As with a lot of forms, we need to try and label and categorize them for future references. Please note that this report is potentially quite long as we discover various apprentices in ABLO-CH world.
The format we will be using to classify the various apprentices we encounter will be based loosely on sports and physical activity analogies. It's obvious to us that these apprentices are in effect, 'performing' in a sporting sense, as well as developing specific body types for their form specialties.
This report deals with the overall explanations of the types, and these are also guidelines for how we will be categorizing each feature interview on the characters we encounter. Do note that while this list is comprehensive, by no means is it the 'end all be all' of all classifications for apprentices. Not one apprentice is ever going to be the same as the other, they are about as diverse as human personalities → some similar, but always different.
It's also worth nothing that the costumes these apprentices are wearing are not specific for their respective types. Costumes are normally dictated by the customs and traditions in fashion within eacb culture, sub-culture, clans, etc. Please refer to the specific cultures on the fashion trends.
Terminology
Apprentice Types – A major category in determining how much speed, strength, stamina and impact each type has. They are all different, and one may not be an advantage over the other. The types (so far) are:
Assassin
Enforcer
Saint
Performer
Utilitarian
Type Variants – The sub category of Apprentice Types which specify what 'sporting' form they are in. This will become clear as you read on.
Elements – This is the 5 major elements, as well as any secondary elements if required. Each form apprentice will have its own set of elemental fundamentals to adhere to in order to be successful.
The Assassins
The assassins are the most agile of the types around. As the term implies, assassins are there for espionage mostly, but isn't limited to it necessarily. An assassin can be a scout, or a spy. They can also employ ghost manouvers, causing widespread destruction through the use of high impact elemental forms. Assassins are the most resourceful of all of types for they need to pack as light as possible. This also include becoming as lean as possible. Flexibility, patience and the ability to be 'invisible' to the public eye, whether in professional or social situations are paramount to a successful assassin. They are required to be silent (least expressive), whether caught to be interrogated, or in a meeting within a team. The less they seem, the more effective they are at accomplishing their tasks. Assassins normally have the tendency to develop skills from other elements too yet truth be known, they only need to specialize in one or two skillsets to be totally effective.
Water – Swimmer
As the name implies, swimmers typically have the physiques that enable them to be like a fish in its elements. Broad shoulders and typically lean, smooth muscles enable them to glide in any slippery conditions. They are also able to breathe for a long time underwater while possessing flipper-sizedfeet. A thing about swimmers is that they are the most flexible of the other assassins in adapting to their environments. They understand the concept of going with the flow, and that in turn makes them potentially the most balanced of all the assassin types.
Earth – Sprinter
Upper body is fine-tuned towards being able to hurl themselves forward for maximum speed. The tallest of the assassins, they are also the most solid. Some are able to absorb impact when charging towards the opponent. Typically used for tailing or scouting missions, for their speed has no equal from other types.
Air – Ghost
the most potent game changer. When the ghost has performed his form, you definitely notice it for they leave a large carbon footprint on their environments. In that sense, think of them like human time bombs. It is extremely rare for a team to have a ghost for it requires a lot of sacrifice and talent on the apprentice's part. Their effectiveness more often than not is countered by the fact that they are most vulnerable to physical and phychological impacts. Longer than normal recovery timeafter the ghost has performed his form means the team effectively has a liability
Fire – Agent
Agents are best described as James Bond-like. Quite potent in taking down guards, and infiltration into enemy territory. For that, they are extremely resourceful. They understand that you do not necessarily need the best forms to take down the enemy, just enough clever, tactical manouevors. Trickery and charm become part of their repertoires when in form.
Wind – Snipers
Best eyesights of the assassins. They are the best with surveying missions, able to look far and ahead of their landscapes to analyse what's ahead of them. The most ranged of the assassins, they are able to manipulate projectiles through their manipulation of wind. Accurate and patient in waiting for the opportune moment to strike the fatal hit.
The Enforcers
The enforcers are the front line attacks of a team. They put special emphasis in confrontational duels, hiding little in their intentions to strike you directly. They tend to rely a lot on emotionally charged pride and extremely unstoppable when they are in the 'mood'.
Enforcers rely on Saints and Utilitarians for a lot of support to be able to provide an apprentices' team with the stability at the front. Their positions are rather crucial for they provide the foundation for the apprentice team to be based around.
Enforcers are the most rigid of the types due to the exhertion they put on their bodies to be a certain type. It's also because once they set on the path to be a particular element, their body has to be perfectly attuned to the element.
Water – Wrestlers
Wrestlers are very good with throwing manouvers. If looks can be deceiving, they develop fats around their figures to protect themselves against form attacks. An analogy for wrestlers would be like a bouncing ball. Difficulty inflicting damage on them means they are the perfect defensive frontmen for any team. Gentle giants is a good term when describing their temperament.
Earth – Forwards
Tough, uncompromising and complementary to the wrestlers. They are the ones who will generate the quakes when from moderate distance from the opponent. Mainly tackling and grappling techniques when in close combat. Strength for their drives comes from the well-built thighs that they are well known for. This helps their stability when in form for they rely a lot of grounds being unstable for their opponents to lose focus. They have a sense of innate patriotism which make them highly trustworthy.
Air – Kickboxers
The most skilled in one on one combat of the enforcers. Lean, well-toned body conditioned to take damage. As potent as they are, kickboxers generally have a short lifespan at the peak of their powers. Probably the least powerful in terms of raw strength of all the others aside from samurai, but try telling that to their faces. Like their lifespan, kickboxers have a very short fuse.
