Ii Naoyoshi
Sept 14, 2023 5:55:37 GMT
Post by Sengoku on Sept 14, 2023 5:55:37 GMT
Name: Ii Naoyoshi「井伊直義」, Akaoni「赤鬼, "Red Devil"」
Age: 22
Birthdate: 04/03 (March 4th)
Nationality/Cultural Group: Japan, Kōzuke (real-world Gunma) Prefecture, City of Maebashi
Height: 6'1"/185 cm
Weight: 240 lbs/108.9 kg
Gender: Male
Affiliations:
- Ii Clan (heir)
- Tokugawa Shōgunate
- Abe no Seimei University (student)
- Kenjutsu Association
Appearance:
- Short, black hair. Spiky, natural.
- Golden irises, prone to intense glaring.
- Soldiering physique from years of conditioning.
- Scars on face and chest.
- Typically dresses in uniform on university campus and favors samurai-themed clothing for casual attire. Also favors dressing in the traditional kimono and training gi.
- Always carries around a menpō, stylized to look like an oni's grimace.
Belongings:
- Daishō, a set of swords consisting of an uchigatana and a wakizashi forged by the Dōdanuki School of Blacksmithing.
- Uchigatana: Dōdanuki Ashura「同田貫阿修羅, "Dōdanuki, Asura/Fierce God"」.
- Wakizashi: Dōdanuki Rasetsu「同田貫羅刹, "Dōdanuki, Yaksha/Flesh-Eating Demon"」.
- Ii Clan badge of nobility.
- Heavy infantry armor, Yoroi Mark VII.
- Soldier's survival kit.
- Steady flow of money from the Ii Clan.
Personality:
"Samurai are warriors first, all else second. Battle sharpens us. War defines us."
Naoyoshi seeks to embody the very image of the samurai with his strict adherence to bushido, or at least his own interpretation of bushido. There are times when it feels like he was born several hundred years too late, more fitting for the 16th century than the 21st. A rigid young man of a lawful upbringing, Naoyoshi sees the world as black and white with only a thin shade of gray in the middle. As a born warrior, Naoyoshi never retreats from a confrontation, for better or worse. This becomes troublesome when his tendency to resolve problems with authorized force comes into play. Naoyoshi is a young man driven by a thirst for combat but is restrained by his sense of honor and dignity, which is what he sees as the quintessential samurai.
Hard to approach due to his stoic and intimidating demeanor, Naoyoshi grew up in almost complete solitude save for his family keeping him company, leading to near non-existent social skills in casual settings. Even so, the samurai upbringing allows him to navigate through the world of formal negotiations, though the Ii Clan is infamous for its heavy-handed methods. This is further compounded by his clan's close association to oni as well as his own powers related to the mystical ogres.
Character Strengths:
- Honed Physique - A warrior's upbringing over the years has led to Naoyoshi develop a muscular build that lends him to physical activity. Regular training both outside and at the gym have further kept him in shape even in times of relative peace.
- Martial Prowess - Naoyoshi was trained to hold a toy sword in his hand before he could even walk. While his childhood was far from typical, it gave him martial skills that are far above the average person. This ensures that only those of a similar caliber dare to face him in physical confrontations. He is an active practitioner of Yagyū Shinkage-ryū for swordsmanship and Shōtōkan for unarmed combat. Raised into the soldiering life, he is familiar with firearms and favors fully-automatic rifles or light machine guns.
- Unflinching - Strength of body without strength of mind is worthless. Naoyoshi has been molded to be a hard-headed, stubborn young man who is not easily swayed from his beliefs. While this makes him abrasive at times, it also makes him a steadfast ally if you have earned his trust.
- Versed in Noble Arts - If a samurai cannot function out of wartime, then they are little else than a savage with a sword. While nothing quite matches the thrill of clashing blades with a foe, Naoyoshi has learned a variety of noble arts to pass the time, even if he seems bored while performing them. His particular skills lie in calligraphy, weapon/armor maintenance, and tea ceremonies. A guilty pleasure of his is building plastic models, a testament to how careful his hands are from years of practice in the noble arts.
