Hawthorne

Vigil of the Faithful (Anime-Inspired Exorcist RP)

Tag for interest, might remake Ekaterine

@Smike

Nice! She's a fun character for sure. Glad to see her return.

Vigil of the Faithful (Anime-Inspired Exorcist RP)

And to ping my All-Star Cast...

@Inertia@Mantou@Smike@Spectral

Vigil of the Faithful (Anime-Inspired Exorcist RP)

I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” - Psalm 91:2

Vigil of the Faithful

---

A parliament of monsters hides behind the curtain. They emerge, sometimes, past the red velvet. They move in shadows among the human herd, reaching out and plucking the unsuspecting into their grip. Humans can be livestock to the hungry, lovers to the lustful, and toys to the wicked. All the horror stories talk of it: vampires filling their mouths with our blood, lycanthropes harrying mortal prey through dark forests, demons convincing a man to hand over his soul in a gift-wrapped bundle.

But they aren’t just stories, are they? No, the horrors are real, hiding within a labyrinth of mystery.

They have many names. Rakshasa. Oni. Agma. Shaytan...

Demon.

Whatever they are called, one thing remains constant: wherever there are demons, there are people who hunt them.

You are one such person. Armed with steel, fire, and faith, you keep the Vigil. Someone must bear the burden of your thankless Crusade-- so let it be you. But you are not alone-- others like you fight elsewhere, doing what needs to be done. Perhaps you still fight that good fight, or perhaps you've laid down your arms, having passed on your teachings to someone else. Whatever the case is, today you have received a message: a summons, directing you to Las Vegas, where an entire Compact of hunters has gone silent.

Intel suggests that this Compact uncovered a small clan of vampires, and likely perished in the attempt to eliminate it. An unfortunate loss, to be certain, but organizations in the region are scrambling to contain the situation. Boots on the ground are already establishing a perimeter while trying to keep things hidden from the public. They've even sent for hunters from different parts of the world. Whether you're the on first flight out, or are already driving across states to reach the infamous Sin City, you know things won't be easy when you get there.

---

OOC Section

Hey everyone. Crawling out of my hole for a while as I'm in that RPGuild mood again. This time, I wanted to try taking a stab at a spiritual successor to one of the RPs I was in, called Divine Intervention (with an honorable mention to Into the Depths). Although we didn't get far, it was a fun time, and we were on record pace before it unfortunately ended. Regardless, I've found a lot of inspiration in that and have been hankering for a similar RP since.

I suppose in that sense, it's good to be the change you want in the world.

This is an action/horror RP (leaning more on the action part) that's inspired by the likes of Supernatural, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Hellsing, the Fate Series, and various other media. You would be playing a person of a religious denomination known in their circles as a Hunter. They're also frequently known by alternative terms such as Exorcist, Executor, Onmyouji, or various other titles. Your character is assumed to be an experienced, seasoned hunter of some renown in their circles, but this is not necessarily required.

Most important, I think, is the fact that this is intended to be a short RP. There's a rough plotline in my head that involves a group of Hunters arriving, fighting their way through a city block infested by vampires and their minions, before ascending a skyscraper and putting an end to the threat. If this RP succeeds, I'll be more than happy to continue it afterward, perhaps writing a new mission or arc. But the pacing is important, and I'd like to try and keep it that way.

tl;dr: I want to run a small, campy action RP about killing demons (though in this case, vampires). If you want to crack some skulls and preach the word of God (or whatever it is you believe in), I'll be happy to take on a few players.

---

Sheets and References

Sheet

Sheet and format below. Be sure to add an image and change the hider name accordingly!

Who Are You?

Organization

Division

	NAME: FULL NAME ______________ AGE: AGE HERE ______________ DATE OF BIRTH: MONTH - DAY - YEAR ______________ FAITH: CATHOLIC or PROTESTANT or EASTERN ORTHODOXY or OTHER ______________ NATIONALITY: RACE ______________

PERSONALITY
^{______________}

Description of character's personalities, motivations, etc.

EQUIPMENT
^{______________}

Format what you will to describe your equipment - mainly your weapons, armor, and gear.

CAPACITY
^{______________}

Description of character's physical and mental capacity. Note the talents, skills, and proficiencies relevant to the scenario.

If you need explanations on what should be in each section, feel free to check the hider below, and to ask if you're still not sure!

Explanations

ORGANIZATION: The name of the organization that employs this character. Can be written in that country's native language, or translated into English.

CHAPTER: The division that this character works under. Can be anything as simple as "Division 44", and "10th Battalion" or as complex as the "Organized Chapter of Exorcists of the Vatican City". Other names like "Task Force: Valkyrie" or "Mobile Task Force: Kings of Uruk" are also possible. Like the previous entry, this can be written in that country's native language, or translated into English.

NAME: Your character's full name and aliases.

AGE: Your character's age.

DATE OF BIRTH: Your character's date of birth. For reference, the year is 1972, two years after the events of the first RP.

FAITH: Your character's faith of choice. You are primarily assumed to be a Roman Catholic, Protestant, or Eastern Orthodox priest, but it's entirely possible to bring in a Buddhist, Daoist, Animist, or something else entirely! Even a 'faithless' character who believes in nothing but the strength of the iron in their hand. These are the exceptions rather than the norm, however, so please discuss this possibility before bringing one in!

