Fandom Pirates - Lore

[Suzumaki Arakai]

Devil Fruits

Devil Fruits are said to be the fruits of the Sea Devil and that the secret to their power is hidden in the Grand Line. Because encounters with them are rare (especially outside the Grand Line), a number of rumors about them have risen, making it difficult to tell whether some things are fact or fiction.

The average person knows nothing or very little about what they are or what they do; this especially applies to isolated countries, even within the Grand Line, such as Amazon Lily and Wano Country, instead believing the powers bestowed to be curses or sorcery.

Because of their power, if sold they can expect to reach well over

100,000,000 and Devil Fruit users themselves are sold at market prices as slaves. Of course, individual fruits each have their differences in price, dependent on the powers bestowed, as the Ope Ope no Mi is worth

5,000,000,000 in the black market. There are more than 100 types of Devil Fruit.

One running theme with Devil Fruits, however, is the fact that they taste unimaginably bad, to the point of making it seem like the user had taken poison. The Devil Fruit, when consumed, gives the consumer a power or special trait, which they will immediately become aware of; a person who has eaten a Devil Fruit and gained its powers is known as a Devil Fruit User (N?ryoku-sha, literally meaning "Ability User" or "Esper").

They come in different shapes and colors, and all Devil Fruits presumably have swirl marks or patterns on them of some kind. There can be only one of each type of fruit at a time. Only one bite is needed for the user to gain the power of a Devil Fruit, after which the Devil Fruit becomes a simple, useless, disgusting fruit. Despite this, all users tend to eat the entire fruit, as they are apparently unaware of this fact. Swallowing the fruit whole has the same effect. Peeling off the skin and eating it piece by piece also works. After ingesting the fruit, the powers within affect the eater's lineage factor.

Devil Fruit power also generally affects the clothes the user is wearing. Paramecia fruit users alter their clothes along with themselves automatically. Zoan fruit users' clothes will fit in the same proportions after transformation. And Logia fruit users transform their clothes (and subsequent accessories) to their element along with themselves.

With this new power comes a weakness: the sea rejects the new Devil Fruit user and they become helpless while submerged in water (or "become a hammer," in Japanese parlance). Devil Fruit users are susceptible to all types of water, not just seawater. This includes the white sea surrounding Skypiea. "Moving" water, like rain or waves, does not weaken Devil Fruit users, while standing water does. It is not until a Devil Fruit user is knee deep in water that they become immobilized. Even if a part of the user is submerged, they cannot use their Devil Fruit powers, no matter how much or how little is submerged. However, if the user's body has been permanently altered by the fruit, then the user's ability can be manipulated by outside sources.

Paramecia

The most common of the three classes, users of Paramecia class Devil Fruits gain superhuman physical abilities or traits, such as shock wave generation and locking onto targets. Other fruits can alter features of the body such as a rubber physique or body of blades, or the people, objects, and environment around the user, like levitating objects or turning people into toys. Finally, there are some users that can manipulate and generate some kinds of substances, such as wax and poison.

Zoan

The users of Zoan class Devil Fruits gain the ability to transform into an animal (and acquire every trait affiliated with said animal). The user can also transform into a human-animal hybrid form or a twin-beast hybrid. Zoan fruits can also be transferred into weapons, such as guns or swords. There are Zoan Devil Fruits based not only on common animals, but for prehistoric animals like dinosaurs and mythological creatures as well (ancient and mythological are rarer, with mythological said to be even rarer than Logia Devil Fruits).

Logia

The rarest of the three Devil Fruit classes, users of Logia class Devil Fruits gain the ability to transform themselves into an element, whether it be solid elements like ice or sand, liquids like mud or syrup, gases like smoke and poison gas, forms of plasma (in some cases, energies) like fire and lightning, or into a materialization of abstract concepts such as darkness. This can effectively make them intangible making physical attacks harmless go through them, or able to absorb the attack completely. They also gain every ability related to that element and gain the skill to disperse, control and rejoin any part of their bodies while conscious and in control of their powers (including explosions, bullet wounds or cuts). Logia users can move every part of their transformed bodies while in element form.

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[Suzumaki Arakai]

Main Lore

The current story takes place 800 years after the Great Kingdom fall and the World Government takes over the world stage, 22 years after Gol D. Roger the Pirate King was executed and inspires the Golden Pirate Age. After his death, countless of Pirates sets out to find his greatest treasure One Piece.


The world of One Piece is populated by humans and numerous other races, including mermen and mermaids, "fishmen" (a race of fish/human hybrid), and giants. It is covered by two vast oceans, which are divided by a massive mountain range called the Red Line. The Grand Line, a sea that runs perpendicular to the Red Line, further divides them into four seas: North Blue, East Blue, West Blue and South Blue. Surrounding the Grand Line are two regions called Calm Belts, similar to the Horse latitudes, which experience almost no wind and ocean currents and are breeding ground for the huge sea creatures called neptunians.


