"I'll see peace back on Earth if I gotta murder every one of these animals with my own bare hands!"
The Follower of the Queen of Swords
Nickname: Swords, Martyrs
The most direct methods tend to be most effective. The fiercest fire is that of passion. You don't believe in wasting time or mincing words -- when there's a problem, you solve it with extreme prejudice. Screwing around is a luxury the world can't afford. Presented with a dilemma, an opponent, or a puzzle, you solve it with immediate and overwhelming application of the most direct force you can. You temper the blazing emotion within you, direct it against the darkness, and let loose a blazing inferno that burns it all away. The Darkness must be stopped. If that means you have to sacrifice some of your own purity to save that of the world, well... that's a sacrifice you're going to have to make.
The Swords believe in defeating the Darkness through swift, overwhelming force. They want to stop the despair and pain right now, before things can get any worse. Passionate and fiery, they cannot stand to see people suffer for one moment longer. They want to see the Darkness beaten back, to see the job done, and they want to see it as soon as they can. Before any more people get hurt.
Passion is Fire - Why do people give in to Darkness? It’s because they get tired. They don’t have the energy or the strength to put up a fight, so they just give up. So, how do you avoid getting tired when fighting Darkness? For the Martyrs, the answer is passion. It’s the source of their power, a fierce, burning desire that drives them to stand against the Darkness again and again.
All Princesses feel the pain of others, but all respond in different ways. When the Swords see another in pain, they respond with anger. How dare the world be so cruel as to hurt the blameless. How dare those greedy, thoughtless, malicious people hurt others for their wallets or for their ego! In the Swords empathy and anger combine to form passion, a fire that burns for the sake of others and the purpose of fighting Darkness. And passion is well suited to the task of fighting the Darkness. Passion combines the empathy of kindness and the energy of anger, giving drive to the Swords while keeping them sensitive too the feelings of those around them. Passion is a fire, and like fire it can both build and destroy, as able to heat a home or cook food as burn the forces of Darkness. It all depends on how that passion is directed, and the Swords know exactly how to direct their own passion.
But there is an aspect to this metaphor that few Martyrs realize, at least at first. Like fire, passion must also be tended. Fire can be smothered or burn out of control and passion is the same. If they let Darkness smother their passion, they lose the drive and strength that go with it. But at the same rate, if they let their passion burn out of control they risk hurting themselves and others. Anger must be tempered with empathy, and passion must be tempered with discipline. But tend and stoke the flame of passion, and there is nothing that you cannot do.
Go directly to the core of the problem, and then smash it - The devil’s in the details. Understanding the subtleties is all well and good, but worrying about them too much distracts you from the real problem. If you spend too much time treating the symptoms, you’ll never make a cure. The Swords know that you have to cut straight to the heart of the problem and tear it out. If you just dilly around trying to convince other people to help or figuring out every aspect of the damn thing or pulling pranks on it you’ll never get anything done.
The Swords believe the best approach to solving problems is the swift application of overwhelming force. Each Sword is urgently aware that wasting time gives the Darkness time to strengthen its hold and inflict more suffering. It’s better to smash through the obstacles in your way than waste time fiddling your way around them. Sure, it might be a little harder, but nobody said this would be easy. Plus, you stop the now problem before it gets entrenched then there’s a lot less damage to fix when you’re done. Sometimes, the core of the dilemma isn’t clear. But even then, the Swords are direct and forceful, smashing away whatever is hiding the heart of the problem until they find it.
This directness manifests itself differently from Sword to Sword. Champions and physically oriented Swords find those who prey on others and pound them senseless. Some socially-focused Swords break people’s denial and self-delusion, forcing them to confront unpleasant truths about themselves. Others burn away people’s fear and insecurity through sheer force of personality. The more intelligent Swords tear complex problems apart ruthlessly, laying them bare and finding their center.
