Could I have my character be black, belonging to a single family that lives alone. Due to his skin tone, not a lot of other villages will accept - neverminding that said villages also don't like foreigners. So when his mother, brother, and father died due to disease, my character traveled to Heiseina. Of course, they did not like him but offered him to stay on the condition that he worked off a loan placed on him from out of the blue.
-> No one from Heiseina village has traveled beyond the valley. Your character's knowledge of broader history and worldview will be shaped by the very narrow perspective of their home and its elders. - Maxx, probably
<Snipped quote by Dog> -> No one from Heiseina village has traveled beyond the valley. Your character's knowledge of broader history and worldview will be shaped by the very narrow perspective of their home and its elders. - Maxx, probably
His family and himself never traveled beyond the valley. All of 'em stayed in the valley since their birth.
<Snipped quote by Cybermaxx> Could I have my character be black, belonging to a single family that lives alone. Due to his skin tone, not a lot of other villages will accept - neverminding that said villages also don't like foreigners. So when his mother, brother, and father died due to disease, my character traveled to Heiseina. Of course, they did not like him but offered him to stay on the condition that he worked off a loan placed on him from out of the blue.
The race of your character would be purely aesthetic at this point, honestly. The social dynamics from the old world died with it, so someone from the valley having darker skin would matter less than, say, whether they were born in an outlying hamlet or within the village proper.
Oh wow, do my eyes deceive me or is that the legendary adult!Dororo? Anyhow, got an extension on some stuff so I'll get my CS up tonight before someone snipes my idea.
Full Name - 浜名暁也 (Hamana Kyōya) Age - 20 Gender - Male Occupation - Teacher's Assistant -
P E R S O N A L I T Y
Nice Guy Kyōya is always willing to lend a hand, a shoulder, a smile, a compliment... he's just really kind in general. He is a big believer in "forgive and forget," and it's generally understood that Kyōya is the type that wouldn't even hurt a fly. Sometimes he can be a bit of a pushover because of this, in fact only last year he would spend most of his days off running errands that people asked of him, but more recently he has been learning to master the art of politely declining!
Trusting Nearly to the point of naivete. It's not that Kyōya is dumb or doesn't believe in the concept of "lying," but rather - for what reason would someone lie? In most cases it doesn't make sense to deceive someone, and so Kyōya just never considers it an option. He'll go along with anything. Playing pranks on him is common among the children of his class.
Passionate Get him going on a topic, and Kyōya will be happy to talk your ear off - and wave his arms around while he does so. He's able to rattle off random information about his preferred topics at the drop of a hat, and never tires of them. He takes the utmost delight in teaching and being taught. Of course, this passion extends to more than just learning. He is passionate about people, helping and protecting them. Often times he goes well out of his way to do so, and the on the flip side he can become a worrywart over others.
S K I L L S E T
Studious Long hours spent pouring over scrolls and transcribing the elders' stories made Kyōya into a fine scholar. He learns more quickly and retains more of what he's learned, is able to catch the small details in anything even while under pressure, able to focus more intently and for longer periods, and able to stay still and quiet without getting antsy for a while.
Niche Encyclopedia If there's one thing you can count on a nerd scholar for, it's in-depth knowledge about their field. Kyōya has a wealth of knowledge about flora and fauna, both the mundane and the supernatural (although his knowledge on the later still leaves a lot to be desired). Though not a survivalist, Kyōya can identify different plants and animals, and knows their uses and/or traits... for the most part. He's extremely well read but lacks practical experience. He also holds some knowledge about the village's history, as well as some bits and pieces about the world's history in general, thanks to stories passed down from the village's elders.
Sign Potential Like many in Heiseina, Kyōya can use a couple of Signs. With his penchant for study, Kyōya could probably have mastered a couple more even at his age - but he is more interested in stories, and the natural world. He is adept with the Signs he does know, and if he applied himself he might be able to pick up more fairly quickly.
Physical Description
In looks, height, and style, Kyōya is exceptionally average. He doesn't have any particularly interesting physical features - he isn't muscular or marred with scars, he has no farmer's tan nor callouses from field work, and his brown hair is cut in a common masculine style with no fancy accessories in it. The only thing that sets him apart is his glasses, sitting over deep green eyes, proof of a life of study.
Kyōya stands at the same height as most of the other adults in the village, and though he's on the skinnier side now the older women in town tease him about his sweet tooth, telling him he'll start to put on pudge as he ages if he keeps it up. It's already starting to show a little, though it's hard to tell since Kyōya is always wrapped up properly in robes and yukata except on the very most humid of days.
Character Conceptualization
A young scholar. Kind and helpful, Kyōya puts his love of learning to use instructing the children in town. He plans to take over the schoolhouse once the current head instructor steps down (although that man is a stubborn goat and claims to have another decade in him before he'll retire). Kyōya has a particular interest in history, nature, and the supernatural. Like many people he also loves animals, and keeps an unusually smart feline companion named Kōshaku.
Kyōya grew up in the heart of Heiseina, living a simple, modest life as an only child with his mother and father. The Hamano family come from a tradition of bakers; Kyōya being the black sheep with abysmal skill with any kind of cooking no matter how many cookbooks he'd read. When Kyōya got older and decided to dedicate his life to one of study instead, his family had no qualms at all.
A bright pupil, Kyōya was welcomed as an assistant in the school house. He gets along with the staff and the students - as well as most everyone in Heiseina. Kyōya is living his dream life; he lives in peace and safety, he enjoys his job, and he's happy to listen to everything the elders speak about and learn the anything the yokai in the Mumbling Wood feel like teaching. He is content to spend the rest of his life in the village.
...well, he'd be lying if he said he wasn't curious about what was outside of the valley. If nothing else, his scholar's heart longs to know. Kyōya isn't a coward and if there's one think he definitely does not fear it's the unknown, but the thought of actually leaving feels strange to him.
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So character concept: a simple young nerd who trusts in everyone. He has a strong heart and if presented with a tough situation he will rise to the occasion, he just doesn't know it yet. Most of his connections in the village are neutral or good, as he's passively built his reputation as someone who can be relied on. There are likely a few he doesn't get along with, but he doesn't seek out conflict with them. When conflict eventually reaches him I'd like to think that Kyōya will have a hard time at first but eventually grow into a courageous individual.
He likely will not have much physical utility (though I can see him being the type to throw himself in harm's way to protect someone else). His worth will lie in his ability to connect to others, to handle animals and yokai, and willingness to get things done.
Other Information
Kyōya knows a few signs:
Calm
Glow
Pull
Also his cat may or may not be a bakeneko (or similar).
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P E R S O N A L D E T A I L S
Full Name - 林純恋 (Hayashi Sumiko) Age - 26 Gender - Female Occupation - Traveling Artist -
P E R S O N A L I T Y
Confident More than anything, Sumiko believes in herself. She puts faith in her own plans and creates a self-fulfilling prophecy for herself: if she believes she will succeed, then surely it will be so. Though mostly reserved for herself, her confidence can spread to others in the form of sincere encouragement.
Pushy Sumiko really likes getting what she wants. At times she can be a bit forceful in pushing her ideas onto others. Sometimes she even pushes herself to keep going at something futile, whether out of some misplaced sense of pride or just because she can be a bit of a sore loser.
Diligent Blood, sweat, tears... okay, not so much blood, but Sumiko does work hard at her craft. When she puts on performances she makes sure to research her roles and get all the details correct. The same goes for her art pieces, she painstakingly tries to capture her subject perfectly every time. She's driven and careful when it counts.
S K I L L S E T
Rhythm and Balance A self-proclaimed expert in traditional dance and hopping back and forth on stage, Sumiko has a very good sense of balance. She has a strong core and her coordination is top notch. She's dexterous and rarely fumbles anything, whether she uses her hands or her feet.
