The Chess Pieces (チェスの兵隊, Chesu no Koma) is a fictional organization in the anime and manga series MÄR: Märchen Awakens Romance. It is a military faction which, over the ten years it was in existence, has established supremacy over the rest of its rebellious kind in MÄR-Heaven; its notoriety for being the predominantly antagonist organization enjoys a prestige of such the name of Chess Pieces has become a taboo for generations to come.
This organization's home to people from a mélange of backgrounds with a mixture of motives: discarded humans seeking a refuge, victims of social injustice wishing to avenge themselves upon their antagonists, radicals aiming to 'cleanse' the current MÄR-Heaven, or simply lusters of wealth, power, women, ÄRMs or war; all united under the same goal: to conquer the world.
Hierarchy[]
The Chess ranks are based on the pieces in the game of chess with rank going from King down to Queen, Knights, Bishops, Rooks and Pawns, separating the hierarchy into two parts. Its top is governed by the command force of one King and one Queen. Second to it is the combat force consisted of echeloned Knights (elite fighters, leading operation executors), Bishops, Rooks and Pawns (foot soldiers); headed by the No. 1 Knight Phantom. Chess members from Rook ranks upward is permitted the possession of class earrings, individual masks, and/or hooded robes. Although the rudimentary rule for ranking one is based on their power (proved by mastery of ÄRMs or in less usual cases, impressive feats), it's also noted that soldiers of lower ranks can be stronger than their superiors.
King[]
Main article: Caldia's Orb
(キング, Kingu)
Top class of the Chess Pieces, accessible to Queen class only.
Queen[]
Main article: Diana
(クイーン, Kuin)
Second most powerful class of the Chess Pieces. The Queen insignia is a Queen-piece earring.
Knights[]
(ナイト, Naito)
In the Chess combat force's hierarchy, Knights are top members highest ranked for their prowess. The number of Knights is strictly within 13, making up the alias Zodiac Knights (ゾディアックのナイト, Zodiakku no Naito) - each Knight has a Zodiacis the number one Knight, Phantom. Each one when dubbed a Knight will have an insignia earing (the knight piece in a chess game) bestowed upon him/her, usually by Phantom. As shown by Ian, it is possible to replace a member through killing an existing member.
Due to their high rank, the Knights are privy to information the lower ranks are not. As seen where Rapunzel knew the identity of the Chess’s Queen.
Bishops[]
(ビショップ, Bishoppu)
The Bishops are the second-strongest group of the Chess Pieces after Knights. From this rank every rank is separated into 10 levels from weakest Level 10 upwards to strongest Level 1. Each of the Bishops wears a bishop earing as an insignia; designed like a shield with a cross rather than the actual piece in chess.
Rooks[]
{ルーク, Ruku)
Rooks are the third strongest of the Chess Pieces after Bishops, they tend to be weak and more along the lines of above-average Pawns. Rook earings are their insignia.
Pawns[]
{ポーン, Pōn)
There are many Pawns in the Chess, and all but one (Gido) have not possessed individuality. Most are nameless and identical with black cloaks and masks. All Pawns are given a Weapon ÄRM, either a spear or two-blades that are attached to the user's arms.
Other[]
The Zonnen[]
Main article: Zonnens
Ghost Chess[]
Main article: Ghost Chess
History[]
The foundation for the Chess Pieces was first laid ten years prior to the current storyline by two exiled Caldians, Diana (its would-be Queen) and Phantom (its would-be no.1 Knight) as they traveled across MÄR-Heaven. After Diana got selected into Lestava's Royal Family as the new queen it was Phantom and his counselor, Peta, who constructed the rest of the incomplete system, journeying through the land to collect efficient candidates. In 4 years' time their efforts came to fruition: the Chess Pieces, ferociously and ruthlessly, savaged the whole of MÄR-Heaven with the 1st Great War. However in the following War Game in which it faced up against the world defender Cross Guard, though able to claim the life of many opponents, even the Cross Guard leader Danna Toramizu himself; the Chess was itself devastated with a staggering loss of members and Phantom's death, and was forced to retreat into darkness.
