It was a cold night in Rastivania when it all began. The nights often were, but this one was especially cold. People in the country's northern most city saw the streak of light moments before they felt the impact. Windows shattered, common houses and even buildings reinforced specifically for high magnitude events collapsed around them. And they weren't the only ones. This event came to be known as the Impact Felt Across the World. If only that was the end of it.

Organizations across the globe quickly began tracking the creature that emerged from the crater, then called Kaiju X. Though they didn't manage to do so for long. The Rastal Army quickly mobilized to access the threat. In the following weeks they managed to roughly track the creature's whereabouts, then it did something no one would have suspected. It challenged one of the Apex Kaiju of the region known as Klodnykak... and killed it. The great blizzard ape now only the second Apex Kaiju in recorded history to have been killed, and just like last time, the world was thrown into chaos.

The forward team was immediately sent in to try and take the beast down in it's weakened state. It was a 3 minute mission. The unit opened fire immediately after discovering it writhing form, it's multitude of eyes not even gazing their way. After the heavy rocket barrage, it simply hummed a few times in quick succession and coms were lost as the team's mechs all shut down simultaneously. And it simply left, fading into the snow and ice. Further tracking has been difficult and of mixed results.

However, once Klodnykak had fallen it was like a switch was flipped in the heads of all the lesser Kaiju. Observed behaviours for decades suddenly lost all merit, as passive kaiju became aggressive, desert kaiju began migrating, kaiju and animal corpses began to be discovered killed, not for food, but for seemingly no reason at all. Even the other world Apexes seemed on guard.

It was in this chaos that Zeitlund made its first major play. Using their neutrality they brought together world leaders and proposed a plan: Assemble an elite strike force specializing in Kaiju control and Rescue OPs composed of the top Mecha pilots and scientists from across the nations. This Military Incident Reactionary And Counter Logistics Emergency Team, or MIRACLE Team, would be able to mobilize and act quickly to deal with major crises and researching both the general kaiju behavioural shift and how to deal with Kaiju X, so that each nation's own forces could focus on general defence and relief in these trying times. It wasn't easy, but somehow they were all convinced to give the idea a trial run, though it was clear the support and funding of any nation involved could be quickly withdrawn if anything went wrong.

Thus a team was assembled and based in Rastivania, the last known place of Kaiju X and the one hit hardest. If they were to succeed, well, that's in your hands now.

Zeitlund is the smallest nation, baring only two surface cities, the mountain city, Festung, and the flying city in the sky, Vogeldorf. Operating on the philosophies of democracy and neutrality, Zeitlund tries to stay out of world politics at large, however often "balances" the world by obtaining and spreading technologies of the other nations though more secretive channels. Zeiterlites usually see the potential good and evil in all things, and therefore are slow to act, preferring to contemplate all available actions, and their consequences.
The people of Zeitlund, the Zeiterlites, are generally tall, having rosy, tan, or olive skin tones and hard, square features. They have blonde and brown hair tones with many shades of blue eyes, from icy to deep royal, though sometimes one can find greens and hazels too.
Zeitlund specializes in general knowledge and information gathering.

German (common), Swedish and Polish (uncommon) names

Kaiyoki is the second smallest nation, it's three surface cities being spread out between three islands, Oki on the largest island, Choto on the smallest, and Naka on the middling island in between the other 2. Kaiyoki's underground is a Monarchy, however it's neglect of the surface cities in their early history led them to adapt a Tri-Shogunate system to compensate. Each city has a leader that was chosen via military politics that governs it, and the three meet and vote on actions related to events that will have immediate effect on the nation as a whole, though the vote can be overridden by the Emperor with no appeals if they don't vote unanimously. The Kaiyokese respect the authority of their superiors, and are seen by other nations as quiet and submissive, however they are often quite scheming and ambitious underneath that shell. They are wary of Kaiju, having their early history shaped by a few, terrible encounters, and believe that only a fool would face off against one, let alone provoke one.
The people of Kaiyoki, the Kaiyokese, are considered pale and thin beauties, though in truth they have flat and round features, and range from pale to tan, and their short height can lead their bodies to be squashed as often as sleek. They have dark hair, mostly black, and their eyes are browns, with outliers of yellow.
Kaiyoki specializes in light framed mecha and speed and utility attachments for quick deployment and low creation costs.

Japanese (common), other Asian languages (rare) names

Saratumti controls most of the desert region, though mostly through other nations lack of want. Their surface cities form roughly a diamond shape with Shanaji in the north, Alnaji in the east, Habnaji in the west, and Janaji in the south. This is due in part to the region's relationship to the Great Storm Kaiju named Aleta. A moth-like insect that exhales storm clouds, bringing the only rain the region ever sees. Each city relies on a great lighthouse to draw the creature from place to place and depend on it having a regular cycle to survive. As such the Sarajul take hardship in stride and believe good things come to those work work hard. They have the greatest belief of a greater being(s) of all the nations, their government being almost a Theocracy in some places, but more truly being various layers of councils formed of those with worldly experience, either that of age or travel. They, of course, believe that Kaiju should not be harmed or hindered as they are the very forces of nature that hold the world together.
The people of Saratumti, the Sarajul, while not usually being described as the tallest people often have the distinction of "largest", even their children having more muscle definition and larger portions on average. Their skin is almost universally on the darker end of the spectrum, though, especially for the underground dwellers, that can be as light as a light brown. Their hair runs in a similar color spectrum and ranges from slightly wavy to so unmanageable the only option is to shave it off. They have brown eyes, though more often described as "rusty", due to the unusual distribution of pigmentation most Sarajul have.
The speciality of Saratumti is hard light shielding, being the leaders in its research and development for as long as it has existed as a concept. Usually this is paired with medium mecha, neither being too fragile for the harsh lands nor too large to move inefficiently through them.

Arabic (common), African Languages (rare)

Obern is a land of far fields, rolling hills, and cold rainy weather. They are a major exporter nation, their four cities providing hearty meats and vegetables as well as a wealth of important metals to its neighbours. As such their culture is heavily based on wealth and they like to barter or gamble for items when they can, rather than use money. In this way they have a sort of Republic of Guilds. Various Guilds and Unions have votes to elect representatives which then vote on behalf of who they represent to make governmental policies. They are a lively people of music and merriment that aren't afraid to fight out their problems to the beat of the band. Many Kaiju are located on plains of Obern, so the Obernians are no strangers to fighting, as well as finding other means to deal with them. As such Obernians have very little fear of Kaiju and see them more of a nuisance than a threat.
Obernians are fair folk, having alabaster, pale, or light skin, and gaining freckles rather than tans if they are exposed to the sun often. Their features are described as sharp or striking with large smiles and brows framing their faces. They have hair of fire, ranging from yellows to oranges to reds, and gemstone eyes having deep greens and blues. Both males and females rarely cut their hair and often keep it in braided styles to keep it in check instead.
Obern and it's people have long specialised in thick plate armor, it adorning their city walls and heavy framed mecha. Protecting both it's hubs of agriculture and the caravans that transport it.

Scottish Gaelic and English names

Selvagran is considered the jungle nation, however only one of it's four surface cities, the capital of city of Grado, actually calls the dense rainforest that covers a part of its region home. The other three exist in rockier cliffs areas and hill lands nearby, but find greater success in processing the lumber Grado provides than obtaining it themselves. The people of Selvagran are divided in policy and at any given time there are multiple governments claiming to be the true one, perhaps due to their complete exodus of the underground, though much influence in the current age can be given to the Commodore, the de facto leader of the army at times of turmoil. This is likely in part due to the nature of the Selvan Army. By portion the nation has the smallest ratio of soldiers to civilians and has a loose command structure, but it is commonly considered the second strongest standing force due to it's soldier's skills. It is common knowledge early Selvans were the first humans to hunt and kill a kaiju, however when discussing philosophy on humans and kaiju alike, Selvans are surprisingly deep scholars. Every child knows the phrase "A man with a book respects a man with a book. A man with a spear respects a man with a spear. You'd do well to carry both."
The Selvan are sometimes called the people of expression, placing paints and inks both above and below their copper or bronze skin to remember the past, celebrate the now, and to wish for the future. In the same vein they were the people to popularize ear piercings, though tongue, nose, and other parts of the face didn't catch on in other parts like they did in Selvagran. Perhaps they do this in part due to the low range of skin, hair, and eye colors their people have compared to others, almost all being the same middling brown.
The early days of Grado pushed the people of Selvagran to pursue melee heavily, the skilled predators of the forest and the jungle itself, nearly requiring encounters in it to be close range. Thus it was the Selvans that invented the chainswords most mech use for close range combat even to this day. Though once guns started hitting their lands their natural strong senses allowed them a great accuracy with them, making ballistic weapons a staple.

Portuguese and Spanish names

Destania is quite unlike most other nations, covering a swath of land covering a host of different biomes and weathers, though most notable for the many rivers and lakes that divide them. They are an economic nation and most of the world's textile industry is found here. Destania's five cities are the largest cities in the world in both height and girth, and house a population just as diverse as it's landscapes. See Destania is a melting pot of cultures, having the most lax immigration policy of all nations, and as such they've become a Representative Democracy, in which each city, the underground, and the various outpost-villages as a collective elected a number of senators based on the city/etc's size to decide on political matters. This causes most Destands to keep their noses out of politics altogether, and focus on the arts and other more relaxing pastimes. The Destand are incredibly lax about kaiju and see them with a almost childish naivety due to Lu-Lu, the shy but friendly Kaiju of Lumen Lake, famous for it's gentle nature towards children and pregnant women and it's numerous rescues of people about to drown. The Destand believe in living and let live, a dramatic turn from their general attitude not to long ago in the Destania-Rastivania cold war.
The Destand are nonuniform and can carry any natural skin tone and eye color of other nations and pretty much any unnatural hair color, dying one's hair almost being a rite of passage for a young Destand. Very few pure blooded Destand even still exist, though they were known to have dark skin but light hair and eyes.
Destania's motto is "go with a light heart and a lighter pack" as they trust people perhaps too much. It really has nothing to do with their speciality in light weapons or offensive laser tech, but it does show how the nation has changed since the cold war with the Raskals that forced them to go down that route to be able to have a reasonable counter against potential incoming missile raids.

‘Murican (basically anything you like) names

Welcome comrade, to Rastivania, where the snow is knee deep for half the year and becomes packed ice the other half. The Rastals were the first nation to establish a surface city and since then they've expanded steadily, having the most major cities of any nation. Likewise their industry expanded fast too, though it produces much of the world's pollution, the smoke from a city being able to seen from almost anywhere in the nation. Rastivania is a nonlinear Dictatorship, meaning one man or woman makes all the political decisions for the nation (though usually with a counsel's advice), and when they can no longer lead a person they picked that they are not related to replaces them. Rastivania is very militant, having conscription in place for all it's citizens, them needing to serve the military in some regard for at least 4 years. This has lead their military to be the strongest standing military of all the nations. Rastals are bold and not afraid to speak their mind, they see Kaiju and other nations about the same, obstacles to overcome. Though they've gotten a little more friendly since the end of the Destania-Rastivania cold war, not declaring war on someone or something yearly, unless they're really upset.
Rastals are a hearty, shorter people, with lighter skin tones and a fair range of hair colors, dirty-blondes, browns, and blacks, usually wavy or slightly curly if it ever gets to be very long, though Rastals have a habit of going gray early, as soon as their 30s or 40s. They have stern, chiselled features and dull blue, gray, or green eyes.
There is no county more familiar or better at handling Explosives/Missiles and Heavy Weaponry than Rastivania. Though that's not always a complement. Though mostly used to drive away mettling Kaiju, it did allow the nation to kill a certain massive Kaiju in the past, which caused dramatic shifts in the weather and Kaiju behaviour across all nations, though none more dramatic than in Rastivania itself, with it once having been a much warmer nation.

Russian (common), other Slavic languages (rare) names

Name: Everard Blackbourne
Age: 23
Nationality: Obernian

Appearance:
Everard is a taller figure, clocking in at exactly 6 feet. His gently waved hair fades from fiery yellow to platinum blonde, cut to a loose ear length in the front before coming to a neatly formed shoulder-length braid in the back. Narrow, icy-blue eyes peek out from a pair of slender silver-rimmed glasses, themselves framing the generally pale and pointy features of an always-impeccably shaven face. A single tear-drop shaped pearl hangs from his right earlobe.

A fan of navy blazers and ruffled floral-print collars, Ev is seldom seen without a set tailored to his lithe frame and trimmed with intricate gold accents. What he wears for trousers and footwear depends on the day: you might see him in perfectly ironed slacks and boating shoes one day, then a pair of jeans and steel-toed boots when it’s time for action.

Personality:
Everard has a kind heart and genuinely cares for people, or at least he’s beginning to realize as much. Though he’s always been reasonably quick to make friends, his upbringing in a family constantly seeking to prove itself to the aristocracy often led to him losing them just as quickly: for most of his life, he separated people into those with money, and scum.

Only during his recent university years did he realize that considering yourself superior to 99% of the population generally doesn’t lead to being well-liked, at least beyond first impressions. He still catches himself thinking that others aren’t worth his time and has few true friends as a result, but he’s trying. Old habits die hard.

That being said, Everard still unapologetically thinks one thing beneath him: the kaiju. He despises their being, considering them a scourge of which to rid the world. Even the apparently amicable ones are only playing the long game, is what he’d tell you. Thankfully - he’d add with a push of his silver-rimmed eyepiece - he’s willing to play longer.

Biography:
The fourth child of a recently wealthy Obernian family, Everard spent his lifetime catching up. Constantly compared to his older siblings and the wealthier neighbors’ children, Ev was never good enough. With parents obsessed with flaunting their riches, integrating themselves into the upper echelons of society, his childhood held no shortage of expensive tuteling and horribly dreary social functions. The only convenable coping mechanism was to develop a superiority complex himself: if he wasn’t good enough for his parents, at least he was better than the poor.