Sometimes Sacrifice is needed - There isn’t always a good option. Sometimes you need to give something up to beat back the Darkness, be it a possession, a dream, or something more. Sometimes you need to be ruthless to make sure the bad guys don’t win. Sometimes you need to take the pain so others don’t have to.
The Swords know the fight against Darkness isn’t without cost. Darkness causes people to suffer, and those that fight it suffer the most. Any victories against it must be earned through blood and tears, and those victories must be fought for or they will be taken away. Even when the Darkness is beaten it will strike out in spite, destroying itself just to ensure those who defied it will suffer. So if you have to sacrifice something to make sure the Light wins, or the Darkness won’t come back, or to prevent some last foolish act of spite, don’t hesitate.
The Swords believe that by self-sacrifice, they can prevent others from suffering. If they put themselves in the way of the Darkness, they can keep it from harming others. Some Martyrs see this as a transference; they give their happiness, health and comfort to others so they may live brighter lives. Others see it as seizing control and dictating to the Darkness what the price will be to defeat it, rather than the other way around. Some Swords see self-sacrifice as the purest manifestation of the Hopeful’s mission, ensuring the lives of others will be better by sacrificing themselves.
Never forget why you fight - The power of Swords doesn’t come from anger. It comes from empathy. The Swords cannot stand to see others harmed, so the pick up their weapons and fight back the Darkness with righteous fury. But every Sword must remember that they fight for others, and that the reason they are angry is because the Darkness hurt those people. A Sword must remember that his passion, his power, and his sacrifice are all for giving the Light within others a chance to shine. If he forgets why he fights, the Darkness will turn him on the people he sought to defend. If he forgets why he is angry, the Darkness will turn his passion into fury, hate, and spite. To forget you fight for others is to abandon them and render everything you have done worthless.
Many Champions follow the Queen of Swords. Their straightforward nature complements the Sword’s philosophy, and many newly Blossomed Champions are eager to knock the bad guys senseless. Graces are surprisingly also common among the Martyrs. Many are passionate firebrands who fan the passion within people’s hearts. Others are harsh teachers who break people’s self-deception and kick them out of their self-pity, forcefully dragging people out of the darkness whether they want to or not. Seekers who are sick and tired of lies and BS screwing everything up often become Swords in hopes of shredding away the misinformation that stands between them and the truth. Troubadours who follow the Queen of Swords use their art to inspire passion and purpose in their audience, urging them to act and revealing the heart of the problems they face. Menders rarely become Martyrs. Few have the spark of anger required to become a Sword, and many dislike the violent feel of the philosophy.
The Swords favor Power attributes. Swords with high Strength make use of it to smash through whatever lies in their way and pummel opponents into submission. Many Swords have a powerful force of personality, reflected by a high Presence. High Intelligence is less common, but those who have it power through mysteries and puzzles with an almost terrifying speed. Many Swords have a furious stubborn streak reflected by high Stamina and Resolve. Many Swords are impulsive and have trouble containing their emotions, reflecting a low Composure. Dots in Brawl and Intimidate are common, as is Weaponry. Swords also often have a knack for inspiring passion and getting people to believe in them, reflected in the Persuasion skill.
Clubs: Are you going to do something, or are you just going to wait for your problems to go away?
Diamonds: Planning is good. Planning out every friggin’ insignificant detail isn’t.
Hearts: Shut up, shut up, can you just SHUT UP for about five seconds so I can get some work done?
Spades: Half of the time you're doing nothing, and then the other half you're cutting through all the rules to get right at the heart of the matter.
Storms: Great. You can fight. Do you even have the slightest idea what you are fighting for?
Tears: What is wrong with you guys?
Whether in your Transformed or normal state, you may spend Wisps to add to dice pools involving your Power attributes -- Strength, Intelligence, and Presence -- on a one-for-one basis.
Swords have an affinity for the Fuego Charm.
Sailor Uranus, Nanoha Takamachi, Captain Marvel