[CHAR] D'Angelo VS Black Rose Killer (Shidenblades VS Nightangel at the Mountain Monastery, Ranked Match)

[ShidenBlades]

Nicole Salvatore

Name: Nicoli Salvatore
Alias: D'Angelo
Age: 30
Gender: Male
Occupation: Veiled-One
Demeanor: Nicoli is a man driven by his ambitions, he believes himself to be above human desires and has forsaken alcohol, sex, and drugs from his life. He tries to live a ’pure’ life not out of an attempt to reach enlightenment like so many, but because he refuses to let others have a way to exploit him.

Basic Appearance

Hair: Kept very short, and is a deep black.
Facial Hair: None. Clean shaven.
Eyes: Dark Blue
Build: Thin, Toned, Corded
Height: 5'9
Weight: 175 .lbs
Special Features: Scars all over his body, arms, and legs.

(This picture was specifically designed/created for Nicoli.)

Combat Credentials

Combat Style: Nicoli is a tactical genius capable of finding even the smallest advantage offered him on the battlefield, or even create said advantage if given the opportunity. Nicoli is also an extremely fast learner that is capable of observing a particular combat maneuver just once or twice and adapting it to his choice of weapons. Nicoli is an extremely deadly warrior when one combines his ability to dissect the battlefield, thievery training, weapon skills, and Radiim technique.

Abilities

The Art of Assassination: Nicoli is well versed in how to kill, he is very familiar with anatomy. He is a novice at the creation and use of poison and rarely employs the tactic. He is a master of using subtlety and misdirection in and out of combat and has honed his base senses to perfection in order to prevent himself from falling prey to his own tricks.

Weapon Familiarity/Mastery: There aren't many weapons Nicoli has seen that he can’t effectively use. Even if such were the case, his time spent with weapons would allow him to familiarize himself with it in moments and use it to it’s full capacity. These ‘weapons’ also include Nicoli’s body, fully capable of fighting off armed and armored opponents with his bare hands.

Thievery Training: Nicoli is extremely adept at many thieving skills to include lock picking, disarming traps, setting traps, disabling devices (magical and mundane), acrobatics, disguise, and more. He relies on his own skill rather than magic to get the job done, ensuring that he never loses his edge.

Alchemist (Apprentice): During his time with the Veiled Ones Nicoli has learned some of what it means to be an Alchemist. He can create many basic mundane items, but lacks the skill to create anything with magical or supernatural qualities.

Radiim: The technique known as Radiim is really two techniques used for one purpose. The first is not simply the ability to block out pain, but to register it on a different level, like breathing, pain became a natural part of Nicolis life. The second, and true purpose the first half of the training, Nicoli has learned to control the flow and potency of his adrenaline. While this does make Nicoli faster and stronger, capable of accessing a hundred percent of his potential, it does come at a cost. Shortened bursts of this, if used in succession make him tired and fatigued. While prolonged usage can result in permanent nerve damage, a heart-attack and even death. All of this is compounded on top of the normal threats one faces in any battle.

Anti-Arcane: This is not so much an ability as it is weakness. Because of a ritual his father attempted on him, Nicoli does not benefit from Arcane based spells. A spell meant to harm him works as intended. But a spell to make him invisible would be wasted on him, an enchantment to make him stronger or faster would only cause him pain. Attempting to drink a potion for similar affects would wrack his body with pain as it was rejected. Even holding a magical weapon with a blade meant to burst into flames would function as a regular weapon in his hands, while grabbing a cursed weapon would carry out its curse as it was intended. (The weapos/items still retain their full power and ability, Nicoli simply cannot activate them.)

Gear

Full Description/ Info:

-- Head: N/A
—Shoulders: All Weather Cloak
-- Torso: Leather Straps.
---- Underclothes: Simple Garments
-- Legs: Leather
---- Underclothes: Simple Garments
-- Right Arm: Steel Bracers.
-- Left Arm: Steel Bracers.
-- Primary Weapon: Long Sword
-- Secondary Weapon: Short Sword

-- Combat Items:
Throwing Daggers x 10


Chain Whip 10ft.


