Post by Sengoku on Oct 4, 2023 8:42:58 GMT
Name: Iga Oboro「伊賀朧」, Tsukikage「月影, "Moon Shadow"」
Age: 20
Birthdate: 04/08 (August 4th)
Nationality/Cultural Group: Japan, Iga (real-world Mie) Prefecture, City of Iga
Height: 5'1"/155 cm
Weight: 128 lbs/58.1 kg
Gender: Male
Affiliations:
- Iga Clan (heir)
- Hattori Clan
- Tokugawa Shōgunate
- Abe no Seimei University
- Drama Club
Appearance:
- Long, black hair reaching to his hips. Smooth and silky, proof it is well cared for. Tied up in a ponytail for business, left natural for casual situations.
- Violet irises, sports a soft, friendly expression most of the time. When conducting business, Oboro adopts a more sinister empty look.
- Short, thin physique. Lean musculature with low body fat. Lightweight.
- Feminine features, easily mistaken for a girl. Wears light makeup to further toy with other people with his looks.
- Enjoys modern and western fashion mixed with traditional Japanese elements. Also fond of the visual kei aesthetic.
- Carries a variety of "kawaii" face masks for crowded areas.
Belongings:
- Two kōdachi forged by the Awataguchi School of Blacksmithing.
- The first kōdachi is named Mangetsu Toshirō「満月藤四郎, "Full Moon, Toshirō"」.
- The second kōdachi is named Hinata Toshirō「日方藤四郎, "Sun's Direction, Toshirō"」.
- Iga/Hattori Clan badge of nobility. Shows the clan mon, the encircled two-arrow arrangement.
- Iga Clan ninja gi.
- Ninja tool pouch.
- A set of shuriken.
- Smoke bombs.
- A set of kunai.
- Steady flow of money from the Iga Clan.
Personality:
"Every light casts a shadow."
Stealth. Beguile. Trickery. All tools of the trade for Iga Oboro, the youngest child of the main Iga family and the best assassin among them. Oboro adopted a fondness for beauty and aesthetics in his early years and mixed it with the cruel art of assassination and espionage. When all eyes are on him, he will play the part of an androgynous beauty who can pass off as a man or woman depending on what his target prefers, charming them the same way a venus flytrap entices its prey. Despite how well he can perform in the limelight, he can just as easily slip undetected in the shadows.
In addition to being a performer, Oboro's skills as a social butterfly make it easy to eavesdrop and acquire information. From honeyed words to false smiles, Oboro can and will lie and cheat his way to victory or to gain an advantage over his foes. Friends are seldom true to him - they are but a means to an end, tools to be used, though not discarded. That would be wasteful. Only one person ever truly earned his heart's affections, but a tragedy tore away the one person Oboro ever loved outside of his family. With her gone, the Iga ninja returned to the shadows in both body and mind.
Character Strengths:
- Swift and Nimble - With his thin yet lean physique, Oboro has trained himself to move with speed and precision. Be it performing complex actions with his hands or moving himself to a new location, Oboro is quick with his hands and on his feet, never one to dally for long. This is thanks to his lifelong training in the Iga-Ryū Ninjutsu exclusive to the Iga Clan.
- Quiet - This extends beyond just the ability to avoid talking when unnecessary. Years of training have allowed Oboro to perform day-to-day tasks with minimal noise if he wishes, especially walking. From controlling his footsteps down to the way he breathes, Oboro's skill at stealth is never truly turned off even when not on the job.
- Androgynous Beauty - Oboro's natural appearance leans towards the feminine side, yet he still retains a boyish charm to his looks. With the right outfit and makeup, Oboro can pass for either a man or a woman. As his voice is naturally higher compared to most men, Oboro can also control his pitch to sound like a woman, adding to his skills in performance.
- Pragmatic Loyalty - In most cases, one should never trust a ninja and Oboro is no exception. That said, there are times when it is advantageous to temporarily trusting him. Should his allies prove their usefulness to him - as well as earn his favor - Oboro will ensure that everyone benefits from cooperative endeavors. He detests the notion that tools are meant to be used and discarded; perhaps this is his way of expressing that he does have a heart behind his seemingly cold-blooded nature. After all, only clumsy oafs break their tools by mishandling them. Just don't give him a good reason to betray you.
