Bartimaeus

Di'Siveks: Adventure (A D&D 5E Game)

@rush99999 Indeed.

Also, lmao. It seems we may be somewhat of a troupe of forge-huggers so far.

Di'Siveks: Adventure (A D&D 5E Game)

Think I might go for an Artificer for this'n, seems like a good in-between for what classes we already have mentioned.
I will ask, @rush99999, are you allowing firearms in this particular campaign? I would assume no, but just wanted to clarify in case you were.

Di'Siveks: Adventure (A D&D 5E Game)

Poggers.

Anyone Wanna See If I Can Pull Off This Whole Dungeon Master Thing? (D&D 5e)

I've been desperate for a 5e campaign for a while, so I'll tentatively throw in my interest - which will vary based on the setting decided upon.

Kōkyo | Anime Survival Horror RP [Recruiting]

I'll get around to getting my sheet together in the next few days c:

Royal Rumble: Rumble over the Heavens

This first Royal Rumble was pretty fun, so I'll see if I can brew up a sheet.

Kōkyo | Anime Survival Horror RP [Interest Check]

@Kuro I just binged All of Us Are Dead as well, it does put ya in the mood for this sorta thing don't it?

Kōkyo | Anime Survival Horror RP [Interest Check]

I only have one rp commitment atm, so I could perhaps join you for this Kuro <3

Pokémon: Feudal Legends

Location: Saffron Village
Mentions: N/A

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The steady, monotonous sound of a Tauros' hooves clopping against the dirt path beneath them would soon come to an end. Kurayami Kondō could, for the moment at least, find some measure of relief in that. The Village of Saffron was in eyeshot now, and he allowed his shoulders to relax, if only a bit, as he spared a glance a few feet up to his left at the cart driver which he was charged to protect. The merchant was a bit older, and carried luxury textiles and other pricey baubles as wares, which would warrant such an escort, even as small as it was.

Kurayami lowered his gaze to look underneath the driver's box at the man who tromped along the side of the coach opposite him. He looked.. a bit grotty, to put it nicely. He wasn't well kempt and he wore little in terms of self-protection. The only thing that would make one think of him as some form of security was the shoddy-looking Katana he wore. Kurayami wondered to himself for a moment if this was really his true station now - amongst those would could hardly finance even a modest lifestyle. He shook the thought from his head. The down-trodden man was only here because he allowed it. In truth, the Ronin had persuaded the merchant to accept just him as his escort, after a time of convincing. But the other man had practically begged the merchant to let him in on the job - unannounced, even. Kurayami was against it, and tried to sway the older gentleman otherwise, but it seemed he was not quite as scrupulous as his newfound sword-for-hire.

In the end though, it mattered little. They were rather fortunate in that their journey went uninterrupted - though not without a few corrections from Kurayami as to which routes they should travel. Now they had arrived at their destination, and two of the three of them let out sighs of relief as they drew near.

The guards of the eastern-most entrance signaled for the carriage to yield to a halt as they circled it, gauging the intent of its passage. There was a small conversation between one of them and the driver, before they re-converged ahead of them once more and gave the go-ahead to the older man, seemingly content with the search. The Tauros snorted and began to clop on once again, soon passing through the large gates which were now open to them.

It was just as Kurayami had remembered it to always be. Expansive. Busy. Loud.
People walking, running, trotting about their own businesses - people both old and new to the town enjoying the protection the city's walls offered them. Life in Saffron was easy, for most. The former samurai was broken from his musings as the carriage had come to a halt near a small clear area.
"Kondō-san."

Kurayami raised his gaze to the older gentleman stepping down from his carriage, and offered an arm for support. The man accepted it and came down to stand with him, beginning to shuffle through his kimono until he found what he was looking for. He produced a small pouch, placing it in the Ronin's hand with a smile. "Arigato gozaimashita."

Kurayami returned a small nod. "Arigato gozaimasu."

