List of Battle Arena Toshinden REDUX Terms

A glossary of terms and elements within Battle Arena Toshinden REDUX.

Toshinden
Japanese in origin, it's name translates to The God of Fighting's Arena.

An annual underworld weaponship fighting tournament, long held since the birth of the Secret Society.

A grand spectacle of bloodsport and violence, the tournament has been long used as an underworld entertainment event. In the current day, the event still remains that way, racking in high gambling turnovers from the ordinary man to the corporate manager, and massive viewership fees through a pirate television channel.

Competitors for the tournament show up in great numbers. While codes of conduct are enforced during its entrance rounds, worthy participants are soon placed in in the limelight, secluded from outside support in a ring with few and loose rules, and forced to act with abandon live in front of millions. After the finals commence, one will win the tournament, and be granted a series of prizes, along with a single wish. As a winner takes all tournament, to reach for the top in the Toshinden means to bear no mercy.

Many rumors also abound its true nature. Some say it is also used to secretly rid of those that bear threat to the Secret Society itself, both in and out of the ring. Some correlate the rise of crimes and occurrence of major disasters during the activity of the events, said to distract authorities so that the matches may ensue. Some state that the matches are rigged in the finals with one associated with the Secret Society, so that they may gain the profits from the tournament themselves. Others state of its use as a way to perform grisly and evil rituals related to dark gods and malevolent entities through its contenders.

Regardless of such things, plenty shall enter, and only one shall win at the top.

Rules

 * 1) Fighters must bear the weapon they registered with at all times.
 * 2) Fighters can discuss their own standards before they clash.
 * 3) Incapacitation of any sort results in loss. Deaths are all ruled accidental during the tournament.
 * 4) Overkill of an opponent is not allowed.
 * 5) Ejection from the arena during the match is an automatic loss.
 * 6) The Society will deal fair judgment upon the breach of the codes of conduct.

Secret Society
An underground society of individuals said to bask in luxuries and pleasures beyond that of what the known world currently has. Highly anonymous in its profiles, it is said that many corporations, high end businesses, foundations, and wealthy figures have ties to the Society.

While extremely secretive and exclusionary, since the dawn of global trade, has there been tales and myths of their very being; stories so grand in content and scale that they are considered too fantastical to be plausible and believable by the mass public. Tales abound of their members capable of turning ordinary material into precious metals and gems, devising grand technological designs and discoveries outclassing current standards, performing mythical feats of physic, agility, and acuity, bearing knowledge and truths that would change the world in an instant, and being able to use the once fabled power of magic.

Amidst the criminal underworld and those of the higher class who steep themselves into such dregs of society however, does the mere mention of the Secret Society bring awe and terror to their ears. Those who have left such lives behind them or have had cutthroat encounters with the Society bear stories of great cruelty, cold inhumanities, and machinations of such horrifying degrees beyond what one could imagine, being said to have been responsible for a large majority of suffering and world impacting crimes throughout history.

Those that are said to oppose them directly are to not be expected auspiciousness nor joy upon their decision, as they are said to have their influence in nearly every aspect of society.

Gerard Foundation
An enormous worldwide corporation of trade, commerce, and micromanagement of various large scale social undertakings and projects.

It is said that deep down in its true purpose, the Foundation is actually a front for the Secret Society's own surveillance over the everyday world.

Magic
The ability to harness and invoke change upon the world through some form of preternatural or supernatural mean.

Qi/Ki
A force found in all living beings. Discovered and researched in the regions of East Asia.

While it is said to take on many forms, Qi has also been described as the force of life, of which it is responsible for the animation of living beings.

Those who have properly trained themselves in its usage can harness their own to perform many great feats and powers.

Soul Bomb
The inner power of an individual, brought about through adversity, tension, and desperation. Amongst martial artists and fighters, a Soul Bomb amplifies their own vital and spiritual energy, allowing them to transcend physical limits, being briefly a literal living energy

Rune Tech
A form of magical technology. Through the use of languages and symbols that have been steeped in power, often through rituals of enchantment to otherworldly forces or deities for it to be allowed such degree of effect onto the world, said languages be powerful in influence and draw upon forces of reality, allowing magic to be utilized in such a manner.

Rune Tech merely utilizes this principle of invoking in tandem with technological design, allowing a machine to use magic.

Through etching the various language onto the device's components, the magic invoked and desired will take affect onto the machine. When finished, the magic shall take effect and making the device complete and functional.

Age of Magic
A terminology used by the Secret Society, to describe the Medieval, Dark, and BC eras of history, when the ability of Magic was commonly used in the repertoire of mankind.

Dawn of Paradise
A prophecy held by the Secret Society and many others like themselves in the underworld.

Spoken of by a Delphine priestess, it is said to be the dawn of a great age where man shall bask in pleasure and not to ever toil in labor, and there shall be no hardships to ever plague man ever again.

For years and years, the Secret Society has worked to prepare for this prophecy. Their methods, if one looks at them closely, are questionable at best, however.

Culmination
Another part of the Dawn of Paradise prophecy. The age before the Dawn of Paradise, where man will have to deal with all of their achievements and repercussions of their pasts to overcome to achieve the Dawn of Paradise.

The End
The said result of failing to achieve the Dawn of Paradise.

A terrible period of tyranny, where evil and perversity run rampant. The establishment of a new age heralded with false intentions, and pure vice. For years and years to come, the world shall be plagued and scourged by corrupted establishments, immense cruelty, and complete chaos. Those that will do good shall only fail. The worst will only be nurtured in all.

Man shall prove themselves to the gods as those not worthy of life. Then they shall perish as the world attempts to rid itself of them.

The Secret Society lives in fear of this result.

Four Sacred Weapons of the Divine Beasts
In East Asia, four sacred beasts are said to be the guardians of the cardinal directions, and the embodiments of various phenomena throughout the world.

Long ago, upon the birth of the Qin Dynasty and the fall of the Schools of One Hundred Thoughts, an escaping scholar was greeted by the Four Beasts. Stating that mankind was eventually going to become more independent from the help of the divine, and only look to the gods for inner strength and guidance, the Four Beasts bestowed upon the man great treasure from each of them, endowed with their blessings and serendipity.

Selling the treasure and retreating to safety in his tumultuous time, the four treasures made their way throughout history, being melted down and worked into many different forms. Finally, in the early years of Anno Domini, at the same time, the four treasures were forged into weapons that would find themselves in the hands of many who would write history.

Byakko
Byakko, the White Tiger. Said to be the king of all animals, Byakko is also known as a deity of justice and virtue.

Upon the destined hour when his treasure was made into a weapon, it was a broken metal shinjukyo mirror, before it was made into a katana, in the nation of Japan.

Bestowed with power of the element of Metal, the sword glistens with a polish like no other blade. Records state of battles where the sword was used that its shine, brandished, cut through swaths and crowds of foes down in a flash, manipulating light to unleash powerful techniques and attacks to those who master this very ability.

Genbu
Genbu, the Black Tortoise.

Seiryu
Seiryu, the Teal Dragon.

Suzaku
Suzaku, the Vermillion Bird.

Toshin
Toshin, the Kami of Fighting.

Lost Fifth
Once a rumor and legend amongst the Four Sacred Weapons of the Divine Beasts.

The Lost Fifth is an ancient artfiact, and said to be the long lost original king of the Four Sacred weapons, representing the bestowed gift of the Golden Dragon of Center, Heaven, and Earth, Sheng Long.