Grand Line 101
Wealth. Fame. Power. The man who had acquired everything in this world, the Pirate King, Gold Roger. The final words he said before his execution sent people from all over the world to the seas.
"My wealth and treasures? If you want them, I’ll let you have them. Look for it! I left everything I own at that place."
Now, men searching for romance and chasing their dreams, push forward and head towards the Grand Line. The world is now in the Grand Age of Pirates!
Welcome to the World of
ONE PIECE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. Basic Information about OP's World
II. Navigating the Grand Line
III. Dangers of the Grand Line
IV. People of the Grand Line
V. Devil Fruits
VI. The World Government
SOME BASIC INFO
The mods of mallowmateys have gathered here most of the basic information about the world of One Piece that we feel will help people unfamiliar with the original canon (or familiar, but needing a refresher on some points). We have tried to avoid any major spoilers in this guide, however be aware that by its nature there will be some vague spoilers about the series as a whole contained within. This is just the beginning, as well; if you are interested in finding more information about One Piece, we recommend you read the series! Seriously, we're all big fans. But, since we understand that it is a long series and something of a time investment, we also recommend checking out the One Piece wiki which has information on just about everything! [Be aware though, that like most wikias, there are lots of spoilers all throughout the site.]
NAVIGATING THE GRAND LINE
Getting around the Grand Line is not the easiest of tasks. It isn’t a normal ocean, and there are a couple of things you’ll need to know before setting out on your journey.
DANGERS OF THE GRAND LINE
PEOPLE
The Grand Line is home to more than just humans! Though more rare, it's very probable you may meet a few other races in your travels. Here's some information about them so you know what to expect!
DEVIL FRUITS
Like many series, you’ll find that a fair few of the characters in One Piece appear to have supernatural powers. In this case, it’s because of a rare item known as a Devil Fruit. The average person knows nothing or very little about what they are, and outside of the Grand Line you don’t come into contact with a person who has Devil Fruit powers very often. Because of their power, they can sell for extremely large prices, and Devil Fruit users themselves are sold as slaves in certain parts of the Grand Line.
Devil Fruits are noticeable in a couple different ways. They come in different shapes, colors, and sizes, but all Devil Fruits have swirl marks on them of some kind. They also taste unimaginably horrible. When consumed, the Devil Fruit gives you a power or special trait. 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. There can only be one type of each Devil Fruit in existence at a time, and therefore only one person with each type of Devil Fruit power at a time, as well.
But with this new power comes a weakness: Devil Fruit users become entirely helpless while submerged in all types of standing water (aka, not just seawater). They can’t move at all and unless someone helps them, they’ll simply sink like a hammer. Moving water, however, like rain or waves, does not weaken them. Seastone, a special substance that emits the same energy of the sea, can also cancel out Devil Fruit powers through physical contact. The more contact there is, the more their movement is weakened.
While there are over 100 types of Devil Fruits, they can be sorted into three basic classes:
WORLD GOVERNMENT
The World Government is just what it sounds like: the main governing body of the world of One Piece. The World Government is affiliated with roughly 170 countries from around the world. These member countries retain their autonomy; that is, the countries run their own internal affairs (though the World Government does sometimes meddle), but cooperate with the World Government for massive international relations. The World Government was established around 800 years ago during the "Void Century," a time period for which few records exist, and was originally established as a union of twenty kingdoms.
At first glance, the World Government seems to maintain a worldly order that benefits all, making the world safe for the sake of everyone. Using the Marines, they pursue criminals and pirates who endanger the lives of the innocent, protecting the people of each country in the world. The World Government is the largest World Power, maintaining full rights to halt or encourage any political action without question or opposition from any side. However, the reality is that, unknown to most citizens (and many world leaders), the World Government's actions are frequently and secretly based on corruption or questionable motives. Often they hide the truth or ignore the rights of the people and use the mantle of justice to further their own aims.
The World Government's power to release information on anyone as they please can often led to the truth being hidden, altered or ignored all together. They have outlawed the study of the "Void Century" for reasons unknown, though they claim it is to prevent ancient weapons on incredible destructive power from being unearthed and used. For the most part, the important role they have in maintaining world stability seems to outweigh the corruption they often display, though this is changing as more people are beginning to question whether what the World Government is doing is right. There are revolutionary cells working to overthrow the World Government and end its corruptive influence; foremost known among these revolutionaries is Monkey D. Dragon, Luffy's father.
Some important people in and related to the World Government:
"My wealth and treasures? If you want them, I’ll let you have them. Look for it! I left everything I own at that place."
Now, men searching for romance and chasing their dreams, push forward and head towards the Grand Line. The world is now in the Grand Age of Pirates!
Welcome to the World of
ONE PIECE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. Basic Information about OP's World
II. Navigating the Grand Line
III. Dangers of the Grand Line
IV. People of the Grand Line
V. Devil Fruits
VI. The World Government
SOME BASIC INFO
The mods of mallowmateys have gathered here most of the basic information about the world of One Piece that we feel will help people unfamiliar with the original canon (or familiar, but needing a refresher on some points). We have tried to avoid any major spoilers in this guide, however be aware that by its nature there will be some vague spoilers about the series as a whole contained within. This is just the beginning, as well; if you are interested in finding more information about One Piece, we recommend you read the series! Seriously, we're all big fans. But, since we understand that it is a long series and something of a time investment, we also recommend checking out the One Piece wiki which has information on just about everything! [Be aware though, that like most wikias, there are lots of spoilers all throughout the site.]
