[BitP:R OOC thread] Bleach Style Ultimate Technique#17: Big words cause more pain!

[riccaru]

Privaron are supposed to be on-par with Lieutenants, I thought. I mean, maybe I'm wrong. The Fraccion are supposed to be equivalent to Seated Shinigami.

Even if they are, half the acting captain in SS are only vice captains. Right now would honestly be the best opportunity to attack that Geister's gonna get, but he doesn't know that.

[Draken]

The hollow power structure is looser. The only certainty is that the espada are the strongest and the privaron are immediately bellow. Once you get out of that level the definitions by rank quite simply go down in flames.

[KnightDisciple]

Also, having Las Noches roll over Soul Society would be less than fun, honestly. I don't mind combat, but one side roflpwning the other isn't great story.

Besides, as I understand it, there are IC measures being taken on one front or more to address this problem.

Incidentally, when Vicente becomes and Espada of one rank or another, Von Geister will have another reliable Espada.

[riccaru]

Also, having Las Noches roll over Soul Society would be less than fun, honestly. I don't mind combat, but one side roflpwning the other isn't great story.

Besides, as I understand it, there are IC measures being taken on one front or more to address this problem.

Incidentally, when Vicente becomes and Espada of one rank or another, Von Geister will have another reliable Espada.

He's already scheming to usurp power in an underhanded way. How is that reliable?

[KnightDisciple]

He's reliable when it comes to Von Geister. It's very clear he respects and admires the Ghost King and the Cuarta Espada. Just no one else.

Also, he just revealed a discovery that's going to help change and revolutionize how all the soldiers of Las Noches fight. How's that not reliable?

[tgva8889]

The hollow power structure is looser. The only certainty is that the espada are the strongest and the privaron are immediately bellow. Once you get out of that level the definitions by rank quite simply go down in flames.

Right. So the Espada are the strongest (Captains) and the Privaron are the next below them (Vice Captains). Everyone else is below those guys (Seated Ranked Members). So I was correct, just that it's not as specific?

[riccaru]

He's reliable when it comes to Von Geister. It's very clear he respects and admires the Ghost King and the Cuarta Espada. Just no one else.

Also, he just revealed a discovery that's going to help change and revolutionize how all the soldiers of Las Noches fight. How's that not reliable?

Now he's got an army and a history of using subterfuge to get what he wants!

I wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw him.

[strawberryman]

Psh, you can always trust Sereg to do exactly what he wants to do, and nothing else.

And you're questioning Vicente's loyalty? Just because Vicente doesn't have loyalty to every Espada doesn't mean he doesn't have loyalty to Von Geister.

[Draken]

Von Geister expects underhandedness, power play and overall greed and power mongering. Subservience is an excellent trait on fodder, and nothing else.

Cecilia is unreliable because she is lazy and accommodated. Edward and Mei are hedonists who leave themselves overly open to betrayal (it has even already happened to Mei!). Sereg is, quite simply, a short-sighted upstart. Pico was paranoid of losing his position up until he lost, as Novena I believe he will be more confident. Finally Lalita is... not even there.

The ranks of the privaron are not much better. 101 is in a cage and marked for death. 102, 103, 106, 107, 108 and 109 don't exist as of yet. 104 is a crazy bitch. 105 is an NPC with brawn for brains. 110 is the only one that is reliable and unfortunatelly, he's been NPC'd. And is also the weakest of them to boot. 100 (Rouga) is be the only active Privaron who Ersch can rely on.

[KnightDisciple]

Putting aside the fact that Sereg's no more trustworthy...

I'm saying, straight up. Vicente is loyal to Von Geister and Alejandro. Period. Loyal. Utterly. Not just that, he admires them. They are examples to him, each having provided something that made him what he is.

Now, yes, IC Sereg or whoever can try saying "he can't be trusted". But OOC, no, please don't try that. I'm telling you something OOC.

Something Von Geister likely can discern from observation.

[maximus25]

Instead of steamrolling the soul society, Las Noches could send small groups of arrancar to attack. We could do some guerrilla warfare as opposed to giant armies of death. It could be fun.