Character Flaws:
- Featherweight - In order to be both quick and quiet, Oboro had to carefully mold his body into a smaller, agile frame, taking advantage of his lack of a growth spurt. However, this also means that a stiff breeze can topple him if he isn't careful. The average, well-built fighter can easily toss him around if they wished. His smaller size also means he takes hits harder than others.
- Secretive Schemer - Being a ninja not only requires one to sneak around and eliminate targets while they sleep, but it also demands them to play the ever-complex game of espionage. Oboro is always scheming even among his allies, analyzing what his next best move is and when he should carry it out. He also tends to hide information from others, divulging such matters on a need-to-know basis.
- Cruel and Cold-Blooded - Make no mistake, beneath his beauty and honeyed words, Iga Oboro is still a trained killer. If given the slightest reason to believe that murder is the most efficient option that will bear the greatest results, he will plunge a blade through someone's heart if needed. Furthermore, Oboro seems completely removed whenever torturing others for interrogation. This coldness is why many have to come to believe that he is a psychopath given a license to kill.
- Emotionally Closed-Off - While he may put up a good act and seem lively, Oboro still suffers from a deep depression since his high school days. The loss of a girl who won over his heart was perhaps the first time he truly felt pain. His reaction was to simply withdraw from meaningful relationships altogether, yet it is within human nature to still yearn for companionship. It has been three years since he lost her. Oboro still has yet to move on from the tragedy - he has merely grown used to it.
Backstory: The name Iga is one that is viewed with equal parts fear and awe. The public is fascinated with the legends and tall tales of the mystical Iga Ninja Clan, often seeing their portrayals through the romanticized lens of modern fictional works and interpretations. Those who work in the dirty underbelly of Japanese society know that the name Iga is whispered with fear. This has not changed much in the hundreds of years that have passed since the feudal warring days, and Oboro is next in line to carry the shinobi tradition for the Iga bloodline.
Though he is the youngest of his siblings, Oboro is the one named as heir apparent. Yet he has no quarrel with his elder siblings over such a decision. Why is that? Because leading a clan of ninjas is not a duty most dream of inheriting. Yet Oboro embraced what was placed upon his shoulders. He did not simply train to be a ninja - the boy lived as one. From every day motions to live experience with his parents as instructors, Oboro would be sharpened into the silent dagger of the Iga. Perhaps this is the reason why the elder Iga siblings remained kind to the runt of the litter. He sacrificed his life for a duty that would have been theirs.
As he blossomed into his teenage years, Oboro's spiritual powers would take effect and further his abilities as an assassin, allowing him to become one with the very shadows he hid in. This further expediated his enrollment at Osamu Tezuka Academy with others who were spiritually gifted, educated under the watchful eye of the Shinsengumi among other children of the myriad of clans. It would be here where Oboro also experiences love for the first time, short-lived as it was. To lose someone he loved without any power to control it. That defined his later years at the academy before he completely closed himself off for sometime.
Several years after the tragedy, Oboro continues his education at Abe no Seimei University, seemingly back to his usual self. In truth, he hides the pain behind work and duty, obsessed with controlling the situation so that he may avoid such tragedies befalling others that he cares about. In the shadowy world of ninjas, one can never show weakness. To do so is to invite one's death.
Family, Friends, Etc:
- Iga Hanzō「伊賀半蔵」: The 45-year old father of Oboro and current head of the Iga Clan. Rather than being called a daimyō like in a samurai clan, he holds the highest rank within the ninja clan called kage「影, "shadow"」. Though a shinobi above all else, Hanzō is adept at the art of guerilla warfare and regularly trains Hattori samurai alongside Iga ninjas, ensuring that they are able to fight together as a cohesive unit when need be. He favors the yari, an odd choice for a ninja lord, yet it does wonders to draw attention away from the smaller, more compact tools a ninja may use. His eldest son Kagerō is most similar to him in this regard, likely to follow in his footsteps as the military coordinator between the Iga and Hattori. Hanzō is a laid back man yet he fully understands what sacrifices his family has to make to uphold the clan's values. He has raised his children to grow up with a sense of independence yet has reminded them that their own family is one of the few connections they must never sever. His old name was actually Iga Masashige「伊賀正重」 before he became kage. Within the Iga Clan, it is tradition for the head of the family to adopt Hanzō as their new name once they rise to power. Someday, he too shall pass this name down to Oboro. He is currently the 43rd Hanzō, which means Oboro is in line to become the 44th.
