Dresden Ravenskraft

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General Information
Dresden Ravenskraft

Full Name	Dresden Ravenskraft
Kanji	ドレスデンラベンスクラフト
Rōmaji	Doresuden Rabensukurafuto
Race	Human (Quincy)
Birthdate	December 1st, 1614
Age	25 (Relative)
Gender	Male
Height	181 cm (5’11)
Weight	173 kg (160lbs)
Hair Color	Dark Brown (Black)
Eye Color	Pale Blue (Left) Brown (Right)
Blood Type	A-
Professional Information
Previous Affiliation	Ravenskraft Family Vormund Bund International Quincy Delegation Imperial Japanese Army Nazi Party Wehrmacht Wandenreich
Occupation	Bartender
Previous Occupation	Mercenary Physician Sternritter "F"
Previous Team	Operation: Stunde der Quincy
Previous Partner	Cang Lu
Base of Operations	Human World, Amsterdam
Personal Information
Education	Home-Tutored Millitary Training University of Vienna Nök Orlander University of Tokyo
Marital Status	Single (Widower)
Family	Emiko Miyake (Wife, Deceased) Haru Miyake (Daughter, Deceased)
Status	Active
Quincy Abilities
Spirit Weapon	Spatz Lichtbogen
Signature Skill	Heilig Feuer
Vollständig	Domhal (Formerly)

"Professional and well-trained, aggressive in attack and stubborn in defense. He is always adaptable, swift in action… the ideal soldier."

Dresden Ravenskraft (ドレスデンラベンスクラフト, Doresuden Rabensukurafuto ) is an Echt Quincy and former member of Yhwach's Sternritter. In his early life he had been a member of the noble Ravenskraft Household until he was disowned and banished after his participation in the 30 Year's War. Dresden was the formerly second-ranked assassin of the Bund before he betrayed the organization. He was also Cang Lu’s partner in the International Quincy Delegation. During WWII he served as an officer in the Wehrmacht where he first encountered Yhwach, and later became a member of the Wandenreich. After his plans to sabotage the Wandenreich were found out, his powers were stolen by Yhwach; who nearly succeeded in killing him. He currently resides in Amsterdam, and searches for a means by which to regain his lost Quincy powers.

Appearance[]

Dresden appears to be in his late-twenties or early thirties, which is the point at which he stopped aging. He is fairly tall, standing slightly above average, and possesses what could be described as a swimmer’s build: broad shoulders, a tapered, flat torso, and long limbs. Even though his wiry frame at first seems unimpressive, the years spent honing his fighting abilities have provided him a somatic awareness and ingrained instinct which compensates for whatever physical deficiency he might have when facing a stronger opponent. A more adverse result of his significant experience are the numerous scars he has received in past battles, although many of these have faded over time.

Dresden officer — Dresden as a German officer.

Dresden’s features include prominent cheekbones, a sharp jawline, elegant chin, and a refined nose bordering on the aquiline. His eyebrows are elegant and sit somewhat closely above narrow, square-shaped eyes that meet at triangular points. In somewhat stark contrast to his northern-German heritage, he has dark brown hair which he keeps somewhat long and unkempt, although his complexion is light. However, his most striking feature is his complete heterochromia iridum. Originally, both of Dresden’s eyes were dark brown, but after undergoing the ritual that granted him immortality his left eye became pale blue.

Throughout the centuries, Dresden’s style of dress has changed as he generally attempts to match the style of the era. He prefers more formal clothing and is seldom seen without at least a suit jacket, as he finds the style nostalgic and comfortable. Nonetheless, he tries to remain as inconspicuous as possible and typically opts for average designs and dark colors. While he has a refined sense of taste and is usually well-dressed, time often slips by without his notice and he finds himself wearing clothes that are ten years out of date, or in outfits that seem too “old” for his age.

Comporting himself with an air of severity that reflects his reserved nature, Dresden’s posture is so stiff that he was at one point described by another Quincy as a stiff himself. Although he rarely smiles and seldom uses gestures in conversation, Dresden maintains direct eye-contact as a form of respect. His formality carries over into his manner of speech, as Dresden is frank, concise, and to-the-point. While he speaks several languages, his soft German accent carries over into all of them, although it is not overly-distinct and certainly not “harsh.” On the few occasions that he allows himself to relax, he will steal off on his own to smoke a cigarette or two, a habit he picked up ever since his daughter’s death. As such, he usually carries a simply metal lighter with him, which can serve as a Gintō capsule itself should the need arise.

Personality[]

At first glance, Dresden appears to be serious, reserved, and perhaps a little reticent in his demeanor. He possesses a sharp intellect and is quick to comprehend a situation. He is loyal, responsible, and determined. Somewhat of a perfectionist, he prefers to work alone as he is patient with complicated situations regarding fact, but seldom when values conflict. But he can also have a strong sense of camaraderie if he believes strongly in a cause. Academically speaking, he is willing and motivated to gain the necessary training in order to improve, and he has natural interest in intellectual matters. (One of his favorite pastimes is chess, and he has a remarkable capacity for language.) In speech, he tends to be rather direct and straight to the point, but his verbal expression does not usually reflect his inner thoughts and feelings. Because of this, he finds that he has a hard time establishing an emotional connection with others. This leaves him tense and serious in character, furthering the misconception that he is cold and uncaring towards others. In reality, he has an incredible inward capacity to care deeply and passionately for others, and his profound sense of honor, (derived from his personal values and internal morality) which drives him to make unusual sacrifices, going to great lengths for a greater cause. He believes that everything in life has a purpose, and nothing happens without a reason. This results in an unseen level of compassion and sympathy towards others, even those who seem the least deserving of mercy. His extreme depth of feeling is often hidden, even from himself, until circumstances evoke an impassioned response.

He is altruistic and an optimist, but this does not mean he is disconnected from reality. He can also be very practical, hoping for something better and yet realizing that good things do not often come without work or pain. He struggles with his own ethical duty, worrying that he has not done enough for the greater cause. This feeling has prompted him to become involved in the lives of normal Humans over the centuries, even if it would have been wiser to remain uninvolved.

Dresden anger — Dresden is enraged when he witnesses an injustice.

Dresden is brave to his core, and will not hesitate in challenging injustice. He does not get along with inconsistent, weak-willed, or narrow minded individuals. He hates and defies tyrants and oppressors. This was most evident by the way he felt towards Yhwach. Unlike many of the Sternritter, there was no sense of admiration or loyalty towards his leader. Dresden is never content to defend a flawed system. He understands that as long as men are rational beings with the ability to choose their own actions, there will always be some degree of cruelty and injustice in the world. What he cannot and must not condone however, is this same injustice becoming justified and institutionalized. These systems are not ones that he can stand idly by and advocate. He may tolerate them, he may live under them, but he must work steadily to change them. He believes firmly in individual freedom, responsibility, persuasion and cooperation in opposition to the doctrines of coercion, collectivism, entitlement, envy and violence.