- One Piece - One Piece is the name of the treasure left behind by former Pirate King, Gold Roger. It is said to have unimaginable value, although no one really knows what it is. It is assumed to be a wide collection of treasure, gold and gems and the like, although it may just be something that Gold Roger held very dear to himself. Supposedly it's hidden somewhere deep in the Grand Line, presumably on the last island of Raftel, and the first person to claim it as their own will be named the next Pirate King. At Gold Roger’s public execution, he announced to the world that this treasure existed, and that’s what sparked the current Pirate Era. For many pirates, including characters in the game, One Piece is the ultimate goal.
- Geography - The world of One Piece is set up similar to our own, except that it’s mostly ocean. The four main oceans that encompass the majority of the world are as follows: North Blue, South Blue, East Blue, and West Blue. They are divided into their quadrants by the Grand Line and the Red Line. Not much has been said about any of these oceans, except for a once stated fact that East Blue is the weakest of the four. East Blue is also where Monkey D. Luffy’s adventure first started.
The only continent on this world is the Red Line, which is essentially a strip of land that runs across the world’s Prime Meridian, or its axis. There are, however, many many MANY islands in this world, both within the Grand Line and in the Blues. Said islands all have their own culture and are very unique, and will be expanded on in a later section. The Red Line is nearly impassable by boat, mostly because it’s 20,000 meters high: 10,000 below sea level and 10,000 above. There are certain points where one may pass into the Grand Line or the Blues: by traveling over Reverse Mountain, by gaining Government permission to go through Mariejois, or by submerging under the ocean and going through Fishman Island, which is located in a hole in the part of the Red Line that connects the Grand Line with the New World.
The Grand Line itself is a stretch of ocean that wraps around the world’s equator, with the Calm Belts bordering it on both sides, effectively cutting it off from the Blues. The Calm Belts are stretches of ocean with no ocean currents and no air currents. Ships that enter the Calm Belts are, for lack of a better term, stuck, and crews often die of starvation from being stranded there. Marine ships, however, have ways to sail on the Calm Belts that are mostly unavailable to other Grand Line travelers.
The Grand Line is divided into two halves, with the first half remaining unnamed. The second half is referred to as the New World, and it stretches from the Red Line to the back of Reverse Mountain. This half has not been fully explored except for a few choice very powerful people, and it’s known to be much more dangerous than the first half of the Grand Line.
Please note that our game takes place ONLY IN THE FIRST HALF OF THE GRAND LINE. The New World hasn’t yet been reached in canon, therefore you cannot go there in the game.
NAVIGATING THE GRAND LINE
Getting around the Grand Line is not the easiest of tasks. It isn’t a normal ocean, and there are a couple of things you’ll need to know before setting out on your journey.
- Log Poses - Normal compasses do not work in the Grand Line. Each island actually has its own special magnetic waves which cause a normal compass needle to go haywire. The Log Pose, however, functions by recording the magnetic wave of an island in the Grand Line, and then 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 next new island. It’s basically impossible to travel the Grand Line in a straight line without the help of a Log Pose, as there is no way of knowing where the next island is without one. Because of the nature of this game, we do fudge how Log Poses work a bit, but please keep them in mind when playing!
- Eternal Poses - Similar to a Log Pose, an Eternal Poses records the special magnetic waves of only one specific island within the Grand Line, allowing the user to know which way to sail to get to their destination. Unlike the Log Pose, which resets its recordings on every new island, an Eternal Pose always points to the same island, no matter how long it stays elsewhere.
- Den Den Mushi - Basically, Den Den Mushi are snails with phones or fax machines attached to their shells, and they’re the way people communicate in the One Piece world. When a person speaks through a Den Den Mushi, the Den Den Mushi will mouth the person's speech and display the person's emotions. For example, when someone screams, the snail will scream as well. Den Den Mushi are usually active when someone answers the phone, but once they are hung up they go to sleep.
Den Den Mushi can come out in many styles based on where they are and who owns them. For example, Marine Den Den Mushi have the Marine symbol painted on their face or on their shell. Despite their varied appearances, however, they can generally be separated into a few different categories:
- Regular Den Den Mushi - The most common type of Den Den Mushi seen. They are too big to carry around but their signal range is much further than that of a baby. They can also serve as fax machines if the right accessory is attached. They are capable of making long distance calls, and many are large enough to make a worldwide signal.
- Baby Den Den Mushi - A fairly small and portable Den Den Mushi. It's good for keeping in contact with fellow comrades in the same area, but incapable of international calls. They can also be used as speakers, in which to broadcast the user's voice throughout the area.
- Black Den Den Mushi - Commonly used by the Marines as listening devices or "wiretaps" to intercept calls between Pirates or other miscreants. They’re actually a different type of species from other types of Den Den Mushi. They do not grow as they age and remain a small portable size for the rest of their lives. They enjoy eavesdropping, and dislike communicating with others.
- Golden Den Den Mushi - A special kind of Den Den Mushi used to summon the Buster Call attack. The Den Den Mushi is immobile and its entire body appears to be made out of gold. It’s a very rare type of Den Den Mushi.
- Surveillance Den Den Mushi - A type of Den Den Mushi that acts as a video camera. They come in two sizes. The small Surveillance Den Den Mushi are mounted in specific locations around a building with an alarm connected to the shell. They are all connected to a larger Surveillance Den Den Mushi that is able to pick up the signals. These large ones are connected to a machine that produces video feeds to a set of monitors.
