Fighters/Sacrifices

[wordspellmods]

Information About The World

What is a Fighter and Sacrifice Pair?
In this world, certain individuals are born with a name that reflects the true nature of their soul. Somewhere else in the world, someone shares that true name. People who share the same name are connected mentally, emotionally, and spiritually: they’re essentially soul mates, bound together by fate and by a literal thread. However... there is a new group of people in the world. People that are not fated to have another to bond with. People that can choose their partner, and can move on when they are gone. No one seems to know quite yet where these strange Bondless Fighters and Sacrifices are coming from...

Once brought together, two people who share the same name become a Fighter and Sacrifice pair: one person assumes the role of the Fighter while the other is the Sacrifice. They don’t get to choose what role to assume; it’s something they innately know before they even meet the other half of their bonded pair.

Bonded pairs are able to engage each other in a mysterious phenomenon known as Word Spell Battles. During a Word Spell Battle, a Fighter will shape spells out of imagery and words in a fight against an opposing bonded pair; during battle, a Sacrifice will take the damage from the opposing Fighter’s spells.

What is the role of the Fighter?
A Fighter engages in spell battles against other Fighters. Only a Fighter can begin a Word Spell Battle and they are the only ones who can cast spells during a Word Spell Battle.

Though it seems that they wouldn't really need a Sacrifice to cast spells, in truth the Sacrifice benefits them more than anything else in the world during a fight. They can run on "Auto", but this means that their power is significantly weaker and that the begin taking damage during the fight instead of having a Sacrifice take the hits as a substitute. A lone Fighter will suffer and lose quickly, because Restrictions will halt their ability to fight or defend themselves.

Outside of battle, Fighters are commonly loyal and devoted to their Sacrifices. The Sacrifice is the one that gives them strength. The analogy has been drawn before; if the Fighter is the bullet, the Sacrifice is the gun. A Fighter's potential is fully realized when a Sacrifice is bonded with them and makes their spells that much stronger. The Sacrifice is the driver of the horse, the engineer of the train, and maybe some Fighters perceive themselves as mere tools... but most recognize that it's not so simple. A simple metaphor doesn't describe it. Their loyalty is deep, and when the loyalty lies so deeply then their strength is even greater. The Sacrifice gives up so much for the Fighter to be as strong as they are, so of course the Fighter would wish to protect and nourish their Sacrifice with all of their might. And when the Sacrifice is the one that bleeds for the Fighter, wouldn't you let them decide which battles to fight?

What is the role of the Sacrifice?
A Sacrifice takes the damage for their Fighter during a Word Spell Battle. This damage often takes the form of Restrictions, which are lengths of cloth, leather, or chains that tighten painfully around a Sacrifice’s body. Restrictions steal away a Sacrifice’s concentration and strength. If a Sacrifice receives enough damage, they could very easily suffocate to death beneath their Restrictions if their Fighter does not surrender the fight.

A Sacrifice is someone that has no means of fighting, themselves. There is a way to use words to conquer those outside of Word Spell battles, but they do not have the power to manifest their will and deepest thoughts into images and reality during a Word Spell battle. They need a Fighter to realize their will fully, and to get a Fighter to do that means growing closer and understanding one another on a deeper level. A Fighter can do anything with a Sacrifice that has a deep desire. It's true that the Sacrifice's roll is a painful one, and it's true that the Sacrifice must endure the most as they are offered up to receive the enemy's attacks. But when you have a Fighter that can help you realize your dreams, a battle may be more than worth struggling through.

A Sacrifice's greatest strength is undoubtedly their ability to be the observer. Whilst a Fighter is busy manifesting their will and casting spells, the Sacrifice has the chance to watch the opponent and look for weaknesses in the foe. A Sacrifice that contributes the most to victory is one that spots when the enemy is struck particularly hard by something, and allows for the Fighter to exploit that weakness.

How are they bonded?
As is usual for Fighters and Sacrifices, what is normally a metaphor (a figurative thread, a figurative "bond" between two individuals) is suddenly much more tangible. There's a connection, the pair matching wavelengths and a thread tying the two of them together. The thread of the bond allows for the two to feel each other whilst not being present, and it manifests once the pair are close enough to manifest their True Name. The bond is something that connects the two souls together, allowing them to exist and fight as one.

