The nail that sticks up gets hammered down.
This is the unfortunate principle that guides all life. Those who excel will face judgement for their excellence. Succeed against this tribulation and all that awaits you are further trials. Such is the truth of existence.
Such is the Will of the Honkai, of which little is known but its persistence and its inevitability.
This is the destiny that awaits all civilisation. Many have tried. Many have sacrificed. A few have even made gains. But none have ever prevailed against the Honkai. But all continue to struggle, for the alternative is annihilation.
A scion of an old family, one of the three pillars of Schicksal, you have been acquainted with the Honkai and the War against it from an early age, and your life is and has always been one of eternal war. As the newly promoted Captain of the
SSV Hyperion, first of the new generation of Hyperion-Class battleships, you will soon be playing a more direct role in the War against the Honkai.
But not in the way anyone expected, especially you.
Standing before the door to a hospital ward, you will perform the single most meaningful act in the final act of the War, though you do not know it yet. For past that door is the Hero of the Third Honkai Eruption, one of the handful who survived the disaster at Nagaozora, and the fool girl who fought against the Herrscher of Thunder - and
won. Not with her head, but with her hand and her promise.
She, bearer of the name Kiana Kaslana and a legacy far heavier, is an idiot. Of the highest order. And you will have your hands full, though you do not know that yet.
Because today, as the snow thaws and the sakuras bloom, you will become her legal guardian, paperwork and all. And you will decide the shape of tomorrow, not with grand gestures but small ones that give them texture.
----
But before all that, you were, and in some cases still are, a figure of import. Who are you, before your day was ruined by a loud girl with big dreams?
Note: All Characters will (probably) appear, whether or not they are Kiana's Guardian
[] The Sword of Schicksal - Freya Kaslana
The knights of Schicksal, it is said that your white hair signifies your purity of purpose… and your closeness to death. Born and bred for battle, by the commandments of your great House you have but one goal: Destroy. The. Honkai.
You are Freya Kaslana, younger sister of the disgraced Hero of the Second Eruption, Siegfried, and at the moment the only member of the Kaslana Main House who is still alive and in Schicksal's… graces. But that means little in Otto's Schicksal, and despite your talents and pedigree, you have floundered ever since the Second Eruption.
You are estranged from the rest of your family, disowned twice over, and your career plateau'd at the age of sixteen. You are Captain of the Hyperion not because you are the shining star of Schicksal, but because you are dented iron; soon your time in the field will be over and your aspirations truly done, for no Valkyrie has ever made S-Rank behind a desk. As Theresa tells you time and time again, this is your last chance, and you should not waste it… Whatever that means.
All the while, the shadow of the Honkai continues to loom over you.
You still feel it. The chill of the Winter King. Ever frigid, ever mourning.
[Traits: Valkyrie, Kaslana, Disgraced]
Level 1 [Disgraced] Standing with Schicksal
[] The Sceptre of Schicksal - Rosaria Schariac
The Saints of Schicksal, it is from their blood that the Honkai can be suppressed at all. By the miracle of your blood, you serve alongside those who fight the Honkai, not only as warrior but also so much more. By your hands, flowers continue to bloom.
You are Rosaria Schariac, younger sister of the late Hero of the Second Eruption, Cecilia, and there are those who say that you are her splitting image. But for all that you share your sister's looks, you do not have her strength of body or blood, and your health proves it.
You are dying of acute Honkai Poisoning, the result of a great disaster in the aftermath of the Second Eruption that was averted only by your intervention. But until that day comes, you are Captain of the Hyperion, here to break in the crew on its maiden voyages while you still have time left. There are those who have concerns that both the CO and XO of the Hyperion are dying, but you and Himeko see it as a morbid game where the winner buys the last round.
You fully expect it to be you; Major Himeko has already outlived five terminal prognoses in the last six years while you have faced the same prognosis for decades. And unlike you, she is still healthy enough to fight.
[Traits: Ex-Valkyrie, Schariac, Dying]
Level 2 [Respected] Standing with Schicksal
[] The Crown of Schicksal - Brigid Apocalypse
The Rooks of Schicksal, the Apocalypses claim no heritage from ancient legends or miracles. Instead, they are the brains and wallets of Schicksal, for it is only with the backing of the Apocalypses that Schicksal fights this war. For all that is Beautiful.
You are Brigid Apocalypse, a distant niece many times removed from Overseer Otto Apocalypse, for all that people see the resemblance between you and him. You can understand some of the rumours; after all, the two of you are the same type of person.
Ten years ago, Otto ordered the nuclear strike that killed Cecilia Schariac, and you have worked to save and avenge her ever since. Your rise through the ranks has been meteoric, and becoming Captain of the Hyperion is but a stepping stone in your ascension to the Throne of Schicksal.
You have done a great many things in the service of Schicksal, both great and terrible. It was by your hands that the great Valkyrie, Bianka Atagenia, was saved from death at a young age, and you have nurtured close ties with her and her Immortal Blades ever since. It was with your hand that the Hyperion's design was drawn and by your direction that it was built, and so it is natural that you command your child. Your reassignment to Theresa's side in the Far East Branch was no serendipitous act, but part of your plan.