- Socially Inept - Devoting his life to the art of war resulted in Naoyoshi having trouble speaking to others in a casual manner. He's too used to speaking to others like a soldier and has little clue on how to hold normal conversations with others. It takes patience to get along with Naoyoshi. Lots of it.
- Intimidating - Between his hard facial expression and stoic demeanor, Naoyoshi is difficult to approach. Most folk tend to think he's in a permanent bad mood or he's one wrong word away from committing violence, even though he's disciplined enough to hold back. Most of the time. It does not help that Naoyoshi cares little about what others think of him.
- Unfiltered and Blunt - Honesty cuts both ways with Naoyoshi. On one hand, he gets right to the point and does not lie. On the other hand, he almost never sugar-coats his words when expressing himself. The man has the social tact of a sledgehammer.
- Vicious Temper - This is the entire reason Naoyoshi values discipline so much; he's fully aware of how dangerous his temper can be. Self-control prevents him from being an outright bully, but that won't stop him from issuing a challenge to settle matters the old-fashioned way. The samurai way.
Backstory: The Ii Clan has long carried a warrior tradition from one generation to the next, one that harkens back to the days of their most famed ancestors, Ii Naotora and Ii Naomasa. As the current heir to the Ii Clan, Naoyoshi is expected to carry on the legacy like his father before him, and his grandfather before that. Raised to fight, Naoyoshi and his younger sister Naoko were molded into warriors as the years passed by, though Naoyoshi would learn the hard way that this set him far apart from most children at his age. Where others learned how to paint pictures of their family at the age of seven, Naoyoshi already knew the proper form for swinging a sword with both hands. His father encouraged him to engage in fights, though never to start them - the boy was expected to come home victorious or having reflected on his defeat.
The Ii boy would grow up learning how to fight and distinguishing friend from foe among the samurai clans as well as the dynamic between the Tokugawa Shogunate, Imperial Diet, and Shinsengumi. He would identify yokai and learn to recognize them. He would then learn how to fight them. How to kill them. And if he can kill yokai, then killing human foes should pose little issue for him. As years passed, Naoyoshi would shape up to be more like his father, forcing the Ii boy to bear the brunt of responsibility. Bear it he did, yet it came at a cost. He grew colder and more brutal. The boy spoke less as he began to favor using his katana or his fists to resolve arguments. Naoyoshi was becoming the very same steel he swung at his foes. Others might describe him as a brute or a monster during these years - he viewed it as becoming a true samurai.
In time, Naoyoshi would attend Tezuka Osamu Academy to hone his skills further under the watchful eye of the Shinsengumi. As expected, his spiritual powers would eventually call out to him in the form of an oni named Akamaru offering a contract to him. Appearing to only the strong and worthy, Akamaru offered the Ii boy his powers the same way his clan of oni lent the legendary Ii Naomasa his strength. A contract was made, though Akamaru would only uphold it so long as Naoyoshi continues to show that he was strong enough to be worthy in the oni's eyes. Once they graduated from the academy and entered the university, Naoyoshi and Akamaru would further perfect their shared powers and hone their ferocity into a fine point.
Now on his last year of higher education, Naoyoshi and Akamaru continue down the path of martial mastery, waiting for the chance to bare their fangs and let loose their steel.
Family, Friends, Etc:
- Ii Naotake「井伊直武」: The 45-year old father of Naoyoshi, Ii Naotake is the daimyō of the Ii Clan and General of Musashi Prefecture's armed forces. A hearty and bombastic man, Naotake is seen as a natural warrior much like his son Naoyoshi, to the point of even having inherited a similar set of powers that have been passed down the Ii Clan's generations, though Naotake is contracted with a tiger spirit rather than an oni. While he is not a cruel man, his harsh upbringing means that he passed that down to his children as well, resulting in a both of his children growing up to become excellent warriors, though it came at the cost of stunting Naoyoshi's social skills. Still, the man cares for his family, even if he may have trouble showing it. To be a samurai is to place duty ahead of one's personal desires, though he hopes that his son can learn to balance that better than he did.
