AgK! AU



A corrupted Empire. An age of revolution nears its height, both sides wielding weapons made to protect the future. Who will be the victor?

Background
Around Galaxian's Tenth homethread, he tossed out the idea of an AgK! AU. This idea received considerable interest and support. Thus, a while thereafter, he began brainstorming ideas, and pulled a list of characters that he had inspiration for into the story. He then made a signup thread, and the rest is history.

Plot


It is the year 1024, recorded by the calendar of the great Empire…except this Empire, which has existed for a thousand years and is renowned throughout the world for its resources, vast landmass, and power, has fallen into decline, and practically every inch of its massive territory, along with its people, is not a stranger to corruption’s disastrous consequences. In fact, the reach of this significant change has been felt even beyond the borders, to the three countries beyond the Empire—the Northern, Southern, and Western Lands (a great ocean borders the East).

Power has not been blatantly gifted by magic or immortal means to the Empire. The first Emperor, an incredibly ambitious man, sought for the means by which to ensure that his empire would last forever. To obtain this goal, he sent his warriors throughout the land to hunt the native creatures, Danger Beasts. He then found his best craftsmen and scientists to embed parts of these Danger Beasts into tools and weapons, named “Teigu” (“Imperial Arms”). Each Teigu has a unique ability that it grants to its user, such as physical enhancements, serving as an enhanced weapon, and in general, abilities previously unknown to mankind. 48 Teigu were made for his goal of protecting his country, but also to extend military power of the Empire and imperial expansionism.

Yet, no tool has always served its intended purpose. Civil war broke out four hundred years after the foundation of the Empire, with both sides wielding Teigu. The Empire emerged victorious, but not without cost. Half of the existing Teigu, if not already destroyed, were lost from the Empire’s hold. And so, four hundred years before the current story, another emperor strove to recreate the powerful weapons with the same method. However, even with the hunting and fusing of Danger Beasts into weapons, the new weapons were far from the level of Teigu. Devastated by his failure, the emperor commanded that these weapons, Shingu, were to be sealed from use.

These powerful weapons, Imperial Arms, have been through their share of strife, and they are to be tested once again. After all, there are uprisings across the empire against the current ruler, a young Emperor. The largest force is called the Revolutionary Army. However, even the Army has been largely disregarded, fairly or not, in the face of a mighty faction within it: Night Raid.

A group of assassins who are notorious for acting by night and wielding Teigu, only a handful of Night Raid members’ identities are known. They are open for hire by the general public, which holds them in differentiating views. To some, they are determined vigilantes who will stop at nothing to lead the forefront of a changing tide. To others, they are a rising threat that must be extinguished. Regardless of public view, Night Raid has held steadfast in their beliefs. The only problem is…their beliefs are blatantly general.

In the past years of the attempted revolution, it has never been denied that many attempts have been quashed, lives taken, and even the Emperor is well aware of this fact. Not even the infamous reconnaissance group has been unchanged by war. The Empire is still powerful, and the Night Raid faction outside of the Empire’s current boundaries was massacred. Remaining Night Raid members are more than knowing that their beliefs can one day cost them their lives. Nevertheless, they are resolute to carry their will out to the end, and stake their part in a story claiming to change the current world forever.

However, the ends of the corruption themselves lie unconfirmed. Night Raid has continuously extinguished the lives of those who were corrupting parts of the Empire; nonetheless, the corruption continues, and no one can point out the true source. In opposition to that uncertainty, the assassination faction has dedicated themselves to rooting out and eliminating every problem possible as time and fate allows, for the need to eliminate these problems is, every Night Raid member believes, key to an era of true peace.

Yet, not every story within this Empire is staked to be a tragedy, and there are still those who oppose the opposition, standing with the Empire. For power, for self, for others, for their home, their voices claim to stand with their empire. They wield Teigu as well, but for the sake of protecting and continuing this thousand-year Empire, even if no one can see the future. They support the Empire’s armies to weaken and eliminate the revolution, and they try to maintain the support of the citizens. They are dedicated to quashing the rebellion, and most of all, to rid the Empire of a major nuisance—the forefront of the largest revolutionary army, Night Raid.

There are many people within the Empire, with beliefs that cannot be changed. Citizens, government officials, revolutionary members, yet this story is to be told of the strongest warriors who fight with heart and mind and soul, who fight for the world they have always known or for a world that they hope will be known, who fight with the weapons once intended to protect this thousand-year Empire.

It is ancient law: If a Teigu user fights with another, one must die.

Let the action ensue. 

Germaine
Germaine is a passionate young woman who seeks to change the Empire from the outside. She serves as a de facto leader of Night Raid, and is often referred to as the group's support due to her unyielding yet kind nature. She has been exiled from the Empire; why this is so is unknown, but one thing is for sure. She will do anything to change the empire that has made her its renegade.

She is the user of the Teigu Accuracie.

Yuutsume
Yuutsume, referred to as Yuu by the majority of those he knows, is an assassin of Night Raid. No one knows anything about his past, or so it seems. He is known to be severely ill and, unrelated to that, is referred to as the most wanted figure of the Empire.

Echo
Echo, as she is called, is a young teenager who serves as a Night Raid assassin. She is extremely passionate to her beliefs and loyal to her friends; she aims to find her siblings, who were separated from her years ago. She is the user of the Teigu, Grígora.

"Rai"
For his role elsewhere, see subcategory "Jaegers".

Ishmael
Ishmael is the son of a prevalent general in the Empire. Though initially uninterested in becoming a high-ranked general, with the assassination of his father under the hands of Night Raid, he is promoted by the Emperor (and Prime Minister) by the will of his father.

He is the user of the Teigu Scream.

"Rai"
For his role in the central government, see that subcategory.

Specter
Specter is a remotely societal-norms-lacking young adult, who seems to have, at first impression, a slight obsession with ghosts and spirits.

They are the user of the Teigu Ánimas.

The Revolutionary Army
(Include: generals, notable soldiers. Very general category, so this is for the army itself, not people within it.)

Orphos
Orphos is a pirate who specializes in benefiting from trade and related, remarkably shady affairs with both the Empire and Night Raid.

He is the user of the Teigu Tempest.

Teigu

 * Unbreakable Fortification: Bouclier

Shingu
???

Published
See.

Trivia

 * Many people question Specter as to whether they actually wash their coat or not.