NATIONALITY: Your character's country of origin and race. Naturally, only humans exist in this world.

PERSONALITY: Description of your character's personalities, motivations, etc.

EQUIPMENT: Description of your character's equipment list. Your characters know that vampires are involved in this operation, and may pack accordingly.

CAPACITY: Description of your character's physical and mental capacity. Note the talents, skills, and proficiencies relevant to the scenario. As a reminder, your character is assumed to be a veteran Hunter of some renown in their circles, and should probably have the skills to match. It's entirely possible to bring a neophyte or 'apprentice' character to one of the other PCs though-- just ask!

A sample sheet, and one of the NPCs already on the ground before the rest of you get here.

Alistair Ardizzone

Ordinis Sancti Exorcistarum Christi

Ordinatus Capitulum Exorcistae de Vatican City

	NAME: ALISTAIR ARDIZZONE ______________ AGE: 28 ______________ DATE OF BIRTH: OCTOBER 10, 1944 ______________ FAITH: CATHOLIC ______________ NATIONALITY: ITALIAN ______________

PERSONALITY
^{______________}

Outwardly, Alistair appears to be a kindly young priest who treats everyone he meets with dignity, respect, and a smile on his face. He is wise, understanding, and surprisingly knowledgeable about the ways of the world. He appreciates art, music, and the little things. Above all else, he is a pious man who has dedicated his life to serving the Lord.

Inwardly, Alistair harbors a deep resentment for demons and the unrepentant and can be particularly cold or angry toward them. He isn't afraid to get his hands dirty and believes that ridding the world of these undesirables would be better for everyone. To him, being denied salvation is a small price to pay for the opportunity to save the world, and he'd readily give it up again if he had to. He's also fiercely protective, and perhaps even a little possessive when it comes to those he truly cares about. Paradoxically, Alistair will die for a cause he truly believes in without hesitation yet is simultaneously not yet ready to die.

After all, there is so much more work left to do.

EQUIPMENT
^{______________}

- Ceremonial Longsword: A holy relic, dating back to the First Crusade, this steel longsword has an edge forged from sanctified silver. Gilded with gold and jewels, this weapon was meant to be used to anoint members of an ancient order of holy knights, rather than be used in true combat. Although heavy and unwieldy, it feels light and fast in the hands of the Ordained. Its edge is dull when used against the innocent, while unrepentant sinners find it sharp-- enemies of the Lord cannot even bear to be in the blade's presence, finding the sword to cut supernaturally deep. Alistair keeps the blade in its scabbard, only ever pulling it free if he knows he must purify.

- Holy Bible: A heavy-set grimoire, containing the Word of God. Alistair has each page committed to memory, but he finds the presence of the tome comforting. He can also recite scripture and verses directly from the Bible, causing many demons to recoil in pain. Weaker demons may burn away, though stronger ones may merely be weakened by such acts.

- Reliquary: A leather satchel containing holy symbols, scripture, and other objects that are anathema to demons. Supplies include, but are not limited to: vials of holy water, silver crucifixes, a ritual dagger, a jeweled grail, notes on religious rituals, images depicting the Lord, his Son, the Virgin Mary, and various other Saints, wooden stakes, blessed nails, a hammer, a set of candles, and of course, bread and wine.

CAPACITY
^{______________}

Despite his thin, seemingly frail physique, Alistair is deceptively tough, his physical and mental fortitude impressive even among other exorcists. He was shown to have a prodigious talent for the arts of battle. He leverages this training to great effect during combat, combining his talent and training together. Fast, strong, and tough, the man is a dangerous combatant in close quarters.

When wielding the holy sword, Alistair uses traditional techniques from Fiore dei Liberi, a form of Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA) that revolves around the use of a longsword. When fighting without his blade, he uses a street-boxing style, honed through a turbulent youth in the streets of post-war Rome. If pushed, the man isn't afraid to fight dirty, having learned a long time ago that if there are lives on the line, then no technique is too dishonorable.

In addition, the man knows the entirety of the Bible, the Old and New Testament having been committed to memory. If he encounters a situation where his blade will do him no good, he always has the Gospel and the Scriptures to fall back upon. When even that is tested, he taps into reserves of willpower and determination rarely ever seen, except in men with nothing to lose, but everything to gain.

Discord Server can be found here.

Pokémon: Feudal Legends

Putting in my tentative interest in. I'm not sure if I'll have time for this due to upcoming projects on my end, but I will say that the concept of trainers fighting alongside their Pokemon has always interested me. The fact that this seems to be a pretty well-thought-out setting and concept is a plus too!

~ Valkyria Chronicles - Changing of the Guard [Pt. 2 - Open] ~

Be quick or be dead.

_{December 30th - Imperial Trenches}

---

It was easy enough to slip past the No Man's Land under the gaze of some inattentive sentries. Elliot had known their routines at this point, and knew he had little to fear. Following his commander's orders, the marksman and the rest of the raiding company had made it through to the enemy trenches. He kept a steady hand on his sidearm-- a John-Wissel Revolver, standard issue for marksmen like him. He briefly questioned (again) as to why he and the other marksmen were dispatched on a raid like this, but at this point, it was too late to complain. All he could do now was carry out his duties.