Physical Artist Besides acting, dancing, and spoken poetry, Sumiko is pretty good with a brush. Her calligraphy is steady and smooth, her paintings and drawings are detailed and life-like, and of course she can read and write quickly. If you need something written or drawn up for you, Sumiko is your girl - but it may take a little longer just because she can be a perfectionist when it comes to her own work.
Persuasive Sumiko has a knack for roping others into doing what she wants. This isn't always aggressive badgering - in fact being a poet Sumiko can be quite cool with her words, and being an actor she can make anything sound like the truth. She doesn't go around lying to people though, it's just that she can be quite convincing. With some people after a conversation with her they end up running an errand and thinking it was their idea in the first place.
Physical Description
About a dozen centimeters shorter than the other women her age, Sumiko still stands out with her shockingly pale hair and her large blue eyes. The mole on her face is one of many all over her body, and she boldly calls them all "beauty marks." Her natural appearance is homely, but so she paints her face with varying degrees of make-up even at home some it's hard to tell. She enjoys dressing up like that, making an art piece on her own skin. She also wears elaborate and stylish clothing as well, including the frames she wears over her eyes. It's common to find ink stains on her hands and arms, and sometimes ever her face.
Even small towns need entertainment. Sumiko takes it upon herself to provide that. She's a "jack of all trades" type when it comes to the arts, with the notable exception of song and instrument. Please, don't call her tone deaf though, she will vehemently deny it. She also is rubbish at pottery, but that's more fun to fail at.
She was born in Heiseina, her family the last of the dying Hayashi clan. Once well respected, they fell into debt and after climbing out they never made it back to their former glory. When her father passed after having two daughters, the clan's fate was sealed. Honestly it was as freeing as it was sad. Their mother passed a couple of years later, and from then on the Hayashi sisters lived on their own in a large empty estate. To provide for themselves, and to feel less lonely, they leased their land for the cultivating of crops and often hosted others in their home. Sumiko, the younger and more rambunctious child, enjoyed listening to all the stories and gossip being thrown around. This sparked her desire for travel and art.
Though she's never been outside of the valley, Sumiko has traveled to most of the tiny villages and homesteads around it peddling her trade. She offers custom portraits, pre-made art pieces and poem compilations, all inspired from things she's seen and heard during her "mini adventures." Have you heard the story of the giant earth spider that was spotted a few miles away? Well here is a painting of it. Have you heard the news about the Kobayashi and Teruko clan marriage? Here are some haiku written for the occasion. Inadvertently she spreads news of Heiseina to the surrounding hamlets, and from the hamlets to Heiseina, through her stories.
When she returns to Heiseina she stays at her family home and mooches off of her more responsible and respectable elder sister. She always makes it back in time for festivals, where she insists that she put on the newest play she's written, play a role in local re-tellings of myths and legends, and participates in dance until she can barely move. Though she has a strong passion for all kinds of art, dance and Kabuki is her favorite pastime, so when she can she goes all out.
Lately, life in the valley has been slower and more peaceful than normal. There hasn't been as many interesting stories to create art about. Sumiko has been going out a lot more and pestering others in search of something to spark her creativity.
Other Information
She likes to drink, but can't hold her liquor
She likes standing out and weary fancy outfits
Her sister Himiko is employed by the Takamori family as a servant, where she does everything from cooking and cleaning to scribe work.
Sumiko knows only a single sign, Wind. She uses it spice up her performances, dry her paintings faster, and to push herself along when going on a trip.
If anime hair colors are unusual, a reason for her white hair could be something like "family encounter with the supernatural"
Full Name - Tanaka, Yaya. 田中やや. Age - Nineteen Gender - Female. She/Her. Occupation - Herbalist & Healer Apprentice.
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P E R S O N A L I T Y
Inquisitive Yaya never quite grew out of her why, why, why phase. Inquisitive to a fault, Yaya often finds herself questioning anything and everything around her. It can be quite annoying to the other villagers when she's constantly poking her nose in their business. Almost nothing happens in Heiseina without Yaya knowing, her curious nose leading her towards all the gossip. Mostly, though, her questions are geared more towards the universe and how everything works - where did magic come from? why are Yokai different from them? what's beyond the valley?
Imaginative Nothing is fun without a little bit of imagination. Despite being a woman grown, Yaya has her head in the clouds most of the time. She can be seen traversing the village, eyes glazed over as she runs into anyone and everyone, and the villagers cluck their tongues in condescending affection. Yaya isn't having fun unless she's concocting scenarios of adventuring fantasies about what is beyond the valley. Or riding a dragon, because that would be fun, too.
Jovial Happy! Happy! Happy! Lots of people think there is nothing going on between Yaya's ears because she's so cheerful all the time. But, Yaya just doesn't like letting life get her down. She lives a comfortable life with a loving father and she gets to spend all day searching for herbs in the valley, what did she have to be sad for? Yaya is a ball of optimism, shining on Heiseina like an obnoxious little sun.
S K I L L S E T
Herbal Eye Yaya was trained to be an herbalist in order to help her father find medicinal herbs for his healing. Because of that, Yaya can pick out almost any herb and tell you the uses of it. She is quick to identify plants and roots and flowers, can even put their uses to practice.
Healing Touch Though she is only an apprentice, Yaya is rather good at healing others. Currently, her job is to help her father during major surgeries, and help with the small scrapes and cuts that come their way. Despite being proficient in medicine and doctoring, Yaya cannot use any Signs to help like her father can. The only thing she has been able to use is the water Sign in order to soak bandages, clean wounds, and, well, give the patient some water.
Mountaineer Sometimes herbs are in difficult to reach places, and Yaya's body has become accustomed to reaching those places. Her legs are strong and her grip is sure, Yaya is proficient at climbing and hiking. She has a lot of stamina and can climb for long periods of time. Just don't ask her to run, please, she doesn't have the lung capacity for it!
Physical Description
Yaya is a rather plain girl as far as most are concerned. Her black hair is straight and usually pulled back into a ponytail, with straight bangs framing her black eyes. Her skin is tan from spending most of the day outdoors and often she comes home with tan lines from her yukata. Yaya is taller than most of her female peers, being of five feet and eight inches, and her body is toned from hiking for herbs. For the most part, Yaya doesn’t concern herself with pretty outfits, but she can’t resist plucking flowers and tucking them into her hair or obi.
Character Conceptualization
There is something deeply ironic about being the most proficient healer in Heiseina and being unable to save the one most close to you. Of course, the irony is lost on Yaya and her father, Hanaoka, as most tragedies are.
Hanaoka liked to call Yaya his miracle, her name given to her to signify double prosperity. And she was a miracle, in the way that only newborn babies that outlive their mother can be. Hanaoka’s wife died during childbirth, and despite having all his knowledge of medicine, Hanaoka failed to save her. So, she’s a miracle, and Yaya preens under the compliment despite all of its implications. She’s only a miracle because her mother died.
But Yaya doesn’t think about that and some may joke that Yaya doesn’t think at all. They’re wrong, of course, because Yaya thinks. She thinks only in the way that philosophers and scientists and adventurers can think. She thinks like she’s ravenous, consuming knowledge and demanding more. Because the only thing that drives Yaya more than her thoughts is her need to know. Yaya wants to know the secrets of the universe, the world beyond the valley, the truth behind magic. She wants to know the history long hidden and stories only Yokai can tell.
She can’t know, though. Yaya is bound to Heiseina and her duties as a gathering herbalist as well as an apprentice to her father. That doesn’t stop her from pretending she’s venturing into the wild as she picks and plucks herbs, or that she’s scaling the tallest mountain when she’s climbing up the crags for only the hardiest of roots. It’s not much, but her imagination keeps her preoccupied enough. Her father sometimes criticizes her for being too naïve, and seeing the world through a child’s eyes when she’s a woman grown. It is mainly out of concern, as her father knows how being a healer can change someone, but Yaya ignores him.