Everard’s father made his fortune in the shipping industry, investing in a fleet of custom-designed ships optimized for speed. Mr. Blackbourne invited the boy on a number of expeditions throughout his teenage years, and Ev eagerly went on every one. Fascinated by the seascapes, the wildlife, the wavecrested sunsets... Everard came to adore the ocean.

It was on these trips that Ev made his first real friend, a cabin boy a little older than him named Laz, son of the head cook. Though not of the wealthy class, Laz was a mature bloke, patiently chipping away at Everard’s prejudice until the two got along. They spent much of many shipping trips together, Ev helping with the cabin boy’s chores so that the pair could spend more time goofing off and looking at the ocean sights.

Everard’s last expedition before heading off to pursue a degree in marine biology began as usual, with a rich amber sky bringing in the seashore dawn. There were recent reports of Orcen - a large whale-kaiju - harassing nearby shipping lanes, but it was nothing to worry about: the Blackbourne fleet’s success came from its speed, allowing the ships to skirt around danger as it came on the radios. Incidentally, they received just such a report on the fleet’s third day of travel: Orcen had been spotted in the Northeast and was rapidly approaching. The ships adjusted their course accordingly, deviating a few degrees Southward as they had done so many times before, but this time… something wasn’t right. The southern skies were darkening inordinately quickly, the winds forming a wall of waves, blocking off their path. The fleet could move around this threat too... at the risk of Orcen catching up if they did.

As the skies darkened above, a long, ominous shadow formed in the waters below. Emerging not a hundred feet behind them, eight serpentine heads breached the surface. The crew members gaped in unison, for all had heard of this beast: Scylla, the apex Hydra Kaiju. The ship captains ordered the fleet into overdrive in an attempt to escape, but it was in vain. The waves walled them in from the front, and there was a monster holding them in the back. Fortunately, the collection of heads seemed not to notice them, its gaze fixed Northward… before snapping into the waters and writhing in every direction. The result was chaos, crew members thrown into the abyss, waves the size of buildings, one of the ships capsizing. Looking at the radars, it seemed Orcen had finally caught up, but had run straight into Scylla’s waiting maws.

---

Everard was a turmoil of emotions as the casket was brought forth. Frustration, sadness, futility. He hadn’t known Laz’ father very well, but Ev’s inability to bring any solace to his friend just made everything worse. When the boys had begged Mr. Blackbourne to set a bounty for Scylla’s heads, the man had patently refused. “I run a business, and Scylla is a business partner. One capsized vessel in exchange for consistently safer waters is a transaction I am willing to make.”

---

University was a mix of easy and hard; the courses were a breeze given how much of his life Everard had dedicated to studying, but friendships… not so much. The average college student wasn’t nearly as patient as Laz, and Ev often found himself rubbing people the wrong way with his attitude. On the plus side, it was an excuse to spend time working on his new goal: vengeance against Scylla. Squirrelling away every bit of his considerable allowance, spending as much time as he could talking to his father’s engineers and sketching up ideas, the student was determined to buy himself a mecha, custom built in the family company’s shipyards.

Come graduation, Everard didn’t aim for an opportunity to use his new degree in the field or a cushy position in the family business. No, he went straight to the doors of the Obernian Mecha Combat League. It wasn’t the field experience he wanted, but it was a chance to spread his proverbial wings and learn the ropes of mecha combat. He’d spend a year or two there, participate in every fight he could, network with the pilots who had real-world kaiju experience, then perhaps find a job and patiently wait for his chance to strike.

---

Everard hardly believed the email in his inbox. Here was an agency offering him a Kaiju-killing position, at least eventually, and with no political barriers involved. Apparently, someone with both his marine biology degree and mecha combat experience was a rare find. He hit Reply at the drop of a hat.

“Dear MIRACLE, I would be honored to acc...”

Skills:

• With a degree in marine biology, Ev has a pretty good idea of the governing principles of ocean life behavior and anatomy.
  
• A lifetime of attending frivolous high-society functions has left Everard with an uncanny ability for small talk, capable of being just entertaining enough to make someone uncomfortable when interrupting, without really saying anything of substance at all.
  
• While certainly not a master, Everard has put in some hours in the pilot seat and gained experience in mecha vs. mecha combat. It isn’t the mecha vs. kaiju experience he’s really looking for, but he’s got a good sense of his machine’s strengths in battle and the weak points he needs to defend.

Mecha's Name: Vibrant Rhetoric

Mecha's Appearance:
Tall for a mech of medium size, Rhetoric’s design emphasizes reach and mobility. Though its insectoid armoring patterns provide relatively light protection on the whole, the machine’s battle-exposed areas and weak points are protected by pangolin-like layers of shield plates, golden accents against its navy blue frame. A long torso arches up to broad shoulders, connecting to monkey-like arms that span out to a bit more than half the mecha’s height and ending in large, articulated dark grey hands. A pair of short stabilization “wings” emerge from the shoulder blades, accompanied by a line of exhaust ports curving down on either side to the front of the torso, providing burst cooling when the powerful abdominal centrifuge is engaged. The legs seem long and spindly when standing at full height, but spend much of their time bent down to significantly broaden Rhetoric’s base and lower its center of gravity.

Mecha's Equipment:

Frame - Medium

Weapon System - Slander, barbed claw harpoon

Slander is a long javelin-like weapon, a metal shaft textured for gripping, slightly taller than Rhetoric itself. The spearhead is composed of a tall central spike and three spring-loaded barbed claws in a triangle pattern on the sides, designed to snap and dig in to surfaces when the center spike makes contact. The back of each claw houses a small rocket booster for minor in-flight correctional maneuvers and extra digging power when contact is made.

Weapon System - Thesis, rocket claw barrage

A multiple rocket launcher system housed in Rhet’s right shoulder and upper arm, Thesis contains a number of stubby missiles. Where a regular RPG would hold an explosive warhead, Thesis rockets instead have a spearhead very similar in function and shape to Slander’s, though smaller in size. Designed to grasp onto an object and exert continuous force rather than deal damage directly by exploding, the missiles’ propulsion systems are optimized for sustained flight.

Utility System - Premise, reinforced chain winch

Premise is built into Rhet’s left forearm, a series of gears and motors designed to maximize pulling speed while still allowing for enough torque to haul the mech itself. The kevlar-reinforced titanium chain comes out of the underside of the wrist, ending in a powerful short-range electromagnet designed to hook on to the ends of the mecha’s weapon systems.

Utility System - Strawman, hydraulic immobility system

Rhetoric’s lower legs are equipped with angled hydraulic claw-shafts, intended to forcefully punch several meters into the ground and stabilize the mecha’s body against heavy impacts, such as high-speed winds, large waves, Premise’s pull, and, of course, rushing kaiju.

Name: Mikan Houtoro
Age: 28
Nationality: Kaiyokese
Appearance: Mikan is probably best summed up with the word “frumpy”. She likes to wear sports caps, oversized turtleneck sweaters, fingerless gloves, miniskirts, and leggings that end halfway down her calf. Her chocolate brown hair is short and frizzy, clearly cut by an ametuer and never properly combed.Her deep brown eyes are extremely expressive, as are all her facial features, from her high eyebrows to her smiling mouth. She has a large scar running the length of her left jawbone, with similar scars on her neck and shoulder. Mikan talks with her hands alot. Quite literally, needing to type into the reddish box she has strapped onto her arm to actually speak out loud.
Personality: Mikan is lively and a go-getter. She’s always vying for attention and always tries to impress with her best self. Telling hit and miss jokes, and giving both due and undue praise. It’s pretty exhausting for everyone involved, herself included, so ignore her long enough and she’ll just tire herself out an move on. Mikan has been described as selfless and heroic, but she thinks she was just doing her job and the only difference between a hero and a fool is she got lucky. That said she still rushes into danger to protect others, and puts their safety above her own despite experience.
Biography: Mikan was born as a younger sister and she never not knew it, everyone favoring her older sister Horo for as long as she can remember, except for Horo herself. Throughout her years Horo was often her only friend in the world it seemed like, though eventually Mikan was forced to stop being so dependant on her sister as she left for university overseas in Destania while Mikan was in highschool. Not being able to get into the same techy things her sister was into Mikan just swam, and she was good enough the swim team allowed her to be part of them. It was in that team she found her calling. One of her teammate’s boyfriends had tripped alongside the pool and fallen in. On seeing he wasn’t coming up and acting on some deep instinct instead of her teammates advice of “this isn’t the first time he’s tried this trick”, she dove in straight away, getting him out of the water and performing a life-saving CPR. When the actual EMTs arrived and told her they’d be glad to have her one day, she latched on. From then on she only had one career in life worth pursuing.

Not that it was an easy track, she had to put in many long hours and scorn more than one family member or friend to focus on her training, becoming an EMT and eventually joining the Kaiyokese Rescue Op squad. An elite class of emergency responders sent to deal with natural disasters affecting smaller settlements. It wasn’t long before she had to deal with her first Kaiju. While a rather small encounter it was burned into her memory. Peppering the many limbed salamander she could only think of one thing: She had to stop it from getting to the people in the settlement already ravaged by its waves. Even for a moment contemplating when would be too late to rush it and safely self-destruct away from the village. Though the team’s cannons did their job and the creature was quickly driven away.

Time went on like this until the next major event in her life, the first time her squad had been called to an event in a city, Naka, to be precise. The Naka Shogun and his family, as well as hundreds of others had been trapped in a building collapsed from a major quake while touring next gen mecha prototypes. Being the smallest member of her squad Mikan managed to find a way in and was tasked with taking a casualty report. It’s kinda a blur to her this day. More were dead that she would have liked, however much or the attendees, the Shogun included, had been trapped with only minor injuries in side rooms and particularly stable parts of hallways. Then she heard the cries for help. A woman, she had apparently had already marked as a dead had came to trapped under one of the prototypes. Mikan’s blood ran cold. The woman screamed “Someone help, it’s burning my legs. The mech is overheating.” Same as her first time it was not her rational brain, but that deeper urge to protect that took over. She tore her fingers, burned her arms and hands, but somehow got the woman free, then the mech exploded. She’d be told later she carried the woman to safety with 7 pieces of metal of various shapes and lengths buried in her neck, shoulder, and chest. She didn’t recall that, only one of her colleagues yelling at her in an ambulance. He never did tell her what he had said that time.

The physical rehabilitation was easy enough, she’d help coach others before, and she knew her own limits and how to surpass them. The mental rehabilitation was harder. They’d told her she’d never speak again, not anything meaningful at least, and she’d probably never get to go back to her squad because of it. She’d be taken care of, being injured in the line of duty, but that didn’t mean anything to her. Then Horo came knocking. It had been years since the two had last seen each other, and somehow neither one had even noticed. Upon getting a small book worth of information on Mikan’s life, Horo had come up with an easy fix. She was a master mechanic, it shouldn’t be that hard for her to make a fail-proof device that should allow her sister to “speak again”. And she did just that. The NVOX, standing for nothing but “sounding rad”, gave Mikan the chance to go back to the squad, her mech being pulled out of retirement for her with a fresh coat of paint. Just back in the saddle long enough to truly get she was a bit of a national hero, she got the letter. One day Horo got sick, and then she was just gone. A lifetime of helping people and her best friend, her big sister, was taken away without even giving her a chance to intervene. Her efforts redoubled and a few months later another letter appeared. The news wasn’t better or worse nessecerally, but it was a call for help for sure.

She’d never been good at ignoring those.
Skills: A bit of a clutz, but while her legs may be wobbly, her hands are honed with precision. Useful as she is a trained medic and emergency responder, knowing both skills to heal the wounded and to control and prevent further damage from events such as fires, earthquakes, and flooding. The red box on her wrist, the NVOX, might as well be a skill. An analog device that produces a tinny woman’s voice when typed into, it also can be plugged into digital screens or speakers to have the words shown, or amplified, respectively. It can be used by anyone but is very securely attached to her right arm.
Mecha's Name: Rankaku
Mecha's Appearance: Rankaku is a human shaped light frame mech, the same model used by any of the Kaiyokese Rescue Op squad members, however it’s been thoroughly overhauled to Mikan’s demains as time has gone on. To this effect much of the outer plating has been molded to resemble samurai armor instead of the typical smooth plates. It’s also been reenforced to military standards, due to the ease it used to be damaged by it’s brash owner. This got the mech painted a stark white as a prank to go with its namesake, Rankaku, meaning “eggshell”. Appreciating a moment of bonding to her colleagues the eyesore remained that way, much to their chagrin. It has notably larger hips and waist than similar model mechs to support all the gear placed on it, as well as to shift its center of gravity to Mikan’s liking.
Mecha's Equipment: Rankaku, being a light-framed mech, has three core pieces of equipment.
Modified Kaiyokese Rescue Op Light Flak Cannons "Pepper Cannons" - Hip mounted Flak Cannons used by Kaiyokese Rescue Op squad members. They're designed to damage flight feathers or wing membranes of airborne Kaiju, or irritate the eyes, nose, or mouth of a Kaiju in hopes of detering them at long range. Mikan's cannon's can detach their main barrels causing the shells to burst immediately. This increases their impact slightly but makes their effective range essentially point blank.
Twin Super Heated Katana - Mikan has opted for what can considered the laser alternative to normal chainswords. The blades are lighter and quieter, but energy intensive and the heat is easily diffused by hard light shielding. These are also hip mounted, the handles being one and the same as Mikan's cannon barrels.
Utility Boosters - These small thrusters are mounted along the waist of Rankaku. While not powerful enough to provide any kind of lift, they are helpful in moment to moment evasion and changing directions in midair.

