
Races
Terran
The original human race. After World War 3 which is also known as the nuclear war, the continental of Americas was buried under the sea due to the impact of nuclear ICBM, leaving only the continent of Asia, Africa and Europe. The Terran then was faced with the rise of a new species known as the methuselah that brought forth the fourth world war where they were pushed into the present day Europe.
They have normal lifespan like the original human race of the average of 80 years old. They lack spiritual energy which derived from the methuselah that was born with it though the reason is unknown. They are known for the scientific advancement and technological advancement to supplement the lack of spiritual energy in their battle against the methuselah.
Current affiliated locations are the Commonwealth of Avalon and the Holy See of the Vatican Papal States.
Methuselah
A branched from the original human race. They were originally Terran experiment created by scientist to be the perfect solider for WWIII and were mass created. They came to be known and emerge into the public after World War 3. However due to fierce opposition from the public and the bureaucrat couple by the fall of the superpowers, they face constant discrimination from the Terran due to their superior capability. In the end, they were gathered into concentration camp to be exterminated. They revolted, creating the fourth world war and managed to drive the Terran to congregate in Europe. Their race expends and covered almost the entire world, from Asia to Middle East.
They have prolonged lifespan that can span to thousands of years. They are typically stronger and taller than the Terran. They are able to produce a form of energy known as spiritual energy. The amount of spiritual energy varies from individuals which they weaponries to form spells or reinforce their body parts to be tougher than steel or stronger. The spiritual energy was considered to be one of the factors for their longevity. They have 2 weaknesses that is they cannot be under sunlight which burns them and if prolonged will burn them to dust. They can live without the consumption of food but cannot live without the consumption of blood which is needed to replenish the red blood cells that is constantly eaten by their stronger white blood cells. If prolong without the consumption of blood, they will be too weak to walk and after a month will die.
Their current affiliated locations are The Empire and the Hidden Villages.
Hybrid
Hybrid is the descendant of both Terran and Methuselah parents. They are rare in breed as it is a taboo for intermarriage between Terran and Methuselah. They are constantly looked down and rejected by societies from both sides. Though they are much sort after to be trained as agent or super soldiers but they usually end up as mercenary.
They have the prolonged lifespan and the height and strength of Methuselah and because of the strong bone marrow inherited from the Terran, they can opt not to consume blood at all as they can produce red blood cell at a rapid stage against the consumption of it by their white blood cells. Instead of being burn under sunlight, they will experience strong dizzy spells that hamper them from performing their daily activities. They are born with extremely high spiritual energy and some with higher than normal intellectual. However, they are usually born with some sort of psychological issues like natural extreme anti-social behavior, psychopath tendency and etc. They have no affiliation and can be found everywhere though rarely.
Immortal
The immortal are a specific human race chosen by the gods and blessed with immorality to guard their interests on earth. They are all women but there were once male immortal too but it is unknown when they perished leaving only women immortal. They are remain hidden from the world and do not interfere with the current world’s affairs.
They are like normal human race but they are immortal that they do not age nor die a natural death. Certain groups are blessed with godlike strength or godlike intellectual and some cursed with certain trait like bloodlust and constant rage which they carry down to the next generations. The women looked for man from either methuselah or Terran to be pregnant. Due to their strong genes that dominate any gene they fuse with that the babies will always be female and carry on the blessing curse their mothers had, the father’s gene will be dominated by the mother’s gene and be lost in the fusion.
Currently they are affiliated with the Amazon and the Kingdom of Xing.
Homunculus
Homunculus is an artificial created human brought to existence by unknown means though rumored to be alchemy. They have incredible longevity (longer than methuselah), astonishing regenerative properties that gives them their longevity and a host of varied superhuman abilities from shaping shifting to predication eye. All the said abilities are from a source of energy generated from the unknown red crystal in them. The Homunculi usually carry the mark of the Ouroboros upon their bodies and are identified as such by said mark. They are seven homunculi currently known; they are Pride, Lust, Greed, Envy, Sloth, Gluttony and Wrath which represent the seven deadly sins of man.
