Asa to Yoru
From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe
| |
| The Akuma's Demon Form | |
| The Morning and the Night | |
| Player: @Asa yo Yoru | |
| Origin: | Natural |
|---|---|
| Archetype: | Numerous, but primarily Mastermind |
| Threat Level: | 50 MM, 14 Stalker |
| Personal Data | |
| Real Name: | Confidential |
| Known Aliases: | Confidential |
| Species: | Presumed Human |
| Age: | Thousands of Years |
| Height: | Currently, under 5' |
| Weight: | Around 100 lbs |
| Eye Color: | Varies |
| Hair Color: | Orange |
| Biographical Data | |
| Nationality: | Japan |
| Occupation: | Confidential |
| Place of Birth: | Confidential |
| Base of Operations: | Confidential |
| Marital Status: | Confidential |
| Known Relatives: | Confidential |
| Known Powers | |
| Numerous dark arts, few known | |
| Known Abilities | |
| A variety of dark, martial, and weapons arts | |
| Equipment | |
| Confidential | |
| ((Asa to Yoru is the MM. Asa to Yoru' (with an apostrophe) is the Stalker. There will be an Archery/Trick Arrow form when Corruptors get those sets. Further, "Demon's Mouth" is the standalone incarnation of the Oni. "Tsukimono Daimyo" is the undead noted below, a brute.)) | |
Contents |
Clan History
The Asa to Yoru, translated as “The Morning and the Night”, are an ancient cult of demon worshippers out of Japan. From some unknown time before the common era (estimated around 300 BCE), it is speculated that a family tribe of Oni no Miuchi, or ”demon’s followers”, began to worship a single spiritual entity. Perhaps it was a kinship, such as a presumed family lineage to the spirit, or out of respect and fear for the it, but their focus went to the one simply called Akuma. The small tribe remained fairly tight as a family by blood and blood oath and progressively became darker and more powerful, both in styles of martial arts and weapons combat as well as in Nether magicks. It wasn’t until the quiet beginnings of the ninja clans that they began to become more known, yet ironically more secret out of the rumors spread about them. They began to indoctrinate a few of the earliest ninja bands and soon built themselves a secluded stronghold on one of the Bonin Islands, presumably around the base of the Iwojima volcano. Safe from the mainland, they began to grow in power, slowly becoming a nightmarish rumor. Most believed in their existence out of mere superstition, yet very few knew they truly existed outside of the cult itself, and for most people that meant they desired the cult’s allegiance (usually out of alliance, yet all had become indoctrinated willingly as members) or had proclaimed themselves their would-be conquerors.
Throughout the history of the cult, The Akuma bided his (its?) time, endlessly seeking a way to enter the mortal realm. Unfortunately for him, and despite the growing power of his followers in the dark arts, he had no real way of communicating with them or bestowing upon them his truest of power and magic. At around the 17th century C.E., a daimyo skilled in the dark arts began to seek out the Asa to Yoru. Having heard their many and often bloody rumors he had sought the truth behind them for some years. It wasn’t until his dark magicks brought to him a vision of The Akuma and the truth of the ninja cult became known to him. He quickly found their stronghold and willfully joined them, he and hundreds of his servants and those of his army. The feudal lord soon became the leader of the clan with Akuma’s guidance and assistance, and the two devised plans to bring the demon into the mortal plane. A ritual was painstakingly devised and prepared for over the course of a decade and, once ready, the daimyo sacrificed himself to the Akuma. The sacrifice, coupled with the powerful dark magicks of the daimyo himself and of the ninja cultists, was enough to draw the spirit of Akuma through a portal into his nether dimension. The two joined as one and the daimyo’s soul was quickly devoured by Akuma. The daimyo, in truth, died an eternal death, and in his place rose the possessed shell of his body, now in control of Akuma himself.
Over time, the Akuma slowly filled his followers with incredible dark energies, prolonging their youth, improving their strength and reflexes, empowering their minds, and giving them all incredible powers and skill. Some bonded with lesser spirits under the control of Akuma to become living Oni, and it was through these that the Akuma most often spoke and addressed his followers (as well as non-members). The Jounin became the eyes and ears of the nightmarish shadow spread by the Akuma’s presence. The Genin became his many hands and feet, his blades and staves, his bows and arrows. While not truly mute or blind or deaf or any thing of the sort, The Akuma most often has nearly full and direct control over the actions of his ninja, especially those physically nearest to him.