He offered a slight, forced smile before he turned away from the man, leaving him to his business.

"I need a drink.." He said to himself, finally beginning to feel the fatigue in even his good leg.

He tucked the pouch in one of the more close-to-skin pockets within his Kamishimo, and let his eyes scan for an inn or bar. He spotted a Ryokan, and wasted no time beginning a reasonably paced walk towards it. The light feeling of a familiar beak against his arm, and the large eyes that looked up at him from the corner of his vision reminded him that Hisa was in equal need of refreshment, though assuredly she was much less tired than him. She was basically designed for travel.

They found themselves entering the inn and were greeted kindly by a few faces. Kurayami was happy to find a lack of prepared uwabaki in the establishment - he had never been fond of removing his shoes - but really it made sense, considering the growing popularity of Pokémon companions made traditional genkans.. mostly futile. The Ronin and his partner entered the common area, and the man made his way to the last empty table of the lot, Hisa following behind. He finally sat, releasing a subdued groan of relief as his legs finally rested. His eyes rose to search the room for a server, and he made a gesture with his hand to let them know he was there when they were ready for him.

It wasn't long before he was served - a healthy serving of rice, a bit of meat, a half cup of alcohol, and some fish for Hisa. He thanked the server and her Furret with a nod, before the two began to chow down.

Pokémon: Feudal Legends

Kurayami Kondō

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Basic Details ► AGE 29 ► HEIGHT 6'02" / 189cm ► WEIGHT 190lbs~ / 86kg~ ► HAIR Black ► EYES Yellow-Gold ► CLASS Ronin

APPEARANCE Kurayami is, seemingly, a rather unassuming man. He is tall, though not remarkably so, but does admittedly possess a physique usually reserved for those who tend to the fields of battle or agriculture. He would have a somewhat forgettable face, if not for the couple of scars that mar its left side - though luckily for him, they seem to have healed well and are for the most-part faded. His regular, black hair highlights the aspen-gold tone of his eyes, which are usually rather watchful upon an otherwise neutral face. Kurayami, though he does seem to try and hold himself with some measure of respect, has a rather mellow stature to him - and the most observant individuals might notice a weight to his shoulders that is seemingly ever-present. When it comes to his wardrobe, Kurayami much values function over form. Luckily for him, his paler skin and the unique tone of his eyes make fashion a breeze with darker clothing - not that he would ever admit caring. He usually wears a sort of tame, armor-like Kamishimo, as well as a few scattered pieces of other armor. He's reluctant to travel, or go anywhere really, without wearing some form of protection, clothing or otherwise. Wherever one sees Kurayami, they see the personal weapons he carries on him. Alongside the Wakizashi he wears on his left hip, the young man also carries a Tinbe and an old, odd-looking sword with a hook. The final facet that may distinguish Kurayami from a crowd is his occasional limp.

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_PERSONALITY

Most who've met Kurayami would probably call his personality somewhat subdued. He's not outgoing, but doesn't seem timid either, or particularly prickly. He makes a quiet point of keeping those around him at arm's length - literally and otherwise.
It has, understandably, been the mistake of a few to think that such an understated air meant the man would be pliant to their wishes - but Kurayami is far from pliable. When need be, he can be quite a forceful individual. He can show great sternness when needed, and when brought to action seems more competent than his muted bearing lets on.

In truth, Kurayami is himself an adventurous, fun-loving, sometimes even jovial, individual - but it has been some time since he has truly embraced how he used to be. Hints of such personal verities are hard to draw out of him, and have been forsaken from his personality for a time now.

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_BIOGRAPHY

Bio

Growing up was a lot different than what Kurayami's life is now.

He was born the son of a respected Samurai of Shogun Fuji's court known by the name of Junichirō Kondō. Being born to such status is something many would kill for - and much to the joy of the Kondō family, it seemed their blood was strong within little Kurayami. From a very young age he showed promise and a strong disposition towards the way of their occupational familial ties. It was quickly that the young boy grasped the lessons taught to him by his father and the many tutors afforded them by their station.

The boy grew fast. There were some bumps along the way, but the Kondō family couldn't be more happy with the overall progress their son had come to achieve. It wasn't until Kurayami's mid-teen years that they hit their first real roadblock. The young boy collapsed in pain during training, prompting his father to stoop to his aid quickly. Young Kurayami was just that - young - but the secret he had been hiding for weeks was something even he knew he wouldn't be able to keep to himself forever, even though he knew that such a thing would strip him of any hope of becoming a Samurai in the Shogun's court. He reluctantly told his father. For weeks he had been hiding severe shooting pains in the muscles of his left leg - but there was no explanation he could find for it.

After a few agonizingly long days waiting for one of Junichirō's trusted physicians to analyze the problem, it was ultimately decided that the issue was genetic, and there was no way to cure it. Junichirō himself was devastated, but Kurayami pleaded with him hour after hour to let him become a samurai anyways. He would persevere - he could ignore it. Eventually Junichirō allowed it, although skeptical as he was. They would keep it secret.

From then on, more of young Kurayami's lessons were in private - but he didn't let his condition deter him. He had never wanted anything more - every fiber of his being was determined to become a samurai.

As his adolescent training began to come to an end, Junichirō started to insert his son into even more traditional ceremonies - one of the more important ones being Miai. Young Kurayami was only moderately interested in this specific process, but wasn't a heartbreaker - he would entertain the idea but never coldly turn anyone down. The process was going a bit too slowly for Junichirō's tastes - but that worry was soon halted when one woman he introduced, Sakura Yamazaki, stole Kurayami's attention entirely. She was a stubborn woman, seeming less interested in the process than even him, but something about her just pulled him in.

It took weeks for Kurayami to pry past the edged exterior the woman made him face, but eventually he did - and their love soared - much to Junichirō's happiness. The lovebirds grew to be the closest you'd ever seen, and their relationship and love came to be revered and used as an example amongst the court.

However, there was still more responsibilities for the now-young-man Kurayami. It was difficult for his father to pry him away from his love to continue his training and duties. The young man even managed to sometimes sneak out of his training to accompany Sakura in her own duties, which she would abandon for him in turn. Their commitment to each other seemed to overshadow everything around them - they were in their own little bubble.

With Sakura by his side, time went by quickly for Kurayami - it wasn't much longer before the fact he had finally become a samurai was sprung upon him seemingly out of nowhere. He was pulled away from his love and was finally thrust into his true duty - serving as an active samurai under Shogun Fuji.

And serve he did. For over a year Kurayami served under the Shogun - and quite a samurai he was. Despite the longing he felt for his bride, he somehow managed to use it as a fuel to power past the disruptiveness of the condition that he still hid to this day. Despite having a few self-imposed rough patches in his training, his blood was a brew for battle, and he made his family proud. Kurayami, however, found himself no longer caring about that. His duty made him miserable if it kept him away from what he truly wanted - and eventually he decided to act on it.

He deserted. After just over a dozen-and-a-half months of serving as a samurai, Kurayami deserted his post.
He returned to Sakura and they stole each other away. They fled south of Saffron Village, where they had grown up, and made a small, secluded home for themselves with what wealth they had stolen away. The home they'd made for themselves was quaint - unlike what they were used to - but even if it had been a hovel they wouldn't have cared. They were there for each other.

And there they stayed for years. Kurayami, although it was a learning process, eventually managed to set up a bit of a homestead and worked the land modestly, raising a few livestock Pokémon to supply for them and their soon-to-be-born child.

It was peaceful.

At some point along the way, the former samurai caught word of one of the many bouts of infighting amongst the clans that resulted in the death of his father. It.. was a hard blow. Part of him broke down when he heard it. His father had been so kind to him. Part of him wondered if.. if he had been there..
He slapped himself out of the thought.

He returned home after hearing the news and told his wife of his plan to visit the funeral in secret. Fortunately the whole plan worked out smoothly. There was a small hiccup when Kurayami tried stealing his father's wakizashi, but in the end it worked out, and he got to keep a solidified memory of his dad. That night he had a mourning drink - or a few - in the closest bar he could find, and afterwards made the oh-so-safe trek back to their homestead. He didn't make it even a couple steps past the front door before he passed out.

He woke only an hour or so later, it seemed, to the sound of a blood-curdling scream. He was sobered immediately. He stood wobblily, the buzz distracting from the pain in his leg as he drew his father's wakizashi with more fluidity than one would expect from a drunk man. He shouted for his wife, stumbling through the home to their bedroom, where he smashed through the door unceremoniously. The sight before him made the blood in his veins turn to ice. A dark figure dropped out of the window just as he entered, and another figure laid completely still on the floor at the foot of their bed.

Kurayami dropped the sword and fell to his knees, his hands shaking as he grabbed the still shape of Sakura. He pled with himself to somehow fix her, his pleading leading into hysterics as he just stared at his dead wife, repeatedly checking her bloodflow and breathing despite it obviously being too late. His eyes burned as his tears fell onto what was once such a bright light in his life. His frantic eyes twitched up from her and to a shape that caught his eye nearby against the corner. His trembling hands left the still-warm skin of his beloved. He hurriedly stumbled, tripping over his own feet to reach the other shape. Another shadow peeled away from the corner nearby and lunged at him in defense of the smaller one before it suddenly stopped itself -- Hisa, the Doduo with which he served the Shogunate alongside, covered in blood from a gash across its chest.

Kurayami ignored it and crawl in desperation towards the shape swathed in small, thin blankets. He couldn't hold back the flow of tears as he realized his child was not screaming.

He collapsed, letting the overwhelming sorrow overtake him. Hisa tried to nudge him with her beaks, despite her own wounds, but he reached up and shoved her away, throwing himself up, ignoring the pain in his leg as he stomped over to the window. He screamed into the darkness in complete unbridled rage, throwing every obscenity that he knew as the tears streamed down his face. He smashed his fist into the wall at each word, bloodying it. Eventually, he ran out of words, and he let himself fall to the floor.

Why.. who.. would do this..? Was I followed home? Was it a rival clan? Did the Shogunate find me?

He had so many unanswered questions tearing through his brain - all plastered onto the pale afterimage of his wife's blood-spattered face. He didn't know whether to let the sorrow take him or the rage. All he could do was weep. Hisa tried to comfort him once again, scooching over and lowering her beaks. She recoiled when he raised a trembling hand, but allowed him to take her into a weak hug.

I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry..

It was there that he wept until he passed out.

- - -

It's now been almost a year since then. His life has changed...immeasurably. He found nowhere to turn after the death of his wife and child, and ended up wandering back towards Saffron Village after all the years away. He makes his dues through various tasks and quests usually well under his true station - but work isn't too scarce for a skilled Ronin. He doesn't truly know what he's doing, but feels.. some form of obligation to both his late father and late wife to do better than.. whatever it was he was doing when they were still around. The underlying guilt drawn from the death of his father pushes him to hold interest in the welfare of the clans and the Shogunate, and the knowledge that his wife was always proud of his prowess as a respected samurai leads him to want to act on it - in spite of how hard that would currently be.

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PARTNER POKEMON

Doduo

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KNOWN MOVES ► MOVE 1 Drill Peck ► MOVE 2 Aerial Ace ► MOVE 3 Steel Wing ► MOVE 4 Mimic	BASIC DETAILS ► HEIGHT 4'06" / 140cm ► WEIGHT 86lbs / 39kg ► MET AT Saffron Village ► NATURE Adamant ► FAVORITE FOOD Curry / Seafood