[center][img]http://i63.tinypic.com/swz7lj.jpg[/img][/center] [center][u][b]Physical Characteristics[/b][/u][/center] [b]Name:[/b] Yamazaki Shiori [b]Species:[/b] Human [b]Gender:[/b] Female [b]Nationality:[/b] Japanese [b]Birth Date:[/b] May 5th, 1819 Age: 28 Height: 5’7’’ [b]Weight:[/b] 120 lbs [b]Eye Color:[/b] Dark Brown [b]Hair Color:[/b] Auburn [center][u][b]History[/b][/u][/center] Early life was unkind to Shiori and her younger sister, Miaka. A violence-ridden Japan was no stranger to creating orphans and these two were no exceptions to the tragedy; having lost their parents to bandits at age five and four, respectively, they made due thru thievery, cons and taking up residence in farmhouses or otherwise abandoned property. This changed when they met their last mark for dishonest deeds, a woman named Kiyomi; wiser than the rest, she saw thru their ploy but did not turn them in. Instead she offered more worthwhile results and a future among her family of fellow orphans. Unbeknownst to them Kiyomi had fostered many children and fashioned them into arguably better individuals. So the pair was taken in and taught the ways of honor, appropriate speech, writing, the arts and all other things befitting self-reliant people; that is, save for the clandestine operations beneath the roof. In truth the orphanage is means to satisfy her obsession for sons and daughters as well as cover for Kiyomi to facilitate her family's organization of professional killers; however their duty was not to take trivial bounties but locate and eradicate the truly despicable from the earth, those worthy of death no other would touch. The two girls quickly embraced this new life and mission but of all members none took the pledge more seriously than Shiori. Forsaking the simpler fancies, Shiori buried herself in martial arts, meditation and spiritual training; from eight years old she spent the next two decades practicing the sword as her religion, fully dedicated to her duty and ability to protect her family from any threat. So obsessed was she that no amount of unfavorable weather would disturb her daily rituals and while sword training in a rainstorm she was struck by lightning; ridden by guilt at this near fatal oversight, Kiyomi spared no expense in fashioning various electricity-proof accouterments for all her children. Nevertheless Shiori didn't miss a beat and the brush with death only steeled her determination. The result is a mind, spirit and sword so strong to award the cherished moniker bestowed by her beloved mother: Chikara -- To demonstrate strength. To this day she continues to pursue increasing altitudes of self-created strength and acts as Kiyomi's personal bodyguard. [center][u][b]Accouterments[/b][/u][/center] [b]Bokken[/b] A simple instrument made of hard wood for the purpose of training in Japanese swordsmanship; it bears no special traits. [b]Katana[/b] The iconic weapon of the Japanese warrior; although forged and fashioned thru masterful craftsmanship it also harbors nothing noteworthy. [b]Shigi-no-Hikari[/b] A gorgeous katana crafted from Shiori's very spirit, The Light of Justice is capable of creating, controlling and manipulating properties of photons within a wide area. Its blade may transform her spirit energy into light and absorb existing photons to empower itself; the light’s properties are identical to the sun. Thus she may create luminous works such as solar flares, flashes and waves of UV heat from the blade or ambient spirit energy. Shiori may manifest the weapon at will and is impervious to its effects; as a superconductor of spirit energy it amplifies what is put into it to yield exponential results. [b]Electite Necklace[/b] A keepsake bestowed by her foster mother; it possesses a magical mineral which produces a field around the wearer for 10 feet that attracts and absorbs incoming electrical energy. Shiori’s clothing is ordinary save for flame-retardant fabric. [center][u][b]Abilities[/b][/u][/center] [b]Body and Mind[/b] A religion of sword training has bestowed Shiori with a physique leagues above an average female; she possesses a high threshold to pain and only the most exerting of tasks may exhaust her. Due to her shatterproof focus and grounding on logical probability Shiori is difficult to deceive by means of illusion or other trickery; always questioning motives and how to remain at the upper hand within or without combat. She is able to delete thought from the equation and allow her body to move by instinct and muscle memory. Shiori is able to feel and see the spirit energy of others if released or broadcast; an extreme sensitivity allows inference of the spirit’s power output, character and mood and she may extend her vision and grasp of the surrounding area via meditation. [b]Sword and Soul[/b] Shiori holds a mastery of spirit energy, the energy of the soul. The energy flourishes from her body outwardly and its properties are under her complete control; invisible to the natural senses it is otherwise perceptible by its wind, pressure and heat. She may project it through her voice in sonic blastwaves, as a physical barrier to brunt impact and to pour it into the ground will cause it to tremor, become superheated and crack; intensity of effects increase proportionally to amount generated and its intensity. In exchange for a proportional amount of stamina she may draw from a large pool of spirit energy. Shiori’s training and experience permits much to be gathered and used within a short period; only in extreme exertion of spirit will she be winded or exhausted. She may use it to heal injury, dismemberment if the limb is still available and cure diseases as well as destroy other bodily invaders. Shiori may use her sword as a conduit to store spirit energy for later use, increase its durability and amplify its cutting edge; how it is released will be proportional the amount unleashed and the reaction she has in mind. For example a straightened blade may release in a concentrated beam or ray of superheated energy or it may peel off in an arc from a sword stroke. Any ambient energy will eventually evaporate but meanwhile may be used at whim using focused thought. [b]Limit Breaker[/b] Shiori’s drive for improvement disallows contentment with her current strength and motivates her cleavage of all obstacles to transcendence; the sheer will to refuse defeat against a stronger adversary or crush someone threatening those important is prone to result in a shatter of her current spiritual energy and physical limits. Hence she unlocks a gargantuan reservoir of new physical and spiritual prowess. Once the energy is exhausted Shiori’s body must recover for an appropriate amount of time; she is unable to use spirit energy or take any strenuous physical actions until she gains a second wind of stamina. Although able to break her limits again the strain allows only a brief window of energy use and the resulting exhaustion will be doubled. While Shiori may develop new techniques or swords as a result of a broken limit it is only thru training that may she truly understand and harness the strength at will. [center][b]Non-Player Characters[/b][/center] Shiori is often in the company of one or more combat-ready allies intended to be treated as entirely separate characters carrying their own kits. These will be added at a later date.