History Characters / PunishingGrayRaven

** [[labelnote:Other]] ''Engineering Force'': '''Karenina''', ''Woodcock'': Harley Jo [[/labelnote]]

[[WMG:[[center: [- ''VideoGame/PunishingGrayRaven'' '''[[Characters/PunishingGrayRaven Main Character Index]]''' \\

* BodyBackupDrive: Death is theoretically cheap, thanks to the Inver-Devices that allow them to pull their consciousness out of their bodies split-seconds before death. However, it is still possible to suffer a true death if the mind doesn't get out in time.
** [[spoiler: It's becomes known that it is all a ''lie'', all to preserve morale. This becomes one of the causes for the defections that become more common later on in the story.]]

* AmbiguousRobots: While they claim to be cyborgs, the fact their consciousness is separate to their bodies makes it hard to see where the human ends and the augmentations begin.

* AmbiguousRobots: While they claim to be machines, the fact their consciousness is separate to their bodies makes it hard to see where the human ends and the augmentations begin.

** [spoiler: It's becomes known that it is all a ''lie'', all to preserve morale. This becomes one of the causes for the defections that become more common later on in the story.]]

* AmbiguousRobots: While they claim to be cyborgs, the degree of modification the constructs can undergo, along with the fact their consciousness is separate to their bodies makes it hard to see where the human ends and the augmentations begin. Some of their bodies are so extreme they could be more readily called androids with human memories.

* ChildSoldier: Most of the playable constructs were converted as teens or younger. Lucia in particular was converted at such a young age that [=NPC=]s express open discomfort with it and Nikola admits that although he considers it necessary to the war effort, they're probably going to Hell for this.

* HornedHumanoid: Some Constructs have their Inver Devices shaped like horns.

** [[labelnote:Purifying Force]] '''Bianca''', Qianzi [[/labelnote]]

** [[labelnote:Arctic Route Union and Forest Guards]] Rosetta, Diana, Derek, Atiel, and Amberia[[/labelnote]]

** [[labelnote:The Ascendants]] '''Luna, Alpha, Roland, Gabriel, Lamia''', Vonnegut, The Merciful One, Voodo, Huosha, Cinderelik [[/labelnote]]
** [[labelnote:The Church of Machina]] '''Haicma, Hanying''', Zero, Trailblazer [[/labelnote]]

* MorphWeapon: Her Core Passive allows her to transform her ★ Black Rock Cannon into a {{BFS}} form, a reference to a similar stunt she pulled in the OVA.

* InspirationNod: ''Blazing Simulacrum'' puts her side by side with Alpha's ''Crimson Weave'' variation, since the latter resembles an opposing counterpart, blue flaming eyeand all. Even her Core Passive gimmick plays like Alpha's in reverse, with her Blue Orbs being locked away, while Alpha's are the default.

* RevisitingTheRoots: Most collaborations with ''Black Rock Shooter'' tend to use the spin-off continuities, such as ''Anime/BlackRockShooterDawnFall''. But with ''P:GR'', B★RS uses the rendition originally drawn by huke, which was last used in the OVA and anime a decade ago. Even getting Creator/KanaHanazawa to voice the character hearkens back to the very first adaptation.

* RevisitingTheRoots: Most collaborations with ''Black Rock Shooter'' tend to use the spin-off continuities, such as ''Anime/BlackRockShooterDawnFall''. But with ''P:GR'', B★RS uses the rendition originally drawn by huke, which was last used in the OVA and anime a decade ago. Even getting Creator/KanaHanazawa to voice the character hearkens back to the the very first adaptation.

[[folder:[=A2=] ([=YoRHa=] Type A No. 2)]]

[[folder:[=9S=] ([=YoRHa=] No. 9 Type S)]]

[[folder:[=2B=] ([=YoRHa=] No. 2 Type B)]]

[[/folder]]

[[quoteright:1000:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/xr7hewjqfpjb12_7.jpg]]

** [[labelnote:Argali]] Simon, Paloma, Lilian, '''Noan''' [[/labelnote]]

[[Characters/PunishingGrayRavenNonHumanFactions Non-Human Factions]]\\
[[Characters/PunishingGrayRavenIndependentFactions Independent Factions]] -]]]]]

%%Page creator acknowledges the need for extensive rewrites when officially translated material arrives. When it does, come with a hatchet.

A list of characters in ''VideoGame/PunishingGrayRaven''.

* [[Characters/PunishingGrayRavenPlayableConstructs Playable Constructs]]
* [[Characters/PunishingGrayRavenBabylonia People of Babylonia]]
* [[Characters/PunishingGrayRavenEarth Factions on Earth]]
[[/index]]

* [[Characters/PunishingGrayRavenEarth Factions on Earth]]

[[WMG:[[center: [- ''VideoGame/PunishingGrayRaven'' '''Main Character Index'''\\
[[Characters/PunishingGrayRavenPlayableConstructs Playable Constructs]]\\
''Non-playable Characters'': [[Characters/PunishingGrayRavenBabylonia People of Babylonia]] | [[Characters/PunishingGrayRavenEarth Factions on Earth]] -]]]]]

!Factions on Earth
[[folder:The Punishing Virus and the Corrupted]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bgfightloading2.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:The Infection]]
After forcing humanity off Earth following its initial outbreak, the Punishing Virus remains on the planet, persisting either as lethal clouds that leave parts of the world inhospitable, or as roving bands of berserk machinery that seek only to kill the humans that still remain on Earth. While Babylonia believes in purging Earth of the virus, many parties believe it is here to stay, and may even be more desirable to keep it that way.

* EldritchLocation: [[spoiler:The Red Tide is a formerly subterranean pool of Punishing virus that has become dense enough to resemble mud in some places, which is also filled broken robot parts. It is likened to primordial soup and has become a spawning ground for Hetero-Creatures that disturbingly resemble biological beings. Worse, it's broken through the surface, where it has risen high enough to actually drown buildings.]]
* MurderousMalfunctioningMachine: All generic {{Mook}}s take this form. Whether rusting and ancient construction machinery, or constructs sent down to Earth, once you succumb, this is your final destiny.
* {{Nanomachines}}: Beyond just infecting and killing, the virus can persist outside and affect the physical world. Places with high enough densities practically start terraforming the land.
* TransferableMemory: [[spoiler:The Red Tide is thick enough that it gains the property of absorbing memories, or at least imitating them. Asimov also floats the theory that enough memories exist in it that it may have become a GeniusLoci.]]
* TheVirus: One that can infect both humans and machines.

!!Nozzle
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/xixinomal.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"Y-You... asked... an artist... to explain... their... work...? What an... amatuer... hehe."'']]

Informally referred to as "the Graffiti Artist" due to its obsession with painting patterns wherever it goes, this Corrupted becomes the first target Gray Raven squad has to destroy to establish a foothold on Earth. Its manic but clear intelligence is the first warning sign the war will not be so simple.
----
* ArtAttacker: It uses paint as one of its weapons, whether as a high-pressure beam of freezing paint, or paint cans used as improvised bombs.
* FatBastard: Its large frame gives this impression, and compliments its self-absorbed artist persona.
* FreezeRay: Its paint is capable of freezing constructs, and it even killed other constructs in this manner.
* ItCanThink: The fact it's found a hobby and is attempting to create art shocks Gray Raven squad, who were under the impression they would be fighting a mindless horde.
* MadArtist: Its paint incorporates the fluids of constructs it's killed, making it even more despicable.
* StarterVillain: It's a dangerous enemy, but it's only dangerous so far as it's stopping Babylonia from establishing its first land base.
* VaguenessIsComing: While insignificant on its own, Nozzle hints at the future plot by making Babylonia aware of prior unknown factions while speaking of the Ascendants and the Sage/Sagemachina.

!!Tifa
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tifanomal_1.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"With this power, I will fulfill the last wish of my Commandant..."'']]
[[caption-width-right:350:[[labelnote:Tifa's true body]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/chpcl17bi_eemej5aaaaabq4jzw543_2.png[[/labelnote]]]]

Once a Reconstructed Soldier serving with the Suzaku squad, the death of her commandant in the initial counter-invasion drove her to despair. Manipulated into accepting the Punishing Virus, Tifa has been turned into a nightmarish Corrupted called the Iron Maiden that's attacking other constructs in revenge.
----
* ArtEvolution: For the ''Spiral of Chronos'' update, Tifa received a remade boss fight, which depicts her completely free of her armored shell and armed with several new projectile attacks.
* FallenHero: She was once an ordinary soldier, but the death of her commandant [[spoiler:and Roland's manipulations]] twisted her into an Corrupted powerhouse.
* MercyKill: [[spoiler:She survives her story arc, but by that time, she's nothing more than an insane mind trapped in a wrecked body. Because of this Vera kills her for good to end her suffering.]]
* PropheticNames: "Iron Maiden" might be an intimidating name for an armored, spike-shooting cocoon, but in the end [[spoiler:Tifa winds up metaphorically inhabiting one, as she's reduced to a broken mind trapped in her body, until Vera puts her out of her misery.]]
* SmallGirlBigGun: Her Memory set shows that, prior to her infection, she wielded Levi-Guns like Liv.
* SpikeShooter: Her main form of attack is releasing spikes as projectiles.
* StarterVillain: She and the Graffiti Artist are the main obstacles in establishing an Babylonia presence on Earth.
* TurnsRed: When she reaches the last third of her health, she purges her outer armored shell and starts using new attacks.
* VirtualGhost: ''The Last Spark'' added a Memory set based on her pre-infection self.

!!Roseblade
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/balaswordnomal_975731.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"I... will not allow... them... to defile Mr. Copperfield's legacy..."'']]

Back in the past, the Estate Museum was cared for by a bionic steward, who steadfastly carried out his duty even after the Punishing Virus arrived. When Gray Raven squad come to investigate, they discover that he has been turned into the Museum's Corrupted guard dog, thanks to its new occupants.
----
* KickTheDog: The recipient of one thanks to [[spoiler:Roland. His callous enslavement of Roseblade and subsequent abandonment as a "failure" shows the Ascendants are self-serving {{Social Darwinist}}s.]]
* OneWayVisor: He wears one (or perhaps has one installed) as a sign of his robotic nature.
* PlayingWithFire: Further into his boss fight, he [[FlamingSword coats his sword in fire]], granting himself fire based attacks.
* RoyalRapier: Uses one as his weapon, and fights with a gentlemanly stance appropriate to his old job.
* SomethingAboutARose: Some of his long range attacks are shaped like roses.
* TurnsRed: When he loses one third of his health, he starts using a FlamingSword.
* VillainousBreakdown: His fighting style becomes more erratic with each phase of his fight; he initially has a slow walk, elaborate rose-themed attacks and fanciful slashes, moves onto fire-based atttacks with wide sweeps and explosive pillars, and by the end goes completely feral, viciously charging the player while simply stabbing at them as hard as they can.

!!The International Space Station / Korolev / Riot
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bgfightloading10_min.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:The International Space Station]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tieqiunomal.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Riot]]

Once a cutting-edge scientific research facility where gravity generation experiments were taking place, the Punishing Virus consumed the station and then expanded it with absorbed space debris. Since then, it has menaced both Babylonia and Earth as a giant artillery platform. Korolev, the station's AI, persists as an internal defense system -- when Gray Raven and Ayla get deeper into the station, it downloads itself into Riot, a massive combat robot.

----

* AIIsACrapshoot: Korolev is a low-level AI, but a malicious one.
* BeamSpam: Riot specializes in all sorts of projectile attacks, whether it is massive beams fired from its central eye, or shotgun-like blasts from two side guns to push the player away.
* DeadlyEuphemism: Korolev taunts Gray Raven using educational blurbs and [=PSAs=] recontextualized as warnings and threats. When the Space Station begins jettisoning sections of itself to isolate Babylonia's troops, it compares its actions to a human body fighting off infections.
* DeathFromAbove: The International Space Station is capable of spreading the Punshing Virus by firing infected projectiles down to the Earth's surface.

!!Hetero-Core / Rail Heterozygote
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bgfightloading11_min.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Hetero-Core]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bgstory145_compressed.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Rail Heterozygote]]
When the Punishing Virus infected the gravity generator of the International Space Station, the extraordinary conditions allowed the virus to create denser and more complex devices, known as Heteromers, which are made out of Hetero-matter. The densest matter exists as the Hetero-Core, which manipulates all Hetero-matter on the space station. After the Hetero-Core falls to Earth, it re-consolidates itself into the Rail Heterozygote and promptly attacks the people of the Akdilek Commercial Alliance. Gray Raven squad is sent to eliminate it once and for all.
----
* DisposableVehicleSection: When Babylonia seriously threatens the Core by breaching its defenses, it makes a last-ditch attempt to survive by jettisoning itself out of the space station.
* GenericDoomsdayVillain: It is the Punishing Virus at its least complicated, simply being an amalgamate of machinery that's destroying everything in sight. The greater threat it presents is a deadline that pushes Akdilek's population to the breaking point as they try to decide whether to ally with Babylonia or [[spoiler:the Ascendants]].
* MechanicalAbomination: The Rail Heterozygote is a multi-eyed, asymmetrical nightmare cobbled out of random parts through a pure hatred for humanity rather than actual engineering.
* OminousCube: The Core itself, though it uses a variety of square and rectangular weaponry as well.

!!Shark-speare
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/shashibiernormal01.png]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/shashibiernormal02_3.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"Let's... play... together..."'']]
Once a mere cartoon character, Shark-speare was later used as the basis for a mechanical mascot of Venus Splash Park in the Caribbean. However, it also serves as the water park's main defense system. During ''Grand Blue'', Luna infects Shark-speare to turn it into an ironic executioner for Shome, an Ascendant fugitive.

----
* BodyHorror: Even if it's just a machine, there's something unnerving about how Shark-speare uses its abandoned face plate as a flail in its second form.
* EpicFlail: In its second form, it drops all its comedic pretenses and starts swinging its face plate around on a cable.
* FedToTheBeast: [[spoiler:Shome eventually meets his end at the hands of his treasured mascot, which graphically bites him to pieces.]]
* FightingClown: In its first form, it fights more like a cartoon character -- using a water gun, balloons and a jet-ski like aparatus -- that just happens to also be able to hurt you.
* NightmareFace: In its second form, the internal components under its decorative face are revealed, thus becoming unsettling CyberCyclops that clashes with the rest of its still cartoonish body.


!!Hetero-Creatures
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bgfightloading26_1.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:The Polyphage]]

Emerging from the Red Tide, these are the result of the Punishing virus imitating the evolutionary process of the Earth's organisms. Humanity has not yet understood the specific evolutionary mechanism of Hetero-Creatures, determined whether they possess biology like living organisms, or learned the reasons for their existence. The only thing that can be determined through observation is that Hetero-Creatures have initially shown the possibility of forming their own development tree and have the potential to achieve sentience.
----
* BackgroundBoss: The Polyphage boss of ''Fake Ascension''. Later it becomes a ColossusClimb as you fight your way across its arm.
* TheBattleDidntCount: [[spoiler:After draining the Humanoid Organisms of their health, the duo simply one-shots Lucia and Lee in a cutscene right after.]]
* DualBoss: [[spoiler:''Evernight Beat'' ends with a fight against the Humanoid Organisms, referred to individually as "Male" and "Female". The Male fights with a PowerFist, while the Female fights with ArmedLegs and an EnergyBow.]]
* EvilCounterpart: [[spoiler:The Humanoid Organisms are the first bosses in the game that start using the game's mechanics against the player, making use of Matrix dodges to try and attack the slowed down Gray Raven squad.]]
* EvilEvolves: It's the Punishing Virus trying to ape biological evolution. [[spoiler:As of ''Evernight Beat'', it's succeeded in spawning the "Humanoid Organisms: Male and Female", which grow in strength so rapidly they start imitating the player's BulletDodge and Lucia's LimitBreak.]]
* KnightOfCerebus: [[spoiler:''Evernight Beat'' ends on the game's first cliffhanger chapter, with the Humanoid Twins giving Gray Raven squad their first unambigious defeat.]]
* PoweredByAForsakenChild: The Polyphage requires [[spoiler:an Ascendant]] to fully function. [[spoiler:Gabriel, reasoning that Luna's no longer useful to the Ascendant Network, turns her into its core.]]

!!Siren
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mumu20220818223824.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''Fall. Burn. Crash. Rip. Merge. My body... does it still exist?'']]
Following the Polyphage's defeat at the Ascendants' lair in City 075, the previously inert Red Tide is suddenly rediscovered, trying to spread out from a series of rivers and into the ocean. Following its course, the Commandant discovers the source of this Red Tide is a large Hetero-Creature called Siren, a dangerous but strangely pathetic monster that seems to be imprisoned by the Tide to serve as its beating heart.
----
* AnArmAndALeg: When it's initially discovered, it's found pinned to a group of Punishing-formed spikes without any legs, which it quickly forms for the boss battle. During its second phase, it loses its left arm from the damage it took earlier from Wanshi, but it keeps fighting.
* BladeBelowTheShoulder: During its first phase, its left arm is a jagged blade it uses for attacks, but it gets destroyed between phases.
* FisherKing: As the current source of Red Tide, it serves as its impromptu "heart", causing it to spread and pulse outwards. When it's destroyed, the Red Tide loses much of its destructive potential.
* HandicappedBadass: During the second phase, it loses its left arm and its feet. But it turns out to grow only ''more'' dangerous as it creates a sword to wield and switches from animalistic swipes to wild strikes with its new blade.
* HellIsThatNoise: It "sings" and makes noises similar to whale songs, which also causes the Red Tide to surge every time it does.
* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler:After dealing enough damage, the remains of Selena's original body is exposed. When the Commandant sees her, Selena regains just enough willpower to take the targeting beacon the Commandant had been carrying so that Babylonia can destroy Siren with a pinpoint artillery strike.]]
* MorphicResonance: Its main body consists of its torso and a right arm, while the remaining limbs look oddly cobbled together. [[spoiler:This alludes to the condition of Selena's body when last seen, which was also reduced to such a wrecked state with only one arm.]] Between phases, it also inexplicably starts pantomiming the playing of a violin, [[spoiler:which makes all the more sense when you realize Selena was a musician, among her many other artistic talents]].
* SharkFinOfDoom: Siren is capable of diving into the water before emerging to attack. Wanshi has a unique counter, where firing his Bloom Shot while it's lunging at him will cause an animation where he shoots it away.
* SpontaneousWeaponCreation: At the start of its second phase, it summons a sword from the Red Tide as a weapon to keep attacking with.
* TragicMonster: Unlike other Hetero-creatures, it's regularly described as a sorrowful being, imprisoned and unwillingly used as a source of the Red Tide, and whose song that empower the Tide sound sad. [[spoiler:Given it's Selena being used by the Red Tide as a back up power source following the Polyphage's destruction, she truly is no longer in control or even conscious of what she's become.]]

[[/folder]]
[[folder:Akdilek Commercial Alliance]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bgfightloading14.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:The Royalty]]

This organisation operates out of the "Eternal Engine" Asslam, which runs nonstop through the wastes of Eurasia in order to filter out the Punishing virus. In order to supply itself, its leveraged its constant travel to become a trade organisation, which has cemented its position as an economic powerhouse. As far as its leaders are concerned, Akdilek has no partners and no enemies, only business.
----
* ArabianNightsDays: Akdilek apparently originated in the Middle East, and the faction has strong Arab stylings in its stage design, battle music, and even its identity as a merchant society.
* AristocratsAreEvil: Or at least massive assholes. They shun the commoners and treat them as little more than merchandise or pests, while they enjoy benefits like private cabins. Their selfishness goes so far as to try and broker a deal with the Ascendants, hoping joining them will give them true freedom from the train.
* CoolTrain: It's not called "the Eternal Engine" for nothing. Asslam is a MobileCity made up of armed and armored train carriages the size of buildings.
* FantasticCasteSystem: Akdilek maintains a division between "aristocrats" and "commoners": descendants of the original passengers of the train, and newcomers who've come aboard for various reasons.
* GildedCage: Akdilek might be a wealthy and powerful society, but even the aristocrats chafe under the reality that their sumptuous train is only barely holding the Punishing Virus at bay outside its walls. The events of ''Eternal Engine'' therefore tempts them with the possibility of either escaping to Babylonia, or joining the Ascendants for a chance to become immune to the virus.
* MerchantCity: The train is willing to trade anything and handle any business, and as a result is powerful enough to field their own constructs separate to Babylonia's.
* ShoutOut: The idea of a post-apocalyptic society with a strong class divide that inhabits a perpetually running train is a dead-ringer for ''ComicBook/LeTransperceneige'', though the Snow-Piercer's society is trapped in an ice age, while Akdilek operates out of a desert.
!!Jamilah Akdilek IV
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/jiamilanormal01_975699.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"We had no choice but to gamble from the start. This train has been running since the outbreak of the virus, and everywhere we pass by has only been a pitstop for us. Be it commoners or aristocrats, we all want to reach that terminal station... The final destination where we can call home."'']]

