James Douglas Sandilands [APPROVED, 4-1]

Finished.

• Name [X]
  
• Appropriate Age [X]
  
• Gender [X]
  
• Appearance Present [X]
  
• Appearance Described in Appropriate Length OR Picture is Visible [X]
  
• Appearance is Not Claimed [X]
  
• 10 sentences for personality [X]
  
• History is of appropriate length [X]
  
• Powers are not Godmod/Overpowered [X]
  
• Powers are described reasonably enough [X]
  
• Application/RP Sample is not in First Person [X]
  
• Skills are not filled in (Omit if a Hollow)[X]
  
• RP Sample Present (Omit if this is not the first character) [X]
  
• RP Sample is 10 sentences [X]
  

• Willpower/Determination: Adept
  
• Mental Deduction: Adept
  
• Pain Endurance: Beginner
  
• Focus: Adept
  

Comments/Notes: Approved, Enjoy.
Tier: 4-1

I would like to make the following additions/updates to James. I do not feel that these additions/updates will warrant a review of the character application.

Human Skills Addition wrote:

Code:

[*][i]Musical Aptitude:[/i] James has been playing the piano and bagpipes from a very young age and he has kept at it, while training to be a Quincy. He is extremely talented with both instruments, and can play any song on them. Additionally, he has been singing for just as long, and his voice is beautiful, kind of relaxing, but he has no special powers with it. His voice is on par with most musicians of the day.

Background Update wrote:

Code:

[b]- Background:[/b]
Some two hundred years after the Quincy Massacre at the hands of the Shinigami a young Quincy was born to two Quincy in Scotland. Born in Torphichen, Scotland, young James Douglas Sandilands was raised in a loving family. His father Duncan is an engineer, while his mother is a teacher and translator. Additionally, they have a secret that James will learn slowly, that they are Quincy's, and that he has the same abilities as they do, with the proper training. James Douglas Sandilands training began when he was seven years old, and it was done by both of his parents, as well as his grandfather. When he was not training to be a Quincy, he spent time in school learning all he could, in addition to being taught how to speak a number of different languages.

As James grew up, he was different, and saw things that others could not see. Everyone said it was his imagination and his made-up friends, but he knew that they were there. His parents did as well, and took notice in this, yet kept an eye on him for the time being. One summer, while on a trip to Egypt, he saw many things that scared him including a number of Hollows, that he called the bogie men, since he saw many. Additionally, he saw others who were fighting thee Hollows, the Shinigami that he would later learn about as well.

While in Egypt, his mother saw this and protected him, while James slept and it was not until he was seven or eight years old that he learned about what he saw, from his parents. While in Egypt, at a pyramid that was being explored by his mother, James walked and came upon a room, and looked inside. In there, was something that scared him, as he moved towards him. Screaming, James Douglas Sandilands mom came and saw the Hollow that was about to get him, and she shot it, killing it. However, it woke up the other Hollows that were there and soon, it was a running battle out of the pyramid.

James’s father arrived and saw all of the Hollows and heard their screams as he ran inside. People were running in the opposite direction from the spirits that were there and as he ran, he took to the sky, attacking the Hollows that came after him. Moreover, a Shinigami arrived to battle the Hollows, but this was no concern to James Douglas Sandilands parents. Once James Douglas Sandilands dad made it inside, to where his wife and son were, he began to attack the Hollows as well. James Douglas Sandilands for the most part stayed near his parents. They managed to get out of the pyramid and retreated, as James Douglas Sandilands watched the Hollows attack the Shinigami.

[i][u]Learning about the Quincy, the Cross and Hollows[/u][/i]
Once back at the hotel, James was scared and shaken. After getting calmed down by his parents, they began to explain to him what had happened and what they and he were. James Douglas Sandilands listened, as he was told the history of the Quincy and what became of them. They told him of how the Quincy were many at one point and what they did to those who hurt people, the Hollows that he saw at the pyramid. He was also told of the Shinigami, who were the ones that fought Hollows as well, and was told of the Quincy up to the point where they were nearly erased and how they have been forgotten by time.

Moreover, they told James that he was to not speak of the Quincy in public as they were to be hidden from humans those who could not see Hollows and Shinigami like they can, and that they would be locked up if they talked about the spirits. James listened well into the night, and feel asleep in his mother's arms until the next day. After waking up and eating in silences, he asked about those creatures and wanted to know more about them and how to stop them form hurting people. This was the moment that James Douglas Sandilands learned about his parents, grandparents and great grandparents and was told of what was to happen if he decided to become a Quincy, like his parents.