Hand Cross-bow / 5 Bolts + 1 loaded at beginning of combat


-- Alchemy Items:
All of Nicoli’s Alchemy items are carried in glass vials on his belt unless stated otherwise
Alchemist Fire X 2.--
The small glass vials burn fiercely and quickly when exposed to the air. The heat is hot enough to give third degree burns, and do much worse if not put out.
Alchemist Ice X 2--
The liquid in this vial flash freezes on contact with the air. It can freeze or greatly weaken pivotal points in structures or items made of anything but metal or stone.
Acid Vials X 2--
A mixture of chemicals, this Acid can eat through skin and wood with ease.
Essence of Rust x 2--
Taken from the gullet of a Rust Monster, this dust can quickly eat away at non magical metals.
Adhesive Gel Bag X 2--
This bag when thrown covers roughly a 10x10 area in a very sticky glue like substance that becomes hard like cement after a few seconds.
Smoke Bombs X 2--
When the ceramic balls are broken they release a heavy dark grey cloud that can cover a 30 feet in all directions. Winds of 15+ MPH can disperse the wind in ten seconds, while winds of 25+ disperse it in 3.
Garlic Pellets X 10—
These small pea size pellets release a horrendously powerful smell when broken. Those without enhanced smell sometimes feel the urge to vomit because of its strength, while those dependent on their smell often find the effects much worse and ruined for a long period of time afterwards.
Flash Pellets X 10—
Also small pellets these release a bright light when cracked open. The light last for just a brief moment, but its effects can be damaging when used in total darkness or against opponents with superior eye sight.
Glass Powder X 4—
These small pouches don’t do any damage to the skin, but if caught in the eye or while breathing, they can wreak havoc while tearing through the body or when the opponent blinkds.

-- Non-Combat Items: Ocarina (Instrument), Lock-Picksx4, light silk cord 20 ft, small grappling hook x2, ink, quill, parchment, whetstone, flint & steel.

Long Sword -- Kardia --
This long, ash grey, steel forged, and slightly curved blade has a handle of polished obsidian carved into the likes of a black bird of fire, a black phoenix. The creatures wings are folded backwards to create a guard for the hand, the head pointed downwards holding a clear gem. The wings make the swords cross guard with the hilt crafted to depict delicate feathers of flame.

Short Sword -- Tooth --
This weapon appears to be crafted from the tooth of a very large carnivorous creature. It is a vibrantly white, straight, thin and wide short sword. Both sides of this wicked looking weapon are covered in many small jagged barbs that tear flesh. The hilt is a simple construct of bronze wrapped in brown faded leather. (This is the tooth of some very large carnivorous creature, the likes of which Nicoli hasn't the slightest clue.)

Powered Abilities

In order for Nicoli to compete with more powerful individuals he has all of the previously mentioned skills and weapons plus what follows here.

Anti-Arcane:
This flaw no-longer exists at this level as Nicoli has worked his way through it.

Radiim:
This ability remains largely the same, except that it can be used more often, to greater effect and with less of a draw-back.

Long Sword -- Kardia --
Upon command the blade can change to alter its metal properties. While it is generally steel Nicoli can cause the blade to become silver, cold-iron, mithril or adamantine. Doing this does not affect the integrity of the weapon, but does effect weight.

Short Sword -- Tooth --
Once this blade tastes the blood of its victim it grants the wielder an unnaturally keen awareness of them, helping the wielder to track that person across many miles, even planes. The effect lasts until the weapon is cleansed or blood of another touches its blade.

--Rod of Ropes--
This eighteen inch long baton his faded grey with three buttons on it. Pressing the first button releases sixty feet of rope every six seconds, up to a maximum of three hundred feet, pressing the button a second time stops it, pressing it a third time draws it back in at the same speed.

Pressing the second button produces a small leather loop from one end and a sharp grappling hook out the other. Hitting the button a second time launches one third of the rod (the end with the hooks) in the direction you aim. Up to three hundred feet trails behind the launched section, this launches it the three hundred feet in one second. Pressing the button a third time retracts the rope, drawing the held end towards the hooked end if it is securely attached. It can pull up to one thousand pounds.

When you press the third button grappling hooks sprout from each end of the rod. Pressing it again launches the two ends of the rod in opposite directions simultaneously. Three hundred feet of rope can emerge from both ends, for a total of six hundred feet. Pushing the button a third time causes the held section to be able to slide along the rope freely. Pressing it a third time retracts both ends and brings it back to is inactivated state.

Wrist Charms -- Eight Charms of the Night --
There are seven charms on this jet black bracelet. Nicoli wears this bracelet as an anklet, which is hidden inside his left boot. Each charm has a different minor ability that only works when attached to the specific chain. This bracelet is given to True Veiled-Ones, with each charm showing the level of skill and rank one has achieved, with eight being the Maximum. Only the Grand Master has the final charm.

-Wizards Aid–
This small charm vibrates when magic is being activated/used within one hundred feet of Nicoli. It does not pin-point or identify the magic, it merely identifies that something is being used within that range.