He is, above all, an idealist. To be concerned about his own circumstance would be selfish, he must always put the greater cause first. He believes his calling in life is to help others. Doing a good deed, for example, may provide intrinsic satisfaction which is only secondary to the greater good of “striking a blow against man's inhumanity to mankind.” Even if a certain goal seems ideal, if it requires immoral means to reach the ends they profess he will reject it entirely. He is still plagued by guilt over his involvement in the Nazi Party, blaming himself for not having the foresight or wisdom to suspect what was happening. He often chides himself, saying that “To achieve the greater good—the means are just as important as the ends. It is the means that tell us where we are headed."

Dresden is determined, responsible, and focused, but can also be impetuous and passionate at times, preferring to do things differently but often taking irrational chances. When both idealism and intellectualism are present in the same person, such as with Dresden, it can create internal contradictions and inconsistencies. Idealism does not analyze the world — it sees the overall pattern of it; and skepticism analyzes data from the world, without seeing the big picture. This causes Dresden to constantly swing back and forth between incredible foresight and crippling short-sightedness. He can be both wise and visionary as well as blind and unobservant. In all things, he becomes stubborn when an ideal is struck at and violated. When he is decided on a matter, his is an unwavering resolution.

This deep commitment to principle also causes him to be perceptive of evil. In this manner he walks a thin line, always looking towards what is honorable and intrinsically good in life, but forever being hounded by the dark and desecrated that looms just behind his shoulder. He once almost yielded to the darkness, when he became a member of the Bund, and again when he was tempted to join Yhwach. There is a piece of darkness within his soul, and he cannot deny the fact that it will always be there. It rises to the surface when an ideal or a principle takes precedence over human life. When the goal is so vital he forgets that the morality of the means matter just as much as the end result. He focuses only on the task at hand, and is blinded by his "tunnel vision," unable to see where his actions are really leading him.

History[]

Early Life and Turmoil

Dresden’s mother, Katarina von Olbricht, was a member of a noble household in Prussia (Germany) that was actually a clan of Echt Quincy. Despite her pure blood, she was chosen for the proposed marriage between the Ravenskraft and the Olbricht families in the rush to gain political stability. However, Katarina panicked over the thought of producing an “impure” (Gemischt) Quincy heir. To avoid this, she devised a plan to deceive her husband. He was often away in other provinces, sometimes leaving his wife at home for months, and Katarina was certain she could make it so that there would be no suspicion regarding a pregnancy before he left. This was risky, as she might produce a half-blooded heir before a full Quincy could be conceived. After he left she would immediately resume an affair with a (Echt) Quincy whom she pretended to be lovers with. In this way, Dresden was born. He was believed to be the legitimate heir of the Count of Ravenskraft, but in reality he was a full-blooded Quincy. Katarina knew that if anyone discovered this secret Dresden’s future in the Ravenskraft family would be ruined, but she wrote it all down nonetheless; intending to explain his true heritage so that he would be accepted by the Echt Quincy (specifically the Vormund). Unfortunately, his mother died when Dresden was just a few years old, and the letter was entrusted with a loyal retainer of the Olbricht family. Dresden’s father grew cold towards the Olbricht family after his wife died, and discouraged communication between the households. Thus the retainer was never able to give Dresden the letter, and he grew up unaware of his Quincy heritage.

Dresden’s childhood was far from idyllic. He lived at the Ravenskraft estate, which was located on the border between Austria and Germany. The threat of war from the Ottoman Empire was always present, and his father was consumed with maintaining the peace between bordering provinces. As such, Dresden had a tremendous amount of pressure placed upon him from a young age. His father secured the best tutors for his education, and he was taught in the classical manner being instructed in the sciences and arts, Latin, fencing and marksmanship, and even strategy and logistics. Everything was tailored for him to learn both diplomacy and the politics of war. His personality was vastly different as a child, as he was extremely pragmatic, grounded in realism, and gave very little thought to emotion or feeling. He had a low regard for human life, remaining unaffected even as he witnessed a merciless beating of an innocent commoner at the hands of his own father. Everything Dresden did was defined by his obsession for intelligence and perfection, which was itself motivated by Dresden’s desire to gain his father’s approval.

When Dresden was sixteen his father sent him away to study at the prestigious University of Vienna. At first he relished the chance to further his education, and threw himself into his studies. However, war interrupted his years at the university. Conflict had broken out between Protestant Sweden and the Holy Roman Empire, and the Ravenskraft family had been commissioned to fight for the Habsburgs. Dresden joined under General Tilly and fought in the second Battle of Breitenfeld, where the Habsburg forces were defeated and Tilly killed. Dresden himself was severely injured on the battlefield and buried beneath the carnage. He was found by a Swedish soldier who rescued him and nursed him back to health. At that point Dresden joined the opposing army in order to fight under Gustavus Adolphus, “Lion of the North” and king of Sweden. This was the turning point of Dresden’s early life, as it was when his idealism was born. It was during his time in the army that a deep sense of justice and morality was instilled within him, and he learned to embrace the principles of honor, selflessness, integrity, and even compassion—virtues that would define him for the rest of his life. He realized that to fight as an individual was fleeting and futile, but to fight for an ideal was to fight for something immortal. War had humbled him, matured him, strengthened him, and forever changed who he was and who he would be for the rest of his life.

The Swedish army was defeated in the first battle of Nördlingen in 1634. In order to avoid capture by the Habsburg forces, Dresden fled back to his home province. However, he found that his home region had been completely devastated by the war. Famine had starved the crops, disease had culled the herds, and marauding armies had razed and burned the land as they passed through. Dresden’s father had aged drastically. He wept for joy at Dresden’s return, and soon began to make preparations to turn the estate over to his son. But by a chance encounter with a Habsburg soldier who recognized him, Dresden’s involvement with the protestant forces was revealed. His father disowned him and banished him from the Ravenskraft family before setting fire to his own castle. Heartbroken, he died within the flames. Dresden, relegated to what basically amounted to a branded criminal, fled back to the land of his mother’s family in Prussia.

He took a circuitous route, travelled mostly at night and in concealment. He made sure no one followed him, and his identity was made known to none. He was attacked once by highway robbers and once by a troop of soldiers who mistook him for a protestant spy. After suffering a gunshot wound to the shoulder and surviving two thunderstorms he eventually arrived at the Olbricht family manor. He pleaded succor, and the head of the family finally granted it after being convinced that Dresden was his sister’s son. Although Dresden was given refuge and his presence at the estate remained a secret, he was not accepted as part of the family. As such he had to work for his keep, and was apprenticed by the manor's Forester. Another part of the agreement was that he was never to inquire into the family’s personal matters. But Dresden could not help but notice their many strange activities. The Olbrichts were Quincy, after all, and often went into the forest in order to train. He had even witnessed a practice duel between two Quincy, and was convinced that the family was involved in some form of forbidden sorcery or witchcraft. At this point, the family retainer (who Katarina had entrusted with the secret of Dresden’s birth) returned to visit the Olbricht estate. When he discovered who Dresden was he immediately sought him out and gave him the letters. At first Dresden was incredulous when he read through them, but both the Hollows he himself had encountered over the years (mainly during the war) and what he had witnessed at the Olbricht estate convinced him of the truth, and he asked the retainer to train him. The man all too readily agreed. In reality he was Nök Orlander, leader of an assassin’s guild known as the "Bund."