Yaya can’t say her life is the worst. She’s happy helping people, and she is quite the social butterfly when it comes to the other villagers. Everything is mostly good. Mostly. Because for all the good she can do with her medicinal and herbal knowledge, Yaya knows she could do better with Signs and she can’t do them. Yaya has an astonishing ineptitude for magic and it took her longer than it should have to learn one Sign. Yaya doesn’t know what’s more crushing, the fact she can’t help people more or that she’s so close to answering one of her questions and she can’t do it.
Other Information
The only Sign that Yaya knows is Water, it's weak at best but it comes in handy when a rag needs to be wetted or a patient is thirsty.
I may try to edit this later, maybe cut down on some of the lengthy and overly poetic character concept bit, but for now this is what I'm going with.
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P E R S O N A L D E T A I L S
Name - Tsurugamine Yuki Age - 24 Gender - Female Occupation - Seamstress and Shrine Caretaker
P E R S O N A L I T Y
Wallflower - Oyuki, while polite, is more often seen than heard. She seldom speaks, and when she does, seldom raises her voice. The source from whence her unflappable composure stems, however, is somewhat difficult to discern. Perhaps it is simply the result of a long-cultivated discipline, or perhaps she's simply somewhat oblivious by nature? Regardless, she usually seems to be paying attention to the people around her, and is polite enough to nod along with their comments; she just doesn't often chime in unless a response is specifically solicited from her, seeming more than happy just to listen in silence.
Dutiful - Due to her aforementioned tendency towards silence, one could be pardoned for not realizing the seriousness with which Oyuki treats any and all debts or obligations. The upstanding lady caretaker of the shrine lives her life by the motto of repaying any kindness she receives twofold, and if one does her a favor, then they can expect to see their generosity fully returned with gratitude. When one realizes this, the reason for her aloof and unusual lifestyle becomes more clear. After all, what sort of remuneration can one offer for a debt which can never be repaid?
Timid - Despite her outward composure and elegance, Oyuki is honestly a rather shy person. She knows only enough of the world to realize the scope of her own ignorance and powerlessness, and fears that awareness more than anything. The spirits whose wills she can neither predict nor appease, the people whose expectations she can neither meet nor shake, the knowledge that her life is empty and her own ignorance of how to fill it; all these things weigh down on her heavily, and compel her to withdraw into the comfort of her familiar home and routine. So long as she doesn't look too directly at the world beyond her own small life, perhaps she can somehow escape its notice - so she hopes, and so each and every day continues on, the same as the one before it, giving her some small measure of comfort.
S K I L L S E T
Self-Reliant Though it may not sound like much, Oyuki has grown quite used to living by herself ever since her guardian's premature death a few years ago. During her time assisting around the Heiseina Shrine, she's grown quite adept at performing the various odd jobs necessary to keep things tidy. Whether it's cooking, sweeping, dusting, cleaning, setting out small offerings for the spirits, or maintaining the various scrolls, idols, and relics entrusted to the shrine for safekeeping, she handles it all with the same level of discipline and dedication. Despite having the entire shrine to look after and being just one woman, she's done an admirable job of keeping it from crumbling into disuse.
Seamstress While her talents as a housekeeper are already quite good, Oyuki's skills at sewing, mending, and embroidering clothes are far above and beyond anyone else in the village. It is by this trade that she provides for herself, and pays for the occasional bit of repairs when some part or another of the old shrine gets a little too worn down with age. Sometimes she buys cloth from the villagers, other times she conjures it painstakingly, thread by thread, by herself, using her knowledge of the Mending sign, as well as a more esoteric sign, Thread, which allows her to convert various materials into thread, which she then spins by hand into cloth with which to create her finished products. Regardless of the distance she puts between herself and the community, she never has any shortage of requests and orders to take care of, be they commissions for new clothing, or requests to mend old heirlooms. She handles them all with a smile and a deft hand, and her needlework is second to none.
Shrine Maiden's Protege Raised by the former Miko of Heiseina, Oyuki was taught from a young age the rudiments of the duties that position carries. She knows the names of many of the major spirits of the valley, and is familiar with their history and of the offerings they are most fond of. She even knows a sign for a rudimentary Blessing, warding off evil spirits and misfortune wherever it is inscribed. She is less familiar, however, with the proper way to administer more complicated rites. Various ritual prayers, dances, ceremonies, blessings and benedictions that would traditionally be passed down to a true Miko never made their way to her, as her guardian never got the chance to properly teach her everything she needed to know before passing on, leaving Oyuki to pour over old books and scrolls and try to learn for herself what she must do to follow in the footsteps of the great woman to whom she owes so much. Though she may be lacking in knowledge now, the foundations have been laid for her to perhaps one day blossom into an admirable Miko herself, if given the chance.
Physical Description
Lady Oyuki, as she is often called by the other villagers, can be decisively called striking at a mere glance. Her skin is as fair and pale as the snow she is named after, while her long, straight hair is a sharply contrasting shade of jet black. Meeting her gaze, one will find large, rounded eyes of a pale, icy blue framed in long, elegant lashes; eyes that peer keenly out from between a high-set brow above and rounded, rosy cheeks below. Her gaze is tranquil, pure, and piercing; it is almost more like looking back at one's reflection in the mirror-like surface of a frozen lake than meeting the eyes of a fellow human being. Serving to offset her eyes' pale color, however, Oyuki's full lips are a lush red, and the narrow, sharp jawline beneath them serves likewise to counterbalance the roundness of her cheeks. Her whole countenance is a synthesis of opposing extremes both physical and chromatic that all somehow exist in an almost perfect balance of harmony with one another, creating a sense of beauty that is wholly her own.
Despite the intensity of her facial features, however, her build is rather lean, and in certain aspects rather petite. She is tall for a woman, but with narrow shoulders, somewhat short arms, and small, dainty hands. Her figure, too, could best be described as shapely but modest, possessing only a humble bustline, but with wide hips and long legs. However, unlike most of the other villagers, she is rather scrawny, having lived a sheltered life with little to no exposure to the sun or to difficult manual labor. She lacks muscle almost entirely, save what little she has accumulated from simple household chores and occasional walks in the woods around the village. What's more, it wouldn't be difficult to pick out the locations of most of her ribs if one looked closely, as her current frugal lifestyle and overly-diligent mentality has caused her to forgo meals on a rather alarmingly regular basis.
Thus, all these factors combine to create a beautiful woman who, while not exactly diminutive, seems as graceful as a crane, as fragile as glass, and as fleeting and ephemeral as snow.
She favors modest, rather conservative attire, almost all of which is either of her own making, or a hand-me-down from the previous shrine maiden. Almost all her outfits feature multiple layers and show off very little skin, with the long, flowing, curtain-like sleeves of her furisode often hiding even her hands from view, while various hooded gowns, cloaks, and mantles serve to cover her neck and head from the elements, and long skirts trail almost clear down to her sandal-clad feet. Most of her kimonos do not display any ostentatious patterns or eye-catching ornaments, however, and they also lack a clan seal or personal crest of any kind. Pure, simple colors in complimentary hues make up the bulk of her wardrobe. But, of all the colors she wears, blue suits her best - and thus most often finds its way onto her person.
As far as accessories go, she does not often wear them. However, on special occasions, she will occasionally don a small hairpin, decorated with a few colorful stones and an ornament carved in the shape of a lily. It's a cherished possession that formerly belonged to the previous shrine maiden, and she thus takes great care of it. Other such heirlooms make up the bulk of her accoutrements: a roughly-whittled reed flute, and a tall walking staff adorned with a brass head, with several rings and consecrated bells attached by strands of braided cord, said to help pacify spirits and ward off evil. This, in particular, is her constant companion on her walks, and its jingling often heralds her arrival.
