daybreak application.
Dec. 29th, 2019 04:38 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
hatesdragonsPLAYER INFORMATION
NAME: Kristina.
CONTACT: Emille's journal, or![[plurk.com profile]](https://plurk.com/favicon.ico)
darkestsilver
Note: I just made this Plurk account, so I'm not really sure how it works yet?
OTHER CHARACTER(S) IN GAME: None.
CANON INFORMATION
CHARACTER NAME: Emille.
CANON: The 7th Dragon video game series: 7th Dragon, 7th Dragon 2020, 7th Dragon 2020-II, 7th Dragon III: Code VFD.
HISTORY:
Billions of years ago, Earth was populated by godly beings called Dragons. The True Dragons, of which there are seven, "sowed" the seeds of humanity. They have waited for the planet to flourish with culture and civilization before the True Dragons, and the Imperial Dragons and lesser Dragons under their command, could come back in droves in order to "harvest" and consume everyone. Before commencing their attack, the Dragons flood the world with toxic orange flowers called the Bloom (or Dragonsbane) that physically hurt or sicken humans in order to "soften" them for consumption. The player parties in each game are the fated Dragon Hunters, who tap into humanity's secret weapon, willpower, to fight back against the Dragons that are destroying the world. The series itself takes place over several thousand years: 2020 and 2020-II are in 2020-2021 AD, while 7th Dragon takes place in 7000 AD. 7th Dragon III deals with time traveling hijinks, so it mainly takes place around 2098 AD but also in 12,000 BC and 7100 AD (which is where Emille is).
Emille is an important NPC who is in all four games. She appears as a human child, but is in reality an ancient and immortal spiritual entity created by the Hypnos people when their planet was destroyed by Dragons tens of thousands of years prior to the series. Emille is the embodiment of the Hypnos' hatred, while her younger sister Aitelle is the embodiment of their love. In each game, Emille has some sort of leadership position due to her technological knowledge and drive to destroy the Dragons. Unfortunately, this drive tends to overwhelm her into madness, leading to her losing her leadership role, or even to her destruction.
A more detailed canon universe history can be found on her character journal, if needed.
STRENGTHS:
• Focused and determined. In canon, Emille is a researcher, with millennia of data and amassed technology in her brain and at her grasp. Despite having this amazing plethora of scientific and technological know-how that could be used for tons of other purposes, she focuses it on one goal: to destroy the Dragons once and for all. This mission is her sole reason for existence, and so she will do literally everything in her power to assist the Dragon Hunters -- those who will do the actual Dragon slaying -- with their struggles. She wants humanity to win at any cost, and will even stoop to dangerous and questionable lows to achieve this, including creating an anti-Dragon cannon superweapon that consumes souls to power it.
• Leadership skills. Emille is a natural leader. She has studied humanity and knows how to direct them. She knows that she must be reasonable, but at the same time be decisive. Emille knows how to boost morale, but she also knows how to stand her ground. She is demanding, but knows how to garner respect. Leaders of nations look up to her to lead their anti-Dragon efforts, which usually includes handling an entire army. In one game, she is the American Secretary of Defense. In another, she is the President of the Japanese government's Murakumo organization, which the player party is part of. And in yet another, she is the Chief Scholar of an academic country. Even though she tries to be an impartial leader, she does grow close to a select few individuals whom she ends up caring about and relying on more heavily than others, although perhaps not directly.
• Emotionally stable. Emille is a spirit created entirely of hatred, so she is basically immune to other emotions. Because of this, Emille has been described as an "ice queen." This may be seen as a weakness, but Emille considers it a strength: "Unchanging hatred means I have the power to fight against evil. Thanks to that strength, I can fight it forever." Regardless, she is able to feel another emotion nearly as strongly, especially when the battle is turning in her favor: hope. In the battle against Dragonkind, Emille will not let humanity fall into despair. As long as Hunters remain to fight against Dragons, and the willpower of humanity burns brightly, there is always some counter-measure that can be taken against the current Dragon threat. On top of hatred and hope, Emille does have love in her heart towards humanity, though she would argue against that and say that her sister Aitelle is the one who loves. Only on rare, one-on-one occasions would Emille ever admit to having any feelings of adoration towards others. Otherwise, Emille never experiences sadness or happiness. No laughter, no tears.
FLAWS:
• Extreme tunnel vision. Emille's extreme focus on her mission to destroy the Dragons leaves her with nothing else to live for. She has no interests, no hobbies, no other reason for living. Even if Dragons are not currently affecting the world, she is off trying to tell other world leaders about their inevitable return, or she is working on some technological counter-measure. She has no life outside of her mission. She's never had to have one. The only thing in the universe that matters to Emille outside of fighting the Dragons is her sister Aitelle, and that may be because Aitelle's love balances Emille's rage so she does not consume herself.
• Absolutely ruthless. As mentioned above, Emille is not bothered by morality or ethical choices when it comes to destroying Dragons. She is perfectly fine with using people or sacrificing lives -- into the thousands, at that -- in order to bring down one True Dragon. She has also created artificial life and passed it off as an anti-Dragon weapon. Emille realizes that what she does is against human ethics, but she believes wholeheartedly that the ends justify the means, and she will stand by her decisions a hundred and ten percent. In her storylines, this ruthless attitude, on top of her hatred, tends to cost her her position of power.
• Her rage. If things do not go her way, or as she intended, Emille will become frustrated and bite back. Her anger will come to a boil, and she will lose her cool and become unreasonable. It is not beneath her to even go so far as to melt down into a hissy fit. The longer the Dragons thwart her carefully-laid plans, the more unhinged she becomes. By the end of the series, she is nigh unapproachable, as her hatred has all but consumed her. This uncontrollable rage causes her to morph into a Dragon herself. Her strength becomes her greatest weakness, but only over thousands of years of disappointment and frustration.
CANON ABILITIES:
• Immense knowledge. Emille's technologically advanced Hypnos history, immortality, and access to the Dragon Chronicle -- the history of Dragons and how to fight against them -- have imbued her with more knowledge than anyone in existence on how to deal with Dragons. In 2020-2021 Tokyo, Emille is familiar with current technology such as computers and laboratory devices. Examples of tech she has a hand in creating include Dragon-sensing radars and the aforementioned anti-Dragon cannon superweapon.