Gods
Rumors and legends of the gods spill forth before even the lost generation. Legend has it that the world was created by an Omni powerful god who then brought forth the first generation of gods known as the ancient gods before he went on his migration. This was before he prophesied that every action brings a consequence and that the young will take over the old. Uranus then the leader of the ancient gods feared that he will be overthrown by his children ate them one of them was Cronus who lead the second generation of gods known as the old gods or the titans and overthrow Uranus, imprisoning in the 7th and last dimension of the sky. Cronus then became the leader of the world till he too shared the same fear of his father, ate his children, the third generation of gods known as the Olympian gods. Zeus who was not consumed rebelled against his father along the third generation of gods and other outcasts. He managed to overthrow his father and imprison him in Tartarus then begins the reign of the Olympian gods till now. As time goes by, man prospers and slowly the gods took a step back and pledge on the ancient law not to interfere with man’s world, with that they become nothing but myths and legends. This was until World War VI that the gods make a brief and secret appearance to chosen few to share the prophecy of the destruction of the world and the rise of the ancient evil. They plead for the help of the few as they could not break the pledge made under the ancient law.
Gods are immortal and possess godlike ability according to their title. They could bestow upon anyone they pleased with their power and able to kill anyone they are displeased with. They are also the creator of all things currently used in the earth. Like for example, they are able to break the principle of the equivalent exchange as they were the creator of that principle. Their powers are capable of mass destruction or mass changes that it could change the face of the world or the destruction of the earth itself. However they are not fully godlike as they still governed by the ancient law set by the original Creator of everything.
Powers
Spiritual energy
A visible soul energy that overflows from the soul which is common among the methuselah but not the Terran. It is the main source of energy for spells and weapons for the methuselah.
  • Chakra – it is spiritual energy fused with the elements. It bears the property of the element it fused with and this is usually used by the Hidden villages for spells and weapons.
  • Way of the Force – it is a specialist-type of spiritual energy that is focused into the mind to form psionic ability. This psionic ability is sharpened and strengthen through vigorous training and meditation to become more potent psionic ability like telekinesis and telepathy ability which was widely used by the clans of Jedi and Sith. This art was lost after the extinction of the clans and the death of the last practitioner, Master Yoda. It made a comeback in recent times but there has only one known practitioner of this art, which is Lanaya Silvermoon.
Alchemy
Alchemy is an ancient metaphysical science/mystical art of manipulating and altering matter by using an unknown energy from a mysterious red stone which amplify the natural energy of the earth. Alchemy is a power that can only be practice by those who has no affiliation with spiritual energy as it will cause a feedback and hurt the user of spiritual energy or sometimes death. The mysterious red stone was found in the sunken ancient Mexico by the Terran and was used as a way to counter the spiritual energy of the methuselah. Alchemy is governed by the rule of equivalent exchange which is narrowed into two parts, the law of conservation of mass and the law of natural providence. The act is known as transmutation and requires a transmutation circle as a focus point for transmutation to take place. Alchemist has to understand the three component of transmutation that is comprehension, deconstruction and reconstruction. However, there are two types of alchemy, the Eastern Alchemy and the Western Alchemy. The Eastern Alchemy relies on an energy that “flows along the vein of the dragon” while the Western alchemy relied on the tectonic movement that produces the energy. This is heavily used by the Commonwealth Military Alchemist.
Devils Fruit
Devil’s fruit is a mystical fruit created by the gods and placed in the Pandora Box that bring grief, suffering and pain to the world. It is extremely rare and was rumored to be able to be found in abundance at the “heart of the beginning and the end”. Certain fruits popped up once in a while and mostly in Terran area. The fruit grants varying kinds of strange and interesting abilities to the eater depending on the type and variation of the fruit itself. The side effect of the fruit is, the consumer cannot swim and will sink in water. They are three types of fruits, Paramecia, Zoan and Logia. This is heavily relied on by the Commonwealth Marines.
Innocence
Innocence is a substance of unknown composition known by the ancient civilization that first cultivated it as the "Crystal of God”.  It can bond with certain humans, known as Accommodators or Exorcists. It was found by the Terran in ancient Egypt and is harvest to be weapon by the Vatican. There are 3 types of Innocence, Equipment type, Crystal type and parasitic type. Innocence is, to a level, sentient, capable of recognizing those who are and who are not Accommodators, and capable of punishing Exorcists who turn their back on “God” and are turn into the fallen ones. There are only 109 known Innocence and only 45 were found. They are rumoured to have the ability to burn methuselah at touched.