- Visual Den Den Mushi - Similar to the Surveillance Den Den Mushi, this one broadcasts what the Den Den Mushi sees to a bigger video screen. Unlike the Surveillance version, however, the Visual one is used as a TV camera and broadcasts worldwide. The smaller Visual Den Den Mushi are used as the cameras, while the larger ones are linked to the screens to receive the signals.
- Regular Den Den Mushi - The most common type of Den Den Mushi seen. They are too big to carry around but their signal range is much further than that of a baby. They can also serve as fax machines if the right accessory is attached. They are capable of making long distance calls, and many are large enough to make a worldwide signal.
- Money - The unit of currency in One Piece is known as "beli" (or "beri"), symbolized by the
sign. It's roughly equivalent to the Japanese yen, and thus would covert to around
100 to $1 American. The simplest way to convert is just to disregard the last two digits (or think of them as cents).
- Mail Delivery - Even when sailing the seas, there are still ways to get your mail. On the Grand Line, most mail - including letters, packages, and newspapers - are delivered by seagulls or pelicans. How they find ships on this ocean is pretty unknown, but they manage. You just have to pay a small fee for their services!
- Islands - There are an endless amount of islands in the Grand Line. Between the ones mentioned in canon, the ones yet undiscovered, and the ones we’ve created in Mallowmateys, the possibilities are endless. Each island in the Grand Line functions as its own country. Since they’re so isolated and because travel can be so difficult, every island is unique and they’re often extremely different from each other. Some islands are even stuck in different time periods; for example, Prehistoric Islands. It’s entirely possible that you can wind up somewhere where dinosaurs do, in fact, still exist. And then for all you know, the next island could be a futuristic, technology run place. Anything is possible!
Each island generally falls into one of four atmospheric categories: winter, spring, summer, and fall. Winter islands are always snowy, summer islands are always hot, etc etc. However, each of these types of islands do have four specific seasons of their own. So there are actually a total of sixteen different seasons you could run into on the Grand Line. Winter-winter, winter-spring, winter-summer, winter-fall, spring-winter, spring-spring, spring-summer-you get the picture. The Grand Line is a crazy place!
- Sky Islands - To make things even more complicated for you, there are not just islands on the ocean in the Grand Line. They also exist in the sky. These islands are made entirely of clouds, and exist in a white sea all of their own, thousands of feet above ground level. Getting up to them can be extremely dangerous, and thus far in canon we know of only one way - sailing the huge current called Knock-Up Stream. Another route has been vaguely mentioned, but all we know about it so far is that it’s entirely likely you’ll lose multiple members of your crew if you take it.
- Dials - Sky Islands are also where Dials originate from! Dials are strange, mysterious devices that look like shells, but have the ability to store energy on virtually limitless basis and capacity. Though they originate from Sky Islands, some of them can reach the lower seas. The rarity of Dials vary in their types, and in some cases, may be one-of-a-kind or even extinct. How exactly Dials are created or how they can go extinct is unknown. Since there is such a wide variety of Dials, we're just going to link you here for further information.
- Underwater Islands - There are also islands that exist under the ocean! Again, these aren’t easy to get to and in canon we don’t know much about them yet. They’re inhabited by fishmen and mermaids, and your ship has to be specially coated with a certain tree resin to be able to get down to them.
- There have been a vast number of islands already visited in the Grand Line, and each one has its own special traits and quirks. Feel free to create your own islands for your characters to visit in the game! For more information on the different types of islands that exist in canon and the kinds that have been created in-game thus far, PLEASE CHECK THIS LIST.
DANGERS OF THE GRAND LINE
- Sea Kings & Other Strange Monsters
- Sea Kings - Essentially they are gigantic sea monsters. They are found in great numbers mostly in the Calm Belts, but also in the Grand Line itself. They come in many different shapes and sizes and body types, although they are generally one size: freaking huge. They are classified as a Type C creature, which puts them into the ‘Big Savage’ category of creatures. They will attack anything that comes within reach of them on account of being savage predators. Sea Kings are a huge problem for those attempting to cross waters they inhabit, especially in the Calm Belts, which is their breeding ground. It is known, though, that Seastone can be used to ward off these creatures, though how much seastone is not quite known. Sea Kings are very difficult to take on, and only the strongest of ships and fighters can take one head on and live to tell the tale. Sea Kings, however, do fall prey to Bananadiles. Other creatures that are notably stronger than a Sea King are as follows: Yuda, Blue Gorillas, and Giants.
- Royal Squids - A Giant Squid that attacks those who cross its path. They’re smaller than a Sea King, and more than likely part of their diet.
- Sea Monkeys - Like their name says, they are creatures that resemble monkeys. Although appearing playful, their playfulness has been known to sink more than a few ships. They have powerful flippers that are known to create large and violent waves that are capable of sinking ships.
- Sea Cow - A sea creature that resembles a cow. It even sounds and acts like a cow. Unlike other creatures, the Sea Cow doesn’t have much of a problem staying on land. They are classified as Type A creatures: Big and Friendly. Make one angry, though, and it’ll rampage like a bull.
- Giant Sea Turtle - Creatures that may vary well rival the size of a sea king. They are slow moving, albeit somewhat dumb creatures. It’s big enough to swallow a ship in one bite, so be wary to stay out of their way.