What happens if my bonded pair gets separated?
If a Sacrifice finds themselves cornered, or in need of help, or they just want to be with their Fighters, they can summon their Fighters mentally and emphatically through their mutual bond. No matter where the Fighter is, they will be able hear/feel this call and feel compelled to follow it. If the bond is even deeper, they will be able to visualize and manifest a thread that ties them to their partner. If a pair has not bonded, there will be no thread. If they have broken their bond, there will be a very sad and lonely thread dangling limply from their chest.

ZEROs?
ZEROS are artificial Fighters/Sacrifices who are unable to feel pain. In Loveless, they were created by a woman named Nagisa. According to her, the purpose of a ZERO is to “fight without abandon” because of their inability to feel pain. Because they cannot feel pain, they do not feel fear. No one is quite sure where the ZEROs are arriving from these days, as their original creator is long gone. Many believe that this generation of ZEROs is somehow tied to the Bondless.

Despite being similar to the Bondless in that they are not like natural bonded pairs, it is currently unclear why the ZEROs exist outside of the original experiments. But they do have one trait unlike the Bondless: they cannot form bonds with just anyone. It has to be another ZERO. But just like the Bondless, they were not made in proper pairs like the initial experiment. They simply... exist, now, the sense of pain completely gone from their bodies and the number 0 etched on their bodies.

Why can ZEROs exchange partners?
Because all ZEROs share the same name: Zero. Nagisa designed them to be replaceable. In Loveless, it’s implied to be a relatively simple procedure to sever the bond between a ZERO pair, or to replace a fallen ZERO. However, this causes a great sense of emotional pain, anguish, and loss in the remaining ZERO or the original ZERO pair. In Loveless, after being split apart, a ZERO Fighter nearly killed herself rather than allow Nagisa to pair her with a new ZERO Sacrifice.

There is a special spell that ZERO Fighters can use against another ZERO pair in battle: this spell temporarily exchanges Sacrifices, causing the opposing Fighter to attack his or her own Sacrifice. However, this spell is very much a “last resort” spell, as it will cause deep psychological damage to all parties involved: breaking the bond between a Fighter/Sacrifice, even for an instant, is devastating.

What is a Word Spell Battle?
A Word Spell Battle is a formal confrontation between two bonded pairs. During a Word Spell Battle, the Fighters cast Word Spells back-and-forth at each other. The goal of a Word Spell Battle is to make it so that the opponent pair can no longer battle, whether it is the collapse of the Sacrifice or the surrender from the Fighter.

Word Spell Battles occur in a mysterious, hazy place that is one step away from normal reality where Word Spells can come alive. This displacement from normal reality is very vague, almost like a mirage; quite often, bonded pairs are so deeply engaged in their battle that they do not notice the change. In Loveless, it is never explained what truly happens when a Fighter declares “System Engage.”

What are Word Spells?
Word Spells are a specific kind of magic that the Fighters of bonded pairs can use. A Word Spell can be anything that a Fighter can imagine and then articulate. To quote Volume 5 of Loveless: “In battle, a Fighter conjures an image in his mind and then creates it with his words.”

The translation of that image into words determines the strength of the spell. The more connections that can be made with that image, the faster the spell can be recited, and the more eloquent a Fighter is, the stronger his or her Word Spell will be. Let's say a character lives primarily in the woods; using spells involving the trees, animals, and nature will have a stronger effect in battle because the Fighter has a stronger understanding of them and a stronger mental image.

The effects are not illusions, however. Often times Fighters and Sacrifices will emerge with bruises, cuts and frostbite or burns depending on the spells cast upon them. Word Spell seems subtle and weak, but it is surprisingly powerful and dangerous, and it is inadvisable for pairs to let themselves battle all the way to potential death because they certainly can die.