Because of this, the calm belts are very effective barriers for those trying to enter the Grand Line. While marine ships, using sea-prism stone to mask their presence, can simply pass through, most have to use the canal system of Reverse Mountain, a mountain at the first intersection of the Grand Line and the Red Line. Sea water from each of the four seas runs up that mountain and merges at the top to flow down a fifth canal and into the first half of the Grand Line. The second half of the Grand Line, beyond the second intersection with the Red Line, is also known as the New World.


The currents and weather on the Grand Line's open sea are extremely unpredictable, whereas in the vicinity of islands the climate is stable. The magnetic fields within the Grand Line cause normal compasses to not work there, making it even harder to navigate; a special compass called a Log Pose must be used. The Log Pose works by locking on to one island's magnetic field and then locking on to another island's magnetic field. The time for it to set depends on the island. This process can be bypassed by obtaining an Eternal Pose, a Log Pose variation that is permanently set to a specific island and never changes.


The world of One Piece includes anachronisms, such as the Transponder Snails (Den-Den Mushi), snail-like animal that can be attached to electric equipment and function as rotary phones, fax machines, surveillance cameras, and similar devices. Dials, the shells of certain sky-dwelling animal, can be used to store kinetic energy, wind, sound, images, heat, and the like and have various applications.


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Bounties

Becoming Wanted




Normally, a bounty is issued by a government official or by the police. The idea is to tempt others into aiding the capture of the criminal so they can be brought to justice quickly. Bounty Hunters make careers trying to find and capture these wanted people. Bounties are issued with a "Dead or Alive" disclaimer, meaning the reward will be paid so long as the threat gets eliminated, but Baroque Works, a once famous agency led by Crocodile, agents state that bounties are usually only paid in full if the criminal is captured alive; up to 30% of the bounty money may be lost by bringing in someone dead, since no public execution can be held.


The amount of a bounty is determined in response to the perceived threat level of the criminal in question; the greater the threat to the world, the greater the bounty. In the eyes of a pirate, high bounties are thus usually seen as a sign of strength. After all, having been assigned a bounty means that the World Government as well as the Marines acknowledge the threat of the person to whom it is assigned. A bounty in excess of 100,000,000 indicates that the person to whom it was assigned has committed unlawful acts of catastrophic degrees.


Earning a large bounty in a quick time also gives the pirate notorious attention and a global reputation.




Bounty Issuing




A bounty reflects both the threat and power of an individual. Engaging in activities deemed criminal by the World Government or associating with groups which engage in them is enough to warrant significant bounties even if the criminal is not powerful themselves. In particular, direct opposition to the World Government, no matter the reason, is treated as a serious offense, and bounties are issued accordingly.

A bounty can be increased for several reasons:

The threat of a person's observed combat abilities.


More experienced bounty hunters volunteering to capture the individual or group


Further criminal acts beyond the initial one


Inspiring criminal acts when provoked or inciting others to act 'criminally.'




Occasionally, a designated amount on a bounty may increase if the criminal in question has committed crimes of considerable magnitude that goes beyond the crime(s) committed beforehand that earned them their initial bounty. Since the Marines can only issue bounties based on their knowledge of the criminal in question, a bounty may not necessarily reflect the true threat of a person.


Regardless of the discrepancies, bounties are still treated as a way to determine a person's average threat level, being the one facet of society that can be easily compared. Stacking them against averages helps determine threats in relation to location; for example, the average bounty in the East Blue is

3,000,000, so a noteworthy one there would be

10,000,000 or more.


Since East Blue is defined as the weakest of the four seas outside of the Grand Line, West, North, and South Blue must have higher average bounties and have a greater number of famous criminals hailing from their waters. However, the four 'cardinal (direction)' seas pale in comparison to the Grand Line, where an exceptional bounty is around

100,000,000, and is considered nothing in the New World (or the second half of the Grand Line), where

100,000,000 is common or weak.




Retracting Bounties




Bounties, once issued, are usually only retracted when the criminal is captured, killed, or is known to have otherwise died. A change in lifestyle will not affect the bounty. Wanted posters are usually marked with a large red X to indicate that the criminal was taken care of. A bounty can last for over a hundred years if the criminal is not proven to be dead.


Aside from death or capture, bounties may be retracted if the criminal can prove themselves an asset to either the Marines or World Government. This is the case with the Shichibukai, who are considered allies of the World Government and have their bounties retracted; this extends to any criminal serving as a subordinate to the Shichibukai. A bounty may be removed by a court of law.

Marines

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The Marines are the World Government's military sea force, tasked with law enforcement, international security and military operations. The Marines are one of the three great powers, alongside the Shichibukai and the Yonko. They are present in all the seas around the world, as evidenced by their branch offices. The focus of their assets is on the far more dangerous Grand Line.


