Laskt Matiche [Vizard] [2-5] [B Hazard]

» Name: Laskt Matiche
» Titles:N/A
» Appearance Age: Appears 28
» True Age: 1,047 years old
» Gender: Male
» Affiliation/Rank: Gotei 13. Fourth Division Third Seat.

»Physical Description: Standing at a towering 6'5 and weighing 200 pounds, it is unlikely Laskt will ever be the smallest person in the room. The former knight is powerfully built and extremely fit, traits that were just as important in his old human life as they are to his role as a Shinigami. His wild hair is a dirty blond, and his eyes a rich hazel. The Vizard's skin is weather-beaten, yet still clear.

Pic:

» Personality:

Chivalrous: One of the first things one notices about Laskt is his chivalrous nature. The Vizard is unfailingly polite to almost everyone he meets, regardless of their power or station. The knight is often willing to answer any questions or complete any tasks given to him, simply out of a desire to be respectful and helpful. There is almost no superiority or egotism ever present in his manner, if at all.

Honorable: Honor is very important to Laskt, and he strives to be as perfect in this regard as he can possibly be. The Vizard always holds himself strictly to a rigid code of conduct and will only betray it if physically forced to by mind altering effects. For example, the Vizard knight’s word is close to an absolute obligation as is possible, and he will never betray a sworn promise in any situation. In addition, Laskt strives to avoid deceit and lies when he is speaking with others, except when he is directly ordered to by his superiors. This trait also impacts his combat performance rather severely, as one will notice if they observe him in a fight. Laskt is uncomfortable deceiving his foes with elaborate tricks or traps, and often prefers to face his foes face to face rather than just blasting them from a distance with his powers.

Loyal: Laskt is very loyal to his friends and fellow Gotei members, to the point where the thought of betraying them drives him into severe emotional distress. The Vizard will follow his leaders and friends to hell and back if it means keeping their trust and does this with almost zero hesitation or expectation of reward. It is simply who he is

Methodical: The Vizard is the kind of person that likes to completely finish one task to it’s fullest before moving onto the next, gaining significant satisfaction from the glow of a job well done. Interestingly, this trait is the inverse of him in his youth, where he often raced into combat after combat haphazardly in a near-berserker frenzy, seeking the thrill of battle as much as possible.

Extremely Protective: Laskt lives to protect people, it is his deepest and most basic desire. After several mortal lifetimes living among the worst Soul Society has to offer, this basic trait evolved into something that became near all-consuming, and something that the Vizard cannot ignore. If one of his friends or an innocent is in danger, be it slight or mortal, Laskt will try his absolute hardest to free them of such a curse. This can result of him jumping into situations that are simply far out of his league or engaging foes that could crush him at full power with a wave of their hand, but he simply doesn’t seem to care for his own safety.

Introspective: Another keystone of Laskt’s psyche is his deeply introspective nature. As many of his allies are well aware, Laskt examines and re-examines almost every single action he makes and deliberates on their worth and value. If Laskt feels like he has acted out of turn, or violated his personal code of conduct, he often apologizes and earnestly strives to improve.

Extreme Self-Doubt: Laskt often doubts his own self-worth, to the degree where his self-confidence is far lower than what one would expect. The slightest, tiniest mistake on his part often leads to brutal self-recriminations and emotional distress as he seeks to correct himself back onto the “right” path. Even when he is thrust into situations far our of his control or knowledge, or when his emotions are controlled by others, he still feels like his is responsible for his failures and mistakes. This very trait is what lead him to isolate himself for so many years, as he felt that he no longer deserved to be a Shinigami, and that service was the only path forward.

Detrimental Determination: Stubbornness is too mild a word for Laskt Matiche. The Vizard simply will never give up until he is completely rendered incapable of continuing, such as being knocked unconscious. He cares little for whatever wounds, infamy, or plain common sense that would drive him to pursue alternative courses of action, and simply tries again and again. Even when the situation is impossible, he still perseveres through shattered bones and shredded organs until he feels he has lived up to his moral code. This obviously is very detrimental to his goals in the long run, as it is very likely he will kill himself one day trying to do something that is simply far beyond his power.