Fighters with a limited vocabulary, have difficulty expressing themselves, or thinking creatively will have a much harder time creating powerful Word Spells. Please be honest with yourself about whether or not your Fighter will be initially successful or if Word Spells will be a hurtle they need to overcome. A young Fighter in Loveless who had problems like this overcame this particular hurdle by insisting on having her Word Spell Battles in a park to strengthen her imagery.

What are Restrictions? How do they affect a Sacrifice?
When a Sacrifice takes damage in a Word Spell Battle, it is often represented in the form of Restrictions. Restrictions are lengths of cloth, leather, or chains that tighten painfully around a Sacrifice’s body. Restrictions steal away a Sacrifice’s concentration and strength. If a Sacrifice receives enough damage, they could very easily suffocate to death beneath their Restrictions if their Fighter does not surrender the fight.

Rarely is restriction something that draws blood. And all damage that the spells inflict on a Sacrifice won't always be in the form of Restriction - it's very possible for a Sacrifice to get cut up and never be tied down. Restriction itself hinders and tires the Sacrifice, which in turn weakens the Fighter's spells. It's easy to make someone weak of will surrender by cutting them up, or to make an inexperienced Fighter panic at the sight of blood. Experienced foes are almost always defeated by Restrictions, as they are often very familiar and hardened to the sight of blood.

When a Sacrifice undergoes restriction, it's usually tangible in the form of cloth, chains or leather binding that is extremely heavy and very tight. It is up to the player of the Sacrifice how much damage they sustain from enemy Fighters, though it is advisable in battle for the players to communicate oocly to be sure what they want the outcome to be. Of course, we don't want fights to stem from these, so remember that your characters can be new at this and won't win every battle.

Restrictions can represent physical and emotional damage, so long as it is caused by a Word Spell.

How does a Wordspell Battle begin?
A Word Spell Battle is started by a Fighter saying, “I declare a battle by Word Spell!” The opponent then replies with “I deny!” or “I accept!”

If the challenge is accepted, the battle begins when the Fighter who issued the challenge declares, “System Engage!” to create the zone where Word Spells can be cast.

A Word Spell Battle is over when either one Fighter is unable to fight. A Fighter can also terminate a Word Spell Battle by surrendering.

How do Fighter/Sacrifice pairs find each other?
Fighters can sense the presence of other Fighters. This contact is often very sudden and intense. From time to time, the signals of two Fighters may clash: this will cause a powerful ringing in the ears of both the Fighters and Sacrifices of the pairs that are clashing.

How to Roleplay With This Information

What are "The Bondless"? How are we different from the 'natural' bonded pairs?
They are Fighters and Sacrifices that are not born with true names, or with a fated partner. Instead, these individuals "awaken" into their roles later and are able to choose who they wish to bond with. When those bonds are broken, they are capable of bonding with someone else entirely and gaining a new true name, or adding someone else to their true name.

They also have the curious trait of some of them losing their ability to act as a Fighter or a Sacrifice altogether. This is what happens when a player drops a character. Conceivably, they can kill that character, but much more easily a Bondless one can lose their magic. Any bond formed with them simply fades, and leaves no scar or damage on the partner aside from a significantly less devastating feeling of loss. The person likely returns to their normal life, no longer a part of the natural circle.

The Bondless are a huge curiosity for many organizations, most of which suspect the others for being the source of. It is currently unknown where the Bondless came from.

Should my character be a Sacrifice or a Fighter?
When it comes to most characters, you could conceivably make a case for both. Remember that you only get to play one Sacrifice and one Fighter, for now! Here's some simple advice.

Sacrifices on a surface level tend to be the sort that are willing to endure punishment to reach their goals. They can also be the sort to prefer a more hands-off approach, prefer to look at the chess board and observe to find the place to strike rather than be the one to directly attack. Sacrifices are also people that do very well for having a strong perceptive ability (hence their stat in this game being titled Perception), so if they are good at locating weaknesses and making tactical decisions on the fly then they will function very well as Sacrifices. One of the most defining features for a Sacrifice is a strong will - a will that powers through physical abuse, mental attacks, and charges them forward for a cause. Even if your character was a physical fighter in canon, it's just as likely for them to use their stubbornness effectively here.