As time went on, the daimyo’s body began to both decay and mutate. The netherworld energies surging through it did indeed prolong its life greatly, but having already been through its autumn years, rot set in somewhat quickly as the body was ravaged and altered by the Akuma’s presence. Aside from the progressively more grotesque deformations, including wings, it eventually got so bad that the body was literally falling apart and turning to dust. As The Akuma began to discover the rot, he employed his most powerful Genin to seek out potential sacrifices of youthful and strong Japanese men, his Jounin to gather ritual ingredients, and his Oni to prepare and perform the ritual. A handful of captive men were brought in, but each ritual was a failure because of their resistance. In the end, their souls were all devoured, but their bodies were weak husks despite their health and vitality in life, leading to a quick rot. Finally, a Genin brought forth a newborn baby boy, stolen away from its mother after separating them with a single shuriken. Intrigued by the thought of using an innocent and unaware, The Akuma had the ritual performed on the newborn. It was an absolute success with but one draw back: He had to allow the body to grow up. His netherworld energies did not accelerate growth, despite mutations, but rot never seemed an issue. The Akuma understood that this was his best bet, and the ritual continues to this day.
World War II
It wasn’t until the 20th century CE that the clan was uncovered and truly revealed. Being somewhat cut off from the civilized world, the cult left it to its own designs and The Akuma ignored the growing technologies born of it. However, as his home island began to be swarmed by soldiers of Japan, he began to grow anxious. Keeping quiet and hidden, his ninja gained intelligence and learned of what was to happen. The Asa to Yoru offered minimal and unseen help against the invading U.S. forces, knowing that too much effort would risk revealing them. Unfortunately for them, their discovery was inevitable. It wasn’t long before their secluded stronghold was in fact attacked by the U.S. army. Details of the ensuing battle, however, are highly classified. Despite it all, the clan had finally been discovered.
It is known, however, that the Asa to Yoru began to offer more help during the rest of the war. A mutual (and, on the part of Japan, nervous) alliance was formed. It wasn’t to last, for after the war the Japanese Emperor contracted a secretive group of occult demon slayers and monks. A dark and quiet war has raged between them and the Asa to Yoru since in a near constant stalemate.
Modern Day
In the mid 1980’s, the monks and slayers enacted a daring and remarkable attack on the Iwajima stronghold of the Asa to Yoru. Their primary goal was to slay the Akuma himself, the secondary goal to slay all Oni, tertiary to kill as many of all others as possible. The siege lasted no more than a day and a night before the few remaining slayers and monks forced the ninjas into fleeing by laying a killing blow to the Akuma’s mortal shell. The cult, however, had agents out and about in both Japan, parts of Eurasia, as well as the Americas seeking out a better home. The slayers and monks chased the remaining bands of ninja across the globe and assumed to have destroyed them all until hardly a dozen remained. Over the next few years, they sleeplessly worked to reestablish themselves and, with the one remaining Oni, perform the sacrifice once more. Right under the noses of the slayers and monks, the tiny remaining band managed to summon the Akuma back into the mortal plane and into a mortal body, another newborn boy. They quickly sought a place of relative safety and solace in the Rogue Isles. Reluctantly, they were forced to strike an alliance of sorts with those of Arachnos. Akuma, however, quickly understood their strength and power and knew how to manipulate it to his ends. Now with a healthy foothold in the region, their leader has returned to full power despite the body’s age, and the cult has begun construction of their new stronghold o a secluded mountain island of the Rogue Isles.
Currently, it is believed that The Akuma’s current body has barely reached adolescence, though its mutations and deformations have been even more grotesque and bizarre than before. The cause is assumed to be Akuma’s intense hatred for those that had nearly ousted him and his people and he shall indeed have his revenge.
The Akuma
The Akuma himself is powerful in a variety of dark, martial, and weapons arts. He is a master of the blade and of the bow as well as a true sorcerer in nether magicks. He has begun to train himself to control the mutations of his body, allowing him to take on increasingly human-like appearances. His ultimate goal is to look 100% human to all but the most skilled demonologists, monks, and sages. However, out of simple preference, it’s not uncommon to simply remain in his most demonic form, especially when out and out or when combating troublesome Longbow, Rikti, Arachnos, and other pestilent groups of the Isles. The Akuma rarely speaks of himself in the first person, such as "I" or "Me", and instead uses the second, saying "we" when discussing himself or his cult.
The Ninja
The few remaining survivors of the clan's more secretive and secluded days rarely leave The Akuma's side unless they're sure he'll be with at least one of their new members. Often, when able to travel on their own, they devote themselves to intense training. However, it's not uncommon for them to be given orders and missions, often to seek out any other potential survivors and to make sure the cult of Asa to Yoru is on the darker and villainous lips of the world and a constant nagging fear in the minds of would-be do-gooders.
Higure Genin - The Twilight Masters
The most trusted and skilled foot-soldiers of the cult are the Genin. It's known that only a handful remain, presumably at The Akuma's side. These are the Higure Genin. While the word "genin" may suggest a low rank, these Twilight Masters make up the body of the clan. They are willfully expendable, but it can take far more than what would kill a normal person to truly kill these pseudo-immortals. These are the Higure Ude, Katai, and Dou, the limbs and body of the Asa to Yoru.