Name: Alexandria Godotta

Age: 31

Nationality: Selvan

Appearance: Alexandria is of middling height, with a lean build, and her legs are notably thick in comparison to the rest of her body. Her skin is bronze. She has a long face and a tall nose, framed on either side by round, auburn eyes. Her mouth is narrow, with full lips. She has long, deep brown hair that curls wildly when not kept in check. She usually keeps her bangs pulled back with a hairband, though a few rogue strands invariably manage to escape. Everything behind the band is a swirling no-man's-land of woolly death. Her posture is most commonly straight but limber. A healthy musculoskeletal system is very important for outdoor activity, after all. However, her extensive exploits in Selvagran's jungle have accustomed her to performing weird maneuvers and waiting in odd positions that, while useful in the wild, aren't necessarily appropriate for everyday use. She has never lost at twister. Alexandria always sports a pair of round spectacles and her aforementioned headband. Her standard exploration gear consists of leather boots, calf-high socks, shorts, a tank-top, a survival jacket, and a shawl. Casual attire consists of basically the same thing, with the addition of some colorful bracelets and hoop earings, and maybe some face paint. She'll probably wear something warmer to Rastivania

Personality: Alexandria is atypically unassuming for a member of one of Selvagran's wildlife research divisions. After all, the nation's culture places great value on assertiveness and physical prowess, particularly among those that regularly come into contact with its jungle's uniquely diverse and hazardous fauna. What she lacks in audacity, though, she more than makes up for in drive and intellectual curiosity. Her quiet demeanor belies a wellspring of ecological trivia that is constantly poised to burst forth at the slightest provocation, which has caught an unsuspecting recruit off-guard on more than one occasion. Alexandria, a huge nerd, has a singularly deep fascination with all living creatures and goes out of her way to avoid harming them when possible. She's been told that she's a great listener, perhaps in part due to her enjoyment of learning about subjects she's unfamiliar with. She detests interpersonal conflict and will often position herself as an intermediary when the situation calls for it. However, she tends to freeze up when somebody directs their frustration at her.


Biography: Alexandria was born in one of the cities bordering the Selvagran jungle. She was a single child, coming from a broken home. Her youth was dominated by frequent and equally noisy arguments between her mother and father. The latter was a mill worker, the former a hunter. The most common point of disagreement was her mother's line of work, being as it was quite dangerous, but this reason likely served only to obfuscate the actual underlying cause of the hostilities. The real problem, at least the way a young Alexandria figured it, was that they were just both too obstinate to work toward any kind of compromise. In a society where survival was predicated on the ability to exert control over your surroundings, the slightest concession was considered a display of weakness, serving only to invite further losses. Or something. Whatever the case, Alexandria eventually grew tired of the constant fighting. At the age of thirteen, she fled into the jungle in a fit of tears during one of her parents' more heated disagreements. Why she did this, she was never really sure. Perhaps she had thought that her disappearance would force her parents to shelf their misgivings and work toward a solution together, or something similarly naive. All she actually managed to accomplish was getting herself lost in one of the most dangerous places on the planet.

It had been several hours since Alexandria had entered the jungle. She sat in a clearing watching the sun set, her back against a tree, one of her legs pulled into her chest. The other was stretched out on the ground, sporting a horrible gash from an encounter with a jaguar, which had only given up its pursuit after several minutes. The wound had been hastily tied over with a strip of fabric torn from her shirt, which had since soaked through with blood. Her breathing was ragged, an eye blackened from a bad spill, face and arms swollen in several places from insect bites. Her right hand in particular had also been bitten by an especially fat spider. Alexandria had since identified the spider as being venomous on account of the frankly beautiful shade of purple the flesh surrounding the bite mark had taken on. That and the immense pain giving way to numbness. At this point, death seemed certain, but for some reason, the girl wasn't apprehensive. Perhaps it was the cause of a venom-induced delerium, but more than anything else, she felt at peace. She watched as ants marched single file along the ground at her feet, and as spectacularly colored birds flitted from tree to tree in the distance, enamored by how such order and beauty could exist in a place so deadly. So enamored, perhaps, that she failed to notice the rumbling.

The girl had been to preoccupied with trying to survive that she hadn't really questioned why the jaguar had stopped chasing her. Nor had she thought to wonder why this clearing existed so far away from a lumbering site in the first place. And she wouldn't until a massive, reptilian face appeared from between the trees to her right. A large, forked tongue flicked in her direction before the head began to move again, the creature's cylindrical body trailing behind as it cut across the clearing. A kaiju. Alexandria recognized it from various descriptions, including her mother's. This was Quiroga, the Winding Serpent Kaiju. Its recorded magnitude was a deceptive 0.8, but for all intents and purposes, it was treated as a 6.2. Selvagran has a lot of those. Regardless, Alexandria seemed to have wandered into its nesting ground. Hopelessly feverish or not, she wasn't about to stick around. Mustering what strength she had left, the girl stood and turned to leave the clearing behind, only to be met with an enormous, writhing green wall of scales. Quiroga had already encircled her, and it was planning to crush her.

Alexandria didn't feel like sitting around and letting death come to her all of a sudden. Clinging to a desperate hope that she might live to visit the jungle again someday, she reached for the lowest branch of the tree she had been leaning against. Her right arm dangled uselessly by her side as she attempted to climb. Unable to lift herself with just one arm, she had to swing her leg over the branch as well before she was able to haul herself up. By this point, she was completely surrounded by the slowly shrinking ring of Quiroga's body. But the higher branches were spaced more closely. She began to ascend rapidly, each rung she climbed punctuated by the thunderous snapping of nearby trees as Quiroga snapped them like twigs. She had scarcely cleared the height of Quiroga's body before her own tree shook violently and began to topple. Quickly, she released her grip and tumbled onto Quiroga's twisting body, finding herself on its neck. The kaiju didn't even seem to notice as she clawed her way forward to reach its head and grabbed onto one of its scales for dear life.

Once the giant snake's body had completely enclosed the space it had surrounded, it stopped moving. Having narrowly avoided death, Alexandria breathed an exhausted sigh of relief. Now she just needed to figure out how to get dow- Quiroga began moving again, this time launching straight upward. The kaiju's head breached the jungle's canopy and then kept going, nearly tossing Alexandria, but she narrowly managed to maintain her grip. Once she was able to summon the courage to open her eyes, she found that she was so high above the trees that she could once again see the sun over the horizon. But perhaps more significantly, she could see the edge of the jungle. It was surprisingly close. Apparently, most of the distance she had covered after getting lost had amounted to running in circles. Quiroga examined its surroundings, occasionally turning its head and flicking its tongue. Perhaps it was still searching for the small mammal that had dared to intrude on its home. If it was, though, it had no luck. After a minute, the beast once again lowered its head to the ground and turned toward its nest. The girl took the opportunity to quietly slip off of the creature and start moving in the direction where she had seen the jungle's edge.

Alexandria opened her eyes. She took in the sight of the ceiling directly above her, the soft, welcoming embrace of a mattress beneath her, and the comforting weight of a bedspread. This didn't make sense. She remembered limping through the jungle, trying to find its end, for nearly an hour. She remembered collapsing as her vision blurred, and her body going cold. She didn't remember making a triumphant return before washing up and tucking herself into bed. And she certainly didn't remember doing so in an unfamiliar house. She tentatively lifted the sheets and sat up on the edge of the bed, ignoring the sharp pain in her leg and general soreness everywhere else. She had been changed into a pair of pajamas. The wound on her calf had been properly cleaned and wrapped, and her hand, while badly swollen, had taken on a healthier red hue, and feeling had returned to it.

Before Alexandria had fully grasped the situation, someone burst into the room. It was her mother. Her face was tinted with concern, and she had a small bruise and a cut on her forehead, but shen she saw Alexandria, her expression mellowed considerably. She rushed forward to embrace her daughter. As her mother's arms wrapped around her, the girl's eyes began to well up with tears. She buried her face in her mother's shoulder and began to mumble the same phrase over and over. "I'm sorry." Once everything had calmed down, her mother explained what had happened. When she discovered that Alexandria had disappeared, she had gone to the local hunters' guild and organized a search party. They had scoured the edges of the jungle for hours looking for her, stumbling upon her only by chance shortly after she had collapsed. She had been brought back to the guildhouse, where the hunter that had found her, an acquaintance of her mother's, had volunteered to allow them both to stay at his home temporarily. Alexandria asked why they couldn't just go home, to which her mother didn't seem to have a response. The silence was broken as the hunter's wife entered the bedroom carrying a tray of soup. Alexandria eagerly tore into it, briefly forgotting about her troubles, and spent the rest of the night recovering peacefully.

Shortly after this incident, Alexandria's parents officially split up. Her mother relocated to Grado, where career opportunities in her field were more readily available, and Alexandria, having in explicably taken an intense interest in wildlife, went with her. Her mid to late teens were accordingly devoted to such studies. She went on to graduate with honors in environmental science before joining one of Selvagran's ecological research divisions. Over years, she honed both her knowledge and abilities. By her mid-twenties, she was adept at jungle exploration and observing animal behaviors, and had amassed quite a few other survival skills. While not as assertive or physically adept as other members of the organization, she was recognized for her genuine passion for the study of living creatures, making her one of the organization's top researchers.

Perhaps that's why, when Kaiju X arrived and the MIRACLE initiative was announced, she was the first to volunteer to represent Selvagran. The global environment had never faced a threat of this magnitude heh before. This was a prime opportunity to both learn more about the behavior of kaiju and apply her knowledge to help stabilize the various ecosystems that had been disrupted by recent events. There was one problem; she didn't know the first thing about piloting a mech, and would certainly be passed over for the decision. However, she wanted this position more than anything, and she wasn't known for giving up easily. For the next several weeks, until the final decision was handed down, she would spend every waking moment familiarizing herself with the operation of her research division's utility frame. By the time candidates were being evaluated, she still underperformed compared to many of the other pilots, but both her perseverence and her ecological expertise were considered indispensable. As such, she was ultimately selected to represent her nation.

It was with great pride that Alexandria accepted her mission, and it was with even greater pomp and circumstance that she was seen off. Her mother even attended the ceremony to wish her luck one last time. Nevertheless, she felt it would be premature to celebrate. The hard work was just about to begin.

Skills: Alexandria is an ecologist by trade and possesses extensive knowledge of Selvagran's fauna and forests, and how they interact with each other. To a lesser extent, she's also familiar with the wildlife of most other nations. Her expertise also applies to recognizing and interpreting patterns in animal behaviors, allowing a deeper understanding of why they do what they do. She has experience with trapping, moving stealthily through dense undergrowth, and hiding herself for extended periods of time. If necessary, she can perform first aid, and she possesses an array of other survival skills. Frequent outdoor activities have left her exceptionally fit, and she has had basic instruction in hand-to-hand combat. At some point, Alexandria learned to play the flute, but she doesn't understand why she can't use it to hypnotize snakes. On the other hand, she is all but technologically illiterate, knowing just enough to be able to operate the tools required to do her job. She still owns a flip phone. Also, she can't swim for some reason.

----------

Mecha's Name: FG-RSLE "Serpentine Dreams"

Mecha's Appearance: Serpentine Dreams is a modified observation frame used by Selvagran to monitor kaiju activity without being detected. Most of its armor is green, with off-white trim and bright reddish pink "safety lights". Its head extends forward from the torso rather than sitting on top of it. The torso itself is wide, with two large jets attached to the back. The mech's arms are long and spindly, giving it good reach while being able to fit in tight spaces. A rail gun is mounted on the right side of its torso. Its upper half is connected to its lower half by a reinforced spine that allows for flexible positioning. The spool of cable attached to its back feeds into launchers on each of its arms. Its legs are digitigrade in design for increased mobility, and the ends of its legs taper into points. This makes balancing more difficult but allows for movement in nearly any kind of terrain. The mech's c*** is in the upper rear part of the torso, and is protected by armored plating. The torso of the mech is capable of operating without its lower half.

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Mecha's Equipment:

Medium Frame

Slot 1: Jet Propulsion System - This can drastically increase the mech's speed for brief period, but makes turning and maneuvering difficult. It must cool down before being used again. The prepulsion is enough to greatly reduce the speed of falls, allowing the mech to glide somewhat as well.

Slot 2: Cloaking System - Alters pigmentation and temperature of the mech's surface to match its surroundings, making visual detection more difficult and thwarting infrared detection altogether, including heat-seeking missiles.

Slot 3: Cable Launcher - Propels a cable that latches onto whatever surface it hits. The cable will remain attached to the mech until it is retracted or the other end is also launched, at which point it will attach to another surface and tether both surfaces together. The cable can also be tethered to itself to form a loop, and can remotely be instructed to contract or expand, although it cannot expand past its original length.

Slot 4: Slot 3: Rail gun - The mech's primary weapon. It is designed to fire at lower velocities to allow for the safe use of specialized ammunition in addition to standard slugs. These include: Tracker - This round relays its coordinates to every mech in a unit after being fired. If it is attached to a living creature, it will read its vital signs as well. Tranquilizer - A kaiju hit with this will be rendered unconscious, provided that it is weak enough and isn't immune. If the kaiju is not weak enough to be knocked unconscious, it will instead become lethargic for a time. It must penetrate the creature's skin to take effect and repeated doses are ineffective until 24 hours have passed.

Name: Safiya Baharia
Age: 28
Nationality: Sarajul
Appearance: Standing at roughly 5’9”, Safiya is tall for a woman, and her body is well-toned, as is typical of someone of her origin. Her skin is a rich mahogany with a permanent tan after years of work above ground and her hands are a bit rough. Her eyes are a brilliant copper, seeming watchful and judging of all around her. Her hair is a very dark brown and is done up in microbraids that are usually fashioned into a bun on her head with a few strands kept free that she tucks behind her ears.

She has a domineering presence, which exudes from her cold piercing stare and rigid posture. Her facial features are sharp and although she is not one to smile often, when she does, it is bright and warm, quite uncharacteristic to those who don’t know her well. She often wears an unreadable expression of indifference on her face, while her eyes seem to be processing on a much deeper level. One would assume that she is always in a bad mood, while in actuality she is quite content.

Safiya is not known for excessive frivolities and dresses practically. She is most comfortable in a flight suit, which she rolls up to her waist where it is tied, revealing a plain white t-shirt or tank-top that is usually covered in oil. The only flashy accessory she has is a gold chained necklace bearing an orange gemstone.

Personality: Calm, cool and collected, Safiya would be best described as an old soul. She is disciplined but also patient, a strong advocate that all things happen in due course. There are only a few things that can provoke her to anger and even then, her face is a mask that rarely shows it.