And that much, he could manage.

From their elevated position, it seemed that the most direct path was to enter the trench, and then head either east or west. As they deliberated upon this, however, Mehatabel, the furious gunner from a while back, had leapt in by herself. In turn, the rest of the team quickly followed to cover her assault. Elliot merely blinked, gripped his revolver tighter, and followed the rest of the raiding party in. Now that shots have been fired, it was only a matter of time until the enemy had realized what had happened, and raise the alarm...

...but if they were quick enough, they might be able to pull off their mission without many casualties. To be in and out before they could rally a defense. To be sudden enough to leave them scrambling away in confusion.

To strike like lightning from a cloudless sky.

"I'll cover you. Go!" He said n a hoarse whisper to nobody in particular-- just loud enough to be heard in the fighting of the trenches, but just soft enough to not give himself away.

The first shot from the sergeant had taken one out, and a myriad of fine cuts and rough stabs had reduced the other two men to nothing but bodies on the ground. True to his word, Elliot was several paces behind his companions, solely focused on keeping their rear and flanks covered. Holding his revolver in front of him, his eyes swept from corner to corner, doing his best to ensure that there were no survivors on the ground, or stragglers hidden in a corner of the trench.

As long as the rest of the raiding party could handle whatever's ahead, he'd handle the rest, and keep them from being surprised. It paid to be prepared-- trouble sends no warning, after all.

Fire Emblem: Legacy of the Empyrean Throne

_{Interacting: @Spectral}

---

The shinobi had spotted him by the roadside as she approached, but before she could say anything, the hunter had spoken up. Just as well-- if she had her way, he wouldn't have seen her, and she would have silently passed by without so much as a hello. Still, the fact that Satoshi was as productive as usual was refreshing in its own right. Izumi, in turn, strode forward, before bowing politely.

"Kataoka-san." The ninja said simply. "I could say the same for you-- though I shouldn't be surprised. It seems you're as diligent as ever." She says, before glancing over at the spoils of his morning excursion. "I take it your hunt was successful?"

As Izumi spoke to the hunter, she mentally evaluated him-- recalling the dossier she had written regarding him. Satoshi had been with the Silver Hawks for a few years, and served as one of the company's scouts. He was skilled with the bow, and was good at hunting and gathering. The shinobi had turned to him to the gathering of reagents in the past, and they've even worked together on scouting missions before. His background was fairly unremarkable, however; born in Hoshido to a family of smiths, and had left seeking something better.

All in all, he was an ordinary man. But even an ordinary man could do great things.

The shinobi stood at a respectful distance, and made no offers of assistance. As far as she was concerned, this was Satoshi's kill, and he didn't need help lugging it around. A hunter was capable of that much, after all. Izumi eyed him up and down, satisfied with the amount of small talk that had taken place.

"...I'm heading back to Drakesfoot, if you wish to accompany me." Her tone was neutral, as if she didn't mind one way or the other if he accepted or decided against it.

Fire Emblem: Legacy of the Empyrean Throne

---

A light mist settled upon the forest floor as the sun began to rise. The shinobi had been here even before the crack of dawn-- a habit she had established long ago during her years as an apprentice ninja. Izumi knelt upon the ground, hidden behind some foliage, and deep in thought as she analyzed her course of action. A crow calling out to its flock in the distance seemed to be a satisfactory signal, as the ninja leapt from her ambush spot and attacked.

The shinobi ran into the center of the clearing, her eyes adjusting to the target. Steel glinting in the light of the sun, her hands were a blur as she flung a trio of shuriken. With a snap of her wrists, the metal stars flew forward; two struck their target dead-on, while the third deviated slightly, landing only a serviceable hit. Izumi clicked her tongue in annoyance, before dropping to her knees as she reached for another set of weapons.

She envisioned the target before her. The body had three-hundred-sixty-five acupuncture points-- one for each day of the year. Were this any other time, she could certainly perform acupuncture and insert a needle for each one, but for now, she would have to settle for five. Heart, lung, liver, kidney, and, stomach. It was the nature of the shinobi to disrupt, and that included the body's equilibrium. Izumi shut her eyes, and let loose a barrage of senbon, the iron needles nearly imperceptible in flight.

Five soft thuds were heard-- if you weren't listening for it, the sound would've easily been drowned out in the forest.

And they struck true. Hanging from a tree branch was a small mannequin of wicker and straw-- a crude facsimile of a man. Two shuriken had struck the neck, and a third had landed on its right shoulder. Meanwhile, five needles were embedded in the practice dummy's body, each one having struck a vital organ. Senbon weren't exactly the most lethal of weapons, but in the hands of a trained shinobi, it was a deadly armament.

"Not bad." Izumi finally said, after inspecting her handiwork. "...if I were killing motionless men of straw." She then scoffed as she collected her weapons.

Again. You will do this over and over until you get it right. Until it is perfect.

---

Dressed in simple, inconspicuous traveler's attire, Izumi could almost pass for Nohrian, were it not for the Hoshidan blade hanging at her hip. Almost. she was traveling down the forest path towards the city of Drakesfoot. Satisfied with the results of her training, she figured it was time to return to the city and check-in with the rest of the Silver Hawks. They were all on leave at the moment, of course, but for now, she had other things to do. Who she would run into on the way there, or within the city, the shinobi was uncertain.