-Rogue Feet–
This charm magically silences Nicoli’s person, it only affects Nicoli and does not extend to anyone he is touching. What’s more, is that this item has to be activated by thought and lasts for only twenty minutes at a time and needs three times that much time to recharge.

-Spider Step–
As the name suggests once activated, like Rogue Feet, it allows Nicoli to stick to nearly any surface. It can only be used for twenty minutes before needing to be recharged like Rogue Feet. This is best used in small instances for brief moments at a time.

-Divine. Me. Not.–
This charm is useful against prying eyes. It does not outright stop Diviners, but it makes finding Nicoli through magical means much more difficult. Normal spells will not work, and often the only way to override this charm is through complicated rituals. This protection does help, though to a very a small degree, protect Nicoli's mind from intrusion. Having a piece of Nicoli (Blood, Skin, Hair) bypasses this charm easily.

-Cloud Step–
This charm has three purposes. First, it makes the user incredibly light so when falling they take little to no damage, this also allows Nicoli to leap incredibly high and finally it makes it possible for Nicoli to run across liquid surfaces. This suffers the same limitations and restraints as Spider Step and Rogue Feet.

-Shaded Face–
This charm, when activated, simply causes the users skin to be covered by a black ink like substance that swirls with dark red and deep blue streaks. It masks their features to hide their identity, but offers no further protection. If it covers the face than natural darkness no longer effects eye-sight. There is no limit to the use of this charm.

-Daggered–
Normally this charm, when used, makes a dagger appear in the users hand. However, since this is worn on an ankle the dagger acts as a boot dagger, and does so without damaging Nicoli’s footwear. This can be activated up to five times before needing twenty-four hours to charge.

Monocle Lenses -- Beholder Eyes --
While the name is misleading, these small devices are located on a necklace that is kept under his clothing. There are four lenses on the chain, each allows Nicoli to see something different when looking through it and luckily each is colored to prevent confusion.

-Red Lens–
This Lens shows body heat. Nothing more and nothing less, it cannot see through walls or doors.

-Blue Lens–
This Lens shows magical auras, the longer that a spell or aura is looked at the more information it gives. Up to what style or school of magic it belongs too.

-Purple Lens–
Similar to the Blue Lens, this shows only what is an illusion and what is not. It does not give the ability to see through the illusion however.

-Black Lens–
This black lens shows finds that which seeks to remain hidden. It can identify something as a shape changer (Though not specifically what), or undead masquerading as a human or some other creature.

History

Bio/Back-story

The story of Nicoli Salvatore is not for the feint of heart, it is one filled with sadness, deception and death. He was born on the small temperate island of Alexandria. His father was Machiavelli Salvatore, an influential adviser to the King as well as a very accomplished Magus. Nicolis mother was a simple women, another mage and once Machiavelli's apprentice. Though, through child birthing she was lost and it is nothing short of luck that Nicoli survived.

Being born to an adviser of the King certainly had its privileges and Machiavelli was certain to take advantage of them. Once Nicoli was old enough to walk he began of tutors and teachers of many kinds, the sort that teach the basic things, and at an early age they often acted as more of a guardian or nanny. But as Nicoli got older, around five and six, his teaching became more complex and involved.

While Machiavelli did not play an active role in the early years of his sons life, not directly at least, he was very particular on what his son would and would not learn. From the learning how to read and write, to simple arithmetic. Whats more, is that Nicoli was kept from other children and failure to learn or grasp a subject often resulted in physical reinforcement. To say that some of Nicoli's instructors were cruel would be an understatement.

By the time Nicoli was twelve it became painfully obvious to Machiavelli that despite the magical heritage of both his father and mother, Nicoli had no talent for spell-casting. He grasped the idea and finer nuances of what was needed for spell-casting, the boy simply lacked the spark. To Machiavelli his son was a great disappointment, and he was not shy about voicing this to him.

Deciding to take a calculated risk Machiavelli thought that perhaps he could use a dangerous ritual to make his son more resistant, maybe even immune to magic. That way he could have a loyal assassin, able to destroy his competitors with. After all, if the boy could not wield magic than of what other use could he be?

Machiavellis hubris had always been his downfall, and his belief in his own skill and power was misplaced. The ritual failed utterly, not only did Nicoli not become immune to magic, but arcane weapons and armor ceased to be effective in his hands. Arcane potions would only make him incredibly sick and even spells meant to aid would be reduced in their effectiveness, while those meant to harm would work as intended.

Not one to admit failure and ever being an opportunist he would not let a potential tool pass him by. If Nicoli would be of no use in the Arcane sense, then he would simply need to be fitted to a different mold and at the age of thirteen Nicolis teachings began a vastly different route.