Safiya is very much an introvert, preferring to keep to herself and feels uncomfortable when made to be the centre of attention. Not one for extensive talking, she will often observe in silence, only speaking up when directly spoken to or if it is a matter of importance. Her cool personality can come off as standoffish, but this is unintentional, for once she gets to know an individual, she reveals a genuine nurturing side. Safiya’s love of machinery is one of the few things that can get her to come out of her shell.

Like most of her people, Safiya holds most Kaiju with a certain sense of esteem. She does not view them as good or evil, merely a part of the global ecosystem. Still, she values human life and believes that Kaiju who threaten humankind must be stopped. Unlike most of her people, she is not particularly religious, ascribing to a particular belief, though she may have a few superstitious inclinations remaining from her youth.

Biography: The eldest of five, Safiya was born in the southernmost city, Janaji. Her father a mechanic and her mother a messenger, Safiya was very much involved in the raising of her siblings while her parents were busy. It was a responsibility she took diligently, shaping her sense of duty and responsibility at a fairly young age. In the rare time that she had to herself, Safiya spent time with her father in his garage and watched avidly as he worked. Safiya’s curiosity blossomed into a natural talent with mechanics. She would rig together spare parts to build small devices that cluttered her room. It was no surprise that she decided to attend a university for a degree in mechanical engineering, though in order to afford the schooling, Safiya had to join the military.

Military life was not easy, but Safiya quickly adapted as she was disciplined by nature. She kept her head down and didn’t make many friends, putting all her efforts into completing basic training and was eventually specialized as a pilot. When she had served her allotted time, Safiya dived into her studies with incredible fervor. Her uncanny talent for mechanical and electrical engineering elevated her to the top of her class, eventually drawing the attention of the military once again. Upon graduation, Safiya was given a contract to work in research and development of mechas and other military technologies.

The job initially focused on theory-based work, which Safiya did not enjoy. Instead, she spent time with the engineers who worked on the mechas, volunteering her free time to help and learn from them. In truth, she had never been interested in piloting a mecha for herself, but the opportunity presented itself as Safiya got more involved in the development of mecha equipment. She worked on a number of prototypes but when it came to testing them in the field, none of the pilots were willing to take the risk. Rather than consign herself to theory work, Safiya took it upon herself to test out her prototypes on a spare mecha.

It was on one such occasion of field testing that Safiya would encounter her first threatening Kaiju. Testing a more volatile piece of equipment, she went into a more remote region in the desert to ensure the safety of others. What she had forgotten, were the tales of Takah, the Sand Shark Kaiju, who lurked in the vast expanse of the desert. The mecha that Safiya piloted for her prototypes were not built for combat and would not last long against the relentless attacks of the Kaiju when it discovered her presence. As Takah ravaged the mecha, Safiya activated the prototype, loosing an electrical surge along the length of the Kaiju’s body. Takah was incapacitated, but the mecha’s systems were completely fried.

Safiya wandered for a night and a day before the military’s search and rescue team found her in the desert, nearly dead from heat exhaustion. The prospect of death had a profound impact on the young woman. Years that she had spent behind a desk or in a lab felt like they had been wasted, when she could’ve been on the frontlines herself with some of the latest technology that she helped to design. No longer would she be confined to a lab.

*****

It took a few months of training for Safiya to become a decent mecha pilot. In that time, she joined the Sarajul Rangers who patrolled the rural regions of the desert. Safiya had taken the time to modify her particular mecha with a number of her original inventions. Taking into consideration the Sarajul respect for Kaiju, Safiya developed tools that would aid her in incapacitating Kaiju without having to kill them outright or cause them egregious harm. Over time, Safiya became a specialist of sorts in this regard.

When the government was approached by the MIRACLE program, they were originally hesitant to provide any funding. If anything, they believed it to be a barbaric and sacrilegious endeavour. However, they believed it more perilous if the program ran unchecked without an insider of their own. Thus, Safiya was chosen to represent her people and hopefully keep the rest of the representatives from violating the balance of nature established by the Kaiju.

Skills:
Mechanical Knowhow – Years of tinkering and studying mechanical engineering have made Safiya an expert in dealing with machinery and robotics. She has an eye for parts and knows how to breakdown, buildup and repair most mechanical devices with a few tweaks of her wrench.
Military Training – Safiya completed a stint in the military before enrolling in school and was given a contract following her graduation. She is trained in combat, but also has an extensive knowledge of military protocols.

Mecha's Name: Solar Plexus
Mecha's Appearance: Solar Plexus is a modified version of the standard Sarajul Desert Ranger. These mechas were designed for patrolling the largely uninhabited desert regions, primarily for research, reconnaissance, and rescue.

The Desert Ranger mecha are beige framed with brown armoured plating, colours chosen to blend in with the desert. Safiya has swapped the brown for a pale orange, with additional yellow accents throughout. It has hydraulic legs built like the hind legs of a gazelle to more efficiently traverse the desert and safari lands of Saratumti; the feet of the mecha have a hoof-like design to aid in this manner. Sitting at the waist giving the appearance of a belt buckle of the mecha is a stylized sun, which houses the modified energy field projector. Also on the waist is a blaster – the Sol Slinger – a sleek white gun designed for the mecha.

The torso is upright with interlocking plates on the front and back of the mecha with either side exposed for exhaust pipes that aim diagonally downwards. The arms have been outfitted with curved aerodynamic armour plating covering the forearm and the upper arm, leaving the elbow joints uncovered for manoeuverability. Starting from the wrist joints, are three golden rings that are equidistant from each other going up the length of each armoured forearm. The shoulders have been modified with additional armour plating – three-tiered pauldrons, with a stylized sun on the top-most plate. On the back of the torso is a giant golden ring with ten translucent equidistant crystal spikes along its outer perimeter – looking like a sun.

The head of the mecha is the c***, where Safiya sits. This looks like a humanoid head wearing a helmet. The helmet shape itself has a spike slightly going upwards diagonally on either side of the head. The visor, which Safiya sees through is darkened black looking in from outside, but a detailed computer screen on the inside for the driver.

Mecha's Equipment:
Medium Frame

Slot 1: Sol Slinger – A standard weapon of the Sarajul Rangers, the sol slinger is a blaster that has multiple modes that may be engaged. It relies on similar principles that were used in the development of the hard-light shields. Herd mode is the most commonly used format, which fires blasts that do no/little physical harm for the purpose of guiding Kaiju away or towards a specific location (like a shepherd prodding sheep). Flash mode fires a blast that explodes like a massive firework, designed for the purpose of causing a distraction or disorienting a kaiju. Operational mode fires typical energy blasts mostly used in instances where aggression is the last course of action.

Slot 2: Storm Fists – A modification of Safiya’s original prototype, two spikes emerge from the knuckles of the mecha as the rings on the forearms are charged with electrical energy. The knuckles discharge bursts of electrical energy with every punch until the charge has been used up. While stationary, one hand can fire the spikes from the knuckles on long cables that will imbed itself in its target and release a single burst of electrical energy, much like a taser.

Slot 3: Energy Field – A modified version of the Sarajul energy shield, it projects a dome of energy around Solar Plexus for protection. However, the projection beam can also be aimed to protect strategic targets or act as a containment field.

Slot 4: Photon Ray – Activating the solar core on the back of Solar Plexus will initiate the charging mode. The solar core will then spend the next minutes collecting solar energy, which is indicated by each of the “rays” being activated by the solar core. Once the rays are fully charged, a powerful energy beam is released. Even considering the length of time until it is fully charged, the system must not be used excessively to prevent overheating.

Name: Raza Al-Amin
Age: 32
Nationality: Sarajul, of Alnaji

Appearance: Raza is a terrifying man. Piles of muscle harder than rocks stacked on a posture honed by a lifetime of training would be intimidating enough, but really, the decoration is what does it. Five of the six feet Raza has to his name are covered in intricate ceremonial tattoos, each evoking a titanic beast of the earth, sea or sky. Bahwuud of the deep devours his left hand. The birds Hafta and Solace caress his right. On his back are depictions of Gurmon-sin, Gordath-sun and Giryar-sen, the three epic wormlords of the desert, locked in mortal combat beneath a storm-swept sky. Intrinsic in the individual artistry of each piece is an overarching vision, a subtlety that causes every line, every curve, and every choice of colour to draw the eye to the magnificent centerpiece on the chest. Nearly hypnotic, the ink seems to swirl and pulse with each breath as it portrays the flight of she that sustains Saratumti: Aleta Stormbringer.

Emerging from the canvas is Raza’s mighty head, clean shaven save for a band that runs from the top of the scalp to a bronze circlet at the crook of his neck, from which emerge nine tight black tresses that fall the length of his back. Each is died black and tipped with a eye-sized bead of purest cerulean blue. His own fiery eyes are painted round with the same blue, a daily ritual said to promote spiritual visions. The trio of rubies atop each brow are placed with similar intent.

More often than not, Raza wears loose white pants that billow at the calf and sports a matching long-sleeved robe that lives tied around his waist. Woven into each piece are hints of crimson and sapphire thread that shimmer in the light and, when viewed at just the right angle, reveal geometric patterns of utmost beauty.

Personality: Stern, but loving. Harsh, but fair. Strong, yet kind. This is how Raza’s wife and children would describe him. The rest of the world sees only the first half. For Raza, that is all they need to see. He is a bastion, a pillar bracing the Temple Alnaji. He serves the Will of the Desert, for it is truth. Live resolute. Die honoured. That is the only path.

Raza has a soft spot for children, and nothing brightens his face like seeing wonder on their faces. He loves his family above all else, especially his wife Suraya and their daughter and son, Zahria and Faris. The way he lives, he lives for them. Always.

Biography: Raza’s father and mother, Aziz and Raja Al-Amani, were career operators of the lighthouse of Alnaji and devoted worshipers at the Temple of ‘iiradat Alsahra, the Will of the Desert. From the earliest days of his childhood the pair raised their son with a great respect and appreciation for the cycles of life, and the role played by the kaiju in the maintenance of balance in the world. “It is so:”, they said. “The world sustains man and Kaiju, each with his gifts. To man was given wisdom, and to Kaiju was given strength. With their strength the kaiju mould the land, beating the drums of the rhythm of earth that brings life to all. With their wisdom men guide the kaiju, curbing the tendency of destruction to preserve life and create a world flourishing. Man and Kaiju, each with his gifts, sustain the world. It is so.” And in this way Raza was brought up.

For his seventh birthday, the boy was brought to the top of Lighthouse Alnaji on the night of Aleta’s arrival. The cool desert dunes bathed in the rays from the tower, reflecting the light in the most dazzling display young Raza had ever seen. For hours all was quiet, save the occasional howl of distant dogs. Then, inexplicably, the silence seemed to deepen. It was as though the breath of every living being had been sucked out and pulled forcefully over the horizon. An excited couple pointed their sleepy son’s head toward the moon. And then the breath came rushing back.

The sky vanished. The wind roared to the beat of giant wings, holding aloft the most magnificent – and beautifully unnerving – creature that Raza had ever seen. The boy stared, wide eyed, pressed up against the railing as the giant moth fluttered, almost lazily, toward the light. Its movements were erratic, unpredictable, yet filled with the weighty grace of a falling flower petal. It was mesmerizing.

Aleta, Bringer of Storms, approached. Continuing her graceful dance, she rose, plummeted and rose again and again until she was near the perch prepared for her atop the structure. She grazed the sand at the tower’s base and began her final ascent. Raza peered over the edge, just as the titanic insect rocketed skyward. He felt his father’s firm hands pull him away just in time, and as he whipped his head around to watch the landing, he let out an audible “whooaaaaaaaaa…” That was the second most impactful moment in Raza’s life.

---

Every time thereafter that Aleta made her way to Alnaji, Raza would be there to greet her. He never tired of her arrivals. Each one brought with it a new variation on the dance he had seen so many times before. Raza’s fascination with the kaiju grew with him, as did his reverence. At the age of 14 he was admitted as an apprentice monk to the Temple of ‘iiradat Alsahra, an effort by his parents to quell an early rebellious streak. The residence proved a resounding success, for on the fifth day of his first week, Raza met the man who would be his master, Brother Farhan Botha. This was the most impactful moment in Raza’s life.

---

Brother Botha was like a second father to Raza. A man short in stature, his presence was somehow more massive than that of Aleta herself. Where had Aziz taught the boy joy and wonder, Farhan taught him discipline and strength. Balanced in this way, the young man flourished. He excelled in training of the body, and eventually, through many trials, gained mastery over his mind as well. Many times he embarked on pilgrimages to observe and learn from the giant beasts that roamed the land, and every time he would return with a lesson in the management and balance of power. The wide-eyed boy was still inside, but alongside him now was a learned man.

As Raza approached adulthood, he was inducted into the higher orders of ‘iiradat Alsahra. Along with the increased responsibility came harder truths and more difficult teaching; sad as it was, not all kaiju could live in harmony with the world. Some were prone to wanton destruction, and this upset the balance of things. Regrettably, there came times when kaiju had to be put down. At first, Raza found this difficult to accept, but after an intense debate with Brother Botha, his mind was changed. By the next morning he had begun training to join the Company of Eternal Rest.

The Company of Eternal Rest was a colloquial name for the trio of mecha owned and operated by the Temple and the pilots thereof, officially titled JUDGEMENT. They were sent, on occasion, to various parts of the desert, working in coordination with similar teams from the other cities to bring down kaiju that threatened the livelihood of the Sarajul people. The first of these three was called WRATH, a juggernaut loaded with massive, bone-crushing fists, meant to go toe-to-toe with the hardiest beast. The second was PATIENCE, a sleek, highly-maneuverable sniper built to fight from afar. The third held the title of THE ARBITER. Following a half-decade of training, Raza would become primary pilot of The Arbiter and leader of Judgement. If the wonders of the world had to die, he would be the one to send them to the next life. It must be so.

