Post by Elder Chezabelle on Jul 21, 2007 15:43:15 GMT -5
Humans. In this world, humans coexist with creatures called Yoma, sentient monsters that feed on human innards. The Yoma, being shapeshifters, are capable of taking on human form and living in disguise amongst humans. By consuming a human's brain, Yoma can also absorb their memories, allowing them to disguise themselves as specific people without alerting any of their close friends or family.
While the humans themselves have no way to protect themselves from these monsters, a highly secretive, nameless organization has created an order of superhuman warriors to protect humans from the Yoma. While the organization did not assign a name to this group, these warriors have come to be popularly known as Claymores, after the immense claymores they wield. For a large fee, any village under attack by Yoma can hire Claymores to kill the Yoma.
This organization creates the Claymores by implanting Yoma flesh and blood into humans, creating hybrids that are more powerful than the original Yoma, in addition to their weapons training and possibly greater intelligence. These hybrids use large claymore swords that normal humans lack the strength to wield and are characterized by their silver eyes and hair. A Claymore's standard abilities include overall enhanced physical prowess (most noticeably, strength), faster healing, limited shape modification and the ability to detect Yoma by sensing their Yoki.
However, the Yoma powers of each Claymore will increase over time, until the Claymore loses all humanity and becomes a powerful, highly intelligent, and incredibly bloodthirsty Yoma called an Awakened Being. They also constantly run the risk of speeding up their transformations into Awakened if they overuse their powers. A good Claymore will ask a friend (usually a fellow Claymore) to kill them if they sense they are "Awakening", ensuring that they do not turn into the very monsters they hunt.
Inside the handle of every Claymore's sword is a rolled black card with the wielder's symbol. Should the Claymore feel that they are losing their hold on their humanity and the steep and inevitable descent to awakening is beyond their control, they would remove the card though the pommel and give it to a handler and have it sent to the Claymore they are the closest to. The Claymore, usually a close friend or teammate, receiving the Black Card would then meet her at an agreed location and proceeds the act of mercifully killing the Claymore who requested it, allowing her to die with dignity rather than turning into the very monster they kill or sometimes hunted down like beasts in an awakened hunt by other Claymores.
The secret organization is usually contacted by towns or villages afflicted by Yoma, and goes on to dispatch an appropriate number of Claymores to eliminate the target(s). Upon a successful kill, it then sends an agent to collect a large fee for its services. A town that fails to pay will never receive any further assistance, and will be left at the mercy of the Yoma. It has been insinuated that the organization itself sends Yoma to the towns that fail to pay, or at least inform the Yoma that said towns are no longer under Claymore protection. The organization is often strict and harsh; hybrids who break the rules (for example, by killing a human, even accidentally or to protect others) will be hunted down by their fellow hybrids. Claymores who cause trouble or Claymores suspected to be on the verge of Awakening will be sent on suicide missions without their knowledge. Various characters throughout the series suspect the organization of being much more sinister than it appears, though most are either unwilling or unable to act on the matter as it would mean conflict with other Claymores.
Despite saving humans on a regular basis, Claymores are often alienated and feared by humans due to their incredible powers, their relation to Yomas, and generally aloof attitudes. Humans will often call them "silver-eyed witches/slayers" or "monsters". Family members of individuals impersonated by Yoma tend to be banished from villages for fear that they might be Yoma too. Claymores are often girls who suffered this fate or survivors of villages wiped out by Yoma. Presumably from one or more of their background, Yoma blood, their training, and their harsh lives, many Claymores are generally serious and at least outwardly cold. Claymores often live unhappy, lonely lives due to their solitary lifestyle and the knowledge that they will eventually die or become monsters. Others become hot-tempered and easily angered, while some other Claymores develop an incredible thirst for blood and become bloodthirsty killers who enjoy taking life, more savage than the Yoma they hunt. Almost all of them avoid any sort of companionship with humans.
Our story centers around Clare, a Claymore warrior who fights not only the Yoma, but to hold on to her humanity. At an early age Clare was taken by a Yoma and kept as its “pet” and only when a Claymore named Teresa destroys the Yoma is she adopted by her. After Teresa rebels against the organization and is subsequently killed, Clare volunteers to become a Claymore using Teresa's flesh in order to take revenge on the Awakened who killed her. With determination and her new found human friend Raki by her side, Clare has the power to overcome her low demonic powers and hone her skills she inherited, becoming stronger and a better fighter along the way, gradually earning the respect of strong allies and coming in conflict with the shadowy organization, the top Claymores who support them, and many powerful Awakened.