- Iga Sayoko「伊賀小夜子」: The 44-year old mother of Oboro and matriarch of the Iga Clan, overseeing their kunoichi training. Sayoko was an oiran, a high-end prostitute for samurai and other wealthy members of society, before her marriage to Hanzō, who she knew as Masashige at the time. As she was brought into a ninja clan, there was hardly any gossip that was spread of their marriage - after all, this was the world of darkness, a game where shadows try and outplay each other. The Lady Iga embraced her position well, one that was far higher than her old occupation. Here, her talents were shared with up and rising girls of the Iga Clan, though in time, she would teach the art of seduction to boys as well. Oboro and his sister Tsubaki are two such examples, considered her best work thus far. As for motherhood, Sayoko provides a sterner yet still gentle hand in contrast to her husband's laid-back parenting. Even so, she carries a touch of melancholy, knowing how dangerous her children live their lives as shinobi.
- Iga Kagerō「伊賀陽炎」: The 21-year brother of Oboro and the middle child of the bunch. As the eldest son, Kagerō was to be the heir to the Iga Clan, but as he and his siblings grew up, it was determined that Oboro had the most natural talent at being a shinobi, further reinforced by his spiritual powers activating. Kagerō, however, harbors no ill-will - on the contrary, he feels sorrowful for Oboro, knowing that his younger brother must now carry the burden of being heir. The eldest of the Iga siblings is horribly asocial and prefers keeping to himself, one of the reasons he dreaded the possibility at succeeding his father. Now, he is free to do what he does best - fight unfairly and master the art of guerilla warfare like his father before him, now without the stress of someday leading the Iga Clan. He has gone as far as to teach Oboro some of his skills when it comes to forcing their foes to fight at a disadvantage - Kagerō is the one who taught Oboro to that there is no such thing as cheating in a real fight. While he has trouble expressing emotion, his actions tend to speak louder than his words. By now, his family understands that it means a great deal when he consistently gives those he cares for snacks and other little gifts. Of the three siblings, Kagerō is the best at fighting, rivaling even samurai in direct combat. However, this means he is not as equipped for the art of espionage like Oboro and Tsubaki, though he still shows great skill in sleight-of-hand like they do.
- Iga Tsubaki「伊賀椿」: The 22-year old sister of Oboro and the eldest child of the bunch. Being a daughter to the clan meant that succession was always dependent on her brothers, a fact that she cared little about even when she was young. This also meant that she was the spoiled princess within the ninja clan, leading to her growing up with more hedonistic tendencies than her brothers. As a result, Tsubaki prefers enjoying life's pleasures rather than devoting her entire being to the clan's ninja duties. Still, she unflinchingly serves the Iga when needed, though she does so with a sigh. Tsubaki's greatest skill is that in charisma, a skill she taught Oboro. Growing up together, she liked to use her youngest brother as a dress-up doll due to his natural beauty and cooperative nature, seeing as Kagerō was always too prickly to pin down. Now that the Iga siblings are adults, they still maintain close contact with each other, always keeping tags on their siblings to ease their mother's worries while their dad lazes back with complete faith in them. Tsubaki seldom dips into the bloody side of the shinobi business. She takes after her mother, preferring not to stain her elegant - and very expensive - clothing over murder.