• Immortality. As a spiritual entity, Emille doesn't really "die." Instead, she returns to a spirit form when her body is wounded beyond repair, or otherwise destroyed. It is unknown how long it takes for her body to re-materialize, though she is still able to communicate telepathically while in spirit form. She is eventually killed once she evolves into her True Dragon form in 7th Dragon III, but only under those circumstances can she permanently die.
• Teleportation. This skill is only shown off once in the series, when Emille teleports from America to Japan near the end of 7th Dragon 2020. When Emille arrives in Japan, however, her physical form had diminished from an adult's into a child's, and she is also limping. This implies that her teleportation skill is risky for her to use, and explains why she doesn't use it more often, such as when she's thrown into jail after going mad in 7th Dragon.
• Able to extract energy from materials. It isn't fully described in-game, but we do see Emille try to extract energy from items dropped by enemies near the end of 7th Dragon 2020. Perhaps she is trying to restore her full body, or bodily strength, after her teleportation? Is it how she keeps herself from physically falling apart? In any case, it seems that she is able to use the power of her soul to manipulate magical items to some extent.
• Able to use a sword. Emille can at least defend herself with the rapier she carries around in her belt. She is by no means an expert, but she's been around long enough to have an idea as to what to do with a sharp pointy thing. She does hold her own in swordfighting in 7th Dragon III, but she is also using a Dragon's strength, so it's doubtful that she is that skilled normally.
AU INFORMATION
AU CHARACTER NAME: Emille. If it is okay, instead of her having a last name, she would be known as "Emille of Murakumo."
AGE: 26, though at four feet tall, she physically looks like an elementary student and is often mistaken as such.
POSITION:
She is technically the Murakumo representative to Daybreak Academy, but as she nearly has her doctorate in biology, she has decided that she could be useful as a biology professor... likely specializing in Dragon biology. All Dragons, all the time. Well, and possibly other daemons too if they're encountered via the game plot.
AU BACKSTORY:
A more detailed background can be found on Emille's journal, but here is the run-down:
• Emille and her younger sister Aitelle were born in America, and they moved to Tokyo when Emille was ten.
• Emille was picked on for her short stature and unusual appearance, becoming withdrawn in the process, but Aitelle kept her sane.
• Fifteen years after moving to Tokyo, Emille was working on a PhD program in biology, and Aitelle was engaged and soon to be married. They decided to spend a month at home with their parents that summer before likely separating for good.
• One misty night during that summer, Dragon daemons descended upon their neighborhood in Tokyo, scattering orange Bloom flowers and eating basically everyone but Emille, who was able to hide thanks to her small size. Unfortunately, her parents and sister were killed in the attack.
• Emille learns of the existence of Japan's Murakumo organization, a secret branch of the government specializing in training S-class Candles/Hunters to fight paranormal creatures, Dragons included.
• She worms her way into Murakumo as a scientist and works her way up the ranks. After several months of being exposed to toxic Bloom samples and other Dragon-related specimen, Emille discovers that her anger can cause her to enter a state of hyper-awareness, but loud voices also cloud her mind while in that state.
• With the help of Murakumo specialists, her Flame power (as they called it) is refined, and she learns to block out the voices for the most part. It is at this time that Emille learns that full moons have a strong effect on the voices in her head, and she begins to notice they are Dragon victims talking about their deaths. She listens in and begins taking notes in a notebook she calls the Dragon Chronicle. She is still unaware at this point, but the voices are linked to a Second Sight Seer ability that came about by over-exposure to Bloom spores.
• It is during these full moon nights that Aitelle is able to clearly echo thoughts around in Emille's mind, to the point where the two are able to hold brief conversations once a month.
• Roughly a year after the Dragon attack and joining Murakumo, Emille is asked to be the Murakumo ambassador to Daybreak Academy. This would enable her to rub elbows with more people who know about Dragons, as well as help fight against Nightfall. Emille is debriefed on Nightfall at this time, but still does not know about it in-depth.
• Unbeknownst to Emille, Murakumo has a reason why they're sending her away -- they sort of deliberately allowed for Emille's over-exposure to the Bloom in order to test if her DNA has been altered, so they're covering their tails while still allowing her to work and learn and be useful in the fight against Dragons. Murakumo figures that there are plenty of trained warriors at Daybreak that would be able to take her down if she ever went haywire...
• Emille arrives at Daybreak, ready to jump in the labs and library and do some research. Oh, and tell everyone she meets about the dangers of the Dragons!
AU PERSONALITY DEVIATION:
• Emille is not an immortal spirit of hatred, but a human. She hasn't been alive for tens of thousands of years, nor does she know a ton about Dragons. She only has one year's experience with Dragons, though a highly concentrated year, and is piecing together the history of Dragons through her Second Sight powers. At this point in time, she has only discovered that there are seven extremely powerful True Dragons, and that they have made multiple assaults against humanity in the distant past. This has convinced Emille that the occurrence of Nightfall would give the Dragons plenty of incentive to attempt another invasion.
• Because AU Emille is human, she also gets to experience a wider array of emotions than canon Emille. This Emille may actually smile, or laugh! But it would still take a lot for her to cry, and she is still not interested in romance or sappy stuff. However, she will remain aloof and focused on Dragon research, and have no patience for foolishness.
• Another perk to AU Emille being human is that she can partake in humanity's special weapon according to the 7th Dragon series: willpower. The Hypnos race that canon Emille belongs to was annihilated because it lacked that particular advantage. In AU, the sudden triggering of Emille's willpower, linked to her strong desire for revenge, will be what awakens her Flame powers. Conversely, her Seer powers come about due to the daemonic influence of Bloom over-exposure on her body that is mentioned above.
