Can't decide who or what to play? This short document will introduce you to the different character types and cultures of the world of FMA. This document may change from time to time as updates are added. If you still have any questions about getting a character started, please contact the admin for help!
-Riza Hawkeye
I. Main Location - Most of the world of FMA centers around the country Amestris. It is a diverse country ranging in landscapes and peoples. The country is ruled by a Furher and his military based in Central City. In Amestris, the military and it's cadre of State Alchemists are mostly revered, though not entirely.
II. Character Types:
Civilian - Civilians make up the majority of the FMA population and they range in ability and description. Though there are two notable categories.
Alchemists - Civilian alchemists are typically self taught or taught under a mentor. They range in specialties and skill though most civilian alchemists are not as skilled as State Alchemists who have access to the State library in Central. Alot of civilian alchemists eventually take the State Alchemy Exam though few of them make it into the coveted ranks. Alchemists (including State Alchemists) have a specific speciality, jacks of all trades like the Elrics are very, very rare.
Automail Mechanics - These mechanical gurus practice a very specialized form of machinery: They create replacement limbs. These pieces of art mingled with science connect directly to the human nervous system to allow the machine to react to the human brain in the same way human muscle and flesh would. Most of the these people are part Doctor and part machinist. Some automail mechanics, however, do not specialize in the attachment surgery and only work the actual developement and upkeep of automail.
Military - The strong arm of the Furher, the State Military is broken down in the usual martial style of divisions and individual ranks.
List of Military ranks from highest to lowest:
Furher (There is one and only one at a time)
General
Lieutenant General
Major General
Brigadier General
Colonel
Lieutenant Colonel
Major (All State Alchemists start with the rank of Major)
First Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Warrent Officer
Sergeant Major
Sergeant
State Alchemists - These revered and feared individuals passed the State Alchemy Exam and enetered the Military Corps. Each State Alchemist is given a name by the Furher which usually reflects an Alchemists specific brand of alchemy, his or her personality, or both. (Please note if we have an explosion of State Alchemists we may chose to limit the number in the room for a period of time.)
Other character types:
Chimera -. A chimera is the result of a transmutation performed upon animals and possibly humans as well. There are typically two creatures involved in the transmutation and no more since the outcome would be totaly unpredicatable (so no wolf/human/scorpion/snake/lion chimeras please). These transmutations usually result in three general outcomes.
Animal/Animal Chimera - Created from two different animals, this type of chimera reacts with the base instints and intelligence of the animals they are made from. While they can be trained, they are on the whole unpredicatble and dangerous creatures. These are the most common type of chimera.
Animal Dominate/Human Chimera - Even though these chimera were created from a human and an animal, the animal side and characteristics are more pronouced. It is important to note that this type of chimera is constantly in pain and seeking an end to its tortured existance. The end result is that they refuse to eat and wither away until they die.
Human Dominate/Animal Chimera - These chimera can pass for human though they possess the curious ability to summon their more animalistic traits on command. Depending what type of animal a human is combined with he or she may display increased physical capabilities as a result of the transmutation.
Homunculus (Please note that there will never be more than seven homunculi in the room at once, and these are highly restricted characters.) Sometimes an alchemist tries the forbidden. Whether driven by grief, or mad desire, time and time again, alchemists try to bring the dead back to life. When they do, the result is a twisted creature that isn't human. In fact is it possible that most homunculi would die early on in their life except those given red stone. Those that recieve the stone find themselves remade into a human like creature with powers beyond that of any mortal. They are nearly indestructable, stronger and faster than humans, and possess inhuman powers specific to each homunculus.
Most alchemists cannot even perform the transmutation with any tangible result. It seems that the will and ability of the alchemist is as crucial in the creation as the power used since Shao Tucker was unable, even with the use of the Philosopher's Stone to re-create his daughter, Nina. Those that succeed in summoning the Gate rarely live to tell the tale since the Gate will extract its own price from the Alchemist. This type of Alchemy is outlawed in Amestris and carries strict penalties, even death, if the Alchemist manages to survive the experience.
There are very few ways to kill a homunculus and both proven methods revolve around using up in some form or fashion the available red stone in its body. All homunculi have a weakness. For most it is the presence of their remains but tokens of their past (as demonstrated by Lust's locket) and sounds (as you see with Wrath in the anime) can serve the same purpose. It is unknown if other types of stimuli can engineer the same result.