Akihiko Nakamura [APPROVED, 3-2]

[ Nakamura Akihiko, V i z a r d]

Everyone has skeletons in their closet...I just keep mine closer than most.

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General Information
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Name: Akihiko Nakamura
Appearance Age: Late twenties to early thirties
True Age: 549
Gender: Male
Affiliation/Rank: Rouge.

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Overall Apperance
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Appearance:

Easily describe as "that corn fed guy from back in the day" by some of the older Shinigami, Akihiko is indeed a very hardy and large man. Standing roughly 6'4" and weighing over two hundred and fifty pounds, he dwarfs most of his former allies. The size, though, suits his personality and compliments his features.

His facial features are chiseled and well defined, with a strong nearly squared jaw and high cheek bones. These features are arranged to be pleasantly attractive in the rugged outdoors man sort of way. His most distinguishing features though, are his fiercely bright emerald eyes that seem to have their own glow in low lit areas. His hair is black in color and the bangs frame his forehead, reaching down to his eyebrow level. The rest of his hair is casually messy with spikes and at the base of his neck is a small tuft of hair gathered in a piece of twill. The hair is barely long enough to break the twill and simply spikes out. With his skin being a light tan, his face has a small amount of dark stubble to form a full beard. This dark hair compliments the usual wide grin he carries.

Akihiko doesn't use a gigai as he doesn't really own one. Discarding his shihakusho years ago, Akihiko now usually dons street clothes to preform his daily activities. When in the winter, the large man dons a black leather jacket over a plain white t-shirt that leads--untucked--into dark and somewhat loose jeans. The legs of these jeans overlap the tops of tanned boots. Upon his head he wears a black fitted cap with a skull logo on the side of it that's white in color, along with paint "splotches" around it. His Zanpaku-to is strapped over the jacket from right shoulder to his left lower rip and the strap itself is made from the tattered remains of his Shinigami uniform.

In the summer, the jacket is simply discarded.
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Personality
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Personality:

Akihiko's larger than life appearance extends to his personality. He is confident to the point of cockiness, brash, and rather loud. He usually carries a smirk that taunts enemies and inspires those he fights along side. Because of his ability to exude confidence and rugged good looks, he fancies himself a ladies man and will flirt with anyone of the opposite sex--even if just in a passing meeting.

He is fiercely protective of those he calls friends, though he lets them fight their own battles and only steps in when it absolutely calls for it. He always roots for the under dog and hates Hollows with a passion--but not all of them. Arrancar, he believes, have the ability to think and reason as much as Shinigami and have their own personalities, likes, and dislikes. He would rather get to know them before drawing a blade against them.

The confidence, smirk, and jovial laughter with the flirting is a front for the actual self doubt that Akihiko has for himself. He places the front up to hide the huge amount of doubt in his own abilities, as well as his fear for his own Hollow powers. He is truly mature and actually thinks things through to a good extent before acting. He can offer good advice with a stern face, or support with a kind smile.

He enjoys fighting to an extent and will continue to make jokes or small talk with his enemy even if he is on the losing side. He becomes deadly serious only when he decides it is time to activate his Hollow powers. Whether this is disdain for his Hollow, or because of it's time limit is not really clear.

Despite his past, and what he has become, Akihiko holds a strong fondness for Shinigami and will go out of his way to save and help them. He continues to preform his duties as one by sending souls on their way, as well as slaying the few Hollows that he can manage to get to in time.

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Zanpukto
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Zanpakutō Name: Awaisubeta

Zanpakutō Spirit Appearance:

Awaisubeta is unique in that it's size and and proportion do not reflect the avatar at all. The spirit of the blade appears in the form of a sprite, or fairy, usually standing just over six inches tall. The spirits hair matches Akihiko in it's messy spikiness, though is silver in color. It's skin is a dark tan, clashing with the hair and most of it's color choice for clothing. His eyes are a bright amber.

Upon it's back are two wings of silver light that can form and disappear at will and carry the creature as they would any fairy. Awaisubeta dons a black short sleeved shirt with a bright yellow, sleeveless, bubble vest over it. The vest has two pockets at the breast--one on each side--and two at the bottom. The vest is kept open. His pants are a bright red, baggy gi style make that lead down to bare feet. The pants are tucked in and rolled up to ankle height. Across his back he wears a mini-version of the Zanpaku-to that Akihiko wields in the same fashion, the blade positioned so as to not interfere with the wings.

Zanpakutō Spirit Personality:

Awaisubeta has the personality of most of his kind in fairy tales. He is mischievous in the way that he loves playing pranks on his pact maker, and that he is usually over exaggerating his feelings. He tends to motivate Akihiko into action by zipping around and yanking at his hair, or beating him over the head with his small (Yet deadly I say!) sheathed Zanpaku-to.