Slow to Adapt: Clinging to centuries-old values does have major weaknesses as far as the Vizard’s adaptability. Laskt is often slow to adapt to new situations, not always understanding the world that has been formed during his self-imposed exile. This is not to say he is stupid, but simply that he is out of touch with the worlds. When the situation is not urgent and nobody will be negatively impacted by patience, Laskt often tries to get the full context of the situation, unafraid of asking questions.

Impossible Standards: Laskt holds himself to high standards: it is simply who he is. However, the intrinsic issue with this is that most of these standards are simply impossible for any normal human to live up to. For example, one of Laskt’s standards is that he should always be unselfish and generous and avoid any form of selfishness or self-preservation. This is simply not how the mind works, no matter the species, so he often fails to meet his expectations. Laskt is far closer to the bar than most people, but that will never be enough for him. Nothing is ever “good enough” for the Vizard, and he will often pursue a certain goal far past the point where most would consider it complete, as he feels it is his duty to be perfect in everything he does.



» History:
Laskt’s story begins several hundred years ago, as the lengthy Hundred Year’s War began drawing to a close. The young eighteen year-old human was nobody particularly special, simply a humble Bordeaux native, serving as a squire in service to a rather rank-and-file knight. He and his master participated in the Battle of Castillon that marked the end of the fighting. Laskt and his mentor fought long and hard against the entrenched Frenchmen, killing many and managing to keep their flank together. However, in the end, they were but simple mounted warriors, and were cut down in a hail of cannon fire as the English were annihilated by the ensuing barrage. Laskt was ripped from his horse by a well-aimed cannon ball, slammed into the ground with enough force to shatter his spine, killing him near instantly.

Laskt’s soul passed on, and he arrived in the afterlife remembering only bits and pieces of his old life, although his personality was mostly intact. He wandered for what felt like days, gradually growing more and more lost as he walked through the seemingly endless city. The former squire had never seen anything so vast, so free of dirt and grime. He eventually came upon a small dojo, teaching basic self-defense to any Plus in Rukongai that had the funds. The young couple that owned the place took him in, stunned that such a young soul was so proficient in the ways of the sword. It vaguely amused him when the pair said he was far too young to experience serious conflict, for some reason he couldn’t quite put his finger on.

For several decades after, Laskt fell into an endless cycle. Awaken from whatever passed as sleep in the afterlife. Try and sharpen his sword skills for hours on end. Train random Plus how to fight hand to hand. Sleep once again. He grew listless, his mind hungering after a life that simply did not exist anymore, as Laskt’s remaining sanity tried desperately to hang on to what he once was, too stubborn to start his life anew. He was Laskt Matiche, son of John Matiche sworn to Sir Madrass and his honor would not bend, even to some eldritch sorcery. Through sheer effort and will, Laskt managed to drag himself out of the rut, solidifying himself in his old identity, clinging to it like something precious.

The revitalized squire threw himself into his work, sharpening his swords kills, and unwittingly his reiatsu until a passing Shinigami took notice. Laskt didn’t think much of the robed man that walked into the dojo, there were always those like him, those who believed wearing the getup of the legendary Shinigami gave them some sort of inherent skill with a blade. Most often, it did not.
“He has been here how long?”

Laskt jumped, all traces of sleepiness vanishing as the voice of a commander boomed out across the small building.

“Nigh on one-hundred years. No one ever gave any indication of him being special before!"

The stranger shook his head, an expression of almost disgust on his face. He glanced, slightly confused at Laskt standing at attention nearby.

“I will take him.”

Part 2: Shinigami
The adjustment to life in the academy was both strange and familiar for Laskt. The structure of the 13 Court Guard Squads was so alien to him, so different when compared to the military he believed he had one been apart of. Then again, basic combat training was much the same everywhere.

During his tenure at the Academy, Laskt focused on primarily on the physical aspects of his powers, such as Zanjutsu, Bakuda and Hoho, far more comfortable wielding simple physical enhancement rather than some of the more esoteric Shinigami powers. Upon his graduation, Laskt was assigned to a small town in France, working hard to keep the populace safe and protected, finally happy to have work that fitted his desires perfectly.