- Sea Rabbit - A sea creature that is half fish, half rabbit. Sea Rabbits are especially vicious and fast, though they aren’t as big as other sea creatures.
- Kappa Whale - Whales that resemble the Japanese monster Kappa. Not much is known about these creatures.
- Sea Kings - Essentially they are gigantic sea monsters. They are found in great numbers mostly in the Calm Belts, but also in the Grand Line itself. They come in many different shapes and sizes and body types, although they are generally one size: freaking huge. They are classified as a Type C creature, which puts them into the ‘Big Savage’ category of creatures. They will attack anything that comes within reach of them on account of being savage predators. Sea Kings are a huge problem for those attempting to cross waters they inhabit, especially in the Calm Belts, which is their breeding ground. It is known, though, that Seastone can be used to ward off these creatures, though how much seastone is not quite known. Sea Kings are very difficult to take on, and only the strongest of ships and fighters can take one head on and live to tell the tale. Sea Kings, however, do fall prey to Bananadiles. Other creatures that are notably stronger than a Sea King are as follows: Yuda, Blue Gorillas, and Giants.
- Weather & Atmospheric Conditions - Weather in the Grand Line has always been unpredictable. Only very skilled navigators can safely maneuver these waters. It has been known to go from sunny and calm one moment, to storming and destructive the next. This is due to the strange air and sea currents naturally found in the Grand Line. The weather, however, stabilizes once near an island, and often shifts between spring weather, fall weather, summer weather, and winter weather, depending on the island. The water currents often cause giant whirlpools, water spouts, sea tornadoes, and other common weather conditions with an extreme twist. Some other phenomenon that are odder than odd include:
- Florian Triangle - The Bermuda Triangle of the Grand Line. It is covered in an endless fog so thick that many a ship goes missing there, or they emerge without a single soul on board. The fog is also so thick that it blocks out all sunlight, shrouding the Triangle in a constant night. The Florian Triangle is found on the way to Fishman Island.
- Shadows - Large, dark shadows appear randomly throughout the Grand Line. These shadows are so dark it almost seems as if a sudden night has descended. These shadows are caused by sky islands passing overhead, considering the clouds are much denser and do not allow sunlight to be passed through. Also, large human-shaped shadows with wings are known to appear on neighboring clouds when the sky island passes overhead. This is caused by the sun casting the shadow of the sky island inhabitant, and the distance from shadow-caster to cloud makes the shadow appear extremely large. In fact, many crews have confused these enormous shadows to be actual giants.
- Serpent Currents - Actual water currents that emerge from the sea. They are like water spouts and tornadoes in their shape and form, but are different in the sheer amount of force they hold from the rushing of their own water. Serpent Currents are known to be wildly erratic, and may change direction dramatically very quickly.
- Florian Triangle - The Bermuda Triangle of the Grand Line. It is covered in an endless fog so thick that many a ship goes missing there, or they emerge without a single soul on board. The fog is also so thick that it blocks out all sunlight, shrouding the Triangle in a constant night. The Florian Triangle is found on the way to Fishman Island.
- Other Pirates, Bounty Hunters, & Marines
- Pirates - There are two types of pirates, although these terms aren’t exactly expounded upon in One Piece: Peace Maine and Morgania. Peace Maine pirates don’t care much for treasure and doing what regular pirates do. They may enjoy the occasional treasure map, but finding and hoarding such goods is not their primary goal. Most often, a Peace Maine pirate sees their crew as the most valuable treasure, and would rather enjoy the freedom the sea offers and the adventures to be held on it. Morgania pirates are the complete opposite, fighting for treasure and personal gain. They love to inflict pain and fight. To the World Government, a pirate is NOT defined by the acts they commit, they’re defined if they sail under with Jolly Roger. Most pirates on the Grand Line tend to fall under the Morgania category.
- Mountain Bandits - The opposite of pirates, in terms of ideals, views, and also strengths. Mountain bandits never go out to sea, instead choosing to harass villages and towns from the island they are on. The differences in the groups create a bitter conflict between them, often resulting in huge fights. Mountain bandits, though, are not seen as very strong, and so the World Government doesn’t worry about them too much.
- Slavers - Although slavery was abolished 200 years ago in the world of One Piece, it still runs rampant in some areas and is a huge part of the history. The World Nobles practice slavery, using people as pets and sometimes items of entertainment by setting slaves to fight one another, often to the death. Slaves will have a specific tattoo on their body (The Hoof of the Soaring Dragon), marking them as less than human, as well as a bomb collar. If a slave tries to escape from its master, the collar goes off, killing the slave. Aside from World Nobles, other people can own a slave, buying them at secretly authorized auction houses in the Shabondy Archipelago. Slavers often kidnap who they can, especially those individuals that may fetch a higher price at the auction house. The prices are as follows:
- Humans: 500,000+
- Dwarves: 700,000+
- Fishmen: 1,000,000+
- Giants: Male Giants: 50,000,000+ Female Giants: 10,000,000+
- Merfolk: Female: 70,000,000+ Male: 1,000,000+ Parted Female: 10,000,000+
- Devil Fruit Users: Market Price
- Humans: 500,000+
- The Police - The local defensive forces for everyday combat with common criminals. The Marines maintain a high order of policing in the world, and worldwide police officers are employed by the World Government to supervise local areas and arrest unlawful citizens. They maintain law and order, however they only deal with local interest, whereas the Marines maintain a global presence. They leave the task of capturing the tough criminals to the Marines, though will offer aid when needed.