His study of the Arcane was brought to a trickle his lessons were instead focused on how to identify and avoid spells. Nicolis true focus instead became learning the finer nuances of the court life. He was taught diplomacy, proper etiquette, how to steel his features and keep emotion from his face. His instructors taught him how to lie with a silver tongue and how to tell if others were lying to you. Whats more, Nicoli was taugh the subtle uses of a dagger. Such a weapon could be easily concealed and could just as easily kill as a sword.

His tutelage was much more than simple classroom lectures and it wasn't long before Nicoli was required to attend diplomatic functions with his father. He was expected to learn the people of the court, and to be his fathers eyes and ears. In this task Nicoli did not fail, as a young boy wanting nothing more than his fathers approval he excelled at his training and found it quite easy to assume different roles and change his demeanor based on who he was speaking to, or more often than not, who he was listening too.

As skilled as Nicoli thought he was, he was still only sixteen years old, and not truly tested. But like many young adults Nicoli thought he knew best and he took it upon himself to attempt to spy on the King. He learned that day that there is always someone more skilled than you, there is always somebody better.

Nicoli was caught hiding in the Kings private chamber one evening while he was entertaining a monarch from across the sea. Because Nicoli had heard nothing of importance the penalty for such a crime could only be one of two things, banishment or imprisonment. Since he was still a boy in the Kings eyes and since his father had dedicated years of faithful service to him he decided to banish the youth from the isle.

Truth be told Machiavelli could not care less that his son was caught, to him it was like loosing a dagger, a pity bu easily replaced with the resources he had at hand. He made no move to speak on Nicoli's behalf beyond a token gesture and his concern was only a showing so that he would not appear to be too callous in the courts eye, he was after all loyal only to the crown, and choosing loyalty to King over blood was seen as the ultimate test of loyalty, only advancing his own standing.

Nicoli was given a small amount of coin and was quickly sent on a ship with only what he could carry. He noted that day his father hadn't even come to send him away, instead it was the city guard escorting him. He left the isle that day, vowing to return and pay them all in kind. He was brought across the sea to the nearest port city, Kellport.

Kellport was a brutal place and for one accustomed to the riches of a castle it was a rude awakening to what real life was like. Despite being a man at sixteen Nicoli was not very large, he was short for his age and thin. He had to learn to survive on the streets and it became apparent after several failed attempts at pick-pocketing, one nearly costing him his hand, that he could not do it alone.

Using what skills he did have he was able to join with a small band of miscreants, Nicoli would provide the distraction, usually by pretending to be interested in buying something or causing some other commotion so that others could steal what they needed. Still, it was not enough, Nicoli wanted more, he wanted what he once had.

As luck would have it one night while Nicoli was staking out the next target for the small band of thieves he belonged to he heard the sound of muffled talking. Perched on a roof he crept to its edge and peered down. There, he saw two man confronting one. He could tell quickly by how the man by himself was dressed that he had been up to no good. His dark clothes and many daggers, not to mention the black veil he wore across his features. This man was an assassin, only they wore the Black-Veil like that.

Being one part brave and two parts dumb, Nicoli took his dagger from his belt and dropped the twelve feet in silence. His dagger catching one man in the neck as he fell. The impact wrenched him free of the weapon, but luckily his target had caught most of his momentum and so he only had his breath knocked from him when he struck the ground.

The second man, caught by surprise turned to face the newcomer, only to be run threw by the Assassin. Only after his actions, sprawled out in the alley before the black veiled assassin did Nicoli think that his actions were a mistake. Much too his surprise the man whom he would come to call Blade offered him a hand up and together they left alley.

Nicoli learned that blade was indeed a Veiled One, and that with Nicoli saving his life he was in debt to the young man and the Veiled One's always repaid their debts. In return for saving his life Blade would give him the skills to begin a new one.

His life as a petty thief was all but over and Nicoli threw himself with a zealous into his training. It allowed him to push his past far behind him, which was something that Blade demanded. Nicoli had to learn to let go of his anger and hatred, something that he extreme difficulty with.

Becoming a Veiled-One was not merely becoming an assassin. Any fool could pick up a dagger and coat it with poison. The Veiled-Ones eschewed the use of poisons and followed a tradition based on a thousand years of lore. The training regiment was unlike anything Nicoli had ever faced or heard of.

They believed in training how you fight, and so death was a knifes edge away. Failure generally meant loss of life, limb or death, it meant that only the most skilled of men and women joined their organization. Nicoli trained day in and day out with a variety of weapons and sometimes with nothing but his hands and feet.