Super weapons of mass destruction
Tailed Beasts
The tailed beasts are the ten titanic behemoths hidden within the country of old Japan where the Hidden Villages are situated. They are differentiated by the number of tails they have, ranging from one to nine. The tailed beasts are living forms of chakra, sometimes referred to as "Chakra Monsters" giving them power that far outmatches most shinobi. The tailed beasts' chakra is coloured red.
The nine tailed beasts were ordinarily of one entity called the ten-tails created by the ancient gods, legends has it that it has destructive powers that rivalled the titans (children of the ancient gods). It was however split into 9 different tailed beasts for its arrogance and defiance against the titans during the titan-ancient civil wars. After the defeat of the ancient gods by the titans, ten-tails was spilt into 9 different beasts called the tailed beasts and sealed away. It was after the fourth world war that the seal was broken and the tailed beasts once again roam old Japan.
The Wrath of the Archangel Michael
Essentially a massive rail gun, its Saint Michael Warheads is accelerated to near-light speed velocity before firing, sending its nuclear payload to annihilate the Vatican's foes at any distance. The technology is based from the lost generation’s old USA’s Star Wars plan. It is capable of destroying an entire metropolitan and anything within 100 miles radius of it from orbit.
Currently own by the Vatican State.
The Olympian three brothers’ powers
The rumoured three brothers of the Greek gods, Zeus, Poseidon and Hades own their own version of an ultimate weapon unique to them individually. The legendary ultimate weapon is rumoured to be capable of destroying anything that exist on earth. They do not bestow this power to anyone unless they are trusted or promised to have control over the tremendous power.
Zeus: the Demi gods of Zeus
Poseidon: the Kraken of Poseidon
Hades: the Gate of Hades
The Olympian’s power
While the three brothers’s each own superior power, the other 10 Olympian each has unique ability but are not as disastrous as the main three.
1.       Hera – de-summons other powers, neutralise supernatural ability  
2.       Ares – grant invulnerability for a limited amount of time
3.       Athena – Summon strategic star strikes from the heavens
4.       Artemis – the moon grants godlike agile and dexterity
5.       Apollo – the sun grants godlike dexterity and wounds recovery.
6.       Aphrodite – love spot: grants the host, charm that control those who are weak minded and cause severe headache to those who are able to resist the mind control.
7.       Hephaestus – grants control of his forge
8.       Demeter – grants plants manipulation
9.       Hermes – grants godlike super speed for a limited amount of time
10.   Dionysus – grants aura of disability that affects people around the wearer
The Way of the Force: Waves of the collective death
An ancient art of mass killing created by the extinct tribe of Jedi by focusing their psychic powers into one focal point through an unknown red crystal which enhance the psychic powers ten folds. This is then unleashed on a located area with a huge wave of psychic feedback that wipe out the mind of the victims. However, this comes with a price of temporary blackout and shortens lifespans of the participants. It usually takes about 15 Jedi of master level to be able to wipe out the mind of an entire city.
The Combine Bankai of the Captains
Bankai (卍解, Final Release) is the second and final upgraded form of a Zanpakutō. The power and forms of Shikai and Bankai are dependent on the Zanpakutō, and vary according to the wielder's strength and training. But in general, one's power can grow 5 to 10 times greater.[49] Only the strongest Shinigami can use it, and it is the ultimate technique of a Zanpakutō. It was stated that one bankai rivals ten thousands and with a combine of 13 bankais, it is able to annihilate an entire armies from any country.


Setting
Earth
The year was 2900 when WWIII started, at the end of the war; the continent of the Americas from the north to the south sank after a barrage of nuclear ICBM were fired on it by the superpowers of China, Russia, North Korea and Iran. The land of China was reduced to a toxic land and the eastern portion of the China where Shanghai and Xiamen once was, was reduced to unlivable situation. The Eastern part of Russia was reduced to the same situation as was in China and North Korea is now totally gone. Japan, an ally of USA and the Latin Americas was totally abandoned after 3 ICBM fell on it. Nuclear weapons were ban after the devastation of the war.