Orlander had, in reality, only gained the trust of Katarina in order to get close to the noble Olbricht Quincy family. He did not anticipate her death, nor the unusual situation of Dresden’s birth. Originally, he intended to keep a close watch over Dresden when he was young, but he soon lost interest when Dresden had shown no sign of gaining Quincy powers. However, after he encountered Dresden at the Olbricht estate, Orlander found him to be an ideal candidate. Young, experienced in war but impressionable and easily manipulated. He wished to craft Dresden into the perfect Quincy assassin, and so made him his pupil.

The Bund

The Bund was an organization of contracted assassins consisting of Quincy, Fullbringers, and other spiritually aware humans who were able to go beyond the limits of normal human beings in order to complete their missions. The Bund operated largely from instruction by the Vormund, and as a result was also behind the assassinations of various insurgent Quincy. More relevant to Dresden’s time, they had been responsible for the death of Gustavus Adolphus in the battle of Lützen, and many other prominent combatants. They had been involved in almost every significant event in European history beginning with the fall of Rome. One reason the organization had operated for so long was the stability of its inner structure. Many of the leaders of the Bund had been members since its formation, as they themselves were immortal or extremely long-lived. In addition to the increased lifespan due to a Quincy’s Blut, Nök Orlander himself had introduced a ritual from the old Norse culture which granted “true” immortality.

When Dresden was inducted into the Bund, he himself underwent this ritual. Orlander took Dresden to Finland as part of his Bund training. On a small island off the coast of the Baltic Sea there was an ancient megalithic stone structure. This was a spiritual hot-spot of the world, rich in reishi. Over a period of nine days in mid-November (the traditional Norse “blood month”) Orlander performed the rites. Three things were required as a sacrifice on the last day: the blood of a Quincy, the life of a horse, and the blood and life of a male child nine years of age. The ritual was called Blót, and the number and manner of the sacrifices was important, as the blood contained concentrated amounts of reishi. It was sprinkled on the altar and stone structures of the altar circle, and even on the participants themselves. Dresden was at first willing to help in the ritual, but after discovering the requirement of a human life (and a child’s at that) he became vehemently opposed and tried to fight against Orlander. He was at once overpowered, and the ritual was completed without his consent. In the process of subduing Dresden, Orlander had inhibited his conscience and moral reasoning. This also suppressed many of Dresden’s positive emotions and memories, and he remained both psychologically unstable and amnesiac for many years afterwards. He had gained immortality, but it had come at the price of his humanity.

One benefit to having his emotions hindered was that Dresden was able to easily withstand the pressures of the Bund assassin training, which was both intensive and brutal. The skills a normal human would learn over the expanse of a lifetime was condensed into a period of a ten years for Dresden. This was due to necessity: the Hessians had started a war that directly threatened many of the Vormund’s assets. During the training Dresden was taught the art of observation and concealment, intricate combat methods, agility and maneuverability, and advanced Quincy techniques. Aided by his former experience in warfare, Dresden also learned quickly under Orlander’s guidance; who, despite his cruelty, was an excellent teacher. After the end of the Hessian War proper in 1648, Dresden was often employed in missions for the Vormund in order to further their causes. The assassinations provided by the Bund held several functions during the 18th Century, namely the removal of specific enemies and as propaganda to focus the attention of the current politics on their enemies. As such, he was involved in such events as the war against the Ottoman Turks, the Great Northern War between Sweden and Russia, actions against insurgent Fullbringer pirates in the Black and Crimean seas, the Seven Years' War, and even in marine battles in the American Revolution. As he gained more experience Dresden began to perfect the use of his Spirit Weapon and Quincy abilities, and was soon a venerable Quincy with expert fighting skill. The Bund had a system of ranking for the 13 most skilled assassins in the organization, and was ordered from thirteen to one (with thirteen being the weakest). Dresden had risen to the position of “Zwie" (German for "two.")

It was during the French Revolution that a dramatic shift in his view towards the Bund occurred. He had become a flawless killer, capable of cutting down any opponent without hesitancy. But after he was assigned to murder a French priest in an obscure monastery, he began to regain his sense of moral right and wrong. He had infiltrated the church, hiding in the bell tower until the end of mass. It was cold and raining, worsening the fever Dresden had contracted several days earlier while travelling through the war-ravaged countryside. As such, he was not in top condition either mentally or physically. He approached the priest while he was praying at the altar, intending to stab him to death. But he stopped before he reached him, unable to move from dizziness. The priest, instead of responding in panic at the sight of the exposed knife, calmly began to ask Dresden questions regarding the state of his soul. He could barely remember anything the priest said, but he did remember his last question: “Do you know who you are?” “I am Zwei, an assassin of the Bund.” He replied. In a daze, he rushed to attack the priest but collapsed from weakness and lost consciousness. The priest nursed him back to health, and when Dresden finally regained his strength he began to contemplate finishing his mission. But now he found such an act to be deeply repulsive, and it was during his brief time at the monastery that he began to regain the memories of his former life. He left a changed man, having rediscovered his humanity and moral conscience, fully resuming his former personality and mindset. However, he had one goal in mind as he journeyed back to the Bund headquarters: to kill Nök Orlander and be free of the Bund once and for all, or to die trying.

But there was no time to plan such rash maneuver, for as soon as he returned Dresden was reassigned to Poland. He also learned that Orlander himself was to accompany him. While there, the two attempted to carry out a mission to assassinate a vital French spy, but the spy suspected he had been found out and relocated to Smolensk, Russia. They followed him there but were unable to complete their objective when Napoleon laid siege to the city. Dresden saw his chance and deserted Orlander amidst the chaos of the battle. His escape route led him to a small town some 70 miles west of Moscow, and there bided his time. As expected, Orlander was not long in tracking him down, but Dresden was prepared to meet him. The two master assassins dueled each other in the midst of the battle of Borodino, the bloodiest single-day conflict of the war. Both were experts of their art, deadly accurate, and inhumanly fast. The fight hinged on their speed alone: Dresden was known for his prowess in Hirenkyaku, but Orlander was the one who had instructed him in its use. But in a sudden turn of events, aided by a chance musket ball that had pierced Orlander’s lung, Dresden prevailed and succeeded in killing his former master.

He fled at once, knowing full well that news would soon reach the Bund and that he would be hunted down for his treachery. Hounded by both the Bund and French army, Dresden managed to escape into the Russian wilderness, barely staying ahead Russian army’s scorched-earth line. He went as far north as possible, right into the heart of winter, and the Bund eventually gave up the chase, concerned with other more pressing matters elsewhere. Dresden prepared himself for the worst, knowing they would simply wait until he made a mistake. Then they would hunt him down, and he knew all too well the torturous means of execution used for traitors of the Bund: they would show no mercy.