However, this was simply not to last, as there are some things not even supernatural physical abilities and demon magic can protect you from. The Hollow attacks on Laskt’s little town grew ever more vicious, forcing the Shinigami to respond in kind. He pursued several fleeing hollows to a small grove out in the French countryside, practically drenched in Reiatsu. Rather foolishly, the young Shinigami pursued them into this grove, discarding all thoughts of caution.

Immediately upon his entry to the grove, the Shinigami was viciously attacked by several medium-strength Hollows, lead by a mysterious Arrancar. Laskt simply couldn’t keep up, and despite killing two of the hollows, he was eventually defeated by a barrage of Cero. Despite his looming death, the Hollows did not move in for the kill, rather, the Arrancar approached him, forcing him to ingest a pill before vanishing. Laskt screamed in agony, his body convulsing before consciousness was brutally ripped away.

When the Shinigami awoke, and tried to return to Soul Society, he found his powers beginning to grow unruly, dark, uncontrollable. It was only through sheer skill that he was able to avoid leveling the land around him with a blast of energy. After a few increasingly panicked tries, he was finally able to open a Senkaimon, returning home to Soul Society.

Laskt spent several days in the wilderness beyond Rukongai, trying desperately to come up with a plan, hoping that the infection would subside. But it didn’t, and he couldn’t, and the malignant presence only seemed to strengthen with time. On that day, looking over the wastelands of Soul Society, Laskt decided that his entire existence must be dedicated to keeping this monster at bay, suppressed, unable to grow stronger. He had heard the horror stories of Shinigami corrupted by Hollows, and was determined not to let himself end up like that.

For hundreds of years, this was the Shinigami’s singular focus, sacrificing all development in order to keep the monster at bay. Laskt even went so far as asking for reassignment to the Fifth Division, specifically the Onmitsukido Detention Unit, in order to prevent himself from encountering anything or anyone that could make him stronger. And so the Shinigami who once held so much promise neuters his power in order to keep the demons at bay.



» Role Play Sample:

Spoiler:

» Natural Abilities:

Enhanced Strength- As a swordsman first and foremost, it should come as no surprise that Laskt is quite physically strong. Although he is nowhere near the peak of this statistic, the Vizard makes frequent use of this power against his foes, primarily concentrated in his sword strikes and rough punches. When he pushes himself, he is able to create devastating air pressures to blast away at his foes.

Enhanced Speed- Rather surprisingly for a power duelist, Laskt's speed is also highly developed, although, once again, nowhere near it's peak. The Vizard makes frequent use of his speed to bullrush his opponents and catch them off guard, as well as slicing through hordes of opponents at high speeds. In addition to his raw speed, Laskt is also quite proficient at the art of the Flash-Step, a token from his long service in the Stealth Force. He is able to apply this technique to move long distances fairly quickly, as well as blitzing across the battlefield in a matter of moments.

Superhuman Endurance- This area is easily Laskt's most developed physical characteristic. The Vizard is capable of taking immense amounts of punishment both physical and mental, far more than many others within his power bracket. Laskt has shrugged off immense physical pain, broken and fractured bones, severe burns and ample blunt force trauma, only to keep on foraging ahead.

Expert Swordsman- If there is one area of the Shinigami arts that Laskt truly prides himself in, it is his swordsmanship. The backbone of the Vizard's style is built on the principles of Zanjustu, with various elements of other sword styles mixed in to differentiate his style, and tool it more towards his personal tastes. Laskt favors a far more brutal style than many of his contemporaries, commonly opening with powerful, sweeping strokes: making the most of his strength to batter down the opponent's defenses. The knight's notable skill with the sword has allowed him to stalemate more versatile and physically powerful opponents: such as matching the Evolved Hollow Reina Arácnida in Beijing for a brief time and cutting through the Hollow Miia's Hierro at the conclusion of the Battle of Las Vegas.

Average Kido Proficiency- Laskt is uncomfortable using the demon arts, and has never really developed any skill with the ability. This is not to say that he is completely incapable of using Kido, just that his control and power in this category is lacking and it is definitely not a favored move in combat. His primary use for this skill is primarily for support, often creating barriers to fend off opponents

Stealth Proficiency- A skill that many would be suprised that Laskt possesses, and one that he often does not even consider to be an option. However, one does not serve for multiple centuries in the Stealth Squad without knowing how to sneak. When forced into a corner, Laskt is quite proficient with concealing his presence, able to conceal both his physical presence, and spiritual one, quite effectively.