Following again in year 3000 when the fourth world war began, and this time round the migration of population split between Terran and Methuselah. The war drove the Terran to gather at the northern, Western and southern part of Europe while the Methuselah gathered around the Eastern part of the World. The central of Europe where Germany once was, was left with shatters of villages as it was acted as a buffer zone between two races. Africa was left abandoned as the combination of wars and man-caused natural disaster ravaged Africa making it a desert land governed by ever-present monstrous thunder storms. This continues into the current timeline of the year 5500.
Commonwealth of Avalon
Geography: It is the last two remnants of Terran countries while the other is the Holy State of Vatican. The Commonwealth of Avalon is a combination of different Terran States into a single entity. This comprised the United Kingdom of Britannia, the military state of Amestris, the Duchy of Netherland, the Federation of Spanish League, the Commonwealth of Australasia, the Republic of Neo France and the United Kingdom of Scandinavia. The Capital of the Commonwealth is located at London.
Administration : The commonwealth practices loosely on the principle of Democratic constitutional republic monarchy Commonwealth where there is a Federal overall government who controls the military and the administration of the Commonwealth while the 7 States are given autonomy authority overseen by their respective head of State to govern their own land but are not allowed to have any military. The Federal Commonwealth has five branches, the judicial, the executive, the military, the legislative and the Integrity branch. The five branches are overseen by the council of the original leaders of the 7 States. The current Federal head of State of the Executive is Prime Minister Franklin De Roosevelt. The Chief Justice of the Judicial is Chief Justice Mason, the Grand Marshall or Fuhrer is Bradley King, the Head of the House of Legislation is Sir W. Leonard Churchill and the Head of the Integrity Branch is Sir Otto Von Bismarck.
As the four branches are self-explanatory, the Integrity Branch was created to govern the internal affairs of the commonwealth’s branches by ramping out corruptions and misconducts of the branches. In the Integrity Branch it was headed by a 7-men council selected from each States led by the Head of the Integrity Branch. They are responsible to the Council of the leaders of the original 7 States. They are only allowed to investigate, bring claims to the judicial and provide advices to the police force on matters of corruptions and misconduct. They are not allowed to make arrest which is the duty of the police force and each arrest claims have to go through both the Councils.
Military: The Military is led by Fuhrer Bradley King and it is separated into three branches, the Marines, the Army and the Science Div. In the Army, they are split into three branches, the Robotics, the infantry and the State Alchemist. The marine is headed by Admiral of the Fleet Kong, while the Army is headed by Captain General Grumman. The Science Division is headed by Prof. Leon Da Vinci.
Specialty: The Commonwealth are advance in terms of robotics and alchemy that it weapon-ized them. With the present of the Devil’s Fruit, it was weapon-ized by the marines though ironically, consumers of the fruit could not swim. The ultimate advancement of the robotics led to the creation of the knightframe, huge mecha or robots manned by human and able to rival in strength and speed against the methuselah.
Foreign Relation: The Commonwealth has a non-aggression pact with the Empire but skirmishes still exist on the borders and the relations are frosty. They have a warm relation with the Vatican but only on trade and borders term
History: the outcome of the fourth world war was disastrous to the Terran, not only did they lost the war but were push to the corner of the old Europe and was given an ultimatum to surrender and be their slave. The intervention of the Jedi clan, Maximilian, Victoria the wife of the leader of the Methuselah, Yamamoto and the sacrifice of the Pope of the Vatican and the King of England did the Methuselah left them in peace but not before forcing them to sign a treaty that greatly cripple them and placed them at a disadvantage militarily and economically. Humiliated, the Terran rebuilds their countries but they could not expend beyond Europe as the Methuselah quickly halts their expansion and surround them, leaving them to populate only at the old west of Europe. Slowly, as their technology advances and in concurrent with the internal conflict of the Empire, they managed to out maneuver the newly formed Empire and settle at Old Australia and New Zealand. The Empire was not able to pursue them as their cover from the UV Ray could not extend that far, so the Empire left them alone.
In the year 4700, the Terran leaders of various States came together and discuss at the potential strength they could pose to the Empire if they band together their knowledge and their military. With that, the Commonwealth of Avalon was formed to push a new negotiation with the Empire.