- Amano Hinata「天野日方」: Oboro's past love during their academy days together. Amano was an onmyōji in service to the Nanbu Clan and shared several classes with Oboro. They had gotten to know each other since their tween years at the academy, which developed into young love once they were teenagers. Hinata was quiet and reserved, yet she opened up to Oboro. Likewise, Hinata was the only person outside of the Iga family to ever see the real Oboro behind all of his facades and acting. Hinata loved the occult and all things Gothic, often pointing out similarities and differences between the two with Oboro. Her life was tragically cut short when she went missing one afternoon, only for her body to be discovered the next morning washed up on a riverside. The culprit was captured and revealed to have attempted to create a yurei by targeting a random teenager, with Hinata being unfortunate enough to have been caught by him. The man was sentenced to death, though he was found with his throat slit in his jail cell before the day of the execution. Since that day, Oboro has grown colder, more withdrawn. He retains his act as a socialite, remaining bubbly and charming, though it only hides the pain. There are times when Oboro resents the onmyōji who performed the cleansing rites for Hinata's soul. Even if she would become a yurei, at least he would still get to see her. Oboro's second kōdachi is named after her, forged one year after her death on what would have been her birthday.
Powers: Oboro's powers are centered around shadow and darkness, mostly aiding his already well-honed stealth skills. They primarily exist to assist his stealth abilities, making it easier for him to remain undetected or granting him incredible mobility. This allows him to approach targets quickly and quietly or make a clean escape, both of which are crucial skills to a ninja. However, Oboro must be in direct physical contact with a shadow or darkness to manipulate it. Daylight or artificial light can both hinder his abilities and their effectiveness, though Oboro himself is unharmed by light.Oboro must be careful to not overuse it, however. Overexerting himself could lead to Oboro disappearing for an indefinite amount of time that he cannot predict how long will last, truly becoming a shadow that cannot interact with the world and people around him. Deep records within both the Iga and Hattori Clan's shared vaults indicate that these powers were passed down from the Hattori Hanzō himself, the very first one to serve Tokugawa Ieyasu.
Power Theme: Where a light is shone, a shadow is cast. And where there is a shadow, there is Oboro. The Iga ninja's powers are based on manipulating shadows and darkness to obscure one's perception of him and allow him to vanish without a trace. They do not directly damage his foes, but they are excellent at setting him up to deliver a lethal strike. Oboro and his brother Kagerō are the only ones in the family who possess these sorts of powers, though records indicate that his great-grandfather wielded a similar set of abilities in life.
Rank C Ability: Yami「闇, "Darkness"」- If Oboro is standing or moving in darkness or in shadow, he is able to completely vanish from sight, obscuring physical properties of his being entirely. Others cannot see, hear, or smell him, but if they somehow touch him, they can detect him though this will not break his stealth. For one turn until the start of his next turn, Oboro is able to move freely up to 60 feet/18 meters undetected via visual, audiotory, or olfactory senses. His stealth is only broken if he runs out of time (one turn), goes past his maximum distance, receives damage, steps into any sort of light, or if he must make contact with another sentient entity, which includes attacking them. He does not break stealth if the action is easy for him to perform, such as climbing a wall or opening a door, though it will appear as if objects move on their own if he does this. Any objects and equipment already on his person will vanish with him when the ability is activated, allowing him to sneak up to foes in full gear if needed. He cannot share this ability with anyone else as it only affects him.
Rank B Ability: Shukuchi「縮地, "Reduce Ground"」- Oboro can teleport from one patch of shadow or darkness to another patch of shadow or darkness if he can see it but he must step into or already be standing in a shadow or a patch of darkness for this ability to work. This patch of darkness must have enough space for his own physical body to manifest there, otherwise he cannot teleport there to begin with. This ability also works with moving shadows so long as there is enough space for him to pop up to the new location in darkness. When activated, Oboro instantly vanishes from his original location to a location of his choosing within 30 feet/9 meters so long as that shadow is as big as his own size. Oboro can use this to get away from a bad situation or he can use this to close the distance between him and a target. The ability makes no noise, making it even more difficult to track where Oboro went.
Rank C Passive: Gekkō「月光, "Moonlight"」- Oboro has permanent night vision comparable to that of nocturnal animals. Although he has trouble distinguishing colors in pitch-black darkness, he is still able to see it clearly without the external aid. Shining a light on Oboro's face bothers him no more than it bothers other people. Oboro's vision can be described as seeing everything beneath the light of a full moon when looking into complete darkness.
You have my stamp sir!