[Draken]

As I just said, the truth is that Las Noches is equally if not worsely understaffed than Soul Society in its higher echelons.

[strawberryman]

I am still waiting for the wall 'plot' to be proposed to Ryouichi. Perhaps it could mesh with the floating fortress Emet is going to propose. But I'm still waiting.

[tgva8889]

I suspect 103 may exist if I have the free time to play more characters. More party members, MOAR PARTY MEMBERS!

[KnightDisciple]

As I just said, the truth is that Las Noches is equally if not worsely understaffed than Soul Society in its higher echelons.

And further hampered by insanity and infighting.

[riccaru]

And you're questioning Vicente's loyalty? Just because Vicente doesn't have loyalty to every Espada doesn't mean he doesn't have loyalty to Von Geister.

Putting aside the fact that Sereg's no more trustworthy...

I'm saying, straight up. Vicente is loyal to Von Geister and Alejandro. Period. Loyal. Utterly. Not just that, he admires them. They are examples to him, each having provided something that made him what he is.

Now, yes, IC Sereg or whoever can try saying "he can't be trusted". But OOC, no, please don't try that. I'm telling you something OOC.

Something Von Geister likely can discern from observation.

I just said he's not trustworthy. And I'm paranoid. I wouldn't trust any of the Espada, fraccion, or numeros of the city. Since they all want to kill the person above them. Doesn't mean he's not trustworthy, but hollows aren't known for their trustworthiness. I'd always expect a knife in the ribs at any given moment.

[KnightDisciple]

And I'm telling you, Vicente doesn't want to just "kill the person above him". He has no desire to kill Alejandro (or, in fact, gain a position above him). He doesn't want to kill Von Geister. And Edge has stated Alejandro has no desire to kill to gain a higher position.

But mainly, I'm frustrated you're putting motivations on my character that I've specifically said are not there. Or if they are there, are more nuanced than what you're saying.

Frankly, this is a side track to the basic point of "Las Noches is in no position to steamroll Soul Society".

[riccaru]

And I'm telling you, Vicente doesn't want to just "kill the person above him". He has no desire to kill Alejandro (or, in fact, gain a position above him). He doesn't want to kill Von Geister. And Edge has stated Alejandro has no desire to kill to gain a higher position.

But mainly, I'm frustrated you're putting motivations on my character that I've specifically said are not there. Or if they are there, are more nuanced than what you're saying.

Frankly, this is a side track to the basic point of "Las Noches is in no position to steamroll Soul Society".

I never said he was going to, I just said that I would be wary of him. As well as everyone else.

[Draken]

There isn't really a reason for an espada to seek the positions of the other espada. The rank is purely administrative, linked to the specific district and equal in authority.

The only thing an espada could really aspire to is to be Ghost King/Queen, or simply pike off and try to found his own nation.

He trusts his servants because he can, quite simply, punch their faces in until they like the colors of his blows.

Spoiler

Show

Reroute Neural Response: This spell allows Von Geister to scramble the way the target’s brain reacts to stimuli. It could be used to cause visual input to be interpreted as smell or to cause pleasure to be identified as pain or taste.

[Dorizzit]

There isn't really a reason for an espada to seek the positions of the other espada. The rank is purely administrative, linked to the specific district and equal in authority.

An Arrancar with a desire to prove him or herself might aim to ascend the ranks; even if there is no difference on paper, the Espada do have a set hierarchy of power levels. At least in theory.

[tgva8889]

Alternatively, he might just want a different castle.

[Callos_DeTerran]

3.) 5th Division is hurting pretty bad, yes.

Not as bad as you might think. If the Gotei were ever mustered to war, 5th would be right alongside 4th in how much action they SHOULD be seeing and has enough discipline/regulation that everyone knows their jobs and what to do in non-wartime.

Granted, it's not ideal that 5th Division lacks a captain and VC, but it's still capable of function at around 75% capacity (my guess anyway). I do find it funny that no one has expressed interest in assuming control of it though.