Fire – Barbarians
The most balanced ot the enforcers, barbarians can use weapons, take on damage, and be able to strike back with tactical offensives. But their overall abilities meant that they are merely the jack of all trades in fighting. Yet barbarians have one advantage over all others and that is their longevity in peak condition.
Wind – Samurai
Samurai are adept at using sharp forms to pierce their opponents. They adopt minimalistapproaches to strike down their enemy, by having an extensive knowledge of where weaknesses are, and then seek to literally cut them down. Weapon specialists.
The Saints
The saints are the normally the 'medics' of the campaign. They are crucial as they determine the healths of each of the other types, and also provide a balanced nutrition. They might not give you firepower, but the support the apprentices need in their backrooms to recover are as crucial as any frontline attacks you employ. Saint types are a strange one. They normally do not specialise in one single element. They are at best generalists of all the elements in order to be totally effective in their day-to-day tasks.
Some might emphasis on water over the other 4 elements in their healing repertoire but make no mistake, saint apprentices are normally good with all 5 elements if they applied themselves properly. Then again, if the team saint apprentice is in do not allow her to practice physiotherapy, then obviously lack of application means less familiarity with wind.
So here are the saint variants, do note that these are what the saint would be like if they concentrated on one particular element above the others in the list. Again, chances are, they will have all 5 elements in tune.
Water – Medicinal
Medicinal saints in ABLO-CH are well-educated, and smart in their treatments of ill effects from the team. They emphasize prevention, so at any given moment, the team will be required to go through health examinations. It's completely like how our doctors operate, except in ABLO-CH they use ancient methods of healing.
Earth – Herbal
Herbal saints are master cooks. Their understanding of vegetations and soil, combined with climate familiarity make for some good nutritional benefits for the team.
Air – Acupuncture
The most offensive-minded of the saints. They can kill rather easily, but their teachings usually means they use it for health benefits instead. Reliant on the opponent being submissive to their 'needle points techniques'. If the patients can trust their highly precise methods, acupuncturists can heal faster than any of the saints.
Fire – Shamanism
The least reliable of all the healing capabilities. Shamanism relies on conjuring the patient's immune systems through the power of will. They do this mainly through charms and artefacts, with a lot of dancing involved. If one is to believe in strong willpower, this would be the element to specialize in.
Wind – Physiotherapy
The most comfortable method of all the methods. This relies on controlling pressures of wind and they give off the effect of a really thorough massage.
The Performers
The performers give the team the much needed recreation and rest entertainment. But when the team is in action, they perform an even crucial role. Distractions for the opposition can lead to disruptions of the enemies' team morale.
Despite the name, performers are all rather lax on morality. They have to, it's their skillsets that need them to not show too much compassion, or empathy, particularly towards the opponent. Performers are the one aspect that is not required to be a successful team. If the team can afford to have one or two in their arsenal, it'll of course add to the effectiveness of their attacks.
Performer types
Water – Secretary
Treasured commodity, rare, and they are so immune to ill-effects of any poison they usually are used as food testers. Usually have a very good memory. The contrasting pill for the Supermodel. They also make perfect companions if one happens to fall in love with one.
Earth – Musicians
Charmers. They are most suited to any secondary leadership roles for they can galvanize a team like no other. Very good with rhythm and beats, which also meant that they can detect preminitions when something is about to go horribly wrong.
Air – Negotiators
Negotiate a truce? They are the most important of the performers for the way they do their tasks might be the difference between more bloodshed or more teammates. Very good with speech and words.
Fire – Supermodel
Seduction and temptation before poison prepared by the Saints are slipped into the team's system. More often than not VERY desirable to the opposite sex for their bodies are elegent, beautiful and irresistable. Most effective destractions.
Wind – Dancers
Increases morale of the team, while providing the much needed relief so they are refreshed the next day. Usually the best organizer of team 'activities' outside of duels.
The Utilitarians
This is a category which defines the ones who didn't make the top echelon of the form apprentinceships. As with any successful apprentices, there will always be the other people around them who didn't succeed. So they become utilitarians, by choice or otherwise. Utilitarians always tend to do the mundane and essential day-to-day jobs crucial to a community or township.
Every society needs a government or at least a council of some kind to convey law and order.
Utilitarians are the ones who do the thankless jobs of looking after the welfare and report back to their leaders when there is any problems. Utilitarians exist in their numbers normally in a big township or a society.
But that is not all that defines a utilitarian. Retirements from form apprenticeship will also mean the apprentices become masters, and some will become educators for the next generation of form apprentices. This is realistic, for one cannot sustain peak form needed for apprenticeship of nature as he/she gets older.
It is also normal for a few once in a generation type apprentices to become utilitarians or even rise to the position of kingdoms for they are revered for their services to their people. As such, there is no elements in utilitarians, we will be using their 'ex' apprenticeships to define them in character studies. In summary, these are classes of apprentices after they have stopped practising their physical forms exclusively.
Utilitarian types
Master
When the apprentice has no peers in his lifetime. These are rare. They will revolutionize skillsets in form apprenticeship when they get to this stage. Highly respected and well received by the people.
Teacher
When you decided that your skills can be best passed down to the younger generation. Also a theorician of ethical values and supreme knowledge of nature's forms. They are the ones who normally pass on the fundamental skills to the up and comers.
Politician
When you become the official and start exherting your influence in the government you might have helped created with the team you are in. Politicians must not be confused with negiotators. They are more in the administration side of the ledger.
Commoner
Reserved for those who chose to settle down and have kids rather than actively pursue apprenticeship. This makes up quite a large portion of the population normally, for they are the backbone to any townships' survival.