The Holy See of the Papal State of the Vatican
Geography: It is one of the last two remnants of the Terran territory. It covered the entire Italian Peninsula and Greece. The capital of the Papal State is at the Vatican City.
Administration: It is based loosely on the previous Papal State back in the year 747 on the Principle of a Theocracy government. It is headed by the Pope who is Pope Benedict XXIV. The government has three branches, the Legislative, Judicial and the executive. The legislative is headed by the unicameral Pontifical Commission for the Papal States of the Vatican while the Judicial is headed by the Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura. The Executive is headed by the President of the unicameral Pontifical Commission for the Papal States of the Vatican. The unicameral Pontifical Commission for the Papal States of the Vatican is led by 7 Cardinals who are appointed for 5 terms and the Secretary of the Commission who is the President/ head of the Executive branch. All three branches are overseen by the Secretariat of state led by the Pope himself and 3 Camerlengo. The Pope is elected by the College of Cardinals after he passed away.
Military: The military of the Papal States are relatively small. They are split into two branches; the the Holy Swiss Guard, a tradition old body guard of the Vatican City that dates back to the 1400 which is under the unicameral Pontifical Commission for the Papal States of the Vatican. Their role has expended to serve as the police force of social order and the paramilitary of the Papal State. The other branch is the Exorcist, created to handle supernatural situation. They are mainly used by the Judicial as enforcer of trial conducted but behind the scene they are used as Special Forces by the Secretariat of State
Foreign Relation: The Papal States has maintained a neutral position between the conflict of the Terran and Methuselah for centuries, acting as a land of refugee to those who are running away from the conflict. The Vatican grew from a small city itself to a country as it absorbs nearby States that wishes to not be involved in the conflict as it was the only city to be granted a neutral territory.
History: the Vatican City held on to its neutrality in the third world wars. At both wars, many refugees flock to the city, overcrowding the city itself and the methuselah to counter the Terran Vatican from growing were not willing to extend neutrality to the state. With the death of Pope Julian XXI as a sacrifice to smoothen the methuselah's rage over the mistreatment by the Terran and together with the consideration that the church took in methuselah refugee running away from Terran prosecution did the methuselah refrain from attacking the city and bestow on them neutrality. The Vatican remains cordial and peaceful to the Methuselah Tribes, providing medical help and aids which angered the other Terran States.
As time goes by, surrounding States join the Vatican to attain neutrality and formed the today Papal States of the Vatican. The Methuselah seeing this, quickly revoke the neutrality and began to march on them. The scholar of the Vatican archive by miracle were secretly provided by the Organization of the Protectors of Wonders, a  super weapon space orbital rail gun, they named as the Wrath of Archangel Michael; they used it as a bargaining chip to gain eternal neutrality from the Methuselah. However they were granted a renewal 50 years neutrality even after the test fire.
The Empire
Geography: The largest Methuselah own territory besides the Hidden Villages. It covers from the old Eastern Europe to the Steppes of Frontier of Old China, from the freezing ice of Siberia to the hot desert of Yeman. In short, it covers the whole of the Middle East, Central Asia, East Europe and West Russia. The Empire later was joined by the Emirates of Yeman and Oman as protectorate. Its capital is the historical city of Istanbul renamed back to its original name of Constantinople.
Administration: it is based loosely on a mixture of feudal system, oligarchy and monarchy. Above all it is governed by the Ancient Law acting as its constitution. In hierarchy, the Empress is supreme but subjected under the ancient law, then comes the Council of Rulers, the Grand Dukes acting as the administrators of the Empire, the Marquis who are the provincial governor, the Earl who are the marshal of the each provincial armies, the Viscount who decides on the legislation of the Empire and the Barons, title given to those who are the Empire’s Civil Servants like the Judges and the head of security forces. The Baron title is also bestowed on distinguished individual like respectable intellectual and people who have served or sacrifice for the empire. Each Noble Titles has their individual council to attend to ranging from a monthly to weekly basis to discuss on issues and make recommendation of changes to the administrators. Councils like for example, the Excellency Council of Rulers, the High Council of the Grand Dukes, Council of the Provincial Governor Marquis, Council of the Provincial Armies Earl, Council of the Legislation Viscount and House of the Common Lords.  