The Amir of the ACA. Her sympathy with the train's commoner population puts her at odds with the nobility, and her gentle appearance makes her look like a pushover, but she nonetheless has secured the loyalty of powerful constructs like Sophia and Chang Yu.
----
* BewareTheNiceOnes: While normally she's a kind woman who wants everyone on her train to survive, she's more than capable of giving a frightening expression that makes her doubters back down before they continue making unwise accusations.
* AChildShallLeadThem: Jamilah's grandfather originally owned Asslam, and and she is revered as the train's princess. However as a teenager, she has a hard time getting the aristocrats of the train to listen to her.
* PuppetKing: While she is Akdilek's queen, she is often relegated to being a spineless figurehead while [[EvilChancellor Aston, who represents the nobility's interests]], makes orders "on her behalf". [[spoiler:{{Subverted}}, in fact: Aston's loyalty has always been to Jamilah, and his orders on her behalf, [[ApparentlyPowerlessPuppetmaster really are on her behalf]]. All of this is to placate Akdilek's complicated politics. She did used to have little real power in the past, but her patience and ability to win the loyalty of servants and commoners the Aristocrats ignored eventually gave her more room to maneuver.]]
-->'''Jamilah''': I'm a queen with no real power. All I see are illusions. All I can reach is my dressing table.



!!Aston
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/asidunnormal01.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"We are businessmen, and only want to get the most benefit from the trade. As far as we are concerned... it is just merchandise."'']]

Jamilah's second-in-command. Unlike her, he pushes the interests of Akdilek's nobility, and he seems to have the force of personality his queen lacks to get things done.
----
* EvilChancellor: He is the real power in Akdilek, as Lee notes when he sees him ordering everyone around while Jamilah is reduced to a prop in their meeting. [[spoiler:He is actually TheGoodChancellor, who is helping Jamilah rule while pretending to only serve the nobility]].
* IntrepidMerchant: He is the one who embodies Akdilek's mercantile spirit the best. During ''Eternal Engine'', despite the Rail Heterozygote actively endangering him and the rest of the train, he still audaciously uses its Core as a bargaining chip to negotiate the immigration of the people onto Babylonia.

!!Changyu
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/changyunormal01_975776.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"Are you surprised? Construct Tech is not something only Babylonia has."'']]

A structure who works as a guard aboard Asslam, alongside Sophia.
----
->''For more information, look at "[[Characters/PunishingGrayRavenPlayableConstructs Playable Constructs]]"''

[[/folder]]
[[folder:Atlantis zero-point energy reactor]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/atlantissmaller960.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Atlantis]]

A top secret ocean facility housing a zero-point energy reactor. Has multiple layers of stealth and instrument deflection, as well as the ability to "snorkel" underwater for long periods of time. The site of ''The Last Spark.''
----
* CrazySane: All the staff were this, even before the Punishing outbreak. Those who can't cut it are unceremoniously fired and transported off the island, to live in information blackout for the rest of their lives.
* ElaborateUndergroundBase: Almost a self sufficient city.
!!Lastris
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/lastris.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light.]]

The head of research at Atlantis.
----

[[/folder]]
[[folder:The Forsaken]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/cg408_1.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:The Despised]]
Led by the criminal defector Watanabe, the Forsaken are a group of humans and constructs who were abandoned by Babylonia, or cast out for disagreeing with its policies. While they still believe in defeating the Punishing virus, that is no assurance of their cooperation.
----
* ArmyOfThievesAndWhores: An army of rogues created by people abandoned by Babylonia.
* DefectorFromDecadence: It is natural, considering that it was formed by mutineers. Its newer recruits only reinforce this trope, as there are many defectors from Babylonia incited by dissidence.
* IOweYouMyLife: Following chapter five, they ally with Gray Raven (and only them) in repayment for them saving the minds of several of their soldiers that had been taken by the Ascendants for research.
* TeethClenchedTeamwork: During ''Fallen Star'', Watanabe and the Forsaken negotiate a deal with Babylonia where in return for the Forsaken providing critical fighter support with their ace pilots during Babylonia's attack on the International Space Station, Babylonia will provide advanced supplies and equipment to the Forsaken. Watanabe makes it clear that this is only business transaction and not a true alliance, as they still don't fully trust Babylonia.
* TheMutiny: The founders of Forsaken were the remnants of a failed mutiny caused by more questionable policies of World Government (abandoning civilians and soldiers during retreat, trying to evacuate relics which looked useless in soldiers' eyes).
* WhatTheHellHero: The entire organization, being consisted of nonconformists and victims, existed as a walking reminder of this trope to World Government, despite the latter's purported reputation as legitimate leadership and emerging savior of humanity, that its more controversial actions will be remembered and accounted for.

[[/folder]]
[[folder:Arctic Route Union and the Forest Guard]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rsz_bgfightloading23.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:The Sinners]]
The Arctic Route Union is based in the regions around northern former-Russia, and is populated by descendants of those remained on Earth to resist the Punishing virus. They have little love for Babylonia, whom they consider cowards that abandoned the planet.
----
* AssholeVictim: They've done enough terrible things that no one should feel sorry for what happens to them in ''Firn Night''; the only question is whether they're still worth saving after everything they've done. [[spoiler:Atiel is willing to kill everyone to a man to satisfy her revenge, but Rosetta believes in saving the ARU to to stop the CycleOfRevenge and make it move on from the events surrounding Amberia.]]
* FantasticRacism: Despite the Forest Guard being their protectors, the ARU brands them "sinners" and hate their guts. [[spoiler:This is because they are the descendants of Amberia's creators.]] By the time of ''Frozen Darkness'' though, their festering shame at their treatment, along with Diana rallying the Guard to defend New Murmansk has the locals there change their tune and begin befriending them.
* FreudianExcuse: The ARU loathes the Forest Guard and other "sinners" for [[spoiler:primarily being composed of the descendants of the research team that created Amberia, who nearly destroyed the entire ARU.]]
* LaserGuidedKarma: ''Firn Night'' is all about the ARU's long-hidden crimes finally coming home to roost.
** [[spoiler: The ARU planned to emerge into a post-Punishing era with an advantage over the other nations, and for this reason resorted to human experimentation to create a war machine - which promptly went on a rampage and nearly destroyed it entirely.]]
** [[spoiler:Their burying of Amberia and their subsequent persecution of the researchers who made her, as well as their descenants, only lead to a vengeful survivor waking up an equally angry war machine years later, both of whom proceed to try and wipe out the ARU.]]
* OpportunisticBastard: The region was largely unaffected by the Punishing Virus and believed it would blow over, so their first agenda was to try and get a leg up on other nations after the Virus ended. [[spoiler:To this end, they rounded up escaping refugees to use as HumanResources in researching how to create a war machine.]]
* MotherRussiaMakesYouStrong: Based in Russia, the harsh cold and regular robot attacks have made the ARU a tough bunch.
* YankTheDogsChain: [[spoiler:Despite all the progress made by the end of ''Firn Night'', during ''Lost Chapter'' Luna singlehandedly destroys New Murmansk, killing off all of the leadership. While the Forest Guard and Forsaken save many civilians in the aftermath, it's a bitter way to close the chapter on the old ARU that created the Forest Guard and Amberia.]]

!!The Forest Guard

The defenders of the Arctic Route Union, who stand out thanks to their more exotically shaped constructs.
----
* AllOfTheOtherReindeer: They are "sinners" in the ARU's eyes, and are rejected by most of the ordinary citizens. By "tradition" they are expected to live in the forests and never enter ARU cities like New Murmansk, even though they are expected to protect the areas around it.
* ArmyOfThievesAndWhores: PlayedWith. This is the image the ARU is trying to project onto them, but many of them are just victims of the ARU's persecution.
* EarnYourHappyEnding: [[spoiler:At the end of the "Wendigo" event of ''Firn Night'' the ARU finally buries the hatchet with the Forest Guard, and helps set up a community where they can finally be treated as actual citizens.]]
* TheFatalist: In Diana's words, no matter how resentful they will be of their status as outcasts, the Forest Guard have resigned themselves to their lot in life.
* OurCentaursAreDifferent: The most common body type the Forest Guard use is a four-legged frame. In Rosetta's case, the back half is an attachment she can remove at any time if she wants to return to a bipedal shape. Because the inhuman shapes can degrade the mental state of constructs, Babylonia had halted all use of "hybrid" bodies, but the ARU pays no heed to that.
* SinsOfOurFathers: Being a Forest Guard is a form of punishment. [[spoiler:They are descendants of the researchers who created Amberia, and they are still being made to pay for that mistake.]]
* TradingBarsForStripes: ARU civilians in ''Frozen Darkness'' say that Forest Guards were initially converted from criminals, and that their enhanced bodies and long lives are how they are expected to atone for their crimes.

!!!Rosetta
The leader of the Forest Guard.
----
->''For more information, look at "[[Characters/PunishingGrayRavenPlayableConstructs Playable Constructs]]"''
!!!Diana
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/iceguidenomal.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"We've all accepted what happened to Forest Guards in the past. However we are rejected, though we feel resentful, we've accepted it as our fate. But you, Rosetta, you never back down... I think that's why everyone respects you so much. It's been an honor to be your pupil."'']]

One of the many Forest Guards whom Gray Raven squad meet during ''Frozen Darkness''. She considers herself to be Rosetta's protege, and looks up to her.
----

* MeaningfulName: Diana's namesake is the Roman goddess of the countryside and hunters, and appropriately she resides in the wild forests of Siberia, living rough and hunting down threats to the ARU.
* NiceGirl: Compared to Rosetta, Diana is more cheerful and friendly. At one point she even serves Gray Raven food while they are resting, and ARU members admit that if she had been the one to regularly visit them, relations between them and the Forest Guard would have thawed sooner.
* YouAreInCommandNow: In ''Frozen Darkness'' and afterwards, Rosetta's mental instability [[spoiler:and Punishing Virus infection]] forces Diana to step out from under the former's shadow and assume command as the force's de facto leader.

!!Derek
A bionic "narhwal" that lives in the oceans around the ARU. It's a major figure in both ''Frozen Darkness'' and ''Firn Night''.
----
* BarrierMaiden: [[spoiler:Derek was the ARU's last-ditch effort to keep Amberia sealed away, after it became impossible to destroy her. Its whale songs were what kept her asleep.]]
* OddFriendship: With Rosetta, saving each other's lives in the past and growing close enough for her to give it its name.
* TooGoodForThisSinfulEarth: As it turns out, despite [[spoiler:being infected by the Punishing Virus, it swam to New Murmansk in an effort to warn the people there of the impending Corrupted invasion, and dies in the process.]]
* TheUnintelligible: It can't speak like a human, but it can communicate. In-game, its dialogue resembles random blocks and lines, but Rosetta can interpret his thoughts.


!!Amberia
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/anboliyanormal01_1347846.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"Hurt others... No, I never wanted to hurt anyone. I just wanted the ones that hurt me gone... You'd do the same in my shoes. I'm going to eliminate the ARU and everything that stands in my way. That way, I won't be imprisoned in this ice cave ever again. I don't want anyone to call me a monster ever again!"'']]
Years ago, the ARU tried to build a war machine known as Amberia in order to get an upper hand in a post-Punishing virus world. Upon its activation, it went berserk, and nearly destroyed the ARU before it was sealed away. While it spent years dreaming, it finally reawakens in ''Firn Night'' and attempts to escape, even if it means destroying the ARU in the process.
----
* ApocalypticLog: When the Commandant links with Rosetta's M.I.N.D. to purge her of Amberia's corruption, they listen to a series of memories that shows how Amberia slowly went insane as she was converted into a construct.
* BigBadDuumvirate: She and [[spoiler:Atiel]] are the main antagonists of ''Firn Night''.
* BlindfoldedVision: She has a strip of cloth over her eyes (if she was even built with any), though it doesn't make her any less dangerous.
* CreepyCrosses: Her projectiles and totems are cross-shaped, and her body is a HumanPincushion covered in cross-like stakes, playing up her NunTooHoly motif.
* CyberneticsEatYourSoul: Amberia is proof of why Babylonia insists on making constructs as humanlike as possible to maintain mental stability. Over the course of her ApocalypticLog, Amberia is shown losing her sanity as she loses her original senses, and by the time she realizes she had been "turned into a weapon", the ARU had succeeded in creating a walking tank with a mental breakdown.
* EvilCounterpart: Like [[spoiler:Atiel]] and Rosetta, she is another victim of the ARU who was forcibly constructed into a Construct with the purpose of serving them. But while she and [[spoiler:Atiel]] are consumed by revenge and wish to raze the ARU to the ground, Rosetta wants to break the CycleOfRevenge harbors little ill will against them.
* FreudianExcuseIsNoExcuse: While Amberia [[spoiler:and Atiel]] have genuinely understandable reasons for wanting to destroy the entire ARU, Rosetta refuses to let another tragedy on par with Amberia's original rampage occur and tries to stop them.
* FromNobodyToNightmare: Amberia was originally just a young refugee girl who was unfortunately experimented on by the ARU, which transformed her into a MechanicalAbomination that nearly destroyed the entire ARU and once again threatens them by the events of ''Firn Night''.
* FusionDance: [[spoiler:Atiel and Amberia's minds both occupy the same body in the final battle. By the end, Rosetta notes she can't tell the difference between the two.]]
* LeakingCanOfEvil: A lockdown code makes Amberia sleep, but every so often, she gets "nightmares" that causes tidal waves on the surface, as well as rampaging robots affected by her transmissions. ''Firn Night'' begins when the robots begin showing signs of organised activity, making the ARU panic and realize Amberia might be waking up.
* MarathonBoss: Where most bosses have 30 bars of health, or 50 on harder difficulties, Amberia has a whopping '''''100''''' bars of health to get through. Worse, during her stint as an event boss, one of her moves is using one of her totems to regenerate her health, making it a race against time to destroy it before she gets too much back.
* MechanicalAbomination: Her appearance and backstory makes Amberia seem more like an unholy monster than a malfunctioning robot.
* NunTooHoly: Her upper human torso is covered in a shawl that resemble's a nun's habit, with the image further enhanced by her profile art showing her bound hands clasped together, as if in prayer.
* PeoplePuppets: Part of what makes her so dangerous is that she can take control of the bionic animals in the region [[spoiler:as well as the Forest Guard, as their construct bodies are derived from Amberia's.]]
* PsychoPrototype: Its monstrous frame is the basis for all humanoid-hybrid models the ARU uses, including the centaur bodies the Forest Guard uses. Given that constructs ''need'' to be as human-like as possible to maintain their sanity, it's no guess that turning a human into a glorified control unit of a war machine will not leave an intact mind.
* StatusBuff: At harder difficulties, Amberia's main gimmick are cross-shaped totems that periodically drop into the arena, each of which increase her damage output. If they're not destroyed regularly, three totems will be enough to let Amberia one-shot the player.
* WasOnceAMan: Amberia is a construct, and much like Rosetta she was forcibly transformed in her childhood, though the level of modification far outstrips even the Forest Guards', leaving no trace of the girl, Lia, she once was.
* WithMyHandsTied: Her clased hands are bound together with stakes, but they come off later in her boss fight as she grows stronger.

!!Atiel (Spoilers)
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/aidiernormal01_1347842.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"You have suffered much and were even called sinners. Why? Why do you still stand by these scum of the earth?"'']]
A construct from Babylonia who takes part in the events of ''Firn Night'', it is later revealed she is a surviving descendant of Amberia's research team, who is planning to use the berserk war machine to take revenge on the ARU.
----
* BigBadDuumvirate: She and Amberia are the main antagonists of ''Firn Night''.
* BitchInSheepsClothing: While initially appearing as help from Babylonia and presenting herself as a peppy young lady, she turns traitor as she reveals she desires the ARU's annihilation for the sake of her revenge, becoming the antagonist of ''Firn Night''.
* EvilCounterpart: Along with Amberia, to Rosetta, as both were branded as "sinners" by the ARU and both are the descendants of Amberia's research time. However, while Atiel is consumed by her desire for vengeance against the ARU, Rosetta wants to break the CycleOfRevenge and harbors little ill will against them.
* FusionDance Atiel and Amberia's minds both occupy the same body in the final battle. By the end, Rosetta notes she can't tell the difference between the two.
* HeWhoFightsMonsters: Atiel's revenge plot consumes her utterly. After escaping the labs where the Forest Guard are created, she undergoes conversion into a Construct anyway in Babylonia, allies with the Ascendants for help with her vengeance, and eventually turns into an actual monster by uploading her mind into Amberia's body.
* PayEvilUntoEvil: What she intends by helping Amberia destroy the ARU, which the story reveals has done many despicable things.

[[/folder]]
[[folder:Kowloong]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bgfightloading17.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:The Puppets]]

Once known as the Kowloong Chamber of Commerce, this simple trading company eventually transformed into something beyond reckoning. Its cargo ship, the massive Nighter, docks at ports in the middle of the night in order peddle its wares, but its true purpose is to supply the secretive city of Kowloong, located in the middle of the ocean. Both are overseen by the Kowloong Crew, a group of bureaucracies under the command of the AI Huaxu, and a woman only known as Qu.

-------------------
* ArcVillain: Of ''Nona Ouroboros'' and ''Kowloong Metropolis'', where their actions most directly threaten Gray Raven squad.
* BrainUploading: [[spoiler:''Lost Chapter'' clarifies that Qu's Tabula Akasha project is Kowloong's attempt to survive the Punishing Virus by allowing its citizens to volunteer to upload their consciousness to a computer network, which further allows some to don the then cutting-edge Phecda and Prime Construct frames.]]
* CoolShip: The Nighter is quite literally a city on a boat.
* TheGoodTheBadAndTheEvil: [[spoiler:The Ascendants try to invade Kowloong to steal Huaxu. Babylonia, believing the latter are a primary threat, try to ally with Kowloong, but eventually Qu's machinations cause Gray Raven to fight her, keeping her cemented as the villain of ''Kowloong Metropolis''.]]
* HiddenElfVillage: Kowloong uses stealth technology on par with Babylonia in order to hide itself from the world, and displays the typical contempt of such a society that doesn't feel a need to interact with others.
* IAmLegion: While ''Nona Ouroboros'' implied that the Kowloong Crew are nine constructs in charge of the ship, the manga side story ''[[https://imgur.com/a/XRIGL1F Extra Chapter: Kowloong Night Vessel]]'' explains they are actually nine departments whose members all use the same mass-produced bodies.
* OlderThanTheyLook: ''Lost Chapter'' takes place during the initial Punishing outbreak 100 years ago. The presence of Qu, Changyu and Pulao in this story means that they are all over 100 years old, despite their appearance.
* OneNationUnderCopyright: During the Golden Age, before the Pandemic, the Kowloong Chamber of Commerce was less a company and more a fully formed empire that ruled Asia, with immense power independent of the World Government.
* {{Pride}}: Kowloong has immense pride for its accomplishments and power, which is both a source of strength and and a weakness: In ''Lost Chapter'' Qu manages to appeal to the national pride of Kowloong, rallying the panicking populace to hold back the Corrupted during the worst days of the Pandemic, but by ''Kowloong Metropolis'', it has also led to complacent arrogance that leaves them vulnerable to the more advanced Ascendants that emerge 100 years later.
* WeHaveBecomeComplacent: Qu's arrogance and isolation causes Kowloong's technology to lag behind other groups. The lack of Inver-Devices causes her forces to get infected by the Punishing Virus easily, and even some of her own lieutenants realize the Ascendant invasion of Kowloong is Qu's wake up call.
* {{Wutai}}: Both locations are themed on Chinese architecture and customs that their occupants recorded before the Punishing virus.
!!Qu
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/qunormal01_975682.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"We are not a monarchy. But to ensure the unity of our community, we have to be of one mind."'']]

Whether as a business or the city it has become, Qu has always been, and will always be the leader of Kowloon. Bowing to no one, Qu keeps the gates of her de-facto kingdom closed to all save those who pledge absolute loyalty to her.\\
\\
''For more information about her playable form, look at "[[Characters/PunishingGrayRavenPlayableConstructs Playable Constructs]]"''
----
* ActuallyADoombot: [[spoiler:The "Qu" that appeared in ''Nona Ouroboros'' was actually her brother Villier, who had fallen in love with the copy of Huaxu he had made. The difference is clear when the real Qu reveals herself in ''Kowloong Metropolis'': Villier was sentimental and emotional, where Qu is imperious and cold.]]
* BladeOnAStick: Her weapon of choice is a long glaive.
* ColonyDrop: While not actually enacted, Qu says her ultimate goal is to use Huaxu to hijack Babylonia's Gestalt and send the space station crashing into Earth to create a new ice age and put all remaining life out of its misery, save Kowloong, the "record of humanity".
* DrivenToSuicide: At the end of ''Nona Ouroboros'', Qu [[spoiler:,or rather, Villier,]] tries to upload Huaxu into herself in a last-ditch attempt, but when that fails, she kills herself to achieve "true freedom".
* {{Foil}}: Qu contrasts the Ascendants in terms of villainy. The latter are a [[TheSocialDarwinist forward thinking group]] working to create a new society on Earth at the expense of everyone else. Qu, meanwhile, is TheFatalist, who believes human society and culture is effectively dead thanks to the Punishing virus. Her goal therefore is to create and preserve a record of past humanity's accomplishments, no matter the cost.
* FromNobodyToNightmare: A simple trading company survived an apocalypse and wound up becoming a city-state with technology on par with Babylonia, with Qu at its helm.
* {{Hypocrite}}: Qu [[spoiler:,or rather, Villier,]] claims her goal is to give Huaxu true freedom in ''Nona Ouroboros'', yet angrily demands Huaxu obey her and accept her plans. Only after everything falls apart does she realize the irony of her actions.
* IronLady: Qu's word is law, no ifs or buts. She threatens to exile Yazi and all aboard the Nighter because their friendship with Gray Raven means they would hesitate obeying Qu if she orders them to turn on their new comrades.
* LadyOfWar: Her fighting style has a graceful, refined air that lacks any overt uses of technology. She even drifts and floats through the air between certain attacks to emphasize her regality.
* TheManInFrontOfTheMan: In ''Nona Ouroboros'', Pulao believes Huaxu had taken control of everyone aboard the Nighter, including Qu. As it turns out, Qu was the one responsible.
* VillainousCrossdresser: [[spoiler:The Qu of ''Nona Ourboros'' turns out to be Villier, who is later revealed to be Qu's brother.]]