• Aitelle will be dead, which could bring all sorts of changes to Emille's psyche. In canon, Aitelle calmed Emille's rage, and she will try her hardest to do the same in AU by echoing in Emille's head, especially when she is raging. Emille will be sad about Aitelle (though not tell others about it), and will definitely want to communicate with her at every chance she can get during full moons. Aitelle's spirit will be lingering around Emille in the form of a blue orb or aura that only spiritually-attuned characters would be able to see. Aitelle could also be heard by such characters as a sudden soft jingle of bells. Emille herself cannot see or hear the spirit, but she is aware of Aitelle's presence.
• She will not have immortality, teleportation, or material synthesizing powers. She will still carry a rapier around, but she will have only wielded it since joining Murakumo, so she won't be particularly proficient with it.
• Emille will still try to be in some sort of leadership role on campus, likely beginning and ending with a faculty position (unless she can become a head scientist? or club sponsor/leader?), but it will be nowhere near as huge as canon Emille's leadership roles.
• As the Dragons are not presently attacking this universe, Emille can focus a bit on other aspects of life besides constantly barking orders about defeating Dragons. She will continue with her research as she can, and she will likely spend a lot of time learning about the supernatural, as she's basically a regular human suddenly thrust into a world of unknowns. Emille will also heavily focus on her Seer abilities, and teach when needed, of course.
RACE: Emille is a human, with a regular (albeit short) human body and human mind.
SECRET SOCIETY:
Emille is a scientist and representative from Japan's Murakumo organization, a secret branch of the Japanese government that trains S-class (those with extraordinary abilities) Candles/Hunters to fight against paranormal threats. Nightfall and evil creatures from the Outlands count as "paranormal threats" to the Murakumo. They train physically proficient Samurai and Destroyers, as well as mentally proficient Psychics and Hackers, along with other specialized classes. Emille is coming to Daybreak with the knowledge that Murakumo has unearthed about Nightfall and the Outlands, and has come to share it, especially what she has learned about Dragon daemons. Japanese Candles/Hunters may be familiar with Murakumo, especially as they have yearly proficiency tests for new Murakumo recruits. When required to act under official capacity, Emille will wear a red band around her left arm with the Murakumo crest: a stylized Dragon's head at a right diagonal with a stylized sword piercing it from a left diagonal, overlaid onto a notched gear-like circle around the outside of the crest. Like this, but without the text/numbers and fully black on red.
POWERS:
Emille is part Candle, part Seer.
Her Flame abilities were awakened the first time she tapped into her rage towards Dragons, and as she is a human in AU, they are the abilities tied to her human willpower. When her rage builds up to a certain extent, her mind goes into a hyper-aware state, granting her superhuman abilities for a limited amount of time. They include:
• Heightened reaction time/reflexes. The rage feels as if Emille is passing through time at a super-high speed, leaving everything else slowed down in the process. She would be able to dodge attacks, make an attack, or even have a few moments longer to think of a way out of a situation.
• Heightened senses. Emille would be able to see, hear, touch, taste, and smell more precisely while in her enraged state. This would help her, for instance, detect a stealthy enemy who would otherwise be invisible (unless they're magically able to hide themselves beyond what a human eye could possibly perceive). Or, she could hear large objects coming from miles away, or the highest-pitched sounds that humans would typically not be able to hear.
• Increased strength. Though Emille is frail, she would be able to pack a punch while under her hyper-aware state. Her raw strength would be increased to an amount equal to a trained soldier's. Combined with her heightened reflexes, this would enable Emille to quickly and handily wound an opponent.
• The ability to expel a blast of force. On top of having more strength, Emille would be able to send out a shockwave of dark blue, almost black energy towards a target. This blast would have the strength of a gale of wind, but would also be slightly disorienting due to having some Bloom-related toxicity tied to it. It may not knock a larger target over, but it would certainly make them dizzy.
While in her rage state, Emille's eyes will go a deep red, with a black spiral circling her iris. Her sclera will turn black. Her hair will fan out, signaling her entrance into a slow-motion state. Her body will subtly glow with a Radiance that may burn brighter the stronger her rage is. This entire sequence's duration is dependent on a couple of factors:
• First, while Emille is in her heightened state, she hears voices in her head. This is a side-effect of her Seer powers, and they can be overwhelmingly distracting, especially the closer the heavens are to a full moon. Emille likely cannot even go into her rage state on the night of a full moon, nor for a few days leading up to and following it. Normally, however, she has learned to shut them out for the most part.
• Second, if Emille's rage is allowed to build up extensively, for example if she was already in her heightened senses mode while confronting a Dragon and her ire kept building anyway, she would begin to suffer physical pain, and possibly physically expel toxic blue Bloom flowers in the vicinity around her. When Emille's rage reaches the physical pain point, Aitelle will try to echo in her mind in order to try and calm her. This may or may not work, depending on circumstances. Aitelle may try to calm Emille even before that point if she realizes that Emille is about to blow up and is able to tap into her state of being without Emille mentally blocking her out. It's still up in the air whether or not Aitelle's interference will do anything, but about 90% of the time it will.
Emille does not particularly enjoy going into (as she calls it) her "rage mode," as it gives her a splitting headache and vertigo afterward, so she tends to reserve it for more dire situations.
Her Seer abilities, unbeknownst to Emille, are tied to overexposure to the Dragon-emitted orange flowers called the Bloom while doing Dragon research. They cause a hallucinogenic effect with slight exposure, but somehow Emille has been so exposed that she is able to tap into a spiritual liminal space where Dragon victims can be heard from beyond the grave. At times, she is also able to commune with her dead sister, Aitelle. Emille still does not know that these powers are Seer powers, and just calls them "the voices." She has not told anyone about these powers, and will try to keep them to herself as long as she possibly can.
The way this Second Sight works:
• The voices. The voices in Emille's head are like a droning static that usually begin when her ire is kindled, but they also happen with no provocation the closer the skies are to a full moon. They will mostly moan and wail incoherently, but Emille can discern words from their cries from time to time. This is usually limited to a word or two, which Emille will write down in a notebook that she carries with her. This notebook, the Dragon Chronicle, is her key to discovering the history of the Dragon daemons and hopefully the ticket to destroying them. It is important to note that Emille is unable to contact the voices herself, but that she must wait for them to reach out to her.