The Veiled-Ones were also the guardians to a secret technique they called, Radiim. It required a mastery over yourself that few could accomplish. The training for that was horrifying and painful. Luckily for Nicoli Divine magic would work on him like any other man, and the Veiled-Ones were masters of their craft.

Eventually, after having been subject to some of the most physically and mentally painful experiences the minds of demented tormentors could think of Nicoli began to register pain on a different level. Pain was overcome, an after thought that did not detract from his task. This was the first step to Radiim.

The second half of the training required an understanding of oneself that was thought to be the domain of mystics and monks secluded in monasteries or the wild. It as also far more lethal than any of the training he had undergone because only he could judge his limits, and too push too far too quick would result in death.

Nicoli spent thirteen years training as a Veiled-One and perfecting his techniques. His dedication and single mindedness allowed him to traverse the ranks quicker than anyone in their history, to the point that in that short amount of time he ranked as second in the organization, surpassing his previous master Blade and becoming the Left Hand of the Grand Master. His birth name was tossed to the side, and as is befitting tradition he took on a new name to be used within the organization, he became D'angelo.

[Nightangel]

Jahar al'Harradin

Name: Jahar al'Harradin
Aliases: the Black Rose Killer, the Blackvine
Gender: Male
Age: 29
Occupation: Killer for hire
Demeanor: Jahar is somewhat erratic in his behavior, seeming to have multiple sides to his nature. He as often projects an air of charming sophistication as one of a dangerous psychopath with a taste for killing. In combat, and especially when tapping into his strange abilities, he is utterly ruthless and without regard for anything but his current objective. The concepts of mercy and honor in battle are completely foreign to him.

Physical Appearance:

Hair: Dark brown, bordering on black. Generally worn cropped close to the head.
Facial Hair: None, though he often goes days without shaving, leaving noticeable stubble.
Eyes: Right eye is dark brown, left eye appears to have been replaced by an onyx gem
Build: Slender frame but well muscled
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 179 lbs
Distinguishing Features: In addition to his rather noticeable left eye, Jahar also has a rather intricate tattoo taking the form of twisting black vines. The tattoos stem from a central pattern of vines on his back near the spine, and reach out to cover his arms, legs, and torso. One vine stretches up his neck to the side of his face, curling around what appears to be a closed black rosebud inked onto and around the eyelid itself. Another of these closed rosebuds is inked on the back of his left hand, attached to its own tendril of vine.



Gear:

Tokens: Various pieces of Jahar's gear, including his bracers, shin guards, and various weapons, have been taken from fallen foes whom Jahar felt worthy of his respect. He has incorporated these strange items into his fighting style in a sort of ode to these warriors.

--Head: N/A
--Shoulders: Nondescript leather travelling cloak
--Torso: Weapons harness
---Underclothes: Simple black shirt
--Legs: Hardened leather shin guards covering from ankle to knee; each has a metal spike protruding upward from the knee guard.
---Underclothes: Simple black trousers
--Right Arm: Hardened leather bracer covering from wrist to elbow; has a metal spike protruding outward from the elbow guard.
--Left Arm: Twin of right arm.
--Primary Weapon: Varies, see below

Weapons:

Twin Haladie Daggers: If Jahar were to be said to have a primary weapon, it would be this pair of sinuously curved, triple bladed daggers which he was bequeathed early in his training. This particular set have been covered by a series of arcane runes that grant enhanced durability as well as a spell piercing enchantment. Any of the daggers' blades will pierce through most magical defenses as though they were nonexistent. He carries the daggers inside specially made sheathes that resemble triangular leather pouches, open on the long end, that hang at an angle from his hips, attached to the bottom of his weapon harness.



Urumi Sword: This particularly odd weapon appears to be a highly flexible sword, easily able to be coiled tightly without losing its shape when uncoiled. The three foot blade is kept in constant motion while wielded, able to quickly lash out and attack from difficult to predict angles. The Urumi is particularly difficult to block with either a weapon or shield, as its razor sharp blade will simply wrap over the blocking object, still inflicting slashing damage. The Urumi's scabbard serves as Jahar's belt, wrapped around his waist with the unassuming black leather wrapped hilt hanging off the right side when sheathed. Jahar took this particular Urumi from a skilled warrior who nearly killed him early in his career. While its design seems utilitarian, the weapon is heavily enchanted with air magic, allowing it to produce a 'windblade' effect, wherein focused air currents are projected from the end of the blade while in motion. This effectively adds six inches of reach to the weapon, and is particularly deadly due to the fact that this effect appears only as a slight distortion visually.