!!Huaxu
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/huaxunormal01.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"True freedom... is to act on your own will, not on the command of others..."'']]

A powerful AI equal to Babylonia's Gestalt, its presence in Kowloong is both a vital resource to the city as well as a tempting prize for outside forces.
----
* ActuallyADoombot: [[spoiler:The Hua Xu that appeared aboard the Nighter was just a copy of the original, which still exists in Kowloong.]]
* BecomeARealBoy: In ''Nona Ouroboros'', [[spoiler:Villier]] plots to find an ideal construct body to upload Huaxu into, so that it can exist as a real being.
* BenevolentAI: While initially it appears to be your classic [[AIIsACrapshoot tyrannical AI]] lording over the Nighter, it turns out that Huaxu really had been admitting passengers in an attempt to protect them, while Qu [[spoiler:,or rather, Villier,]] was working to trap them until she could find a suitable vessel for it. Even in the story, Huaxu does everything it can to protect Gray Raven from Qu's actions.
* {{Doppelganger}}: [[spoiler:During ''Fake Ascension'', it impersonates Bianca while hacking Gestalt, though its real identity gets sussed out quickly.]]
* GetBackHereBoss: After getting damaged enough, Huaxu's boss patterns will change towards harrassing and delaying you -- it starts dropping AreaOfEffect attacks to block your path, and try to back away from the player. Combined with its Sacred Mode, underpowered players are at risk of being whittled down trying to chase down and attack Huaxu.
* TheLastDance: As revealed in the Hidden Story of ''Nona Ouroboros'', Huaxu takes on Qu' appearance and asks Chrome to destroy it in a duel to the death, allowing it to weaken Qu [[spoiler:,or rather, Villier,]] elsewhere, while also honoring Qu's efforts thus far.
* LoopholeAbuse: [[spoiler:After it is hijacked by the Ascendants, while it cannot refuse their orders, it also can do anything it ''hasn't'' been forbidden from doing, such as being purposely sloppy in its hacks to allow it be tracked down, or secretly help Gray Raven fight Alpha even after it is told to subdue them.]]
* LuckilyMyShieldWillProtectMe: Huaxu can activate a "Sacred Mode" that creates an aura that reduces damage taken from the front and buffers its health. It can be circumvented by circling around it while in Matrix, or just overpowering it with raw damage.
* MultiArmedAndDangerous: Huaxu has multiple arms, and all of its attacks are depicted as disembodied hands that punch, swipe and create AreaOfEffect floors.
* TrappedInVillainy: [[spoiler:At the end of ''Kowloong Metropolis'' its key access is stolen by the Ascendants, forcing it into serving Luna, who puts it to use hacking Gestalt in ''Fake Ascension'' in an attempt to crash Babylonia. As the story goes on, however, it becomes clear it is trying to resist through any loophole in its orders it can find.]]
* TrojanPrisoner: [[spoiler:''Fake Ascension'' reveals that Qu allowed Huaxu to be stolen by the Ascendants, after giving it standing orders to do whatever it could to interfere with their plans. Outside of that, Qu predicted that news of the Ascendants having a Gestalt-equivalent AI would only draw further attention onto them and away from Kowloong.]]
* WhatIsThisThingYouCallLove: During its development, it conversed with Villier on ideas of freedom and love, pondering what it would be like to live for real.

!!Pulao
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/pulaonormal01.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"The night market has everything, but the vendors have none. They are robbed clean by the monster they raised with their own hands. Now they pay tribute to the monster in the form of taxes and mileage."'']]

A member of the Kowloong Crew that serves Qu and Huaxu.\\
\\
''For more information about her playable form, look at "[[Characters/PunishingGrayRavenPlayableConstructs Playable Constructs]]"''
----
* OnlySaneMan: Of the members serving aboard the Nighter, she is among the few who realizes Huaxu is enslaving them, and plots with Gray Raven to free everybody aboard.
* YouAreInCommandNow: She nominates herself as the one in charge of Kowloon Metropolis, or at least what's left of it, following [[spoiler:Qu's defeat and the subsequent trade talks with the Forgotten and the Akdilek Commercial Alliance]].

!!Yazi
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/yazinormal01_975742.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:some caption text]]

A member of the Kowloong Crew, who acts as Qu's personal attendant, giving her a high level of authority, but also loyalty to anything she desires.
----
* TheDragon: Serves as one during ''Nona Ouroboros'', as she blindly assists Qu in seeking out viable candidates to act as Huaxu's vessel.
* TheseQuestionsThree: Another Yazi serves as a gatekeeper to Qu's Observatory, and challenges Gray Raven to answer three riddles to pass, though she admits she could easily just be fought and defeated. Playing her game, however, does provide an opportunity to speak to her and learn a little more about the Kowloong Crew.

!!Huainan
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_20220905_205343.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''Have you ever considered that maybe people should just get to live? What if we weren't supposed to sell our souls only for a shot at life?!'']]

A former citizen of the Nighter who was friends with Changyu.
----
* PosthumousCharacter: He dies at the end of Changyu's interlude, which happens decades before the game starts.
* ScarsAreForever: He's got horrible burn scars on his neck, which are later explained to be the result of him forcefully removing his Nighter collar.
* TimeForPlanB: The hidden node of Changyu's interlude states that he had four plans for escaping the Nighter: sending out distress signals (which remained on the airwaves until being picked up by someone who's implied to be Murray, decades after Huainan's death), forcefully removing his collar (which caused scars on his neck but didn't let him escape), be traded away as merchandise (which he tries during the interlude, as he attempts to get sold as a construct; it fails and he's killed), and finally, [[DeathIsTheOnlyOption execution]].

[[/folder]]
[[folder:The Ascendants '''(Spoilers)''']]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/webpnet_compress_image_08.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:The New Humanity]]

Normally, the Punishing Virus is a death sentence. But against the odds, a number of people have not only survived the infection, but actually learned to control it. One group, known as "The Ascendants", now form the core of the "Ascended Network". Led by the woman known as Luna, they are intent on defeating Babylonia, which they consider a relic past its time, and establishing themselves as the future of Earth.
----
* EnemyCivilWar: [[spoiler:Gabriel betrays the remainder of the Ascendants in ''Fake Ascension'', preferring to align and make use of the new Hetero-Creatures of the Red Tide. As a result, the others turn on him, with some even allying with Gray Raven for assistance.]]
* GreaterScopeVillain: They present the greatest threat to Babylonia thus far, especially by their strengthening of the Corrupted forces. Even in the story arcs where they are not present, they often still exert an influence on other factions. [[spoiler:While Gabriel betrays them in ''Fake Ascension'', that merely ejects the sympathetic members, leaving the former to control an expanded and more ferocious Corrupted army.]]
* TheSocialDarwinist: Their core tenet, for the most part. Those who have adapted to the Punishing Virus should rule Earth. Those who can't, don't deserve to live there.

!!Luna
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/lunanormal01_975689.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"We'll live... Together in this world.. Let's welcome the coming of the 'dawn' together..."'']]
[[quoteright:350:[[labelnote:Click here for Luna's boss form]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/lunanormal03.png[[/labelnote]]]]

The leader of the Ascendants, who is empowering and directing ordinary Corrupted machinery to resist Babylonia's invasion.\\
\\
''For more information about her playable form, look at "[[Characters/PunishingGrayRavenPlayableConstructs Playable Constructs]]"''
----
* AuthorityEqualsAsskicking: The leader of the Ascendants, and, as of ''Lost Chapter'', a combat juggernaut and borderline RealityWarper with her power to conjure portals.
* AwesomeMomentOfCrowning: The "Lost Upgrader" short animation tied to ''Fake Ascension'' depicts her awakening as an Ascendant. [[spoiler:After being abandoned by Babylonia's researchers as a failure, Luna, who is about to be swarmed by hordes of Corrupted , holds on to the memory of her sister and transforms into her Laurel frame, curbstomping the Corrupted into submission. Upon realizing that Lucia will not be there to comfort her, Luna chooses to become the leader of a new faction that opposes Babylonia, with all of the Corrupted in the vicinity bowing down to her.]]
-->''It's time... to end the lies in this world.''
* TheBattleDidntCount: Even though she's a BonusBoss of ''Lost Chapter'', when you drain her health, the following cutscene shows her simply blasting your construct into submission with a single attack.
* CoolMask: During her boss fight, she dons a black gas mask, though she ditches it and the outer layer of her suit when she loses half her health and TurnsRed.
* DarkMessiah: Luna offers a tantalizing future for humans and machines, by overcoming the virus and becoming stronger for it. Hence, many people are willing to do anything if it means a chance to join her.
* {{Expy}}: Basically a more morally ambiguous version of [[VideoGame/HonkaiImpact3rd the Herrscher of the Void]], as a white-haired antagonist who fights with summoned lances and portals, is a chosen agent of the mysterious corrupting entity that tries to exterminate humans [[spoiler:and was reborn when scientists tried to dispose of her after a failed, horribly painful experiment.]] If the parallels aren’t obvious enough, both are voiced by Creator/RieKugimiya in Japanese.
* FromNobodyToNightmare: [[spoiler:Once a gullible orphan who only wanted to help her sister, now the leader of one of the most dangerous factions on Earth, who will do anything and use anyone to make her family happy.]]
* GirlsLoveStuffedAnimals: In the past, when Lucia gave her a stuffed frog, she laughed and said the frog is ugly. Nonetheless she still accept it happily.
* GoneHorriblyWrong: An ordinary construct conversion process went awry from her intense reaction to the Punishing virus, forcing Babylonia to dispose of her. Except they failed on that part.
* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler:She was presumed to be dead after she traded herself in Lucia's place to be converted into a Construct. She failed as she contracted the virus immediately after, and has to be put down.]]
* HiveQueen: As an "Agent", she controls the Ascended Network and chooses who are prospective members that can join. It's made most explicit in Chapter 3, when various robots are shown begging to her to join the Ascended Network.
* LightIsNotGood: Her hair and her clothes are predominantly white, but she's the BigBad of the series thus far. Tellingly, as a boss her weapons and attacks are RedAndBlackAndEvilAllOver, making her look ominous regardless of her appearance.
* LongLostRelative: [[spoiler:She's Lucia's younger sister, formerly presumed dead.]]
* OnlyTheWorthyMayPass: According to Luna, joining the Ascendants is not for "curing" oneself of the Punishing, but embracing it. Those who suffer from such "naivete" instead get killed for their weakness.
* OrcusOnHisThrone: She didn't do anything directly towards the heroes in several first chapters.
* PowerFloats: As a boss, she's depicted flying around to attack you, without ever touching the floor.
* StormOfBlades: Some of her attacks has her floating giant swords to be rained down upon the player.
* ThinkingUpPortals: The motif of her attacks as a boss in ''Lost Chapter''. She is capable of opening portals as a means of travel or attack, with her more elaborate moves including opening portals under your feet [[GravitySucks that can pull you in before energy blasts upward]], or around herself to leech the same energy to fuel other attacks.
* UnwittingPawn: [[spoiler:Luna is actually being directed by a "voice", which threatens to make other Corrupted attack her if she doesn't obey.]]

!!Roland
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/luolannomal01_975675.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"Machines, Constructs, Humans, Punishing Virus, whatever comes of this ragged doll of a world, I have no interest... I exist to protect Miss Luna and ensure her wishes are fulfilled. That is all."'']]

The first of the Ascendants Gray Raven squad meets, Roland serves as Luna's right-hand.\\
\\
''For more information about his playable form, look at "[[Characters/PunishingGrayRavenPlayableConstructs Playable Constructs]]"''
----
* ArtEvolution: For the ''Evernight Beat'' update, Roland's model was improved and given more details, while some of his animations were also updated, notably his boss intro sequence.
* TheBattleDidntCount: During their first meeting, Roland tests Lucia (in-story, at least). After dropping him to half health, he decides Lucia is still too weak, and bows out of the fight.
* CrazyEnoughToWork: [[spoiler:The way Roland deals with Gabriel's remaining hetero-creature is to teach her poorly. How to deal with an organism that starts copying your own attacks but doesn't understand the reasons behind them? Cut off your own left arm.]]
* {{Depower}}: [[spoiler:As of ''Inscription of Labyrinth'' the new Ascendants have used their superior control of the Punishing virus to deprive Roland of his own, essentially reducing him to and making him as vulnerable as an ordinary construct.]]
* DesperatelyLookingForAPurposeInLife: As his backstory shows in ''Fake Ascension''. [[spoiler:The trauma of the construct experimentations by Kurono destroyed even his survival instinct, but ultimately he was saved and turned into an Ascendant by Luna. Afterwards, he swore loyalty to her, hoping to find his purpose for living by observing what gave Luna her own resolve, and eventually came to see her goals as his own.]]
* SwordAndGun: He wields a WhipSword in one hand, and a hefty HandCannon in the other.
* UndyingLoyalty: When he says his goals are Luna's goals, he's not being figurative. [[spoiler:He's ultimately the only Ascendant personally loyal to Luna, and when he realises her true desire is to be somewhere free with her sister, he turns on Gabriel to protect her, and eventually even entrusts Gray Raven's Commandant with her safety, believing he will accomplish that goal.]]
* VillainShoes: You briefly play as him in the Extra Story chapter BBS-3, "STRANDED", where he clears off a bunch of Corrupted alongside Gabriel on their way to a rendezvous with Luna.
* WeCanRebuildHim: [[spoiler:He gets heavily damaged following ''Fake Ascension'', and winds up getting a new body courtesy of The Merciful One, though it comes with strings attached.]]
* WhipSword: He wields one, allowing him to spin whirlwinds in front of him, or swing through the air to attack below him.

!!Gabriel
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/jiabailienormal01_975800.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"The value of a collection is defined by the collector. Outsider eyes and words matter not."'']]
[[quoteright:350:[[labelnote:Click here for Gabriel's true form]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/jiabailienormal02.png[[/labelnote]]]]

Another Ascendant who remains close to Luna's side, acting as her personal servant.
----
* BadAssBookworm: Gabriel always has a copy of Friedrich Nietzsche's ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beyond_Good_and_Evil Beyond Good and Evil: Prelude to a Philosophy of the Future]]'' in hand, only putting it away when it's time to fight.
* BodyguardBetrayal: [[spoiler:He betrays and turns on Luna, after believing she's grown too weak-willed following her reuniting with Alpha.]]
* BoomStick: His primary weapon is a staff from which one end can project an energy blade. Even when he switches to his more powerful form, it's still used for several of his attacks.
* DragonAscendant: [[spoiler:He takes over and essentially assumes leadership of the Ascendants in order to fully weaponise his new "pets", the Hetero-Creatures.]]
* EvilerThanThou: [[spoiler:Believing that the Hetero-Creatures are the will of the Punishing Virus, he sides with them over the his original comrades, even attempting to feed them to the Polyphage.]]
* FauxAffablyEvil: He presents himself as Luna's doting and loyal personal attendant, but he's certainly anything but a kindly old machine. All of his polite mannerisms only make his explanations and callous actions more notable.
* MeaningfulName: Gabriel is the name of one of the most famous angels in Abrahamic religions; similarly, Gabriel's true form in this game has six floating appendages that are draped in the rags of his coat, giving him the appearance of a seraphim, though in his case he's more of an AngelicAbomination.
* OnlyMostlyDead: [[spoiler:Alpha destroys him in ''Imprisoned Sight'', but his head gets stolen afterwards. While she suspects this may let him resurrect, she decides finding Luna is her greater priority.]]
* OpportunisticBastard: By ''Imprisoned Sight'' he has decided to become Vonnegut's underling. [[spoiler:Unfortunately, the lack of loyalty runs both ways, as Vonnegut elects to allow Alpha to destroy him.]]
* TurnsRed: Once he loses one third of his health, Gabriel reveals his true form and completely changes his moveset, with the ability to fly, FlashStep, and fire silhouettes of his body as a projectile.
* WeCanRuleTogether: When confronted during ''Kowloong Metropolis'', Gabriel reveals part of the Ascendants' goals is to find worthy individuals who can join them in creating a new world, and extends such an offer to Gray Raven squad, though he is flatly rejected, sparking his boss fight.

!!Lamia
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/lamiyanormal01_975702.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"Wait, wait, wait! Are you a devil!? I'm here. Just lower your gun. I surrender!"'']]

An Ascendant that first appears in ''Kowloong Metropolis'', and a sharp contrast to the other forceful personalities that make up Luna's inner circle.
----
* AintTooProudToBeg: She's quick to taunt when she's in a place of power, but quickly folds and begs for mercy once she's cornered and at gunpoint.
* ArtificialLimbs: Even before her subsequent transformation into a Contruct and Ascendant, Lamia was born with her legs shattered from her mother's experiment exploding.
* ChickenWalker: Her boss form in ''The Last Spark'' comes with digitigrade legs for her land form.
* DeathByChildbirth: Laibiya, Lamia's mother, went into labor when she was seriously injured by her experiment. She did not survive.
* DespairEventHorizon: [[spoiler:''The Last Spark'' serves as Lamia's, as Atlantis is her birthplace, her home, her life's purpose, and ultimately [[YouCantGoHomeAgain some place she can never return to.]]]]
* TheDeterminator: Lamia's intense desire for survival at all costs [[spoiler:is tied to her ImpossibleTask given to her by her foster mother before she left, [[LiesToChildren "Your responsibility is to gather information. If the Punishing disaster is over and the world is at peace - although it's unlikely - but if it does happen, you must return and let us know."]]]] Considering the inhuman shape of her prototype structure technology and lack of inver-device, it's amazing that she managed to survive at all to become an Ascendant.
* DirtyCoward: Her battle capacity is low, so she either resorts to commanding Corrupted to attack for her, going invisible to attack, or just straight up running for her life.
* FaceOfAThug: Despite having a "monstrous" body, she's timid, dislikes crowds, and prefers hiding out of sight.
* AMistakeIsBorn: Laibiya was supposed to be on maternity leave on the mainland, but she applied a stay of leave as she did not want to stop her research. Her experiment backfiring and Lamia's crippled birth put the CrazySane staff of Atlantis in an uncomfortable position.
* NotSoHarmlessVillain: After a number of chapters hanging back from the action, Lamia finally fights in ''The Last Spark''. In the process she becomes ''Punishing'''s first boss with three distinct phases, with a total of 100 bars of health, and a dangerous warrior when at sea.
* OnlySaneMan: When Atlantis starts its final experiment, [[spoiler:a series of terrifying mandates are put in place including forced starvation in stages, starting with the least useful departments first, such that the research team can last the longest with the most support and finish the experiment. Unbelievably, these mandates are willingly accepted by THE ENTIRE STAFF of Atlantis... except Lamia. As a child who has never left Atlantis, Lamia has no clue if this is how humans should react and is understandably scared out of her mind.]]
* OurMermaidsAreDifferent: Her lower body is a giant mechanical assembly that can configure itself into a dolphin-like tail, letting her maneuver underwater effortlessly.
* RaisedByTheCommunity: Less raised and more like grown in a lab, but still, the scientists that make up the organism that is the Atlantis zero-point energy reactor took turns feeding and teaching the child. (It's as impersonal as it sounds.)
* ScrewThisImOutOfHere: [[spoiler:With the Ascendants' disintegration as of ''Fake Ascension'', she cuts a deal Murray, helping Gray Raven infiltrate the Ascendant base in exchange for her safety away from Gabriel's "pet" Hetero-Creatures.]]
* {{Shapeshifting}}: She's got various illusory powers, including the ability to change her outer appearance. During ''Fake Ascension'' she tries to fool Gray Raven by pretending to be Murray, though they are able to [[SpottingTheThread notice the discrepancy]] almost immediately.
* SurroundedBySmartPeople: Atlantis is the crème de la crème of human research spirit with a noticeable lack of human empathy. Lamia is a handicapped child who should not be there. Having been called stupid her entire life has shaped Lamia's personality greatly.
* UnderwaterBossBattle: Lamia's boss fight in ''The Last Spark'' begins on platform surrounded by water; her second phase causes her to drag it below the waves, allowing her to swim freely around, and her last phase takes place within a spiraling vortex when the water gets pushed away from the platform.


!!Vonnegut
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/nugget.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"We must separate the sheep from the goats, as shepherds do, and bury the wicked in the shadow of history. Only then can the world endure the Long Winter and, one day, welcome the coming warmth of spring."'']]