---

His wife was the first to read the message. Simultaneously worried and proud, Suraya took a moment to close her eyes and murmured a prayer before going to tell her husband of the urgent invitation. She knew the dangers a mission like this could entail, and she knew that their children, Zahia and Faris, would once again be without their father. Perhaps for far longer than any previous mission. But she knew he would accept. He was their protector; he always did. And she knew that he would triumph once again. He always did. And she knew that he would come back, eventually.

It would be so.


Skills:

Martial arts – Thanks to more than fifteen years of discipline at the Temple of ‘iiradat Alsahra, Raza has masterful control over his own body, and both the knowledge and expertise to incapacitate another - be it with his hands or a scimitar.

Culinary skills – Years of monastery life have also made Raza quite the cook. He is well-versed in Sarajul cuisines and enjoys preparing meals for his family and for the many guests they entertain.

Traditional medicine – Raza knows the points of tension in the human body and how to manipulate them - both to trigger and to release.

Mecha piloting – Raza is a skilled mecha pilot, with twelve years of experience in the field and over fifty missions flown. As pilot of The Arbiter, he has personally executed seven kaiju, two of which attacked post-Impact.


Mecha's Name: The Arbiter

Mecha's Appearance:

The pendulums swing
weighing life and death
‘iiradat lays down judgement
Tirelessly, The Arbiter upholds

Witness

The words inscribed along the machine’s massive armored legs belie its purpose. It is a bringer of law to a lawless land, the necessary fist of ‘iiradat Alsahra. It is The Arbiter.

The Arbiter is a medium-build mecha, coloured in sandstone beiges and deep, rusty reds, with piercing cobalt accents and trim. It stands like a testament to the way of life in the desert, evoking both weary traveller and noble lord. The large iron-colour bands that compose its upper torso resemble a cloak draped over large spiked pauldrons, and the glowing blue eyes set on either side of the flat, spear-like head promise a clear mind and visions into the future. A triangular body leads into thick legs whose calves widden into massive obelisks, pillars in the sand.

The Arbiter’s forearms each bear a circular shield, from beneath which protrude two retractable rifle barrels. The shield on the right is decorated with concentric circles of bronze, silver and gold. At its center is inlaid the word حياة, Haya, for Life. From the silver calligraphy come radiant wavy bands of gold that cross the metallic bands to meet at seven points around the edge, forming the image of a radiant sun. The left shield is stained dark bronze, on the verge of black, with criss-crossing silver diagonal patterns that meet around a crescent moon in the center, within which is inscribed الموت, Almawt, Death.


Mecha's Equipment:

Frame: Medium

Slot 1st: Haya and Almawt - Serrated Shield Chakrams

Haya and Almawt are convex circular shields made of reinforced magnesium alloy, the perimeters of which bear finely serrated diamond edges. The outer layer of each shield can be made to rotate at up to 15 000 RPM, though due to the force exerted on the mecha’s arms and increased difficulty in maneuvering brought on by the rotation, this feature sees use primarily in short bursts, in the ritual execution of already-weakened kaiju, or when the shields are separate from the main body.

The shields can also be detached and used as a throwing weapons, or as the heads of flail-like armaments when connected to The Arbiter’s secondary system, Alkhulud. To facilitate the more acrobatic aspects of combat, each shield is paired with the mecha’s tertiary system, the Directional Correction Rifles Qarar.

Slot 2nd: Alkhulud - Multi-Segment Maintenance and Manipulation Arms

The Alkhulud, oft referred to as Eternity Chains, are a pair of multi-segmented robotic arms that run throughout The Arbiter’s inner workings, rushing to reinforce, or, in dire situations, to replace joints or other structural points as necessary. Adding to their utility, the arms can also be fired from the mecha’s palms, shoulders, shoulder blades, hips, back of the knees and shins. Thanks to these exit points, the Alkhulud system can be paired with Haya and Almawt to grant The Arbiter great control over the shields at a distance, allowing the singular mecha to approach a kaiju from several angles.

Slot 3rd: Qarar - Directional Correction Rifles

The Qarar are a quartet of retractable-barrelled rifles fitted two to each Serrated Shield Chakram. Allowing for corrections in flight path and even sudden changes in direction when used in tandem with Alkhulud, the rifles are a key element of Haya and Almawt’s long-range displacement. Each rifle is fitted with a Modular Munitions Loading Gate, or MMLG, meant to adjust the kickback provided and facilitate precise shield control. When Haya and Almawt rest on The Arbiter’s arms as melee weapons, the Qarar can be used as regular ranged weapons, or as a means to add a little bit of extra oomph to hits scored while brawling.

Slot 4th: Tuhma - Limb Acceleration Turbines

The Arbiter is fitted with ten Tuhma engines, one within each limb segment and one on either side of the torso. These powerful turbines allow the mecha to add force to its swings while battling up close, reposition limbs to fire Alkhulud more efficiently, or even make large bounds when all thrusters are activated at once.

Name: Everard Blackbourne
Age: 23
Nationality: Obernian

Appearance:
Everard is a taller figure, clocking in at exactly 6 feet. His gently waved hair fades from fiery yellow to platinum blonde, cut to a loose ear length in the front before coming to a neatly formed shoulder-length braid in the back. Narrow, icy-blue eyes peek out from a pair of slender silver-rimmed glasses, themselves framing the generally pale and pointy features of an always-impeccably shaven face. A single tear-drop shaped pearl hangs from his right earlobe.

A fan of navy blazers and ruffled floral-print collars, Ev is seldom seen without a set tailored to his lithe frame and trimmed with intricate gold accents. What he wears for trousers and footwear depends on the day: you might see him in perfectly ironed slacks and boating shoes one day, then a pair of jeans and steel-toed boots when it’s time for action.

Personality:
Everard has a kind heart and genuinely cares for people, or at least he’s beginning to realize as much. Though he’s always been reasonably quick to make friends, his upbringing in a family constantly seeking to prove itself to the aristocracy often led to him losing them just as quickly: for most of his life, he separated people into those with money, and scum.

Only during his recent university years did he realize that considering yourself superior to 99% of the population generally doesn’t lead to being well-liked, at least beyond first impressions. He still catches himself thinking that others aren’t worth his time and has few true friends as a result, but he’s trying. Old habits die hard.

That being said, Everard still unapologetically thinks one thing beneath him: the kaiju. He despises their being, considering them a scourge of which to rid the world. Even the apparently amicable ones are only playing the long game, is what he’d tell you. Thankfully - he’d add with a push of his silver-rimmed eyepiece - he’s willing to play longer.

Biography:
The fourth child of a recently wealthy Obernian family, Everard spent his lifetime catching up. Constantly compared to his older siblings and the wealthier neighbors’ children, Ev was never good enough. With parents obsessed with flaunting their riches, integrating themselves into the upper echelons of society, his childhood held no shortage of expensive tuteling and horribly dreary social functions. The only convenable coping mechanism was to develop a superiority complex himself: if he wasn’t good enough for his parents, at least he was better than the poor.

Everard’s father made his fortune in the shipping industry, investing in a fleet of custom-designed ships optimized for speed. Mr. Blackbourne invited the boy on a number of expeditions throughout his teenage years, and Ev eagerly went on every one. Fascinated by the seascapes, the wildlife, the wavecrested sunsets... Everard came to adore the ocean.

It was on these trips that Ev made his first real friend, a cabin boy a little older than him named Laz, son of the head cook. Though not of the wealthy class, Laz was a mature bloke, patiently chipping away at Everard’s prejudice until the two got along. They spent much of many shipping trips together, Ev helping with the cabin boy’s chores so that the pair could spend more time goofing off and looking at the ocean sights.

Everard’s last expedition before heading off to pursue a degree in marine biology began as usual, with a rich amber sky bringing in the seashore dawn. There were recent reports of Orcen - a large whale-kaiju - harassing nearby shipping lanes, but it was nothing to worry about: the Blackbourne fleet’s success came from its speed, allowing the ships to skirt around danger as it came on the radios. Incidentally, they received just such a report on the fleet’s third day of travel: Orcen had been spotted in the Northeast and was rapidly approaching. The ships adjusted their course accordingly, deviating a few degrees Southward as they had done so many times before, but this time… something wasn’t right. The southern skies were darkening inordinately quickly, the winds forming a wall of waves, blocking off their path. The fleet could move around this threat too... at the risk of Orcen catching up if they did.

As the skies darkened above, a long, ominous shadow formed in the waters below. Emerging not a hundred feet behind them, eight serpentine heads breached the surface. The crew members gaped in unison, for all had heard of this beast: Scylla, the apex Hydra Kaiju. The ship captains ordered the fleet into overdrive in an attempt to escape, but it was in vain. The waves walled them in from the front, and there was a monster holding them in the back. Fortunately, the collection of heads seemed not to notice them, its gaze fixed Northward… before snapping into the waters and writhing in every direction. The result was chaos, crew members thrown into the abyss, waves the size of buildings, one of the ships capsizing. Looking at the radars, it seemed Orcen had finally caught up, but had run straight into Scylla’s waiting maws.

---

Everard was a turmoil of emotions as the casket was brought forth. Frustration, sadness, futility. He hadn’t known Laz’ father very well, but Ev’s inability to bring any solace to his friend just made everything worse. When the boys had begged Mr. Blackbourne to set a bounty for Scylla’s heads, the man had patently refused. “I run a business, and Scylla is a business partner. One capsized vessel in exchange for consistently safer waters is a transaction I am willing to make.”

---

University was a mix of easy and hard; the courses were a breeze given how much of his life Everard had dedicated to studying, but friendships… not so much. The average college student wasn’t nearly as patient as Laz, and Ev often found himself rubbing people the wrong way with his attitude. On the plus side, it was an excuse to spend time working on his new goal: vengeance against Scylla. Squirrelling away every bit of his considerable allowance, spending as much time as he could talking to his father’s engineers and sketching up ideas, the student was determined to buy himself a mecha, custom built in the family company’s shipyards.

Come graduation, Everard didn’t aim for an opportunity to use his new degree in the field or a cushy position in the family business. No, he went straight to the doors of the Obernian Mecha Combat League. It wasn’t the field experience he wanted, but it was a chance to spread his proverbial wings and learn the ropes of mecha combat. He’d spend a year or two there, participate in every fight he could, network with the pilots who had real-world kaiju experience, then perhaps find a job and patiently wait for his chance to strike.

---

Everard hardly believed the email in his inbox. Here was an agency offering him a Kaiju-killing position, at least eventually, and with no political barriers involved. Apparently, someone with both his marine biology degree and mecha combat experience was a rare find. He hit Reply at the drop of a hat.

“Dear MIRACLE, I would be honored to acc...”

Skills:

• With a degree in marine biology, Ev has a pretty good idea of the governing principles of ocean life behavior and anatomy.
  
• A lifetime of attending frivolous high-society functions has left Everard with an uncanny ability for small talk, capable of being just entertaining enough to make someone uncomfortable when interrupting, without really saying anything of substance at all.
  
• While certainly not a master, Everard has put in some hours in the pilot seat and gained experience in mecha vs. mecha combat. It isn’t the mecha vs. kaiju experience he’s really looking for, but he’s got a good sense of his machine’s strengths in battle and the weak points he needs to defend.

Mecha's Name: Vibrant Rhetoric

Mecha's Appearance:
Tall for a mech of medium size, Rhetoric’s design emphasizes reach and mobility. Though its insectoid armoring patterns provide relatively light protection on the whole, the machine’s battle-exposed areas and weak points are protected by pangolin-like layers of shield plates, golden accents against its navy blue frame. A long torso arches up to broad shoulders, connecting to monkey-like arms that span out to a bit more than half the mecha’s height and ending in large, articulated dark grey hands. A pair of short stabilization “wings” emerge from the shoulder blades, accompanied by a line of exhaust ports curving down on either side to the front of the torso, providing burst cooling when the powerful abdominal centrifuge is engaged. The legs seem long and spindly when standing at full height, but spend much of their time bent down to significantly broaden Rhetoric’s base and lower its center of gravity.

Mecha's Equipment:

Frame - Medium

Weapon System - Slander, barbed claw harpoon

Slander is a long javelin-like weapon, a metal shaft textured for gripping, slightly taller than Rhetoric itself. The spearhead is composed of a tall central spike and three spring-loaded barbed claws in a triangle pattern on the sides, designed to snap and dig in to surfaces when the center spike makes contact. The back of each claw houses a small rocket booster for minor in-flight correctional maneuvers and extra digging power when contact is made.

Weapon System - Thesis, rocket claw barrage

A multiple rocket launcher system housed in Rhet’s right shoulder and upper arm, Thesis contains a number of stubby missiles. Where a regular RPG would hold an explosive warhead, Thesis rockets instead have a spearhead very similar in function and shape to Slander’s, though smaller in size. Designed to grasp onto an object and exert continuous force rather than deal damage directly by exploding, the missiles’ propulsion systems are optimized for sustained flight.

Utility System - Premise, reinforced chain winch

Premise is built into Rhet’s left forearm, a series of gears and motors designed to maximize pulling speed while still allowing for enough torque to haul the mech itself. The kevlar-reinforced titanium chain comes out of the underside of the wrist, ending in a powerful short-range electromagnet designed to hook on to the ends of the mecha’s weapon systems.

Utility System - Strawman, hydraulic immobility system

Rhetoric’s lower legs are equipped with angled hydraulic claw-shafts, intended to forcefully punch several meters into the ground and stabilize the mecha’s body against heavy impacts, such as high-speed winds, large waves, Premise’s pull, and, of course, rushing kaiju.