Character Conceptualization
A mysterious, beautiful young woman who has lived at the Heiseina shrine for as long as most children of the village can remember. Though the older members of the village often respectfully but distantly call her "Lady Oyuki," it's unclear to the village children and adolescents precisely where this respect -- or perhaps fear -- comes from. The adults, however, know better, and often look to the high slopes of the valley when they speak of her, where a ruined manor house sprawls upon a high plateau, overlooking the village from a perch blanketed almost year-round by snow.
The Tsurugamine family was once a respected, wealthy house. They had settled upon land blessed by the spirits of the valley, where their flocks and herds could graze and eat their fill upon grasses that grew perpetually. They looked down on the other villagers from the comfort of their manor, and their words carried great weight among the elders of the town. The daughter of this blessed house, rumored to be a great beauty, would surely one day have been the most beloved and sought-after bride in all the village.
But something about her attracted the attention of more than just humans. There was an evil spirit from beyond the valley that longed for a child to call her own, and would stop at nothing to claim one; to raise, to bend to her will, and then, ultimately, to feed upon as she came into maturity, to restore the hag's own lost youth. Catching sight of this beautiful girl as she gazed from her balcony into the woods, the ancient hag's wicked soul was filled with desire. If she could claim such a child's vitality, surely her own aged body could be restored. And so, in the dead of winter, the ancient hag stole into the valley, violating the sanctity of the spirits and cursing the land with her intrusion. A thick, heavy snow began to fall without end, chasing out the spirits who would protect her prey from her, and scourging the once-verdant hill of life.
The great manor was frozen in ice, and the child was snatched from her parents' grasp. Though they struggled and screamed, they could do nothing to stop the ancient hag or her magic - and were at last frozen to lifeless husks where they stood. But before the child could be dragged back beyond the valley and into the realm from whence the evil youkai had come, the spirits she had chased away returned, bringing with them their staunch ally.
The sound of bells ringing amidst the stillness of the snow.
The sight of a proud back, standing between her and the unknown that threatened to devour her very existence.
The feeling of a warm cloak wrapped around her as she was carried from the crumbling halls of her once proud home, and a reassuring, gentle voice telling her that the world had not yet ended.
It was thus that the trembling, confused little girl came to find herself brought to the shrine. She didn't know what had happened, or why she had to lose everything -- but at the very least, she was not yet alone. Her new guardian treated her with the utmost kindness, consoling her for her loss and raising her as if the young Yuki was her own child. And as she grew older and came to understand her circumstances, she did not do so with bitterness, but with gratitude.
Her parents had been willing to part with their own lives to save her. Her dear, precious obasama had rushed to her side to save her, and was always there to protect her whenever she was afraid. No matter how much she had lost, she knew above all else that she was loved. Thus, above all else, she desired to return that love. To repay kindness with kindness became her motto, and she worked harder than ever to provide whatever comfort she could in return to the hero who had saved her life. She learned to cook, to sew, to embroider, and many other things, all so that she could provide gift after gift to her cherished obasama. As the only family she had left, and knowing that she could lose that family in an instant, she showered her mentor with all the childish affection and admiration she could, and was doted upon in return, prompting her to redouble her efforts to repay her ever increasing debt of gratitude.
In short, no matter what darkness she had seen, her childhood was happy. Yet, it was also shallow. The hag had been driven away, but was far too powerful to be sealed or slain. If she left the consecrated grounds of the shrine, then surely, the tragedy of her youth would be repeated. And so, she was kept sequestered within the shrine itself, from the time she was a child all the way up until she came of age, deprived of the company of all save for her guardian.
But this all changed when she at last came of age, and shortly thereafter, her dear, cherished mentor and protector passed away, as if her purpose was now fulfilled. So it was that the confused Yuki, the long-rumored daughter of a family now thought dead for at least a decade, came to have dealings with the village itself after her long seclusion.
The reactions her appearance garnered were mixed. Some thought she could not have been real -- that it was a ghost rather than a real girl that the old miko had so painstakingly kept hidden, that she was made of ice and would suck the life out of those who got too close to her, or spirit them away as she herself had been taken as a child. Others pitied her for the tragic life she had lived, offering to take her in and grant her sanctuary now that her guardian, too, was gone. Still others admired her for her beauty, and even went so far as to seek after the hand of this fair, mysterious maiden. Yet she, too shy to meet such fervent affections, retreated back to the safety and the familiarity of her shrine, and refused those who sought to court her as well as those who sought to take her in and offer her shelter. After all... she still had a debt to repay.
This shrine was her home. It was the place the person she had cherished more dearly even than her own parents had lived to protect. It was her duty, then, to see it taken care of. She could not leave. She would not betray her savior's memory. She would show her gratitude through her earnest devotion, her prayers, and her hard work. So it is that she has continued to maintain the shrine and follow in her mentor's footsteps, up until the present day.
And so, when one walks in the woods around the village, one often hears the jingling of bells and distant footsteps just a little further ahead. When one goes to market, one can see a hooded young lady buying fabric and selling clothes. And when one approaches the shrine on the edge of town late in the day, one can sometimes hear the mournful sound of a reed flute echoing between the cliffs overhead, like the song of a bird. So it has always been. So it will always be. Like a crane said to live a thousand years, the mysterious Lady Oyuki continues each day as she always has, living with constancy, with honesty, with duty, and with gratitude.
In that sense, perhaps she isn't so dissimilar from the spirits she seeks to appease - and perhaps that is why they are content to accept her ministrations, inexperienced though she may be.
As promised, I bring you my injured physician's assistant. Now I sleep.
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P E R S O N A L D E T A I L S
Full Name - Masaki Kenichi. Age - 18 Gender - Male Occupation - Apprentice Physician.
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P E R S O N A L I T Y
Agreeable Kenichi has never been one to "stir the pot." His own anxieties and self-consciousness regarding his longstanding injury and personal role within the Masaki family have bred within him, for the most part, a docile and passive personality. He does as he is asked without much question, which has served him well in his role as an apprentice physician.
Studious Kenichi has spent a lot of time being instructed in the medicinal arts, and perhaps even more time watching and participating in some form of fashion. He is always curious, however, and does whatever he can to learn more and refine his skills.
Spiteful Ambitiousness Dormant and underlying some of Kenichi's motivations to become an apprentice physician is his desire to accomplish all that he can in spite of his circumstances. He wants to become a better physician than his mother in spite of the belief when he was young that he would be worthless, and wants to prove that he is not some unlucky curse upon the Masaki family.
S K I L L S E T
Triage Kenichi has developed a decent understanding of treating various small injuries sustained through hard labor. He is skilled, both through sign and more traditional methods, in cleaning and dressing wounds. He can even, if steadied himself, help reset dislocated or broken bones.
Medicinal Treatments While Kenichi has a great interest in his mother's specialization of creating various medicinal treatments, Kenichi is still a novice. He can create very basic tonics and cures for minor ailments.
Diagnosis Being a physician's apprentice, a lot of his training in recent years has been in diagnosing various ailments and being able to recognize signs of the diseases that tend to spread within the community of Heiseina and the surrounding hamlets. He can't diagnose complex diseases, or even truly grasp the complexities of his own persisting injury.
Physical Description
Kenichi, at first, is physically unremarkable. He stands at around 5' 6", and is rather skinny. He lacks any clear muscle mass, though his upper body strength has been improved greatly as he has been unable to rely on his legs as much as he had in the past. He has a crop of brown hair that is usually somewhat unkempt, and he wears finely crafted warm clothes in layers (since he tends to get cold fairly easily). His striking blue eyes and angular face (helped, in part, by his lean diet) are stunning, but his expressions are often stoic or somewhat distant. He is never seen without his trusty wooden crutch, painstakingly carved by his father, and often carries a small pouch with his pain medicine for when his nerves start acting up.