James was given his Quincy Cross, a Celtic Cross that was attached to his wrist and was told to make sure that cross was there at all times, except for when he slept or played sports. He also traveled back home to Scotland, while his parents stayed in Egypt, his grandparents who began to teach him how to become a Quincy and what to do. Additionally, James meet with a number of Quincy that were in Scotland and they all help in his training while his parents were in Egypt and it stayed this way, training with his parents and family, plus other Quincy till he was 25 years old.

The training he went through, included how to use his own reiatsu, and how to detect others using his reiatsu. He was given books to read on the Quincy that were around, and was tested by his trainers all the time. He also learned how to use his Quincy Cross to summon his first bow, and the use of the various Quincy techniques and items he was expected to use and have access to.

As his training grew, he grew and was slowly becoming a Quincy as he worked when he could, between his school work, and his Quincy training. As he got older, he began to get interested in sports and girls, and so had to jumble all of this in with the training he was receiving, and over all, his parents wanted him to do good in school, so by the age of twelve his training in the Quincy arts became less of a focus, as his school work became the primary focus for him and his parents.

[i][u]Surviving the Quincy Massacre[/u][/i]
During this time, James learned about the Quincy Massacre at the hands of the Shinigami.  It seems that James great-grandparents left Japan due to a disagreement with some of the other Quincy about the Shinigami and settled in Scotland.  Due to this relocation, his ancestors were saved from Death at the hands of the Shinigami, since they did not raise their bows towards them.  When they left their Quincy brothers and sisters, they pretty much gave up being Quincy and using their abilities.

However, they did not forget about it and kept training and passing their knowledge and skills down to their decedents in secret, from the eyes of Humans, Hollows and Shinigami they trained.  For James’ ancestors, they fought in the various battles of their homeland, and trained in the woods and in the various caves in Scotland, Britain and Ireland. Some of his ancestors even traveled to what would later become known as the United States of America, but those that traveled to the Americas did not keep with their training and if any did, it is lost to James and his family.  However, that is another story and one that will be covered when the time comes for it.

After James was born, he grew up not knowing about the Quincy, and his parents wanted him to be more traditional in what he learned and not worry too much on being a Quincy. When he was older, he was taught to be a piper, one who plays the bagpipes. Additionally, he was taught how to play the piano and he enjoyed singing.  James would keep doing these even when the time for him to become a Quincy and use his abilities, if he wanted.  As the day of James’ thirteen birthday approached, his parents were worried about what would happen if James decided to become a Quincy. James had progressed as a talented musician.

His bagpiping and piano skills were extremely well, but he still had many more years to learn, and his voice was becoming beautiful as he sung in church and played at local events. The day of his thirteen birthday arrived and his parents were at a point in not knowing what to do. That was when he found out about Hollows, Shinigami and what he was. James made the best decision he could think of, he wanted to continue the families tradition, but he was more interested in his schooling and musical side than fighting the fae that would harm people.  At this point, his parents began the training and teaching of being a Quincy to James, but they did not rush it.

[i][u]Gifts from Parents[/u][/i]
From the age of thirteen to the age of twenty, James spent time doing what any normal teenager did, have fun, cause trouble and give his parents grey hairs. Every day, he became more attuned to his surrounding in his skills in the art of being a Quincy, and his knowledge grew as well, in the form of being smart in his school. His parents were happy, and his mother more so which was the first time he truly felt pain.

His father and mother gave him his, and told James what it meant and how it was to be worn,  The Claddagh's distinctive design features two hands clasping a heart, and usually surmounted by a crown. The elements of this symbol are often said to correspond to the qualities of love (the heart), friendship (the hands), and loyalty (the crown). Since the Claddagh has a meaning due to how it is worn, traditionally, if the claddagh ring is on the right hand with the heart facing outward and away from the body, this indicates that the person wearing the ring is not in any serious relationship, and may in fact be single and looking for a relationship: “their heart is open.”

However, when worn on the right hand but with the heart facing inward toward the body, this indicates the person wearing the ring is in a relationship, or that “someone has captured their heart”. Moreover, if a Claddagh ring worn on the left hand ring finger facing outward away from the body generally indicates that the wearer is engaged. Lastly, when the ring is on the left hand ring finger and facing inward toward the body, it generally means that the person wearing the ring is married.”