While the humans themselves have no way to protect themselves from these monsters, a highly secretive, nameless organization has created an order of superhuman warriors to protect humans from the Yoma. While the organization did not assign a name to this group, these warriors have come to be popularly known as Claymores, after the immense claymores they wield. For a large fee, any village under attack by Yoma can hire Claymores to kill the Yoma.
This organization creates the Claymores by implanting Yoma flesh and blood into humans, creating hybrids that are more powerful than the original Yoma, in addition to their weapons training and possibly greater intelligence. These hybrids use large claymore swords that normal humans lack the strength to wield and are characterized by their silver eyes and hair. A Claymore's standard abilities include overall enhanced physical prowess (most noticeably, strength), faster healing, limited shape modification and the ability to detect Yoma by sensing their Yoki.
However, the Yoma powers of each Claymore will increase over time, until the Claymore loses all humanity and becomes a powerful, highly intelligent, and incredibly bloodthirsty Yoma called an Awakened Being. They also constantly run the risk of speeding up their transformations into Awakened if they overuse their powers. A good Claymore will ask a friend (usually a fellow Claymore) to kill them if they sense they are "Awakening", ensuring that they do not turn into the very monsters they hunt.
Inside the handle of every Claymore's sword is a rolled black card with the wielder's symbol. Should the Claymore feel that they are losing their hold on their humanity and the steep and inevitable descent to awakening is beyond their control, they would remove the card though the pommel and give it to a handler and have it sent to the Claymore they are the closest to. The Claymore, usually a close friend or teammate, receiving the Black Card would then meet her at an agreed location and proceeds the act of mercifully killing the Claymore who requested it, allowing her to die with dignity rather than turning into the very monster they kill or sometimes hunted down like beasts in an awakened hunt by other Claymores.
The secret organization is usually contacted by towns or villages afflicted by Yoma, and goes on to dispatch an appropriate number of Claymores to eliminate the target(s). Upon a successful kill, it then sends an agent to collect a large fee for its services. A town that fails to pay will never receive any further assistance, and will be left at the mercy of the Yoma. It has been insinuated that the organization itself sends Yoma to the towns that fail to pay, or at least inform the Yoma that said towns are no longer under Claymore protection. The organization is often strict and harsh; hybrids who break the rules (for example, by killing a human, even accidentally or to protect others) will be hunted down by their fellow hybrids. Claymores who cause trouble or Claymores suspected to be on the verge of Awakening will be sent on suicide missions without their knowledge. Various characters throughout the series suspect the organization of being much more sinister than it appears, though most are either unwilling or unable to act on the matter as it would mean conflict with other Claymores.
Despite saving humans on a regular basis, Claymores are often alienated and feared by humans due to their incredible powers, their relation to Yomas, and generally aloof attitudes. Humans will often call them "silver-eyed witches/slayers" or "monsters". Family members of individuals impersonated by Yoma tend to be banished from villages for fear that they might be Yoma too. Claymores are often girls who suffered this fate or survivors of villages wiped out by Yoma. Presumably from one or more of their background, Yoma blood, their training, and their harsh lives, many Claymores are generally serious and at least outwardly cold. Claymores often live unhappy, lonely lives due to their solitary lifestyle and the knowledge that they will eventually die or become monsters. Others become hot-tempered and easily angered, while some other Claymores develop an incredible thirst for blood and become bloodthirsty killers who enjoy taking life, more savage than the Yoma they hunt. Almost all of them avoid any sort of companionship with humans.
Our story centers around Clare, a Claymore warrior who fights not only the Yoma, but to hold on to her humanity. At an early age Clare was taken by a Yoma and kept as its “pet” and only when a Claymore named Teresa destroys the Yoma is she adopted by her. After Teresa rebels against the organization and is subsequently killed, Clare volunteers to become a Claymore using Teresa's flesh in order to take revenge on the Awakened who killed her. With determination and her new found human friend Raki by her side, Clare has the power to overcome her low demonic powers and hone her skills she inherited, becoming stronger and a better fighter along the way, gradually earning the respect of strong allies and coming in conflict with the shadowy organization, the top Claymores who support them, and many powerful Awakened.