Russia and Japan

Dresden, after great danger and difficultly, crossed the Ural Mountains into Siberia, where he hid in the wilderness for several years to evade being detected by the Bund. While there in the taiga he continued to improve his Quincy abilities, and it was often his use of Ransōtengai that allowed him to survive in the harsh climate. Before he had deserted the Bund, he recalled that there had been a heated debate within the Vormund regarding the Quincy: Letzt Stil. Apparently, experimentation was underway in relation to an evolved form of the technique that allowed a Quincy to completely enslave reishi and use it according to their will without losing their powers.^[1] Dresden had been previously uninterested in the matter, but now the ability to use Letz Stil repeatedly appealed immensely to him. He began to train himself, taxing his stamina to the very limits. Eventually he was able to attain an incomplete and primitive form of the Quincy: Vollständig.

Shortly after the end of the Crimean War, Dresden left Siberia and moved to Saint Petersburg. It was the beginning of Russia’s social reformation, and he blended in with the large influx of poor factory workers who set up tenants on the outskirts of the city. At first he tried to remain incognito among the commoners, and he even became a shoemaker by trade. But political events once again drew him in, and he became a spy for the imperial Romanov Family. He was extremely wary during this time, wondering when his actions would attract the attention of the Bund. But gradually, after many years passed, he realized that he had been all but forgotten and that the Bund had given up the search for him. In fact, the Bund had been dissolved some years earlier due to internal strife and conflict with the Vormund. Dresden was finally at ease, but tensions had begun to arise in Russia on a nationalistic scale. Alexander II had been assassinated in 1881 by member of a socialist terrorist party, sparking the events that would lead to the Revolution of 1905. Wishing to remain uninvolved, he instead decided to tour Europe and broaden his view of the world. It was time for a change.

Dresden travelled through western Europe and the Mediterranean and attended the World’s Fair in Paris in 1889. While there he became involved in a small street squabble which quickly turned into a battle against a Hollow that had possessed one of the Humans. He was aided in the fight by another Quincy who had been in the area, and after the Hollow had been exorcized the two exchanged introductions. As it turned out, the Quincy Dresden had met was Cang Lu, (father of Cang Du) a representative for the “Oriental Quincy Association.” The association (which was disbanded in 1912) consisted of groups of Quincy from the east, including India, China, Japan, and other Asian lands. Cang Lu himself was Chinese, and had come to Paris on official business regarding the establishment of an international league of Quincy. Dresden accompanied him during his stay in France, and Cang expressed his wish that Dresden become his partner, to which Dresden agreed.

After leaving Europe they travelled east, through the Middle East and into India and China during the height of British imperialism. Dresden found that his partner was actually a communicant for the Soul Society, who were closely monitoring the Quincy at that time. As such Cang was often contacted by Soul Reapers who wanted information regarding the movements of the various Quincy they encountered as they travelled. This was the first time in three centuries of existence that Dresden had actually come face to face with a Shinigami. (They had not been very active in Europe since the Quincy extermination some 700 years ago.^[2]) His first impression was not a very positive one, and as a result he had a negative view of Soul Reapers in general from the beginning.

The route they took on their journey led them by land through Turkey and Anatolia, until Egypt, where they took a ship along the African coast and eventually across the Persian gulf to India. They travelled overland by rail and elephant, and when they reached the east coast sailed to Shanghai. They followed the gulf north until they eventually reached Beijiing, where a council meeting that was to last for several weeks was scheduled. They met at the palace of a rich noble Quincy on the outskirts of the city. While Cang was preoccupied with his own agenda within the council (which involved securing the alliances of various Quincy of powerful status in China,) Dresden was assigned to forge a relationship with the Japanese Quincy. Cang of course, did not intend for that relationship to be of a romantic nature.

Dresden met with the leader of the Japanese Quincy league, Noburo Kurosaki. (A member of the Echt Kurosaki Family.^[3]) The man was accompanied by his niece, an Echt Quincy by the name of Emiko Miyake. In his past, Dresden had had several romantic relationships; the first being a chambermaid in the Olbricht estate, and he had also been involved with the daughter of a noble from the imperial family in Russia. However, his life, though long, had not lent itself to many romantic opportunities, and each of these relationships ended shortly after they began. An occupation of bloodshed was not conducive to thoughts of marriage. But Emiko was different. A proverbial “soul mate.” At first, the time they spent together was extremely limited, and confined to business regarding the league. But after Dresden mustered up his courage he asked if she would like to take a walk through the palace gardens. She agreed, and they talked about many things. Emiko had been educated by her (deceased) father, who had attended a Western university in China, and was extremely knowledgeable on nearly any current subject. Their garden walks became an evening habit, and Dresden enjoyed conversing with her immensely, and never grew bored no matter the topic. But he realized with growing dread that the end of the council was drawing near, and with it Emiko’s departure. However, unknown to Dresden, Cang Lu had made arrangements with Noburo Kurosaki, and they planned to send Dresden to Japan in order to monitor the integration into the Quincy Delegation. When the proposal was put to him, he heartily agreed and travelled to Japan with Kurosaki and Emiko, while Cang stayed back in China.

Dresden arrived in a modernizing Japan, and he fell in love with the land and culture. His work with the Quincy went smoothly, many of the members who joined the delegation had come from former Samurai families, and Dresden found that he could identify with them as a fellow warrior. Of course the best part was that he could now spend much more time with Emiko. As time progressed their thoughts turned towards marriage, but Dresden was hesitant to ask for her hand as he was intimidated by her uncle. But it was at Noburo Kurosaki’s urging himself that prompted the engagement, and the two were soon married.

The “Secret War”

Dresden’s marriage was not perfect, and did not come without its difficulties. But he is firmly convinced that those few years of his early married life with Emiko were the best years in his entirety of existence. He found himself growing more and more in love with her each day. They lived quietly, not extravagantly but with good means. It was therefore out of a concern for Noburo Kurosaki’s failing health, as well as a desire to “modernize” his education, that prompted Dresden to attend the University of Tokyo. He attained his medical degree in 1906, and became a doctor shortly thereafter. They lived in a small village in the country west of Tokyo, and Dresden never accepted much pay for his services. But this did not bother him; his entire career was built to help others. A year after his graduation from the University, Emiko and Dresden’s first and only child, Haru Miyake, was born. She demonstrated Quincy abilities from a very young age, but Dresden was wary of training to use her powers until she could decide for herself what she wanted to do with them. Emiko disagreed, worried that not instructing her properly would lead to harm. They came to a compromise when Haru was five. World War I had begun and Dresden had joined the Imperial Japanese Army to serve as a medic. He asked Noburo to act as Haru’s guardian and instructor while he was gone.

After Japan seized the German land holdings in Micronesia, Dresden returned home. Haru was now nine, and was a bright and independent young girl. Dresden personally saw to her academic education and taught her to speak English and German. Emiko made sure she was trained in Japanese traditions, such as the tea ceremony and calligraphy. She continued her Quincy training with Noburo, who had become a grandfather figure to her. Haru adored her parents, and they tried not to dote on her. In everything, Dresden tried to make up for the three years of her childhood he had missed, and over the next two years the bonds of their family were strengthened. But it was not to last. In 1918 the world experienced the Spanish flu epidemic, and Haru contracted the illness. Despite Dresden’s best efforts and all of his medical training, Haru died shortly after. Happiness ended for Dresden. He and Emiko mourned bitterly.

