Demonic Arms

The Demonic Arms are regarded as one of the most notorious groups of rogues to ever walk the cosmos, have remained a constant in small-regional affairs across various realms. From their time as a faction of anarchists within PSony-3's Home Lands to being the architects behind the destruction of several ancient Demon-led Empires to pillars of the Dark Council to being of the Tatara and a significant rival to several hero factions; their history is rich and documented by the public for all of the actions they have taken.   Previously under the leadership of Zero Blackheart, the group's focus was stated to be on tearing down the foundations of corrupt systems in order to construct newer + better systems; however with Zero's death the group has nearly collapsed into a flux of infighting and splinter factions vying for control. In recent months the group has found guidance under the leadership of the former "Alliance Organizer" Eduard Sartago among others.  

History

{Admin Note: the full lore of the Demonic Arms has been more or less watered down and the full meat lost. We will try and update this with more as we can but largely, this is a summary of what is known.}

Before Psony-3

Much of the DA's history before their activities of the Home Lands is unknown, due to badly kept or lost records. It is stated that originally it was a group of nine powerful warriors under the control of the revolutionist Corus, who served as Zero's master & mentor. The earliest records state that under Zero, the 'Taoreta' worked as assets for the Mephisto Empire; though some time before the height of the Homeland's golden age, the Taoreta under Corus destroyed the Mephisto Empire. This branded them as a target of the United Dimension Federation, of which the Mephisto were an alliance member.   Recently it has come out that Zero was raised within the Empire as a gift from the Shadow Dominions, the intent being to forge an alliance together within their respective Demon World. This however failed due to the discovery that the Mephisto had intentions to assassinate Shadow Blackheart & in turn blame it upon the Federation to trigger a war. This atop other incidents led to Zero's Taoreta leveled the capitol. It was at this point that the group would rebrand itself under both Zero and Corus, to be known as The Sapphire Ravens.  

Early Home Days

Following the destruction of the Mephisto Empire, the now Sapphire Ravens fled their realm to avoid the Federation's onslaught. Continuing to work alongside the Dominions, they set up shop and began biding for some control of their own in their early years. Allying with groups such as the Blackbox Agency and The Bound. Throughout their starting years though the group was, at first, a mercenary group taking on various odd jobs and tasks in order to acquire their own funding without aid from the Dominions. It is said that this was done due to Zero's lack of desire to be indebted to his father's group.   As time went on the flaws of the Homelands became clear to the Ravens, or at least flaws that they believed in. Corruption, inequality, violence. With direction from both Shadow, Corus, and Zero- the group began making moves with the intent to clean up the Homelands. The Ravens began to work with various politicians and business people in an effort to build up their resources in preparation, and to forge alliances to aid in any coming battles. They would use the resources of these allies to eliminate rivals to both them and their employers, before eventually turning on their employers entirely.   It was due to their early work and their connections that they could import resources that eventually led to the DA being known for their technological innovations. Around them tensions continued to grow as other factions began making moves, fighting for territory and power over the lands. And at some point the Dominions had even withdrawn many of their forces to focus on other realms in need of aid. Eventually the Warring States Period would begin, and during its starting years the Sapphire Ravens would make their marks well known.  

Warring States Era

Come the Corporation Wars and the Warring States Era, the Sapphire Ravens would continue their work as mercenaries for hire so long as the right bidder came along. At other times their military power grew as they preyed upon the unfortunate- indoctrinating them with promises of power and change. Through this the SR began to take out leaders and prop up those more in line with their ideals + the ideals of the Dominions. They would deal with rivals and distinct enemies, often engaging in battle within the populated regions and in the wilderness. The SR’s elite powers had continued to grow, eventually becoming a force that few could challenge fairly.   In the early months of this period there were few guilds that could substantially challenge the forces of the SR- between their power users and their technologies as well as the network of bases. Zero's "elite units" held over from the Taoreta days continued to exude themselves as some of the strongest on the front lines. For months none could stand and properly challenge the SR. With the combination of Zero's tactics and Corus's leadership, it seemd as though the Sapphire Ravens would sweep all of Home in but a few short years and hold ultimate power; though unfortunate for the group there came a battle in which their leader, Corus, was slain.   This would trigger a change as Zero became the sole voice in command of the order. Soon the desire to wipe away the corruption shifted into a path of peace through destruction, taking Corus's message to the extreme. To stand against the oppression and wipe away the systems themselves which had harmed so many. In line with this transformation, the name Demonic Arms was adopted- Demonic not for the edgy title of the Demons, rather for those viewed as heathens and lesser beings, to stand against the standing powers.   Under Zero's more aggressive policy and nature, fewer resources were sent to 'allies' and were instead locked in battles with rival guilds. For months none could stand and properly challenge the DA- not until the arrival of the Cynder Alliance and the UDF.   Despite both CA and UDF taking action to combat the DA, it was mostly the CA making any serious moves as they held the backing & resources of many of the DA's enemies- as well as the power users capable of challenging the DA's strongest. For years the heart of the Warring States period could best be described as the Demonic Arms vs anyone that got in their way. For a time, that was specifically the Cynder Alliance.   There were many battles between the elite of the DA and the CA. Battles for Edo. Battles for Sodium. Battles for Lockwood and islands and so on. While not a dedicated true war, it was most certainly a frequent fighting of the strongest on each side. Zero, Lightning, Jay, Beleth & Haze, vs the likes of Cynder, Sujit, Kimmy, Tyrant, and Kovu. For years, the DA with their tech and powers vs the CA with their tech and powers. People on both sides, even Zero and Kimmy, had died in battle- though through their own means they would come back and stay strong.   The specifics of this Warring State Era are best summarized as a constant back and forth with few outside parties able to intervene... and this was the routine until the Alliance pulled out. Due to something as of yet unknown, the Cynder Alliance had pulled out from the war and left the Home Lands. It is guessed that this was to handle a more dire matter in the CA's home jurisdiction halfway across the PSony-3 Realm. Whatever the case, their abandonment of the war left the DA in full control of the situation- and none would properly challenge them for a time... or so it was thought.   It was by this point that the UDF were ready to take action, and take action they did. Famously with a surprise attack, Tara Frost who headed the UDF launched a devastating win against the DA and pushed them back. Battle after battle the DA was pressed from their territory, these battles spanning over the weeks, up until a showdown with a result that no one saw coming. As a means to stop the momentum of the UDF, Zero himself led an attack and battled Tara's Commando Unit. A battle that stretched on for a week in the plains with death all around them; it was unknown to many that this would be the final battle of the Warring States Period.   By battle's end, Zero had been defeated and captured by Tara. Zero, known for coming close to death many a time and always surviving or escaping, had been defeated. What could have been the end however turned into something of a different note for the two once-upon-a-time friends, as Tara chose to spare Zero and instead propose negotiations for proper peace and settlement. Peaceful rule, under joint lead by the DA and UDF. It was something no one expected- a chance for the people to be heard and for order to be secured.   And so it was- the war was over.   The DA had surrendered itself, turning over many of their territories back into the hands of the people; though to the surprise of many, most opted to maintain the changes brought about by the DA's rule. It was stated that this had been the deciding factor for the joint rule, as both sides agreed to terms that brought about actual prosperity. Peace was able to be reestablished for a time as political discussion over the future transpired.   And for all, it looked as if the Region would finally know peace... until- Dr. Midori turned on the DA.  