• Aitelle. On occasion, Emille will be able to hear her sister Aitelle through the other voices, especially when Aitelle has a reason to warn Emille, such as when her rage is going too far and would end up hurting her. Aitelle's voice is soothing to Emille, and the love projected in her voice tends to snap Emille's concentration and bring her back to a calm state.
• Full moons. On the nights of full moons, Emille would much rather be locked in her room, listening to the voices and trying to decipher the history of the Dragons. On these nights, Aitelle is able to make a clear connection with Emille, so they may work together on the Dragon Chronicle. At other times, if the voices aren't being as helpful, Emille may just confide in her sister, though these conversations never last quite long enough.
These powers do come with a price, which manifest themselves through the voices and through Emille's rage -- the more Emille learns about the Dragons, the more she hates; creating a positive feedback loop that brings her closer to becoming a Dragon herself, which would happen if she absolutely completely gives herself in to hatred. The blue shockwaves with Bloom spores are the first sign of her transformation, and if she ever gets to the point of physically expelling blue Bloom flowers, that would be the second sign. The threat of Emille's transformation is why Aitelle remains with her, and she tries her hardest to prevent her sister from losing her humanity. It's a delicate balance that Emille must be aware of at every single moment.
HOUSING:
Maybe 212 in the Faculty dorm? She'd definitely prefer to be as far away from others as possible because of the nights she tries to listen to the voices. She needs to be able to concentrate and would rather not have anyone hear her.
RP SAMPLE
I have a thread on the December TDM with Urtz Cromwell here, but I also filled out several of the interview questions for voicetesting purposes.
(The following scenario is available to all characters who are apping in and is considered canon - all prospective teachers for the academy are interviewed by staff members to ensure they're a good fit. The definition of "good fit" seems to vary wildly from staffer to staffer.)
1. TELL US ABOUT YOUR EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND.
[Emille's eyebrows begin to furrow at this question -- had the one who asked this not read the information Murakumo sent over to Daybreak? But she quickly catches herself and relaxes her brows.]
Prior to joining the Murakumo organization, I was enrolled in a doctorate program through the Tokyo Institute of Technology's Graduate School of Bioscience and Biotechnology. I was about to start my third and final year of classes, and had just finished a small internship with the Institute. I may not have my PhD, but I do have my masters in Bioscience and Biotechnology.
[She stops here, as she feels that nothing before that had any significance at all.]
2. TELL US ABOUT YOUR TEACHING EXPERIENCE.
I had served as a teaching assistant while in the doctorate program at the Institute. I have also mentored scientists in the Murakumo labs.
3. WHAT UNIQUE PERSPECTIVES DO YOU THINK YOU BRING TO THE ACADEMY?
I have extensive knowledge concerning the daemon breed known as Dragons. [Her eyes are now intensely gazing into the eyes of the one who asked this question, so much that the sudden spark of hatred illuminates Emille's red eyes like a flame.] It is my mission to teach all students about how to exterminate those hateful monsters in preparation for Nightfall. They deserve no mercy.
[Settling down a bit, she continues.] I am also a lead scientist for Murakumo, so I have a background in research, technology, and leadership.
4. WHAT, IN YOUR OPINION, IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR A SCHOOL TO PROVIDE TO ITS STUDENTS?
Knowledge. Professors are to profess, and teachers are to teach, all that they know. It is up to the students whether or not they learn from them.
5. DESCRIBE YOUR COMMUNICATION STYLE AND HOW YOU INTERACT WITH COWORKERS.
We are all here to do our jobs. We should strive to be professional and to the point. [In other words, Emille is not here to make friends.]
6. HOW DO YOU ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO PUSH THEMSELVES AND TAKE THEIR SCHOOLWORK SERIOUSLY?
By informing them that the fate of humanity rests on their shoulders. We must never become complacent. An enemy attack, or some other life-changing event, could happen without warning. Being ready and in top form is our best chance at taking on anything the fates may throw at us.
7. HOW DO YOU MANAGE STUDENTS WHO ARE DEFIANT OR ACTING OUT?
If a student is not in my classroom to learn, then they have no reason to be there. I would make them leave, or activate the so-called silencing rune on their desk that I read about in the faculty manual. [Yeah, hope you don't mind that Murakumo already gave her one.]
8. HOW DO YOU ENCOURAGE AND MENTOR STUDENTS WHO ARE STRUGGLING OR DEPRESSED?
The only encouragement I can truly give is to remind students of their mission, and that they are not alone. [A pause.] I am not very sentimental, so someone else would be better equipped for this type of support.
9. WHAT, IN YOUR OPINION, IS THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSON TO TEACH EVERY STUDENT WHO WALKS THROUGH OUR DOORS?
The same as I said earlier. We are humanity's best defense against Nightfall. If we wish to subvert or survive this event, we must put forth our all into learning and preparing ourselves. We have no time to waste.
13. HOW DO YOU THINK YOUR CURRENT BOSS OR SUPERVISOR WOULD DESCRIBE YOUR JOB PERFORMANCE?
I was promoted to lead scientist in the Murakumo Dragon Research Division in less than a year, and then was recommended to share my Dragon knowledge with students at Daybreak. I would say that my job performance is excellent.
[To avoid the risk of sounding too haughty, Emille shakes her head slightly.] This is only because I am extremely dedicated to Dragon research. Nothing more, nothing less.
16. ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF ACADEMY FACULTY IS PROTECTING STUDENTS FROM THAT WHICH MIGHT DO THEM HARM. TELL US HOW EQUIPPED YOU ARE TO DO THIS.
[The slightest pause of hesitation.] I am merely a scientist. Though I have been trained in swordfighting, I have little physical strength. In my files that Murakumo faxed you, you will see that I have Flame powers that grant me heightened senses and strength, but they are limited. If I may say so, my true strength lies in knowing how to kill Dragons and being able to lead others effectively. I trust that is sufficient.
17. WHAT ARE YOU WILLING TO SACRIFICE FOR YOUR STUDENTS?
I am putting my trust into this Academy and its students and faculty. I would give my all to ensure that the Dragons will be eliminated, and that Nightfall will not occur. My abilities, my body, my soul. Even my life, if absolutely necessary.