Hawthorne's RPGuild Characters

Matsuyama Izumi

---

Name:
Matsuyama Izumi (Formerly Kurokumo Izumi)

Age:
27.

Nationality:
Hoshidan, Naturalized Oshan.

Class:
Ninja.

Role:
Infiltrator.

---

Appearance:

Izumi

((Note: You would not believe how hard it is to find decent, completely non-suggestive art of a (non-Naruto) kunoichi. I suppose that's an inherent part of their appeal. Switch these clothes out for a less anachronistic, and more conventional full-body ninja attire.))

Standing at 5"4 and weighing roughly 120 lbs, she has a rather unassuming stature. Still, with her fierce red eyes and short black hair, Izumi does not look much like a conventional woman in the slightest. Her body is lean and catlike, toned over decades of training and combat. Her facial expressions always seems to default to being dour and irritated-- an unfortunate quality for someone in her line of work.

Depending on the mission, Izumi will change her outfit and loadout to best suit the situation. If stealth is required, she wears dark clothes that cover her entire body, or shift into a kimono, yukata, or hakama to blend in. If, for some reason Izumi is deployed onto an open field, or some other area that will involve intense fighting, she will typically don a set of metal arm and shin guards in addition to some lighter armor. She prefers to be armed at all times, and does her best to hide a set of knives on her person, even when in disguise.

Personality:
Utterly devoted to her tasks, and prepared to perform her duties by any means necessary, Izumi is the ideal kunoichi. When she is on a mission, she does her job with cool efficiency, and isn't afraid to die if it means the completion of an important task. She does, however, have her pride as a professional, and isn't afraid to praise good work and admonish poor performance, be it that of a friend, an enemy, or her herself.

Outside of battle, however, she's aloof and reserved, even among trusted comrades. She almost never talks about her past. Those closest to her know that this is simply how she is... but she has walls that she rarely ever lets down, and that's evident to pretty much everyone. Izumi can often be found training alone to keep her skills sharp, or producing materials for the next operation-- a testament to her dedication.

History:

Biography

Born to a diminishing clan of ninja in service to Lord Utsunomiya Morihiro, a Hoshidan Liege Lord on the Hoshido-Osha border, Izumi was the youngest (and only) daughter raised among four other sons. Still, she was raised to fight for her clan, and trained in the arts of a shinobi. Although she did not possess the same raw talent as her brothers, she worked twice as hard to overcome her deficiencies. She could never win a spar, but each time she was defeated, she returned with the same fiery hunger in her eyes.

As Izumi grew older, her work ethic had come to trump the natural talent of her siblings. She still lost most clashes of brute strength, but she was twice as cunning, and was never afraid to resort to trickery to win. With their skills now developed, the shinobi of the Kurokumo Clan eventually went on to complete various missions for the Lord Utsunomiya, earning them his favor.

However, this seemed to be a double-edged blade, as the lord began sending the shinobi of Kurokumo Clan on progressively more dangerous missions, with little time to recuperate after losses and injuries. As her friends, clanmates, and siblings began to fall, Izumi began to harden her heart, and focus on the missions ahead. After a string of difficult missions, they were given one final task: to assassinate one of the lords of Igasato-- an attempt to snatch land and power in the region.

The Kurokumo Clan nearly succeeded on the attempt, but had failed on their last crucial step. The offending ninja were quickly killed or subdued, and the rest of the clan in their mountain home were rounded up. For their crimes, the entire clan would be subjected to the Execution of the Five Kindred. An execution as thorough as this guaranteed that there would be no attempt for revenge, as everyone starting from the great-grandfather, all the way down to the great-grandson would be put to the sword.

More than enough to decimate their small clan of shinobi.

Naturally, this was the end for their clan. Lord Utsunomiya would not dare lift a finger-- doing something now would incriminate him as the mastermind, and moreover, he had always planned on using the ninja of the Kurokumo Clan as fodder in his game. The king need not put himself in check to save a pawn.

Still, as was her oath, Izumi resisted torture and refused to give up the name of her employer. Each day, they would execute one member of the Kurokumo Clan at random, and the first to give them the information they needed would go free. Nobody would speak, but the torturers made good on their promise. She was the last one alive-- Izumi knew she was dead already, and so, she would take her secrets to her grave.

Or so she thought.

Thanks to the timely intervention of a mysterious benefactor, Izumi had somehow managed to escape the keep. Now on the run from Hoshidan lawbringers, she planned to flee to Nohr-- as far as she was concerned, as the last remaining member of the Kurokumo Clan, her contract to the Lord Utsunomiya was completed. She made it as far as Osha, before she was caught by the authorities. Quite mysteriously, however, they instead sought to bring her to Lady Naitou, the apparent benefactor for Izumi's escape.

Oshan officials made a show of executing the captive shinobi, and soon, the Execution of the Five Kindred was complete. The black clouds of the Kurokumo was nothing more but ashes in the wind, scattered by the light of the Solar Throne... but they did not seem realize that it was a body double. In the years since, the Wraith of the Kurokumo has faithfully served Lady Naitou in all aspects. Izumi had grown weary of the infighting of Hoshido, and had found great purpose in fighting for her new master.