- Bounty Hunters - These are people who make a living out of catching criminals for the bounty on their head. Often they are not much better than criminals themselves, although they are left alone to catch said criminals so long as they don’t break the law while doing so.
- The Marines - The World Government’s military sea force. They are present in all seas around the world, although they maintain only a slight military presence in the Blues by establishing Branch Offices. The bulk of their expenditures focus on the Grand Line. There's a little more about them in the World Government section!
- Pirates - There are two types of pirates, although these terms aren’t exactly expounded upon in One Piece: Peace Maine and Morgania. Peace Maine pirates don’t care much for treasure and doing what regular pirates do. They may enjoy the occasional treasure map, but finding and hoarding such goods is not their primary goal. Most often, a Peace Maine pirate sees their crew as the most valuable treasure, and would rather enjoy the freedom the sea offers and the adventures to be held on it. Morgania pirates are the complete opposite, fighting for treasure and personal gain. They love to inflict pain and fight. To the World Government, a pirate is NOT defined by the acts they commit, they’re defined if they sail under with Jolly Roger. Most pirates on the Grand Line tend to fall under the Morgania category.
PEOPLE
The Grand Line is home to more than just humans! Though more rare, it's very probable you may meet a few other races in your travels. Here's some information about them so you know what to expect!
- Fishmen - As the name suggests, fishmen have a hybrid of fishlike and humanlike characteristics. Though mainly humanoid in shape, with legs and arms (though their hands and feet are often webbed), they retain many fishlike traits and characteristics. Fishmen have gills which function in water, but can also breathe on the surface like a human--as such, they can comfortably survive both in and out of the sea. Fishmen also tend to be much stronger than humans--around ten times stronger than a normal human--and are usually larger as well. Fishmen come in "types," with their fish aspect being based on a specific type of sea creature and dictating what special abilites they have. For example, Hacchan is an octopus fishman, and has six arms as a result, with which he can wield six swords (or knives).
Despite the name fishmen, there are also females among their species, though they appear to be more rarely seen.
Unfortunately, their physical prowess, and the fact that many humans see them as little more than intelligent animals, has caused them to be frequently enslaved in the past (and even to this day, though slavery is now largely outlawed). As a result, many fishmen fear or resent humans. Many are part of pirate crews, and they are considered to be very formidable foes. Of course, others just live in peace below the sea, generally avoiding contact with humans. It's assumed they have many smaller settlements throughout the Grand Line, but their homeland is Fishman Island, which lies at the bottom of the sea below the Red Line, at the halfway point of the Grand Line.
- Merfolk - Merfolk are the other major sea-dwelling race, aside from fishmen. They are more like what we traditionally think of when we hear "mermaid" (or "merman): a person who appears to have the upper body of a human and the tail of a fish. Like fishmen, they can breathe underwater or out of water with ease. However, merfolk retain their tails until the age of thirty, making it a little harder for them to get around on land until then. Once they turn thirty, their tails split, forming "legs" of sorts, so they may walk on land with ease. Merfolk are widely known to be the fastest swimmers of anything in the ocean, and they also have the ability to speak to fish. Merfolk, like fishmen, are based on certain types of fish and tend to retain characteristics of those fish (though it is less pronounced than in fishmen). For example, Camie is a kissing gourami mermaid, and as a result, shows a very unusual face when she is shocked or surprised by something.
Merfolk are unfortunately also victims of human prejudice, and even to this day are highly prized as status trophies for the very wealthy (kept in tanks as decorations). However as a whole they tend to be more peaceful than fishmen, choosing to avoid human contact and exist mainly in secret. As such, you will not encounter them often. They do not appear to hold the human race in contempt, however, since they frequently will rescue drowning sailors, and have even been known to interbreed with humans. Where the mermaid capitol and homeland exists is unknown so far, though they do appear to be ruled by an as-yet unnamed mermaid princess.
- Giants - Giants are just what they sound like: a race of gigantic people, many many times larger than regular humans. Though no specific measurements have been given in the series, a regular human will only come up to about their ankle, and a large-sized human (such as Whitebeard) will only reach around knee-high at most on a typical giant. As such, they are easily over one hundred feet tall. Besides their enormous size, they look just like regular humans, though they are incredibly strong and resilient in addition to their size. Also, giants live about three times longer than humans.
Giants are a typically good-natured and jovial race, and they seem to get along very well with most humans, and other races as well. In turn, humans also consider them to be "men," rather than inferior or sub-human like fishmen and merfolk are often considered. Many giants serve in the Marines, even as officers.
Giants come from several large home islands, the most commonly known being Elbaf. Elbaf giants are a race of proud warriors (clearly modeled after Viking society), where honor and pride in battle are extremely important values to be upheld. However, not all giant societies are like this; in fact some giants seem to find the warriors of Elbaf to be "brutish", so it's clear that not all giant societies are based around battle. Giants have their own leaders on their islands, but in general also seem to follow the rule of the World Government.
- Sky Folk - Natives of sky islands (and, believe it or not, descendants of a race that originated on the moon), their most distinguishing characteristic is the pair of small wings that grow from their backs. The wings are purely decorative, being too small to support them in actual flight. In just about every other way, they are nearly identical to humans. Most of them live on sky islands, but you may occasionally meet one on the blue sea of the Grand Line!