Another Ascendant who appears in ''Imprisoned Sight'' following Luna's usurpation, he is one of the few Agents with the potential to control the entire network.
----
* AffablyEvil: He presents himself as a patient and modest man, who's happy to talk it out with his enemies, but only because of an immense confidence in his powers, and the presumption that anyone listening to him will obviously understand that humanity deserves to die so that new life will flourish on Earth.
* BarrierWarrior: Vonnegut's main method of attack and defense are invisible forcefields.
* BenevolentBoss: Is this to Cinderelik, who respects him a great deal. Saves her after she injects herself with a crystalized pyramid of Punishing Virus (which he gave her) to fight off Lucia and Strike Hawk. The same cannot be said of his attitude toward Gabriel.
* CoolMask: He has a golden mouth mask that mimics a skull.
* HiddenVillain: Kept a low profile up until Luna's usurpation, preferring her to develop the Ascended Network for him and distract Babylonia from the existence of similar high-level Ascendants, and finally makes his play in ''Imprisoned Sight'', feeling he can now benefit in being out in the open.
* HiveQueen: He is one of a few Ascendants with the power to control the whole network.
* ItAmusedMe: Despite Gabriel being one of his underlings, Alpha's strength of will, displayed in her answers to him, pleases Vonnegut so much he basically helps Alpha kill Gabriel by providing her the machine's location.
* MakeWayForTheNewVillains: ''Imprisoned Sight'' reveals the existence of more Agents to Babylonia. Despite humanity already having enough trouble dealing with Luna, Vonnegut blows her off as a mere "pioneer" for the Ascenion Network, whose new members are becoming more powerful as it develops.
* MindRape: He's capable of using the Punishing Virus to hack into Construct's visual and auditory components, forcing them experience immense pain and relive their worst memories and anxieties.
* MisanthropeSupreme: He considers humanity a devious, polluting presence that Earth must be saved from through the Ascendants.
* NamedAfterSomebodyFamous: He is stated in-game to be named after famed science fiction author Creator/KurtVonnegut.
* SparingTheAces: Has stated multiple times that many of his actions are screening for viable Ascendant candidates. Every confrontation with him by Babylonia is a lopsided affair that has ended unfavorably, and very often doing exactly as he asks. Extremely apparent when he fights Lucia, Strike Hawk, [[spoiler:and Alpha]] at the same time while taking no apparent damage.
* WickedCultured: He's an eloquent and intelligent mastermind, who's able to reference things like the Dunning-Kruger Effect. Where Luna was motivated by revenge and personal safety, Vonnegut is driven by grand philosophies.

!!The Merciful One
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_20210520_185749_comkurogameharubilibili.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:some caption text]]
[[quoteright:350:[[labelnote:Click here for her unhooded appearance]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/20210812_184210.png[[/labelnote]]]]


The third Ascendant Agent equal in power to Luna and Vonnegut, she makes her first appearance in ''Labyrinth of Inscription''. As her name suggests, she converts would-be victims into Ascendants to save their lives, an altruism that runs contrary to the group's overall beliefs.
----
* EffectiveKnockoff: The Merciful One purportedly has a knack for reproducing lost Earth artifacts of such high quality they actually make the originals look inferior by comparison.
* HiveQueen: The Merciful One is among the few Ascendants with the power to control the whole network.
* InTheHood: Her features are covered in a white cloak, making her true identity unknown.
* OnlyKnownByTheirNickname: She claims to have no real name, and only adopts the title others are calling her by so people can address her by something. [[spoiler:In Babylonia, she's known as Ishmael, but it is unknown if this is any more real of a name for her.]]
* WildCard: Despite being an Ascendant, she doesn't have any true allegiance to their cause. Luna's group even considers her desire to save people by turning them into Ascendants contrary to their goal, hence the events of ''Grand Blue'', where they hunted down and killed Shome to warn her. [[spoiler:In fact, she's actually a high-ranking member of Babylonia's Supervisor Institute.]]

!!Cinderelik
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/huiyan.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"Why are you breaking into my greenhouse?"'']]

A subordinate of Vonnegut that first appears in ''Imprisoned Sight''.
----
* AngryGuardDog: Vonnegut has ordered her to protect a lab area. Stay within designated areas and she's polite to a fault. But go into a forbidden area, and she will attack, even if it's against hopeless matchups like Alpha or Gray Raven and Strike Hawk combined.
* CreepySouvenir: Cinderelik's one broken wing belonged to her friend, who she is hoping to revive and return the wing to.
* DubNameChange: Her Global version name is Cinderelik, while her name in the CN server is Huiyan.
* TheQuietOne: When she first meets Strike Hawk team, the impression she gives off is a quiet schoolgirl.
* EnemySummoner: Fights mainly by singing to summon Hetero-creatures
* SeeksAnothersResurrection: The "mother" she is protecting is the Hetero-Hive Mother, a giant spider-looking machine [[spoiler:that has her incomplete mother's personality data uploaded into it.]]
* EffectiveKnockoff: [[spoiler:Not yet an Ascendant according to herself, yet is able to stall Lucia and Strike Hawk quite effectively.]]

!!Huosha
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/huosha.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:"So... the next time you meet me, please reintroduce yourself to me, as the me then... definitely won't remember you anymore."]]

Turned into an Ascendant by Vonnegut, Huosha seems to have the rare ability to turn others into Ascendants.
----
* ArcVillain: Of ''Surviving Glimmer'' and ''Voyage Among the Remains''.
* ConnectedAllAlong: [[spoiler:The ascendant that the former Gray Raven commandant Ravenge, and Alpha's superior, linked to and subsequently got mind polluted from is none other than Huosha, at Vonnegut's behest.]]
* HiddenInPlainSight: During ''Surviving Glimmer'', Huosha gets close to the amnesiac Noan to observe him by masquerading as an abandoned Construct needing protection.
* IJustWantToHaveFriends: The companion to the above that shapes Huosha's outlook on life. "I also want to find a way to coexist with humans, but I can't do anything except hurt more people." Huosha is extremely possessive of Noan because of this. In the end, when Noan states his resolution to put hope in humanity and leave him, Huosha [[spoiler:impales himself on Noan's sword. [[DeathIsCheap It doesn't stick though, as Vonnegut orders Paper Crane to retrieve him]].]]
* NeverFoundTheBody: [[spoiler:While Bianca impales him again at the end of ''Voyage Among the Remains'', a horde of Corrupted pop out and whisk the body away before she can take it back. The only thing that remains is his fallen hair ornament. This also means that another Ascendant was observing, as only they have the ability to control that many Corrupted.]]
* StrawNihilist: Huosha does not believe humanity can fight the Punishing Virus without ascending. And as most humans cannot ascend without first becoming constructs then risking dying or becoming horribly corrupted, finding happiness within the shared consciousness of the Red Tide as an alternative isn't so bad.
* SuperWheelchair: In his boss form, Huosha's wheelchair-like device, Paper Crane, becomes the head of a snake-like Hetero-Creature
* UncannyFamilyResemblance: Noan initially mistakes [[spoiler:Rosa]] as Huosha upon first meeting her in Babylonia. Further affirmed upon the [[spoiler:latter's death as Rosa steals Huosha's head ornament from Asimov and asks Noan about him.]]
* VillainousCrossdresser: Despite the effeminate appearance and manner of dress, Huosha is a male.

[[/folder]]

[[folder:Awakened Machines / The Church of the Machine]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d3kihdg3o4wynxysqw_1648203217611.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:The Pilgrims]]

Awakened Machines are those that become enlightened by the Sagemachina. While the Punishing Virus destroyed human society, the Awakened Machines quietly spread in the aftermath like a flame. Through the grafitti made with mechanical language, machines found the path to knowledge, and had wisdom nurtured and formed in their steel bodies. After breaking free of their innate shackles, they have started a pilgrimage that follows in the footsteps of Sagemachina.

----
* ArcVillain: They are one antagonist in ''Her Last Bow'', but become the central threat in ''The Ark Beyond''.
* {{Expy}}: Moreso than the Punishing Virus, the Church resembles the Machine Lifeforms of ''VideoGame/NierAutomata''. [[spoiler:Their initial plan even is to repair a spaceship so they can leave Earth.]]
* HeelFaceTurn: [[spoiler:At the end of ''The Ark Beyond'', Nanami meets the Church, and tells them of her desire for humans and machines to coexist, before taking them with her to search for Ishmael's "treasure".]]
* InstantAIJustAddWater: Or grafitti, in this case. Somehow looking at the artwork left by the Sagemachina helped awaken sentience in machines that see it.
* NotEvilJustMisunderstood: While they are a formidable and growing military power, it's driven by an innate fear of being attacked by both humans and the Corrupted for just existing. It doesn't help that they basically only have had one century to develop their culture, so their gaps in knowledge comes off as BlueAndOrangeMorality that they're desperately trying to solve by finding out where the Sage Machina went.
* RobotReligion: Their organization has religious elements to it, mainly the veneration of their missing Sage. All of their members are trying to find out where their enlightening figure has gone. Arcana formed the church, claiming that gathering "faith" creates power.
* TarotMotifs: Their inner circle are given titles based on the Major Arcana, and are led by a "Mother" named Arcana.

!!Haicma

The Awakened Machine with the title of "The Hermit", who has been searching for the Sagemachina long before she even joined the Church.\\
\\
''For more information about her playable form, look at "[[Characters/PunishingGrayRavenPlayableConstructs Playable Constructs]]"''
----

!!Zero
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/1_387.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:some caption text]]

The Awakened Machine with the title of "The Lovers", Zero is in charge of investigating and making deductions about the Sagemachina.

----

* PsychopathicManchild: Her future incarnation is a tragic example, as Nanami sadly notes isn't developed enough to have a deeper understandimg of emotions. She tries to offer gifts to "create romance" and "express love", but can't tell whether Nanami is crying from joy or sadness at human suffering.
* {{Yandere}}: Her future incarnation in ''Her Last Bow'' has a warped "love" for the Sagemachina [[spoiler:Nanami]], believing slaughtering humans in their name is what they want. When [[spoiler:Nanami]] tries to stop her, she throws a fit, unable to understand what she did wrong, and blames Haicma and Spooner for "blinding [the Sage's] heart".

!!Radiant Marcher
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/marcher.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:some caption text]]

The Awakened Machine with the title of "The Chariot". During ''The Ark Beyond'' he hatches a plan to attack Babylonia while it is in disarray to seize supplies and documents from them.

----
* BladeLock: As a boss he has a unique parry mechanic that leads to a cutscene where Nanami blocks one of his strikes before countering with her Signature Attack, though it can only be used once in the fight.
* ClimaxBoss: Of ''The Ark Beyond''. His fight ends the storyline, as Nanami protects Babylonia from his upcoming attack.
* EvilCounterpart: While "evil" is pushing it, Radiant Marcher is a visual mirror to Nanami in her ''Remote Star'' frame: Like how Nanami pilots a Mini Mecha, Radiant Marcher seems to have his "real" head and a set of more human-like arms embedded in the torso of his war machine, which has similar proportions to Nanami's POWER.
* NobleDemon: Radiant Marcher isn't actively malevolent. His mission to attack Babylonia is just that, and simply treats it as an opportunity for the Church to benefit over a weakened enemy. When he questions Haicma's doubts over the success of the mission, the latter realizes he's genuinely trying to calm her down rather than test her loyalty.
* TurnsRed: Halfway through the fight, Marcher summons a MechaExpansionPack from Earth, giving him a new set of far more dangerous attacks and a set of {{Laser Blade}}s to replace his energy knuckle dusters.
[[/folder]]
----

[[WMG:[[center: [- ''VideoGame/PunishingGrayRaven'' Main Character List\\
'''Non-playable Characters''' | [[Characters/PunishingGrayRavenPlayableConstructs Playable Constructs]] -]]]]]

[[foldercontrol]]

'''Warning:''' ''Punishing'''s Chinese servers were active before others, and thus have released more story and gameplay elements compared to international regions. As such, there will be spoilers aplenty, marked and unmarked. New players are advised to read at their own discretion, or avoid this page entirely.

[[folder:The Commandant]]
The player avatar. As Commandant, you tag along with the Gray Raven squad, provide them instructions, and [[spoiler:rescue them when their minds become tainted with the virus]].

* BigGood: This is what they become in the future according to Gestalt's simulation in ''Her Last Bow''. [[spoiler: It should, however, be noted that this timeline's situation is '''bad''' for humanity, something not in any way the Commandant's fault, but the odds were so stacked against them that they couldn't stop [[DwindlingParty so much of the main cast from dying.]] See BadFuture in the main tropes page for more details, but to sum it up, humanity is doomed in it.]]
* ChickMagnet: And DudeMagnet for the male Constructs; nearly every Construct the Commandant meets and gets to know [[BecauseYouWereNiceToMe express their affection in return]] to varying degrees. Also crosses into BattleHarem since Constructs fight, especially if it's to protect the Commandant.
* TheChosenMany: You are not the only commandant leading Constructs. You and your squad just happen to be the star of the story.
* DistressedDude: Originally just an above-average commandant, their decision to link to Luna in ''Fake Ascension'' starts a domino effect that puts them in a precarious position politically, with factions scrutinizing them for linking with an Ascendant. In ''Imprisoned Sight'', it gets so bad they're unlawfully detained for "medical observation" by Kurono operatives until Vonnegut's actions finally create the loopholes that can free them.
* AFatherToHisMen: Despite their high position, the Commandant refuses to treat Gray Raven or any other Construct as expendable, sometimes even fighting in person to defend them despite being weak compared to them since the Commandant is only human. Even in AI simulations, like in the story of ''Virtual Horizon'', where despite being told time and again that the Constructs are just simple recreations that are reset, they refuse to change their stance. It is because of this that Constructs develop UndyingLoyalty towards the Commandant and each other, making the Constructs in Gray Raven that the Commandant leads strong.
** This raises two point of concern from Babylonia's leadership though. The first is from Nikola as he fears that the Constructs' loyalty towards the Commandant is greater than their loyalty towards Babylonia, so if the Commandant ever rebels against Babylonia, said Constructs are likely to follow them. While Hassen doesn't believe that the Commandant would ever rebel considering their personality, he does acknowledge Nikola's concern since it's possible, no matter how unlikely. The second is from Hassen, concerned over how the close bonds between the members of Gray Raven can create a situation like what happened to Tifa, [[spoiler:who was a former Construct of Suzaku squad and went mad when her own Commandant died, turning into the enemy we know now]].
* FeaturelessProtagonist: Any interactions with other characters is through the Commandant's perspective, hence his or her body stays unseen and off-screen throughout the game. [[spoiler:The game finally gives a slight glimpse of their appearance in ''Fake Ascension'' when they hold Luna's hand, revealing that they wear a gray skin-concealing suit while out in the field.]]
* FrontlineGeneral: Commandants, including the player, need to be in the same area of operation as their Constructs for various reasons both psychological and tactical. The weapon they use at the frontline is a pistol, which is underwhelming compared to the more advanced kinds Constructs can use, but it makes sense once you consider that Commandants are basically officers who need to focus on leading rather than fighting, keeping the pistol more for self-defense.
* MagneticHero: How this takes form varies from character to character; they care for Constructs with little to no discrimination, gaining total loyalty from [[TrueCompanions their Constructs in Gray Raven]], as well as friendship with others like Assault Eagle, Bianca despite her work as an [[MercyKill executioner of the infected]], and, eventually, [[WildCard Cerberus]]. In Babylonia, they're generally known as TheReliableOne of the commandants, having been TheAce during their time in commandant school, earning the admiration of their fellow graduates like Simon call him "Boss". [[spoiler:Even some of his enemies like ''Qu and Luna'' come to see them in a good light.]]
* SoldiersAtTheRear: Lucia's ''Treasure'' interlude shows that in the past the Commandant was accused of being one, as it seemed like they used their reputation as the highest scorer in the military academy to attach themselves to Gray Raven squad, which only consisted of Lucia at the time, and thus avoid heading to the frontline via a loophole. Though as the rest of the story shows, [[TheHero this is the furthest thing from the truth.]]
[[/folder]]

!People of Babylonia
[[folder:Hassen]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/hasangnomal01_975761.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Leader of humanity's resistance]]

High above, Hassen leads the space colony ''Babylonia''. He is the one who gives Gray Raven squad its marching orders for when and where to fight the Corrupted.

* BigGood: As a president of Babylonia who works hard to ensure the survival and betterment of humanity, Hassen is the BigGood.
* {{Expy}}: His resemblance to [[VideoGame/MetalGear Big Boss]] is uncanny. His role as a military leader doesn't stymie the comparisons, either.
* PragmaticHero: Make no mistake, there is no doubt that Hassen is a morally good leader as he cares for his subordinates. As a leader who has to handle politics and prioritize the interest of humanity, however, he has to be pragmatic. This is best shown in The Last Spark where Hassen agreed to Nikola's plan to make use of the Commandant in order to get the document needed to find the location of Atlantis. This is because while he may highly value the Commandant, he can't afford to have a political stalemate against Kurono.
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Takes this stance opposed to Nikola's straightlaced CommanderContrarian in Chapter 8. While the latter insists the Commandant is disobeying orders and interfering with Bianca's mission to [[spoiler:kill Kamui due to his infection]], Hassen overrides him, saying that achieving risky objectives is exactly the sort of thing a small, elite unit like Gray Raven exists for, and instead calls for further support of the mission.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Nikola]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/nikelanomal01_975777.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350: Commander-in-Chief of Babylonia]]

While not ''Babylonia'''s leader, Nikola commands just as much respect, as the organizer of the colony's military resources.

* GondorCallsForAid: During ''Kowloong Metropolis'' he wrangles Akdilek, the Forsaken and Rosetta into supporting Babylonia against the Ascendants invading Kowloong. In this case, the "call for aid" shows off his unscrupulous political skills, as he gets all the help he can find to throw into the ensuing meatgrinder.
* TokenEvilTeammate: Unlike Hassen's straightforward leadership, Nikola handles all sorts of ''very'' dubious behind-the-scenes work necessary for humanity to survive. His shady nature is natural when you consider that Nikola is [[spoiler:formerly from Kurono, a MegaCorp that represents the tyrannical old guard of human leadership which has a necropolis of skeletons in its closet.]] Even so, he is firmly on the good side.
** [[spoiler:He's responsible for Lucia's conversion into a Construct, and later, copying her memories into the second Lucia, believing her loyalty to Babylonia is vital to the war effort.]]
** [[spoiler:Being self-aware of this status, he [[ExploitedTrope exploits]] this in ''The Last Spark'' by pretending to go behind Hassen's back to give the Commandant and Cerberus squad to Greens, a high-ranking man in Kurono, in order to get the document needed to find the location of Atlantis in exchange. Once he gets it, he then betrays Greens by ordering Vera to kidnap the Commandant to go to Atlantis and obtain the A-series zero-point energy reactor, a revolutionary technology that would have enabled Babylonia's original purpose of space-traveling before the Punishing Virus prevented Babylonia from getting its reactor installed.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Asimov]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/aximofunomal01_975793.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:The Reconstructor]]

Babylonia's engineering genius and Chief Tech Officer of its Science Council, Asimov is responsible for maintaining the Constructs' bodies and developing new chassis for them to use.

* DarkSecret: [[spoiler:He personally copied Lucia's memories and blocked a number of them at Nikola's behest, to ensure she remains loyal to Babylonia and mentally stable.]]
* InsufferableGenius: He's a genius, he's busy, and he has plenty of insults to use and little time to waste on people who should be listening to him rather than asking stupid questions.
* NamedAfterSomebodyFamous: His name is an obvious reference to Creator/IsaacAsimov, who is famous for his robot-centered science fiction stories.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Rosa]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rosa_66.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:some caption text]]

A little girl that assists Asimov.

* TheCutie: Clumsy, innocent, hardworking, it's strange she attached herself to Asimov of all people.
* EarlyBirdCameo: She makes her first portraitless appearance in the game during ''Imprisoned Sight'', but it takes several more chapter until she's given character art.
* UncannyFamilyResemblance: Noan initially mistakes her as [[spoiler:Huosha]] upon first meeting her in Babylonia. Further affirmed upon the [[spoiler:latter's death as Rosa steals Huosha's head ornament from Asimov and asks Noan about him, as her mother had the same head ornament among her belongings.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Gestalt]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/chpcl2b0co6em5vfaaaaaipisia908.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:some caption text]]

A super AI developed by various elites under the Science Council during the Golden Age. Its computing power provided massive benefits through public service networks and scientific development. Today, it serves as the main control system in Babylonia, but recently it has started making new deductions after years of service.

* GreaterScopeParagon: Thus far it seems to be unambiguously interested in the welfare of all life, beyond just Babylonia. [[spoiler:It was the one who devised the Mechnical Consciousness Experiment Project that created Nanami and Haicma, and is working with both of them to see if humans can coexist with sentient machines, though it's more cynical about the prospects than Nanami.]]
* MasterComputer: It's Babylonia's brain, essentially, administrating its vital services as well as providing strategic predictions for the war effort.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Murray]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/moruinormal01.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:A secret agenda]]

Lee's younger brother. Having grown up, he now works as an intelligence officer under Nikola.

* ArcNumber: 421. In Lee's interlude, aptly named 421, the little robot he gives to Murray has the binary code for 421 on it, and that's stated to be Murray's birthday (4/21). It's also the name the dialogue boxes use when Murray's talking through his robot, which has the number 421 painted on it.
* BigBrotherWorship: Murray used to think the world of his older brother. As an adult, he's not so openly adoring, but his wish to protect Lee now says enough.
* OneDegreeOfSeparation: The hidden node of Changyu's interlude implies that Murray (or at least, his robot) picked up Huainan's distress signals years after they were sent from the Nighter.
-->''[Huainan] had sent out countless distress signals with information on the Nighter, messages that had remained on radio frequency unanswered- intel that will one day be intercepted by "[[ArcNumber 421]]."''
* TheChessmaster: [[spoiler:He has a long-term conspiracy going, in collaboration with at least one unknown member, and a plan that currently includes killing Luna. As of ''Fake Ascension'', he has blackmailed Lamia into his service, has cut a deal with Qu to report on Luna's movements and best opportunity of attack, in exchange for having Huaxu subdue Gestalt, and is reporting the movements of the Ascendants to an unknown party.]]
* TragicallyMisguidedFavor: His adoration of his brother prompted him to work part-time jobs -- aggravating his heart condition -- to buy the hardware necessary to complete Lee's robot -- one he was going to gift to Murray to begin with. As far as Murray was concerned, a working robot would make a better companion than a sickly brother.
* UsedToBeASweetKid: Once an ordinary and loving sibling who wanted to support his older brother in any way he could. However, as shown by TheChessmaster, he hasn't exactly grown up into a sweetheart.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Celica]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/sailikanomal01_975720.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:A friendly voice]]

Hassan's assistant. Celica provides instructions and support for Gray Raven squad remotely from space.