Because of these circumstances, Dresden had been largely unaware of the changes within the International Quincy Delegation. He had remained in contact with Cang Lu, and did not shirk his duties as a representative for the Japanese Quincy Organization, but he was not as attentive to world affairs as he should have been. The news that the palatial estate where the Delegation regularly met had been bombed came as a complete shock. Dresden and Emiko returned to China to aid Cang Lu in investigating the attack. They traced the attack to the Green Gang Triad, the most influential Triad in Shanghai at the time, and found that a small group of “revolutionary” young Quincy had defected in order to join the gang. This group called themselves “The Society for Common Progress” and were militant towards the Delegation due to bitter feelings over the its imposed restrictions, especially concerning warfare. The Green Gang Triad itself had made an unusual and somewhat forced alliance with a Mafia group from Italy, and the head of this venture was a criminal mastermind known as the “Mimicry.”

Dresden assasination — The failed murder attempt on Cang Lu.

Cang Lu and Dresden were originally unaware of the Mimicry’s existence until there were three consecutive assassination attempts on Dresden, Cang Lu, and Emiko, respectively. It was found that Mimicry was himself a Quincy, and Cang Lu soon became obsessed with tracking him down. He suspected that Mimicry was attempting to overthrow the Delegation, but despite his dire predictions they were unprepared when the attack finally came. It was revealed that Mimicry had only staged a coup to distract the Delegation of his true intention: the theft of a powerful reishi weapon that would allow him to invade the Soul Society, incite a war, and prompt another extermination of the Quincy (whom he despised despite being one himself.) However, the International Delegation was successful in subduing the insurgent Quincy group, and Mimicry fled from China. Dresden intended to follow him along with Cang Lu, but Emiko had suddenly taken ill. Dresden immediately abandoned their mission and left for Japan in order to seek medical care for Emiko. It was a desperate attempt, but Dresden was too late, and Emiko died in his arms on the deck of the ship right before they reached the sunrise-painted shores.

Shortly afterwards, Cang asked Dresden to come to Europe to help him, and Dresden agreed, mainly in order to bury his grief by throwing himself entirely into the task at hand. It was eventually found that Emiko had actually been poisoned with a parasitic Hollow, which Mimicry had meant for Cang Lu. Dresden learned of this, he attacked Cang in a rage before abandoning his partner. Cang continued the chase on his own. Dresden eventually came to his senses and tried to find Cang again. But he was too late. Cang had encountered Mimicry on the streets of Sicily. After a terrible struggle Cang managed to mortally wound Mimicry, although he himself was killed in the battle. Dresden pursued Mimicry and succeeded in finishing the job, avenging both his wife and friend.

After the end of the “secret war” Dresden was offered Cang’s former position of vice-chairman in the International Delegation, but he turned it down, believing he was too emotionally unstable to take any such position. He returned to Japan, only to find the country in turmoil. The Great Earthquake of 1923, the incidents in China, and a myriad of political scandals had all taken their toll on Japanese society. The military was gradually gaining more and more power. When Japan invaded Manchuria in 1931, Dresden was disenchanted with the country and left. He eventually moved back to Germany. He took up residence in Dresden, the city of his namesake, and soon became embroiled in the events that shortly preceded World War II.

Third Reich and Wandenreich

Although wary, Dresden was at first taken with the principles of unity and nationalism presented by the Nazi Party, and so joined the cause. He had arrived in Germany at a time of social turmoil, and thought that the Nazi movement would ensure peace. Very quickly he became disillusioned with the party and Nazi policies, especially as he saw how Poles, and later Jews, were treated. He was ashamed and angered with many of his countrymen, and was strongly opposed to Hitler’s regime, although he kept his views to himself as he wished to avoid conflict. Dresden was drafted into the Wehrmacht army in 1939. He quickly rose through the ranks to reach the position of a first Lieutenant, as he realized that he could prevent or remain uninvolved with many of the army’s war crimes if he were in a position of command. Dresden was part of the initial invasion of the Soviet Union in Ukraine in 1941, and while his column was stalled outside of Moscow, he encountered Yhwach for the first time.

Dresden hitler2 — Dresden was soon embroiled in the events preceding WWII.

During WWII, Yhwach was still in the 90 year process of regaining his intellect.^[4] His mind and reasoning had been restored by that time, but he lacked the ability to subconsciously “summon” Quincy to himself, as well as the other telepathic-like powers he originally possessed. As a result, he was forced to manually search for potential Sternritter candidates. Yhwach already had a considerable force by that time, many gathered after the original Quincy war one-thousand years earlier, but a considerable amount of the Wandenreich members joined during the 1930s and ‘40s. As to why so many Quincy became a part of the Wandenreich during this period, Yhwach himself commented on the phenomena, stating that a large number of Quincy had always been extant, but they were just now coming out of the bulwark either to “escape or revel in the carnage.” Dresden was one of these Quincy.

Dresden’s unit was on a reconnaissance mission north of Moscow when they were spotted by an aerial scout and bombed. Only a few of the men escaped, and they were all separated. As Dresden tried to return to the command base alone he detected a powerful spiritual presence appear in the area. Travelling by night to avoid being seen by humans, Dresden found the location where the presence had appeared. In reality, it was where Yhwach had entered the human world from Schatten Bereich (German for "Shadow Realm"), and when Dresden arrived, Yhwach and Jugram Haschwalth immediately attacked him. A short battle ensued, and Dresden, despite being taken by surprise, managed to hold his own against the two Quincy before he was over-powered. Yhwach quickly smoothed over the attack and told Dresden it had all been an “initiation test” as he was a potential Sternritter candidate. In reality, Dresden’s arrival had been unforeseen by Yhwach, who simply wanted to observe the battle at Moscow, and he considered their encounter “good fortune.” Yhwach wanted to speed his “reawakening” and had decided to absorb the power of any Quincy not particularly useful in the Wandenreich, and so he was seeking to boost the number of recruits. He convinced Dresden to come to the Shadow Realm with him, although Dresden sensed the unspoken threat and knew he had no choice but to comply.

Dresden remained in Schatten Bereich for two months, gathering as much information regarding the Wandenreich as possible despite being closely watched. He did not trust Yhwach, and when the plot to invade Soul Society was revealed to Dresden (even though this would not take place until many years into the future) Dresden became intensely concerned. He knew that there was only a small window of opportunity to bring Yhwach to an end before he regained his whole powers.