You are no saint; indeed, Cecilia would disdain what you have become in order to chase her image. But all this is necessary, and she will forgive you for it. Schicksal needs its Strongest Valkyrie.
[Traits: Future Overseer, Apocalypse, The Worst]
Level 3 [Impressive] Standing with Schicksal
----
You are no mere scion of your House, however. You are an
exceptional scion of your House, with connections and talents of your own.
You Have Two (2) Shinies. More
Shinies can be acquired by taking on
Flaws. You can take up to a maximum of Three (3).
Traits:
[] Divine Replica [1]
'Where the hell did you get that? Divine Keys don't grow on--That's fake?!'
Through an extensive web of contracts, great personal wealth or pure luck, you have been assigned a replica of one of Schicksal's Divine Keys for personal use. It is a soulium imitation that does not nearly compare to the real thing, but it packs a punch nonetheless. [Access to a Divine Relic, a Powerful Weapon against the Honkai.]
[] The Edge of Taixuan [2]
Formless, yet vast. Your mantra is incomplete, but a broken blade is better than nothing.
You learned the secrets of the Edge of Taixuan from Commander Cheng Lixue when you were younger, but you never finished your training due to the Second Honkai Eruption. Ever since, you've had an incomplete understanding of the art that would surely bring the Phoenix to tears. [A Basic Understanding of the Edge of Taixuan, the legendary martial art of the immortal Jingwei, Guardian of Taixuan.]
[] Godsbane Test Pilot [1]
'Oh, that? That's for emergencies, don't worry about it. And don't touch it!'
As part of the initiative to prevent the tragedies of the turn of the millennium from happening all over again, the Overseer began production of the next generation of Battlesuits. You were part of that initiative, helping to test those suits and push them to their absolute limit. Along the way, you retained custody of the one you helped test. [Access to a 4th Generation 'Godsbane' Battlesuit, said to level the playing field against even Herrschers.]
[] Anti-Entropy Contacts [1]
'Send Dr. Tesla my regards. We're all friends, aren't we?'
Anti-Entropy was once part of Schicksal, and its mission remains the same; the suppression of Honkai the world over. Your goals are sufficiently aligned that you work together from time to time. Their support is appreciated from time to time, and they still owe you favours. [Contacts with Anti-Entropy, Schicksal's rival and compatriot in the War against the Honkai, specialising in the deployment of robotic armies as opposed to Valkyrie warriors.]
[] Knight of the Realm [2]
'Oh, I just adore cute things!'
You fell in with an eclectic sort in the aftermath of the Second Honkai Eruption and the chaos that ensured. One thing lead to another and you were brought to an usual space deep within the earth, where you discovered the truth of the Previous Era and met with the Thirteen, giving you insights that you otherwise would never have. [Knowledge of the Secrets of the Elysian Realm, a surviving remnant of the Previous Era that fought against the Honkai…]
Flaws:
[] Sheltered [-1]
'What are those students doing, Theresa? 'They're off from school'? Huh.'
You have spent little time beyond the Floating Isles, Schicksal's HQ. The ways of normal people are unknown to you, and you have known little of the beauty of the world that you are fighting for. As Captain of the Hyperion, this leaves you naive in a lot of regards. Despite being her legal guardian, you are less worldly than your ward. [Self-Explanatory: How do you connect to a child who is more world-weary than you?]
[] Known Anti-Entropy Sympathiser [-1]
'What's the problem? We're all fighting the Honkai, aren't we?'
It is one thing to cooperate with Anti-Entropy in times of crisis and it is another to stay in regular contact with them for a majority of missions. You have done the latter, and as such you are a pariah to some sectors of Schicksal. Not necessarily because you are still in touch with them, but because you appear to be. [You are thought to have contact with the traitors of Schicksal, and distrusted by your own.]
[] Indebted to the Serpent [-1]
'The Sire does not forget, Captain. Neither should you.'
On a mission a long time ago, you were saved by shadowy forces that tipped that scales just enough to save your life and finish the job. Ever since though, you've felt them looming in the background of destiny, waiting for the time you need to pay your dues. [You owe a favour to an ancient conspiracy that predates even Schicksal; this definitely won't come to bite you in the back.]
[] Indebted to the Overseer [-1]
'Ah, that will be all, Captain. Oh, don't be so nervous. Aren't we friends?'
The Overseer helped you once, a long time ago, a favour large enough to overcome his normal generosity. There will come a time where he will ask you for a favour in order to repay this debt of yours, and you have to wonder what he wants you to do. [The enigmatic Overseer of Schicksal has done you a service and expects a service in turn whenever he asks.]
[] Ich Hasse Dich [-1]
'Every time I sleep, I see those damn yellow eyes and wake up again… Dammit.'
You fought in the Second Honkai Eruption on the frontlines, and you were there for the final testament of Cecilia Schariac. You still remember the fear in her eyes. The sorrow. The betrayal. You remember how she
screamed. How she
died. Her eyes still haunt your waking nightmare. [You have survived a battle with a Herrscher. All the dead. All the dying. All of her horrifying splendour.]