* BunnyEarsLawyer: Considering how Celica is friendly and professional when doing her job, her being BunnyEarsLawyer seems very unlikely. As shown in Poisson d’Avril, however, Celica is shown writing a very wacky story for April's Fools day program. In fact, in her story, she is titled the Sky Lord Celica.
* ExpositionFairy: She helps walk new players through the various menus of ''Punishing'''s UI, teaching them how to select missions, set up characters, roll gacha, and so on.
* MissionControl: Throughout the story, Celica provides Gray Raven with mission objectives, supplies and other forms of long-distance support from Babylonia.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Bruce]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bulusinomal01.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Don't mourn the dead with sorrow.]]

A soldier who was Watanabe's close comrade.

* {{Foil}}: To Watanabe, being a classic optimistic hero to his cynical AntiHero.
* TheHero: An altruistic and caring man who motivated the sometimes cowardly Watanabe to keep fighting, and also had a lot of wisdom to impart to him. The only reason he isn't a DecoyProtagonist is because players meet Watanabe first and know he's the star of his Interludes.
* OneDegreeOfSeparation: His ill-fated rescue mission to Snow Plain Church winds up conveniently tying Watanabe and Bianca's backstories to the same tragic event.
* PosthumousCharacter: He died long before the beginning of ''P:GR''.

[[folder:Koya]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ezgif_1_4579fcc697.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:some caption text]]

A Support-type Construct who was once friends with Kamui.

* PosthumousCharacter: He dies during Kamui's ''Crimson Sunset'' interlude, which takes place long before the events of the game.
* VirtualGhost: He received a Memory set in the ''Grand Blue'' update, though it's exclusive to Transcendants.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Simon]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/simon_36.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:some caption text]]

The commandant of the Argali squad.

* TheBusCameBack: After first appearing in ''Firn Night'', Simon returns in ''Surviving Glimmer'' to become Noan's commandant.
* OneDegreeOfSeparation: He was one of the Commandant's classmates in the FOS Military Academy, and has a high opinion of the Commandant.
* RagtagBunchOfMisfits: His first squad fell apart because of Atiel, and his second squad seems to be not much better, with [[spoiler:LivingMacGuffin]]Noan, BloodKnight Paloma, and cowardly little girl Lilian.
* SicklyNeuroticGeek: He has this sort of look, lets Atiel talk all over him, is not physically fit, and is prone to motion sickness.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Paloma]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/paloma.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:some caption text]]

A construct originally part of the Red Robin squad before getting reorganized after two members of Red Robin died. She is now captain of the Argali squad.

* BloodKnight: Is implied to be this from her nickname and the way other people talk about her.
* ForYourOwnGood: Before Robin, was part of the Purifying Force. Bianca transferred her out because she was worried about her mental state. "She's pointing weapons at people who are still alive."
* NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast: The infamous "Butcher" Paloma.
* MysteriousPast: She and Lilian have connections to Kurono.

[[folder:Lilian]]
[[quoteright:341:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/lilian_2.png]]
[[caption-width-right:341:some caption text]]

A construct originally part of the Red Robin squad, was reorganized into the Argali squad after two members of Robin died.

* FishOutOfWater: Cowardly and lacks leadership skills of any kind, one wonders how she is in a squad at all.
* MysteriousPast: Her and Paloma have connections to Kurono.

[[folder:Vanessa]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mumu20220826214809.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"Even the most beautiful of toys is worthless if it refuses to listen."'']]

The commandant of Egret squad. As a recurring figure, her true colors as an abusive and petty leader quickly shows when one meets her.

* AwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther: Despite everything, Bombinata will always be Vanessa's doll [[spoiler:and sister. When Vanessa returned home from the academy it was only to take Bombinata with her via a requisition order. But when she saw Bombinata trying to remember Vanessa with her drawings, that was when Vanessa decided to take her with her, no matter what condition she was in. The events of ''Left Unsaid'' also shows that Vanessa deeply cares about Bombinata, to Vera's amusement.]]
* BadBoss: She's cruel to her Constructs, whom she sees as "dolls" who are only useful so long as they obey her. In a SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome, she's extremely unpopular with troops as a result, who all have left her squad in one way or another, eventually leaving only her most loyal sycophant, Bombinata.
* DarkAndTroubledPast: [[spoiler:Vanessa had a stressful childhood, constantly browbeat by her two EducationMama parents. It didn't get better when they decided to adopt Bombinata, who she had a complicated familial love-hate relationship with, which created her need to control people.]]
* ADayInTheLimelight: ''Left Unsaid'' finally delves into her backstory, which is tied with Bombinata's.
* TheFakeCutie: Her treatment of Constructs like they're actual toys to play with only highlights an unamusing bigotry of them.
* {{Foil}}: A pretty clear one to the Commandant, who mocks the latter's empathy and care for their squad as a weakness, compared to her own insistence on blind loyalty from Egret squad.
* HandicappedBadass: During ''The Survival Lucem'' Vanessa gets seriously injured, and has to spend ''Left Unsaid'' with an eyepatch over her wounded face. The damage to her left eye is permanent.
* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler:In ''The Survival Lucem,'' her and Lucia are driving two overloaded ambulances with 40+ refugees and the comatose Commandant to escape the incoming wave of hetero-creatures. Calculating that their current speed is too slow, Vanessa gets out and says to reduce to 15 refugees per vehicle or [[TheNeedsOfTheMany they will all die]], in effect abandoning 10+ people. Lucia, Liv, and Lee cannot abide by this and propose a different plan, Gray Raven squad acts as decoys, and buy time for everyone to retreat. The answer infuriates Vanessa, who views it as utter arrogance and suicide that Gray Raven believes they can win while tired and their Commandant out of action. She then argues that the reason the Commandant is comatose is because he overestimated himself saving his team (and Vanessa), to which Lee retorts none of them would be there without his idiocy. Finally she asks if they would squander their own lives that the Commandant saved for worthless refugees, to which Liv answers no life is worthless. "We will stand united, overcome all obstacles, and never retreat out of fear nor hardship!" Having recently lost Teasell, Vanessa realizes that the unconscious Commandant commands more authority than she ever has, even if they are actions she disagrees with. Whether out of pride or pettiness, Vanessa decides she has something to prove, and orders Gray Raven to drive onwards with the refugees while she and Bombinata stay behind to deal with the hetero-creatures their own way.]]
* OneDegreeOfSeparation: She was one of the Commandant's classmates in the FOS Military Academy, and Liv served in Egret Squad for a while, though the latter didn't have a good experience seving under her command.
* RedemptionQuest: After being missing for months since [[spoiler:her HeroicSacrifice]] in ''The Survival Lucem'', shows up heavily injured at the temporary HQ on the coast during ''Voyage Among the Remains''; goes briefly comatose due to infection of her eye, and promptly returns to the [[BigDamnHeroes final battle]] with Bombinata as soon as she regains consciousness. Then gets her own event in ''Left Unsaid''.
* RepressiveButEfficient: Egret squad actually has an extremely low casualty rate, and in turn attracted like-minded life-clinging death-fearing constructs in the past. The problem is Vanessa's methods still prompt defections, regardless of how much she tries to discipline her puppets. The fact that the Commandant can still enforce his will on Gray Raven while unconscious makes her realize there is a large gap.
* SitcomArchnemesis: During ''Left Unsaid'' Vanessa finally meets her match with Vera, who refuses to take any shit from her, leaving the two to spend the entire story bickering.
* WeHaveReserves: During the mission depicted in ''Echo Aria'''s Hidden story, she fired artillery to flatten a Corrupted factory, even though Gray Raven was in the blast radius. Afterwards, she accused them of wasting her precious resourcs to cover for their supposed shortcomings. Given a flashback to Liv's time with Egret, this isn't the first time she's fired on her own troops or destroyed infrastructure in the process; as far as she's concerned, it protects more troops down the line and the Engineering Force can handle reconstruction, so she doesn't have to care about it.
* WomanChild: She actually considers her constructs to be dolls and toys for her to play with, and even dresses them up. Even the command center she ran in ''Echo Aria'''s hidden story had flowers planted around it.
* ClassReunion: The end of ''Voyage Among the Remains'' has the Commandant, Simon, and Harry Joe all visit her in the hospital.

[[folder:Teasell]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/theseus_1.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:some caption text]]

A Construct formerly of Egret squad.

* FaceHeelTurn: Is implied to have gone over to the Ascendant side as of ''Glimmering Light'', specifically [[spoiler: The Merciful One]]
* OneLastFieldTrip: Shows up for the [[TheCavalry final battle]] of ''Voyage Among the Remains'' to save Vanessa and Bombinata one last time before leaving for good.

[[/folder]]

[[folder:Harry Joe]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/harryjoe.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:some caption text]]

Captain of the Sandpiper squad.

* OneDegreeOfSeparation: He was one of the Commandant's classmates in the FOS Military Academy.

[[/folder]]

[[folder:Qianzi]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/chiko_1.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:some caption text]]

Deputy captain of the Purifying Force.

* TheConfidant: When Qianzi heard about Bianca's past, she wished she could have been as heartless as her, as she believed closing your heart was the correct way to deal with connections that could constantly hurt you. The fact Bianca had not closed her heart and constantly opens and reopens it after having to kill friends is amazing to her, and she tells her as much. To Qianzi, Bianca is incorruptible, and the most enviable existence for someone who has fallen into indifference. They end up talking a lot during their breaks, discussing philosophy and watching movies together.
* CriticalHesitationBlunder: Hesitated killing her younger sister after she had turned into a Corrupted, causing a lot more casualties. [[spoiler:In the Gestalt future where Bianca becomes a witch, Qianzi is unable to raise a hand against her and let's herself be killed.]]
* {{Foil}}: To Bianca. In the Purifying Force, where dealing with Corrupted constructs is the bulk of their work, outward displays of emotions and sentiment are discouraged, and Bianca, despite her reputation as a 'witch' and tragic past, is viewed as too soft. Contrast this with Qianzi, who is extremely stoic and has suppressed her emotions. It's no wonder there were complaints that she should be made the chief over Bianca.
* TheStoic: Her normal behavior during battle and with the rest of the Purifying Force. Only drops this when alone with Bianca.

[[/folder]]

!Factions on Earth
[[folder:The Punishing Virus and the Corrupted]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bgfightloading2.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:The Infection]]
After forcing humanity off Earth following its initial outbreak, the Punishing Virus remains on the planet, persisting either as lethal clouds that leave parts of the world inhospitable, or as roving bands of berserk machinery that seek only to kill the humans that still remain on Earth. While Babylonia believes in purging Earth of the virus, many parties believe it is here to stay, and may even be more desirable to keep it that way.

* EldritchLocation: [[spoiler:The Red Tide is a formerly subterranean pool of Punishing virus that has become dense enough to resemble mud in some places, which is also filled broken robot parts. It is likened to primordial soup and has become a spawning ground for Hetero-Creatures that disturbingly resemble biological beings. Worse, it's broken through the surface, where it has risen high enough to actually drown buildings.]]
* MurderousMalfunctioningMachine: All generic {{Mook}}s take this form. Whether rusting and ancient construction machinery, or constructs sent down to Earth, once you succumb, this is your final destiny.
* {{Nanomachines}}: Beyond just infecting and killing, the virus can persist outside and affect the physical world. Places with high enough densities practically start terraforming the land.
* TransferableMemory: [[spoiler:The Red Tide is thick enough that it gains the property of absorbing memories, or at least imitating them. Asimov also floats the theory that enough memories exist in it that it may have become a GeniusLoci.]]
* TheVirus: One that can infect both humans and machines.

!!Nozzle
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/xixinomal.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"Y-You... asked... an artist... to explain... their... work...? What an... amatuer... hehe."'']]

Informally referred to as "the Graffiti Artist" due to its obsession with painting patterns wherever it goes, this Corrupted becomes the first target Gray Raven squad has to destroy to establish a foothold on Earth. Its manic but clear intelligence is the first warning sign the war will not be so simple.

* ArtAttacker: It uses paint as one of its weapons, whether as a high-pressure beam of freezing paint, or paint cans used as improvised bombs.
* FatBastard: Its large frame gives this impression, and compliments its self-absorbed artist persona.
* FreezeRay: Its paint is capable of freezing constructs, and it even killed other constructs in this manner.
* ItCanThink: The fact it's found a hobby and is attempting to create art shocks Gray Raven squad, who were under the impression they would be fighting a mindless horde.
* MadArtist: Its paint incorporates the fluids of constructs it's killed, making it even more despicable.
* StarterVillain: It's a dangerous enemy, but it's only dangerous so far as it's stopping Babylonia from establishing its first land base.
* VaguenessIsComing: While insignificant on its own, Nozzle hints at the future plot by making Babylonia aware of prior unknown factions while speaking of the Ascendants and the Sage/Sagemachina.

!!Tifa
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tifanomal_1.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"With this power, I will fulfill the last wish of my Commandant..."'']]
[[caption-width-right:350:[[labelnote:Tifa's true body]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/chpcl17bi_eemej5aaaaabq4jzw543_2.png[[/labelnote]]]]

Once a Reconstructed Soldier serving with the Suzaku squad, the death of her commandant in the initial counter-invasion drove her to despair. Manipulated into accepting the Punishing Virus, Tifa has been turned into a nightmarish Corrupted called the Iron Maiden that's attacking other constructs in revenge.

* ArtEvolution: For the ''Spiral of Chronos'' update, Tifa received a remade boss fight, which depicts her completely free of her armored shell and armed with several new projectile attacks.
* FallenHero: She was once an ordinary soldier, but the death of her commandant [[spoiler:and Roland's manipulations]] twisted her into an Corrupted powerhouse.
* MercyKill: [[spoiler:She survives her story arc, but by that time, she's nothing more than an insane mind trapped in a wrecked body. Because of this Vera kills her for good to end her suffering.]]
* PropheticNames: "Iron Maiden" might be an intimidating name for an armored, spike-shooting cocoon, but in the end [[spoiler:Tifa winds up metaphorically inhabiting one, as she's reduced to a broken mind trapped in her body, until Vera puts her out of her misery.]]
* SmallGirlBigGun: Her Memory set shows that, prior to her infection, she wielded Levi-Guns like Liv.
* SpikeShooter: Her main form of attack is releasing spikes as projectiles.
* StarterVillain: She and the Graffiti Artist are the main obstacles in establishing an Babylonia presence on Earth.
* TurnsRed: When she reaches the last third of her health, she purges her outer armored shell and starts using new attacks.
* VirtualGhost: ''The Last Spark'' added a Memory set based on her pre-infection self.

!!Roseblade
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/balaswordnomal_975731.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"I... will not allow... them... to defile Mr. Copperfield's legacy..."'']]

Back in the past, the Estate Museum was cared for by a bionic steward, who steadfastly carried out his duty even after the Punishing Virus arrived. When Gray Raven squad come to investigate, they discover that he has been turned into the Museum's Corrupted guard dog, thanks to its new occupants.

* KickTheDog: The recipient of one thanks to [[spoiler:Roland. His callous enslavement of Roseblade and subsequent abandonment as a "failure" shows the Ascendants are self-serving {{Social Darwinist}}s.]]
* OneWayVisor: He wears one (or perhaps has one installed) as a sign of his robotic nature.
* PlayingWithFire: Further into his boss fight, he [[FlamingSword coats his sword in fire]], granting himself fire based attacks.
* RoyalRapier: Uses one as his weapon, and fights with a gentlemanly stance appropriate to his old job.
* SomethingAboutARose: Some of his long range attacks are shaped like roses.
* TurnsRed: When he loses one third of his health, he starts using a FlamingSword.
* VillainousBreakdown: His fighting style becomes more erratic with each phase of his fight; he initially has a slow walk, elaborate rose-themed attacks and fanciful slashes, moves onto fire-based atttacks with wide sweeps and explosive pillars, and by the end goes completely feral, viciously charging the player while simply stabbing at them as hard as they can.

!!The International Space Station / Korolev / Riot
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bgfightloading10_min.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:The International Space Station]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tieqiunomal.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Riot]]

Once a cutting-edge scientific research facility where gravity generation experiments were taking place, the Punishing Virus consumed the station and then expanded it with absorbed space debris. Since then, it has menaced both Babylonia and Earth as a giant artillery platform. Korolev, the station's AI, persists as an internal defense system -- when Gray Raven and Ayla get deeper into the station, it downloads itself into Riot, a massive combat robot.

* AIIsACrapshoot: Korolev is a low-level AI, but a malicious one.
* BeamSpam: Riot specializes in all sorts of projectile attacks, whether it is massive beams fired from its central eye, or shotgun-like blasts from two side guns to push the player away.
* DeadlyEuphemism: Korolev taunts Gray Raven using educational blurbs and [=PSAs=] recontextualized as warnings and threats. When the Space Station begins jettisoning sections of itself to isolate Babylonia's troops, it compares its actions to a human body fighting off infections.
* DeathFromAbove: The International Space Station is capable of spreading the Punshing Virus by firing infected projectiles down to the Earth's surface.

!!Hetero-Core / Rail Heterozygote
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bgfightloading11_min.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Hetero-Core]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bgstory145_compressed.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Rail Heterozygote]]
When the Punishing Virus infected the gravity generator of the International Space Station, the extraordinary conditions allowed the virus to create denser and more complex devices, known as Heteromers, which are made out of Hetero-matter. The densest matter exists as the Hetero-Core, which manipulates all Hetero-matter on the space station. After the Hetero-Core falls to Earth, it re-consolidates itself into the Rail Heterozygote and promptly attacks the people of the Akdilek Commercial Alliance. Gray Raven squad is sent to eliminate it once and for all.

* DisposableVehicleSection: When Babylonia seriously threatens the Core by breaching its defenses, it makes a last-ditch attempt to survive by jettisoning itself out of the space station.
* GenericDoomsdayVillain: It is the Punishing Virus at its least complicated, simply being an amalgamate of machinery that's destroying everything in sight. The greater threat it presents is a deadline that pushes Akdilek's population to the breaking point as they try to decide whether to ally with Babylonia or [[spoiler:the Ascendants]].
* MechanicalAbomination: The Rail Heterozygote is a multi-eyed, asymmetrical nightmare cobbled out of random parts through a pure hatred for humanity rather than actual engineering.
* OminousCube: The Core itself, though it uses a variety of square and rectangular weaponry as well.

!!Shark-speare
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/shashibiernormal01.png]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/shashibiernormal02_3.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"Let's... play... together..."'']]
Once a mere cartoon character, Shark-speare was later used as the basis for a mechanical mascot of Venus Splash Park in the Caribbean. However, it also serves as the water park's main defense system. During ''Grand Blue'', Luna infects Shark-speare to turn it into an ironic executioner for Shome, an Ascendant fugitive.

* BodyHorror: Even if it's just a machine, there's something unnerving about how Shark-speare uses its abandoned face plate as a flail in its second form.
* EpicFlail: In its second form, it drops all its comedic pretenses and starts swinging its face plate around on a cable.
* FedToTheBeast: [[spoiler:Shome eventually meets his end at the hands of his treasured mascot, which graphically bites him to pieces.]]
* FightingClown: In its first form, it fights more like a cartoon character -- using a water gun, balloons and a jet-ski like aparatus -- that just happens to also be able to hurt you.
* NightmareFace: In its second form, the internal components under its decorative face are revealed, thus becoming unsettling CyberCyclops that clashes with the rest of its still cartoonish body.


!!Hetero-Creatures
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bgfightloading26_1.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:The Polyphage]]

Emerging from the Red Tide, these are the result of the Punishing virus imitating the evolutionary process of the Earth's organisms. Humanity has not yet understood the specific evolutionary mechanism of Hetero-Creatures, determined whether they possess biology like living organisms, or learned the reasons for their existence. The only thing that can be determined through observation is that Hetero-Creatures have initially shown the possibility of forming their own development tree and have the potential to achieve sentience.

* BackgroundBoss: The Polyphage boss of ''Fake Ascension''. Later it becomes a ColossusClimb as you fight your way across its arm.
* TheBattleDidntCount: [[spoiler:After draining the Humanoid Organisms of their health, the duo simply one-shots Lucia and Lee in a cutscene right after.]]
* DualBoss: [[spoiler:''Evernight Beat'' ends with a fight against the Humanoid Organisms, referred to individually as "Male" and "Female". The Male fights with a PowerFist, while the Female fights with ArmedLegs and an EnergyBow.]]
* EvilCounterpart: [[spoiler:The Humanoid Organisms are the first bosses in the game that start using the game's mechanics against the player, making use of Matrix dodges to try and attack the slowed down Gray Raven squad.]]
* EvilEvolves: It's the Punishing Virus trying to ape biological evolution. [[spoiler:As of ''Evernight Beat'', it's succeeded in spawning the "Humanoid Organisms: Male and Female", which grow in strength so rapidly they start imitating the player's BulletDodge and Lucia's LimitBreak.]]
* KnightOfCerebus: [[spoiler:''Evernight Beat'' ends on the game's first cliffhanger chapter, with the Humanoid Twins giving Gray Raven squad their first unambigious defeat.]]
* PoweredByAForsakenChild: The Polyphage requires [[spoiler:an Ascendant]] to fully function. [[spoiler:Gabriel, reasoning that Luna's no longer useful to the Ascendant Network, turns her into its core.]]