Tekko-Kagi Claw: This weapon is a set of four claws attached to a brace and handle, all forged from a dusky charcoal grey metal that is always cold to the touch. The brace sits against the back of the hand and wrist while the handle is gripped securely in the hand. The claws extend over the knuckles approximately four inches, and there is a crossbar affixed to the blades just in front of the knuckles, intended to protect against weapons trapped between the claws. Jahar's Tekko-Kagi was taken from an assassin who successfully caught him off guard and nearly slew him in his bed one night long ago. The weapon possesses a particularly insidious enchantment that causes unnatural levels of pain for anyone wounded by it.



Sunsword: This is the only one of Jahar's weapons that has anything resembling a name, though it is not a very clever one. The Sunsword is a large khopesh, made to be wielded in either one or two hands; it was forged from bronze, normally an inferior material, and is etched with a number of pictographic symbols that seem to depict worship of a sun deity. Perhaps because of some magic inherent in the symbols, or perhaps due to an unrelated enchantment, this bronze blade has several interesting properties. Despite the material, the blade is stronger and holds a better edge than steel. It also has the ability to absorb and store sunlight over a period of time, visible as a constant light reflecting from the dull bronze even in darkness, which can be released in a large blinding flash at the will of the wielder. The weapon was taken from the powerful shaman of a desert tribe that Jahar was sent to exterminate as one of his first real assignments.



Other Gear:

Onyx Eye: This gemstone was taken from yet another unsuccessful assassin sent by Jahar's former employer. It is a perfectly spherical black stone, made to be placed into an empty eye socket. The bearer can see through this gem just as though his eye were still intact, though it cannot process color, seeing instead in gradations of black and white. This produces a rather jarring effect to which the bearer must become accustomed, as the other eye still sees normally, causing a strange juxtaposition of vision. The advantage of the Onyx Eye is that it grants the ability to see in near total darkness, as it can process white light far better than any biological eye. This ability has no effect on magical darkness.

Amulet of Iron Skin: This amulet is crafted from silver, with what appears to be a simple small glass triangular pendant hanging from it. Jahar took the item from the corpse of the same man from whom he acquired the Onyx Eye. When worn, the amulet constantly absorbs a fractional amount of kinetic energy from the wearers every movement, storing it until it becomes fully charged. When so charged, the amulet allows the wearer to direct this excess of kinetic energy to particular places on his body in order to counter physical attacks that he is unable to dodge. The wearer must be aware of the attack for the amulet to counter it, and has a limited amount of energy. When fully charged, it can counter three minor attacks, such as the bolt from a hand crossbow or throwing daggers, or up to one fairly strong attack, such as a close range broad head arrow fired from a longbow or a sword thrust, before exhausting its well of energy. Jahar has found that charging the amulet generally requires around one day of normal activity.

Combat Abilities:

Combat Style: Even without the abilities granted by his strange tattoos, Jahar is a model of ruthless efficiency in combat. He eschews flashy tricks in favor of pure economy of motion. Jahar has mastered the various weapons that he carries, seamlessly employing them in various combinations depending on the strengths of his foe. Due to the dangerous nature of his tattoos, Jahar prefers not to employ them unless he is certain he can end a battle quickly or is pressed too hard, relying instead on his natural ability and training.

Abilities:

Weapon Masteries: Jahar employs a variety of exotic weapons with which he has trained extensively. When wielding his twin Haladie Daggers, Jahar is poetry in motion, as though he were born with the weapons in hand. Of his personal arsenal, these are the weapons with which he has trained the longest. However, he is nearly as well trained and deadly with each of the weapons he carries, particularly his Urumi, which is one of the more difficult weapons to wield in existence.

Hand to Hand: While no master, Jahar was trained in several forms of hand to hand combat, including various grappling and other martial techniques. He is able to easily defeat unskilled opponents without weapons if necessary and hold his own against those with more training.

Face in the Crowd: While his particularly distinctive appearance makes the use of this skill somewhat difficult, Jahar was originally trained to be a faceless bodyguard, unnoticed until needed. He still retains his knowledge of how to blend into a crowd and disappear or follow a target unnoticed through a busy street.

Exotic Weaponry: While not actually an ability, the very exotic nature of Jahar's weapons has served him well in combat. Few have ever heard of, much less seen, things such as his Haladie daggers or Urumi, already difficult weapons against which to defend. This often forces his opponents to learn quickly or die equally quickly.

Blackvine Tattoos: The product of decades of research by a very talented, and very corrupt mage, the Blackvine tattoos are truly unique. Viewed closely, the tattoos are inked in a series of gradations of black with stunning detail, forming intricate loops and whirls that stem from a central pattern along Jahar's spine. The vines spread to cover his arms and legs, with one particularly long vine that ends in a closed black rosebud upon the back of his left hand. Tendrils also curl from the central pattern from either side to nearly meet upon his chest and stomach. The uppermost vine is wrapped partially around Jahar's neck, climbing the left side of his face to curl around the eye, ending in another of the black rosebuds inked upon his eyelid and eye socket.

