I'm currently in the process of reading through game logs and creating a character to use in DRAG0NFLIGHT's long-runnning Mekton game, which is shaping up to be a semi-parody Sentai type, basically a Sixth Ranger who gets unstuck in time at the end of his season and winds up with the dimension-hopping crew. One of the parts I'm putting serious effort into, though, is his ethics and mental background, so he's not just a cutout while still being at least somewhat mutated from a straight SI avatar. Therefore, I'm asking for opinions on how fitting the following material is for a four-going-on-65-thousand color Hero of Justice, and doing so here as well as in the game forum because there's more traffic and more people who know me as a regular here. I suppose this could go under Other People's Games or even Fanfiction, but it's not REALLY either aside from being about a game character and a couple of shout outs.
Wall-o-text mode engage!
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In order to know what Justice is, we must first be sure about what it is not. Finding the edges is always the beginning.
Justice is not "law." Justice does not even *recognise* law, though when a society is working as it should, laws are just.
Justice is not "order." Justice does not recognise hierarchies or categories. Though again, in a just society there will rarely be cause to act in a manner that causes major disruptions.
Justice is not "revenge." Merely dealing out punishment to wrongdoers doesn't undo their crimes, and unless educational or fatal doesn't even prevent future injustice.
Ultimately, Justice is "equality." Every sapient being having the chance to fulfill their needs and wants by their chosen methods. Unfortunately, since people's desires often conflict with each other and even themselves, absolute justice is, in practical terms, impossible. In such cases, a Justice Agent must find a path which inflicts the least injustice and follow it unflinchingly, with minimal effective force and always remembering to temper and soften the iron grasp of Justice with Compassion, lest their actions become Tyranny and thereby unjust. Justice means meeting honor with honor, truth with truth, and courtesy with courtesy. Futher, it means treating the dishonorable, untruthful, and discourteous with as much honor, truth, and courtesy as possible without allowing or being used to cause injustice, both as an example and to give them the opportunity to amend their ways. For the elite Danzai Soldiers of Justice Agents Danzaivar, their unparellelled ability to exert force usually means they are matched against the most terrible foes, those who would run roughshod over the lives of millions if left unchecked. Even then, an enemy who shows that they have amended their ways and demonstrates themselves to have become an Ally of Justice will be greeted as a brother.
In the words of the noted populist philosopher and major financial contributor to the Danzai Foundation, Wesley Melvin Rotheschild Newcomb IV, Duke of Newcomb-on-Earthside, "Aliens, mutants, mad scientists, whatever... Everybody gets a chance to not mess with me and Earth's babes. The smart ones take that chance, the rest I have to educate." Legend says that the Duke then cocked his shotgun, announced that class was in session, and vaulted over the wall he had been sheltering behind to charge a position held by porcish Law And Repression Dominance officers, but recordings recovered from the crater end there.
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Before becoming Danzai White, Daisuke Kiyomizu was doctor and has sworn the Hippocratic Oath, which he takes quite seriously. The specific wording involved is as follows:
I swear to fulfill, to the best of my ability and judgment, this covenant:
I will respect the hard-won scientific gains of those physicians in whose steps I walk, and gladly share such knowledge as is mine with those who are to follow.
I will apply, for the benefit of the sick, all measures that are required; I will keep them from harm and injustice.
I will remember that there is art to medicine as well as science, and that warmth, sympathy, and understanding may outweigh the surgeon's knife or the chemist's drug.
I will not be ashamed to say "I know not," nor will I fail to call in my colleagues when the skills of another are needed for a patient's recovery.
Wherever I may practise medicine, I will act for the benefit of the sick, remaining free of all intentional injustice, of all mischief and in particular of sexual relations with both female and male patients.
What I may see or hear in the course of treatment or even outside of the treatment in regard to the life of any patient I will keep to myself, holding such things shameful to be spoken about.
Most especially must I tread with care in matters of life and death. If it is given to me to save a life, all thanks. But it may also be within my power to take a life; this awesome responsibility must be faced with great humbleness and awareness of my own frailty.
I will remember that I do not treat a fever chart or a cancerous growth, but a sick living being, whose illness may affect the person's family and economic stability. My responsibility includes these related problems, if I am to care adequately for the sick.
I will prevent disease whenever I can, for prevention is preferable to cure.
I will remember that I remain a member of society, with special obligations to all my fellow beings, those sound of mind and body as well as the infirm.