!!Siren
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mumu20220818223824.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''Fall. Burn. Crash. Rip. Merge. My body... does it still exist?'']]
Following the Polyphage's defeat at the Ascendants' lair in City 075, the previously inert Red Tide is suddenly rediscovered, trying to spread out from a series of rivers and into the ocean. Following its course, the Commandant discovers the source of this Red Tide is a large Hetero-Creature called Siren, a dangerous but strangely pathetic monster that seems to be imprisoned by the Tide to serve as its beating heart.

* AnArmAndALeg: When it's initially discovered, it's found pinned to a group of Punishing-formed spikes without any legs, which it quickly forms for the boss battle. During its second phase, it loses its left arm from the damage it took earlier from Wanshi, but it keeps fighting.
* BladeBelowTheShoulder: During its first phase, its left arm is a jagged blade it uses for attacks, but it gets destroyed between phases.
* FisherKing: As the current source of Red Tide, it serves as its impromptu "heart", causing it to spread and pulse outwards. When it's destroyed, the Red Tide loses much of its destructive potential.
* HandicappedBadass: During the second phase, it loses its left arm and its feet. But it turns out to grow only ''more'' dangerous as it creates a sword to wield and switches from animalistic swipes to wild strikes with its new blade.
* HellIsThatNoise: It "sings" and makes noises similar to whale songs, which also causes the Red Tide to surge every time it does.
* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler:After dealing enough damage, the remains of Selena's original body is exposed. When the Commandant sees her, Selena regains just enough willpower to take the targeting beacon the Commandant had been carrying so that Babylonia can destroy Siren with a pinpoint artillery strike.]]
* MorphicResonance: Its main body consists of its torso and a right arm, while the remaining limbs look oddly cobbled together. [[spoiler:This alludes to the condition of Selena's body when last seen, which was also reduced to such a wrecked state with only one arm.]] Between phases, it also inexplicably starts pantomiming the playing of a violin, [[spoiler:which makes all the more sense when you realize Selena was a musician, among her many other artistic talents]].
* SharkFinOfDoom: Siren is capable of diving into the water before emerging to attack. Wanshi has a unique counter, where firing his Bloom Shot while it's lunging at him will cause an animation where he shoots it away.
* SpontaneousWeaponCreation: At the start of its second phase, it summons a sword from the Red Tide as a weapon to keep attacking with.
* TragicMonster: Unlike other Hetero-creatures, it's regularly described as a sorrowful being, imprisoned and unwillingly used as a source of the Red Tide, and whose song that empower the Tide sound sad. [[spoiler:Given it's Selena being used by the Red Tide as a back up power source following the Polyphage's destruction, she truly is no longer in control or even conscious of what she's become.]]

[[folder:Akdilek Commercial Alliance]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bgfightloading14.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:The Royalty]]

This organisation operates out of the "Eternal Engine" Asslam, which runs nonstop through the wastes of Eurasia in order to filter out the Punishing virus. In order to supply itself, its leveraged its constant travel to become a trade organisation, which has cemented its position as an economic powerhouse. As far as its leaders are concerned, Akdilek has no partners and no enemies, only business.

* ArabianNightsDays: Akdilek apparently originated in the Middle East, and the faction has strong Arab stylings in its stage design, battle music, and even its identity as a merchant society.
* AristocratsAreEvil: Or at least massive assholes. They shun the commoners and treat them as little more than merchandise or pests, while they enjoy benefits like private cabins. Their selfishness goes so far as to try and broker a deal with the Ascendants, hoping joining them will give them true freedom from the train.
* CoolTrain: It's not called "the Eternal Engine" for nothing. Asslam is a MobileCity made up of armed and armored train carriages the size of buildings.
* FantasticCasteSystem: Akdilek maintains a division between "aristocrats" and "commoners": descendants of the original passengers of the train, and newcomers who've come aboard for various reasons.
* GildedCage: Akdilek might be a wealthy and powerful society, but even the aristocrats chafe under the reality that their sumptuous train is only barely holding the Punishing Virus at bay outside its walls. The events of ''Eternal Engine'' therefore tempts them with the possibility of either escaping to Babylonia, or joining the Ascendants for a chance to become immune to the virus.
* MerchantCity: The train is willing to trade anything and handle any business, and as a result is powerful enough to field their own constructs separate to Babylonia's.
* ShoutOut: The idea of a post-apocalyptic society with a strong class divide that inhabits a perpetually running train is a dead-ringer for ''ComicBook/LeTransperceneige'', though the Snow-Piercer's society is trapped in an ice age, while Akdilek operates out of a desert.
!!Jamilah Akdilek IV
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/jiamilanormal01_975699.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"We had no choice but to gamble from the start. This train has been running since the outbreak of the virus, and everywhere we pass by has only been a pitstop for us. Be it commoners or aristocrats, we all want to reach that terminal station... The final destination where we can call home."'']]

The Amir of the ACA. Her sympathy with the train's commoner population puts her at odds with the nobility, and her gentle appearance makes her look like a pushover, but she nonetheless has secured the loyalty of powerful constructs like Sophia and Chang Yu.

* BewareTheNiceOnes: While normally she's a kind woman who wants everyone on her train to survive, she's more than capable of giving a frightening expression that makes her doubters back down before they continue making unwise accusations.
* AChildShallLeadThem: Jamilah's grandfather originally owned Asslam, and and she is revered as the train's princess. However as a teenager, she has a hard time getting the aristocrats of the train to listen to her.
* PuppetKing: While she is Akdilek's queen, she is often relegated to being a spineless figurehead while [[EvilChancellor Aston, who represents the nobility's interests]], makes orders "on her behalf". [[spoiler:{{Subverted}}, in fact: Aston's loyalty has always been to Jamilah, and his orders on her behalf, [[ApparentlyPowerlessPuppetmaster really are on her behalf]]. All of this is to placate Akdilek's complicated politics. She did used to have little real power in the past, but her patience and ability to win the loyalty of servants and commoners the Aristocrats ignored eventually gave her more room to maneuver.]]
-->'''Jamilah''': I'm a queen with no real power. All I see are illusions. All I can reach is my dressing table.



!!Aston
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/asidunnormal01.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"We are businessmen, and only want to get the most benefit from the trade. As far as we are concerned... it is just merchandise."'']]

Jamilah's second-in-command. Unlike her, he pushes the interests of Akdilek's nobility, and he seems to have the force of personality his queen lacks to get things done.

* EvilChancellor: He is the real power in Akdilek, as Lee notes when he sees him ordering everyone around while Jamilah is reduced to a prop in their meeting. [[spoiler:He is actually TheGoodChancellor, who is helping Jamilah rule while pretending to only serve the nobility]].
* IntrepidMerchant: He is the one who embodies Akdilek's mercantile spirit the best. During ''Eternal Engine'', despite the Rail Heterozygote actively endangering him and the rest of the train, he still audaciously uses its Core as a bargaining chip to negotiate the immigration of the people onto Babylonia.

!!Changyu
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/changyunormal01_975776.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"Are you surprised? Construct Tech is not something only Babylonia has."'']]

A structure who works as a guard aboard Asslam, alongside Sophia.

->''For more information, look at "[[Characters/PunishingGrayRavenPlayableConstructs Playable Constructs]]"''

[[/folder]]
[[folder:Atlantis zero-point energy reactor]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/atlantissmaller960.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Atlantis]]

A top secret ocean facility housing a zero-point energy reactor. Has multiple layers of stealth and instrument deflection, as well as the ability to "snorkel" underwater for long periods of time. The site of ''The Last Spark.''

* CrazySane: All the staff were this, even before the Punishing outbreak. Those who can't cut it are unceremoniously fired and transported off the island, to live in information blackout for the rest of their lives.
* ElaborateUndergroundBase: Almost a self sufficient city.
!!Lastris
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/lastris.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light.]]

The head of research at Atlantis.

[[/folder]]
[[folder:The Forsaken]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/cg408_1.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:The Despised]]
Led by the criminal defector Watanabe, the Forsaken are a group of humans and constructs who were abandoned by Babylonia, or cast out for disagreeing with its policies. While they still believe in defeating the Punishing virus, that is no assurance of their cooperation.

* ArmyOfThievesAndWhores: An army of rogues created by people abandoned by Babylonia.
* DefectorFromDecadence: It is natural, considering that it was formed by mutineers. Its newer recruits only reinforce this trope, as there are many defectors from Babylonia incited by dissidence.
* IOweYouMyLife: Following chapter five, they ally with Gray Raven (and only them) in repayment for them saving the minds of several of their soldiers that had been taken by the Ascendants for research.
* TeethClenchedTeamwork: During ''Fallen Star'', Watanabe and the Forsaken negotiate a deal with Babylonia where in return for the Forsaken providing critical fighter support with their ace pilots during Babylonia's attack on the International Space Station, Babylonia will provide advanced supplies and equipment to the Forsaken. Watanabe makes it clear that this is only business transaction and not a true alliance, as they still don't fully trust Babylonia.
* TheMutiny: The founders of Forsaken were the remnants of a failed mutiny caused by more questionable policies of World Government (abandoning civilians and soldiers during retreat, trying to evacuate relics which looked useless in soldiers' eyes).
* WhatTheHellHero: The entire organization, being consisted of nonconformists and victims, existed as a walking reminder of this trope to World Government, despite the latter's purported reputation as legitimate leadership and emerging savior of humanity, that its more controversial actions will be remembered and accounted for.

[[/folder]]
[[folder:Arctic Route Union and the Forest Guard]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rsz_bgfightloading23.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:The Sinners]]
The Arctic Route Union is based in the regions around northern former-Russia, and is populated by descendants of those remained on Earth to resist the Punishing virus. They have little love for Babylonia, whom they consider cowards that abandoned the planet.

* AssholeVictim: They've done enough terrible things that no one should feel sorry for what happens to them in ''Firn Night''; the only question is whether they're still worth saving after everything they've done. [[spoiler:Atiel is willing to kill everyone to a man to satisfy her revenge, but Rosetta believes in saving the ARU to to stop the CycleOfRevenge and make it move on from the events surrounding Amberia.]]
* FantasticRacism: Despite the Forest Guard being their protectors, the ARU brands them "sinners" and hate their guts. [[spoiler:This is because they are the descendants of Amberia's creators.]] By the time of ''Frozen Darkness'' though, their festering shame at their treatment, along with Diana rallying the Guard to defend New Murmansk has the locals there change their tune and begin befriending them.
* FreudianExcuse: The ARU loathes the Forest Guard and other "sinners" for [[spoiler:primarily being composed of the descendants of the research team that created Amberia, who nearly destroyed the entire ARU.]]
* LaserGuidedKarma: ''Firn Night'' is all about the ARU's long-hidden crimes finally coming home to roost.
** [[spoiler: The ARU planned to emerge into a post-Punishing era with an advantage over the other nations, and for this reason resorted to human experimentation to create a war machine - which promptly went on a rampage and nearly destroyed it entirely.]]
** [[spoiler:Their burying of Amberia and their subsequent persecution of the researchers who made her, as well as their descenants, only lead to a vengeful survivor waking up an equally angry war machine years later, both of whom proceed to try and wipe out the ARU.]]
* OpportunisticBastard: The region was largely unaffected by the Punishing Virus and believed it would blow over, so their first agenda was to try and get a leg up on other nations after the Virus ended. [[spoiler:To this end, they rounded up escaping refugees to use as HumanResources in researching how to create a war machine.]]
* MotherRussiaMakesYouStrong: Based in Russia, the harsh cold and regular robot attacks have made the ARU a tough bunch.
* YankTheDogsChain: [[spoiler:Despite all the progress made by the end of ''Firn Night'', during ''Lost Chapter'' Luna singlehandedly destroys New Murmansk, killing off all of the leadership. While the Forest Guard and Forsaken save many civilians in the aftermath, it's a bitter way to close the chapter on the old ARU that created the Forest Guard and Amberia.]]

!!The Forest Guard

The defenders of the Arctic Route Union, who stand out thanks to their more exotically shaped constructs.

* AllOfTheOtherReindeer: They are "sinners" in the ARU's eyes, and are rejected by most of the ordinary citizens. By "tradition" they are expected to live in the forests and never enter ARU cities like New Murmansk, even though they are expected to protect the areas around it.
* ArmyOfThievesAndWhores: PlayedWith. This is the image the ARU is trying to project onto them, but many of them are just victims of the ARU's persecution.
* EarnYourHappyEnding: [[spoiler:At the end of the "Wendigo" event of ''Firn Night'' the ARU finally buries the hatchet with the Forest Guard, and helps set up a community where they can finally be treated as actual citizens.]]
* TheFatalist: In Diana's words, no matter how resentful they will be of their status as outcasts, the Forest Guard have resigned themselves to their lot in life.
* OurCentaursAreDifferent: The most common body type the Forest Guard use is a four-legged frame. In Rosetta's case, the back half is an attachment she can remove at any time if she wants to return to a bipedal shape. Because the inhuman shapes can degrade the mental state of constructs, Babylonia had halted all use of "hybrid" bodies, but the ARU pays no heed to that.
* SinsOfOurFathers: Being a Forest Guard is a form of punishment. [[spoiler:They are descendants of the researchers who created Amberia, and they are still being made to pay for that mistake.]]
* TradingBarsForStripes: ARU civilians in ''Frozen Darkness'' say that Forest Guards were initially converted from criminals, and that their enhanced bodies and long lives are how they are expected to atone for their crimes.

!!!Rosetta
The leader of the Forest Guard.

->''For more information, look at "[[Characters/PunishingGrayRavenPlayableConstructs Playable Constructs]]"''
!!!Diana
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/iceguidenomal.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"We've all accepted what happened to Forest Guards in the past. However we are rejected, though we feel resentful, we've accepted it as our fate. But you, Rosetta, you never back down... I think that's why everyone respects you so much. It's been an honor to be your pupil."'']]

One of the many Forest Guards whom Gray Raven squad meet during ''Frozen Darkness''. She considers herself to be Rosetta's protege, and looks up to her.

* MeaningfulName: Diana's namesake is the Roman goddess of the countryside and hunters, and appropriately she resides in the wild forests of Siberia, living rough and hunting down threats to the ARU.
* NiceGirl: Compared to Rosetta, Diana is more cheerful and friendly. At one point she even serves Gray Raven food while they are resting, and ARU members admit that if she had been the one to regularly visit them, relations between them and the Forest Guard would have thawed sooner.
* YouAreInCommandNow: In ''Frozen Darkness'' and afterwards, Rosetta's mental instability [[spoiler:and Punishing Virus infection]] forces Diana to step out from under the former's shadow and assume command as the force's de facto leader.

!!Derek
A bionic "narhwal" that lives in the oceans around the ARU. It's a major figure in both ''Frozen Darkness'' and ''Firn Night''.

* BarrierMaiden: [[spoiler:Derek was the ARU's last-ditch effort to keep Amberia sealed away, after it became impossible to destroy her. Its whale songs were what kept her asleep.]]
* OddFriendship: With Rosetta, saving each other's lives in the past and growing close enough for her to give it its name.
* TooGoodForThisSinfulEarth: As it turns out, despite [[spoiler:being infected by the Punishing Virus, it swam to New Murmansk in an effort to warn the people there of the impending Corrupted invasion, and dies in the process.]]
* TheUnintelligible: It can't speak like a human, but it can communicate. In-game, its dialogue resembles random blocks and lines, but Rosetta can interpret his thoughts.


!!Amberia
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/anboliyanormal01_1347846.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"Hurt others... No, I never wanted to hurt anyone. I just wanted the ones that hurt me gone... You'd do the same in my shoes. I'm going to eliminate the ARU and everything that stands in my way. That way, I won't be imprisoned in this ice cave ever again. I don't want anyone to call me a monster ever again!"'']]
Years ago, the ARU tried to build a war machine known as Amberia in order to get an upper hand in a post-Punishing virus world. Upon its activation, it went berserk, and nearly destroyed the ARU before it was sealed away. While it spent years dreaming, it finally reawakens in ''Firn Night'' and attempts to escape, even if it means destroying the ARU in the process.

* ApocalypticLog: When the Commandant links with Rosetta's M.I.N.D. to purge her of Amberia's corruption, they listen to a series of memories that shows how Amberia slowly went insane as she was converted into a construct.
* BigBadDuumvirate: She and [[spoiler:Atiel]] are the main antagonists of ''Firn Night''.
* BlindfoldedVision: She has a strip of cloth over her eyes (if she was even built with any), though it doesn't make her any less dangerous.
* CreepyCrosses: Her projectiles and totems are cross-shaped, and her body is a HumanPincushion covered in cross-like stakes, playing up her NunTooHoly motif.
* CyberneticsEatYourSoul: Amberia is proof of why Babylonia insists on making constructs as humanlike as possible to maintain mental stability. Over the course of her ApocalypticLog, Amberia is shown losing her sanity as she loses her original senses, and by the time she realizes she had been "turned into a weapon", the ARU had succeeded in creating a walking tank with a mental breakdown.
* EvilCounterpart: Like [[spoiler:Atiel]] and Rosetta, she is another victim of the ARU who was forcibly constructed into a Construct with the purpose of serving them. But while she and [[spoiler:Atiel]] are consumed by revenge and wish to raze the ARU to the ground, Rosetta wants to break the CycleOfRevenge harbors little ill will against them.
* FreudianExcuseIsNoExcuse: While Amberia [[spoiler:and Atiel]] have genuinely understandable reasons for wanting to destroy the entire ARU, Rosetta refuses to let another tragedy on par with Amberia's original rampage occur and tries to stop them.
* FromNobodyToNightmare: Amberia was originally just a young refugee girl who was unfortunately experimented on by the ARU, which transformed her into a MechanicalAbomination that nearly destroyed the entire ARU and once again threatens them by the events of ''Firn Night''.
* FusionDance: [[spoiler:Atiel and Amberia's minds both occupy the same body in the final battle. By the end, Rosetta notes she can't tell the difference between the two.]]
* LeakingCanOfEvil: A lockdown code makes Amberia sleep, but every so often, she gets "nightmares" that causes tidal waves on the surface, as well as rampaging robots affected by her transmissions. ''Firn Night'' begins when the robots begin showing signs of organised activity, making the ARU panic and realize Amberia might be waking up.
* MarathonBoss: Where most bosses have 30 bars of health, or 50 on harder difficulties, Amberia has a whopping '''''100''''' bars of health to get through. Worse, during her stint as an event boss, one of her moves is using one of her totems to regenerate her health, making it a race against time to destroy it before she gets too much back.
* MechanicalAbomination: Her appearance and backstory makes Amberia seem more like an unholy monster than a malfunctioning robot.
* NunTooHoly: Her upper human torso is covered in a shawl that resemble's a nun's habit, with the image further enhanced by her profile art showing her bound hands clasped together, as if in prayer.
* PeoplePuppets: Part of what makes her so dangerous is that she can take control of the bionic animals in the region [[spoiler:as well as the Forest Guard, as their construct bodies are derived from Amberia's.]]
* PsychoPrototype: Its monstrous frame is the basis for all humanoid-hybrid models the ARU uses, including the centaur bodies the Forest Guard uses. Given that constructs ''need'' to be as human-like as possible to maintain their sanity, it's no guess that turning a human into a glorified control unit of a war machine will not leave an intact mind.
* StatusBuff: At harder difficulties, Amberia's main gimmick are cross-shaped totems that periodically drop into the arena, each of which increase her damage output. If they're not destroyed regularly, three totems will be enough to let Amberia one-shot the player.
* WasOnceAMan: Amberia is a construct, and much like Rosetta she was forcibly transformed in her childhood, though the level of modification far outstrips even the Forest Guards', leaving no trace of the girl, Lia, she once was.
* WithMyHandsTied: Her clased hands are bound together with stakes, but they come off later in her boss fight as she grows stronger.

!!Atiel (Spoilers)
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/aidiernormal01_1347842.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"You have suffered much and were even called sinners. Why? Why do you still stand by these scum of the earth?"'']]
A construct from Babylonia who takes part in the events of ''Firn Night'', it is later revealed she is a surviving descendant of Amberia's research team, who is planning to use the berserk war machine to take revenge on the ARU.
----
* BigBadDuumvirate: She and Amberia are the main antagonists of ''Firn Night''.
* BitchInSheepsClothing: While initially appearing as help from Babylonia and presenting herself as a peppy young lady, she turns traitor as she reveals she desires the ARU's annihilation for the sake of her revenge, becoming the antagonist of ''Firn Night''.
* EvilCounterpart: Along with Amberia, to Rosetta, as both were branded as "sinners" by the ARU and both are the descendants of Amberia's research time. However, while Atiel is consumed by her desire for vengeance against the ARU, Rosetta wants to break the CycleOfRevenge and harbors little ill will against them.
* FusionDance Atiel and Amberia's minds both occupy the same body in the final battle. By the end, Rosetta notes she can't tell the difference between the two.
* HeWhoFightsMonsters: Atiel's revenge plot consumes her utterly. After escaping the labs where the Forest Guard are created, she undergoes conversion into a Construct anyway in Babylonia, allies with the Ascendants for help with her vengeance, and eventually turns into an actual monster by uploading her mind into Amberia's body.
* PayEvilUntoEvil: What she intends by helping Amberia destroy the ARU, which the story reveals has done many despicable things.