» Racial Abilities: Normal Vizard/Shinigami things.



» Zanpakutō Name: Junkyomaru (殉教丸, Martyrdom)

» Zanpakutō Spirit Appearance:

Spoiler:

» Zanpakutō Spirit Personality:
Unknown, as Laskt has not had a proper conversation with his swords spirit yet

» Inner World:

Spoiler:

Compared to the relatively exotic inner worlds of some of his Vizard brethren, Laskt’s inner world is relatively mundane. On the surface, the inner world consists of a massive French castle in the gothic style, resting on the very peak of a rocky mountain, the sides craggy and impassible. As it is so far up, clouds circle the bottom of the structure, often dark with rain and trembling with the sound of thunder reverberating through them. As Laskt grows in power and understanding with his Zanpaktou, the castle will expand and change, however, for now, this is the extent of the exterior of the structure.

The interior of the castle is bleak and forbidding, consisting of a heavily fortified courtyard as well as various defensive emplacements dotting the walls, rotting with age. Most of the rooms and areas within the castle are empty and barren, except for three points of interest.

The first is the “throne room”, where Laskt’s Zanpaktou spirit mainly resides. Unlike the rest of the castle, the throne room is much cleaner, with the walls and floors well-scrubbed, if not shining. The main point of interest in the room is the throne, a simple iron chair backed by a large glass window.

The second is the dungeons, the domain of Laskt’s Inner Hollow. Unlike the simple, ulilitarian look of the throne room (and most of the rest of the castle), the dungeons are far more ornate. Beaten gold surrounds the heavy iron door leading down into this area, with red jewels, glowing with an inner fire line the hallways. There is no specific area where the inner hollow resides, as it mostly prefers to roam the endless hallways.

The final area of the castle is the training ground and is where the division within Laskt’s soul is most apparent. The ground is located near the center of the castle, and consists of a large grassy field, ringed by stone columns and seating for spectators. However, precisely half of the grassy field is blackened as if by a great fire, the grass trampled and broken. Likewise, the stone and seating is cracked and worn by age, while the other side of the field is in perfect condition.

» Sealed Zanpakutō Appearance:

Spoiler:

» Sealed Zanpakutô Powers:
Flame of Tar Valon: In it’s sealed state, Laskt’s Zanpaktou allows him to create and create “holy” flames. These holy flames can be applied for various tasks and attacks, but are especially good at purging “evil” influences from people, as they embody the various holy flames found throughout ancient mythology.

These pure white flames do not burn things in the traditional sense, but instead change it potency and heat depending on the target and Laskt’s perception of them. If Laskt uses them against an Arrancar that enjoys slaughtering humans, it will at its maximum potency and burn extremely hot. If it is against a regular human that is extremely good-hearted, it will barely affect them.

[Mechanics wise, extra effective against Arrancar/Hollow/Demons. Rises with level of evil in Laskt's eyes]

As Laskt’s connection with his Zanpaktou is still relatively weak, these flames have several major weaknesses. The Vizard can only create a limited amount of these flames, about the size of a large building in volume, at a time. In addition, rapid use of these flames is extremely exhausting on the Vizard’s energy reserves, as well as being difficult for Laskt to precisely control. Despite these weaknesses, the Flame of Tar Valon is an extremely useful ability for the swordsman, and is a good starting point for additional abilities.

Holy Smite: Originally thought to be it's own ability, the Holy Smite is simply a brute-force usage of the Flame of Tar Valon. By channeling a great deal of the flames into his sword, Laskt is able to amplify his cutting and striking power at the cost of most of his long-range potential.


» Shikai Release Phrase: Protect them, Junkyomaru!