Dresden was eventually initiated into the Sternritter, and Yhwach gave him the epitaph of “F”—die Falke (German for "the Falcon"). But when the schrift was inscribed into Dresden’s soul his body initially tried to reject it. After lying close to death for two days, the letter was finally grafted into his soul. The only visible result of his soul’s initial “rejection” was his left eye—it had turned from brown to an ice blue. Dresden spent the rest of his time in the shadow realm perfecting his Vollständig. However, he knew he would have to leave Schatten Bereich in order to contact the Soul Society without Yhwach’s knowledge. Fortunately, that opportunity came at the perfect time. Yhwach was himself unable to remain in the World of the Living for long periods of time, but he nevertheless wished to keep an eye on the events regarding the Third Reich, and Dresden was assigned to return to Germany. In reality, Yhwach did not trust Dresden, and wanted to test his loyalty. He wanted Dresden in the Wandenreich due to his strength, but would have no qualms about consuming his powers if Dresden proved disloyal. (It should be noted that Yhwach employed this method for several other Sternritter at the time as well.)

Dresden returned to Nazi Germany and fabricated a story to account for his disappearance; saying that he had been captured by the Soviets but had managed to escape and return to German territory two months later. He was awarded the Iron Cross (1st Class) for his “efforts in the siege of Moscow and bravery behind enemy lines,” and was assigned to a new position in Berlin in early 1942. Dresden was soon caught up in the events of the war and the chance to contact the Soul Society slipped away. He knew the passage through the dangai was difficult, and he also knew that Yhwach had spies watching him. Unless he was personally contacted by a Soul Reaper, he had no chance of alerting the Gotei 13. Recalling his past experiences, he knew he would have to take the first initiative and avoid any direct confrontations with the Wandenreich. It was therefore out of a sense of necessity and urgency that Dresden formed "Operation: Stunde der Quincy" (German for "Quincy's Hour.")

During his years in the Nazi party Dresden had kept personal tabs on other Quincy he encountered, both in the Wehrmacht and the SS. He was actually more aware of these Quincy then Yhwach was. He contacted those he knew were opposed to Hitler’s regime, as he suspected they would be opposed to Yhwach as well. This was intensely risky for several reasons; the most obvious being that he would make an error in judgment. But he also knew that it was all too easy for Yhwach to plant a double agent within the Stunde. However, as time went on this possibility became more improbable. There were originally twelve members of the Stunde. Although small, the Stunde was a powerful association, as Dresden had personally ensured that each of them mastered Vollständig, and oversaw their individual training. Everything had to be done on a covert level, and the exposure of the Stunde was a constant threat. Furthermore, Dresden knew that for all their power, it would be impossible for a Quincy to defeat Yhwach with the originator’s own technique. He began to research a means to kill Yhwach without using Quincy powers, or by using something that would negate Quincy abilities. Specifically, something that would neutralize the effects of Blut Vene. Partnering with a member of the Stunde that was a chemicist and physicist, they eventually devised a mechanism similar to a Bankai Medallion device that would disable Blut Vene for a maximum of thirty seconds. How well it would work when used against Yhwach remained to be seen.

While the efforts to stop Yhwach were being made, the Stunde learned of a major plot to assassinate Hitler. Dresden was opposed to becoming involved as it would place the Stunde’s original mission in jeopardy, but the personal convictions of the members were so strong he at last complied. They made plans to serve as a back-up force to assassinate high-ranking Nazi officers when Hitler was killed. It was because of the increased correspondence between Stunde members during this time that the organization was discovered. The youngest member of the Stunde, a boy of 14 named Gräme, was captured by Haschwalth and taken to Yhwach. Gräme’s body was then used as a vessel for another Quincy. (This forged entity would later be known as Gremmy Thoumeaux.) Gräme would then be used as an integral part in the downfall of the Stunde.

Dresden regiment — Dresden's regiment during the Battle of Berlin.

Dresden was unaware of the “conversion” of Gräme. After the plot to assassinate Hitler failed, Dresden realized he was running out of time and switched tactics. He had several of the Stunde infiltrate the ranks of the Wandenreich, planning to instigate a coup from the inside. He did not realize that Yhwach was aware of each Stunde member placed in the Wandenreich because of Gräme. In reality, Dresden had suspected that Yhwach knew he was plotting to kill him for some time. When members of the Stunde began to be killed off, one by one, Dresden knew they had been found out. Dreden’s efforts to quickly unify the Stunde and keep its members alive were complicated by the war. The end of the Third Reich was swiftly approaching, and the Stunde had been dispersed throughout the empire. With intense foreboding, Dresden waited as each heartbreaking piece of news came to him. It was a month before he learned of the death of the last member of the Stunde. He did not consider fleeing to protect himself. His resolve to kill Yhwach was now hardened with his thirst for vengeance.

In the spring of 1945 the Soviet Army attacked Berlin, and Dresden soon became completely absorbed in the battle. Nevertheless, Yhwach’s arrival did not come as a surprise. In fact, Dresden had planned on Yhwach taking advantage of the chaos of the battle to attack him, and he had been prepared to fight back. However, Yhwach’s first strike came when Dresden was preoccupied with running from enemy fire, and he did not escape uninjured. A drawn-out battle ensued which lasted for three hours. Dresden did not have Yhwach’s amount of sheer power, but he had centuries of fighting experience and strategy. Yhwach quickly realized “toying” with Dresden was not an option, especially since he wanted to be the one to personally insure Dresden’s end. Dresden employed hit-and-run tactics, and the fight led them all over Berlin. At last Dresden had a chance to use the Blut Vene device and managed to wound Yhwach. Yhwach viciously retaliated. Dresden had quickly lost hope after failing to land a mortal hit, and was soon hard pressed to escape Yhwach’s attacks. Exhausted and badly hurt, Dresden was finally cornered in the abandoned shell of an old factory. Yhwach could have destroyed Dresden, but instead decided to take his powers first, as he had originally planned. He used the Gräme as a “hostage” to draw Dresden out of hiding, promising to release the boy if he would give himself up. Dresden knew the promise was false, but he also knew he had no chance of escape anyway. Hoping that he could somehow manage a final attack that would provide Gräme with a chance to escape, he at last confronted Yhwach face to face. But when he told Gräme to run, Gräme only smiled and showed Dresden the schrift that Yhwach had given him. In the moment of complete shock that followed Dresden’s realization that it had been Gräme that betrayed him, Yhwach drove his sword into his heart. Yhwach then absorbed all of Dresden’s powers and left him for dead on the streets of Berlin just as the Germans surrendered to the Allied forces on May 2, 1945.

Dresden dying — Dresden, a few moments before his powers are stolen.

Dresden survived because his Blut Vene, despite being ineffective against Yhwach’s final blow, had redirected the blade to pierce just below the heart, not the heart itself, miraculously missing the major arteries; and he stayed alive by using Ransōtengai, which was strangely his only Quincy power not stolen by Yhwach. He lied among the rubble and carnage of Berlin for two days before he was found by a soldier from his unit who stumbled across him and recognized him. They fled to Brandenburg, somehow managing to escape the oncoming Soviet army, and were rescued by the Twelfth Army under General Wenck. Dresden was taken to a temporary hospital center, where he nearly died from the harsh conditions. Gradually, he began to heal. He was able to escape before he could be arrested and tried as a German officer, fleeing to Denmark where he disguised himself among the huge influx of German refugees seeking asylum from the Soviet occupation of east Germany.