That isn't to say he doesn't have a soft side. The two have bonded into a strong friendship over the years, not just a partnership. Awaisubeta tends to recline on Akihiko's head whenever the man retreats to his Inner World for relaxation, or just to talk. He can be sincere in his motivation as well, giving insight that Akihiko's current mood might not grant him.

Inner World:

Akihiko's Inner World matches the usual residing place for it's Zanpaku-to's kind. It's a circle clearing in a forest that is roughly 50 yards in circumference. The grass is a rich green in color and stands to just about ankle height. The trees of the forest are thick and rich with vegetation at the roots. In the distance a volcano can be seen, it's tip frost capped as it appears to be inactive. The sky is a cloudless one with a high sun, and a light wind reflecting a pleasant day in the spring.

When Akihiko is in a slump, or duress, the World changes dramatically. The grass browns and becomes an over grown field. The trees wilt and loose their rich color and health, becoming a forest straight out of a horror movie. The woods themselves become dark with the occasional glance of something other than Zanpaku-to spirit watching the current occupants. The volcano's snow cap melts revealing an angry giant with a ring of smoke hovering around the mouth. The sky becomes a crimson red, threatening to rain down destruction from the volcano.

Sealed Zanpakutō Appearance:

When sealed, the Zanpaku-to's form takes on that of a bastard sword, able to be wielded in either one or two hands. The blade itself is a rich silver, leading up to a silver--near white--hilt that appears very well crafted. The hilt is common for a sword of it's type, extended horizontally to extend past the width of the blade and ends with two round orbs. A gryphon on each side is crafted to the hilt to appear to be holding these orbs within their grasp.

The pommel has a blue wrap extending around it that twines up to the end of the handle and hangs off in a single ribbon about twelve inches.

Release Phrase: "Glare, Awaisubeta!"

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Shikai Information
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Shikai Appearance:

Once Shikai is activated, Akihiko's form doesn't change at all. Awaisubeta, however, becomes larger. The sword shifts from a bastard sword to a large cleaver like sword, roughly two feet in width and five feet in length. The hilt becomes simpler in this state, the twin gryphons becoming one large one that's claws attach to the blade as the hilt itself. The blue wrap around the pommel remains, though the end is now six inches and tattered.

Shikai Abilities:

Awaisubeta only has one ability that is passive.

Light bending: Awaisubeta's single ability is to bend light to the wielders whim. This can range from "mirage" type illusions of items or people, to magnifying light to the point of a sudden flash. The mirages, or illusions for lack of better term, carry no weight and disperse into an array of prisms if they come into contact with anything solid. They exude no reiatsu whatsoever and make no sound. The telltale sign that an illusion is in play is the silver glow forming around the blade of Awaisubeta. The ability to magnify light to the point of igniting an object is possible, but doing so takes some time.

As stated, Awaisubeta bends light. In broad daylight is when the sword is at it's most powerful. At night this tends to not be the case, unless the moon is full. If indoors, Akihiko needs a source of ambient light to produce any illusions.

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Bankai Information
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(Take some liberties here, as I know Bankai may or may not be approved. I just filled it in anyway!)

Bankai Appearance:

Once Bankai is released, Akihiko again does not change form at all. His sword's blade shatters, the metal forming around his fists and extending to his forearms, just below the elbow, in gauntlet like objects. The blade is replaced by a massive prism of light, radiating it's own rainbow of colors. At this point the sword is ineffective in battle and is usually impaled into the ground. Once this is done, a newly formed orb at the pommel pulsates with light that Akihiko may use if there is none present.

Bankai Abilities:

Awaisubeta retains all of it's Shikai abilities while in Bankai, and enhances them. Awaisubeta can now focus light to the point of igniting an object in seconds and can create illusions on a grander scale. They still, however, disperse when come in contact with an object of any mass and also still do not radiate any reiatsu whatsoever. They can however, now make sounds.

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Inner Hollow & Mask
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Inner Hollow Description:

Akihiko's Inner Hollow mirrors him in looks while in it's "human" form, though it's eyes are red where his are green. Instead of wearing the clothes he chooses though, the Hollow wears the shihakusho of Shinigami, a taunting reminder of what he was forced to leave behind. The sleeves of the shihakusho are torn off, revealing the pale muscular arms that he has as well as allowing for more freedom of movement.

The Hollow (dubbed "Minion" by Akihiko after subjugation) does not wield a Zanpaku-to, as Awaisubeta refuses to answer his call anymore.

Inner Hollow Personality:

Minion is what you would expect of a Hollow: ruthless, malicious and mean to the core. Because it is a creature of instinct, though, it doesn't limit itself to just fighting. When eating, it urges Akihiko to do so with a feral efficiency, wanting to gut things raw rather than cooked or prepared. When sleeping it wants to choose the most defensible position (something Akihiko agrees on). When talking to an attractive woman, it's urges are more of a primal desire and Akihiko tends to ignore these.