» Shikai Appearance: Laskt’s Zanpaktou begins to glow a deep blue, the light growing brighter and brighter until it is difficult to look at the sword, or, indeed, Laskt himself. The incandescent blade shifts, elongating and lengthening into a full two-handed broadsword. The shaft of the weapon is crafted simply, formed out of blued steel without any excessive ornamentation. The blade, however, is expertly crafted and razor sharp, even if nicked and rusted with dried blood. Laskt’s clothes change as well, morphing from his usual black cloak to a thick gambeson, sturdy leather boots and breeches. These clothes, like the armor pieces to follow, are far from pristine, torn, worn and splattered with dried blood in places

Shikai Appearance :

» Shikai Abilities:
Journey of the Knight: Laskt’s Shikai is very unusual, in that, upon its activation, it gives no real benefits to him other than the shift of his weapon’s form. The Shikai requires time to “warm-up”, symbolizing one’s journey from trainee to full knighthood. Upon each post that passes, Laskt gains a single Honor Stack, which in turns allows him to access more and more of his Shikai’s powers as more armor manifests upon him. Additional stacks can be gained through the Laws of Honor, however if he stops fighting for longer than two turns, the Honor Stacks begin to decay at the rate of one per turn.

Armor of the Paladin: Laskt’s armor is not merely decorative or a power indicator but provides him powerful defensive enhancements. For every two armor pieces that he manifests, all incoming physical damage is reduced by 10 percent before striking Laskt himself (4 pieces 20%, 6 piece 30% etc). If the opponent is more then two tiers above him however, this bonus is cut in half.

Laws of Honor: In addition to his gain of one Honor stack per turn, Laskt also can also gain honor stacks if certain rules are broken within his general vicinity (same thread), usually across a local combat zone. Each of his armor pieces costs a single Honor Stack to manifest, and only then does he gain the powers associated with it. If Laskt himself breaks any of these rules, he loses one honor stack, possibly losing armor pieces as well. Said rules include:

• To protect the weak and defenseless. If Laskt voluntarily violates his safety to protect an individual that is incapable of protecting themselves (i.e. taking a cero for a normal human), he gains an Honor stack
  
• Never to refuse a challenge from an equal. For every person who refuses to fight Laskt that is within his tier, that is reasonably able to engage him, Laskt gains an honor stack.
  
• Never to turn the back upon a foe. If anyone of equal tier or higher attempts to flee from a battle Laskt is participating in, Laskt gains an honor stack.
  
• To eschew unfairness, meanness and deceit. If anyone attempts to lie or unfairly deceive an opponent within a battle Laskt is participating in, he gains an Honor stack. Lying extends to illusions an opponent is using to deceive another, but Laskt only gains one per illusion. In either case, Laskt MUST be fully aware of the deception before the Honor stack is applied. If someone lies to him and the lie is not uncovered, the Honor stack will not be applied.
  
• To obey one's liege lord. If Laskt is given a direct order by a superior, and he follows it, then an Honor stack is gained. Likewise, if he disobeys a direct order, an Honor Stack is lost.
  

Stage 1: Lower Body

Enhanced Speed: This armor section grants Laskt a significant increase in raw speed, allowing him to move at and react to speeds much higher than what he is normally capable of. Even at the Shikai's weakest ebb, this boost is fairly sizeable, making it so that beings able to keep up with Laskt's Sealed state will find it difficult to keep up. Not only does this boost impact his raw movement speed, but also enhances his striking speed and reflexes, allowing him much quicker and more precise swordsmanship than ever before. Even more dangerous is the fact that this enhancement only continues to rise as more and more armor manifests on the Vizard's body.

Purity Flame: As the right arm manifests, Laskt's Sealed powers truly come into their own, losing a lot of restrictions that made them at best a hindrance for powerful foes. To begin with, the size restriction of the flames is greatly loosened, allowing him much more freedom to pressure foes from long distances without running out of firepower. In addition, as one might expect of Laskt's Shikai, the raw power of the ability is greatly heightened, making it extremely dangerous for most Hollows or Demons to come into contact with. The flames will tear away at the very essence of their being much like a Zanpaktou would, making it a good matchup against any attack or ability that utilizes the energy of said races.

The true power of the Purity Flame, however, is in the growth of it's purging ability. When the flame comes into contact with impure substances, such as poison, it begins to purify whatever it comes in contact with. This is by no means an absolute purification, as Laskt has not practiced this aspect of powers that much. Nevertheless, the raw Spiritual Power of the Shikai allows the Purity Flame to burn out most impurities if given enough energy. Most mortal impurities can be burned out with a post or two of exposure, while more powerful impurities (such as poison from a Shinigami's Shikai) can require much more expenditure of power. If potent enough, the flames might not be powerful enough to stop it.

