[hider=Hiyama Masaru][b]Name[/b]: Hiyama Masaru (In traditional fashion, family name first here.)

[b]Age[/b]: 23

[b]Race[/b]: Oni

[b]Appearance[/b]: [url=http://safebooru.donmai.us/posts/2198195]That one took a while...[/url]
Standing at about 6' tall, Masaru's build still only somehow manages to show a fraction of the power that he's able to put out. While not training his body or taking the occasional small drink, he usually dons a red haori over his upper body. He generally retains the shorts, though. He's not quite stocky, but not quite lean, either. What he IS, though, is well-built. When in 'demon mode', Masaru gains a pair of black horns, about an inch in height, that protrude from the top of his head, and his skin turns a shade of red that his race is most known for. During the colder months, steam may also become visible upon and during activation, though to no extreme extent.

[b]Personality[/b]: While it would be apt to call Masaru a bit of a musclehead, that term doesn't quite do him justice. While he DOES love to train and fight, those terms do not define him as a whole. While he may be incredibly hotblooded at times and jump into action at the drop of a hat, he is also a generally jovial guy who can relax just as well as he can work. The influx of humans around the time he was born also led to him picking a few more tricks on the side. While he is honest and loyal and generally doesn't like being tricked (or tricking others, for that matter), he's not unwilling to outwit an opponent in the style of a famous Hamon user if it comes down to it. Honestly, though, at the end of the day he really just wants a good fight.
Given the nature of oni and his upbringing, Masaru also has a tendency to make random small talk if he's bored out of his mind. He also loves tests of strength, but he's not a complete idiot and won't go into something that is clearly out to get him. That isn't to say, though, that he isn't curious at times...

[b]Abilities[/b]: As an oni, Masaru has strength that transcends that of most humans, and is able to do things that seem absurd to most (for example, punching boulders into rubble). He also has an increased regenerative capability, but depending on the wound(s) and his condition this may diminish over time. There's also that classic oni alcohol tolerance, but with a lack of alcohol that's not going to be relevant any time soon. As an oni, he also has what he calls 'demon mode' (though the name varies among the race as a whole); when active, Masaru seems to grow a pair of horns from his head and his skin seems to tinge itself a shade of red and become increasingly heated the longer it remains active. During this time, Masaru has increased strength and agility, at the cost of a 'cooldown period' during which his stamina and strength are reduced. He does retain his sanity during this time, though, at the very least.
Outside of that, Masaru is also well-versed in having to fight in hand-to-hand combat, often matching a few of the more experienced fighters blow-for-blow (though he also loses, more often than not). He has also dabbled slightly in the ways of blacksmithing, though he grew tired of it in about a half a year or so. At the very least, he knows the bare basics of the craft, but cannot forge anything particularly noteworthy.

[b]Salvaged Item[/b]: A pair of steel knuckles, rounded off at the ends.

[b]History[/b]: Masaru comes from a long line of oni, who have themselves had a pretty love/hate relationship with humans... And well, pretty much every race they come into contact with. Though born in the era of peace, the young oni never really found any 'peace' at home. An influx of people from all over the continent began to mingle about every which way, tinging Masaru's ideals with a sense of wonder and creativity. He was still raised in classic oni fashion, though; alcohol, brawls, and healthy competition made up a good chunk of his childhood, and even as a child he could match the strength of a fully grown human. This strength was honed further as the concept of 'training regimens' became spread throughout the town he was born in, and so he began to build his strength.
His efforts came to fruition one day when he entered the most prestigious annual fighting tournament of Shoushu at age 22. Seen as the 'dark horse' of the tournament, Masaru came in fifth place by the end of it all, which was notable considering how many of his opponents were more experienced than he. This prowess at his age was what caused him to be chosen to be among the representatives of his nation, a fact that he has since held with honor in his heart... Regardless of the circumstances he now finds himself in.

[b]Nation of Origin[/b]: Shoushu, a land of both men and oni.

[b]Nation Lore[/b]: As mentioned prior, humans and oni did not have... The [i]best[/i] of relationships. Or the worst, actually. Shoushu, as a whole, is fairly mountainous, which leads to a strange bit of convenience for both sides; the humans, more often than not, lived on the arable land down below, while the oni staked their claim in the mountains above. Humans were often fearful of the strength of the oni, who always lived so close that it probably wouldn't take more than a day to make a trip up and down any specific mountain from its base. This, of course, led to war.
Fighting was... On and off. On some occasions, the humans would win and take some land, while on others, the oni would win and push the humans back. It was, in the strangest sense, a perpetual stalemate.
This was before any of the other nations came into play, though. Once humans began to travel throughout the land, they found others like themselves, and so they traded. They gained technology, arms, and most importantly: magic. From then on, the tides of war slowly shifted in favor of the humans, who were rapidly descending upon the oni and methodically taking them out. Unwilling to go down without a fight, though, the oni sent out envoys to seek help from other races; it wasn't long after until both sides of the nation were involved in the political turmoil that had consumed the continent.
When every other nation fell to peace, the residents of Shoushu had to uneasily lay down their arms. Animosity remained high, however, until the king of Tawken forcefully intervened (citing it to be 'within the nation's best interests') and assigned a group of advisors to each side to attempt to broker a peace deal from which everyone benefitted.
As things turned out, the oni were absolutely AMAZING at brewing alcohol, on par with that of the dwarves (the two races still compete every so often) and found friends in the ogres and orcs (who also turned out to love strength). Because of these quick-forming alliances, the humans of the nation had little choice but to accept one of the most valuable economic resources there. From then on, the relationship between the two races began to defrost (though once again with a bit of force thanks to the efforts of the king of Tawken) and we are left with what we have today.
As a nation, Shoushu is well known for their metalworking and alcohol production, which often puts them in competition with the dwarves, who take pride in their work just as much as the oni do in theirs. Every other race loves the competition, though, because it means higher quality products and cheaper prices. What sets them apart is the metal that they use, though; while dwarves have access to and can make outstanding works with mythril and oricalcum that can pierce the strongest defenses, the oni have access to what they call 'star steel' (which is not, in fact, found in meteorites as people so often claim it to be). Rather than the ultimate offensive metal, it would be more apt to call it the ultimate defensive metal; when the armor of the oni meets the weaponry of the dwarves, only the skill of the smiths and the strength of the wielders can determine the outcome. 'Star steel' has the ability to mitigate even the strongest of blows otherwise, though it is still prone to the regular faults of the designs of the armor itself.

[b]Other[/b]: Actually couldn't care less about alcohol, but admits it [i]is[/i] occasionally enjoyable. Prefers to eat a balanced diet if possible.
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