Character Conceptualization
Kenichi was born as the older twin of Mako into the prominent Masaki family. Hanako and Akio were pleased to have twins, and hoped that in these two children they could instill their values. Hanako was Heiseina's second physician, serving under her mother-in-law (and therefore Kenichi's grandmother). She wished to instill in her daughter a love for medicine and treating the community's ailments. Akio, an herbalist and outdoorsman who helped to support his wife and mother's practice, was a more adventurous and wild soul at heart. He was excited to have a son he could take out into the valley to find rare medicinal herbs and take in the sights. Perhaps he would even take up an interest in hunting.
Kenichi, however, was far too sickly of a child to go out adventuring and exploring. He spent a lot of his childhood at home, watching his mother work and asking far too many questions. He developed his father's curious spirit, but his curiosity was geared towards why he always felt so feverish and sick. His mother was pleased to have her son take such an interest in her work, given Mako seemed far too interested in what was in the valley and the woods. It even helped to have another set of hands around, as she herself was born with only one arm. Kenichi, by the age of 10, had clearly been marked as the next Apprentice Physician when his grandmother passed away.
He spent 2 years learning the basics of cleaning and tending to wounds, to help take some of the burden off of his mother. He had very steady hands, and had a penchant for stitching or bandaging up wounds. Around the age of 13, Kenichi began to study his first sign: restore. It took him around 20 months to learn his first sign, but was pleased when he had finally gained the ability to begin speeding along the process of wound closure. He continued learning the basics of tending to wounds and beginning to develop a better understanding of diagnosing diseases for a few years. When they were 15, Mako finally began to learn the purify sign as well. With Mako studying full time, Akio took this opportunity to try and bond more with his growing son. Akio took Kenichi out on a small hunting trip.
Of course... Kenichi was always the one to try and please those around him. He wasn't a particularly strong or athletic child, having a rather gaunt figure due to his intense studying and rather sickly demeanor for much of his life. When Akio suggested Kenichi finally climb a tree while he was still young, Kenichi obliged without much thought. Kenichi climbed higher and higher, struggling and sweating his way up. His heart was pounding so loud he couldn't really hear his father shouting for him to get down and that he was joking. Of course, Kenichi did hear the squawking of a giant eagle passing nearby, and his feet slipped in his startled state. Kenichi had seen people with broken bones, and people who had injured themselves falling from a decent height. His mother had reminded him, time and time again, what not to do. But in his startled state of fear, Kenichi's right leg locked into place as he fell to the ground. He couldn't really remember what happened after that.
The next week was just fever dreams and pain. His leg had practically been shattered, and setting it appropriately was a great challenge. The weak Kenichi grew a bit weaker over the course of those months he spent at home trying to do his best not to move his leg. The leg healed remarkably well, all things considered. But Kenichi still has to walk around with a crutch and a limp everywhere he goes. He can't carry heavy things, run quickly, or climb well. Granted, this doesn't bother Kenichi too much in the grand scheme, given his implicit fear of the wildlife of the valley that is associated with the incident.
All the time bedridden and immobile gave Kenichi plenty of time to delve deeper into his studies. Time not spent relearning how to walk with his injury and succumbing to the white hot pain coursing through his leg was spent learning about diagnosing diseases and learning more about how to create his own pain medicine. At the age of 17, Kenichi began learning his second sign: Purify. He finds it both helpful in the preparation of some medicines, but also in combination with restore to help clean wounds.
Kenichi, a young adult now, is still haunted in part by his own limitations and his desire to surpass people's expectations of him. He is someone who desires to improve himself despite his current condition, and yet finds himself limited severely by chronic pain and a somewhat lame leg. He lives a slightly isolated lifestyle, but wants to learn and grow to be more of a member of the community as a whole than just "Doctor Lame Leg." His isolated lifestyle petrifies him with fright at the thought of conflict, either physical or verbal... which is something he will almost certainly have to confront moving forward if he's going to help cleanse his home.
Other Information
Signs:
Purify: Casting Purify will make something safe to consume for the caster.
Restore (Pending): Casting Restore will significantly reduce the time it takes a wound to heal.
Full Name - Chuma Onyejekwe Age - 26 Gender - Male Occupation - Farmer
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P E R S O N A L I T Y
Isolated Chuma is a very quiet man. He does not talk often because of the fear of verbal abuse that he might get from passing villagers. Chuma keeps to himself and prefers to be left alone. After all, no one really talks to him in the first place. There is no reason for him to go out of his way to strike up a conversation with anyone. He is at the farthest part of the village and no one goes to him but to just deliver his food rations. Chuma is just a very lonely man.
Ironwill Chuma is quite mentally fortified. The years of verbal abuse and work have hardened and desensitized the man. Say anything to him, and it will not bug or tick him off. He is a stone-faced man, and trying to anger or trigger response will not work. As a side effect of this, Chuma is calm in the face of insults and threats. Do your worst against him.
Diligent For Chuma, it is either work or starvation. Under the deal between him and the villagers, the man has to work, or he will not gain any food in return. This has fostered a mindset of diligent work. He will do what is needed of him without question. If there are obstacles between him and his job, then he will find a way to get around said obstacles. He will not stop until his work is done, and he cares for his work. Nothing will stop him except for death.
S K I L L S E T
Handler of Tools Chuma is very aware of how to properly use and wield various tools (mainly farming and crafting tools) with high levels of proficiency. He knows what ends are dangerous and how to make sure that he does not harm himself in the process of using blades and heavy tools. While this may sound easy, plenty of people have cut and harmed themselves because they were none the wiser. You’ll be surprised how many people don’t know how to use a saw blade or a hoe properly.
Fine Motor-Skills Chuma has very refined motor movement. He knows how to efficiently use his body and energy. He knows how to cut sugarcane by short-flicks of his wrists with his blade to cut off the stem, and not by using long arcs that both waste time and energy, but also stress his wrists and arms. He knows how to use his body weight and movement to push and bend a wooden handle to crush sugarcane. Years of working have allowed the man to understand his own body, and how it can be worked.
Blacksmithing Chuma knows how to handle the forge and hammer. The village was not gonna give him new tools, and so the man was forced to forge his tools, having to understand the fine details of metalworking. Simple as that.
Physical Description
Chuma Onyejekwe is extremely fit and healthy. Years of hard manual labor have greatly built up the muscle and structure of the man’s body. He has many calluses and scars on his hands, feet, and elsewhere from grueling work. The man is also bald and often wears no clothing but his pants. The man is built like a stone, and he acts like a stone. The way he moves is very rigid and methodical. Nothing is smooth or elegant about this person's appearance. He seems very brutish and uncaring from the outside.
Character Conceptualization
Chuma has nothing. He does not own a house, tools, land, or anything. Even his clothes are not his, owned to someone else wholly. Chuma hails from outside of the Heiseina village, belonging to a single family that just lays outside of Heiseina proper. Chuma and his family never bothered the people of Heiseina, and the folks of Heiseina did the same. The relationship between Chuma’s family and the Heiseina village was not a friendly one. From time to time, arguments over land and other items broke out. Most of these arguments never amounted to anything besides harsh words being thrown. To Chuma, it seems odd that the Heiseina village was so hostile to outsiders, but he never really cared. He was outside of their territory, even if it was a bit too close for comfort.
Life continued and Chuma gave little thought to this strange arrangement. Sadly for the man, a tragedy struck Chuma's whole family. A disease of unknown origins claimed brother, mother, sister, and father. For one reason or another, Chuma found himself unaffected by the disease. For a time, Chuma lived alone and farmed the land himself. That was until a swarm of bugs caused many crop failures, forcing Chuma to ask for food from the village. At first, the folks of Heiseina did not want anything to do with the stranger. He was an outsider, a threat. Fearing for his life, mainly the fear of starvation, Chuma offered a deal. He was to take on debt, and he would be forced to pay off that debt by hard labor. Takamori Kenji accepted the offer. From there on, life became much harder for poor Chuma.