Kage no Jounin - The Shadow's Assassins
It's speculated that there could be as many as a dozen of these onyx-garbed assassins remaining, yet only two are ever seen with the Akuma. They are the Shadow's Assassins, making for the clans eyes and ears. They are rivaled by few in the art of swordplay, and their specially forged blades never lose their edge. Only known as Metsuki and Mimi, for only two are ever known to be present and only with the Akuma for that matter, they remain his silent guardians.
Akuma no Kuchi - The Mouth of the Demon
It's known beyond any doubt that only one Oni has managed to survive the near extinction of this ninja clan and it is assumed that this one in particular was given the most power, or was able to gain the most power. It was he who began to collect the ragged remnants of the clan to resurrect their master and restore to him a new body. A demon of fire, this oni is deadly and evil, yet he is also the closest to the Akuma. It is believed that it was the Akuma who made the oni ageless, certainly immortal in its own right, and also empowered to be utterly unkillable without powerful exorcismal magics. The Oni is also the mouth of the demon, and this gift of power was paid for by becoming his voice. It's well agreed upon that the oni holds some part of the Akuma's ethereal essence which is the likely reason why it survived to reform the clan. The Akuma himself rarely speaks unless forced to, because his Mouth is often around to speak through. However, when alone, he often has no problem joining up with other villains, both to test them to understand their potential but also to see if they're worthy or able to hearing his master's call.
New Discovery - Strange Undead
There has been a discovery of a strange behemoth of a man affiliated with the Asa to Yoru. The only known public information about it is that it is assumed to be a resurrected former leader of the clan and is for certain completely undead. How much of the original person remains is yet to be seen, as most tests suggest it is heavily influenced if not directly controlled by Akuma. It is proposed, however, that it may hold a sense of free will as it has been discovered primarily far and away from both Akuma and his Oni. A handful of demonologists suggest its loyalty in its former life has been rewarded with free will, despite unwavering loyalty, forced or otherwise. It's described as incredibly tall, around eight feet, in the similar black and orange garb of the Akuma. He appears to have no face, and indeed not a single scrap of his body appears to be visible. He's skilled in the use of immense twin katanas and constantly exhumes dark energy which seems capable of absorbing the impact of any attacks made upon him, including psionics.
The "Villain Group"
Now once again established, respected, and feared, the clan of ninja and demons have begun the construction of a new stronghold on a secluded and mountainous island of the Rogue Isles. Already, their influence has flashed in the mind's eye of a handful of people, all who have power to gain, respect for The Akuma, and a kinship out of nationality, ethnicity, or lineage. In truth, the group does not seek out new members. Instead, potential new members are made known the influence of The Akuma and a whispering at the back of their heads beckons them to his side. All who have and will join The Morning and the Night do so by full free will. They simply have answered the demon's call.
((OOC notes regarding VG))
((It's very new, so the base has little in it. As of the most recent update, it's about 300K prestige from more than a single teleporter and beacon. "Recruitment" is done through roleplayed means in which it is broadcasted not as a recruitment drive but a whisper, or wind, or nudge towards the horizon and the island Asa to Yoru has chosen. Those interested are free to ask questions and asked to read this Virtueverse entry and often a short spell of roleplay will occur before the invite is made. Anyone part of the VG is free to roleplay a similar recruitment process, for even Genin can invite people, and the only real requirements are that the character be a roleplay character and have a relation to asian culture, mythos, or ethnicity. Promotions are primarily on basis of prestige, roleplay attitude, activeness, and "recruitment" for higher ups. The VG is a (potentially) mature RP group with interest in PVP, strike forces, etc.. Demotions and removal will remain on a case-to-case basis until the VG is better established.))
((Any heroes or villains or groups interested in creating story lines and player RP events, please email "Asa to Yoru" or try sending a /t to my global, @Asa to Yoru!))
((The VG itself is very Asian-centric, focusing on Japanese culture and mythos but open to generally anyone Far-Eastern themed. The closest to the VG's theme would be Ninja and Japanese demons and similar other-worldly creatures, though most anything will be accepted (including samurai if you're curious) as long as it's reasonably "Asian Themed". Therefor, we except every origin, AT, and power set. To explain what I mean by "themed", I require the character to be connected to Asian culture, mythology, or simply ethnicity at minimum. We even have a neko, if you want to know how bare minimum the requirement is. I'm more interested in people who like to roleplay! If you're interested, contact me, and if you're unsure, don't hesitate to ask questions! ^_^ ))
((We've currently a rez circle and teleport to Cap au Diable. More is in the works as soon as we've the prestige, so help us out and join up ;) ))