NAME: Kristina.
CONTACT: Emille's journal, or
Note: I just made this Plurk account, so I'm not really sure how it works yet?
OTHER CHARACTER(S) IN GAME: None.
CANON INFORMATION
CHARACTER NAME: Emille.
CANON: The 7th Dragon video game series: 7th Dragon, 7th Dragon 2020, 7th Dragon 2020-II, 7th Dragon III: Code VFD.
HISTORY:
Billions of years ago, Earth was populated by godly beings called Dragons. The True Dragons, of which there are seven, "sowed" the seeds of humanity. They have waited for the planet to flourish with culture and civilization before the True Dragons, and the Imperial Dragons and lesser Dragons under their command, could come back in droves in order to "harvest" and consume everyone. Before commencing their attack, the Dragons flood the world with toxic orange flowers called the Bloom (or Dragonsbane) that physically hurt or sicken humans in order to "soften" them for consumption. The player parties in each game are the fated Dragon Hunters, who tap into humanity's secret weapon, willpower, to fight back against the Dragons that are destroying the world. The series itself takes place over several thousand years: 2020 and 2020-II are in 2020-2021 AD, while 7th Dragon takes place in 7000 AD. 7th Dragon III deals with time traveling hijinks, so it mainly takes place around 2098 AD but also in 12,000 BC and 7100 AD (which is where Emille is).
Emille is an important NPC who is in all four games. She appears as a human child, but is in reality an ancient and immortal spiritual entity created by the Hypnos people when their planet was destroyed by Dragons tens of thousands of years prior to the series. Emille is the embodiment of the Hypnos' hatred, while her younger sister Aitelle is the embodiment of their love. In each game, Emille has some sort of leadership position due to her technological knowledge and drive to destroy the Dragons. Unfortunately, this drive tends to overwhelm her into madness, leading to her losing her leadership role, or even to her destruction.
A more detailed canon universe history can be found on her character journal, if needed.
STRENGTHS:
• Focused and determined. In canon, Emille is a researcher, with millennia of data and amassed technology in her brain and at her grasp. Despite having this amazing plethora of scientific and technological know-how that could be used for tons of other purposes, she focuses it on one goal: to destroy the Dragons once and for all. This mission is her sole reason for existence, and so she will do literally everything in her power to assist the Dragon Hunters -- those who will do the actual Dragon slaying -- with their struggles. She wants humanity to win at any cost, and will even stoop to dangerous and questionable lows to achieve this, including creating an anti-Dragon cannon superweapon that consumes souls to power it.
• Leadership skills. Emille is a natural leader. She has studied humanity and knows how to direct them. She knows that she must be reasonable, but at the same time be decisive. Emille knows how to boost morale, but she also knows how to stand her ground. She is demanding, but knows how to garner respect. Leaders of nations look up to her to lead their anti-Dragon efforts, which usually includes handling an entire army. In one game, she is the American Secretary of Defense. In another, she is the President of the Japanese government's Murakumo organization, which the player party is part of. And in yet another, she is the Chief Scholar of an academic country. Even though she tries to be an impartial leader, she does grow close to a select few individuals whom she ends up caring about and relying on more heavily than others, although perhaps not directly.
• Emotionally stable. Emille is a spirit created entirely of hatred, so she is basically immune to other emotions. Because of this, Emille has been described as an "ice queen." This may be seen as a weakness, but Emille considers it a strength: "Unchanging hatred means I have the power to fight against evil. Thanks to that strength, I can fight it forever." Regardless, she is able to feel another emotion nearly as strongly, especially when the battle is turning in her favor: hope. In the battle against Dragonkind, Emille will not let humanity fall into despair. As long as Hunters remain to fight against Dragons, and the willpower of humanity burns brightly, there is always some counter-measure that can be taken against the current Dragon threat. On top of hatred and hope, Emille does have love in her heart towards humanity, though she would argue against that and say that her sister Aitelle is the one who loves. Only on rare, one-on-one occasions would Emille ever admit to having any feelings of adoration towards others. Otherwise, Emille never experiences sadness or happiness. No laughter, no tears.
FLAWS:
• Extreme tunnel vision. Emille's extreme focus on her mission to destroy the Dragons leaves her with nothing else to live for. She has no interests, no hobbies, no other reason for living. Even if Dragons are not currently affecting the world, she is off trying to tell other world leaders about their inevitable return, or she is working on some technological counter-measure. She has no life outside of her mission. She's never had to have one. The only thing in the universe that matters to Emille outside of fighting the Dragons is her sister Aitelle, and that may be because Aitelle's love balances Emille's rage so she does not consume herself.
• Absolutely ruthless. As mentioned above, Emille is not bothered by morality or ethical choices when it comes to destroying Dragons. She is perfectly fine with using people or sacrificing lives -- into the thousands, at that -- in order to bring down one True Dragon. She has also created artificial life and passed it off as an anti-Dragon weapon. Emille realizes that what she does is against human ethics, but she believes wholeheartedly that the ends justify the means, and she will stand by her decisions a hundred and ten percent. In her storylines, this ruthless attitude, on top of her hatred, tends to cost her her position of power.
• Her rage. If things do not go her way, or as she intended, Emille will become frustrated and bite back. Her anger will come to a boil, and she will lose her cool and become unreasonable. It is not beneath her to even go so far as to melt down into a hissy fit. The longer the Dragons thwart her carefully-laid plans, the more unhinged she becomes. By the end of the series, she is nigh unapproachable, as her hatred has all but consumed her. This uncontrollable rage causes her to morph into a Dragon herself. Her strength becomes her greatest weakness, but only over thousands of years of disappointment and frustration.
CANON ABILITIES:
• Immense knowledge. Emille's technologically advanced Hypnos history, immortality, and access to the Dragon Chronicle -- the history of Dragons and how to fight against them -- have imbued her with more knowledge than anyone in existence on how to deal with Dragons. In 2020-2021 Tokyo, Emille is familiar with current technology such as computers and laboratory devices. Examples of tech she has a hand in creating include Dragon-sensing radars and the aforementioned anti-Dragon cannon superweapon.