When activated by the bearer, the tattooed vines sprout small thorns which look to be dug into Jahar's skin at intervals, causing him real pain as though he had actually been punctured. The tattoos then begin to consume a small amount of Jahar's life essence in order to activate their true power: they begin to collect the ever present ambient magical energy from the surrounding atmosphere, the same energy that many mages use to fuel their magics. Jahar is then able to send bursts of raw magical power throughout the vines on his body, granting increased abilities far beyond those of a normal human.

The Blackvine tattoos are not without drawbacks, however, as the human body simply was not meant to handle this sort of raw magical power. When the tattoos are activated, along with the thorns, the two closed rosebuds on his eye and hand bloom into large black roses in the same intricate gradations of black as the vines. As Jahar draws upon his powers, the petals of both flowers begin to wilt and die one by one, representing the stress upon his body. The more power he uses, the faster the petals die. Jahar was told explicitly that should the entire flower wilt and die, the amount of raw energy coursing through him will almost certainly kill him. Once deactivated, the excess energy is expelled harmlessly over time, but Jahar is left in a highly fatigued state and cannot draw upon the powers again until fully recovered.

The abilities granted by the Blackvine Tattoos when activated are as follows:

--Strength: Jahar is able to channel energy to increase his strength by up to several factors of his natural ability. Even without aid of the tattoos, Jahar is already fairly strong, able to easily lift objects exceeding his own body weight, but with them his strength is truly prodigious. Jahar is not even certain how much stronger he can become, as both the factor by which he increases his strength and the duration he maintains it affect how quickly the flowers wilt. As a result he has been hesitant to test its limits; however, he regularly utilizes strength exceeding two or three times normal.

--Speed: Jahar is also able to channel energy to increase the speed of his movements, particularly in short bursts. This power is exceedingly difficult to control when used to increase running speed, as the mind's capability to process the environment does not increase in kind. Jahar does, however, often employ this ability for superhumanly fast lunges, strikes, dodges or retreats. Just as with the strength, both the factor by which he increases his speed and the duration he maintains it affect how quickly the flowers wilt.

--Durability: The Blackvine Tattoos also provide Jahar with a limited amount of enhanced durability, though it is not particularly useful as a deterrent to incoming attacks. More so, it is something of a reflexive use of the tattoo's abilities that is closely tied to his increases in strength, wherein the energy coursing through Jahar's body will protect him from damaging himself by overexerting his still very human body.

History:

Jahar al'Harradin was born to a prostitute in Cadishmar, a den of corruption far to the east, perched on the edge of a vast desert. He does not even know his own true name, as his mother abandoned him as soon as she deemed him old enough to fend for himself. This was at the age of seven. Jahar spent the next five years scrounging for survival, trying and not always succeeding at avoiding beatings or worse. At the age of twelve, Jahar's fate was changed for better or worse by the men that all street urchins in Cadishmar feared the most....the Snatchers.

For years, it had been said, the Snatchers had prowled the night streets of Cadishmar, taking urchins whom no one would miss. When they took Jahar, he awoke in a dungeon with a small group of other children who he soon learned had been snatched as well. They were told only that they would have a chance to fight for their lives against a boy their age, and that should they win, they would be set free and given a sum of coin that would feed them for a year or more. Jahar later learned that he had been taken to the home of a master Assassin, and that the children were part of a special training program he had put together for a pupil at the request of that pupil's very powerful father, Machiavelli Salvatore, a visiting dignitary from a powerful kingdom. The promised reward for victory was to ensure that the children fought with everything they had, but the main point was to turn Salvatore's son Nicoli into a merciless killer.

Jahar watched as each of his fellow captives fought bravely but were killed quickly by the terrifyingly calm young man until finally it was his own turn. He fared little better himself, and Nicoli dealt him a savage gut wound. Jahar, however, would not admit he was beaten and, having dropped the weapon he had been given, charged the other boy in a feral rage, clawing, biting and scratching. Somehow in his frenzy, he managed to wound the far better trained Nicoli, incurring the other boy's wrath. Just as he was about to strike Jahar down, however, Machiavelli himself, who happened to be observing at the time, stopped him, deciding that Jahar himself might prove useful.