Fighters on a base level are very quick-witted and confrontational. They are the ones that are able to manifest thoughts into the material world, the sort that are able to create something from nothing. As the sort with power, they are surprisingly not the ones to typically strike out alone because working with a Sacrifice brings them much more power. Working well with someone trusted is a hallmark of the Fighter, and the strongest Fighters are the ones where loyalty (even to only one person and no one else) comes naturally. They can certainly have willpower and drive, and the refusal to relent is sometimes what makes some Fighters frightening (as only they can officially end a battle), but often times their Sacrifice will become their primary motivator and driver. A Fighter is willing to work for those close to them, and is someone that has the will to create something. Even if your character wasn't the sort to get into fights in canon, they could become a ferocious Fighter if you find that suitable for them.

Remember that being a Sacrifice versus being a Fighter is not just about whether your character is willing to receive or give orders, or whether they will take damage or dish it. It's all about how they'd be willing to work with their chosen partner, and what they would be willing to give up in order to be with them.

How do we forge a bond?
Forging the bond is a project that two people undertake. It's no simple choice, either, as the two must grow closer and must grow to trust deeply. It's easy to say that you will trust someone, but how easy is that to actually do? How willing are you to expose your deepest pains, your greatest worries, and your ugliness for the other person to see? How much can you depend on the existence of another human being when things go sour? During Activity Check, one of the optional 'checks' will be your Bond score. You will be sharing with us moments where your character and their chosen partner grow even closer - the more they expose to one another emotionally, the stronger their bond. And the stronger their bond, the stronger your Fighter and Sacrifice pair will become. This bond is the pillar of a partnership, and it is one of the aspects that can lead even inexperienced teams to a victory against an opponent that isn't prepared for a pair so solidly connected.

In game, you will be able to forge a true bond (which manifests in a thread, which ties the souls together) when you have reached seven points of Bond. When you characters reach this point, you are then able to qualify for the -LESS name (unless your characters are ZEROs).

Why should I have a partner?
A Fighter will be much stronger with a Sacrifice doubling their strength and taking blows for them, and for a Sacrifice, they will have the power of a Fighter on their side to get what they want done.

Most importantly, it's much safer. Fighters will not be caught having to fight on Auto, and Sacrifices won't be taken advantage of. It's a dangerous world for the underground magic users, so having a means to fight means having a means to survive.

Once I have forged a true bond can my Fighter fight for another Sacrifice?
The short answer is "no". It requires the bond to be broken, which is painful and difficult. And if the bond is broken purposefully, without the Bondless pair simply losing contact (such as one of them losing their powers), then the mark of their old name still remains and the thread from their chest hangs powerlessly. Forging a new bond will be difficult, and the Fighter or Sacrifice will experience bleeding and pain from the old "true name" until they have sufficiently overcome the trauma of their former bond and tossed aside the past to connect with their new partner. Until then, it is as though the "true name" is retaliating against the Fighter or Sacrifice, objecting to finding another person to replace what was lost. Like all wounds, however, this heals with time and with trust.

A possible complication and point of concern (and the primary reason forging a new bond while the other partner is alive and still empowered rather than losing the bond unintentionally) is that the old Sacrifice can order their former partner, and it may strike the Fighter into obedience if the Fighter was that devoted to their old Sacrifice. The echoes of the old bond strike deep, and complicate things for a new pair.

It's like a romantic relationship, in that sense. Your old flame will haunt you even in your new relationship, and it can be an enormous hurdle to your present partner. And while things are complicated with romance, with the added tone of magic the rebonding of Word Spell partners is immensely more dramatic and difficult if the people involved are that conflicted.

This isn't working... can we switch out?
There are three scenarios where your character will be able to forge a new bond.

The first is much more forgiving. Sometimes your partner will lose their magic as a Sacrifice or a Fighter. As stated before, the bond will fade away normally and (comparatively) painlessly. This gives the Fighter/Sacrifice the freedom to go and find a new partner... and the LESS name that was once on their body is now faded away, allowing their souls to receive a new bond and a new LESS name. If they were ZEROs, the name remains even when the bond fades.