Name: Mikan Houtoro
Age: 28
Nationality: Kaiyokese
Appearance: Mikan is probably best summed up with the word “frumpy”. She likes to wear sports caps, oversized turtleneck sweaters, fingerless gloves, miniskirts, and leggings that end halfway down her calf. Her chocolate brown hair is short and frizzy, clearly cut by an ametuer and never properly combed.Her deep brown eyes are extremely expressive, as are all her facial features, from her high eyebrows to her smiling mouth. She has a large scar running the length of her left jawbone, with similar scars on her neck and shoulder. Mikan talks with her hands alot. Quite literally, needing to type into the reddish box she has strapped onto her arm to actually speak out loud.
Personality: Mikan is lively and a go-getter. She’s always vying for attention and always tries to impress with her best self. Telling hit and miss jokes, and giving both due and undue praise. It’s pretty exhausting for everyone involved, herself included, so ignore her long enough and she’ll just tire herself out an move on. Mikan has been described as selfless and heroic, but she thinks she was just doing her job and the only difference between a hero and a fool is she got lucky. That said she still rushes into danger to protect others, and puts their safety above her own despite experience.
Biography: Mikan was born as a younger sister and she never not knew it, everyone favoring her older sister Horo for as long as she can remember, except for Horo herself. Throughout her years Horo was often her only friend in the world it seemed like, though eventually Mikan was forced to stop being so dependant on her sister as she left for university overseas in Destania while Mikan was in highschool. Not being able to get into the same techy things her sister was into Mikan just swam, and she was good enough the swim team allowed her to be part of them. It was in that team she found her calling. One of her teammate’s boyfriends had tripped alongside the pool and fallen in. On seeing he wasn’t coming up and acting on some deep instinct instead of her teammates advice of “this isn’t the first time he’s tried this trick”, she dove in straight away, getting him out of the water and performing a life-saving CPR. When the actual EMTs arrived and told her they’d be glad to have her one day, she latched on. From then on she only had one career in life worth pursuing.

Not that it was an easy track, she had to put in many long hours and scorn more than one family member or friend to focus on her training, becoming an EMT and eventually joining the Kaiyokese Rescue Op squad. An elite class of emergency responders sent to deal with natural disasters affecting smaller settlements. It wasn’t long before she had to deal with her first Kaiju. While a rather small encounter it was burned into her memory. Peppering the many limbed salamander she could only think of one thing: She had to stop it from getting to the people in the settlement already ravaged by its waves. Even for a moment contemplating when would be too late to rush it and safely self-destruct away from the village. Though the team’s cannons did their job and the creature was quickly driven away.

Time went on like this until the next major event in her life, the first time her squad had been called to an event in a city, Naka, to be precise. The Naka Shogun and his family, as well as hundreds of others had been trapped in a building collapsed from a major quake while touring next gen mecha prototypes. Being the smallest member of her squad Mikan managed to find a way in and was tasked with taking a casualty report. It’s kinda a blur to her this day. More were dead that she would have liked, however much or the attendees, the Shogun included, had been trapped with only minor injuries in side rooms and particularly stable parts of hallways. Then she heard the cries for help. A woman, she had apparently had already marked as a dead had came to trapped under one of the prototypes. Mikan’s blood ran cold. The woman screamed “Someone help, it’s burning my legs. The mech is overheating.” Same as her first time it was not her rational brain, but that deeper urge to protect that took over. She tore her fingers, burned her arms and hands, but somehow got the woman free, then the mech exploded. She’d be told later she carried the woman to safety with 7 pieces of metal of various shapes and lengths buried in her neck, shoulder, and chest. She didn’t recall that, only one of her colleagues yelling at her in an ambulance. He never did tell her what he had said that time.

The physical rehabilitation was easy enough, she’d help coach others before, and she knew her own limits and how to surpass them. The mental rehabilitation was harder. They’d told her she’d never speak again, not anything meaningful at least, and she’d probably never get to go back to her squad because of it. She’d be taken care of, being injured in the line of duty, but that didn’t mean anything to her. Then Horo came knocking. It had been years since the two had last seen each other, and somehow neither one had even noticed. Upon getting a small book worth of information on Mikan’s life, Horo had come up with an easy fix. She was a master mechanic, it shouldn’t be that hard for her to make a fail-proof device that should allow her sister to “speak again”. And she did just that. The NVOX, standing for nothing but “sounding rad”, gave Mikan the chance to go back to the squad, her mech being pulled out of retirement for her with a fresh coat of paint. Just back in the saddle long enough to truly get she was a bit of a national hero, she got the letter. One day Horo got sick, and then she was just gone. A lifetime of helping people and her best friend, her big sister, was taken away without even giving her a chance to intervene. Her efforts redoubled and a few months later another letter appeared. The news wasn’t better or worse nessecerally, but it was a call for help for sure.

She’d never been good at ignoring those.
Skills: A bit of a clutz, but while her legs may be wobbly, her hands are honed with precision. Useful as she is a trained medic and emergency responder, knowing both skills to heal the wounded and to control and prevent further damage from events such as fires, earthquakes, and flooding. The red box on her wrist, the NVOX, might as well be a skill. An analog device that produces a tinny woman’s voice when typed into, it also can be plugged into digital screens or speakers to have the words shown, or amplified, respectively. It can be used by anyone but is very securely attached to her right arm.
Mecha's Name: Rankaku
Mecha's Appearance: Rankaku is a human shaped light frame mech, the same model used by any of the Kaiyokese Rescue Op squad members, however it’s been thoroughly overhauled to Mikan’s demains as time has gone on. To this effect much of the outer plating has been molded to resemble samurai armor instead of the typical smooth plates. It’s also been reenforced to military standards, due to the ease it used to be damaged by it’s brash owner. This got the mech painted a stark white as a prank to go with its namesake, Rankaku, meaning “eggshell”. Appreciating a moment of bonding to her colleagues the eyesore remained that way, much to their chagrin. It has notably larger hips and waist than similar model mechs to support all the gear placed on it, as well as to shift its center of gravity to Mikan’s liking.
Mecha's Equipment: Rankaku, being a light-framed mech, has three core pieces of equipment.
Modified Kaiyokese Rescue Op Light Flak Cannons "Pepper Cannons" - Hip mounted Flak Cannons used by Kaiyokese Rescue Op squad members. They're designed to damage flight feathers or wing membranes of airborne Kaiju, or irritate the eyes, nose, or mouth of a Kaiju in hopes of detering them at long range. Mikan's cannon's can detach their main barrels causing the shells to burst immediately. This increases their impact slightly but makes their effective range essentially point blank.
Twin Super Heated Katana - Mikan has opted for what can considered the laser alternative to normal chainswords. The blades are lighter and quieter, but energy intensive and the heat is easily diffused by hard light shielding. These are also hip mounted, the handles being one and the same as Mikan's cannon barrels.
Utility Boosters - These small thrusters are mounted along the waist of Rankaku. While not powerful enough to provide any kind of lift, they are helpful in moment to moment evasion and changing directions in midair.

Name: Alexandria Godotta

Age: 31

Nationality: Selvan

Appearance: Alexandria is of middling height, with a lean build, and her legs are notably thick in comparison to the rest of her body. Her skin is bronze. She has a long face and a tall nose, framed on either side by round, auburn eyes. Her mouth is narrow, with full lips. She has long, deep brown hair that curls wildly when not kept in check. She usually keeps her bangs pulled back with a hairband, though a few rogue strands invariably manage to escape. Everything behind the band is a swirling no-man's-land of woolly death. Her posture is most commonly straight but limber. A healthy musculoskeletal system is very important for outdoor activity, after all. However, her extensive exploits in Selvagran's jungle have accustomed her to performing weird maneuvers and waiting in odd positions that, while useful in the wild, aren't necessarily appropriate for everyday use. She has never lost at twister. Alexandria always sports a pair of round spectacles and her aforementioned headband. Her standard exploration gear consists of leather boots, calf-high socks, shorts, a tank-top, a survival jacket, and a shawl. Casual attire consists of basically the same thing, with the addition of some colorful bracelets and hoop earings, and maybe some face paint. She'll probably wear something warmer to Rastivania

Personality: Alexandria is atypically unassuming for a member of one of Selvagran's wildlife research divisions. After all, the nation's culture places great value on assertiveness and physical prowess, particularly among those that regularly come into contact with its jungle's uniquely diverse and hazardous fauna. What she lacks in audacity, though, she more than makes up for in drive and intellectual curiosity. Her quiet demeanor belies a wellspring of ecological trivia that is constantly poised to burst forth at the slightest provocation, which has caught an unsuspecting recruit off-guard on more than one occasion. Alexandria, a huge nerd, has a singularly deep fascination with all living creatures and goes out of her way to avoid harming them when possible. She's been told that she's a great listener, perhaps in part due to her enjoyment of learning about subjects she's unfamiliar with. She detests interpersonal conflict and will often position herself as an intermediary when the situation calls for it. However, she tends to freeze up when somebody directs their frustration at her.


Biography: Alexandria was born in one of the cities bordering the Selvagran jungle. She was a single child, coming from a broken home. Her youth was dominated by frequent and equally noisy arguments between her mother and father. The latter was a mill worker, the former a hunter. The most common point of disagreement was her mother's line of work, being as it was quite dangerous, but this reason likely served only to obfuscate the actual underlying cause of the hostilities. The real problem, at least the way a young Alexandria figured it, was that they were just both too obstinate to work toward any kind of compromise. In a society where survival was predicated on the ability to exert control over your surroundings, the slightest concession was considered a display of weakness, serving only to invite further losses. Or something. Whatever the case, Alexandria eventually grew tired of the constant fighting. At the age of thirteen, she fled into the jungle in a fit of tears during one of her parents' more heated disagreements. Why she did this, she was never really sure. Perhaps she had thought that her disappearance would force her parents to shelf their misgivings and work toward a solution together, or something similarly naive. All she actually managed to accomplish was getting herself lost in one of the most dangerous places on the planet.

It had been several hours since Alexandria had entered the jungle. She sat in a clearing watching the sun set, her back against a tree, one of her legs pulled into her chest. The other was stretched out on the ground, sporting a horrible gash from an encounter with a jaguar, which had only given up its pursuit after several minutes. The wound had been hastily tied over with a strip of fabric torn from her shirt, which had since soaked through with blood. Her breathing was ragged, an eye blackened from a bad spill, face and arms swollen in several places from insect bites. Her right hand in particular had also been bitten by an especially fat spider. Alexandria had since identified the spider as being venomous on account of the frankly beautiful shade of purple the flesh surrounding the bite mark had taken on. That and the immense pain giving way to numbness. At this point, death seemed certain, but for some reason, the girl wasn't apprehensive. Perhaps it was the cause of a venom-induced delerium, but more than anything else, she felt at peace. She watched as ants marched single file along the ground at her feet, and as spectacularly colored birds flitted from tree to tree in the distance, enamored by how such order and beauty could exist in a place so deadly. So enamored, perhaps, that she failed to notice the rumbling.

The girl had been to preoccupied with trying to survive that she hadn't really questioned why the jaguar had stopped chasing her. Nor had she thought to wonder why this clearing existed so far away from a lumbering site in the first place. And she wouldn't until a massive, reptilian face appeared from between the trees to her right. A large, forked tongue flicked in her direction before the head began to move again, the creature's cylindrical body trailing behind as it cut across the clearing. A kaiju. Alexandria recognized it from various descriptions, including her mother's. This was Quiroga, the Winding Serpent Kaiju. Its recorded magnitude was a deceptive 0.8, but for all intents and purposes, it was treated as a 6.2. Selvagran has a lot of those. Regardless, Alexandria seemed to have wandered into its nesting ground. Hopelessly feverish or not, she wasn't about to stick around. Mustering what strength she had left, the girl stood and turned to leave the clearing behind, only to be met with an enormous, writhing green wall of scales. Quiroga had already encircled her, and it was planning to crush her.

Alexandria didn't feel like sitting around and letting death come to her all of a sudden. Clinging to a desperate hope that she might live to visit the jungle again someday, she reached for the lowest branch of the tree she had been leaning against. Her right arm dangled uselessly by her side as she attempted to climb. Unable to lift herself with just one arm, she had to swing her leg over the branch as well before she was able to haul herself up. By this point, she was completely surrounded by the slowly shrinking ring of Quiroga's body. But the higher branches were spaced more closely. She began to ascend rapidly, each rung she climbed punctuated by the thunderous snapping of nearby trees as Quiroga snapped them like twigs. She had scarcely cleared the height of Quiroga's body before her own tree shook violently and began to topple. Quickly, she released her grip and tumbled onto Quiroga's twisting body, finding herself on its neck. The kaiju didn't even seem to notice as she clawed her way forward to reach its head and grabbed onto one of its scales for dear life.

Once the giant snake's body had completely enclosed the space it had surrounded, it stopped moving. Having narrowly avoided death, Alexandria breathed an exhausted sigh of relief. Now she just needed to figure out how to get dow- Quiroga began moving again, this time launching straight upward. The kaiju's head breached the jungle's canopy and then kept going, nearly tossing Alexandria, but she narrowly managed to maintain her grip. Once she was able to summon the courage to open her eyes, she found that she was so high above the trees that she could once again see the sun over the horizon. But perhaps more significantly, she could see the edge of the jungle. It was surprisingly close. Apparently, most of the distance she had covered after getting lost had amounted to running in circles. Quiroga examined its surroundings, occasionally turning its head and flicking its tongue. Perhaps it was still searching for the small mammal that had dared to intrude on its home. If it was, though, it had no luck. After a minute, the beast once again lowered its head to the ground and turned toward its nest. The girl took the opportunity to quietly slip off of the creature and start moving in the direction where she had seen the jungle's edge.

Alexandria opened her eyes. She took in the sight of the ceiling directly above her, the soft, welcoming embrace of a mattress beneath her, and the comforting weight of a bedspread. This didn't make sense. She remembered limping through the jungle, trying to find its end, for nearly an hour. She remembered collapsing as her vision blurred, and her body going cold. She didn't remember making a triumphant return before washing up and tucking herself into bed. And she certainly didn't remember doing so in an unfamiliar house. She tentatively lifted the sheets and sat up on the edge of the bed, ignoring the sharp pain in her leg and general soreness everywhere else. She had been changed into a pair of pajamas. The wound on her calf had been properly cleaned and wrapped, and her hand, while badly swollen, had taken on a healthier red hue, and feeling had returned to it.