If I do not violate this oath, may I enjoy life and art, respected while I live and forever remembered in death, but if I break it may the reverse be the case. May I always act so as to preserve the finest traditions of my calling and may I long experience the joy of healing those who seek my help.
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In addition, he does his best to live by the principles of Lunarian Jujitsu, as laid down by founder Nami C.:
I. There is ignorance and there is wisdom, there is turmoil and there is peace, there is death and there is life. Only by acknowledging that which you wish to change can you affect it.
II. Fortune favors the prepared. It is better to have ten plans you never need than no plan, whether for matters of conflict or peace. Simple plans for a limited circumstance are best, as they can then be assembled to fit the complex situations that the universe often presents.
III. Know where you are weak and where you have strength, when to press forward and when to retreat. There is no victory in death, no defeat in escape from a superior foe, but you must temper this rule with the consequences of your actions. Few indeed are battles with no greater stakes than pride.
IV. Meet honor with honor, truth with truth, and courtesy with courtesy. Treat the dishonorable, untruthful, and discourteous with as much honor, truth, and courtesy as you may without being used for unacceptable ends. Give assistance where it is needed if it lies within your capabilities.
V. To dismiss the importance of joy is to dismiss that which makes life worthwhile. Make time for fun and laughter, even if it is no more than a quip during a lull in battle.
VI. An agile mind is the most powerful weapon in any warrior's arsenal. There is no knowlege that is without value if one can but recognise the appropriate circumstance and adapt theory into practice to suit.
VII. An honorable foe may honorably surrender, the treacherous must be subdued if they call for mercy. Regardless, the plea of surrender should be heeded even if prisoners can only be stripped of their combat equipment and released.
VIII. There is no such thing as an unfair advantage or dishonorable tactic in a battle to the death. Sieze every advantage, use every tactic to make greater advantage, and strike without hesitation until the enemy has fallen and can not rise.
(Fenspace regulars with good memories will note that this is recycled from the philosophy that my character Wave Convoy codified to be the founding principles of his style of martial arts, named Metallikato after the fictional style in G1 Bludgeon's tech spec write up. At least, i think it was Bludgeon... anyway, this is because it's the best I've come up with that I personally would agree with, even if I lapse from the principles now and then in practice. Since a version of G1 crossed with Beasties is in continuity for the Chrono Racer campaign, I renamed the martial art to something innocuous.)
To put it more succinctly: Use the force, be prepared, know yourself, be excellent to each other, party on dudes, read a book, and have a heart, but don't stop 'till they drop.
- CD
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows
Wall-o-text mode engage!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
In order to know what Justice is, we must first be sure about what it is not. Finding the edges is always the beginning.
Justice is not "law." Justice does not even *recognise* law, though when a society is working as it should, laws are just.
Justice is not "order." Justice does not recognise hierarchies or categories. Though again, in a just society there will rarely be cause to act in a manner that causes major disruptions.
Justice is not "revenge." Merely dealing out punishment to wrongdoers doesn't undo their crimes, and unless educational or fatal doesn't even prevent future injustice.
Ultimately, Justice is "equality." Every sapient being having the chance to fulfill their needs and wants by their chosen methods. Unfortunately, since people's desires often conflict with each other and even themselves, absolute justice is, in practical terms, impossible. In such cases, a Justice Agent must find a path which inflicts the least injustice and follow it unflinchingly, with minimal effective force and always remembering to temper and soften the iron grasp of Justice with Compassion, lest their actions become Tyranny and thereby unjust. Justice means meeting honor with honor, truth with truth, and courtesy with courtesy. Futher, it means treating the dishonorable, untruthful, and discourteous with as much honor, truth, and courtesy as possible without allowing or being used to cause injustice, both as an example and to give them the opportunity to amend their ways. For the elite Danzai Soldiers of Justice Agents Danzaivar, their unparellelled ability to exert force usually means they are matched against the most terrible foes, those who would run roughshod over the lives of millions if left unchecked. Even then, an enemy who shows that they have amended their ways and demonstrates themselves to have become an Ally of Justice will be greeted as a brother.