In the years following, Izumi has cut her hair short, and has changed her family name to "Matsuyama", after the Yukigara Mountains. As retainer to Lady Naitou, she's since gone on multiple missions. On a few of those operations, she has worked in tandem with Toda Ujiteru and other such retainers. Her most recent mission, however, is to offer her talents to the Silver Hawks, where she will serve as Lady Naitou's eyes and ears. She has since worked for the mercenary band for several years now, earning their trust (as much as one can trust a ninja, at any rate)... and a decent paycheck for it, too.

For now, she carries on her mission. Only time will tell if her loyalty to Lady Naitou remains strong, or if her allegiances will align with that of the Silver Hawks.

Supports:

• Toda Ujiteru - A colleague of hers, even prior to her joining the Silver Hawks. Izumi has a professional respect for his skills, and can trust him to back her up in a fight. She has an ulterior motive, however-- she observes his thoughts and actions, and is trying to gauge as to whether or not Ujiteru's loyalties to Lady Naitou are still intact.
• Aburaage Noriko - Surprisingly, Izumi gets along well with the new commander. They maintain a friendly, if not professional working relationship, and share similar sentiments regarding honor (or the lack thereof) and competency (and how it should be present). On occasion, Izumi receives training and pointers from Noriko on how to perform in a direct fight while armed with swords-- a weakness that the ninja seeks to rectify.
• Hidaka Sanji - A strange partnership at first blush, but one that Izumi relies upon quite often, as of late. Any time she spends gathering reagents for her poisons is time she could have been spending elsewhere-- either training, or gathering information. Thus, she looks to Sanji as a useful asset in that regard. Recently, however, she has also started receiving lessons on more traditional medicine, as her own knowledge on the subject is highly focused on topics that would assist in assassinations, such as anatomy or poison.
• Kataoka Satoshi - Similarly to Sanji, Izumi often looks to him for additional reagents that he finds out in the wild. While his skills as an herbalist might not necessarily on par with the apothecary, it is nevertheless useful to have him around. It never hurts to be prepared-- and it helps to have a well-stocked atelier, in that case.
• Kaitlyn - As the one of the few members in the Silver Hawks who can possibly match her own skills as an infiltrator, Izumi can't help but keep tabs on the maid's movements. Naturally, it is presumed that Kaitlyn does the same to the ninja. As a fellow person in her trade, Izumi has a deep respect for her, and it is because she respects the maid that the shinobi will never truly let her guard down in her presence (concealed or otherwise).

---

Skills:

• Infiltrator - As a shinobi, Izumi is capable of all manners of subterfuge. She can blend in with the shadows, unseen, or hide in plain sight, in disguise. She can also pick locks, set and disarm traps, and decipher coded messages, so long as she's given enough time to work. Her skill in athletics and acrobatics also allows her to reach high places quickly and quietly, and evade capture if need be.
• Pinpoint Precision - Having been rigorously trained since childhood, Izumi can reliably hit a target's vitals from twenty paces away. She acts with speed and accuracy-- it is said that all of her attacks are her simply emulating her first, perfect throw, over and over again. In addition, she is well-versed in anatomy and pressure points, and can even fight to disable or subdue targets, with a bit of effort.
• Alchemist - Poison is a useful tool in any shinobi's arsenal. Although her knowledge of medicine is rather rudimentary, Izumi's knowledge of poison is staggering. She can concoct poisons in the field, and neutralize enemy poisons with her own, if need be. If provided with time and materials, she can also craft smoke bombs, flash bombs, firecrackers, and other pyrotechnics to use in field operations.

Trivia:

• In Fire Emblem terms, she would probably have a low STR and RES, high SKL and SPD, middling HP, DEF and MAG, and above-average LCK. At the start of the RP, she would have C-rank in Shuriken, and a D-rank in Swords.
• Izumi has a bit of a sweet tooth-- a guilty pleasure of hers, really... Except for tea, which she prefers as is.
• She doesn't have an artistic bone in her body, though she is surprisingly good with origami.
• Izumi can only cook about as well as the average person, but she's quite good at creating and preparing tea. Most of her cooking skills, however, are used in the production of 'shinobi manjyu', which is a special kind of ration developed by the Kurokumo Clan. A single dumpling can provide a day's worth of nutrients, but... is absolutely disgusting to eat, and smells horrible. Naturally, she reserves them for emergencies.

Fire Emblem: Legacy of the Empyrean Throne

Matsuyama Izumi

---

Name:
Matsuyama Izumi (Formerly Kurokumo Izumi)

Age:
27.

Nationality:
Hoshidan, Naturalized Oshan.

Class:
Ninja.

Role:
Infiltrator.

---

Appearance:

Izumi

((Note: You would not believe how hard it is to find decent, completely non-suggestive art of a (non-Naruto) kunoichi. I suppose that's an inherent part of their appeal. Switch these clothes out for a less anachronistic, and more conventional full-body ninja attire.))

Standing at 5"4 and weighing roughly 120 lbs, she has a rather unassuming stature. Still, with her fierce red eyes and short black hair, Izumi does not look much like a conventional woman in the slightest. Her body is lean and catlike, toned over decades of training and combat. Her facial expressions always seems to default to being dour and irritated-- an unfortunate quality for someone in her line of work.

Depending on the mission, Izumi will change her outfit and loadout to best suit the situation. If stealth is required, she wears dark clothes that cover her entire body, or shift into a kimono, yukata, or hakama to blend in. If, for some reason Izumi is deployed onto an open field, or some other area that will involve intense fighting, she will typically don a set of metal arm and shin guards in addition to some lighter armor. She prefers to be armed at all times, and does her best to hide a set of knives on her person, even when in disguise.

Personality:
Utterly devoted to her tasks, and prepared to perform her duties by any means necessary, Izumi is the ideal kunoichi. When she is on a mission, she does her job with cool efficiency, and isn't afraid to die if it means the completion of an important task. She does, however, have her pride as a professional, and isn't afraid to praise good work and admonish poor performance, be it that of a friend, an enemy, or her herself.

Outside of battle, however, she's aloof and reserved, even among trusted comrades. She almost never talks about her past. Those closest to her know that this is simply how she is... but she has walls that she rarely ever lets down, and that's evident to pretty much everyone. Izumi can often be found training alone to keep her skills sharp, or producing materials for the next operation-- a testament to her dedication.

History:

Biography

Born to a diminishing clan of ninja in service to Lord Utsunomiya Morihiro, a Hoshidan Liege Lord on the Hoshido-Osha border, Izumi was the youngest (and only) daughter raised among four other sons. Still, she was raised to fight for her clan, and trained in the arts of a shinobi. Although she did not possess the same raw talent as her brothers, she worked twice as hard to overcome her deficiencies. She could never win a spar, but each time she was defeated, she returned with the same fiery hunger in her eyes.

As Izumi grew older, her work ethic had come to trump the natural talent of her siblings. She still lost most clashes of brute strength, but she was twice as cunning, and was never afraid to resort to trickery to win. With their skills now developed, the shinobi of the Kurokumo Clan eventually went on to complete various missions for the Lord Utsunomiya, earning them his favor.

However, this seemed to be a double-edged blade, as the lord began sending the shinobi of Kurokumo Clan on progressively more dangerous missions, with little time to recuperate after losses and injuries. As her friends, clanmates, and siblings began to fall, Izumi began to harden her heart, and focus on the missions ahead. After a string of difficult missions, they were given one final task: to assassinate one of the lords of Igasato-- an attempt to snatch land and power in the region.

The Kurokumo Clan nearly succeeded on the attempt, but had failed on their last crucial step. The offending ninja were quickly killed or subdued, and the rest of the clan in their mountain home were rounded up. For their crimes, the entire clan would be subjected to the Execution of the Five Kindred. An execution as thorough as this guaranteed that there would be no attempt for revenge, as everyone starting from the great-grandfather, all the way down to the great-grandson would be put to the sword.

More than enough to decimate their small clan of shinobi.

Naturally, this was the end for their clan. Lord Utsunomiya would not dare lift a finger-- doing something now would incriminate him as the mastermind, and moreover, he had always planned on using the ninja of the Kurokumo Clan as fodder in his game. The king need not put himself in check to save a pawn.

Still, as was her oath, Izumi resisted torture and refused to give up the name of her employer. Each day, they would execute one member of the Kurokumo Clan at random, and the first to give them the information they needed would go free. Nobody would speak, but the torturers made good on their promise. She was the last one alive-- Izumi knew she was dead already, and so, she would take her secrets to her grave.

Or so she thought.

Thanks to the timely intervention of a mysterious benefactor, Izumi had somehow managed to escape the keep. Now on the run from Hoshidan lawbringers, she planned to flee to Nohr-- as far as she was concerned, as the last remaining member of the Kurokumo Clan, her contract to the Lord Utsunomiya was completed. She made it as far as Osha, before she was caught by the authorities. Quite mysteriously, however, they instead sought to bring her to Lady Naitou, the apparent benefactor for Izumi's escape.

Oshan officials made a show of executing the captive shinobi, and soon, the Execution of the Five Kindred was complete. The black clouds of the Kurokumo was nothing more but ashes in the wind, scattered by the light of the Solar Throne... but they did not seem realize that it was a body double. In the years since, the Wraith of the Kurokumo has faithfully served Lady Naitou in all aspects. Izumi had grown weary of the infighting of Hoshido, and had found great purpose in fighting for her new master.

In the years following, Izumi has cut her hair short, and has changed her family name to "Matsuyama", after the Yukigara Mountains. As retainer to Lady Naitou, she's since gone on multiple missions. On a few of those operations, she has worked in tandem with Toda Ujiteru and other such retainers. Her most recent mission, however, is to offer her talents to the Silver Hawks, where she will serve as Lady Naitou's eyes and ears. She has since worked for the mercenary band for several years now, earning their trust (as much as one can trust a ninja, at any rate)... and a decent paycheck for it, too.

For now, she carries on her mission. Only time will tell if her loyalty to Lady Naitou remains strong, or if her allegiances will align with that of the Silver Hawks.

Supports:

• Toda Ujiteru - A colleague of hers, even prior to her joining the Silver Hawks. Izumi has a professional respect for his skills, and can trust him to back her up in a fight. She has an ulterior motive, however-- she observes his thoughts and actions, and is trying to gauge as to whether or not Ujiteru's loyalties to Lady Naitou are still intact.
• Aburaage Noriko - Surprisingly, Izumi gets along well with the new commander. They maintain a friendly, if not professional working relationship, and share similar sentiments regarding honor (or the lack thereof) and competency (and how it should be present). On occasion, Izumi receives training and pointers from Noriko on how to perform in a direct fight while armed with swords-- a weakness that the ninja seeks to rectify.
• Hidaka Sanji - A strange partnership at first blush, but one that Izumi relies upon quite often, as of late. Any time she spends gathering reagents for her poisons is time she could have been spending elsewhere-- either training, or gathering information. Thus, she looks to Sanji as a useful asset in that regard. Recently, however, she has also started receiving lessons on more traditional medicine, as her own knowledge on the subject is highly focused on topics that would assist in assassinations, such as anatomy or poison.
• Kataoka Satoshi - Similarly to Sanji, Izumi often looks to him for additional reagents that he finds out in the wild. While his skills as an herbalist might not necessarily on par with the apothecary, it is nevertheless useful to have him around. It never hurts to be prepared-- and it helps to have a well-stocked atelier, in that case.
• Kaitlyn - As the one of the few members in the Silver Hawks who can possibly match her own skills as an infiltrator, Izumi can't help but keep tabs on the maid's movements. Naturally, it is presumed that Kaitlyn does the same to the ninja. As a fellow person in her trade, Izumi has a deep respect for her, and it is because she respects the maid that the shinobi will never truly let her guard down in her presence (concealed or otherwise).

---

Skills:

• Infiltrator - As a shinobi, Izumi is capable of all manners of subterfuge. She can blend in with the shadows, unseen, or hide in plain sight, in disguise. She can also pick locks, set and disarm traps, and decipher coded messages, so long as she's given enough time to work. Her skill in athletics and acrobatics also allows her to reach high places quickly and quietly, and evade capture if need be.
• Pinpoint Precision - Having been rigorously trained since childhood, Izumi can reliably hit a target's vitals from twenty paces away. She acts with speed and accuracy-- it is said that all of her attacks are her simply emulating her first, perfect throw, over and over again. In addition, she is well-versed in anatomy and pressure points, and can even fight to disable or subdue targets, with a bit of effort.
• Alchemist - Poison is a useful tool in any shinobi's arsenal. Although her knowledge of medicine is rather rudimentary, Izumi's knowledge of poison is staggering. She can concoct poisons in the field, and neutralize enemy poisons with her own, if need be. If provided with time and materials, she can also craft smoke bombs, flash bombs, firecrackers, and other pyrotechnics to use in field operations.

Trivia:

• In Fire Emblem terms, she would probably have a low STR and RES, high SKL and SPD, middling HP, DEF and MAG, and above-average LCK. At the start of the RP, she would have C-rank in Shuriken, and a D-rank in Swords.
• Izumi has a bit of a sweet tooth-- a guilty pleasure of hers, really... Except for tea, which she prefers as is.
• She doesn't have an artistic bone in her body, though she is surprisingly good with origami.
• Izumi can only cook about as well as the average person, but she's quite good at creating and preparing tea. Most of her cooking skills, however, are used in the production of 'shinobi manjyu', which is a special kind of ration developed by the Kurokumo Clan. A single dumpling can provide a day's worth of nutrients, but... is absolutely disgusting to eat, and smells horrible. Naturally, she reserves them for emergencies.

Fire Emblem: Legacy of the Empyrean Throne

Matsuyama Izumi

---

Name:
Matsuyama Izumi (Formerly Kurokumo Izumi)

Age:
27.

Nationality:
Hoshidan, Naturalized Oshan.

Class:
Ninja.

Role:
Infiltrator.

---

Appearance:

Izumi

((Note: You would not believe how hard it is to find decent, completely non-suggestive art of a (non-Naruto) kunoichi. I suppose that's an inherent part of their appeal. Switch these clothes out for a less anachronistic, and more conventional full-body ninja attire.))

Standing at 5"4 and weighing roughly 120 lbs, she has a rather unassuming stature. Still, with her fierce red eyes and short black hair, Izumi does not look much like a conventional woman in the slightest. Her body is lean and catlike, toned over decades of training and combat. Her facial expressions always seems to default to being dour and irritated-- an unfortunate quality for someone in her line of work.

Depending on the mission, Izumi will change her outfit and loadout to best suit the situation. If stealth is required, she wears dark clothes that cover her entire body, or shift into a kimono, yukata, or hakama to blend in. If, for some reason Izumi is deployed onto an open field, or some other area that will involve intense fighting, she will typically don a set of metal arm and shin guards in addition to some lighter armor. She prefers to be armed at all times, and does her best to hide a set of knives on her person, even when in disguise.

Personality:
Utterly devoted to her tasks, and prepared to perform her duties by any means necessary, Izumi is the ideal kunoichi. When she is on a mission, she does her job with cool efficiency, and isn't afraid to die if it means the completion of an important task. She does, however, have her pride as a professional, and isn't afraid to praise good work and admonish poor performance, be it that of a friend, an enemy, or her herself.

Outside of battle, however, she's aloof and reserved, even among trusted comrades. She almost never talks about her past. Those closest to her know that this is simply how she is... but she has walls that she rarely ever lets down, and that's evident to pretty much everyone. Izumi can often be found training alone to keep her skills sharp, or producing materials for the next operation-- a testament to her dedication.

History:

Biography

Born to a diminishing clan of ninja in service to Lord Utsunomiya Morihiro, a Hoshidan Liege Lord on the Hoshido-Osha border, Izumi was the youngest (and only) daughter raised among four other sons. Still, she was raised to fight for her clan, and trained in the arts of a shinobi. Although she did not possess the same raw talent as her brothers, she worked twice as hard to overcome her deficiencies. She could never win a spar, but each time she was defeated, she returned with the same fiery hunger in her eyes.

As Izumi grew older, her work ethic had come to trump the natural talent of her siblings. She still lost most clashes of brute strength, but she was twice as cunning, and was never afraid to resort to trickery to win. With their skills now developed, the shinobi of the Kurokumo Clan eventually went on to complete various missions for the Lord Utsunomiya, earning them his favor.

However, this seemed to be a double-edged blade, as the lord began sending the shinobi of Kurokumo Clan on progressively more dangerous missions, with little time to recuperate after losses and injuries. As her friends, clanmates, and siblings began to fall, Izumi began to harden her heart, and focus on the missions ahead. After a string of difficult missions, they were given one final task: to assassinate one of the lords of Igasato-- an attempt to snatch land and power in the region.

The Kurokumo Clan nearly succeeded on the attempt, but had failed on their last crucial step. The offending ninja were quickly killed or subdued, and the rest of the clan in their mountain home were rounded up. For their crimes, the entire clan would be subjected to the Execution of the Five Kindred. An execution as thorough as this guaranteed that there would be no attempt for revenge, as everyone starting from the great-grandfather, all the way down to the great-grandson would be put to the sword.

More than enough to decimate their small clan of shinobi.

Naturally, this was the end for their clan. Lord Utsunomiya would not dare lift a finger-- doing something now would incriminate him as the mastermind, and moreover, he had always planned on using the ninja of the Kurokumo Clan as fodder in his game. The king need not put himself in check to save a pawn.

Still, as was her oath, Izumi resisted torture and refused to give up the name of her employer. Each day, they would execute one member of the Kurokumo Clan at random, and the first to give them the information they needed would go free. Nobody would speak, but the torturers made good on their promise. She was the last one alive-- Izumi knew she was dead already, and so, she would take her secrets to her grave.

Or so she thought.

Thanks to the timely intervention of a mysterious benefactor, Izumi had somehow managed to escape the keep. Now on the run from Hoshidan lawbringers, she planned to flee to Nohr-- as far as she was concerned, as the last remaining member of the Kurokumo Clan, her contract to the Lord Utsunomiya was completed. She made it as far as Osha, before she was caught by the authorities. Quite mysteriously, however, they instead sought to bring her to Lady Naitou, the apparent benefactor for Izumi's escape.

Oshan officials made a show of executing the captive shinobi, and soon, the Execution of the Five Kindred was complete. The black clouds of the Kurokumo was nothing more but ashes in the wind, scattered by the light of the Solar Throne... but they did not seem realize that it was a body double. In the years since, the Wraith of the Kurokumo has faithfully served Lady Naitou in all aspects. Izumi had grown weary of the infighting of Hoshido, and had found great purpose in fighting for her new master.

In the years following, Izumi has cut her hair short, and has changed her family name to "Matsuyama", after the Yukigara Mountains. As retainer to Lady Naitou, she's since gone on multiple missions. On a few of those operations, she has worked in tandem with Toda Ujiteru and other such retainers. Her most recent mission, however, is to offer her talents to the Silver Hawks, where she will serve as Lady Naitou's eyes and ears. She has since worked for the mercenary band for several years now, earning their trust (as much as one can trust a ninja, at any rate)... and a decent paycheck for it, too.

For now, she carries on her mission. Only time will tell if her loyalty to Lady Naitou remains strong, or if her allegiances will align with that of the Silver Hawks.

---

Skills:

• Infiltrator - As a shinobi, Izumi is capable of all manners of subterfuge. She can blend in with the shadows, unseen, or hide in plain sight, in disguise. She can also pick locks, set and disarm traps, and decipher coded messages, so long as she's given enough time to work. Her skill in athletics and acrobatics also allows her to reach high places quickly and quietly, and evade capture if need be.
• Pinpoint Precision - Having been rigorously trained since childhood, Izumi can reliably hit a target's vitals from twenty paces away. She acts with speed and accuracy-- it is said that all of her attacks are her simply emulating her first, perfect throw, over and over again. In addition, she is well-versed in anatomy and pressure points, and can even fight to disable or subdue targets, with a bit of effort.
• Alchemist - Poison is a useful tool in any shinobi's arsenal. Although her knowledge of medicine is rather rudimentary, Izumi's knowledge of poison is staggering. She can concoct poisons in the field, and neutralize enemy poisons with her own, if need be. If provided with time and materials, she can also craft smoke bombs, flash bombs, firecrackers, and other pyrotechnics to use in field operations.

Trivia:
Izumi has a bit of a sweet tooth-- a guilty pleasure of hers, really.