Before Alexandria had fully grasped the situation, someone burst into the room. It was her mother. Her face was tinted with concern, and she had a small bruise and a cut on her forehead, but shen she saw Alexandria, her expression mellowed considerably. She rushed forward to embrace her daughter. As her mother's arms wrapped around her, the girl's eyes began to well up with tears. She buried her face in her mother's shoulder and began to mumble the same phrase over and over. "I'm sorry." Once everything had calmed down, her mother explained what had happened. When she discovered that Alexandria had disappeared, she had gone to the local hunters' guild and organized a search party. They had scoured the edges of the jungle for hours looking for her, stumbling upon her only by chance shortly after she had collapsed. She had been brought back to the guildhouse, where the hunter that had found her, an acquaintance of her mother's, had volunteered to allow them both to stay at his home temporarily. Alexandria asked why they couldn't just go home, to which her mother didn't seem to have a response. The silence was broken as the hunter's wife entered the bedroom carrying a tray of soup. Alexandria eagerly tore into it, briefly forgotting about her troubles, and spent the rest of the night recovering peacefully.

Shortly after this incident, Alexandria's parents officially split up. Her mother relocated to Grado, where career opportunities in her field were more readily available, and Alexandria, having in explicably taken an intense interest in wildlife, went with her. Her mid to late teens were accordingly devoted to such studies. She went on to graduate with honors in environmental science before joining one of Selvagran's ecological research divisions. Over years, she honed both her knowledge and abilities. By her mid-twenties, she was adept at jungle exploration and observing animal behaviors, and had amassed quite a few other survival skills. While not as assertive or physically adept as other members of the organization, she was recognized for her genuine passion for the study of living creatures, making her one of the organization's top researchers.

Perhaps that's why, when Kaiju X arrived and the MIRACLE initiative was announced, she was the first to volunteer to represent Selvagran. The global environment had never faced a threat of this magnitude heh before. This was a prime opportunity to both learn more about the behavior of kaiju and apply her knowledge to help stabilize the various ecosystems that had been disrupted by recent events. There was one problem; she didn't know the first thing about piloting a mech, and would certainly be passed over for the decision. However, she wanted this position more than anything, and she wasn't known for giving up easily. For the next several weeks, until the final decision was handed down, she would spend every waking moment familiarizing herself with the operation of her research division's utility frame. By the time candidates were being evaluated, she still underperformed compared to many of the other pilots, but both her perseverence and her ecological expertise were considered indispensable. As such, she was ultimately selected to represent her nation.

It was with great pride that Alexandria accepted her mission, and it was with even greater pomp and circumstance that she was seen off. Her mother even attended the ceremony to wish her luck one last time. Nevertheless, she felt it would be premature to celebrate. The hard work was just about to begin.

Skills: Alexandria is an ecologist by trade and possesses extensive knowledge of Selvagran's fauna and forests, and how they interact with each other. To a lesser extent, she's also familiar with the wildlife of most other nations. Her expertise also applies to recognizing and interpreting patterns in animal behaviors, allowing a deeper understanding of why they do what they do. She has experience with trapping, moving stealthily through dense undergrowth, and hiding herself for extended periods of time. If necessary, she can perform first aid, and she possesses an array of other survival skills. Frequent outdoor activities have left her exceptionally fit, and she has had basic instruction in hand-to-hand combat. At some point, Alexandria learned to play the flute, but she doesn't understand why she can't use it to hypnotize snakes. On the other hand, she is all but technologically illiterate, knowing just enough to be able to operate the tools required to do her job. She still owns a flip phone. Also, she can't swim for some reason.

----------

Mecha's Name: FG-RSLE "Serpentine Dreams"

Mecha's Appearance: Serpentine Dreams is a modified observation frame used by Selvagran to monitor kaiju activity without being detected. Most of its armor is green, with off-white trim and bright reddish pink "safety lights". Its head extends forward from the torso rather than sitting on top of it. The torso itself is wide, with two large jets attached to the back. The mech's arms are long and spindly, giving it good reach while being able to fit in tight spaces. A rail gun is mounted on the right side of its torso. Its upper half is connected to its lower half by a reinforced spine that allows for flexible positioning. The spool of cable attached to its back feeds into launchers on each of its arms. Its legs are digitigrade in design for increased mobility, and the ends of its legs taper into points. This makes balancing more difficult but allows for movement in nearly any kind of terrain. The mech's c*** is in the upper rear part of the torso, and is protected by armored plating. The torso of the mech is capable of operating without its lower half.

https://i.imgur.com/QUilNg8.png

Mecha's Equipment:

Medium Frame

Slot 1: Jet Propulsion System - This can drastically increase the mech's speed for brief period, but makes turning and maneuvering difficult. It must cool down before being used again. The prepulsion is enough to greatly reduce the speed of falls, allowing the mech to glide somewhat as well.

Slot 2: Cloaking System - Alters pigmentation and temperature of the mech's surface to match its surroundings, making visual detection more difficult and thwarting infrared detection altogether, including heat-seeking missiles.

Slot 3: Cable Launcher - Propels a cable that latches onto whatever surface it hits. The cable will remain attached to the mech until it is retracted or the other end is also launched, at which point it will attach to another surface and tether both surfaces together. The cable can also be tethered to itself to form a loop, and can remotely be instructed to contract or expand, although it cannot expand past its original length.

Slot 4: Slot 3: Rail gun - The mech's primary weapon. It is designed to fire at lower velocities to allow for the safe use of specialized ammunition in addition to standard slugs. These include: Tracker - This round relays its coordinates to every mech in a unit after being fired. If it is attached to a living creature, it will read its vital signs as well. Tranquilizer - A kaiju hit with this will be rendered unconscious, provided that it is weak enough and isn't immune. If the kaiju is not weak enough to be knocked unconscious, it will instead become lethargic for a time. It must penetrate the creature's skin to take effect and repeated doses are ineffective until 24 hours have passed.

Name: Safiya Baharia
Age: 28
Nationality: Sarajul
Appearance: Standing at roughly 5’9”, Safiya is tall for a woman, and her body is well-toned, as is typical of someone of her origin. Her skin is a rich mahogany with a permanent tan after years of work above ground and her hands are a bit rough. Her eyes are a brilliant copper, seeming watchful and judging of all around her. Her hair is a very dark brown and is done up in microbraids that are usually fashioned into a bun on her head with a few strands kept free that she tucks behind her ears.

She has a domineering presence, which exudes from her cold piercing stare and rigid posture. Her facial features are sharp and although she is not one to smile often, when she does, it is bright and warm, quite uncharacteristic to those who don’t know her well. She often wears an unreadable expression of indifference on her face, while her eyes seem to be processing on a much deeper level. One would assume that she is always in a bad mood, while in actuality she is quite content.

Safiya is not known for excessive frivolities and dresses practically. She is most comfortable in a flight suit, which she rolls up to her waist where it is tied, revealing a plain white t-shirt or tank-top that is usually covered in oil. The only flashy accessory she has is a gold chained necklace bearing an orange gemstone.

Personality: Calm, cool and collected, Safiya would be best described as an old soul. She is disciplined but also patient, a strong advocate that all things happen in due course. There are only a few things that can provoke her to anger and even then, her face is a mask that rarely shows it.

Safiya is very much an introvert, preferring to keep to herself and feels uncomfortable when made to be the centre of attention. Not one for extensive talking, she will often observe in silence, only speaking up when directly spoken to or if it is a matter of importance. Her cool personality can come off as standoffish, but this is unintentional, for once she gets to know an individual, she reveals a genuine nurturing side. Safiya’s love of machinery is one of the few things that can get her to come out of her shell.

Like most of her people, Safiya holds most Kaiju with a certain sense of esteem. She does not view them as good or evil, merely a part of the global ecosystem. Still, she values human life and believes that Kaiju who threaten humankind must be stopped. Unlike most of her people, she is not particularly religious, ascribing to a particular belief, though she may have a few superstitious inclinations remaining from her youth.

Biography: The eldest of five, Safiya was born in the southernmost city, Janaji. Her father a mechanic and her mother a messenger, Safiya was very much involved in the raising of her siblings while her parents were busy. It was a responsibility she took diligently, shaping her sense of duty and responsibility at a fairly young age. In the rare time that she had to herself, Safiya spent time with her father in his garage and watched avidly as he worked. Safiya’s curiosity blossomed into a natural talent with mechanics. She would rig together spare parts to build small devices that cluttered her room. It was no surprise that she decided to attend a university for a degree in mechanical engineering, though in order to afford the schooling, Safiya had to join the military.

Military life was not easy, but Safiya quickly adapted as she was disciplined by nature. She kept her head down and didn’t make many friends, putting all her efforts into completing basic training and was eventually specialized as a pilot. When she had served her allotted time, Safiya dived into her studies with incredible fervor. Her uncanny talent for mechanical and electrical engineering elevated her to the top of her class, eventually drawing the attention of the military once again. Upon graduation, Safiya was given a contract to work in research and development of mechas and other military technologies.

The job initially focused on theory-based work, which Safiya did not enjoy. Instead, she spent time with the engineers who worked on the mechas, volunteering her free time to help and learn from them. In truth, she had never been interested in piloting a mecha for herself, but the opportunity presented itself as Safiya got more involved in the development of mecha equipment. She worked on a number of prototypes but when it came to testing them in the field, none of the pilots were willing to take the risk. Rather than consign herself to theory work, Safiya took it upon herself to test out her prototypes on a spare mecha.

It was on one such occasion of field testing that Safiya would encounter her first threatening Kaiju. Testing a more volatile piece of equipment, she went into a more remote region in the desert to ensure the safety of others. What she had forgotten, were the tales of Takah, the Sand Shark Kaiju, who lurked in the vast expanse of the desert. The mecha that Safiya piloted for her prototypes were not built for combat and would not last long against the relentless attacks of the Kaiju when it discovered her presence. As Takah ravaged the mecha, Safiya activated the prototype, loosing an electrical surge along the length of the Kaiju’s body. Takah was incapacitated, but the mecha’s systems were completely fried.

Safiya wandered for a night and a day before the military’s search and rescue team found her in the desert, nearly dead from heat exhaustion. The prospect of death had a profound impact on the young woman. Years that she had spent behind a desk or in a lab felt like they had been wasted, when she could’ve been on the frontlines herself with some of the latest technology that she helped to design. No longer would she be confined to a lab.

*****

It took a few months of training for Safiya to become a decent mecha pilot. In that time, she joined the Sarajul Rangers who patrolled the rural regions of the desert. Safiya had taken the time to modify her particular mecha with a number of her original inventions. Taking into consideration the Sarajul respect for Kaiju, Safiya developed tools that would aid her in incapacitating Kaiju without having to kill them outright or cause them egregious harm. Over time, Safiya became a specialist of sorts in this regard.

When the government was approached by the MIRACLE program, they were originally hesitant to provide any funding. If anything, they believed it to be a barbaric and sacrilegious endeavour. However, they believed it more perilous if the program ran unchecked without an insider of their own. Thus, Safiya was chosen to represent her people and hopefully keep the rest of the representatives from violating the balance of nature established by the Kaiju.

Skills:
Mechanical Knowhow – Years of tinkering and studying mechanical engineering have made Safiya an expert in dealing with machinery and robotics. She has an eye for parts and knows how to breakdown, buildup and repair most mechanical devices with a few tweaks of her wrench.
Military Training – Safiya completed a stint in the military before enrolling in school and was given a contract following her graduation. She is trained in combat, but also has an extensive knowledge of military protocols.

Mecha's Name: Solar Plexus
Mecha's Appearance: Solar Plexus is a modified version of the standard Sarajul Desert Ranger. These mechas were designed for patrolling the largely uninhabited desert regions, primarily for research, reconnaissance, and rescue.

The Desert Ranger mecha are beige framed with brown armoured plating, colours chosen to blend in with the desert. Safiya has swapped the brown for a pale orange, with additional yellow accents throughout. It has hydraulic legs built like the hind legs of a gazelle to more efficiently traverse the desert and safari lands of Saratumti; the feet of the mecha have a hoof-like design to aid in this manner. Sitting at the waist giving the appearance of a belt buckle of the mecha is a stylized sun, which houses the modified energy field projector. Also on the waist is a blaster – the Sol Slinger – a sleek white gun designed for the mecha.

The torso is upright with interlocking plates on the front and back of the mecha with either side exposed for exhaust pipes that aim diagonally downwards. The arms have been outfitted with curved aerodynamic armour plating covering the forearm and the upper arm, leaving the elbow joints uncovered for manoeuverability. Starting from the wrist joints, are three golden rings that are equidistant from each other going up the length of each armoured forearm. The shoulders have been modified with additional armour plating – three-tiered pauldrons, with a stylized sun on the top-most plate. On the back of the torso is a giant golden ring with ten translucent equidistant crystal spikes along its outer perimeter – looking like a sun.

The head of the mecha is the c***, where Safiya sits. This looks like a humanoid head wearing a helmet. The helmet shape itself has a spike slightly going upwards diagonally on either side of the head. The visor, which Safiya sees through is darkened black looking in from outside, but a detailed computer screen on the inside for the driver.

Mecha's Equipment:
Medium Frame

Slot 1: Sol Slinger – A standard weapon of the Sarajul Rangers, the sol slinger is a blaster that has multiple modes that may be engaged. It relies on similar principles that were used in the development of the hard-light shields. Herd mode is the most commonly used format, which fires blasts that do no/little physical harm for the purpose of guiding Kaiju away or towards a specific location (like a shepherd prodding sheep). Flash mode fires a blast that explodes like a massive firework, designed for the purpose of causing a distraction or disorienting a kaiju. Operational mode fires typical energy blasts mostly used in instances where aggression is the last course of action.

Slot 2: Storm Fists – A modification of Safiya’s original prototype, two spikes emerge from the knuckles of the mecha as the rings on the forearms are charged with electrical energy. The knuckles discharge bursts of electrical energy with every punch until the charge has been used up. While stationary, one hand can fire the spikes from the knuckles on long cables that will imbed itself in its target and release a single burst of electrical energy, much like a taser.

Slot 3: Energy Field – A modified version of the Sarajul energy shield, it projects a dome of energy around Solar Plexus for protection. However, the projection beam can also be aimed to protect strategic targets or act as a containment field.