Machiavelli, who held a powerful position as the adviser to a powerful King, was investing a great deal of time and effort into turning his son into his own personal assassin, and he had decided to use this savage young boy to help protect that investment. He gave the boy clothes, food a place to live, and even his name, Jahar. The boy took the name al'Harradin after the Harradin desert, on the border of which his home city stood. Jahar was to be a hidden bodyguard, unknown even to Nicoli himself, always watching nearby should need arise. He was taught to read and write and given a cursory education, taught how to feign culture so that he could follow his charge wherever he went. He was trained by ruthless masters in various combat arts as well as the art of blending and observing unnoticed, and he took to his training with single minded intent, seeing this as his only opportunity to escape his former life. For over two years he followed his charge, always increasing his own skills, never certain if Nicoli even knew he existed.

This continued until Nicoli was caught spying on the King of his own volition, when Jahar was fifteen, and was banished with no interference from his callous father. Machiavelli, not one to throw away a potentially useful tool, devised another use for Jahar. If Nicoli was not to be his weapon, then he would create a new, utterly loyal one out of Jahar. Machiavelli turned to a powerful magus with whom he often collaborated, offering him a chance to test his new creation, which he called the Blackvine Tattoos, designed to grant supernatural power to their bearer as well as complete control over the bearer by whomever knew the proper Commands.

The experiment at first proved a great success, creating in Jahar a seemingly unstoppable assassin, completely unable to act against the will of Machiavelli, who held the Command words. After the initial success, Machiavelli continued to develop his weapon, furthering his training in various weapon forms and other martial arts, while at the same time using him to eliminate anyone who stood in his way. Jahar was the perfect disposable killer, able to be thrown away should he ever become a liability.

However, Machiavelli failed to account for the changes that the sort of life he had made for Jahar might wreak upon a man's mind. Five years of countless murders and of having his will peeled away had warped the young man's perceptions until concepts of right and wrong were completely alien to him. There was only the killing, and the deep seething hatred of the man who had made him come to love it, Machiavelli Salvatore.

Had Jahar not been the first test subject, perhaps the problems that grew could have been avoided for Machiavelli, but as it was, neither he nor his magus colleague anticipated what happened. The tattoos had been designed specifically to grant control over Jahar, using what Machiavelli had gleaned of his psyche as a basis, but the man he was becoming was resembling less and less the man he had been. As a result, the control that Machiavelli exerted over him began to weaken. It began with something small; Jahar began to leave a sort of calling card with his victims even though he had not been ordered to do so, and later even after he had been ordered not to. The bodies would be found the next day, their left eye carved out and replaced by a rose blossom dipped in black ink. It was not long before the control slipped further and Jahar began to act further outside his orders. He would still carry out his objective, but now he would leave a wake of bodies in his passing. By the time Jahar was twenty, every time he was let off his chain, as Machiavelli came to think of it, the death counts grew.

Reluctantly, Machiavelli decided it was time to end his experiment and destroy his decreasingly useful weapon. He ordered Jahar into a room and discretely ordered his men to execute him. When Jahar discovered their intent only a few minutes later, something inside of him snapped, returning him to the same near feral state he had displayed as a boy against Nicoli. The last threads of control over his mind were completely severed, and he brutally killed his would be executioners with his bare hands. He then stalked through Machiavelli's compound in a blood frenzy, killing anyone with whom he made contact. Machiavelli himself, prepared for nearly any situation, easily escaped Jahar's wrath, but did not have the means at his disposal to kill or capture the young man before he fled into the city, possessed of free will for the first time in half a decade.

It took more than a year for Jahar al'Harradin to regain a part of his sense of self and begin to reconcile himself to the man he had become. It did not take him long to realize that, despite the inner revulsion he had once felt at the things he had been forced to do, killing had become almost a part of him. A hole in his soul that needed to be filled. It was not difficult to make the leap to becoming a killer for hire. In fact, his reputation as the Black Rose Killer actually aided him in finding work. His brutal methods were considered by many the perfect solution for times when a message needed to be sent to an enemy, and his work provided the outlet for his darker nature that he required.

Over the past eight years, however, the thrill of the kill has become less and less satisfying for Jahar in and of itself, leading him to seek out greater and more dangerous challengers. He has had no shortage of these. Bounty hunters who seek the large purse upon his head are common. Less common but always more interesting were the assassins, both those hired by various parties who would be happy to see the Blackvine dead and those who simply find his lack of subtlety repugnant. Even less common are the heroes, those who feel it is their duty to destroy evil in the world; these fights are always a favorite for Jahar. Part of him simply enjoys the level of focus that their conviction brings them; the better the fight, the more alive he feels. A smaller, but insistent part, however, the part of him that was nearly killed by Nicoli in a fighting pit so many years ago, holds out hope that one of these heroes will finally put a sword through his black heart.