- Ii Masako, née Date「井伊雅子」: The 41-year old mother of Naoyoshi, Ii Masako was born into the Date Clan as Date Masako before her strategic marriage to strengthen the Ii and Date Clan's relations. Masako is a woman of few words, preferring to let her naginata speak for her instead. Even so, she balances her stoic nature with gentleness, often described as a Yamato Nadeshiko - the ideal Japanese woman. She initially married Naotake only to secure the Date Clan's continued survival by establishing ties to a military powerhouse, though she has grown to genuinely care for her husband and children over the years, fully embracing her status as a samurai wife and mother. Where Naotake takes responsibility for teaching the children all he knows about warfare and martial arts, Masako took charge of teaching him the noble arts outside of lawful violence.
- Ii Naoko「井伊直子」: The 18-year old sister of Naoyoshi, Naoko is a bright, gentle girl, not unlike their mother. She followed in their father's footsteps like Naoyoshi did, but she never enjoyed the carnage and violence the same way Naoyoshi and Naotake do. Trained to be every bit as aggressive as her brother, Naoko does not shy from a fight as befitting of the Ii Clan, but she is less confrontational than Naoyoshi. The Ii girl is far more upbeat and cheerful than her elder brother, constantly smiling in an effort to remind him to do the same from time to time. She fears that Naoyoshi may have embraced the warrior life too much and forgets how to live like a real person. Naoko hopes that she can still serve as Naoyoshi's anchor to his humanity buried beneath the warrior life he has embraced.
- Ichigo II「一護二世」: A 4-year old Shiba Inu that is the Ii Clan's pet dog succeeding Ichigo I. Like his predecessor, Ichigo's name means "Lone Protector," though he ended up adopting a love for strawberries as most people believe to be his namesake. It was Naoyoshi's idea to clad the dog in armor to ensure he was battle-ready; the rest of the family saw no reason to stop him.
- Akamaru「赤丸」: An oni of 347-years old that has entered a yokai contract with Naoyoshi. His clan has long served the Ii Clan since the days of Sengoku Jidai, the Warring States Era of Japan. Supposedly, Akamaru claims that it was his father that lent his powers to Ii Naomasa himself. Akamaru cares little for the concept of morality as he sees it as an entirely human concept that is beneath him. Akamaru's demands for Naoyoshi are that the young man must be strong in body as well as in mind in order to be worthy of receiving his powers. On top of that, a price must be paid each month - Naoyoshi must fight Akamaru once per month and land a "killing" blow on Akamaru to sate his hunger, after which he becomes obedient once more. These fights will be to the death, at least for Naoyoshi, meaning that Akamaru will hold nothing back as he tries to actively kill his master to see if he is still worthy of this contract. Despite such a steep cost, Akamaru is mostly cordial with Naoyoshi, taking an interest in the young man's personal growth. As a youngster himself, he lacks the wisdom of older oni, but he may still provide Naoyoshi advice in regards to the behaviors of other oni or discuss topics related to violence and bloodshed. The oni is a gruff individual who only acknowledges strength - the fact that he even speaks to Naoyoshi is proof that the Ii samurai has earned this ogre's respect. It is worth noting that Akamaru and his clan of oni walk around rather freely in the Kōzuke Prefecture as this is one of the only prefectures to have shrines devoted to oni.
- Date Naomi「伊達尚美」: The 23-year old cousin of Naoyoshi on his mother's side of the family, hailing from the Date Clan. Although Naoyoshi's mother Masako has remained in touch with Naomi over the years, the rest of the Ii family has yet to meet her. Naoyoshi himself only knows of her by name, though he has heard this name mentioned frequently by his mother. There may come a day when these two meet to see how much of a stark contrast they are from each other.