Sky folk are technically sub-divided into three distinct branches, most easily recognized by their wing shape and manner of dress.- Skypieans - Skypieans have slightly upward-sloping wings with fewer feathers, and tend to style their hair into antenna-like topknots with bobbles at the end of them. In general they are a very peaceful civilization, even bordering on meek, and they depend on dials for many of their modern conveniences.
- Shandians - Shandians have upward-sloping wings with more feathers than Skypieans. They are rather Native American-inspired in their manner of dress, hairstyle, and decoration, often being tattooed. They might be seen as more barbaric due to their proud and warlike nature, however they have a great belief in honor as well, putting them very firmly in a "noble savage" mold.
- Bilkans - Bilkans have downward-sloping wings, and many of them also possess goat-like characteristics such as floppy ears, nubby horns, or an element of a goat-like bleat in their voice. Many Bilkans seem to have a monk- or priest-like theme to them, and additionally, many can use "mantra", an ability which allows one to sense someone from afar and even predict their movements. However, Bilka, the sky island homeland of the Bilkans, was destroyed by Enel, so it is unknown how many of their race survived.
- Skypieans - Skypieans have slightly upward-sloping wings with fewer feathers, and tend to style their hair into antenna-like topknots with bobbles at the end of them. In general they are a very peaceful civilization, even bordering on meek, and they depend on dials for many of their modern conveniences.
- Wotan - It is also know that giants and fishmen can interbreed, resulting in a race known as "wotan," who are smaller than regular giants, but still much larger than a normal human, and who retain fishlike characteristics. Wotan are extremely rare, however.
DEVIL FRUITS
Like many series, you’ll find that a fair few of the characters in One Piece appear to have supernatural powers. In this case, it’s because of a rare item known as a Devil Fruit. The average person knows nothing or very little about what they are, and outside of the Grand Line you don’t come into contact with a person who has Devil Fruit powers very often. Because of their power, they can sell for extremely large prices, and Devil Fruit users themselves are sold as slaves in certain parts of the Grand Line.
Devil Fruits are noticeable in a couple different ways. They come in different shapes, colors, and sizes, but all Devil Fruits have swirl marks on them of some kind. They also taste unimaginably horrible. When consumed, the Devil Fruit gives you a power or special trait. 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. There can only be one type of each Devil Fruit in existence at a time, and therefore only one person with each type of Devil Fruit power at a time, as well.
But with this new power comes a weakness: Devil Fruit users become entirely helpless while submerged in all types of standing water (aka, not just seawater). They can’t move at all and unless someone helps them, they’ll simply sink like a hammer. Moving water, however, like rain or waves, does not weaken them. Seastone, a special substance that emits the same energy of the sea, can also cancel out Devil Fruit powers through physical contact. The more contact there is, the more their movement is weakened.
While there are over 100 types of Devil Fruits, they can be sorted into three basic classes:
- Paramecia - The most common of the three classes, users of Paramecia Devil Fruits gain super-human physical abilities. They can alter features of their bodies or their environment. The Paramecia fruits contain the greatest variation of powers evident so far in the One Piece story. These can be exploited and manipulated in a variety of ways. However, Paramecia types are also considered the easiest to battle, since they can be predictable and often display their full abilities within a very short period of time. Monkey D. Luffy is an example of a Paramecia-type user - his entire body is made of rubber.
- Zoan - The users of Zoan class Devil Fruits gain the ability to transform into a specific animal and acquire every ability affiliated with it. This type of fruit provides three forms: the user's natural form, the user’s full animal form, and a hybrid form, combining both original and fruit-bestowed species into an odd creation (usually in a bizarre way where the size is greatly exaggerated). Zoan Devil Fruits are not only for common animals, but for prehistorical animals and mythological creatures, as well. The Zoan fruits mainly improve physical abilities. Rob Lucci is an example of a Zoan-type user - he can transform into a leopard.
- Logia - The rarest of the three classes, users of Logia Devil Fruits gain the abilities to generate, manipulate, and transform themselves into an element, making them intangible or indestructible. They also gain all the abilities related to that element and are able to regenerate their bodies with it. Logia users can turn completely into their element if they want to, and even in their default states they are near invincible because they take no damage from physical attacks. Logia are considered the most powerful of the three Devil Fruit groups. Portgas D. Ace is an example of a Logia-type user - his entire body is made of fire.
- Mallowmateys Fruits - In our game, we’ve created a new and different brand of pseudo-Devil Fruits! The most important thing to note about these is that their effects are not permanent. Generally they last for about a week, but that can be extended or shortened by a couple days as players see fit. Each character is allowed ONE fruit use in a three month period. This limit is an OOC one; in-game it is explained by the fact that the World Government has cracked down on these unusual fruits and as a result they are very rare. We want to stress that these fruits should be used only to enhance gameplay, and should not be relied on to build CR. In accordance with this, any fruit that would directly effect or change a character's personality is not allowed. This is for the sheer purpose of keeping all characters as IC as possible. Currently there are a total of FIVE FRUITS that players are allowed to use, and they’re all pretty self-explanatory:
- Gender-changing Fruit (pink banana) - Eat this one and your character gets a sex change for a week. If you’re a girl, you become a guy. If you’re a guy, you become a girl!
- Age-changing Fruit (blue carrot) - Add some years to your character or take them off. You can become a teen again, relive your toddler years, or find a cane for the sudden grandpa. Whatever you want!
- Body-switch Fruit (red peach) - Two characters suddenly find themselves in each other's bodies after eating this fruit. Awkward much?