After the Potsdam Act and the end of the war, Dresden returned to Germany where he remained in hiding for several years until the hunt for German officers dwindled and he was forgotten. Dresden was committed to rebuilding Germany, and stayed in the country until the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989, even risking his life to help refugees escape from the Eastern Bloc. He never stayed in one location for any length of time, and recently moved to Amsterdam. He has spent years searching for a way to regain his lost Quincy powers, but it remains to be seen if this will occur or not.

References

↑ ca 1800. Bleach manga; Chapter 491, pages 7-8
↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 46, page 6
↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 530 pages 7-15
↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 537, pages 8-9

Equipment[]

Pocket Watch: Purchased by Emiko and given to him by Haru when he returned home after WWI. The pocket watch is of Austrian make. It is silver and relatively undecorated, and contains a small compass on one side of the case. There is a deep dent on the outer case where a bullet once brushed past his side.

Dresden gloves — Dresden's Aufsaugen gloves.

Aufsaugen Gloves: (German for “intake”) After losing his powers to Yhwach, Dresden found he was incapable of absorbing or manipulating reishi on his own. In order to compensate for this, after copious amounts of research and extensive experimentation, he was able to invent a device that would allow him to draw in reishi. Similar to a Quincy Bangle, these gloves are designed to imitate a Quincy’s natural abilities, and works by drawing in reishi from the environment. He formed the gloves through a highly specialized form of Gintō, along with a special material known as soul-synthesized cloth. They are incredibly durable as a result, and can withstand repeated incineration by Dresden’s Heilig Feuer witout being consumed. The gloves are white, and each has a pentagram on the back, thus replacing the traditional Quincy Cross as Dresden’s power focus. (His original cross was destroyed in Berlin by Yhwach.)

Mauser C96: The Mauser is a semi-automatic handgun that Dresden acquired during WWII and quickly became attached to. It was his weapon of choice after losing his Quincy powers, and he has trained extensively in its use. Its distinctive characteristics are the integral box magazine in front of the trigger, a rounded handle, and the long barrel. The clips are loaded from the top of the gun, and Dresden is proficient enough to where he can reload swiftly and easily within seconds. He also reloads some of his own cartridges. Instead of fitting a solid metal bullet to the end of the cartridge, he uses small Gintō capsules. With some ingenuity he has designed the bullets so that they do not collapse when fired, despite being hollow. When the bullet contacts a target, the forceful impact causes the capsule to rupture and the highly condensed reishi to explode. He uses these special cartridges when fighting against Hollows or Shinigami, as he finds the use of a reishi-based weapon is more damaging than a purely physical one against spiritual beings. Since the process of constructing these bullets is so time-intensive, Dresden only carries a few clips with him and does not use them often.

Powers and Abilities[]

Natural Abilities[]

Low Spiritual Pressure: At first it would seem as though Dresden had an average amount of Reiatsu, but most of what can be felt from his presence is not his own reiatsu but rather residual amounts of Reishi that he has absorbed during the use of his Quincy abilities. His reiatsu, like most Quincy, is light-blue. Formerly, Dresden possessed a much higher level of reiatsu. However, after his powers were stolen by Yhwach his spiritual pressure, along with his fighting strength and abilities, are now possibly no higher than those of a 4th Seat ranked officer in the Gotei 13.

Spirit Tracking: Despite having a low amount of spiritual pressure, Dresden is still highly sensitive to the presence of spiritual beings such as Hollows and Shinigami, and even other Quincy. He is capable of perceiving, even from great distances, different reiatsu signatures, the entity’s power level, and even the mood or status of the individual in question; and can track them by following their Spirit Ribbon (Reiraku).

Excellent Marksman:Dresden was taught how to use firearms when he joined the Swedish army during the Thirty Years' War. This training continued when he later joined the Bund, where he learned sniper techniques both with rifles and his Spirit Weapon. As a result, his aim is remarkable, even at longer distances. His personality also aids him in his marksmanship, as he has always approached using his weapons with a calm and respectful demeanor. Dresden is also skilled with the use of handguns, and his Mauser C96 was his weapon of choice after losing his Quincy powers during WWII.

Competent Swordsman: When Dresden was young he was trained how to fence as part of his formal education. He was also known to have used the Seele Schneider as a sword for a time, although he has generally abandoned that practice. While in the Bund he learned how to use a variety of bladed weapons, and became proficient in the use of the sabre and rapier. Later, he was briefly interested in Kendo when he moved to Japan, although he has fallen out of practice.

Hand to Hand Combatant: Dresden has had instruction in basic military hand-to-hand combat beginning with his involvement in the Thirty Years' War. Since then, he has improved and honed his unarmed skill over the years, and currently employs a method of fighting that closely resembles Krav Maga, as it is a conglomeration of the best of various martial arts. Dresden relies on speed and efficiency when fighting without weapons, and focuses on gaining the upper hand as soon as possible. He is a formidable opponent to humans (even unarmed Quincy) and low-ranking spiritual beings such as Hollows and Shinigami.

High Stamina: The use of a Spirit Weapon, as well as Dresden's other methods of fighting, require a high amount of stamina. As such he has trained on a nearly constant basis to achieve a great deal of endurance, and his body has acquired imbedded survival instincts after 400 years of fighting experience.

Enhanced Reflexes: Since he does not possess enough reiatsu to use Hirenkyaku effectively, he utilizes his own natural reflexes to compensate in speed.

Excellent Intellect: Dresden is intuitive and perceptive in battle, and is a skilled tactician due to his many years of experience. He has an excellent memory and an active mind, able to recall even obscure or easily dismissed details. He is also able to analyze and deduce the basic mechanics behind an opponent’s attacks, quickly adjusting for their strengths and weaknesses in order to counter them. He utilizes his intelligence and ingenuity in battle to determine an opponent’s weaknesses and to overcome disadvantages, formulating plans and thinking on his feet. He has often used his surroundings to gain the upper hand during a fight, and is able to manipulate unchangeable factors to his advantage, trapping his opponent in the proverbial corner. In the past, Dresden has demonstrated the capability of determining and deducing a course of action even when only obscure and enigmatic factors are presented. Part of his sharp reasoning was the result of his training within the Bund where he was ranked as the second-highest operative and was thus considered greatly acute. His intelligence also served him well during his time within the Third Reich, where he successfully hid his involvement with the Stunde and later evaded discovery in the search for former Nazi officers.

Multilingual: Dresden’s native language is German, and due to expansive travel over the centuries he has also learned how to speak (in rough consecutive order) Swedish, French, various central European languages, Russian, English, Cantonese, and Japanese. During his early years, he also learned how to read and speak Latin. However, he is most fluent in German and Japanese, as these are the two languages he has employed the most in his life.

Special Abilities[]

Reishi Absorption and Manipulation: Although incapable of absorbing reishi on his own (relying on the use of the Aufsaugen gloves he invented,) Dresden retained the ability to manipulate reishi after it had been absorbed. Like all Quincy, this allows him to form a Spirit Weapon and the Heilig Pfeil needed for his attacks.