- Date Masago「伊達政吾」: The 17-year old cousin of Naoyoshi on his mother's side of the family, also hailing from the Date Clan. Masago is the younger brother of Naomi and much like her, little is known of Masago from Naoyoshi's perspective. He has yet to meet either of his Date Clan cousins, though the familial bonds are legitimate between them.
- Date Masahiro「伊達政弘」: The 40-year old uncle of Naoyoshi on his mother's side of the family, the current daimyō of the Date Clan. Masahiro is Naomi's father and the younger brother to Naoyoshi's mother. His prowess in combat is famed in the north to the point that word of it has reached the ears of the Ii Clan as well. Though Naoyoshi does not know much about his uncle, he at least respects the man's skill in battle. However, Naoyoshi also knows that his mother and his uncle have never been close nor have they ever seen eye-to-eye, though they are not to the point of being outright hostile towards each other.
- Date Kaguya「伊達輝夜」: The 36-year old aunt of Naoyoshi on his mother's side of the family, former wife of Date Masahiro, and mother to Date Naomi and Date Masago. Naoyoshi and his sister know little of their aunt other than what they heard from their mother. They know of Kaguya's overprotectiveness and how it caused friction in the family, but little else beyond that. It is open knowledge that Naoyoshi's mother Masako openly detests Kaguya, both women disagreeing with each other on a fundamental level. Kaguya is one of the reasons why Masako kept her distance from the rest of the Date Clan.
Powers: Naoyoshi's spiritual powers stem from his contract with an oni named Akamaru, with the oni agreeing to share his powers with Naoyoshi so long as the young man continues prove that he's worthy of wielding the oni's strength by battling Akamaru himself on a monthly basis - he must be "killed" via a lethal strike in a duel to the death, though Akamaru will simply be dispelled briefly whereas Naoyoshi is under legitimate threat of dying. The bloodthirsty oni cares little for right or wrong, good or evil. There is only the thrill of battle. However, it is still within Akamaru's best interest to keep Naoyoshi alive. If Akamaru were to kill Naoyoshi, he would be freed from their contract. If Naoyoshi is killed by an outside force without setting Akamaru free, then the oni dies with his master.
Power Theme: Akamaru is the red oni that provides Naoyoshi his powers, manifesting as a phantom oni that can be manipulated by Naoyoshi to augment his martial skills. Akamaru's physical strength mimics that of his master, so Naoyoshi must maintain a honed physique to keep up with Akamaru. So long as this persists, Akamaru effectively acts as Naoyoshi's ghost. Akamaru seems to favor an tachi that is sized-up for an oni of his stature. Ordinarily, Akamaru would be repelled by sanctified energy due to his nature as a violent yokai, but he is able to bypass that thanks to his contract with Naoyoshi, using the young man as a vessel.
Rank C Ability: Onikiri「鬼切, "Devil Cutter"」- Akamaru mimics Naoyoshi's sword swings effectively doubling the strength should the attack connect, raising the damage inflicted by one step. If Naoyoshi is punching with his bare fists, Akamaru still swings with his sword, effectively adding a cutting attack alongside a blunt fist strike.
Rank B Ability: Onigari「鬼狩り, "Devil Hunt"」- Akamaru dashes forth from Naoyoshi up to roughly 15 feet/5 meters at a tremendous speed, acting as a living projectile. The oni itself manifests in a solid form and will impact foes and the environment around it, staying tangible for only a second before fading out. Naoyoshi may further choose to dash to Akamaru's position with the same speed and striking force or he can pull Akamaru back to him while striking the same target again.
Rank C Passive: Akaoni「赤鬼, "Red Devil"」- Naoyoshi's yokai contract permits Akamaru to "haunt" him, able to manifest whenever he pleases, able to interact with the world in non-combat scenarios such as carrying objects or eating food with Naoyoshi. As Akamaru shares his powers with Naoyoshi, this also means they share a fiendish aura, capable of instilling dread into his foes - this effect grows stronger the closer they are to Naoyoshi and the more hostile he feels towards them. This is effective up to 15 feet/5 meters.