• Immortality. As a spiritual entity, Emille doesn't really "die." Instead, she returns to a spirit form when her body is wounded beyond repair, or otherwise destroyed. It is unknown how long it takes for her body to re-materialize, though she is still able to communicate telepathically while in spirit form. She is eventually killed once she evolves into her True Dragon form in 7th Dragon III, but only under those circumstances can she permanently die.
• Teleportation. This skill is only shown off once in the series, when Emille teleports from America to Japan near the end of 7th Dragon 2020. When Emille arrives in Japan, however, her physical form had diminished from an adult's into a child's, and she is also limping. This implies that her teleportation skill is risky for her to use, and explains why she doesn't use it more often, such as when she's thrown into jail after going mad in 7th Dragon.
• Able to extract energy from materials. It isn't fully described in-game, but we do see Emille try to extract energy from items dropped by enemies near the end of 7th Dragon 2020. Perhaps she is trying to restore her full body, or bodily strength, after her teleportation? Is it how she keeps herself from physically falling apart? In any case, it seems that she is able to use the power of her soul to manipulate magical items to some extent.
• Able to use a sword. Emille can at least defend herself with the rapier she carries around in her belt. She is by no means an expert, but she's been around long enough to have an idea as to what to do with a sharp pointy thing. She does hold her own in swordfighting in 7th Dragon III, but she is also using a Dragon's strength, so it's doubtful that she is that skilled normally.
AU INFORMATION
AU CHARACTER NAME: Emille. If it is okay, instead of her having a last name, she would be known as "Emille of Murakumo."
AGE: 26, though at four feet tall, she physically looks like an elementary student and is often mistaken as such.
POSITION:
She is technically the Murakumo representative to Daybreak Academy, but as she nearly has her doctorate in biology, she has decided that she could be useful as a biology professor... likely specializing in Dragon biology. All Dragons, all the time. Well, and possibly other daemons too if they're encountered via the game plot.
AU BACKSTORY:
A more detailed background can be found on Emille's journal, but here is the run-down:
• Emille and her younger sister Aitelle were born in America, and they moved to Tokyo when Emille was ten.
• Emille was picked on for her short stature and unusual appearance, becoming withdrawn in the process, but Aitelle kept her sane.
• Fifteen years after moving to Tokyo, Emille was working on a PhD program in biology, and Aitelle was engaged and soon to be married. They decided to spend a month at home with their parents that summer before likely separating for good.
• One misty night during that summer, Dragon daemons descended upon their neighborhood in Tokyo, scattering orange Bloom flowers and eating basically everyone but Emille, who was able to hide thanks to her small size. Unfortunately, her parents and sister were killed in the attack.
• Emille learns of the existence of Japan's Murakumo organization, a secret branch of the government specializing in training S-class Candles/Hunters to fight paranormal creatures, Dragons included.
• She worms her way into Murakumo as a scientist and works her way up the ranks. After several months of being exposed to toxic Bloom samples and other Dragon-related specimen, Emille discovers that her anger can cause her to enter a state of hyper-awareness, but loud voices also cloud her mind while in that state.
• With the help of Murakumo specialists, her Flame power (as they called it) is refined, and she learns to block out the voices for the most part. It is at this time that Emille learns that full moons have a strong effect on the voices in her head, and she begins to notice they are Dragon victims talking about their deaths. She listens in and begins taking notes in a notebook she calls the Dragon Chronicle. She is still unaware at this point, but the voices are linked to a Second Sight Seer ability that came about by over-exposure to Bloom spores.
• It is during these full moon nights that Aitelle is able to clearly echo thoughts around in Emille's mind, to the point where the two are able to hold brief conversations once a month.
• Roughly a year after the Dragon attack and joining Murakumo, Emille is asked to be the Murakumo ambassador to Daybreak Academy. This would enable her to rub elbows with more people who know about Dragons, as well as help fight against Nightfall. Emille is debriefed on Nightfall at this time, but still does not know about it in-depth.
• Unbeknownst to Emille, Murakumo has a reason why they're sending her away -- they sort of deliberately allowed for Emille's over-exposure to the Bloom in order to test if her DNA has been altered, so they're covering their tails while still allowing her to work and learn and be useful in the fight against Dragons. Murakumo figures that there are plenty of trained warriors at Daybreak that would be able to take her down if she ever went haywire...
• Emille arrives at Daybreak, ready to jump in the labs and library and do some research. Oh, and tell everyone she meets about the dangers of the Dragons!
AU PERSONALITY DEVIATION:
• Emille is not an immortal spirit of hatred, but a human. She hasn't been alive for tens of thousands of years, nor does she know a ton about Dragons. She only has one year's experience with Dragons, though a highly concentrated year, and is piecing together the history of Dragons through her Second Sight powers. At this point in time, she has only discovered that there are seven extremely powerful True Dragons, and that they have made multiple assaults against humanity in the distant past. This has convinced Emille that the occurrence of Nightfall would give the Dragons plenty of incentive to attempt another invasion.
• Because AU Emille is human, she also gets to experience a wider array of emotions than canon Emille. This Emille may actually smile, or laugh! But it would still take a lot for her to cry, and she is still not interested in romance or sappy stuff. However, she will remain aloof and focused on Dragon research, and have no patience for foolishness.
• Another perk to AU Emille being human is that she can partake in humanity's special weapon according to the 7th Dragon series: willpower. The Hypnos race that canon Emille belongs to was annihilated because it lacked that particular advantage. In AU, the sudden triggering of Emille's willpower, linked to her strong desire for revenge, will be what awakens her Flame powers. Conversely, her Seer powers come about due to the daemonic influence of Bloom over-exposure on her body that is mentioned above.
• Aitelle will be dead, which could bring all sorts of changes to Emille's psyche. In canon, Aitelle calmed Emille's rage, and she will try her hardest to do the same in AU by echoing in Emille's head, especially when she is raging. Emille will be sad about Aitelle (though not tell others about it), and will definitely want to communicate with her at every chance she can get during full moons. Aitelle's spirit will be lingering around Emille in the form of a blue orb or aura that only spiritually-attuned characters would be able to see. Aitelle could also be heard by such characters as a sudden soft jingle of bells. Emille herself cannot see or hear the spirit, but she is aware of Aitelle's presence.