Hirenkyaku: High-speed movement caused by riding on the flow of reishi beneath the user’s feet. Formerly, Dresden was extremely proficient in its use. However, due to his current level of power, he is only able to use this technique with an average level of skill.
Ransōtengai: While only able to use this technique to a marginal degree, Dresden can create strings of reishi in order to manipulate injured areas of his body, thus allowing him to fight even after receiving debilitating wounds. It is unknown why he would retain the use of this skill after losing most of the others, but it is believed that he was using the Ransōtengai while his powers were stolen, and afterwards found it the only ability he was able to use naturally.

Spirit Weapon[]

Spatz Lichtbogen: (弧雀, German and Japanese for “Sparrow Arc.”) Unlike other Quincy, who utilize a cross as the focus for their Spirit Weapon, Dresden uses a pair of gloves. These gloves hold properties similar to those of a Quincy Bangle, and allow Dresden to use a Spirit Weapon despite having lost most of his powers. He can materialize the Spatz Lichtbogen as a traditional Quincy bow, and has been known to do this on occasion. However, he most commonly uses his gloves to incinerate opponents in close vicinity. When Dresden activates the gloves his hands are enveloped with blue flames which he can use as projectiles. In order to create a combustive reaction, he absorbs and condenses the flames before snapping his fingers together. This sends the highly concentrated reishi into an object in order to ignite it, acting as the combustion spark (although this technique can only be used on objects composed of reishi themselves).

Heilig Pfeil: Like all Quincy, Dresden’s Spirit Weapon can be used as a long-ranged projectile. He uses the arrows when he activates the Spatz Lichtbogen as a bow. He has shown a certain amount of, though not necessarily impressive, skill to redirect and manipulate the arrows while they are in mid-flight. He cannot yet achieve the "Licht Regen" volley of 1200 arrows, as 50 arrows released simultaneously is about his limit. The Heilig Pfeil is not his strongest ability.

Dresden feuergif — Dresden uses the Heilig Feuer.

Heilig Feuer: Unlike the Heilig Feuer utilized by the Wandenreich, (which have not been shown to actually "burn"), the flames Dresden use have the properties of true fire. Typically, fire comes from a chemical reaction between oxygen in the atmosphere and an available fuel. In this case, that "fuel" would be the reishi itself. However, in order for the combustion reaction to occur, the reishi must be ignited with a spark. With the small amount of reiatsu that he actually has, Dresden can supply this spark. Because of its high temperature, as well as reishi’s natural properties, the flames are blue in color. Depending on the object that Dresden is attempting to ignite, he may encounter some difficulties. The size of the object, and also its composition and density, affect how well it burns. Large, dense objects absorb more heat, so the reishi needed for a combustion must be at a higher level. A beings with a high level of reiatsu also resists the “spark.” To counter these problems regarding direct ignition, Dresden can use brief bursts of reishi as projectiles to fire at his opponents instead.

Former Powers and Abilities[]

Click to "show."

Advanced Quincy Techniques: Dresden possessed the use of Schatten, Blut Vene and Arterie, Letzt Stil, and other advanced Quincy techniques even before his time in the Wandenreich. He acquired further abilities after joining the Sternritter

Dresden falke — Dresden's former epitaph ability-- "Falke"

"F"-- die Falke: (German for “the Falcon.”) Before being revoked by Yhwach, Dresden's epitaph during his time in the Wandenreich was "F." The inscription gave him the ability to generate blue flames along the backs of his arms, resembling a pair of wings. With these fire constructs he was able to both burn an opponent and launch devastating cutting attacks by firing darts of highly compressed reishi from the tips of the "wings." He could also use the flames to heal and regenerate his own wounds and to enhance his speed and give him the capability of flight.

Vollständig: Domhal (דומהאל (神の無音, ドムハル) domuharu; Hebrew and Japanese for "silence of God”) Although Dresden had trained in using the Vollständig, he was not able to perfect the technique until he was instructed by the Wandenreich. He located the Sanrei mechanism used for the Vollständig's activation within his German (Nazi) officer's armband. After activation, Dresden gained the typical abilities of a Quincy's Vollständig, including complete Reishi dominance, enhanced spiritual awareness and spiritual pressure, augmented Heilig Pfeil, and Sklaverei. (It should be noted that he was often morally conflicted over the use of Sklaverei, and so avoided using Vollständig as much as possible.) Along with these abilities, his Vollstänsig had a special ability that was in many ways, tied to its moniker: "silence of God." This was the ability to completely block out any sense of sound within a limited area, with Dresden's opponent able to hear only his voice. The stillness was so great that, while in Dresden's "silent chamber," the opponent would experience a soundless state that resembled death itself. A silent mind, freed from the onslaught of thoughts and thought patterns, was not about the absence of sound as much as it was of bringing the enemy's mind within contact of Dresden's own. In this manner, he could manipulate the victim's sense of reality and their own "true self," even eliminating thought itself. In other words, this silence was both the absence of sound and the absence of thought itself.

Quotes[]

“Pain and sadness… they are an integral part of human life. Without them, where would be the nobility, the satisfaction, the joy of achievement? If we were deprived of them, where would be life’s meaning?”

(As part of a speech to the Stunde) “It seems the passing of time has a way of revealing the absurdity of what we thought was "pragmatic" and opening our eyes to the practicality of previously impossible endeavors… just who is to say what can and cannot be accomplished? Where is the boundary between the unachievable and that which is difficult to achieve? Just what is impossible?”

"Who is just? The Soviets, the German Nazis, even the Soul Society… disregarded the value of human life. They waged war on their own people. The methods may have been different, but on a basic level they all pursued a single idea: the extermination and annihilation of people who thought differently from themselves. Only time can tell the consequences of such a dangerous notion."

“I’m not sure how I managed to remain “human” over all these years. I suppose it was by each small step, doing the insignificant—every measure in striking a blow against man’s inhumanity to mankind.”

Trivia[]

Dresden's theme song, as stated by the author, is Things We Lost in the Fire, by Bastille.
His favorite drinks are Russian coffee (black) and German Altbier.
Dresden learned to play the violin somewhere along the way, and is actually quite adept. He enjoys it as a hobby.
”Bund” is a German word meaning “alliance, confederation, union, etc.”
Dresden was named after the city in Germany of the same name. His mother selected the name because it was one of her favorite places to visit, and the Olbricht family lived just north east of there. It was also the city where Dresden's actual father was from, and where the estate of the Olbricht family's non-Prussian rival was located. As such, his name was also intended as an insult against the Olbricht family.
Before he lost his Quincy powers, Dresden's Spirit Weapon had evolved to the point where it appeared metallic, taking the form of a small hand-held machine gun with rotating barrels attached to a shield that fitted over his arm. He could fire Heilig Pfeil at a rate of 3,000 per minute.
Dresden has had several aliases over the years. Some of which included: Hans Kolber, Zwie, Iven Petrov, Yasuo Miyake, Dietrich Horowitz, etc. His current alias is Jacob Alders.
Dresden suffers from a mild case of PTSD. Although not as pronounced as it was in the past (especially after WWII), Dresden will still occasionally experience acute nightmares.

Behind the Scenes[]