However, the growth of this ability does not come without risk. Laskt's control over who the flames burn is weakened by Junkyomaru's influence, and it is no longer safe for allies who may be classified as 'evil' to encounter them (i.e. a friendly Arrancar)

Empowered When boosted by Honor stacks, the Purity Flame grows significantly in both power and size, with focused blasts now being easily comparable to a Vizard's Cero when donning a mask. Weak Hollows and Demons will now be in severe danger of being torn asunder if they are so much as grazed by a committed attack, directly attacking their energy and seeking to return their souls to the natural order of things.

As with other empowerments, this boosts last for 5 posts, with the count resetting if another stack is sacrificed. The more stacks sacrificed, the more powerful the flames will become.

Stage 2: Chestplate

Lionheart: Upon acquisition of this stage, a soft golden glow begins to emanate from Laskt's body, encompassing himself and any other allies he has on the battlefield. This aura strengthens the will of anyone it comes into contact with, raising the morale of allies and purging outside mental influences and disrupting external control over emotions. The number of targets increases by one every tier Laskt is above 6-0. Unnatural fears and induced nightmares will vanish from the affected's mind, leaving behind courage and resolve. As Laskt's Shikai continues to evolve, this aura will only grow denser and denser, making it harder and harder to reliably puncture through the bulwark.

The effects of Lionheart work generally based upon Laskt's Focus versus his opponent's. If the being attempting to breach the protection is vastly more powerful than him, then Lionheart will serve little more than a stopgap. Additionally, Lionheart solely prevents internal mental interference. Illusions in particular are extremely effective, as they can completely bypass the effects of the ability.

Empowered: When fueled by the power of an Honor stack, Lionheart grows significantly more potent: it's golden sheen increasingly to levels that are close to blinding. While under this influence, the number of available targets will increase by two. This boost only persists for a period of 5 posts before it must be renewed, with the count resetting upon each sacrifice.

Superhuman Durability: Laskt has always been a tough person to put down permanently, as repeated beatdowns from Hollows, Demons, Arrancar and many others have proved. The release of his Zanpaktou only increases his endurance allowing him to withstand powerful blows without much damage. The Vizard's already substantial resistance to pain is boosted to new heights, allowing him to keep on fighting even with severe injuries. This is not to say that he is immune to pain or injury by any means, he simply has a higher threshold for his body breaking down. Similar to his speed, this attribute continues to rise alongside the power of his Shikai.

Stage 3: Left Arm

Superhuman Strength: When the left arm manifests upon Laskt's body, his already fairly potent physical strength is taken to new heights. The knight's strikes go from shattering the walls of buildings to cutting them in half altogether, causing massive collateral damage with his most powerful strikes. Weak Hierro or other types of spiritual armor could be cut clean through if their users are not careful enough to dodge the knight's blows. As the Shikai continues to awaken, Laskt's physical might grows greater and greater allowing him to manhandle most enemies on his general level of power.

Stage 4: Right Arm

Paragon Seal The most basic and simplistic of Laskt's abilities, and the one that is perhaps the purest expression of his Shikai as a whole. When activated, all opponents within a 20 meter radius of him are subject to the exact same Laws of Honor that he is. As soon as a prospective target comes into the effective range of the ability, knowledge of the Laws of Honor are inserted into their mind, as well as the consequences of violating them. The opponent must be within said radius for violations to "count", although if a malus is applied before they move out of range, it sticks.

As the violations mount, the affected will begin to find more and more of their physical power sealed away, growing weaker and slower as they act more and more dishonorably. This malus cuts roughly 10% (to a maximum of 50%) off the opponent's physical prowess with each violation, although it can be countered by the appropriate abilities or even raw power.

In addition, all one has to do to avoid this power is to act according to common morals. If the target does not violate any of Laskt's moral principles, then no effect will be appear. For every tier the target is above Laskt, the malus is cut in half an additional time.