• She will not have immortality, teleportation, or material synthesizing powers. She will still carry a rapier around, but she will have only wielded it since joining Murakumo, so she won't be particularly proficient with it.
• Emille will still try to be in some sort of leadership role on campus, likely beginning and ending with a faculty position (unless she can become a head scientist? or club sponsor/leader?), but it will be nowhere near as huge as canon Emille's leadership roles.
• As the Dragons are not presently attacking this universe, Emille can focus a bit on other aspects of life besides constantly barking orders about defeating Dragons. She will continue with her research as she can, and she will likely spend a lot of time learning about the supernatural, as she's basically a regular human suddenly thrust into a world of unknowns. Emille will also heavily focus on her Seer abilities, and teach when needed, of course.
RACE: Emille is a human, with a regular (albeit short) human body and human mind.
SECRET SOCIETY:
Emille is a scientist and representative from Japan's Murakumo organization, a secret branch of the Japanese government that trains S-class (those with extraordinary abilities) Candles/Hunters to fight against paranormal threats. Nightfall and evil creatures from the Outlands count as "paranormal threats" to the Murakumo. They train physically proficient Samurai and Destroyers, as well as mentally proficient Psychics and Hackers, along with other specialized classes. Emille is coming to Daybreak with the knowledge that Murakumo has unearthed about Nightfall and the Outlands, and has come to share it, especially what she has learned about Dragon daemons. Japanese Candles/Hunters may be familiar with Murakumo, especially as they have yearly proficiency tests for new Murakumo recruits. When required to act under official capacity, Emille will wear a red band around her left arm with the Murakumo crest: a stylized Dragon's head at a right diagonal with a stylized sword piercing it from a left diagonal, overlaid onto a notched gear-like circle around the outside of the crest. Like this, but without the text/numbers and fully black on red.
POWERS:
Emille is part Candle, part Seer.
Her Flame abilities were awakened the first time she tapped into her rage towards Dragons, and as she is a human in AU, they are the abilities tied to her human willpower. When her rage builds up to a certain extent, her mind goes into a hyper-aware state, granting her superhuman abilities for a limited amount of time. They include:
• Heightened reaction time/reflexes. The rage feels as if Emille is passing through time at a super-high speed, leaving everything else slowed down in the process. She would be able to dodge attacks, make an attack, or even have a few moments longer to think of a way out of a situation.
• Heightened senses. Emille would be able to see, hear, touch, taste, and smell more precisely while in her enraged state. This would help her, for instance, detect a stealthy enemy who would otherwise be invisible (unless they're magically able to hide themselves beyond what a human eye could possibly perceive). Or, she could hear large objects coming from miles away, or the highest-pitched sounds that humans would typically not be able to hear.
• Increased strength. Though Emille is frail, she would be able to pack a punch while under her hyper-aware state. Her raw strength would be increased to an amount equal to a trained soldier's. Combined with her heightened reflexes, this would enable Emille to quickly and handily wound an opponent.
• The ability to expel a blast of force. On top of having more strength, Emille would be able to send out a shockwave of dark blue, almost black energy towards a target. This blast would have the strength of a gale of wind, but would also be slightly disorienting due to having some Bloom-related toxicity tied to it. It may not knock a larger target over, but it would certainly make them dizzy.
While in her rage state, Emille's eyes will go a deep red, with a black spiral circling her iris. Her sclera will turn black. Her hair will fan out, signaling her entrance into a slow-motion state. Her body will subtly glow with a Radiance that may burn brighter the stronger her rage is. This entire sequence's duration is dependent on a couple of factors:
• First, while Emille is in her heightened state, she hears voices in her head. This is a side-effect of her Seer powers, and they can be overwhelmingly distracting, especially the closer the heavens are to a full moon. Emille likely cannot even go into her rage state on the night of a full moon, nor for a few days leading up to and following it. Normally, however, she has learned to shut them out for the most part.
• Second, if Emille's rage is allowed to build up extensively, for example if she was already in her heightened senses mode while confronting a Dragon and her ire kept building anyway, she would begin to suffer physical pain, and possibly physically expel toxic blue Bloom flowers in the vicinity around her. When Emille's rage reaches the physical pain point, Aitelle will try to echo in her mind in order to try and calm her. This may or may not work, depending on circumstances. Aitelle may try to calm Emille even before that point if she realizes that Emille is about to blow up and is able to tap into her state of being without Emille mentally blocking her out. It's still up in the air whether or not Aitelle's interference will do anything, but about 90% of the time it will.
Emille does not particularly enjoy going into (as she calls it) her "rage mode," as it gives her a splitting headache and vertigo afterward, so she tends to reserve it for more dire situations.
Her Seer abilities, unbeknownst to Emille, are tied to overexposure to the Dragon-emitted orange flowers called the Bloom while doing Dragon research. They cause a hallucinogenic effect with slight exposure, but somehow Emille has been so exposed that she is able to tap into a spiritual liminal space where Dragon victims can be heard from beyond the grave. At times, she is also able to commune with her dead sister, Aitelle. Emille still does not know that these powers are Seer powers, and just calls them "the voices." She has not told anyone about these powers, and will try to keep them to herself as long as she possibly can.
The way this Second Sight works:
• The voices. The voices in Emille's head are like a droning static that usually begin when her ire is kindled, but they also happen with no provocation the closer the skies are to a full moon. They will mostly moan and wail incoherently, but Emille can discern words from their cries from time to time. This is usually limited to a word or two, which Emille will write down in a notebook that she carries with her. This notebook, the Dragon Chronicle, is her key to discovering the history of the Dragon daemons and hopefully the ticket to destroying them. It is important to note that Emille is unable to contact the voices herself, but that she must wait for them to reach out to her.