Of course, Chuma also had to accept the customs, history, and beliefs of the village. If not then he would have died already since that was also apart of the deal. Chuma was sent out to the farthest part of the village, away from anyone, and was left alone in his own part of the village. He then handed various farming tools, food, and sugarcane seeds, told to farm and process sugar for the village. Chuma was also told that he did not own a single item that the village gave him as it was the property of the village. Not only that, he was expected to meet quotas or be forced not to eat. For the next 10 years, Chuma had his work sorted out. Wake up in the morning, stretch, go to the field, and work the land. If harvesting or the planting season was done then the processing of cane into sugar was the task of the day. If his tools were broken then he also had to fix them himself, forcing Chuma to take up blacksmithing in order to repair or make new tools, as the village did not like a stranger to be using their fine toolsets besides the first set that they gave him. If that was also done then the village always had something for the poor man to do. Chuma was never talked to by anyone, and in the rare case that someone did talk to him, it was always commands for him to do something.
This was not a pleasant experience for Chuma. The whole day was just grueling work and isolation. This has dehumanized the man and allowed Chuma to lose his social touch with others. He now has a hard time trying to socialize with others. 10 Years of near-isolation has greatly rusted any form of past social skills that Chuma once had. Chuma just feels powerless in his arrangement. There is nothing for him to do but to pay off his debt. At this point, he does not know when he will be done with it.
There is no joy in life now. It is just work, loneliness, and verbal abuse. This is existence for Chuma Onyejekwe.
Things got rather busy on my end, but my interest still stands even if I can't take part. The characters are looking great so far and I can't wait to follow along with this story! GO GUYS
I might not get a full concept nailed in time due to a series of bad decisions, and it looks like a bunch of people have ideas bettee than mine. I'll probs pull back my interest in this case and wish everyone luck! o7
Just saw this, but thought I may as well throw my hat into the ring.
(not my image, a close one to my idea I found) _______________________________________________
P E R S O N A L D E T A I L S
Full Name - Takamori Sakimoria Age - 16 Gender - Female Occupation - In the process of figuring one out. Wants to prove herself worthy to be the next master
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P E R S O N A L I T Y
Adventurous Any chance she got, Saki has always sought to explore wherever she could. She has long mapped out every inch of the mansion she grew up in and even some of the grounds around along with the village. Part of her wants to travel outside the village someday, maybe even see what's outside the valley. But she knows that that isn't likely, so contents herself with taking what adventures she can from the place she lives
Imaginative Growing up, Saki's most common games were to imagine she was some great hero out of stories, protecting others from those that would hurt them. Any time she could hear more of the old stories then or more about the old world, she'd leap on the chance, eager to add even more to her own stories. Even as she comes to the cusp of adulthood, she can't help but still imagine those stories to herself, playing pretend when she thinks no one else is looking.
Kind If there's one person that doesn't have a mean bone in their body, its Saki. Kind and compassionate, almost to a fault, she will go out of her way to help others if she can. Its part of why she wants to become the next Master. She wants to be there to help others and to defend them if the extraordinary should happen.
S K I L L S E T
Athletic Whether running, jumping, climbing, or lifting weights, Saki has worked hard to train herself in various ways to prove she would be a worthy candidate to become the next master. Also, it helped with her games to really be able to do the feats she imagined herself doing.
Traditional Housewife Training Her parents were always of a traditional sort of mind. And so, they made sure Sakimoria learned all there was about being a proper housewife so as to not embarrass the family and be better suited for marriage. Sakimoria never really liked the training, but she resigned herself to it since there was no way out for her. Therefore, she is at least decent with sewing, cooking, embroidery, proper etiquette, and other such skills. She only hopes that they don't become her whole life. The only part she's enjoyed is the few Signs learned to help with housework.
Literacy Sakimoria is proficient with reading and writing, even managing to learn to read some examples of ancient writing in order to better learn about the old world. She reads from the books around for more stories, history, and sometimes just for random facts or while bored and unable to do anything else. Then she also jots down thoughts, feelings, and some of her more fleshed out stories and ideas within her journal. She also uses it to practice Sign drawing, seeking anyway to improve her skills.
Physical Description
Long red hair that is most commonly done up in a simple high ponytail, but has been used to being in some more 'feminine' updos for formal occasions. Her eyes are a sparkling dark green within a diamond-shaped, symmetrical face. Stature wise, she's only slightly on the taller side, but has the muscles to match her activities.
Character Conceptualization
Sakimoria is the daughter of one of Master Takamori's relations that live within his manor. Her father and mother, Takamori Ryuji and Takamori Tanith, are a fairly matched couple, strict and scheming for the prosperity and status that would be theirs's if Ryuji inherited the title. Therefore, they've raised Sakimoria to be everything they've thought a woman should be in order for her to not disappoint them and to have a marriage that would help them with their goals. However, their scheming also meant that they weren't around much in her life, meaning she was left to be watched by maids in her early years that told her stories and legends of long ago. From the moment she first heard them, she was spellbound. Her imagination was captivated, and from that moment on she could not imagine anything but to be one of those heroes.
Of course, her parents did all they could to squash those dreams anytime she talked about them. She was a Takamori woman, in a time of peace. There would no talk of fighting or trouble from her. All they allowed her was to learn how to better be a future wife and mother, suitable for high society. And so, she stopped talking about heroes and her dreams with them. Instead, she simply used any moment she had free to explore along the mansion grounds and continue her make believe, doing what she could to train for being a hero whether from doing all she could to become more athletic to reading about everything she could get her hands on that revealed more about what ancient times and ancient heroes were like. Sometimes though, she'd go and look at Master Kenji's sword in its sheathe, daydreaming that one day, something might happen where she would be the one wielding it to save the village. If she was feeling bold enough, she'd go and ask him herself if he could take her on as his apprentice to be the next Master. She'd only be denied, but she's kept persisting, doing what she could to convince him to take her on, learning his ways in order to be more like him. If she was ever sent out to the village, she'd also go out of her way to see Seimei Tomo, having enjoyed learning signs under her and admiring the quiet confidence of her being, how even her parents had to respect her. She understood that she likely was outside Seimei's notice or remembrance, but she soon became another model for who she wanted to be like.
As the days have passed, the dream hasn't died, but she's had to put up with more and more of what her parents want, dreading the day they'd choose out someone to be her husband. Fortunately, they so far have not agreed on one person long enough to come close and anytime someone came anywhere close, she'd quietly figure out a same to sabotage it. Most of her make believe though now is sequestered to her journal, the times she's able to break away becoming fewer and fewer. Part of her just wants to get away from it all, leave the valley entirely and see someplace new. Another part wants her to just accept what her life is like and prepare herself for what she'll have to be. Still, the third part still wishes that she could be made the Master, be the ultimate hero of the village, or that something would happen that would allow her to become a true hero. However, she's about to learn that its better to be careful what you wish for...Because you might get it.
Other Information
Takamori Kenji: Basically her distant uncle. She looks up to him and hopes to be a hero like him. Seimei Tomo: Another person she admires and wants to be like. If Kenji never took her on as his apprentice, she would hope there was a chance that Seimei might. However, she knows that even less chance of that happening. Takamori Ryuji and Takamori Tanith: Her parents, distantly related to Kenji through one of his brother's. Don't truly care about Saki at all except as a means for their ends. Saki obeys them mostly because she has to honor and respect them, but part of her still wants their love and approval. She knows that that's impossible, but the heart wants what the heart wants. Signs she knows: Heat, Water, Purify, Mend? (pending, would basically be a Sign to fix things that have minor breaks like a basket)
Full Name - Esfir Konishi Age - 19 Gender - Female Occupation - Musician
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P E R S O N A L I T Y
Diligent Esfir practices. She practices daily, her devotion to her craft continues whether day or night, rain or shine. There is an obsession in the way she pursues her goal, one that straddles the line between healthy and unhealthy. One's past determines one's future, and one's present determines one's past. With that in mind, the effort she puts in now will only improve her life moving forward, so no effort should be spared. Her craft continues to be honed, each note plucked, each word sung bringing her closer and closer to...