The duty of the Marines is to maintain a law and order throughout the world and impose the will and might of the World Government. They are therefore considered the key strategic development force in the World Government and are expected to obey its orders at will. Sometimes these orders are questionable, however they are expected to carry them out regardless of opinion. Amongst their duties is awarding bounty hunters the bounties on the heads of a criminal. They tolerate bounty hunters as a method of making their job easier but are known to go out bounty hunting themselves. Apprehended criminals who are brought in alive are handed over to be made an example of, the Marines are left to ensuring the exportation of these criminals to prison and/or to their execution.


Marines often work in pairs with one superior officer and a second in command or a subordinate who is of a lower rank. These partnerships may remain even during promotions with both pairs advancing in rank together. In the pair, the higher ranked officer will give the orders to those under their command, while the other acts as an adviser or information gatherer while ensuring their partner's command is undertaken by the men.


Higher ranked Marines (admirals and the fleet admiral) are expected to be on call to lead the Marine forces into war. This may take form of apprehending many criminals at once, protecting the World Nobles or calling a Buster Call to tackle a situation. Vice admirals are the ones who serve on the ships that the admirals call out and are tasked with carrying out the admirals orders exactly.


The main purpose of the Marines remain footed in the idea of bringing justice to any criminal. They use justice as their constituted policy to manage a world that is made entirely of one ocean much easier. However, the main problem within the Marines is the approach to Justice. They are generally divided between those who support Moral Justice and those who support Absolute Justice with the latter being the code of conduct for the Marines as a central doctrine. Nevertheless, there is little worry from the higher ranked Marines as to how the Justice is carried out so long as it is, leading those who truly support absolute justice to make questionable actions in carrying out their duties.


One of the most questionable parts of their "Justice" is when it comes to slavery. Despite the practice supposedly being abolished years before, it is often shown that they just look the other way. Especially when it comes to the World Nobles' slaves, where it is even seen as a crime to free said slaves even if the person is merely a child. Often they are tasked to find and retrieve the person to be a slave once again.
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Shichibukai




The Shichibukai, the full title being Oka Shichibukai (literally meaning "Royal Seven Warlords of the Sea"), are seven powerful and notorious pirates who have allied themselves with the World Government.


The Shichibukai is an organization of seven pirates turned privateers in the service of the World Government. Although they work for the World Government, the Shichibukai themselves typically do not care about nor respect the Government. On the other hand, they are known as "government dogs" and are despised by other pirates, but are still feared and respected for their infamous reputation and strength which they gained before, and even after they become Shichibukai.


A pirate may choose to join the Shichibukai if a space becomes vacant (which means that at least one Shichibukai must resign or be expelled from the group, the former being Jinbe's case and the latter being Crocodile's case). However, in order for one to become a Shichibukai once this position opens up, one must be able to exhibit their strength against other pirates while choosing to pledge loyalty to the World Government (this ironically encourages pirates to gain infamy to become a Shichibukai) by making a pact with the Gorosei. If the pirate in question can be used as intimidation, the position may be offered to them, if no other pirate has accepted the position or proven to be more of an asset to the World Government. As expected, most members were already notorious pirates with high bounties, but even relatively unknown pirates can be admitted if they accomplish a feat to prove their strength.


They do not express open defiance to the authority of the World Government, but are not obligated to follow its orders either. They are technically only allowed to attack other pirates, and must also compensate the Government with a portion of their plunder, although this regulation is not followed most of the time. Each member of the Shichibukai must also have strong intimidation skills and a fearsome image to put off others becoming a pirate and make them fear them. Some of the members do various tasks for the government, such as conquering new islands for the World Government (described as "liberating") and protecting nations, but their ultimate purpose is to keep other pirates in check. Most importantly, the Shichibukai provide assistance to maintain the balance of The Three Great Powers.




Yonko




The Yonko are the four most notorious and most powerful pirate captains in the world (according to the World Government), but are neither allies nor enemies of one another, preferring to remain autonomous under most circumstances. These four individually reside within the second half of the Grand Line (known as the "New World"), exerting impressive influence and control over dozens of other pirate crews and self-governing islands.


As an entity, the Yonko are one of the Three Great Powers of the world, the others being the Shichibukai and Marines. Their strength and influence are such that they live quite literally as though they are emperors, doing mostly as they please. Individually, they are considered to be the most powerful pirates in the world, as well as having a powerful crew. Because of their power, they can declare chosen locations as their own; the mere declaration is often enough for others, both Marines and pirates alike, to acknowledge their authority.


In fact, in the New World, they each have a territory that they govern. These territories benefit from the protection the emperors provide, keeping the borders safe from any faction that might want to invade them. It is only with the combined efforts of the Marines and the Shichibukai, as well as the distrust among them, that keeps their power in check. The Yonko themselves are not allied together as a coalition compared to the Shichibukai and follow their own individual paths. The possibility of two or more of the Yonko forming an alliance is enough of a threat to cause the World Government to panic.




World Government


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The World Government is a political organization comprised of the majority of the world at large, ruled by the Gorosei. It was established 800 years ago. The Marines serve as their primary military organization, headed by the Fleet Admiral, while the Cipher Pol operate behind the scenes, either through sabotage, reconnaissance, spying, espionage and/or assassination; their most powerful enemies are largely pirates and revolutionaries.


The Commander-in-Chief oversees both the Marines and Cipher Pol as well as the Shichibukai, at least officially, and is second only to the Gorosei. Impel Down serves as the World Government's maximum-security prison. Collectively serving as the most prominent antagonists in the series, the World Government is largely portrayed as a corrupt entity, particularly through the pitiless use of their absolute justice doctrine and the depravity of the aristocratic World Nobles.

Gorosei




The Gorosei (literally meaning "Five Elder Stars") are the heads of the World Government, and as such, they essentially rule the entire world. They are the five men who rule above the Marines, Cipher Pol, and the ones who made a pact with the Shichibukai. So far, none of their names have been revealed.

Cipher Pol




Cipher Pol is a series of World Government organizations.


The various Cipher Pol cells are stationed throughout the world and investigate for the World Government. They supplement the Intelligence Branch of the World Government's Marine forces, but seem to operate more as a counter-insurgency agency that also has more general law enforcement duties. If they encounter pirates, they will apprehend them, but, as an agency, Cipher Pol seems to focus more on political threats to the World Government than more generic criminals. So far, the CP agencies seen on the Grand Line are CP5, CP6, CP7, CP9 and CP-0.


There are eight official Cipher Pols that are numbered from CP1 to CP8 with two unofficial units, which are named CP9 and CP-0. Cipher Pol No. 9 has the license to kill any citizen that does not cooperate with the World Government or acts in contrary its the interests. Because such a radical method of applying justice by the World Government should not be common knowledge, this group is a top secret organization.




Log Pose




A Log Pose is a compass-like navigational device; a necessity for traveling the Grand Line. It is a wrist watch with a glass orb sitting on top, and a needle floating inside the middle of that orb suspended from the top by a thin piece of metal or wire.


Normal compasses do not work in the Grand Line due to the special magnetic waves created from each island. The Log Pose functions by recording the magnetic wave of an island in the Grand Line, and points to the next island for the user to travel to. How long it takes to lock onto the magnetic waves varies from island to island. Once on an island for the required amount of time, the recording of the magnetic wave resets to accommodate the new island. The standard Log Pose is unsafe to use in the New World.


A variation of the Log Pose is the Eternal Pose, which always points to a specified island.
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Whiskey Peak Arc


Baroque Works

Baroque Works is a criminal organization created by the Shichibukai, Crocodile, to take over the kingdom of Alabasta. The organization accomplished many different tasks over a period of several years for that one purpose.




Baroque Works agents often function as bounty hunters and take down pirates in order to earn more money to aid their operations. These bounty hunters were persuaded under the false goal that Baroque Works' objective was to build an ideal nation and performing well in the organization meant higher social status in said nation. The more important tasks of the agents, however, were to spread lies and rumors in Alabasta about their king, Nefertari Cobra, in order to launch a rebellion against him. They did this by releasing the illegal substance Dance Powder to cause the drought in the country.

All these missions together led toward the takeover of Alabasta and Crocodile's ultimate goal, the Ancient Weapon Pluton that is said to be hidden somewhere in the kingdom. This overall plan went under the name "Operation Utopia". Baroque Works' known operation locations outside of Alabasta are Whiskey Peak and Little Garden.

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Spoiler

Dance Powder is a green powder that is used to make artificial rain. It is a powder that brings both happiness and misery at same time.​

Dance Powder was created long ago by a country that had no rain. The main raw material to make it is silver. When burnt, it would emit a mist like vapor that would rise up in the air. It speeds up the creation of ice particles in sub-freezing temperature clouds and causes rainfall. The original creators of this powder thus called it Dance Powder because it would make them dance with joy with all the rain that it would create.

Despite the rain it creates however, the powder unfortunately caused long periods of drought in other countries. The process in which the artificial rain is created nurtures clouds that aren't ready to rain yet. When this happens, all of the water contained within these clouds would all be used up. Because of this, other countries and locations, who would naturally benefit from rainfall when these clouds would naturally mature, would be greatly deprived.

The controversy that this powder brought whenever it was used started a war. The amount of lives lost in this war was so great that the World Government prohibited the manufacturing and possession of Dance Powder worldwide.

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