For the next 6 years under the leadership of deputy chief Knight Peta, the Chess slowly moved toward reconstruction, restoring its former grandeur and with Phantom's resurrection, returned to the world's knowledge with a 2nd Great War, which exceeded its predecessor in magnitude. In addition, some times prior to that, Queen Diana herself had come into the open, stealthily staged a coup d'état in Lestava and headquartered the entire Chess inside its castle, the news of which only known when Lestava's princess Snow eluded her grasp. However, despite this time's bettered manoeuvre, organization and force, in the 2nd War Game the tides of events still turned to the Chess' adversary's, Team MÄR team's advantage and led them to triumph. This fiasco is followed in the manga by the death of Phantom, Diana and lastly the King himself, which would throw the Chess into anarchy and eventual disbandment. The anime laid out its destruction from the War Game's aftermath to Phantom's abdication of his position and following death in a similar manner, with the deaths and desertions of many members. However the alleged manga Chess misintegration was replaced by the elimination of its (almost every) member, ordered by Diana and executed by its very King for their purpose of conquering MÄR-Heaven and Earth. In the end, with the King dead, the murdered Chess Pieces were revived, and the disbandment would then take place as was plotted.
Methods[]
In operation, Chess Pieces usually carry with them a card with the organization's emblem on it, and leave it at the target site each time they're done with havocking and along with it, their trademark announcement of victory 'checkmate' (which is also seldom recited by some Chess after winning a fight).
The Chess combat force employs draconian regimentations: subordinates, from Knights to Pawns, must comply to every order from the chief Knight, Phantom and any Chess Piece responsible for actions of disobedience will be punished - occasionally not by physical means, but mental means: one's most precious is to be disciplined in one's stead and that way, rather than having a Chess Piece of enormous potentiality ruined, they will earn an exponentially strengthened (rage-fueled) member [1].
Members[]
| Name | Rank | Position |
| Caldia's Orb | King | Leader of the Chess Pieces |
| Diana | Queen | Second-in-Command |
| Phantom | Knight | Strongest Knight/Leader of the Zodiac Knights |
| Peta | Knight | 2nd Strongest Knight/Chief Strategist |
| Halloween | Knight | 3rd Strongest Knight |
| Chimera | Knight | 4th Strongest Knight |
| Rolan | Knight | 5th Strongest Knight |
| Vidar | Knight | 6th Strongest Knight |
| Ian | Knight | 7th Strongest Knight/Rapunzel's Replacement |
| Magical Roe | Knight | 7th Strongest Knight/8th Strongest Knight after Rapunzel's death |
| Galian | Knight | 8th Strongest Knight/9th Strongest Knight after Rapunzel's death |
| Ash | Knight | 9th Strongest Knight/10th Strongest Knight after Rapunzel's death |
| Candice | Knight | 10th Strongest Knight/11th Strongest after Rapunzel's death |
| Pinocchion | Knight | 11th Strongest Knight/12th Strongest after Rapunzel's death |
| Rapunzel | Knight | 12th Strongest Knight/Replaced by Ian |
| Kouga | Knight | Weakest Knight |
| Chaton | Bishop | Strongest Bishop/Level 1 |
| Hamelin | Bishop | 2nd Strongest Bishop/Level 1 |
| Emokis | Bishop | 3rd Strongest Bishop/Level 1 |
| Girom | Bishop | N/A |
| Garon | Bishop | N/A |
| Kollekio | Bishop | N/A |
| Aqua | Bishop | N/A |
| Avrute | Bishop | N/A |
| Kannochi | Bishop | N/A |
| Maira | Bishop | N/A |
| Mr. Hook | Bishop | Level 10 |
| Orco | Bishop | N/A |
| Loco | Rook | Strongest Rook |
| Leno | Rook | N/A |
| Pano | Rook | N/A |
| Alibaba | Rook | N/A |
| Fuugi | Rook | N/A |
| Garia | Rook | N/A |
| Rondo | Rook | N/A |
| Bols | Rook | N/A |
| Kalerin | Rook | N/A |
| Gido | Pawn | N/A |
| Saturn | Zonnen | Leader of the Zonnen |
| Jupiter | Zonnen | N/A |
| Neptune | Zonnen | N/A |
| Mars | Zonnen | N/A |
| Mercury | Zonnen | N/A |
| Pluto | Zonnen | N/A |
| Uranus | Zonnen | N/A |
| Venus | Zonnen | N/A |
| Kapel Meister | Ghost Chess | Leader of the Ghost Chess |
| Sarah Band | Ghost Chess | Vice-Captain of the Ghost Chess |
| General | Ghost Chess | N/A |
| Pause | Ghost Chess | N/A |
| The Flats | Ghost Chess | N/A |
Trivia[]
- The earrings of the Chess Pieces, including those of the Knights, are actually Dimension ÄRMs that allow them to communicate with other Chess Pieces. [2]