Reserved Esfir endures. Her thoughts are her own, her dreams are her own, and the secrets that others share with her are secrets that she safeguards as intensely as her own. A wonderful confidant, a mirror that only reflects what others wish to see, she continues to listen, continues to watch, all while she plays her music and sings her songs. It is a rare virtue in one so young, to have a predilection towards a comfortable silence, and yet be predisposed towards such a public craft, but perhaps such contradictions only...
Charming Esfir smiles. Her voice is quiet but firm, her gesticulations controlled but warm. When she tells a story, she tells it with the entirety of her being, possessed by her craft. When she whittles away time with friends, her eyes dance to the world around them, drawing in beauty and comedy hidden on the side of the road. Perhaps there's a bit of stinginess. Perhaps there is a bit of selfishness. But those, perhaps, are just the flaws of her youth, fractures that give her friendliness golden veins to endear her to those surrounding her. Every quality has its place...
S K I L L S E T
The Musician Esfir plays a four-stringed instrument. She's self-taught. She's practiced for her entire life. Her skill, for all that, is only serviceable but quite imaginative. Unconstrained by prescriptive learning, she draws her inspiration from the sounds of the valley, imitating the scattering of leaves and the trickling of stream with voice and string. With a proper teacher, she could be further along than where she is. But meandering is a pleasure reserved for those who are loved, and she will take full advantage of that.
The Liar A good storyteller is a good liar, and Esfir is both. A solitary teardrop to create a scene of beautiful sadness. A belly-aching laugh to formulate camaraderie. An apologetic wince to encourage others to visit another day. Her reservations and her charm melt together into the fiction she weaves, at once candid and delusory. She does not demand truths, but rather requests faith. Never for harm though; only for the benefits of all. Ignorance is a pleasure best enjoyed alongside validation, and she will gladly offer such to her patrons.
The Traveler Her inspiration comes from around her, but she has long inscribed the sounds of the village into her mind. Esfir, for her craft, has learned to travel out when her patronages allow for it, trekking through the brush of the valley in order to look for what she seeks. A unique sound. A unique scene. Anything that could be used. Anything that could remind. She's neither fast, nor is she strong, but Esfir has learned her own pacing, learned how to move and sleep safely. Adventure is a pleasure best enjoyed when one is equipped to face dangers, but alas, Esfir eschews violence and thus only travels.
Physical Description
Standing at 5’1, Esfir cuts a slender figure, her skin sun-kissed and creamy, her eyes a deep magenta hue. She keeps her long, platinum blonde hair in a braid, tuck away under patterned cloths when necessary. Her chest is modest, her legs well-built, her fingernails cut short. Though her small smiles have a certain air of mystery to it, never let it be said that Esfir has a beautiful set of teeth: though relatively clean, they’re misaligned, an overbite that caused her plenty of grief as a young child. As an adult, she just opts to not open her mouth too wide when singing.
Her attire is a selection of cheap fabrics that, over the years, she has dyed and patterned until they resembled something exotic and eye-catching. There are a few shiny trinkets and baubles that she wears on an on-and-off basis, depending on the occasion and who she's likely to see. Her shoes are less remarkable compared to the rest of her attire, naught more but than a pair of sturdy jika-tabi, but she treats them more preciously than the rest. Clothing is easily replaceable. A good pair of shoes are not.
Character Conceptualization
Her father left her three things to remember him by.
Her name, constructed of uncommon sounds that did not relate to any particular words.
His instrument, which had one string too many to be a shamisen.
And a half-forgotten memory, a lullaby that arrested her soul even in her infancy.
Sometimes, Esfir would remember it in its entirety within a dream, only to wake up with the vestiges of it slipping through the gaps of her mind. Sometimes, Esfir would catch a bar or a phrase from the song of a bird or the breathing of a mountain, only for the notes to be drowned out by the noise of the world. Never long enough to give it back fully. Always long enough to tempt her to continue.
It’s a worthless pursuit, for a worthless woman. In an agrarian society such as Heiseina, there is no demand for music. The radio tower warbles out music of greater complexity than achievable by a single performer, and the notes of a stringed instrument does little to chase away the more immediate desires of the body. If one had time to idle away, they could fish instead. Hunt. Forage. Till their fields and grow their crops. Any talent for the arts should be used to fuel the pursuit of an artisan. In a village of one hundred, it’s much too easy to notice when people did not do their part, and easier still to malign them for it.
Brats who besmirched their family’s name. Scions who would not surrender their wombs. Outsiders dark and strange.
But Esfir, a girl with a strange name who did nothing but pluck at the strings of a strange instrument, who could not produce a single physical good, who was dependent solely on the charity of the villagers like an aged beggar with no family to care for them, was beloved. Was it her openness, her willingness to fraternize with whomever walked past? Was it her filial piety, her desire to care for a bedridden, homebound mother? Was it her dedication, how her music never silenced itself no matter the weather, the season, the occasion? From childhood to adolescence, she sat somewhere in the village, strumming out curious, delightful notes. At the river’s edge, for the fishermen to time their net-dragging to. Out on farmland, entertaining farmers enjoying their noontime respite. In the village’s plaza, melting away time as craftsmen waited for work. When did malignance shift to curiosity to endearment?
No one really knows, and few linger upon such thoughts. Esfir is a strange girl, but a good girl, they say. Her mother can’t teach her any crafts, and no one was certain who her father was. No doubt, there was some family shame, some misery that made Esfir such a private individual, but that was fine, and it wasn’t as if she became rich off her charity. Just food enough to fill out her frame, with some extra gifts when her unique craft suited the unique occasions. The apothecary had more wealth to be jealous of. The Fujiwaras had more power to be jealous of. And there were more egregious persons within the village to malign.
Her kindness is given for free, her craft is for all to enjoy, her desires are simple and just, and thus, she is loved.
Only in the occasional anecdote does anyone remember her mother, Taeko Konishi, anymore. It is never a good time to visit that bedridden woman, and Esfir is always there to apologetically turn well-wishers and physicians away at the door. Questions emerge, but the desire for domestic privacy too, is a simple and just desire.
Other Information
Occasionally, Esfir scrounges together enough coinage to hire a woodsman to accompany her through the more treacherous sections of the valley's wilderness, in search of fresh inspiration.
Over the years, Esfir's four-stringed instrument has changed greatly. Neither her nor Anayo are experts at the craft, but the two of them have on occasion scrounged through scrap and ruins to find a suitable replacement.
Though cautioned against it by more reputable folk, Esfir plies her craft to those within Heiseina who're considered less favorable as well. In these...exchanges, she asks for nothing, but is always alert for something.
Full Name - Takamori Fumiko Age - 19 Gender - Female Occupation - Master’s Apprentice || Caretaker
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P E R S O N A L I T Y
Optimistic Fumiko is a girl who many would describe as naive, even among those who had spent their whole lives within the village. She sees everything through a hopeful lens, seeing the absolute best in every situation. In any situation, the girl will instantly find the best outcome and zero in. However, Fumiko is optimistic to a fault. Due to her focus on the positives of each situation, she can come across as careless when she doesn’t consider that things could go bad and has gotten hurt before as a result. Despite this, Fumiko always picks herself back up and is right back to searching for the positives in her life.