EDIT: Also 103 is/was taken by Auset but she just kinda fell off the radar after acting as monster-fodder for that one episode. And the fact no one considers Genoveva loyal is deeply disconcerting.

[KnightDisciple]

Well, I could see justification for attaching a single member of 4th and 5th to a larger unit in a war. The ability to rapidly communicate, as well as to at least stabilize wounded in the field, would be invaluable.

And I already run a Division.

[tgva8889]

Yeah, how many players in this game don't already run a division and are capable of doing so?

[Kuroimaken]

Strictly speaking, Las Noches has always had the advantage of numbers on their side (Hueco Mundo is an entire WORLD of potential combatants, since pretty much 80-90% of the Hollows in it are predators).

There are, however, two equalizing factors in favor of the Shinigami: tactical advantages (Kidou and superior Reishi-based technology) and organizational power.

The truth is, even though there are more Hollows, they can't be organized any more easily than Shinigami. Sadly for Geister, his ability to command is limited to however many sentient Hollows living in the city he has (plus however many others he and his Espada can browbeat into fighting) plus however many feral Hollows they can tame and handle and hope they don't bite off their master's hands in battle. Conversely, while Soul Society has a significantly higher number of noncombatants, it is strictly organized to allow for delegation of duty in times of crisis and absence of command (Vice-Captains taking over for Captains as is happening already, for example) with specialized functions that allow them to fight effectively for a longer period of time (Las Noches doesn't have a healer team ready, for example).

And finally there's Kidou. Not only does it provide every Shinigami with the potential for artillery (and in more varied ways than Cero and Bala to boot), it provides them with more tactical options (Sekienton and Kyokko to cover retreats, Danku for low-to-upper-mid grade energy attack deflection, Tsuriboshi for battlefield control...).

TL;DR Espada and Captain are not nukes. Just because you have more than your enemy does NOT mean instant win.

EDIT: Also, Rouga was nominated Privaron 000, not 100, because he doesn't seriously WANT a number. I actually really liked the way Geister put that.

[Draken]

Not as bad as you might think. If the Gotei were ever mustered to war, 5th would be right alongside 4th in how much action they SHOULD be seeing and has enough discipline/regulation that everyone knows their jobs and what to do in non-wartime.

Granted, it's not ideal that 5th Division lacks a captain and VC, but it's still capable of function at around 75% capacity (my guess anyway). I do find it funny that no one has expressed interest in assuming control of it though.

EDIT: Also 103 is/was taken by Auset but she just kinda fell off the radar after acting as monster-fodder for that one episode. And the fact no one considers Genoveva loyal is deeply disconcerting.

Right. Forgot Auset. There is a 103 then.

And her loyalty is not in question. Her reliability is. Von Geister is well aware that, for 80% of all hollows, loyalty is earned with the threat of suffering and death.

And nobody causes suffering and death like Von Geister.

[tgva8889]

Well whatever, Kayi will end up whatever she ends up.

[Callos_DeTerran]

Well whatever, Kayi will end up whatever she ends up.

I'm fine with retroactively moving Auset to a different number. She never really struck me as Third Espada material anyway. Also, I always figured that Espadas=Captains and Fraccion (depending on the Fraccion of course)=Vice Captains with Privaron either equaling seated officers or Vice Captains themselves.

[strawberryman]

I'm fine with retroactively moving Auset to a different number. She never really struck me as Third Espada material anyway. Also, I always figured that Espadas=Captains and Fraccion (depending on the Fraccion of course)=Vice Captains with Privaron either equaling seated officers or Vice Captains themselves.

I don't really buy that. They were Espada themselves at one point. So they likely would be between Captain and Vice Captain.

[Callos_DeTerran]

I don't really buy that. They were Espada themselves at one point. So they likely would be between Captain and Vice Captain.

Like I said, my opinion, if only because the Espada have this whole 'constantly building up in strength' vibe going on in canon. Obviously lower numbered Privaron would break my expectations, but I always can't shake the fact they are Privaron for a reason and aren't Fraccion for one too.