Stage 5: Helmet

Enhanced Visual Acuity/Sensing: This stage is somewhat of a departure from the others, as, instead of granting a physical enhancement or new ability, it simply sharpens his senses, both physical and spiritual. When compounded with his vast experience working with the Stealth Division, many will find it hard to sneak up on him unless they are specifically trained to do so or simply have vastly superior control over their spiritual energy. For the physical side of things, his vision becomes so acute that he can easily see fine detail a half a mile away.

Stage 6: Chainmail

Blessing of the Crusader: When the Shikai is fully awakened, Laskt receives a final increase to all of his physical abilities on top of the normal growth they experience with the awakening of the Shikai. At full power, his Shikai gives him a roughly 3 times boost to all of his major physical statistics

In addition, Laskt can now burn Honor Stacks in order to further empower his granted abilities. This comes at a price however, as only 7 Honor Stacks can be acquired, and if any of them are lost, the corresponding number of armor pieces and their abilities will vanish.




» Inner Hollow Name: Tozat

» Inner Hollow Description:

Spoiler:

» Inner Hollow Personality:
Tozat is very much the inverse of Laskt's Zanpakutō spirit. Selfish, greedy and jealous, the Hollow only seems to care about his personal well-being, even if it means killing or corrupting others to ensure this.

The Hollow seems to symbolize a fallen knight, the very personification of what Laskt most fears he will become. When interacting with him, Tozat appears to be a very cynical, outspoken being, the kind of being who would tell a weeping daughter that she will die right after her parents are killed. In addition to this, the Hollow seems to be almost completely unhinged, dancing along the line between sanity and insanity like a game of hopscotch.

In regard to his relationship with Laskt, it is almost nonexistent. Laskt absolutely hates everything his Hollow does and stands for and has spent most of his existence restricting the being’s power and development so he couldn’t hurt others. This feeling is very much mutual, and Tozat seems to take special pleasure in taunting Laskt as his power begins to break free from the shackles from which he has been held for so long. Curiously, Tozat does not seem obsessed with the idea of taking over Laskt's body, but rather wants to torment the Vizard, and drive him to be a far more selfish and darker individual.

» Inner Hollow Powers:

Enhanced Spiritual Power- Laskt's Hollow has always been a few steps above him in power, and this is most apparent via his Reiatsu when he leaps into combat. The Hollow's power is a league above Laskt's own, and is as cold as ice, crushing down those weaker and making them feel as though there is no hope left in the world.

Superhuman Strength- Possibly Tozat's most terrifying charactersitic. The Hollow often simply humiliates Laskt in this field, treating the Vizard like a mere babe more often than not. Tozat's sword strikes each have terrifying power behind them, likely sending the unprepared reeling and stumbling backwards with each nochalant blow. When Tozat gets serious, he has been known to destroy entire towers of Laskt's inner world with immense blasts of air released from his sword strikes.

Superhuman Speed- While the difference between Laskt and his Hollow in this category isn't quite as extreme as the disparity in their strength, Tozat is still far faster than the knight. To put this into perspective, despite Tozat's lack of access to Hoho, he was still able to casually speed blitz the knight in most of their brief contests with only his raw speed. When the Hollow adds in his momentum-based leaps into the mix, he is able to quickly maneuver his way around the battlefield in no time at all.

Enhanced Endurance- Like Laskt himself, Tozat's endurance is quite extreme. The Hollow shrugs off half-hearted attacks from those with Laskt's level of power with casual ease, and is even able to withstand more powerful attacks far better than most would expect.

Master of the Sword- If Laskt is an expert in the art of blades, Tozat is a master. The Hollow has always been that little bit better than the Vizard, faster, sharper, quicker to adapt to changing circumstances on the battlefield. Like in most things, Tozat'ss personal style is Laskt's but twisted, taken to a darker extreme. Tozat rips into his opponents with a fury that can only be called berserk, battering them down into a bloody pulp. In addition, the Hollow is not above using trickery and deceit to gain an advantage in a contest of swords.

» Hollow Mask Appearance:

Spoiler:

» Mask Powers:
Body of the Conqueror: Both Laskt and Tozat have always been warriors that focused heavily around the physical side of combat, so it should come as no surprise that donning the mask grants Laskt titanic increases in strength, speed and durability, significantly decently above the average physical enhancement of a Vizard. This is mostly since the powers that his mask grants him are not nearly as powerful as some other Hollows, so the excess energy is fed back into his physicals. In terms of Reiatsu, Laskt’s normally pure Reaistu corrupts into a terrifying maelstrom of power, going above and beyond what Laskt is capable of on his own.