[i][u]Coming of Age, College and Loss of Parents[/u][/i]
At the age of eighteen, James graduated from high school, and was accepted at a university in the next county from where he and his family lived. By this time, his training as a Quincy had slowed and the lessons were repeated over and over. Additionally, in the years since receiving his Eye of Horus tattoo, both of his grandparents had died and others he knew within the Quincy community also died, rather it was of old age or fighting hollows. Moreover, James received a second tattoo, that of a Celtic cross, that was placed upon the right side of his chest. However, it was not the normal Celtic cross; it was in the design as his Quincy Cross that he wore around his wrist.

Once he was ready for the university, his parents saw him off and gave him a list of people to see while away to help with his training, and so he left, hugging his parents and arrived at his new home for the next couple of years. This was the last time he would ever see his parents alive, as they would die overseas in Japan. They were visiting friends over in Karakura Town, when there as a number of Hollows that appeared. His parents both being Quincy’s went to stop them, and during the battle, they were defeated and killed by the Hollows.

While he was at the University, he received word on their deaths and traveled to Japan to retrieve their bodies and flew home with them, as he thought about what had happened and what he must do. Upon his return to Scotland, James spent time fighting Hollows that were running lose, and learning how to be a better Quincy. Moreover, his college work began to take his mind off what had happened to his parents, as he studied in the areas of becoming a teacher, and speaker of multiple languages. While here, he learned Japanese, German and Irish, since he already spoke English, Scottish Gaelic and Egyptian. Additionally, he joined the Archery club, being an expert shot with the bow due to his training as a Quincy, and soon became the President of the club and winning a number of Archery competitions. He even was able to be placed on the Scottish Regional Archery Team or SRAT, and after placing on the team, was on his way to the SRAT.

[i][u]The SRAT, Graduation and his Life as a Quincy[/u][/i]
At the SRAT, James was in the Men's Individual Event and the Men's Team Event. In the individual competition, 64 archers compete. The competition begins with the ranking round. Each archer shoots 72 arrows (in six ends, or groups, of 12 arrows). In this event, James placed second over all through the entire event and won the Silver Medal. Meanwhile, in the Team Event, three archers in the individual competition also get to compete as a team. The same three archers from the individual competition must compete as the country's team. Their scores in the individual ranking round are added to determine the team's ranking round score. In this event James scored allowed them to win a Gold Medal and this was the extent of his career within the SRAT.

Since he was a winner, he got a chance to see many places which was nice, and he got to learn many new things that he did not know. He spent a year in Japan and a year in Germany, and out of these two places, he fell in love with Japan, and vowed to return to Japan. Additionally, he spent a semester in Dublin, Ireland where he attended Trinity College before returning home to Glasgow to finish courses there and graduate. He did graduate with a degree in History, specifically Scottish History and two minors, one in Japanese and the other in German. Moreover, he spent a total of seven to eight years in the university to get his degree.

Upon graduating from the university, he was presented with his final test and upon completing that, became a Quincy. Moreover he learned some more on being a Quincy, spending a total of twenty-three years in training to become a Quincy like his parents and grandparents. Additionally, he got a job at the local high school to be a teacher and when he did, went out to protect people from the Hollows. Than the worst thing to happen did death within his family.

When he was twenty-nine, he received word that both his mother and father had died when the airplane they were on crashed due to a terrorist. James was heartbroken, and knew that his parents were alive and that he might see them one day, since he could see spirits, but he did not dwell on this for too long, since it could make it harder to do your job and you can make mistakes. After the funeral, James worked harder at his jobs, both as a teacher and as a Quincy.

When James Douglas Sandilands turned twenty-five, he got an offer he would not forget and accepted, to be a teacher in Japan, at Karakura High, in Karakura Town, Japan. After getting all of his papers in order, saying good-bye to his friends and making sure everything was taken care of, he boarded a plane for his new home, a new life and new adventures. If only he knew what he was flying into, after all he is a Quincy and Karakura Town has a high number of Hollow activity that will keep him busy, but to what extent.

Currently, he lives in Honshu, Karakura Town and is a History Teacher, and one of the Foreign Language Teacher, teaching German, Egyptian, Irish and Scottish Gaelic.  Additionally, he is the new Archery Coach at Karakura High.