- Size-changing Fruit (yellow strawberry) - With this fruit, a character will either shrink to pocket-size or grow to gigantic proportions. Have fun coping with their newfound size for a week!
- Super-power Fruit (purple apple) - Your character will gain a stereotypical superhero power with this one. Will they have super strength? Maybe they can fly or go invisible! Almost like a REAL Devil Fruit, except the effects only last a week!
- Gender-changing Fruit (pink banana) - Eat this one and your character gets a sex change for a week. If you’re a girl, you become a guy. If you’re a guy, you become a girl!
WORLD GOVERNMENT
The World Government is just what it sounds like: the main governing body of the world of One Piece. The World Government is affiliated with roughly 170 countries from around the world. These member countries retain their autonomy; that is, the countries run their own internal affairs (though the World Government does sometimes meddle), but cooperate with the World Government for massive international relations. The World Government was established around 800 years ago during the "Void Century," a time period for which few records exist, and was originally established as a union of twenty kingdoms.
At first glance, the World Government seems to maintain a worldly order that benefits all, making the world safe for the sake of everyone. Using the Marines, they pursue criminals and pirates who endanger the lives of the innocent, protecting the people of each country in the world. The World Government is the largest World Power, maintaining full rights to halt or encourage any political action without question or opposition from any side. However, the reality is that, unknown to most citizens (and many world leaders), the World Government's actions are frequently and secretly based on corruption or questionable motives. Often they hide the truth or ignore the rights of the people and use the mantle of justice to further their own aims.
The World Government's power to release information on anyone as they please can often led to the truth being hidden, altered or ignored all together. They have outlawed the study of the "Void Century" for reasons unknown, though they claim it is to prevent ancient weapons on incredible destructive power from being unearthed and used. For the most part, the important role they have in maintaining world stability seems to outweigh the corruption they often display, though this is changing as more people are beginning to question whether what the World Government is doing is right. There are revolutionary cells working to overthrow the World Government and end its corruptive influence; foremost known among these revolutionaries is Monkey D. Dragon, Luffy's father.
Some important people in and related to the World Government:
- The Gorousei - This is the council of five who are the heads of the World Government. They are the five men who rule above the Marines, Cipher Pol and made a pact with the Shichibukai. Essentially, they rule the entire world.
- World Nobles (also known as Tenryuubito or Celestial Dragons) - These people are the descendants of the twenty kings who established what is now known as the World Government. Their connection to the World Government makes them extremely important, so much so that they consider other humans to be beneath them; as a result they often wear bubbles over their heads when they go out in public so they won't have to breath the same air as commoners. They are commonly individually addressed as "Saint," and it is expected that people drop what they are doing when one of them appears and bow until they are out of sight. It is a crime of the highest order to assault a World Noble; those who do so are subject to immediate punishment at the hands of one of the three Marine Admirals.
- The Marines - The Marines are essentially the martial branch of the World Government on the seas. You'll be able to easily recognize their ships because of the blue and white seagull symbol they fly. 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. Amongst their duties is awarding bounties placed on the heads of a criminals and pirates. Higher ranks are as follows:
- Fleet Admiral
- Admirals (only three such positions)
- Vice Admiral
- Rear Admiral
- Commodore
- Captain
- Commander
- Lieutenant Commander
- Lieutenant
- Lieutenant Junior Grade
- Ensign
- Fleet Admiral Sengoku
- Admiral Aokiji
- Admiral Akainu
- Admiral Kizaru
- Vice-Admiral Monkey D. Garp
- Vice-Admiral Tsuru
- Shichibukai - Otherwise known as the Seven Warlords of the Sea. They are the seven most powerful pirate captains of the sea who have allied themselves with the World Government, though normally they do not care about it or respect it. They have also very little respect for each other, and for the most part will not cooperate with either the WG or each other. They are only allowed to attack other pirates and have to give the WG a tenth of their loot. They must have strong intimidation skills and a fearsome reputation to put off others becoming a pirate and to make them fear them. They perform various tasks for the WG, sometimes taking over new islands for them and guarding other nations. They mainly serve to keep balance of the Three Great Powers. More info below.
- Cipher Pol - The various Cipher Pol cells are stationed throughout the world and do investigation for the World Government. They supplement the Intelligence Branch of the WG’s Marine forces, but seem to operate more as a counter-insurgency agency that has more general law enforcement duties. They focus more on political threats than generic criminals. The cells seen in the Grand Line are CP5 and above, whereas the lower units may very well be stationed in the Blues. There are eight official units, with CP9 being unofficial and top secret. CP9 has since been disbanded, but when they existed they had the license to kill any citizen that didn’t cooperate with the WG or acted contrary to its interest.
- Mariejois - known as the "Holy Land," this city is situated on the Red Line, at the halfway point around the Grand Line. It is the World Government capitol and main Headquarters, as well as home to the World Nobles.
- Impel Down - the great underwater prison of the World Government, home to the most notorious criminals, pirates, and enemies of the Government. Impel Down is located in the middle of a Calm Belt and as such is surrounded by vicious sea kings. Impel Down is set up in levels of differing "hells," which each level having its own punishment theme (similar to Dante's Inferno). The levels are as follows:
- Level One: Crimson Hell - The "mildest" level, here is where lesser criminals are kept. The level gets its name from the forest of bladed trees and the needle-like grass, which cuts prisoners and leaves the level soaked in blood.