Agonyflame: If the Flame of Tar Valon is the flame that punishes the sinners, Baleflame is the fire that scours the Earth. Upon donning his mask, Laskt’s flames gain a significant increase in their potency and raw power, drastically increasing their effectiveness in combat. In addition, the restrictions of the flames as far as harming innocents are completely removed, as the fires are always at maximum potency now. The third and final augmentation is what gives the ability it’s name. Whatever these flames touch, they simultaneously activate all of the pain receptors in the general area of contact, inflicting immense agony on the target. The more one is exposed to these cursed flames, the worse the pain grows. For every two posts of contact to these cursed flames, the target requires an additional rank of willpower to ignore the effects. If they go beyond their willpower, than the afflicted location is forcibly rendered unusable. Targets more than two tiers above Laskt are immune to these effects.

Chains that Enslave Heaven: Tozat has always favored chains to complement his swordsmanship in combat, and, upon donning his mask, Laskt gains access to these very same chains. As soon as his mask is activated, two bladed chains materialize around his left and right arms respectively, as well as from four dark portals that appear from behind his back. These chains are controlled mentally, so no physical motion is necessary. Their Strength, Durability and Speed, curiously, has an inverse relationship with the curse intensity. They are two ranks below him for the full effect of the curse, one rank for 75% of the effect, equal for half effect. When not in use, they will automatically defend Laskt to the best of their ability.

Curse of the Last Tyrant: The chains of Tozat are no simple tools. Each set of chains houses a debilitating curse that activates when the bladed tips pierce the target’s flesh and draw blood. The effects only intensify if the targets are hit additional times. If the target is two tiers above Laskt, then the effects are reduced by half. Additionally, the chains must physically draw blood from the target for the curses to activate making spiritual defenses like Hierro extremely effective counters.

• Curse of Scorching: This curse is housed within the chain upon Laskt’s left arm. Upon the activation of the curse, all chains rapidly increases in temperature, around a thousand degrees per curse activation. This heat does not affect Laskt, and similarly will be weak against those with resistance to its temperature.
  
• Curse of Nightmare: This curse is housed within the chainup on Laskt’s right arm. Upon activation of the curse, auditory and sensory hallucinations of the target’s worst fears (both physical and mental) begin to appear, only detectable to the target. Every time they are struck, the illusions grow more and more real and complex. If the target has focus or mental deduction that is greater than 2 ranks below Laskt’s Power Augmentation, they can resist the effects. Additionally, these effects are purely mental, and cannot deal any damage.
  
• Curse of Debilitation: This curse is housed within the chains that appear from the two portals on Laskt's left side. Upon activation of the curse, a selected physical sense is reduced by half of its normal potency. Spiritually based senses are unaffected by this debilitation. If the target has focus or mental deduction that is greater than 2 ranks below Laskt’s Power Augmentation, they can resist the effects.
  
• Curse of Greed: This curse is housed within the chains that appear from the two portals on Laskt's left side. This curse is a bit different, as instead of intensifying upon each hit, it instead activates the same effect on every hit. Upon this curse’s activation, about 5% of the target’s energy pool is absorbed by the chain and given to Laskt himself. This effect increases or decreases by 2% if the target is a tier above or below the target respectively. If the target is massively more powerful than Laskt, the sudden influx of energy could have disastrous consequences.
  

General Skills

• Durability: Advanced
  
• General Speed: Adept
  
• Strength: Adept
  
• Martial Skill: Advanced
  

Shinigami Skills

• Hoho: Adept
  
• Kidō: Beginner
  
• Zanjutsu: Adept
  
• Hakuda: Beginner

Vizard Skills

• Power Augmentation: Adept
  
• Cero: Adept
  
• Mask Protection: Beginner
  
• Hollow Control: Adept
  

Hollow Skills

• Acid Skill: Untrained
  
• Garganta: Beginner
  
• Cero/Bala: Beginner
  
• Regeneration: Beginner
  

Will Skills

• Willpower/Determination: Advanced
  
• Mental Deduction: Adept
  
• Focus: Adept