A hotheaded young swordswoman who trained at the Lamisa Knight Academy. She is the leader of the guild. She has been travelling the world with Karin for the past five years. Unlike most swordsmen, she is left handed, and as such, wears her sword across her right hip. She is informal and brash, and in combat, is rather reckless, despite her training. In spite of this however, she is still a capable fighter, who (mostly) manages to avoid incurring severe wounds. She has a fondness for alcohol.
Karin Eisenberg Profession: Protector Age: 23
"Well, somebody has to look out for her."
Another graduate of the Lamisa Knight Academy, who trained in the arts of defense. She is Alina's partner, and the second in command of the guild. The two met after Alina almost got herself killed during training, only surviving due to Karin's timely intervention. Thereafter, they struck up an odd friendship, and promised to form a guild together after they both graduated. Whilst she is rather more level-headed than her companion, she has a habit of being overly protective towards her allies.
Ioannis Katrakis Profession: Medic Age: 24 "Don't worry, I'll have you patched up in a jiffy!"
A perpetually cheerful doctor who is never seen without his medical supplies. Ever the optimist, it doesn't matter if his patient is suffering a sprained finger, a broken leg, or a lost limb, he'll try to fix it anyway. It's not known how he got mixed up with Ira, or even how long they've been travelling together, but they seem to understand each other perfectly. In this respect, they're almost like brother and sister. He is teetotal. According to him, the reason behind this is that he can't heal somebody if he's drunk.
Ira Okhotnik Profession: Survivalist Age: 26
"An easy target."
A hunter from an unknown land. Ioannis's travelling companion, she used to be a bounty hunter until she joined up with him. She is an extremely skilled archer, and her abilities of perception are near unmatched. In stark contrast to her cheerful companion, she is incredibly taciturn, commonly speaking only one or two words at a time. Due to her past experiences, she is adept at most physical activities, including climbing and swimming.
Ruairi Duana Profession: Troubadour Age: 24
"And who is this vision of loveliness I see before me?"
A wandering bard and occasional conman, although he prefers the term "hustler". He has a preference for the finer things in life, a flair for the dramatic, and is a consummate womaniser. Despite all this however, he remains a loyal, if unpredictable, friend to those he trusts. He got into the guild through a little bit of traditional trickery.
More people have said that and been killed than there are thorium decay products.
The world of Mushihimesama is a wild, untainted one where large desertic areas abruptly change into lush forests, all inhabited by arthropods called Koujuu: such beasts (basically oversized insects) are capable of surviving due to their hardened shells and, upon their deaths, leave them behind for vegetation to grow around them, in a natural cycle of life and death. However, their life force, called Levi-Sense, proved to be poisonous to the humans to the point of being named the Miasma; only sparse human settlements were allowed to survive, one of them being the Hoshifuri village, in exchange for the sacrifice of a 15-year-old girl every 200 years. However, the daughter of the royal family, Reco, is apparently the next in line after being given an ornate bracelet by a mysterious boy in Shinju Forest, where she lost herself at young age: by the day she turns 15, the Miasma contaminates the village.
In order to save her people, she enters Shinju Forest once more, riding the golden Koujuu beetle Kiniro (with which the golden bracelet grants a telepathic link) on a quest to meet the Koujuu god himself.
No. But wanting something is not the same as acting upon that desire. That is the key difference between sane people and the kind of people that we seek to put behind bars.
I'm talking about the people who have acted and done terrible things.
How about those people who beat and kidnap other people for years on end?
The response to violence and depravity is not to behave in a violent and depraved manner. Rather, one must strive to eliminate such things from the world without resorting to them. We must seek to rehabilitate those who seek to do harm to others or, failing that, keep them away from the general public under humane but secure conditions. Anything less is a betrayal of our collective morality.
Emile, thank you for your very polished (if not quite fully proofed) essay. It was a pleasure to follow your argument with only the slightest editorial distractions. Well done!
Comments
Profession: Landsknecht
Age: 22
"Ya'll worry too much."
A hotheaded young swordswoman who trained at the Lamisa Knight Academy. She is the leader of the guild. She has been travelling the world with Karin for the past five years. Unlike most swordsmen, she is left handed, and as such, wears her sword across her right hip. She is informal and brash, and in combat, is rather reckless, despite her training. In spite of this however, she is still a capable fighter, who (mostly) manages to avoid incurring severe wounds. She has a fondness for alcohol.
Karin Eisenberg
Profession: Protector
Age: 23
"Well, somebody has to look out for her."
Another graduate of the Lamisa Knight Academy, who trained in the arts of defense. She is Alina's partner, and the second in command of the guild. The two met after Alina almost got herself killed during training, only surviving due to Karin's timely intervention. Thereafter, they struck up an odd friendship, and promised to form a guild together after they both graduated. Whilst she is rather more level-headed than her companion, she has a habit of being overly protective towards her allies.
Ioannis Katrakis
Profession: Medic
Age: 24
"Don't worry, I'll have you patched up in a jiffy!"
A perpetually cheerful doctor who is never seen without his medical supplies. Ever the optimist, it doesn't matter if his patient is suffering a sprained finger, a broken leg, or a lost limb, he'll try to fix it anyway. It's not known how he got mixed up with Ira, or even how long they've been travelling together, but they seem to understand each other perfectly. In this respect, they're almost like brother and sister. He is teetotal. According to him, the reason behind this is that he can't heal somebody if he's drunk.
Ira Okhotnik
Profession: Survivalist
Age: 26
"An easy target."
A hunter from an unknown land. Ioannis's travelling companion, she used to be a bounty hunter until she joined up with him. She is an extremely skilled archer, and her abilities of perception are near unmatched. In stark contrast to her cheerful companion, she is incredibly taciturn, commonly speaking only one or two words at a time. Due to her past experiences, she is adept at most physical activities, including climbing and swimming.
Ruairi Duana
Profession: Troubadour
Age: 24
"And who is this vision of loveliness I see before me?"
A wandering bard and occasional conman, although he prefers the term "hustler". He has a preference for the finer things in life, a flair for the dramatic, and is a consummate womaniser. Despite all this however, he remains a loyal, if unpredictable, friend to those he trusts. He got into the guild through a little bit of traditional trickery.
Woo!