The second is for them to break their bond intentionally. This is not pleasant in the slightest. The breaking of the bond shatters deep into the souls of the pair, the thread severed and left dangling pathetically. The True Name revolts against them, and bleeds or aches or burns, especially when they initially attempt to bond with someone new. Even if they forge a new bond, the old thread (and old True Name) remains, a constant mark from their past to haunt them. Like many emotional wounds, it seals over with time... but it will never completely go away. To successfully sever the bond, there must be at least one wholeheartedly willing to cut ties forever, and their relationship must be disrupted. A faked death sure can work, but a "normal" breakup is just as viable. Renouncing all forms of loyalty, trust, affection and camaraderie must come before someone can magically sever the bond.

The final possibility for a broken bond is the death of one of the characters. Just like an intentionally broken bond, the thread snaps and leaves the surviver completely distraught and damaged. A death leaves permanent scars on someone, and the wounds can take longer or shorter to heal depending on whether your character is better at coping with rejection or with loss.

What's it like to call my Fighter? / What's it like to hear my Sacrifice call me?
As the Sacrifice, you don't need to call them with your voice. If you've forged a proper bond, then calling out to them with your mind will make them hear you. Of course, it's not easy to give complex orders this way... simply communicating the call through one's own willpower, through one's own heart, will make the Fighter hear them, loud and clear.

The Fighter will hear the deep sentiment from their Sacrifice. A nonchalant mental thought of "I wish you were here" isn't going to broadcast. The Sacrifice has to feel it with an intense emotion - an extremely strong emotion, be it strong anger, frustration, or deep longing. But once the Fighter hears it, he will be able to find his Sacrifice in the sea of people and obstacles between him and his Sacrifice.

Can my Fighter fight without his/her Sacrifice?
It is against the subtle societal norm for Fighters to do battle without their Sacrifices. However, while ill-advised, it is possible. This is called 'automatic' or 'auto' mode, which must be declared shortly after a battle is declared and accepted by saying "Begin automatic mode".

If a Fighter goes into a Word Spell battle without his or her Sacrifice, they will only be at half strength. They will also be vulnerable for whatever damage their opponent has in store for them. A Sacrifice with a strong enough connection will be able to sense whenever his or her Fighter goes into a Word Spell Battle without them – and will in all likelihood come running. Unless, of course, they really hate their partner.

Can my character be a ZERO?
To apply for a ZERO, it would be best to give us a good reason as to why they should be one. Typically we are looking for canon reasons, involving already existing powers/states of being/etc more than personality archetypes. It allows for characters that have a sort of "inhuman" complex that's central to their personality to have some sort of similar experience in this AU, although their state as a ZERO will be a new development for them. They could conceivably have dulled senses before, but the inability to feel pain will be something very drastic and very new to them and will begin once your application is accepted.

If your character’s name is ZERO, then they are a ZERO and cannot create a bond with any of the Bondless (or anyone with an -less name). And unlike a traditional name, which will appear in written form, ZERO will appear on a ZERO's body not in written form, but in numerical form: they will have a large "0" somewhere on their body. It looks like a serial number or a stamp, it looks much more artificial than the nearly handwritten scrawl of the true name that other Fighters and Sacrifices get - all the more reason for a ZERO to look at themselves and feel completely unnatural.

What's it like to be a ZERO?
A ZERO does not feel any sort of physical pain. Pain was so beyond the experiences of two young ZEROs in Loveless that they asked in complete honesty a recently tortured man if his broken fingers hurt him; one even accidentally tore out his eye from playing with it because he did not receive pain signals telling him to stop. Things a ZERO cannot feel include, but are not limited to: burning themselves with hot liquid, frostbite, being struck, being cut/stabbed, et cetera.

A ZERO is not completely numb to their surroundings. Their nerve endings are fully functional - they can feel texture, they can taste, smell, hear and see everything perfectly normally. However, their minds absolutely will not register any triggers of pain. So a ZERO that dips his fingers into a cup of hot coffee will feel that the coffee is wet, but they can't feel how hot it is. Their skin could be burning, and they wouldn't feel a thing.