• Aitelle. On occasion, Emille will be able to hear her sister Aitelle through the other voices, especially when Aitelle has a reason to warn Emille, such as when her rage is going too far and would end up hurting her. Aitelle's voice is soothing to Emille, and the love projected in her voice tends to snap Emille's concentration and bring her back to a calm state.
• Full moons. On the nights of full moons, Emille would much rather be locked in her room, listening to the voices and trying to decipher the history of the Dragons. On these nights, Aitelle is able to make a clear connection with Emille, so they may work together on the Dragon Chronicle. At other times, if the voices aren't being as helpful, Emille may just confide in her sister, though these conversations never last quite long enough.
These powers do come with a price, which manifest themselves through the voices and through Emille's rage -- the more Emille learns about the Dragons, the more she hates; creating a positive feedback loop that brings her closer to becoming a Dragon herself, which would happen if she absolutely completely gives herself in to hatred. The blue shockwaves with Bloom spores are the first sign of her transformation, and if she ever gets to the point of physically expelling blue Bloom flowers, that would be the second sign. The threat of Emille's transformation is why Aitelle remains with her, and she tries her hardest to prevent her sister from losing her humanity. It's a delicate balance that Emille must be aware of at every single moment.
HOUSING:
Maybe 212 in the Faculty dorm? She'd definitely prefer to be as far away from others as possible because of the nights she tries to listen to the voices. She needs to be able to concentrate and would rather not have anyone hear her.
RP SAMPLE
I have a thread on the December TDM with Urtz Cromwell here, but I also filled out several of the interview questions for voicetesting purposes.
INTERVIEW SAMPLE PROMPT
(The following scenario is available to all characters who are apping in and is considered canon - all prospective teachers for the academy are interviewed by staff members to ensure they're a good fit. The definition of "good fit" seems to vary wildly from staffer to staffer.)
1. TELL US ABOUT YOUR EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND.
[Emille's eyebrows begin to furrow at this question -- had the one who asked this not read the information Murakumo sent over to Daybreak? But she quickly catches herself and relaxes her brows.]
Prior to joining the Murakumo organization, I was enrolled in a doctorate program through the Tokyo Institute of Technology's Graduate School of Bioscience and Biotechnology. I was about to start my third and final year of classes, and had just finished a small internship with the Institute. I may not have my PhD, but I do have my masters in Bioscience and Biotechnology.
[She stops here, as she feels that nothing before that had any significance at all.]
2. TELL US ABOUT YOUR TEACHING EXPERIENCE.
I had served as a teaching assistant while in the doctorate program at the Institute. I have also mentored scientists in the Murakumo labs.
3. WHAT UNIQUE PERSPECTIVES DO YOU THINK YOU BRING TO THE ACADEMY?
I have extensive knowledge concerning the daemon breed known as Dragons. [Her eyes are now intensely gazing into the eyes of the one who asked this question, so much that the sudden spark of hatred illuminates Emille's red eyes like a flame.] It is my mission to teach all students about how to exterminate those hateful monsters in preparation for Nightfall. They deserve no mercy.
[Settling down a bit, she continues.] I am also a lead scientist for Murakumo, so I have a background in research, technology, and leadership.
4. WHAT, IN YOUR OPINION, IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR A SCHOOL TO PROVIDE TO ITS STUDENTS?
Knowledge. Professors are to profess, and teachers are to teach, all that they know. It is up to the students whether or not they learn from them.
5. DESCRIBE YOUR COMMUNICATION STYLE AND HOW YOU INTERACT WITH COWORKERS.
We are all here to do our jobs. We should strive to be professional and to the point. [In other words, Emille is not here to make friends.]
6. HOW DO YOU ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO PUSH THEMSELVES AND TAKE THEIR SCHOOLWORK SERIOUSLY?
By informing them that the fate of humanity rests on their shoulders. We must never become complacent. An enemy attack, or some other life-changing event, could happen without warning. Being ready and in top form is our best chance at taking on anything the fates may throw at us.
7. HOW DO YOU MANAGE STUDENTS WHO ARE DEFIANT OR ACTING OUT?
If a student is not in my classroom to learn, then they have no reason to be there. I would make them leave, or activate the so-called silencing rune on their desk that I read about in the faculty manual. [Yeah, hope you don't mind that Murakumo already gave her one.]
8. HOW DO YOU ENCOURAGE AND MENTOR STUDENTS WHO ARE STRUGGLING OR DEPRESSED?
The only encouragement I can truly give is to remind students of their mission, and that they are not alone. [A pause.] I am not very sentimental, so someone else would be better equipped for this type of support.
9. WHAT, IN YOUR OPINION, IS THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSON TO TEACH EVERY STUDENT WHO WALKS THROUGH OUR DOORS?
The same as I said earlier. We are humanity's best defense against Nightfall. If we wish to subvert or survive this event, we must put forth our all into learning and preparing ourselves. We have no time to waste.
13. HOW DO YOU THINK YOUR CURRENT BOSS OR SUPERVISOR WOULD DESCRIBE YOUR JOB PERFORMANCE?
I was promoted to lead scientist in the Murakumo Dragon Research Division in less than a year, and then was recommended to share my Dragon knowledge with students at Daybreak. I would say that my job performance is excellent.
[To avoid the risk of sounding too haughty, Emille shakes her head slightly.] This is only because I am extremely dedicated to Dragon research. Nothing more, nothing less.
16. ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF ACADEMY FACULTY IS PROTECTING STUDENTS FROM THAT WHICH MIGHT DO THEM HARM. TELL US HOW EQUIPPED YOU ARE TO DO THIS.
[The slightest pause of hesitation.] I am merely a scientist. Though I have been trained in swordfighting, I have little physical strength. In my files that Murakumo faxed you, you will see that I have Flame powers that grant me heightened senses and strength, but they are limited. If I may say so, my true strength lies in knowing how to kill Dragons and being able to lead others effectively. I trust that is sufficient.
17. WHAT ARE YOU WILLING TO SACRIFICE FOR YOUR STUDENTS?
I am putting my trust into this Academy and its students and faculty. I would give my all to ensure that the Dragons will be eliminated, and that Nightfall will not occur. My abilities, my body, my soul. Even my life, if absolutely necessary.