There are about 200 provinces located in the Empire excluding the Capital which is governed by a Duke (Not the Grand Dukes) a title only bestowed to the governor of the capital of the Empire.
The Excellency Council of Rulers comprised two protectorates rulers, the Emir of Yeman and Emir of Oman, and the empress of the Empire
Military: Each province has its own standing army led by the Earl of the province not the Marquis who are the governor of the province as to prevent the province from revolting against the Empire. Each provincial army has standing soldiers of 100,000 except for the capital which has only 25, 000. However the capital is guarded by the Imperial Guards known as the Gotei 13 which has 13 Divisions, each of 2000 shinigami led by a Captain who has the same rank of an Earl and has achieved the highest capability of their zanpakuto. The leader of the entire Gotei 13 is the commander captain who is also the captain of Division 1 who has a rank of a duke. The Capital also housed the Omitsukaido who acts as the intelligence of the Empire led by a member of the Grand Noble House and the kido corps who handles the affairs of supernatural issues. Both the leaders have the rank of a marquis.
Specialty: due to them having spiritual energy, they weaponized them to form powerful and reality changing weapons like the zanpakuto and kido spells. However due to the fact that most modern equipment is affected by their spiritual energy, most of the technologies are based on non-electrical appliances, relying on steam work. As the zanpakuto is only exclusively for the Gotei 13, most of the provincial armies relied on kido and spiritual energy charged weapon to repeal the army of the commonwealth. As methuselah are not able to stand underneath sunlight, the entire Empire is covered by a thin layer of kido spell that filters out the ultraviolent rays and only allows nonlethal sunlight in, making the Empire most of the time gloomy.
Foreign Relation: it has a frosty relation with both Terran countries but a hostile one with the Commonwealth of Avalon. They granted the status of neutrality to the Vatican as a sign of optional peace to the Terran.
History: The methuselahs are super soldiers created by the USA during World War III to counter the numerous armies of China and Russia with quality. It did manage to succeed in ways that turn the tide of the war for the American and its allies from losing to winning. However, when North Korea decided to go kamikaze with nuclear weapons it turned from a non-nuclear to a full out nuclear war that annihilated the American continents and devastated China, Russia and Africa to the point inhabitable. After WWIII, the American Continents and the Korean Peninsula cease to exist while China and Russia are reduced to many pocket States. The reminisces of the super soldiers in Europe and the main land integrated into the remaining surviving states of Europe, Asia and Middle East. However, the peace did not last long till the humans felt threated by the super soldiers and with a single spark, they gather them together and sent them to extermination camp reasoning that they are not human but abomination of the gods. The super soldiers rejected by both humans and church than under the guidance of their leader No. 321 renamed himself Luis Boliver led the rebellion and sparked the fourth world war. With their previous training and superhuman ability, they counter the human armies and drove them to a corner. However the war turned ugly, seeing what they had done were no better than what the human did to them, Yamamoto then No. 1099 along with Luis’ wife, Victoria reasoned with Luis and managed to help broker peace with the humans with a biased treaty under their belt.
After the war, the super soldiers renamed themselves Methuselah and the human as Terran. They started off as pockets of Tribes scatter across the globe, and then Yamamoto and Boliver’s wife; Victoria gathered the tribes together and formed the current Empire. However too much power is given to provincial governor that they formed two factions and that led to the first civil war. Yamamoto and Victoria with the newly formed Gotei 13 led as the third factions and won the civil war hands down within half a year with the smallest group. The Empire then reorganized and formed the current system with the promotion of the House of Xavier, Von Christ, Xia and Kuchiki as Four Great Nobles Families and the head of each these house are given the highest title of Grand Dukes as a sign of gratitude and recognition of their contribution towards winning the civil war. Empress Victoria remained as the Head of the Empire with Yamamoto and the Gotei 13 promoted as Imperial Guards of the Empire.
Through passage of times, the methuselah evolve to the point that their spiritual energy interferes with the electronic technology which they gotten from the Terran, that they changed from electricity to steam power and relied more on their spiritual energy as weapons.  

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