[[folder:Kowloong]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bgfightloading17.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:The Puppets]]

Once known as the Kowloong Chamber of Commerce, this simple trading company eventually transformed into something beyond reckoning. Its cargo ship, the massive Nighter, docks at ports in the middle of the night in order peddle its wares, but its true purpose is to supply the secretive city of Kowloong, located in the middle of the ocean. Both are overseen by the Kowloong Crew, a group of bureaucracies under the command of the AI Huaxu, and a woman only known as Qu.

-------------------
* ArcVillain: Of ''Nona Ouroboros'' and ''Kowloong Metropolis'', where their actions most directly threaten Gray Raven squad.
* BrainUploading: [[spoiler:''Lost Chapter'' clarifies that Qu's Tabula Akasha project is Kowloong's attempt to survive the Punishing Virus by allowing its citizens to volunteer to upload their consciousness to a computer network, which further allows some to don the then cutting-edge Phecda and Prime Construct frames.]]
* CoolShip: The Nighter is quite literally a city on a boat.
* TheGoodTheBadAndTheEvil: [[spoiler:The Ascendants try to invade Kowloong to steal Huaxu. Babylonia, believing the latter are a primary threat, try to ally with Kowloong, but eventually Qu's machinations cause Gray Raven to fight her, keeping her cemented as the villain of ''Kowloong Metropolis''.]]
* HiddenElfVillage: Kowloong uses stealth technology on par with Babylonia in order to hide itself from the world, and displays the typical contempt of such a society that doesn't feel a need to interact with others.
* IAmLegion: While ''Nona Ouroboros'' implied that the Kowloong Crew are nine constructs in charge of the ship, the manga side story ''[[https://imgur.com/a/XRIGL1F Extra Chapter: Kowloong Night Vessel]]'' explains they are actually nine departments whose members all use the same mass-produced bodies.
* OlderThanTheyLook: ''Lost Chapter'' takes place during the initial Punishing outbreak 100 years ago. The presence of Qu, Changyu and Pulao in this story means that they are all over 100 years old, despite their appearance.
* OneNationUnderCopyright: During the Golden Age, before the Pandemic, the Kowloong Chamber of Commerce was less a company and more a fully formed empire that ruled Asia, with immense power independent of the World Government.
* {{Pride}}: Kowloong has immense pride for its accomplishments and power, which is both a source of strength and and a weakness: In ''Lost Chapter'' Qu manages to appeal to the national pride of Kowloong, rallying the panicking populace to hold back the Corrupted during the worst days of the Pandemic, but by ''Kowloong Metropolis'', it has also led to complacent arrogance that leaves them vulnerable to the more advanced Ascendants that emerge 100 years later.
* WeHaveBecomeComplacent: Qu's arrogance and isolation causes Kowloong's technology to lag behind other groups. The lack of Inver-Devices causes her forces to get infected by the Punishing Virus easily, and even some of her own lieutenants realize the Ascendant invasion of Kowloong is Qu's wake up call.
* {{Wutai}}: Both locations are themed on Chinese architecture and customs that their occupants recorded before the Punishing virus.
!!Qu
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/qunormal01_975682.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"We are not a monarchy. But to ensure the unity of our community, we have to be of one mind."'']]

Whether as a business or the city it has become, Qu has always been, and will always be the leader of Kowloon. Bowing to no one, Qu keeps the gates of her de-facto kingdom closed to all save those who pledge absolute loyalty to her.\\
\\
''For more information about her playable form, look at "[[Characters/PunishingGrayRavenPlayableConstructs Playable Constructs]]"''
----
* ActuallyADoombot: [[spoiler:The "Qu" that appeared in ''Nona Ouroboros'' was actually her brother Villier, who had fallen in love with the copy of Huaxu he had made. The difference is clear when the real Qu reveals herself in ''Kowloong Metropolis'': Villier was sentimental and emotional, where Qu is imperious and cold.]]
* BladeOnAStick: Her weapon of choice is a long glaive.
* ColonyDrop: While not actually enacted, Qu says her ultimate goal is to use Huaxu to hijack Babylonia's Gestalt and send the space station crashing into Earth to create a new ice age and put all remaining life out of its misery, save Kowloong, the "record of humanity".
* DrivenToSuicide: At the end of ''Nona Ouroboros'', Qu [[spoiler:,or rather, Villier,]] tries to upload Huaxu into herself in a last-ditch attempt, but when that fails, she kills herself to achieve "true freedom".
* {{Foil}}: Qu contrasts the Ascendants in terms of villainy. The latter are a [[TheSocialDarwinist forward thinking group]] working to create a new society on Earth at the expense of everyone else. Qu, meanwhile, is TheFatalist, who believes human society and culture is effectively dead thanks to the Punishing virus. Her goal therefore is to create and preserve a record of past humanity's accomplishments, no matter the cost.
* FromNobodyToNightmare: A simple trading company survived an apocalypse and wound up becoming a city-state with technology on par with Babylonia, with Qu at its helm.
* {{Hypocrite}}: Qu [[spoiler:,or rather, Villier,]] claims her goal is to give Huaxu true freedom in ''Nona Ouroboros'', yet angrily demands Huaxu obey her and accept her plans. Only after everything falls apart does she realize the irony of her actions.
* IronLady: Qu's word is law, no ifs or buts. She threatens to exile Yazi and all aboard the Nighter because their friendship with Gray Raven means they would hesitate obeying Qu if she orders them to turn on their new comrades.
* LadyOfWar: Her fighting style has a graceful, refined air that lacks any overt uses of technology. She even drifts and floats through the air between certain attacks to emphasize her regality.
* TheManInFrontOfTheMan: In ''Nona Ouroboros'', Pulao believes Huaxu had taken control of everyone aboard the Nighter, including Qu. As it turns out, Qu was the one responsible.
* VillainousCrossdresser: [[spoiler:The Qu of ''Nona Ourboros'' turns out to be Villier, who is later revealed to be Qu's brother.]]

!!Huaxu
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/huaxunormal01.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"True freedom... is to act on your own will, not on the command of others..."'']]

A powerful AI equal to Babylonia's Gestalt, its presence in Kowloong is both a vital resource to the city as well as a tempting prize for outside forces.
----
* ActuallyADoombot: [[spoiler:The Hua Xu that appeared aboard the Nighter was just a copy of the original, which still exists in Kowloong.]]
* BecomeARealBoy: In ''Nona Ouroboros'', [[spoiler:Villier]] plots to find an ideal construct body to upload Huaxu into, so that it can exist as a real being.
* BenevolentAI: While initially it appears to be your classic [[AIIsACrapshoot tyrannical AI]] lording over the Nighter, it turns out that Huaxu really had been admitting passengers in an attempt to protect them, while Qu [[spoiler:,or rather, Villier,]] was working to trap them until she could find a suitable vessel for it. Even in the story, Huaxu does everything it can to protect Gray Raven from Qu's actions.
* {{Doppelganger}}: [[spoiler:During ''Fake Ascension'', it impersonates Bianca while hacking Gestalt, though its real identity gets sussed out quickly.]]
* GetBackHereBoss: After getting damaged enough, Huaxu's boss patterns will change towards harrassing and delaying you -- it starts dropping AreaOfEffect attacks to block your path, and try to back away from the player. Combined with its Sacred Mode, underpowered players are at risk of being whittled down trying to chase down and attack Huaxu.
* TheLastDance: As revealed in the Hidden Story of ''Nona Ouroboros'', Huaxu takes on Qu' appearance and asks Chrome to destroy it in a duel to the death, allowing it to weaken Qu [[spoiler:,or rather, Villier,]] elsewhere, while also honoring Qu's efforts thus far.
* LoopholeAbuse: [[spoiler:After it is hijacked by the Ascendants, while it cannot refuse their orders, it also can do anything it ''hasn't'' been forbidden from doing, such as being purposely sloppy in its hacks to allow it be tracked down, or secretly help Gray Raven fight Alpha even after it is told to subdue them.]]
* LuckilyMyShieldWillProtectMe: Huaxu can activate a "Sacred Mode" that creates an aura that reduces damage taken from the front and buffers its health. It can be circumvented by circling around it while in Matrix, or just overpowering it with raw damage.
* MultiArmedAndDangerous: Huaxu has multiple arms, and all of its attacks are depicted as disembodied hands that punch, swipe and create AreaOfEffect floors.
* TrappedInVillainy: [[spoiler:At the end of ''Kowloong Metropolis'' its key access is stolen by the Ascendants, forcing it into serving Luna, who puts it to use hacking Gestalt in ''Fake Ascension'' in an attempt to crash Babylonia. As the story goes on, however, it becomes clear it is trying to resist through any loophole in its orders it can find.]]
* TrojanPrisoner: [[spoiler:''Fake Ascension'' reveals that Qu allowed Huaxu to be stolen by the Ascendants, after giving it standing orders to do whatever it could to interfere with their plans. Outside of that, Qu predicted that news of the Ascendants having a Gestalt-equivalent AI would only draw further attention onto them and away from Kowloong.]]
* WhatIsThisThingYouCallLove: During its development, it conversed with Villier on ideas of freedom and love, pondering what it would be like to live for real.

!!Pulao
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/pulaonormal01.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"The night market has everything, but the vendors have none. They are robbed clean by the monster they raised with their own hands. Now they pay tribute to the monster in the form of taxes and mileage."'']]

A member of the Kowloong Crew that serves Qu and Huaxu.\\
\\
''For more information about her playable form, look at "[[Characters/PunishingGrayRavenPlayableConstructs Playable Constructs]]"''
----
* OnlySaneMan: Of the members serving aboard the Nighter, she is among the few who realizes Huaxu is enslaving them, and plots with Gray Raven to free everybody aboard.
* YouAreInCommandNow: She nominates herself as the one in charge of Kowloon Metropolis, or at least what's left of it, following [[spoiler:Qu's defeat and the subsequent trade talks with the Forgotten and the Akdilek Commercial Alliance]].

!!Yazi
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/yazinormal01_975742.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:some caption text]]

A member of the Kowloong Crew, who acts as Qu's personal attendant, giving her a high level of authority, but also loyalty to anything she desires.
----
* TheDragon: Serves as one during ''Nona Ouroboros'', as she blindly assists Qu in seeking out viable candidates to act as Huaxu's vessel.
* TheseQuestionsThree: Another Yazi serves as a gatekeeper to Qu's Observatory, and challenges Gray Raven to answer three riddles to pass, though she admits she could easily just be fought and defeated. Playing her game, however, does provide an opportunity to speak to her and learn a little more about the Kowloong Crew.

!!Huainan
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_20220905_205343.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''Have you ever considered that maybe people should just get to live? What if we weren't supposed to sell our souls only for a shot at life?!'']]

A former citizen of the Nighter who was friends with Changyu.
----
* PosthumousCharacter: He dies at the end of Changyu's interlude, which happens decades before the game starts.
* ScarsAreForever: He's got horrible burn scars on his neck, which are later explained to be the result of him forcefully removing his Nighter collar.
* TimeForPlanB: The hidden node of Changyu's interlude states that he had four plans for escaping the Nighter: sending out distress signals (which remained on the airwaves until being picked up by someone who's implied to be Murray, decades after Huainan's death), forcefully removing his collar (which caused scars on his neck but didn't let him escape), be traded away as merchandise (which he tries during the interlude, as he attempts to get sold as a construct; it fails and he's killed), and finally, [[DeathIsTheOnlyOption execution]].

[[/folder]]
[[folder:The Ascendants '''(Spoilers)''']]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/webpnet_compress_image_08.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:The New Humanity]]

Normally, the Punishing Virus is a death sentence. But against the odds, a number of people have not only survived the infection, but actually learned to control it. One group, known as "The Ascendants", now form the core of the "Ascended Network". Led by the woman known as Luna, they are intent on defeating Babylonia, which they consider a relic past its time, and establishing themselves as the future of Earth.
----
* EnemyCivilWar: [[spoiler:Gabriel betrays the remainder of the Ascendants in ''Fake Ascension'', preferring to align and make use of the new Hetero-Creatures of the Red Tide. As a result, the others turn on him, with some even allying with Gray Raven for assistance.]]
* GreaterScopeVillain: They present the greatest threat to Babylonia thus far, especially by their strengthening of the Corrupted forces. Even in the story arcs where they are not present, they often still exert an influence on other factions. [[spoiler:While Gabriel betrays them in ''Fake Ascension'', that merely ejects the sympathetic members, leaving the former to control an expanded and more ferocious Corrupted army.]]
* TheSocialDarwinist: Their core tenet, for the most part. Those who have adapted to the Punishing Virus should rule Earth. Those who can't, don't deserve to live there.

!!Luna
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/lunanormal01_975689.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"We'll live... Together in this world.. Let's welcome the coming of the 'dawn' together..."'']]
[[quoteright:350:[[labelnote:Click here for Luna's boss form]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/lunanormal03.png[[/labelnote]]]]

The leader of the Ascendants, who is empowering and directing ordinary Corrupted machinery to resist Babylonia's invasion.\\
\\
''For more information about her playable form, look at "[[Characters/PunishingGrayRavenPlayableConstructs Playable Constructs]]"''
----
* AuthorityEqualsAsskicking: The leader of the Ascendants, and, as of ''Lost Chapter'', a combat juggernaut and borderline RealityWarper with her power to conjure portals.
* AwesomeMomentOfCrowning: The "Lost Upgrader" short animation tied to ''Fake Ascension'' depicts her awakening as an Ascendant. [[spoiler:After being abandoned by Babylonia's researchers as a failure, Luna, who is about to be swarmed by hordes of Corrupted , holds on to the memory of her sister and transforms into her Laurel frame, curbstomping the Corrupted into submission. Upon realizing that Lucia will not be there to comfort her, Luna chooses to become the leader of a new faction that opposes Babylonia, with all of the Corrupted in the vicinity bowing down to her.]]
-->''It's time... to end the lies in this world.''
* TheBattleDidntCount: Even though she's a BonusBoss of ''Lost Chapter'', when you drain her health, the following cutscene shows her simply blasting your construct into submission with a single attack.
* CoolMask: During her boss fight, she dons a black gas mask, though she ditches it and the outer layer of her suit when she loses half her health and TurnsRed.
* DarkMessiah: Luna offers a tantalizing future for humans and machines, by overcoming the virus and becoming stronger for it. Hence, many people are willing to do anything if it means a chance to join her.
* {{Expy}}: Basically a more morally ambiguous version of [[VideoGame/HonkaiImpact3rd the Herrscher of the Void]], as a white-haired antagonist who fights with summoned lances and portals, is a chosen agent of the mysterious corrupting entity that tries to exterminate humans [[spoiler:and was reborn when scientists tried to dispose of her after a failed, horribly painful experiment.]] If the parallels aren’t obvious enough, both are voiced by Creator/RieKugimiya in Japanese.
* FromNobodyToNightmare: [[spoiler:Once a gullible orphan who only wanted to help her sister, now the leader of one of the most dangerous factions on Earth, who will do anything and use anyone to make her family happy.]]
* GirlsLoveStuffedAnimals: In the past, when Lucia gave her a stuffed frog, she laughed and said the frog is ugly. Nonetheless she still accept it happily.
* GoneHorriblyWrong: An ordinary construct conversion process went awry from her intense reaction to the Punishing virus, forcing Babylonia to dispose of her. Except they failed on that part.
* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler:She was presumed to be dead after she traded herself in Lucia's place to be converted into a Construct. She failed as she contracted the virus immediately after, and has to be put down.]]
* HiveQueen: As an "Agent", she controls the Ascended Network and chooses who are prospective members that can join. It's made most explicit in Chapter 3, when various robots are shown begging to her to join the Ascended Network.
* LightIsNotGood: Her hair and her clothes are predominantly white, but she's the BigBad of the series thus far. Tellingly, as a boss her weapons and attacks are RedAndBlackAndEvilAllOver, making her look ominous regardless of her appearance.
* LongLostRelative: [[spoiler:She's Lucia's younger sister, formerly presumed dead.]]
* OnlyTheWorthyMayPass: According to Luna, joining the Ascendants is not for "curing" oneself of the Punishing, but embracing it. Those who suffer from such "naivete" instead get killed for their weakness.
* OrcusOnHisThrone: She didn't do anything directly towards the heroes in several first chapters.
* PowerFloats: As a boss, she's depicted flying around to attack you, without ever touching the floor.
* StormOfBlades: Some of her attacks has her floating giant swords to be rained down upon the player.
* ThinkingUpPortals: The motif of her attacks as a boss in ''Lost Chapter''. She is capable of opening portals as a means of travel or attack, with her more elaborate moves including opening portals under your feet [[GravitySucks that can pull you in before energy blasts upward]], or around herself to leech the same energy to fuel other attacks.
* UnwittingPawn: [[spoiler:Luna is actually being directed by a "voice", which threatens to make other Corrupted attack her if she doesn't obey.]]

!!Roland
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/luolannomal01_975675.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"Machines, Constructs, Humans, Punishing Virus, whatever comes of this ragged doll of a world, I have no interest... I exist to protect Miss Luna and ensure her wishes are fulfilled. That is all."'']]

The first of the Ascendants Gray Raven squad meets, Roland serves as Luna's right-hand.\\
\\
''For more information about his playable form, look at "[[Characters/PunishingGrayRavenPlayableConstructs Playable Constructs]]"''
----
* ArtEvolution: For the ''Evernight Beat'' update, Roland's model was improved and given more details, while some of his animations were also updated, notably his boss intro sequence.
* TheBattleDidntCount: During their first meeting, Roland tests Lucia (in-story, at least). After dropping him to half health, he decides Lucia is still too weak, and bows out of the fight.
* CrazyEnoughToWork: [[spoiler:The way Roland deals with Gabriel's remaining hetero-creature is to teach her poorly. How to deal with an organism that starts copying your own attacks but doesn't understand the reasons behind them? Cut off your own left arm.]]
* {{Depower}}: [[spoiler:As of ''Inscription of Labyrinth'' the new Ascendants have used their superior control of the Punishing virus to deprive Roland of his own, essentially reducing him to and making him as vulnerable as an ordinary construct.]]
* DesperatelyLookingForAPurposeInLife: As his backstory shows in ''Fake Ascension''. [[spoiler:The trauma of the construct experimentations by Kurono destroyed even his survival instinct, but ultimately he was saved and turned into an Ascendant by Luna. Afterwards, he swore loyalty to her, hoping to find his purpose for living by observing what gave Luna her own resolve, and eventually came to see her goals as his own.]]
* SwordAndGun: He wields a WhipSword in one hand, and a hefty HandCannon in the other.
* UndyingLoyalty: When he says his goals are Luna's goals, he's not being figurative. [[spoiler:He's ultimately the only Ascendant personally loyal to Luna, and when he realises her true desire is to be somewhere free with her sister, he turns on Gabriel to protect her, and eventually even entrusts Gray Raven's Commandant with her safety, believing he will accomplish that goal.]]
* VillainShoes: You briefly play as him in the Extra Story chapter BBS-3, "STRANDED", where he clears off a bunch of Corrupted alongside Gabriel on their way to a rendezvous with Luna.
* WeCanRebuildHim: [[spoiler:He gets heavily damaged following ''Fake Ascension'', and winds up getting a new body courtesy of The Merciful One, though it comes with strings attached.]]
* WhipSword: He wields one, allowing him to spin whirlwinds in front of him, or swing through the air to attack below him.

!!Gabriel
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/jiabailienormal01_975800.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"The value of a collection is defined by the collector. Outsider eyes and words matter not."'']]
[[quoteright:350:[[labelnote:Click here for Gabriel's true form]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/jiabailienormal02.png[[/labelnote]]]]

Another Ascendant who remains close to Luna's side, acting as her personal servant.
----
* BadAssBookworm: Gabriel always has a copy of Friedrich Nietzsche's ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beyond_Good_and_Evil Beyond Good and Evil: Prelude to a Philosophy of the Future]]'' in hand, only putting it away when it's time to fight.
* BodyguardBetrayal: [[spoiler:He betrays and turns on Luna, after believing she's grown too weak-willed following her reuniting with Alpha.]]
* BoomStick: His primary weapon is a staff from which one end can project an energy blade. Even when he switches to his more powerful form, it's still used for several of his attacks.
* DragonAscendant: [[spoiler:He takes over and essentially assumes leadership of the Ascendants in order to fully weaponise his new "pets", the Hetero-Creatures.]]
* EvilerThanThou: [[spoiler:Believing that the Hetero-Creatures are the will of the Punishing Virus, he sides with them over the his original comrades, even attempting to feed them to the Polyphage.]]
* FauxAffablyEvil: He presents himself as Luna's doting and loyal personal attendant, but he's certainly anything but a kindly old machine. All of his polite mannerisms only make his explanations and callous actions more notable.
* MeaningfulName: Gabriel is the name of one of the most famous angels in Abrahamic religions; similarly, Gabriel's true form in this game has six floating appendages that are draped in the rags of his coat, giving him the appearance of a seraphim, though in his case he's more of an AngelicAbomination.
* OnlyMostlyDead: [[spoiler:Alpha destroys him in ''Imprisoned Sight'', but his head gets stolen afterwards. While she suspects this may let him resurrect, she decides finding Luna is her greater priority.]]
* OpportunisticBastard: By ''Imprisoned Sight'' he has decided to become Vonnegut's underling. [[spoiler:Unfortunately, the lack of loyalty runs both ways, as Vonnegut elects to allow Alpha to destroy him.]]
* TurnsRed: Once he loses one third of his health, Gabriel reveals his true form and completely changes his moveset, with the ability to fly, FlashStep, and fire silhouettes of his body as a projectile.
* WeCanRuleTogether: When confronted during ''Kowloong Metropolis'', Gabriel reveals part of the Ascendants' goals is to find worthy individuals who can join them in creating a new world, and extends such an offer to Gray Raven squad, though he is flatly rejected, sparking his boss fight.