Intelligent Fumiko was always a sharp young girl, excelling in her classes at the academy and the lessons from her great uncle at home. Quick to pick up on things, and with an excellent memory, Fumi often would remember even the smallest of details of any situation. She’s always curious and eager to learn more about the world, naturally drawn towards mysteries that might reveal some new knowledge to girl. Her knowledge, however, is academic in nature as opposed to knowledge gained from experience.
Charismatic Ever a popular girl in the village, Fumiko has a bit of wholesome, compelling charm about herself that draws people to her. When she speaks, the optimism in her words and confidence with which she speaks them has a way of convincing others that she might just be right. She has a habit of being quite persuasive and empathetic, useful skills when it comes to mediating arguments between her fellows, and when corralling the village children to head back to their homes instead of staying out to play.
S K I L L S E T
Photographic Memory With what can only be described as a perfect recall, Fumiko can easily remember any details she’s learned prior. Be it the details of a particular scenery she saw, the names and faces of villagers, or even details of a story she was once told. Of course, this has helped the young girl in a multitude of situations throughout her life, but it has also become something that Fumiko is a bit too reliant upon.
Euphonious Voice Fumiko’s voice is very soothing to the ear, be it in speech or in song. A trait that has often come in handy when it came to avoiding trouble for certain situations by simply charming her way out. When she speaks, many tend to at least partially pay attention to her words, if nothing else then for the easy way her voice floats upon the air. Of course, this trait is useful in more situations than just avoiding trouble, as it has certainly helped the girl when attempting to calm upset villagers.
Diplomacy Being one of the few candidates being trained to replace her Great Uncle when he eventually passes, Fumiko has spent quite a bit of time learning how to handle situations with her words. Be it in settling disputes, or the rare times where she might be needed to deal with outsiders, Fumiko has continually demonstrated herself to be quite adept at handling diplomatic situations.
Physical Description
Standing at a height of 5’5, Fumiko is about average height for a girl of her age, but that is around where the scale of being ‘average’ ends for her. With rather striking facial features, Fumiko has always been a sight easy on the eyes. With her face typically being adorned with a dazzling smile that showed even in her eyes, Fumiko is like a ray of sunshine throughout the village. Those very brown eyes were like windows into her soul, as getting lost in them would easily betray all the hope, joy, and whatever other myriads of emotions she might be feeling. Her elegant facial features, mixed with her fair, flawless skin framed by long, curly, brunette hair that flows just past her shoulders all help to create quite the beauty. The kind that is rare in that her beauty is rather effortless to maintain.
With a lean form and sporting elegant curves, Fumiko’s face is not the only striking thing about her appearance. While she is not toned as other villagers might be, the young girl does keep herself in shape through various activities. Though her clothing choices are not ones chosen to showcase her body, the girl favors outfits that are more comfortable for whatever task is at hand that day than ones that are meant to be ‘pretty'. As such, Fumiko is often seen wearing her favorite yukata, one which is pink and embroidered with flowers along the outside edges. Outside of this, the girl tends to favor simplistic clothing choices, a pair of trousers or shorts accompanied by a simple tunic, if she is going to be spending the day doing labor. On the rare occasions where Fumiko is to dress up, the girl will typically wear a kimono of the same colorings and design as her Yukata, accompanied by matching flowers braided into her hair.
Character Conceptualization
Fumiko’s life is one without struggle, the girl having grown up in a loving home that was absent of strife. At least, strife that a young girl would recognize. A home life that she would later learn many would have done just about anything to have themselves.
Fumiko has enjoyed a close relationship with her Great Uncle, Takamori Kenji, or her “Uncle Kenji” as she often refers to him. As a result of their close relationship through the years, Fumiko has taken on quite a few of his own qualities and world views. These show in her unending optimism for their village and their people thriving together, and how eager she is to put every ounce of her being into working to ensure this comes true. Even if her actions are as small as simply going out to the fields to help the farmers with their harvest for that day, Fumiko does this action with pride.
For much of the years spent in schooling, Fumiko managed to stand out among her classmates. In part for the easy way she went about making friends, part for her excellence in her studies, and in part for just who she is related to. In addition to her studies, Fumiko also had a nasty habit of worming her way into arguments between students and trying to mediate to settle their differences. A task that has met with varying success, and certainly affected the opinion of at least some in her class. These years in her schooling are part of what helped build the girl’s reputation as one of the forefront options to take over after her uncle and helped draw his attention to consider her as one of the few serious candidates.
Around the village, Fumiko has taken on the role of a ‘caretaker’ as she describes it. That is, she watches over and cares for both the children and elderly during the days their families must tend to other responsibilities. As such, Fumiko has used her slight aptitude for signs to learn two very basic signs. The first being fire, which she uses to help light a flame when she is preparing meals for those she is caring for, and to help add a dramatic effect to legends or stories she might tell children for entertainment. The other, glow, is used much the same as the latter effect of fire, more entertainment for the children. Fumi spends much of her time not spent taking lessons and acting as her uncle’s assistant filling this role as a caretaker. As such, much of her time is spent with either the youth or elderly of their village. The elderly who she often spends time listening to their stories and eagerly absorbing their tales instead of telling her own.
In what little free time Fumiko can scrape together, she is doing one of a few different things. She likes to spend that free time either dancing, singing, or out exploring to find beautiful scenes to sketch in her sketchbook. Though her skills with the latter are described best as amateur. Although, exploring might not be the best term. Fumiko very rarely strays beyond the village borders, and even then she does not let her home out of her sight. Unlike her sketching, however, Fumiko is quite adept at both her song and dance. Though she very rarely performs either outside of the privacy of her own chambers, only the children she watches are able to convince her to perform for them.
Despite how pure her life may seem, that does not mean that the girl is without flaws or tragedy in her life. Fumiko lost her mother to illness when she was 14 years old, and despite her firm beliefs to the very end that her mother would recover… Fumi was in the room as she drew her last breath. The girl almost completely shut down and withdrew from the outside world for nearly two months in the wake of this tragedy. Very rarely was she seen outside of her room, and when she was… Fumiko was a skeleton of the girl she used to be. This tragedy haunts her until this very day, with the very concept of death causing Fumiko to quickly retreat back into herself just as she had in the wake of that horrific day. Outside of the tragedy, Fumiko has a few other flaws that mar the image of the perfect young girl she tries to present. She has become so reliant on her perfect memory, that she rarely will listen to the advice of others (save her Uncle) on things she believes to already have knowledge about. Her habit of forcing herself into disagreements between others to try to mediate still persists, and has earned her a few foul points on her reputation.
Though, perhaps her darkest secret is that despite the carefree persona she likes to portray to the world, inside her mind things can get much darker. She battles with a shocking lack of self-confidence, a scar left on her mind from her mother’s passing. Though not a constant companion, when that dark voice raises in the back of her mind, Fumiko has nothing she can do to quiet it. Despite her hopes and beliefs for everybody else in the village, Fumiko’s belief in herself is completely lacking. This shows through the cracks in her facade in the way that Fumiko so wholly dives headfirst into any situation she believes will help others. No matter the cost to herself, a way to subconsciously settle the debt she owes for failing to help her own mother. After all, surely there was something she could have done to save the woman. In addition to this, Fumiko often refrains from giving herself much praise, doubting that she is worth said praise.
Despite her inner demons, Fumiko’s strong desire to serve and help the people of her village still burns just as bright. The girl is vying hard to be chosen to fill her Uncle’s position so that she can play such a helpful role to her home as he had, and without even a second wasted on selfish thoughts of how the position might benefit her. Her innocence to the world also continues to strive onward, as she lacks enough experience to tell her anything outside of her personal tragedy could be remotely commonplace. After all, things had been so ideal and wonderful in their village till now… why would they ever change?
Other Information
Fumiko knows two signs:
Fire
Glow
Fumiko is the great-niece of Takamori Kenji.
Here is my submission! I hope it lives up to being as awesome as the rest of you!
(not my image, a close one to my idea I found)
