[Spirit Class 2] Alastair Eisfluch

» Name: Alastair Albrecht Eisfluch
» Titles: Grandmaster of the Vandenreich
» Age: 26
» Gender: Male

» Affiliation/Rank: The Vandenreich

» Physical Appearance Description: At a glance, Alastair is a tall young man with an athletic build and a mop of fiery red hair atop his head.

Alastair's bright red hair is certainly the first trait that anyone would notice when looking at him, it is an unnatural shade that seems to resonate with the heat that he can exude during moments of particular exertion. In his youth, before he had begun to develop into his Quincy powers, and even at present-day following periods of prolonged stress, his hair has a muted auburn colour. His hair is styled, or rather left almost unkempt, in a messy bob that stretches down his back whilst the fringe cuts off at eye-level.

His facial features are sharp and boyish, with high cheekbones and a delicate nose, whilst his lips are thin and do not easily suit a smile. An alabaster complexion only serves to amplify his face's dominating features - a pair of vibrant rust-coloured eyes that appear almost red when contrasted with his pale skin and combined with his ginger hair. Alastair could certainly be considered handsome, though his lack of facial hair means that he looks young for his age. A warm gaze serves to mask the cold demeanour that appears to come effortlessly to him, a fact he does not seem to mind.

Standing just shy of 6'3", with a slender build that favours agility over strength, Alastair certainly casts an imposing figure by stature alone. An upbringing spent devoted to physical training and a spartan diet has left him with a sinewy build, honed for his preferred style of evasive and explosive movements in combat. Certainly, his body lacks most of any trace of excess fat or muscle, like anything unnecessary has been burnt away by regimen and temperance.

When it comes to casual wear, Alastair is a fan of modest clothing that shows as little skin as possible. Jackets are a common staple of his outfits, from a blazer in summer to long coats in winter, and he prefers achromatic colours to lively ones. As far as accessories go, he does not take a particularly excessive approach though one key detail is that he tends to wear gloves regardless of the season.

Alastair's combat outfit is not a far cry from his typical casual ones, consisting of a double-breasted white coat with golden tassels and trimmings worn over a dark shirt that clings tightly to his supple frame. Matching, equally body-hugging, white pants cover his legs and end in black military boots with thick soles. A thick belt wraps around his waist, from which hangs most of his equipment including a Quincy pendant in the shape of a cross. This cross motif is repeated across the back of his jacket, and branded in black upon the back of his white gloves. All this is wrapped under a hooded white cloak that runs down to his ankles, fastened around the chest with a golden pin emblazoned with the symbol of the Vandenreich.

» Physical Appearance Image:





» Personality: Alastair would likely be considered cold and collected, a reflection of his pale appearance, though there is an underlying heat that might bubble over during a particularly trying event. He is level-headed and enjoys simple pleasures rather than grandiose designs, an example of such would be his love for watching the sunrise and sunset whenever given the opportunity.

His identity as a member of the Vandenreich is also a large part of Alastair's life. It was the livelihood of his Quincy parents, and he was indoctrinated into the family mindset as soon as he began to develop spiritual awareness. His disciplined attitude comes from his military upbringing, almost every day of his life was strictly regimented until he finally reached an age to set out on his own. For better or worse, he's never had a problem with this authority or leadership and took naturally to that aspect of the role of Grandmaster. He cares deeply for those who are under his command, believing that there is no task he would give them that he would not first do himself if required, and so leads from the fore without a hint of fear or doubt.

More than anything else, Alastair has been shaped by his desire to change the world around him just as much as himself. That is where his passion shines through, galvanised by his pure intentions where others might see him as opportunistic or self-serving. If he can see a way to make something better for everyone then he will pour his heart into making it a reality and is fundamentally an optimist in any situation. He strives to see the best in people, believing adamantly that there is no point of no return and that even the darkest of sinners can redeem themselves if given the opportunity. That is not to say that he will go easy on them, for he possesses a rigid sense of justice, but the point of this justice is to give them every possible chance to take responsibility for their actions and attempt to change for the better.



» History

Alastair was born in Germany, the youngest of three children born from the union of Johan and Elizabeth Eisfluch and the couple's only son. Johan and Elizabeth were both Echte Quincy and, as the couple's eldest son, it was his solemn duty to continue their legacy and take up the Quincy mantle. The Eisfluch line could reportedly trace its lineage back to the time of Yhwach, and they were rich and aristocratic - owning a considerable estate on the outskirts of Hamburg and several more properties across the country and overseas.

His earliest years were perhaps the easiest, pampered and doted on by his parents as they waited for his latent abilities to manifest. Alastair wanted for nothing, having servants to attend to him at a moments notice, but this would not last forever and he was blissfully ignorant of the loneliness that loomed over the path that he was destined to follow. No expense was spared on his education either, tutors brought in from across the continent to teach a wide variety of subjects from history to mathematics to etiquette. He was raised to speak both German and English, the native language of his mother, taking a preference for the latter though remaining fluent in both.

It was during his seventh year that Alastair began to experience strange dreams, visions that he couldn't quite explain, and it was also around this time that he first became truly aware of the spiritual world. He had been instructed at length about this by his parents and acknowledged that this was the beginning of his training as a Quincy. His lessons continued as normal, though suddenly there were extra subjects related to all the skills he would need to be a successful Quincy. Chief amongst these additional lessons was archery, at which the young Eisfluch proved capable, though he soon requested classes on martial arts and swordplay as he found both to be more interesting.

From sunrise to sunset, these lessons became the sole occupant of Alastair's time. General education was slowly factored back in favour of further devotion to his Quincy duties, at which he continued to excel, and he soon came to be heralded as a prodigy. The routine was all he knew, no social skills to speak of beyond those that his parents deemed unavoidable and no friends barring his sisters and the servants' children. He came to accept these as the facts of life, for he did not know better and was still young and impressionable, and so he was moulded in his parent's image. The perfect Quincy is what they desired, and so Alastair resolved that he would try his utmost to make their dreams come true.

Time rolled by eventually, childhood years turning into teenage ones, and Alastair grew into a respectable young man. A gifted Quincy, adept in the use of his Spirit Weapon, and the pride of the Eisfluch family. But, as he grew older, he began to appreciate all that he was not. There was a world outside the family estate that he only saw through tinted lenses, his future was to protect the innocent people and yet he had also strangely been distanced from them. Others might have rebelled against this restrictive system, but Alastair instead decided to embrace it and push through to the conclusion.

By the time of his 18th birthday, he had reached this culmination of his studies. There was little more his parents and tutors could teach him, it was time to head out and walk his own path. He bid goodbye to his family, gathered all the equipment that he might need for his work, and set off on a journey of his own making. Alastair travelled across Europe and beyond, working dead-end jobs to pass the days whilst the nights were spent honing his craft against real opponents.

It was this solo work that eventually caught the eye of the Vandenreich, an organisation of Quincy whose influence spanned across the globe, and Alastair in turn inevitably found his way to their door. Their goals and ideas aligned with his own and a recommendation from his family was the foot in the door that he needed, beginning his service as a Soldat in the Jagdarmee shortly before his 20th birthday.

With three years of service under his belt, Alastair had moved into the Sternritter division on the recommendation of the Grandmaster himself. Admirable service had won him this place of honour amongst the elite company, but he would be tested before the year was out when the Fourth World War began in earnest. Joining the campaign to reclaim America from Shadow Fall, in which the Sternritter were instrumental in driving back the Unholy Union. He experienced the driving back of the demonic forces firsthand, both the good and the bad, and found that it only hardened his resolve to drive back those infernal scourges.

It was the second Jefferson crisis that pushed Alastair to the forefront of Vandenreich affairs, as he was one of the few survivors from the mission to eliminate the source of corruption at the heart of the city. Though he remained staunchly opposed to claiming credit for landing the final blow upon the demon responsible, his efforts earned him the attention of senior officials within the organisation and set him on the fast track to leadership.

After the African Catastrophe, in which the Kingdom of Vastime was swallowed up by a near-bottomless pit from which hordes of strange Hollows emerged to cause chaos, Alastair was formally sworn in as the next Grandmaster of the Vandenreich. He inherited an organisation in a stable position at the centre of international affairs, a testament to the hard work of his predecessor, and now the duty fell to him to capitalise upon all that was still to be done in reshaping the world order.



» Equipment:

Section 12 Equipment: As part of his working relationship with the Duvalier Group, as well as one of the few people alive that Claudia Duvalier had expressed some passing interest in, Alastair has been outfitted with the absolute pinnacle of Carrington Developments’ arms and defence technology. After the collapse of the Duvalier Group following Claudia's death, Alastair was left a sizable portion of her estate including key elements of Carrington that keep him supplied with state-of-the-art equipment.

Of these items, the vast majority of it came from Carrington’s Section 12, dedicated to the most radical and innovative developments and given the most extensive funding for its research. Much of this equipment is specialized and advanced enough that, even with the entire financial might of the Vandenreich on offer, it was simply not feasible for more than one person to be outfitted with these supplies. Of these technologies, the most deadly are a sword and suit of body armour designed to interfere with spiritual defences and attacks, by the usage of a proprietary alloy that incorporates sekkiseki without compromising the overall structural integrity of the weapon or the body armour itself.

While spiritual attacks against Alastair whilst he is wearing this armour are not totally negated, they are tremendously reduced in efficacy, and even the most powerful of spiritual defences are no different from a mundane blockade when sliced by this specialized blade.



» Skills:

Spiritual Awareness: The pure-blooded son of two well-respected Echte Quincy, Alastair has been in tune with the spiritual world for as long as he can remember. Detecting subtle changes to the spirits in the nearby vicinity has become a part of his everyday life, and it certainly plays an important role in his work with the Vandenreich.

Knight's Arsenal: Atypically for a Quincy, Alastair has always possessed a natural talent for swords and melee combat. He has honed his swordsmanship from a young age, alongside martial arts lessons and Quincy training, and refined his skills under the tutelage of some of the finest human swordsmen that money could buy. Having trained with the finest fighters in the Vandenreich, and perhaps on Earth itself, and fought against several cataclysmic threats over the past few years, Alastair has become an unparalleled warrior in his own right. He is not a master of a single school of martial arts, but rather a practitioner of many and most. His Spirit Weapon can take the form of a wide selection of weapons, and he has trained diligently in a plethora of different weapons ranging from swords to spears, gauntlets to axes, bows and even more exotic weapons. Prioritising versatility above all else, Alastair is able to effortlessly shift between styles at the drop of a hat and is more than adept at changing his weaponry midway through a fight to use that which he believes will be most useful.

Lord of Flames: For as long as he can remember, Alastair has had an affinity with the element of fire. He prefers hot drinks, warm baths, and tropical climates though these are perhaps only natural choices. His resistance to fire and heat now surpasses any normal human metrics, having reached a point where he could hold his hand over an open flame for close to a minute without even feeling any particular distress. Removing a red-hot tray from the oven is perhaps the most mundane use of this power, but one that finds the most regular usage. Alastair thrives in harsh environments, where his unnatural tolerance for heat and skill at heat manipulation allow him to endure both extremes of the temperature scale. His ability to control the temperature around him is a skill that he has mastered across countless missions to both the snowy peaks of America and the vast deserts of Vastime, and he can even share this with his allies provided that they remain in close proximity to him.

Bastion of Nobility: Believing wholeheartedly in the abilities of his comrades, Alastair acts as a beacon for his allies to rally to during times of duress. He is a leader of men that thrives on the strength of those that fight at his side, and his presence alone is one that motivates those around him to push through particularly adverse conditions. If an effect negatively impacts the Willpower of Alastair or those around him then it can be suppressed for as long as Alastair remains conscious and cognizant of it, provided that it is caused by a source of lower rank than his Willpower. That does not mean that others can share his Willpower, but rather that they can operate at the limit of their own without becoming overwhelmed by other factors.

Only In Death: Alastair is a man driven to achieve his goals with an unyielding tenacity. He desires to impart positive change upon the world by whatever means he has at his disposal and will give everything he has to make even one step in that direction. There is nothing that will assuredly dissuade him from his path to the point that others might call him indomitable, and he can and has stared death and annihilation in the face without flinching. That is not to say that he does not understand his own mortality, and certainly knows full well that his life is a fleeting thing, but he will simply not allow that to be a reason that he might stray from his goals. Simply put, should he decide to commit himself to a particular course of action, then only his death will stop him.



» Quincy Skills:

Hirenkyaku: Of all the Quincy techniques, this is the one that Alastair would consider himself most proficient in. Speed is a vital part of his combat style, moving swiftly to both evade attacks and outmanoeuvre his opponents often being the difference between life and death. From an early age, his training focused upon studying this skill in particular even to the point of neglecting other skills in his arsenal.

Blut: Coming from a line of Echte Quincy, Alastair's abilities to use Arterie and Vene are of the same calibre as any trained pureblood. His tendency to pursue close-ranged engagements and willingness to engage in melee have made them a key part of his skillset, and engaging either form has made clear their value in both mitigating and dealing damage.

Wolke Master: Knowledgeable of Ginto and skilled in many of the Quincy arts that rely upon them, Alastair is particularly experienced in using Wolke. Constantly moving around the battlefield to find a position with which to strike from advantage can sometimes end up with the Quincy having to endure harsh falls that would have been hazardous if not for the ability to soften their landing, and Alastair is quick to take flight with his release to take the fight to his opponents.

Infernal Spellblade: Alastair has trained extensively to pair his innate affinity for fire and weaponry with his Quincy abilities. A culmination of this has been the ability to infuse this divine flame that resides within his soul into his every action, more than just his Spirit Weapon. Whilst there is now a fiery accent to his Blut or Hirenkyaku, this ability is far more profound in Alastair's spellcraft than in any other field. By temporarily sacrificing the boost afforded to his Spirit Weapon attacks based on his Kreuzen skill, Alastair can apply that boost to attacks that scale with his Gebet skill instead. As an additional side effect, this can allow his spells to take on properties that another Quincy would struggle to replicate with the same efficacy, such as bestowing a restorative element to a Ransōtengai that might repair damaged limbs even as they are being willed into movement or causing the constructs summoned by a Qualkreis spell to take flight as birds and surround a target before raining down a barrage of hellfire from every direction at once.

This can only be activated once per post so only one of Alastair's Spirit Weapon attacks or spells will benefit from this boost, never both. As an additional caveat, the process of shifting the boost back from spells to Spirit Weapon requires a post where neither of them will receive any amplification to represent Alastair having to refocus his soul mid-combat.



» Spirit Weapon Name: Falke

» Spirit Weapon Appearance: The binding element of Falke is the grip, as the design remains relatively constant whilst the rest of the weapon can change to suit Alastair's needs. The core appears as a dull bronze handle shaped in the fashion of a grip moulded perfectly to fit his fingers alone, though despite its metallic colour remains lightweight enough for the Quincy to wield it with an artful finesse. From this base, Alastair can shape his Spirit Weapon into whatever form he desires by defining the manner in which the Reishi coalesces around it.

Whether a sword, bow, or otherwise, there is a tremendous amount of power that gathers within his weapons that the Reishi stored within them is so tightly compressed that they can be incredibly dangerous to spiritual enemies. Furthermore, Alastair can divide his weapon and their Reishi into as many copies as he wants - though still only has two hands in which to wield them.

Blade and Bow:

» Spirit Weapon Abilities:

Blitzfeuer (Flash Fire): Focusing upon the Heilig Pfiel as it is released, Alastair can gather the Reishi nearby to superheat the arrowhead as it flies through the air which causes it to emit a blinding light upon impact and pierce through tougher materials than his average arrows would be able to.

The range of the attack is also reduced, maxing out at around half that of his traditional bow attacks, and - whilst the ability can be executed at point-blank range - Alastair is no more resistant to the blinding light than his opponents.

Entladungsstreik (Discharge Strike): A forceful blow made in either bow or blade form, that is made with the Spirit Weapon itself rather than launching a projectile from it. In essence, it serves as a close-range burst attack that releases some of the Reishi stored in the weapon itself and can be used for several utility purposes.

Using Entladungsstreik in bow form consumes enough Reishi that the weapon forcibly degrades into the blade form, whilst using it in blade form instead releases a blast that propels Alastair back as an emergency disengagement tool.

Regardless of which form the technique is used in, the next few attacks that Alastair unleashes will be at reduced power until he is able to refocus upon his glove and restore the weapon to its fully powered state.

Sonnenschuss (Sun Shot): By combining his Spirit Weapons with his ability to control warmth, Alastair can cause his weapons and ammunition to slowly heat up until they reach superheated levels. This is not a fast process and builds up slowly over the course of several posts, but with each passing post that this ability is being utilised it can be assumed that his weapons are becoming hotter and hotter until they reach a particularly hellish temperature after 5 posts. Upon reaching this point, Alastair can maintain his weapon in this apex state for three more posts before they disintegrate under the stress of the ability and need to be reformed - which will reset the state of Sonnenschuss back to a base level.



» Vollständig Name: Phönix, der Feuersouverän

» Vollständig Appearance: Der Feuersouverän is a loud Vollständig in its appearance, taking a few unique stylings whilst also displaying some typical characteristics for a release state. A pair of bright orange wings, almost avian in nature, sprout from Alastair's back, whilst a similarly styled halo manifests above his head. White flames also appear to lick at the extremities of his clothing, though the cloth itself remains unaffected. His very presence is amplified to carry a regal bearing, his voice taking on a deeper resonance than his already dry tone provides, as his eyes are covered with a white sheen that masks his irises and makes it seem as if he is staring at both everything and nothing.

» Vollständig Abilities:

The Feuersouverän grants similar benefits to other Vollständig; including improved Reishi manipulation, greater spiritual awareness, increased strength and durability, as well as flight. Though it also enhances his latent ability to manipulate fire.

Flammenkranz (Wreathed in Flame): Alastair also exudes heat from his body, his porcelain skin seeming to glow white-hot whilst his hair flares an even brighter shade of red. Without proper precaution taken or an innate level of resistance, it would leave serious burns were someone to touch his flesh with their own and could potentially ignite flammable objects upon contact as well.

Water is, rather naturally, the greatest weakness of this form. Simple rainfall will hamper Flammenkranz's effectiveness, whilst a dousing by a significant amount of water could abruptly end the Vollständig state altogether or even knock Alastair out of the fight entirely for several posts.

Unendliche Herz (Infinite Heart): The heat that encases Alastair's skin can now be channelled into the Unendliche Herz, which allows him to take on an aspect of the mythical phoenix that is his Vollständig's namesake - self-restoration. In essence, the Unendliche Herz focuses on self-preservation. Whilst in this state, Alastair is able to display incredible rates of high-speed regeneration. He can heal injuries almost as soon as he is wounded, even whole limbs can be reformed shortly after being damaged. Even his organs can be repaired should they suffer damage, providing him with incredible resistance to toxins, poisons, and venoms to the point that his body could be considered to constantly be purging any impurities.

Externally, at skin level, the heat that encases his body acts as a healing agent to cauterise wounds and seal them against further infection or contamination. This is usually visualised as white-hot flames that lick away at the damage and leave ashen stains that eventually crumble away to reveal unblemished flesh in their wake. Internally, when fighting against a disease or repairing damaged bones or organs, the Unendliche Herz acts in an aggressive manner relative to the scale of the condition. Whilst this part of the ability is in effect, Alastair’s skin can be seen to glow brighter around the injuries whilst arteries and veins become more defined much like when he was using his Blut.

This regeneration will kick in subconsciously whenever his body sustains damage, but whilst it is actively working his Blut skill and any abilities therein are disabled and cannot be used until either Alastair's body is completely healed or he is no longer in the release state.

The power of this ability is limited by the fact that it is tied to his release state, so can only last for a fixed duration before he is left to his own devices again. Also, like Flammenkranz, this ability is hampered by water in all its forms. Heavy rainfall will simply turn this ability off, whilst simply being splashed would hamper the regeneration process to some extent too.



General Attributes

• Durability: B
  
• Speed: B
  
• Strength: A
  
• Soul: A
  

Racial Skills

• Blut: Adept
  
• Gebet: Elite
  
• Kreuzen: Elite
  
• Steigen: Advanced
  

Will Skills

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

» Roleplay Sample:

As the first cracks of dawn began to crest the distant horizon, illuminating the vast cityscape before him as they did, Alastair Albrecht Eisfluch loosed a quiet yet satisfied sigh. He was resting upon the railing of a balcony several stories from the ground, a vantage point from which he could cast his gaze upon the nearby blocks without drawing too much attention to himself. Below, the city itself began to come awake with the sun.

But it was not the hustle and bustle of the morning commute, no, it was the drums of war that rang out loud and clear. The light from the rising sun spread further, revealing that the cityscape was not quite so beautiful. Some buildings were derelict, others deformed and crooked, and plenty more lay in complete ruin, but still Alastair savoured the view. He had hardly expected that his first visit to America would be quite like this, but the world had gone mad and the duty now fell to him to restore some semblance of order. A hand wrapped around the pendant at his waist, fingers running over the all-too-familiar cross pattern with practised ease, as he cited a quiet prayer.

His morning ritual completed, Alastair turned back from the balcony and ventured back to his impromptu quarters. They were modest, at least by the standards that he had grown accustomed to on his family estate, but certainly functional. He had only just begun to pull his shirt over his head when the sound of footsteps approaching warned him that this was not going to be another quiet day. As expected, the wrapping of a hand against his door soon followed.

"Orders from Vandenreich command, Sub-Captain." Called the voice from beyond the threshold. It was one of his Soldats, were he to guess then he'd have gone for Lukas Beringer, which was at least a small comfort over an alternative from their allied contingents.

"Enter." Alastair acknowledged, turning away from the door as he continued to dress. He heard it open quietly, shutting again without much of a sound. "Report, Beringer. Tell me what the Grandmaster has in mind for the day, and don't spare a detail."

END OF THE QUINCY APPLICATION