!!Lamia
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/lamiyanormal01_975702.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"Wait, wait, wait! Are you a devil!? I'm here. Just lower your gun. I surrender!"'']]

An Ascendant that first appears in ''Kowloong Metropolis'', and a sharp contrast to the other forceful personalities that make up Luna's inner circle.
----
* AintTooProudToBeg: She's quick to taunt when she's in a place of power, but quickly folds and begs for mercy once she's cornered and at gunpoint.
* ArtificialLimbs: Even before her subsequent transformation into a Contruct and Ascendant, Lamia was born with her legs shattered from her mother's experiment exploding.
* ChickenWalker: Her boss form in ''The Last Spark'' comes with digitigrade legs for her land form.
* DeathByChildbirth: Laibiya, Lamia's mother, went into labor when she was seriously injured by her experiment. She did not survive.
* DespairEventHorizon: [[spoiler:''The Last Spark'' serves as Lamia's, as Atlantis is her birthplace, her home, her life's purpose, and ultimately [[YouCantGoHomeAgain some place she can never return to.]]]]
* TheDeterminator: Lamia's intense desire for survival at all costs [[spoiler:is tied to her ImpossibleTask given to her by her foster mother before she left, [[LiesToChildren "Your responsibility is to gather information. If the Punishing disaster is over and the world is at peace - although it's unlikely - but if it does happen, you must return and let us know."]]]] Considering the inhuman shape of her prototype structure technology and lack of inver-device, it's amazing that she managed to survive at all to become an Ascendant.
* DirtyCoward: Her battle capacity is low, so she either resorts to commanding Corrupted to attack for her, going invisible to attack, or just straight up running for her life.
* FaceOfAThug: Despite having a "monstrous" body, she's timid, dislikes crowds, and prefers hiding out of sight.
* AMistakeIsBorn: Laibiya was supposed to be on maternity leave on the mainland, but she applied a stay of leave as she did not want to stop her research. Her experiment backfiring and Lamia's crippled birth put the CrazySane staff of Atlantis in an uncomfortable position.
* NotSoHarmlessVillain: After a number of chapters hanging back from the action, Lamia finally fights in ''The Last Spark''. In the process she becomes ''Punishing'''s first boss with three distinct phases, with a total of 100 bars of health, and a dangerous warrior when at sea.
* OnlySaneMan: When Atlantis starts its final experiment, [[spoiler:a series of terrifying mandates are put in place including forced starvation in stages, starting with the least useful departments first, such that the research team can last the longest with the most support and finish the experiment. Unbelievably, these mandates are willingly accepted by THE ENTIRE STAFF of Atlantis... except Lamia. As a child who has never left Atlantis, Lamia has no clue if this is how humans should react and is understandably scared out of her mind.]]
* OurMermaidsAreDifferent: Her lower body is a giant mechanical assembly that can configure itself into a dolphin-like tail, letting her maneuver underwater effortlessly.
* RaisedByTheCommunity: Less raised and more like grown in a lab, but still, the scientists that make up the organism that is the Atlantis zero-point energy reactor took turns feeding and teaching the child. (It's as impersonal as it sounds.)
* ScrewThisImOutOfHere: [[spoiler:With the Ascendants' disintegration as of ''Fake Ascension'', she cuts a deal Murray, helping Gray Raven infiltrate the Ascendant base in exchange for her safety away from Gabriel's "pet" Hetero-Creatures.]]
* {{Shapeshifting}}: She's got various illusory powers, including the ability to change her outer appearance. During ''Fake Ascension'' she tries to fool Gray Raven by pretending to be Murray, though they are able to [[SpottingTheThread notice the discrepancy]] almost immediately.
* SurroundedBySmartPeople: Atlantis is the crème de la crème of human research spirit with a noticeable lack of human empathy. Lamia is a handicapped child who should not be there. Having been called stupid her entire life has shaped Lamia's personality greatly.
* UnderwaterBossBattle: Lamia's boss fight in ''The Last Spark'' begins on platform surrounded by water; her second phase causes her to drag it below the waves, allowing her to swim freely around, and her last phase takes place within a spiraling vortex when the water gets pushed away from the platform.


!!Vonnegut
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/nugget.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"We must separate the sheep from the goats, as shepherds do, and bury the wicked in the shadow of history. Only then can the world endure the Long Winter and, one day, welcome the coming warmth of spring."'']]

Another Ascendant who appears in ''Imprisoned Sight'' following Luna's usurpation, he is one of the few Agents with the potential to control the entire network.
----
* AffablyEvil: He presents himself as a patient and modest man, who's happy to talk it out with his enemies, but only because of an immense confidence in his powers, and the presumption that anyone listening to him will obviously understand that humanity deserves to die so that new life will flourish on Earth.
* BarrierWarrior: Vonnegut's main method of attack and defense are invisible forcefields.
* BenevolentBoss: Is this to Cinderelik, who respects him a great deal. Saves her after she injects herself with a crystalized pyramid of Punishing Virus (which he gave her) to fight off Lucia and Strike Hawk. The same cannot be said of his attitude toward Gabriel.
* CoolMask: He has a golden mouth mask that mimics a skull.
* HiddenVillain: Kept a low profile up until Luna's usurpation, preferring her to develop the Ascended Network for him and distract Babylonia from the existence of similar high-level Ascendants, and finally makes his play in ''Imprisoned Sight'', feeling he can now benefit in being out in the open.
* HiveQueen: He is one of a few Ascendants with the power to control the whole network.
* ItAmusedMe: Despite Gabriel being one of his underlings, Alpha's strength of will, displayed in her answers to him, pleases Vonnegut so much he basically helps Alpha kill Gabriel by providing her the machine's location.
* MakeWayForTheNewVillains: ''Imprisoned Sight'' reveals the existence of more Agents to Babylonia. Despite humanity already having enough trouble dealing with Luna, Vonnegut blows her off as a mere "pioneer" for the Ascenion Network, whose new members are becoming more powerful as it develops.
* MindRape: He's capable of using the Punishing Virus to hack into Construct's visual and auditory components, forcing them experience immense pain and relive their worst memories and anxieties.
* MisanthropeSupreme: He considers humanity a devious, polluting presence that Earth must be saved from through the Ascendants.
* NamedAfterSomebodyFamous: He is stated in-game to be named after famed science fiction author Creator/KurtVonnegut.
* SparingTheAces: Has stated multiple times that many of his actions are screening for viable Ascendant candidates. Every confrontation with him by Babylonia is a lopsided affair that has ended unfavorably, and very often doing exactly as he asks. Extremely apparent when he fights Lucia, Strike Hawk, [[spoiler:and Alpha]] at the same time while taking no apparent damage.
* WickedCultured: He's an eloquent and intelligent mastermind, who's able to reference things like the Dunning-Kruger Effect. Where Luna was motivated by revenge and personal safety, Vonnegut is driven by grand philosophies.

!!The Merciful One
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_20210520_185749_comkurogameharubilibili.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:some caption text]]
[[quoteright:350:[[labelnote:Click here for her unhooded appearance]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/20210812_184210.png[[/labelnote]]]]


The third Ascendant Agent equal in power to Luna and Vonnegut, she makes her first appearance in ''Labyrinth of Inscription''. As her name suggests, she converts would-be victims into Ascendants to save their lives, an altruism that runs contrary to the group's overall beliefs.
----
* EffectiveKnockoff: The Merciful One purportedly has a knack for reproducing lost Earth artifacts of such high quality they actually make the originals look inferior by comparison.
* HiveQueen: The Merciful One is among the few Ascendants with the power to control the whole network.
* InTheHood: Her features are covered in a white cloak, making her true identity unknown.
* OnlyKnownByTheirNickname: She claims to have no real name, and only adopts the title others are calling her by so people can address her by something. [[spoiler:In Babylonia, she's known as Ishmael, but it is unknown if this is any more real of a name for her.]]
* WildCard: Despite being an Ascendant, she doesn't have any true allegiance to their cause. Luna's group even considers her desire to save people by turning them into Ascendants contrary to their goal, hence the events of ''Grand Blue'', where they hunted down and killed Shome to warn her. [[spoiler:In fact, she's actually a high-ranking member of Babylonia's Supervisor Institute.]]

!!Cinderelik
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/huiyan.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"Why are you breaking into my greenhouse?"'']]

A subordinate of Vonnegut that first appears in ''Imprisoned Sight''.
----
* AngryGuardDog: Vonnegut has ordered her to protect a lab area. Stay within designated areas and she's polite to a fault. But go into a forbidden area, and she will attack, even if it's against hopeless matchups like Alpha or Gray Raven and Strike Hawk combined.
* CreepySouvenir: Cinderelik's one broken wing belonged to her friend, who she is hoping to revive and return the wing to.
* DubNameChange: Her Global version name is Cinderelik, while her name in the CN server is Huiyan.
* TheQuietOne: When she first meets Strike Hawk team, the impression she gives off is a quiet schoolgirl.
* EnemySummoner: Fights mainly by singing to summon Hetero-creatures
* SeeksAnothersResurrection: The "mother" she is protecting is the Hetero-Hive Mother, a giant spider-looking machine [[spoiler:that has her incomplete mother's personality data uploaded into it.]]
* EffectiveKnockoff: [[spoiler:Not yet an Ascendant according to herself, yet is able to stall Lucia and Strike Hawk quite effectively.]]

!!Huosha
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/huosha.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:"So... the next time you meet me, please reintroduce yourself to me, as the me then... definitely won't remember you anymore."]]

Turned into an Ascendant by Vonnegut, Huosha seems to have the rare ability to turn others into Ascendants.
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* ArcVillain: Of ''Surviving Glimmer'' and ''Voyage Among the Remains''.
* ConnectedAllAlong: [[spoiler:The ascendant that the former Gray Raven commandant Ravenge, and Alpha's superior, linked to and subsequently got mind polluted from is none other than Huosha, at Vonnegut's behest.]]
* HiddenInPlainSight: During ''Surviving Glimmer'', Huosha gets close to the amnesiac Noan to observe him by masquerading as an abandoned Construct needing protection.
* IJustWantToHaveFriends: The companion to the above that shapes Huosha's outlook on life. "I also want to find a way to coexist with humans, but I can't do anything except hurt more people." Huosha is extremely possessive of Noan because of this. In the end, when Noan states his resolution to put hope in humanity and leave him, Huosha [[spoiler:impales himself on Noan's sword. [[DeathIsCheap It doesn't stick though, as Vonnegut orders Paper Crane to retrieve him]].]]
* NeverFoundTheBody: [[spoiler:While Bianca impales him again at the end of ''Voyage Among the Remains'', a horde of Corrupted pop out and whisk the body away before she can take it back. The only thing that remains is his fallen hair ornament. This also means that another Ascendant was observing, as only they have the ability to control that many Corrupted.]]
* StrawNihilist: Huosha does not believe humanity can fight the Punishing Virus without ascending. And as most humans cannot ascend without first becoming constructs then risking dying or becoming horribly corrupted, finding happiness within the shared consciousness of the Red Tide as an alternative isn't so bad.
* SuperWheelchair: In his boss form, Huosha's wheelchair-like device, Paper Crane, becomes the head of a snake-like Hetero-Creature
* UncannyFamilyResemblance: Noan initially mistakes [[spoiler:Rosa]] as Huosha upon first meeting her in Babylonia. Further affirmed upon the [[spoiler:latter's death as Rosa steals Huosha's head ornament from Asimov and asks Noan about him.]]
* VillainousCrossdresser: Despite the effeminate appearance and manner of dress, Huosha is a male.

[[/folder]]

[[folder:Awakened Machines / The Church of the Machine]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d3kihdg3o4wynxysqw_1648203217611.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:The Pilgrims]]

Awakened Machines are those that become enlightened by the Sagemachina. While the Punishing Virus destroyed human society, the Awakened Machines quietly spread in the aftermath like a flame. Through the grafitti made with mechanical language, machines found the path to knowledge, and had wisdom nurtured and formed in their steel bodies. After breaking free of their innate shackles, they have started a pilgrimage that follows in the footsteps of Sagemachina.

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* ArcVillain: They are one antagonist in ''Her Last Bow'', but become the central threat in ''The Ark Beyond''.
* {{Expy}}: Moreso than the Punishing Virus, the Church resembles the Machine Lifeforms of ''VideoGame/NierAutomata''. [[spoiler:Their initial plan even is to repair a spaceship so they can leave Earth.]]
* HeelFaceTurn: [[spoiler:At the end of ''The Ark Beyond'', Nanami meets the Church, and tells them of her desire for humans and machines to coexist, before taking them with her to search for Ishmael's "treasure".]]
* InstantAIJustAddWater: Or grafitti, in this case. Somehow looking at the artwork left by the Sagemachina helped awaken sentience in machines that see it.
* NotEvilJustMisunderstood: While they are a formidable and growing military power, it's driven by an innate fear of being attacked by both humans and the Corrupted for just existing. It doesn't help that they basically only have had one century to develop their culture, so their gaps in knowledge comes off as BlueAndOrangeMorality that they're desperately trying to solve by finding out where the Sage Machina went.
* RobotReligion: Their organization has religious elements to it, mainly the veneration of their missing Sage. All of their members are trying to find out where their enlightening figure has gone. Arcana formed the church, claiming that gathering "faith" creates power.
* TarotMotifs: Their inner circle are given titles based on the Major Arcana, and are led by a "Mother" named Arcana.

!!Haicma

The Awakened Machine with the title of "The Hermit", who has been searching for the Sagemachina long before she even joined the Church.\\
\\
''For more information about her playable form, look at "[[Characters/PunishingGrayRavenPlayableConstructs Playable Constructs]]"''
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!!Zero
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/1_387.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:some caption text]]

The Awakened Machine with the title of "The Lovers", Zero is in charge of investigating and making deductions about the Sagemachina.

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* PsychopathicManchild: Her future incarnation is a tragic example, as Nanami sadly notes isn't developed enough to have a deeper understandimg of emotions. She tries to offer gifts to "create romance" and "express love", but can't tell whether Nanami is crying from joy or sadness at human suffering.
* {{Yandere}}: Her future incarnation in ''Her Last Bow'' has a warped "love" for the Sagemachina [[spoiler:Nanami]], believing slaughtering humans in their name is what they want. When [[spoiler:Nanami]] tries to stop her, she throws a fit, unable to understand what she did wrong, and blames Haicma and Spooner for "blinding [the Sage's] heart".

!!Radiant Marcher
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/marcher.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:some caption text]]

The Awakened Machine with the title of "The Chariot". During ''The Ark Beyond'' he hatches a plan to attack Babylonia while it is in disarray to seize supplies and documents from them.

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* BladeLock: As a boss he has a unique parry mechanic that leads to a cutscene where Nanami blocks one of his strikes before countering with her Signature Attack, though it can only be used once in the fight.
* ClimaxBoss: Of ''The Ark Beyond''. His fight ends the storyline, as Nanami protects Babylonia from his upcoming attack.
* EvilCounterpart: While "evil" is pushing it, Radiant Marcher is a visual mirror to Nanami in her ''Remote Star'' frame: Like how Nanami pilots a Mini Mecha, Radiant Marcher seems to have his "real" head and a set of more human-like arms embedded in the torso of his war machine, which has similar proportions to Nanami's POWER.
* NobleDemon: Radiant Marcher isn't actively malevolent. His mission to attack Babylonia is just that, and simply treats it as an opportunity for the Church to benefit over a weakened enemy. When he questions Haicma's doubts over the success of the mission, the latter realizes he's genuinely trying to calm her down rather than test her loyalty.
* TurnsRed: Halfway through the fight, Marcher summons a MechaExpansionPack from Earth, giving him a new set of far more dangerous attacks and a set of {{Laser Blade}}s to replace his energy knuckle dusters.
[[/folder]]

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[[index]]
* [[Characters/PunishingGrayRavenPlayableConstructs Playable Constructs]]
[[/index]]

* TokenEvilTeammate: Unlike Hassen's straightforward leadership, Nikola handles all sorts of dubious behind-the-scenes work necessary for humanity to survive. [[spoiler:In particular, he's responsible for Lucia's conversion into a construct, and later, copying her memories into the second Lucia, believing her loyalty to Babylonia is vital to the war effort. His shady nature is natural when you consider that Nikola is formerly from Kurono, a MegaCorp that represents the tyrannical old guard of human leadership which has a necropolis of skeleton in its closet. Despite how shady Nikola may be, however, he is firmly on the good side. Of course, since he is aware of his TokenEvilTeamate status, he makes use of his status in The Last Spark. He pretends to go behind Hassen's back to give the Commandant and Cerberus squad to Greens, a man from Kurono, in order to get the document needed to find the location of Atlantis in exchange. As soon as he got the location of Atlantis, however, he betrays Greens by ordering Vera to kidnap the Commandant to go to Atlantis in order to obtain A-series zero-point energy reactor. This is significant as a zero-point energy reactor was going to be a revolutionary technology before Punishing Virus destroyed the world. This zero-point energy reactor is also what was going to allow space colony Babylonia's original purpose of space-traveling before Punishing Virus prevented Bablonia from getting its reactor installed.]]

''Babylonia'''s engineering genius and Chief Tech Officer of its Science Council, Asimov is responsible for maintaining the constructs' bodies and developing new chassis for them to use.

A construct originally part of the Red Robin squad, was reorganized into becoming captain of the Argali squad after two members of Robin died.

* NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast: The infamous "Butcher" Paloma
* MysteriousPast: Her and Lilian have connections to Kurono.

Deputy captain of the Purifying Force

* TheChosenMany: You are not the only commandant leading the constructs. You and your squad just happen to be the star of the story.
* DistressedDude: Originally just an above-average Commandant, their decision to link to Luna in ''Fake Ascension'' starts a domino effect that puts themin a precarious position politically, with factions scrutinising them for linking with an Ascendant. In ''Imprisoned Sight'' it gets so bad they're unlawfully detained for "medical observation" by Kurono operatives until Vonnegut's actions finally create the loopholes that can free them.
* AFatherToHisMen: Despite their command position, the Commandant refuses to treat Gray Raven or any other construct as expendable, sometimes even fighting to defend them on their own despite how they are not strong compared to constructs since the Commandant is human. Even in AI simulations, like in the story of Virtual Horizon, where they're told time and again that the constructs are just simple recreations that are reset, they refuse to change their stance. It is precisely because of Commandant's AFatherToHisMen trait that constructs develop UndyingLoyalty towards the Commandant and each other. This bond is what makes constructs in the Gray Raven squad that the Commandant leads strong, but two concerns has been raised about how this AFatherToHisMen trait may become a problem. The first concern is from Nikola as he fears that constructs' UndyingLoyalty towards the Commandant is greater than the loyalty towards Babylonia. This means that if the Commandant ever rebel against the Babylonia, constructs are likely to side with the Commandant. While Hassen does not personally believe that the Commandant would ever rebel when considering their personality, he does acknowledges Nikola 's concern as it is possible no matter how unlikely. The second concern is from Hassen as he is more concerned about how close bond between the members of Gray Raven may cause similar incident where a female contruct named Tifa went mad after her beloved commandant died.
* BigGood: This is what he becomes in the future according to Gestalt's simulation at Her Last Bow...[[spoiler: it should, however, be noted that the situation is not good for humanity. Of course, it is not because the commandant is incompetent as he always was the best. It is just that the odd is so against the commandant. That is why he can't prevent DwindlingParty. Firstly, Hassen, Nikola, and other superiors are dead. So the reason why the commandant became the BigGood in the first place is simply due to how he is the only one left. That is why while the commandant became the leader of humanity, Lee's younger brother named Murray becomes the commandant of the Gray Raven squad. The tragedy doesn't end there, however, as others continued to die. Liv died after failing to convert into a specilaized frame at the battle against humanoid heteromer organisms. Only Wanshi from Sritke Hawk survived the battle at the underground fortress. He became Liv's replacement at Gray Raven Squad. Bianca became a "witch" when she was contaminated by Punishing Virus. Vera falls in battle after saving Murray. Ayla from the Association of Arts died when Babylonia was lost, Association of Arts tried to save the legacy of humankind but lagged behind. That is why they failed to land and thus everyone and everything turned to ash. Everyone else from Arctic, Akdilek, Kowlong, and Forsaken aren't doing well either. The loss doesn't end there, however, as the commandant lost their hand when only they and Murray survived the event where Bianca became a witch. The commandant can't even get prosthetic hands because resources are so lacking. In the end, humanity is destroyed.]]

* FrontlineGeneral: Commandants, including the player, need to be in the same area of operation as their constructs for various reason, both psychological and tactical. The weapon that they used at the frontline is a pistol. Quite a weak weapon for someone who fights at the front line, but it makes sense once you consider that Commandants are basically officers who need to focus on leading rather than fighting. But since commandants still need a minimal weapon to defend themselves, they use a pistol which is the easiest weapon to use while leading.
* SoldiersAtTheRear: Lucia's Treasure interlude shows that in the past the commandant was accused of being one, as it seemed like they used their reputation as the highest scoring in the military academy to attach themselves to Gray Raven squad, which only consisted of Lucia at the time, and thus avoid heading to the frontline via a loophole. Though as the rest of the story shows, this is the furthest thing from the truth.