- Level Two: Wild Beast Hell - This level is overrun with fantastic and violent creatures such as Puzzle Scorpions and manticores, as well as a basilisk and a powerful sphinx.
- Level Three: Starvation Hell - This level is where prisoners with a bounty of
50,000,000 are typically kept, this level is pretty self-explanatory. Prisoners are given very little food and water; in addition to that, they have to cope with the intense heat rising up from...
- Level Four: Blazing Hell - Basically a giant furnace, the heat on this level is ridiculously intense, and there is a gigantic pot of boiling blood in the center of it, which is used for torture. The Chief Warden of Impel Down, Magellan, has his office on this level. Prisoners from other levels are regularly tortured here.
- Level Five: Freezing Hell - This level is where prisoners with bounties exceeding
100,000,000 are kept. In stark contrast to the level above, here the level is like a gigantic freezer, with prisoners routinely either freezing to death or starving due to their food freezing solid before they can eat it. Along with the bitter cold, there seems to be a occurrence of prisoners mysteriously disappearing as well. Prisoners who are incapable of moving by themselves have been disappearing without a trace. Because of this, the Impel Down staff and the prisoners call this phenomenon the "demoning away".
- Level Six: Eternal Hell - The deepest level, and the place where only the most notorious and dangerous criminals are kept, often those with a death penalty or life sentence. Many are not even aware this level exists, as the prisoners here have been "erased from memory."
- Level One: Crimson Hell - The "mildest" level, here is where lesser criminals are kept. The level gets its name from the forest of bladed trees and the needle-like grass, which cuts prisoners and leaves the level soaked in blood.
- Marineford - This is the headquarters of the Marines, situated near the Shabondy Archipelago, and directly next to Mariejois on the Red Line. It is where Fleet Admiral Sengoku and the three Admirals reside, along with many Vice Admirals and lower-ranked officers when they aren't assigned to another base. The city surrounding marine HQ is inhabited by families of marine soldiers.
- Enies Lobby - This was the judicial island of the World Government, a government-controlled stronghold in the Grand Line that lead to both Impel Down and Marineford directly. Enies Lobby is located on an island referred to as a "never-night island," because the sun never seemed to set, leaving it in constant daylight. Enies Lobby is unusual because it is above an enormous waterfall in the middle of the Grand Line. Criminals taken to Enies Lobby in the past were sentenced and transfered immediately to Impel Down or Marine HQ, Marineford. However, Enies Lobby has since been abandoned after being destroyed in a Buster Call, the strongest military action possible, which essentially destroys an entire island, "wiping it from the map."
- Pirates of Note
The Grand Line is home to countless pirates, but there are a few who are so infamous that nearly everyone will have heard of them. Here is a little more information about some of these well-known pirates.
- The Four Yonkou - Also known as the Pirate Emperors, these are the four pirates who rule the New World, or the second half of the Grand Line. They are one of the three Great Powers, the others being the Marines and the Shichibukai. They live quite literally as though they are emperors, doing mostly as they please. For the World Government, they are the greatest pirate threats in the world. It is only the combined efforts of the Marines and the Shichibukai that keeps their power in check. The four emperors themselves are not united together as one group like the Shichibukai are, and instead follow their own individual paths. However, the possibility that two or more of the Yonkou could form an alliance is a great threat to the World Government. The names of the four emperors are: “Red-Haired” Shanks, “Whitebeard” Edward Newgate, Kaidou, and Big Mum.
- The Shichibukai - As mentioned before, the Shichibukai, or the Seven Warlords of the Sea, are the seven most powerful pirate captains who have allied themselves with the World Government. There are six current warlords: Bartholomew Kuma, Juracule Mihawk, Donquixote Doflamingo, Gecko Moria, Boa Hancock, and “Blackbeard” Marshall D. Teach. Blackbeard replaced the former warlord, Crocodile, and Jinbei, the fishman warlord, has not yet been replaced.
- The Eleven Supernovas - This is the term that refers to the top rookie pirates who happened to arrive in the Shabondy Archipelago all at the same time. Each of these pirates has a bounty over
100,000,000. The Supernovas are:
- Eustass "Captain" Kid:
315,000,000
- "Straw Hat" Monkey D. Luffy:
300,000,000
- "The Magician" Basil Hawkins:
249,000,000
- "Red Flag" X. Drake:
222,000,000
- "Surgeon of Death" Trafalgar Law:
200,000,000
- "Roar of the Seas" Scratchmen Apoo:
198,000,000
- "Massacre Man" Killer:
162,000,000
- "Big Eater" Jewelry Bonney:
140,000,000
- Capone "Gang" Bege:
138,000,000
- "Pirate Hunter" Roronoa Zoro:
120,000,000
- "Mad Monk" Urouge:
108,000,000
- Eustass "Captain" Kid:
- The Four Yonkou - Also known as the Pirate Emperors, these are the four pirates who rule the New World, or the second half of the Grand Line. They are one of the three Great Powers, the others being the Marines and the Shichibukai. They live quite literally as though they are emperors, doing mostly as they please. For the World Government, they are the greatest pirate threats in the world. It is only the combined efforts of the Marines and the Shichibukai that keeps their power in check. The four emperors themselves are not united together as one group like the Shichibukai are, and instead follow their own individual paths. However, the possibility that two or more of the Yonkou could form an alliance is a great threat to the World Government. The names of the four emperors are: “Red-Haired” Shanks, “Whitebeard” Edward Newgate, Kaidou, and Big Mum.