In the words of the noted populist philosopher and major financial contributor to the Danzai Foundation, Wesley Melvin Rotheschild Newcomb IV, Duke of Newcomb-on-Earthside, "Aliens, mutants, mad scientists, whatever... Everybody gets a chance to not mess with me and Earth's babes. The smart ones take that chance, the rest I have to educate." Legend says that the Duke then cocked his shotgun, announced that class was in session, and vaulted over the wall he had been sheltering behind to charge a position held by porcish Law And Repression Dominance officers, but recordings recovered from the crater end there.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Before becoming Danzai White, Daisuke Kiyomizu was doctor and has sworn the Hippocratic Oath, which he takes quite seriously. The specific wording involved is as follows:
I swear to fulfill, to the best of my ability and judgment, this covenant:
I will respect the hard-won scientific gains of those physicians in whose steps I walk, and gladly share such knowledge as is mine with those who are to follow.
I will apply, for the benefit of the sick, all measures that are required; I will keep them from harm and injustice.
I will remember that there is art to medicine as well as science, and that warmth, sympathy, and understanding may outweigh the surgeon's knife or the chemist's drug.
I will not be ashamed to say "I know not," nor will I fail to call in my colleagues when the skills of another are needed for a patient's recovery.
Wherever I may practise medicine, I will act for the benefit of the sick, remaining free of all intentional injustice, of all mischief and in particular of sexual relations with both female and male patients.
What I may see or hear in the course of treatment or even outside of the treatment in regard to the life of any patient I will keep to myself, holding such things shameful to be spoken about.
Most especially must I tread with care in matters of life and death. If it is given to me to save a life, all thanks. But it may also be within my power to take a life; this awesome responsibility must be faced with great humbleness and awareness of my own frailty.
I will remember that I do not treat a fever chart or a cancerous growth, but a sick living being, whose illness may affect the person's family and economic stability. My responsibility includes these related problems, if I am to care adequately for the sick.
I will prevent disease whenever I can, for prevention is preferable to cure.
I will remember that I remain a member of society, with special obligations to all my fellow beings, those sound of mind and body as well as the infirm.
If I do not violate this oath, may I enjoy life and art, respected while I live and forever remembered in death, but if I break it may the reverse be the case. May I always act so as to preserve the finest traditions of my calling and may I long experience the joy of healing those who seek my help.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
In addition, he does his best to live by the principles of Lunarian Jujitsu, as laid down by founder Nami C.:
I. There is ignorance and there is wisdom, there is turmoil and there is peace, there is death and there is life. Only by acknowledging that which you wish to change can you affect it.
II. Fortune favors the prepared. It is better to have ten plans you never need than no plan, whether for matters of conflict or peace. Simple plans for a limited circumstance are best, as they can then be assembled to fit the complex situations that the universe often presents.
III. Know where you are weak and where you have strength, when to press forward and when to retreat. There is no victory in death, no defeat in escape from a superior foe, but you must temper this rule with the consequences of your actions. Few indeed are battles with no greater stakes than pride.
IV. Meet honor with honor, truth with truth, and courtesy with courtesy. Treat the dishonorable, untruthful, and discourteous with as much honor, truth, and courtesy as you may without being used for unacceptable ends. Give assistance where it is needed if it lies within your capabilities.
V. To dismiss the importance of joy is to dismiss that which makes life worthwhile. Make time for fun and laughter, even if it is no more than a quip during a lull in battle.
VI. An agile mind is the most powerful weapon in any warrior's arsenal. There is no knowlege that is without value if one can but recognise the appropriate circumstance and adapt theory into practice to suit.
VII. An honorable foe may honorably surrender, the treacherous must be subdued if they call for mercy. Regardless, the plea of surrender should be heeded even if prisoners can only be stripped of their combat equipment and released.
VIII. There is no such thing as an unfair advantage or dishonorable tactic in a battle to the death. Sieze every advantage, use every tactic to make greater advantage, and strike without hesitation until the enemy has fallen and can not rise.
(Fenspace regulars with good memories will note that this is recycled from the philosophy that my character Wave Convoy codified to be the founding principles of his style of martial arts, named Metallikato after the fictional style in G1 Bludgeon's tech spec write up. At least, i think it was Bludgeon... anyway, this is because it's the best I've come up with that I personally would agree with, even if I lapse from the principles now and then in practice. Since a version of G1 crossed with Beasties is in continuity for the Chrono Racer campaign, I renamed the martial art to something innocuous.)
To put it more succinctly: Use the force, be prepared, know yourself, be excellent to each other, party on dudes, read a book, and have a heart, but don't stop 'till they drop.
- CD
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows