Swords and shields

[knitsock]

WARRIOR/GUARDIAN AU MEME

In a world rife with war against monstrous fiends, there are those praised for their natural strength and healing abilities. Marked with a symbol which represents either a sword or shield, these individuals are further powered when contracted with those bearing the opposite symbol. Because of this, contracts are deemed mandatory once an individual turns eighteen years of age.

While contracted, Warriors (sword) and Guardians (shield) become sensitive to one another's emotional and physical states. The stronger the bond between them, the more power and abilities can be unlocked. While it's possible to form and break contracts at any given time, the result is a numb and draining sensation which takes time to recover from, making it in everyone's best interest to keep a lifelong contract. After all, the most legendary pairs are the ones who've been together for many years. And with monstrous armies constantly on the attack, the world needs all the help it can get.

Due to Warriors and Guardians being so vital to the city's survival, they are simultaneously treated as royalty by society and kept under close watch by the government. Powered individuals are assigned large and lavish living spaces within a closed community while Commoners, those who lack powers, are situated in surrounding mediocre homes. A vast shield around the city is among the greatest protection against monsters of the outside world, second to the combined power of brave Warrior and Guardian citizens.

But everything couldn't possibly run as smoothly as they do now without the help of Commoners. Everyone has an important role to play in the world. Which one have you been born into?

HOW TO PLAY -
• Post with your character and preferences.
• Choose their role and feel free to include a brief summary of ideal partner personalities, job duties, etc.
• Pick a prompt and tag around!

ROLES

• Warrior: Those whose supernatural abilities lie in offensive attacks, physical strength, debuffing the enemy, etc.
• Guardian: Those whose supernatural abilities lie in defensive attacks, support, healing, buffing allies, etc.
• Commoner: Those who are born without any supernatural abilities. Commoners are viewed as second-class citizens, as their duties revolve around aiding Warriors and Guardians however they can. i.e. Maids, cooks, weaponsmiths, entertainers, etc.
• Monster: Those who are the greatest threat to humankind. Because they also possesses supernatural abilities, it's been rumored that they share ancestral ties with Warriors and Guardians. Though Monsters are at war with humans, there are some who are indifferent to them altogether and choose a life of peace.

PROMPTS

1. The Contract - Could this be your very first or possibly even your thirtieth? Whatever the case, you've trusted them enough to give them a glimpse into your soul so long as you're together. Will you take advantage of that vulnerability? Or use it to build a healthy relationship? Unfortunately, not all contracts are as perfect as they may seem on the surface.


2. Training - Good teamwork is the difference between life and death so it's important to ensure you and your partner are focused and in sync, especially before a mission.


3. Bonding - Physical intimacy between Warriors and Guardians is an experience unlike any other, but emotional intimacy is where it all begins. Spend some time together outside of combat, share in each other's interests, get to know their likes and dislikes. It might not seem important at first but in the long run it will make you both stronger.


4. Mission Time - Is it a long and perilous journey outside the barrier to slay Monsters? A short and simple quest to gather special materials from a specific region? A reconnaissance mission to survey unexplored territory? Whatever you two were assigned, just remember what comes first: keeping each other alive.


5. Aftercare - The aftermath of a mission can be incredibly taxing, both on the mind and body. Injuries may need to be tended to, emotional states may need to be realigned - especially if you or your partner came close to facing death. But hopefully your partner is there to provide the comfort you'll likely need in this time of vulnerability.


6. Downtime - When you're busy training or working all the time, it's easy to forget just how lively the city can be. How do you choose to spend your free time in it? Partying the night away? Visiting friends and family? Or maybe you're the type who just likes to stay in for a quiet night.


7. Different Classes - Whether they're a maid, tailor, or even family, Commoners make up the majority of the city's population. But even if society might see them as lesser doesn't mean they should be treated that way. Over the years, some may despise or be fearful of the supernaturally powered, but there are also some who've developed or maintained close relationships in spite of it all.


8. Forbidden Love - It's illegal for Warriors and Guardians to develop romantic relations with Commoners, extremely taboo with those they aren't currently contracted to, and utterly unthinkable to even speak to Monsters. But love doesn't discriminate. If you have to sneak around to see your lover then so be it, but sooner or later your partner or the government is bound to find out, right?


9. On the Run - For whatever reason, you and someone else have decided to start a new life far away from the city and its strict rules. It wasn't easy slipping away from under the government's watchful eye and it won't get any easier with monsters around every corner, but maybe you can find a way to make it work and live happily ever after. Just know that the government always finds a way to get what they want in the end.


10. Wildcard - Mix and match or choose your own adventure!

Comments

adrian | original | ota

[heavenseyes]

( guardian! playful and compassionate, but also a bit jaded and slow to open up from having multiple contracts ended on a whim. comes from a family of commoners so he'll happily befriend any or even take some in if they come from unhappy homes. he's aware he shares dna with monsters so prefers using violence against them as a last resort, if he doesn't outright abandon the oppressive government in favor of their company. down for all the prompts tbh so feel free to hmu if you wanna hash something out! )

Emery | Original Character | OTA

[fair_trouble]

[I figure Emery's most likely to be either a Guardian or a Monster/Commoner with Monster ancestry who's living in the city as a reluctant spy.

As a Guardian he acts frivolous and treasures his downtime, and has probably had trouble maintaining his contracts because he'd be uncomfortable with the intimacy of it.]

Thena | MCU Eternals | M/F ship, ota gen, cast, cross canon 👍

[dropthea]

[ Honestly would love for a Gilgamesh in this, but open to anyone who can calm her troubled mind. She is absolutely the Warrior, but also the Monster if things go badly. ]

[niteofren]

[Want a Warrior turned Monster who can somehow calm her brain? It shouldn’t work, they’re far from conventional. But maybe they can keep each other from being fully monstrous.]

paul atreides | dune (2021)

[terriblypurposed]

[ Newest heir to a long, storied line of Warriors that's been manipulated from the shadows by a selective breeding program set on creating the perfect human. ]

Bai Qian | Eternal Love | M/F for shipping, all welcome for OTA

[white_foxing]

[Qian would be a on/off switch type Warrior or a rather lazy Monster, but there's also a potential wild Commoner Susu who lost her memory and lives wandering aimlessly outside the norms of civilization.]

Birdy | Marvel comics 616-verse | M/F

[givesgoodglow]

[ Birdy has very powerful psionic abilities, she can trigger any emotion in the human brain and memories. This makes her a healer as well as able to subdue by mental overload or calm by striking the right parts of the brain. She's no slouch at weapons but physically she's all of 5'4" and about 113 lbs. She's definitely the Guardian/Commoner in a pairing. ]

james buchanan barnes | mcu

[counterstep]

( can easily fit warrior/guardian/monster. open to discussion! )

Thor | MCU | OTA

[petrichorian]

[Burliest, brawniest, bar-fighting-est Guardian you ever did see. From a long line of Warriors, though they don't treat him any differently for being a Guardian. He also isn't the kind of person to half-ass anything, whatever he's doing, he's all in.]

Amanda | Dirk Gently's etc. etc. etc. | OTA

[drummer_girl]

[If the Rowdy Three (all four of them) are considered Monsters, she's whatever constitutes a Guardian for them. If they're Warriors, same thing.]

Re: Amanda | Dirk Gently's etc. etc. etc. | OTA

[letsgetrowdy]

[Well hello there. Feeling more Monstrous or Civil?]

Claire Temple | MCU | OTA

[night_nurse]

[Commoner, a medic, but the thing is, she'll treat Monsters the same as she treats anyone else, just as long as they aren't an open threat to her or any of her other patients.]

Gabreel King | OC | OTA

[malecompanion]

[Guardian, one that's had a contract broken before, not by choice, or, rather, not by his choice.]

Torii + OC + OTA

[java_squirrel]

[Commoner from a family of Warriors, potentially secret Guardian, she likes being a stylist more than she likes having powers, and selfish though it may be, her family needs her hale and intact.]

Ariel 'Cap' Wilson | MCU (rule 63) | OTA

[imadebreakfast]

[She's a Guardian through and through. Don't let that fool you, though, she'll still kick a monster's head in if necessary.]

Adelia Van Helsing + OC + OTA

[ihazaraven]

[She comes from a family line of Warriors, but she's living as a commoner, doing weaponsmithing and armor-work, which has obviously led to plenty of rumors, which she mostly ignores. She's content doing what she does, as there's a measure of freedom in it that there isn't in being a Warrior.]

Nile Freeman + The Old Guard + OTA

[notariver]

[Newest Warrior to be added to the garrison, only survivor from her prior garrison, she doesn't like to talk about it.]

Adela | Original Character | OTA

[enchantressofore]

[[ OoC: A monster woman who often tries to remain disguised for the comfort of her 'customers' and tries to live as a commoner blacksmith. I tend to write her magic as elemental in nature, with power over metal in general.

She's serious to a fault, loyal, and doesn't really handle her emotions with the most grace. With trust she starts to be more playful and openly caring, and might think it's fun to push her friend's/lover's buttons.

I do have the semi-funny (to me) mental image of a warrior or guardian being called on her because someone was being a Karen either about her appearance (even though she was minding her own business) or because she didn't give them free metalworks, but I'm up for any type of scenario. She could even be run out of human settlements because of someone ratting her out upon finding she's a monster if we want a more dramatic introduction.

OPTIONAL: She could also have human lineage somewhere if that's a requirement, but regardless I'd like the potential for her to become either a warrior or a guardian. She's honestly malleable enough in personality to be either, so it depends on how we want to play with it. ]]

[fair_trouble]

[[ re: Monster Adela getting the authorities called on her by a shitty customer- how about Guardian!Emery being the one who shows up to deal with it? I think he would (outwardly) not be taking the situation seriously At All which would be kind of vexing for all non-Emery people involved- and the contrast of personalities could be interesting. ]]

Date Masamune | Ikemen Sengoku | OTA

[onecupdrunk]

[[ OoC: A man coming from a long line of warriors and has some very messy drama in his past, including succession disputes. He's loyal, reckless, fun-loving, is always moving at high speed and yet somehow is also frequently late. He's also an excellent chef, a giant flirt, and has a very literal DW username. Can be a fun lover or big brother type of partner for a guardian out there, and while he is very much a leader type he always keeps in mind that his first duty is to the people, so he's going to treat commoners well and will even view monsters as equal, loving a fight where both sides are fighting for their convictions above all else. He can have in-universe earned the nickname of One-Eyed Dragon if you like! ]]

sara ryder | mass effect

[pathfounds]

( info. she's most likely a warrior but also open to her being a guardian! )

Ben Solo/Kylo Ren | Star Wars

[niteofren]

[Could be a Warrior. Could be a Monster. Could also be a Warrior turned Monster (and maybe turned Warrior again). Either way, he would much rather be a commoner. He’s tired of everyone expecting things from him.]

mikaela banes | transformers

[catalytics]

[ warrior goddess, baby. ]

jyn erso || rogue one || ota

[made_of_stars]

[ooc; warrior, but open to other options.]

cassian andor || rogue one || ota

[rebellionbuilt]

[ooc; guardian, but open to other options.]

rey || star wars || ota

[see_the_stars]

[ooc; guardian with warrior tendencies.]

ben solo || star wars || ota

[in_the_grey]

[ooc; can do warrior with guardian tendencies OR a few monstrous tendrils running through. open to options.]

bodhi rook || rogue one || ota

[bravenough]

[ooc; commoner or guardian.]