A ZERO’s inability to feel pain is extreme enough that their bodies react the same way to 90 ° and -40 ° weather as they would to a comfortable 70 °. Their bodies lack the innate defense mechanisms normal humans have to adapt to these extreme circumstances: their blood vessels don’t contract, they don’t get goosebumps, and they don’t sweat. Because their brains don't receive these pain signals, their bodies don't react to compromise the situation. The original purpose of this was to eliminate the instinct to flee when injured, to prevent hesitation. It is very easy for a careless ZERO to die if they do not consider their body's state.

Therefore, it’s important to remember that a ZERO’s inability to feel pain is as much of a weakness as it is an asset. Inexperienced ZEROs have the potential to be seriously injured or die because their bodies aren’t telling them when they should stop. However, this does not spare ZEROs from emotional pain. ZEROs feel emotions just as acutely as normal people do. They also will feel anguish in their souls if the bond with their partner is broken.

What kind of Word Spells can my Fighter use?
The only limit to Word Spells your Fighter can use is what he or she can imagine! However, here are some of the things seen in the Loveless manga to get you started.

A Fighter can cast offensive spells. Offensive spells cause damage and lay Restrictions upon Sacrifices. He can cast defensive spells in response to spells cast by the opposing Fighter. These spells can keep damage and restrictions from building up on his or her Sacrifice. A speedy Fighter can cast counter spells to deflect or reflect an opponent’s spells. Fighters may cast self-hypnosis spells on themselves to strengthen their will and spell power. These spells often force whoever it is cast on to recall a past trauma that was overcome to boost their morale.

Fighters often cast spells in a theme or style that often relates to their name. The SLEEPLESS Fighter, of Loveless canon, prefers to engulf his opponents in darkness, trying to fill them with fear and anxiety. Spells cast by Kouya, a Loveless ZERO, are very precise and effective because of her mathematical flair: “Attack with blazing fire! Temperature of 1000 degrees!” “Your four limbs tear asunder to the four winds!”

While it is easier to cast spells involving concrete mental images (such as summoning fire, ice, boulders, etc.) if they are able to describe it, Fighters can create Word Spells based on intangible ideas, such as emotions.

Fighters with a specialty for knuckling down and really messing with some heads can create Word Spells that attack a person’s psyche, creating elaborate illusions and drawing the Sacrifice into a moment of extreme vulnerability before the Fighter can respond. Sacrifices who are trapped in their worst fears and sorrows have a difficult time keeping up with the damage they must take for their Fighters.

What should my spells look like?
Spells are based on the creativity of the Fighter. If your character isn't normally a very fast-thinking person, he might have trouble. If he doesn't think visually, he might have a problem there, too. But, of course, there are ways to compromise - if someone is more fluent with mathematics, they can use that against their opponents by using physics to make use of the truths they know of the world rather than trying to conjure something of the imagination.

In most cases, the spells that are spoken manifest rather literally as those things. If a Fighter casts a spell that sounds something like "A flurry of leaves, slice through the enemy", then the image of leaves will manifest and slice the opponent. Sometimes, you the roleplayer don't really need to describe what each spell looks like if the words are clear enough. But should a Fighter use a spell that doesn't have a visual image, it's important to describe the intended effect on the opponents.

When do I collapse from Restrictions?
Restriction is, effectively, strangulation and a drain on one's physical endurance. Even restrictions that are only on one's arms or legs will suck away from one's stamina, and make them feel weaker. Because the Fighter draws partially from the strength of the Sacrifice, when the Sacrifice becomes drained, so does the Fighter's spells. A character's ability to withstand this drain on their strength is based on their mental resolve, their physical endurance, and their emotional strength.

We have the system in place that measures the might of player characters. While this is no hard-set determining factor in victory or loss, we have them there so that you can personally decide how fast your opponent's Word Spells would make your Sacrifice succumb. Either go with what you think is reasonable or what you think is dramatically interesting.

Can two Sacrifices or two Fighters bond to each other?
No. They can try, but it will never work.