The Terminator Wars

It was during a meeting within the Winter Villas, peace talks between both UDF and DA forces with the people, that the final war had begun. Tara was murdered, several of the Taoreta died fending off a machine army, and Zero BARELY escaped with his life. Betrayal by Dr. Midori, Tobex Tatara, Lucky Shin, and a select for of the UDF's own- these many had teamed up to begin a war that would be dubbed the Terminator Wars, as machine armies rapidly annihilated the peace and civilizations of the Home Lands.   It was an act that would unite everyone under a single alliance banner to stop Midori and his plans to conquer not only the Home Lands; but the entirety of PSony-3. Many battles to the death were fought in a bid to defend the Home Lands, to take territory back from the Terminators. Bloody warfare as magic went against the technology. This war would last for awhile, taking a toll on the land and forcing many civilians to flee, and by the end of that year it was obvious that the machines were winning.   It was thus in a last ditch attack that the DA made a suicidal last stand by attacking the heart of Midori's operation, something that another of Zero's close agents had died to find. A strike within the Sodium Desert for the main core of Midori's machine army, the central computer. Zero led the last of his elites in one final strike against the machine army and did battle. Midori was killed, the core system was destroyed by a suicidal blast by Beleth and Haze, the army was deactivated and all seemed to be going right- though in his final hour, Midori made sure that if he lost then everyone would lose.   A weapon known as the Vertex Bomb was dropped on the Home Lands, a weapon that caused immediate instability with the space-time shifts of the region that had allowed for fast travel around the realm. And it was as a result of this that the Home Lands imploded, killing unknown numbers of survivors and presumably destroying the entire territory.   While they had come out on top, the cost was great. For months, the DA spent their time helping to evacuate the Home Lands before they were swept away in the poison. The war had changed everyone, especially Zero. From his view, people could not be trusted. He would use the Demonic Arms to go back to his old methods, only more extreme. Their mission became less about creating peace and more about destroying 'broken' systems, regardless of how many would have to die.  

The Chaos Wars

The Demonic Arms did constant battle against all after moving to Mugen, frequent terrorist attacks and actual militia confrontation in the streets. New Edo of Nippon was one such heavily hit area constantly being fought for. He took command of the Demon World of the Realm and then some. The Demonic Arms quickly became one of the more powerful factions and would be unchallenged due to the UDF politically being forbidden to get involved. Until NGA arrived, the DA were unmatched. NGA's arrival would trigger a whole series of conflicts though, starting with a Hell Uprising.   Though the clash between NGA and the DA happened, it was short, given the rise of the Dark Council. Once the Dark Council came along though the DA was one of several groups which had melded together. Their voice was largely lost despite Zero's best efforts- and when the 1st Tatara Conflict began, that essentially broke the DA. It fragmented and remained bound to the Demon World for years. Not much can really be said about the DA as at that point, Zero had disappeared and his agents were not focused on running the show. The Demonic Arms lost its place in the world after and were never able to match NGA again. DA Bases were systematically eliminated, going into the Skirmish Years where the DA would be one of several groups fighting to survive against NGA.   The group would slide under the radar until the end of the Chaos Wars Era which saw the end of Zero. Without Zero’s name holding the group together it fractured, mostly confining itself to the Demon World. Multiple splinter cells with their own leaders popped up, each having different reasons and objectives. Others who could have led the group, such as Reise Blackheart, disappeared without a trace- believed killed in action.  

The Return

In recent times, one of Zero's former top "Alliance Organizers" Eduard Sartago has taken power and begun to steer the group back into a direction considered by most to be 'functional.' Their aim is to reconquer what was once DA assets and territory, hoping that they will grow back into what they once were. Though without Zero, the direction of the DA has changed greatly- with their future objectives as of now being unknown. While they are still known as the Demonic Arms, this is but one of many pockets of remnants. In truth the Demonic Arms itself, as it was, has since fallen.    

Article Credits

Article written by Alexander Stormsong.   Lore by various DA Members of the past.