Slot 4: Photon Ray – Activating the solar core on the back of Solar Plexus will initiate the charging mode. The solar core will then spend the next minutes collecting solar energy, which is indicated by each of the “rays” being activated by the solar core. Once the rays are fully charged, a powerful energy beam is released. Even considering the length of time until it is fully charged, the system must not be used excessively to prevent overheating.

Name: Raza Al-Amin
Age: 32
Nationality: Sarajul, of Alnaji

Appearance: Raza is a terrifying man. Piles of muscle harder than rocks stacked on a posture honed by a lifetime of training would be intimidating enough, but really, the decoration is what does it. Five of the six feet Raza has to his name are covered in intricate ceremonial tattoos, each evoking a titanic beast of the earth, sea or sky. Bahwuud of the deep devours his left hand. The birds Hafta and Solace caress his right. On his back are depictions of Gurmon-sin, Gordath-sun and Giryar-sen, the three epic wormlords of the desert, locked in mortal combat beneath a storm-swept sky. Intrinsic in the individual artistry of each piece is an overarching vision, a subtlety that causes every line, every curve, and every choice of colour to draw the eye to the magnificent centerpiece on the chest. Nearly hypnotic, the ink seems to swirl and pulse with each breath as it portrays the flight of she that sustains Saratumti: Aleta Stormbringer.

Emerging from the canvas is Raza’s mighty head, clean shaven save for a band that runs from the top of the scalp to a bronze circlet at the crook of his neck, from which emerge nine tight black tresses that fall the length of his back. Each is died black and tipped with a eye-sized bead of purest cerulean blue. His own fiery eyes are painted round with the same blue, a daily ritual said to promote spiritual visions. The trio of rubies atop each brow are placed with similar intent.

More often than not, Raza wears loose white pants that billow at the calf and sports a matching long-sleeved robe that lives tied around his waist. Woven into each piece are hints of crimson and sapphire thread that shimmer in the light and, when viewed at just the right angle, reveal geometric patterns of utmost beauty.

Personality: Stern, but loving. Harsh, but fair. Strong, yet kind. This is how Raza’s wife and children would describe him. The rest of the world sees only the first half. For Raza, that is all they need to see. He is a bastion, a pillar bracing the Temple Alnaji. He serves the Will of the Desert, for it is truth. Live resolute. Die honoured. That is the only path.

Raza has a soft spot for children, and nothing brightens his face like seeing wonder on their faces. He loves his family above all else, especially his wife Suraya and their daughter and son, Zahria and Faris. The way he lives, he lives for them. Always.

Biography: Raza’s father and mother, Aziz and Raja Al-Amani, were career operators of the lighthouse of Alnaji and devoted worshipers at the Temple of ‘iiradat Alsahra, the Will of the Desert. From the earliest days of his childhood the pair raised their son with a great respect and appreciation for the cycles of life, and the role played by the kaiju in the maintenance of balance in the world. “It is so:”, they said. “The world sustains man and Kaiju, each with his gifts. To man was given wisdom, and to Kaiju was given strength. With their strength the kaiju mould the land, beating the drums of the rhythm of earth that brings life to all. With their wisdom men guide the kaiju, curbing the tendency of destruction to preserve life and create a world flourishing. Man and Kaiju, each with his gifts, sustain the world. It is so.” And in this way Raza was brought up.

For his seventh birthday, the boy was brought to the top of Lighthouse Alnaji on the night of Aleta’s arrival. The cool desert dunes bathed in the rays from the tower, reflecting the light in the most dazzling display young Raza had ever seen. For hours all was quiet, save the occasional howl of distant dogs. Then, inexplicably, the silence seemed to deepen. It was as though the breath of every living being had been sucked out and pulled forcefully over the horizon. An excited couple pointed their sleepy son’s head toward the moon. And then the breath came rushing back.

The sky vanished. The wind roared to the beat of giant wings, holding aloft the most magnificent – and beautifully unnerving – creature that Raza had ever seen. The boy stared, wide eyed, pressed up against the railing as the giant moth fluttered, almost lazily, toward the light. Its movements were erratic, unpredictable, yet filled with the weighty grace of a falling flower petal. It was mesmerizing.

Aleta, Bringer of Storms, approached. Continuing her graceful dance, she rose, plummeted and rose again and again until she was near the perch prepared for her atop the structure. She grazed the sand at the tower’s base and began her final ascent. Raza peered over the edge, just as the titanic insect rocketed skyward. He felt his father’s firm hands pull him away just in time, and as he whipped his head around to watch the landing, he let out an audible “whooaaaaaaaaa…” That was the second most impactful moment in Raza’s life.

---

Every time thereafter that Aleta made her way to Alnaji, Raza would be there to greet her. He never tired of her arrivals. Each one brought with it a new variation on the dance he had seen so many times before. Raza’s fascination with the kaiju grew with him, as did his reverence. At the age of 14 he was admitted as an apprentice monk to the Temple of ‘iiradat Alsahra, an effort by his parents to quell an early rebellious streak. The residence proved a resounding success, for on the fifth day of his first week, Raza met the man who would be his master, Brother Farhan Botha. This was the most impactful moment in Raza’s life.

---

Brother Botha was like a second father to Raza. A man short in stature, his presence was somehow more massive than that of Aleta herself. Where had Aziz taught the boy joy and wonder, Farhan taught him discipline and strength. Balanced in this way, the young man flourished. He excelled in training of the body, and eventually, through many trials, gained mastery over his mind as well. Many times he embarked on pilgrimages to observe and learn from the giant beasts that roamed the land, and every time he would return with a lesson in the management and balance of power. The wide-eyed boy was still inside, but alongside him now was a learned man.

As Raza approached adulthood, he was inducted into the higher orders of ‘iiradat Alsahra. Along with the increased responsibility came harder truths and more difficult teaching; sad as it was, not all kaiju could live in harmony with the world. Some were prone to wanton destruction, and this upset the balance of things. Regrettably, there came times when kaiju had to be put down. At first, Raza found this difficult to accept, but after an intense debate with Brother Botha, his mind was changed. By the next morning he had begun training to join the Company of Eternal Rest.

The Company of Eternal Rest was a colloquial name for the trio of mecha owned and operated by the Temple and the pilots thereof, officially titled JUDGEMENT. They were sent, on occasion, to various parts of the desert, working in coordination with similar teams from the other cities to bring down kaiju that threatened the livelihood of the Sarajul people. The first of these three was called WRATH, a juggernaut loaded with massive, bone-crushing fists, meant to go toe-to-toe with the hardiest beast. The second was PATIENCE, a sleek, highly-maneuverable sniper built to fight from afar. The third held the title of THE ARBITER. Following a half-decade of training, Raza would become primary pilot of The Arbiter and leader of Judgement. If the wonders of the world had to die, he would be the one to send them to the next life. It must be so.

---

His wife was the first to read the message. Simultaneously worried and proud, Suraya took a moment to close her eyes and murmured a prayer before going to tell her husband of the urgent invitation. She knew the dangers a mission like this could entail, and she knew that their children, Zahia and Faris, would once again be without their father. Perhaps for far longer than any previous mission. But she knew he would accept. He was their protector; he always did. And she knew that he would triumph once again. He always did. And she knew that he would come back, eventually.

It would be so.


Skills:

Martial arts – Thanks to more than fifteen years of discipline at the Temple of ‘iiradat Alsahra, Raza has masterful control over his own body, and both the knowledge and expertise to incapacitate another - be it with his hands or a scimitar.

Culinary skills – Years of monastery life have also made Raza quite the cook. He is well-versed in Sarajul cuisines and enjoys preparing meals for his family and for the many guests they entertain.

Traditional medicine – Raza knows the points of tension in the human body and how to manipulate them - both to trigger and to release.

Mecha piloting – Raza is a skilled mecha pilot, with twelve years of experience in the field and over fifty missions flown. As pilot of The Arbiter, he has personally executed seven kaiju, two of which attacked post-Impact.


Mecha's Name: The Arbiter

Mecha's Appearance:

The pendulums swing
weighing life and death
‘iiradat lays down judgement
Tirelessly, The Arbiter upholds

Witness

The words inscribed along the machine’s massive armored legs belie its purpose. It is a bringer of law to a lawless land, the necessary fist of ‘iiradat Alsahra. It is The Arbiter.

The Arbiter is a medium-build mecha, coloured in sandstone beiges and deep, rusty reds, with piercing cobalt accents and trim. It stands like a testament to the way of life in the desert, evoking both weary traveller and noble lord. The large iron-colour bands that compose its upper torso resemble a cloak draped over large spiked pauldrons, and the glowing blue eyes set on either side of the flat, spear-like head promise a clear mind and visions into the future. A triangular body leads into thick legs whose calves widden into massive obelisks, pillars in the sand.

The Arbiter’s forearms each bear a circular shield, from beneath which protrude two retractable rifle barrels. The shield on the right is decorated with concentric circles of bronze, silver and gold. At its center is inlaid the word حياة, Haya, for Life. From the silver calligraphy come radiant wavy bands of gold that cross the metallic bands to meet at seven points around the edge, forming the image of a radiant sun. The left shield is stained dark bronze, on the verge of black, with criss-crossing silver diagonal patterns that meet around a crescent moon in the center, within which is inscribed الموت, Almawt, Death.


Mecha's Equipment:

Frame: Medium

Slot 1st: Haya and Almawt - Serrated Shield Chakrams

Haya and Almawt are convex circular shields made of reinforced magnesium alloy, the perimeters of which bear finely serrated diamond edges. The outer layer of each shield can be made to rotate at up to 15 000 RPM, though due to the force exerted on the mecha’s arms and increased difficulty in maneuvering brought on by the rotation, this feature sees use primarily in short bursts, in the ritual execution of already-weakened kaiju, or when the shields are separate from the main body.

The shields can also be detached and used as a throwing weapons, or as the heads of flail-like armaments when connected to The Arbiter’s secondary system, Alkhulud. To facilitate the more acrobatic aspects of combat, each shield is paired with the mecha’s tertiary system, the Directional Correction Rifles Qarar.

Slot 2nd: Alkhulud - Multi-Segment Maintenance and Manipulation Arms

The Alkhulud, oft referred to as Eternity Chains, are a pair of multi-segmented robotic arms that run throughout The Arbiter’s inner workings, rushing to reinforce, or, in dire situations, to replace joints or other structural points as necessary. Adding to their utility, the arms can also be fired from the mecha’s palms, shoulders, shoulder blades, hips, back of the knees and shins. Thanks to these exit points, the Alkhulud system can be paired with Haya and Almawt to grant The Arbiter great control over the shields at a distance, allowing the singular mecha to approach a kaiju from several angles.

Slot 3rd: Qarar - Directional Correction Rifles

The Qarar are a quartet of retractable-barrelled rifles fitted two to each Serrated Shield Chakram. Allowing for corrections in flight path and even sudden changes in direction when used in tandem with Alkhulud, the rifles are a key element of Haya and Almawt’s long-range displacement. Each rifle is fitted with a Modular Munitions Loading Gate, or MMLG, meant to adjust the kickback provided and facilitate precise shield control. When Haya and Almawt rest on The Arbiter’s arms as melee weapons, the Qarar can be used as regular ranged weapons, or as a means to add a little bit of extra oomph to hits scored while brawling.

Slot 4th: Tuhma - Limb Acceleration Turbines

The Arbiter is fitted with ten Tuhma engines, one within each limb segment and one on either side of the torso. These powerful turbines allow the mecha to add force to its swings while battling up close, reposition limbs to fire Alkhulud more efficiently, or even make large bounds when all thrusters are activated at once.

Name: Darkrai
Age: 18
Alignment: Good
Nationality: Unknown
Backstory: Darkrai is a mage that was infused with Saiyan power. He can bend metal sheets with ease, control darkness and earth, and can turn into his Super Form at will or need. Even though he doesn't need it's help sometimes, he can call in his mech, called Thunder Knight, to stun his enemies with a single punch or kick, leaving Darkrai to attack his enemies while their stunned.
Powers: Can control darkness and earth elements, bend metal, turn into his Super Form.

Mech Name: Thunder Knight
Pilot: Darkrai
Abilities: Stun
Attacks:
[1] Electro Punch: Stuns opponents with a punch of electricity.
[2] Thunder Kick: Kicks opponents and paralyzes them with a electric sphere.
[3] AK-47: Shoots enemy mechs with an AK-47.

Name: Darkrai
Age: 18
Alignment: Good
Appearance: Wears a purple robe with a black hat with a citrus stripe on top of his head to protect him from sandstorms.
Nationality: Saratumti
Personality: Cold, kind, easily gets stressed by arguments, likes playing video games, sometimes gets distracted with what he is doing when the group needs him.
Backstory: Darkrai is a mech pilot who lives in a tent on top of a cliff in the desert next to a cactus which he put a sombrero on top of. He was the last mech pilot was pulled into this whole Kaiju... thing. His first Kaiju encounter was a very fast one, as he got knocked out by small punch. He woke up a few minutes later when the Kaiju disappeared, but easily remembered where he was, and then when he turned around, he noticed a black rose. He has carried that flower ever since his first Kaiju encounter. Although the others don't realize it, he has realized Raza Al-Amin's plan to get rid of the newbies by replacing them with alive paintings that he claims are professional mech pilots and is planning to put a stop to it. Even though he doesn't need it's help sometimes, he can call in his mech, called Thunder Knight, to stun his enemies with a single punch or kick, leaving Darkrai to attack his enemies while their stunned.
Skills: Can pull off attacks really well, and can follow up his attacks with either punches, kicks, uppercuts, or even weapons from his mech.
Mech Name: Thunder Knight
Pilot: Darkrai
Abilities: Stun
Mech Equipment:
Frame: Medium
Slots:
[1] Electro Punch: Stuns opponents with a punch of electricity.
[2] Thunder Kick: Kicks opponents and paralyzes them with a electric sphere.
[3] AK-47: Shoots enemy mechs with an AK-47.
[4] .50 Caliber: A lift platform comes out from the top of the mech, where a .50 Caliber appears, allowing Darkrai to shoot multiple bullets at his enemies.