Inner Hollow Powers:

While Akihiko himself is rather strong, inhumanly so as most Shinigami are, Minion makes him look like the small kid on the playground getting pounded by a college student. It's skin is durable enough to absorb most of the attacks that Akihiko can throw with his Zanpaku-to, but is less resistant to Kidō based attacks. Akihiko's good and natural understanding of Kidō seems to have rubbed off on the Hollow, however, as it's ceros and bala can pack a wallop.

Hollow Mask Appearance:

Akihiko's Hollow mask resembles the top part of a wolf's skull, with the fangs where his mouth is and the bottom jaw of the wolf's wrapping around his own. The cheek bones spread to his ears and the eye holes are elongated enough so as to not limit his vision. The skull extends back to the crown of his head with bone like structures sticking up in short, pointed ears. The mask is the typical bone white and the only color are two thin emerald streaks coming from the eye holes and curving to run back to the cheeks and stopping at the edge of the mask. His eyes become the usual black and his bright emeralds shift to a crimson.

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Vizard Powers
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Vizard Powers:

Once the mask is placed on, Akihiko gains the usual spiritual pressure boost that comes with it. It sacrifices increased speed, however, for greater strength and increased physical resistance. Since his spiritual pressure is increased, his Kidō abilities do as well, and grants him the ability to fire ceros in an arc from his sword.

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Resurrección
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(Same with here as with the Bankai)

Resurrección Appearance:

Akihiko has not yet mastered his Resurrección at will and has only preformed it once before. Because he was barely able to manage a successful reversion to his human form, Akihiko has not attempted this feat since.

When his Resurrección activates, it is similar to a man transforming into a werewolf. He grows taller and his muscles bulge as he becomes even broader than he already is. His clothes are torn to shreds in this feat and his body is covered with hair that is infact his heirro, each a tiny spike of metal capable of deflecting or absorbing the impact of attacks. His nails become claws roughly two inches in length of similar substance, making them weapons of his own as well as wielding his Zanpkau-to (if in Shikai). He would appear to be an ebon haired wolf-man if it weren't for the gaping hollow hole where his heart is, and the bone white mask. The mask itself acts as if it were a real head, though, the mouth moving when the creature "speaks" or acts in a feral manner.

Because of the wolf's natural agile manner, he becomes slightly more agile, though still relies on brute strength and a feral attack pattern to maul his opponents. He no longer gains the abilities of his Zanpaku-to in this state since it is more of a "berserk" than a controlled transformation.

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History
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Background:

Human Life

Akihiko was born as William Smith to a middle class family of the Union during the 1800s. He grew up and worked on their small farm on the border of the city, one of the few agricultural areas in the North at that time and was drafted into the Union Army with the first draft in 1863 as a Lieutenant. Soon after recruitment, he left his wife and daughter to march south to Tennessee, and towards his first real battle.

When he arrived to the battlefield he found that War wasn't as glamorous as he had thought, and that the North wasn't faring as well as he had hoped. In the very first battle of his life, he was killed during what would be known as the Battle of Chickamauga in 1863--just a few months after he was drafted.

Life as a Soul

Akihiko awoke to find himself among the remains of his Army--both their numbers and their bodies. The last thing he found himself remembering was the high pitched whistle of incoming artillery before everything went black. Guessing that he had somehow miraculously survived, he noticed the rather long chain that was pooled at his feet and anchored into his chest.Wrenching on it a few times--each resulting in blinding pain, he decided to not try that course of action again.

It was at this point that he noticed several Soldiers from both sides with similar chains within the vicinity. Some of them were wailing over something he couldn't decipher. Some were merely sitting and rocking themselves in delirium. Most, though, were praying to a higher power for salvation and a safe delivery from their death.

And it was then it dawned on him. He hadn't survived at all. He had been killed instantly while trying to rouse his men in battle--men that had fled and left him to die.

Shocked into a daze, he wandered around for what seemed like days before something snapped out of him. Creatures he would later come to know as Hollows had began to appear in increasing numbers. All of them would come and devour those who they could catch.

The battleground had become a feeding ground.

Akihiko had banded with a hand full of other Soldiers and fled the area towards the forest, though the monsters numbers continued to grow as they seemed to drop from the sky. It was at this point that men in black, odd outfits arrived and began battling the creatures. What shocked Akihiko was that they weren't using firearms to do so, but swords--and with deadly efficiency. Having stopped to watch the fray with the only other survive, Akihiko was awoken from his awe stricken state as a creature pounced the man just to his right, ripping him in two with a mighty bite.

Akihiko tore for the forest as fast as he could. His hopes were to lose the creature within the canopy, but these were crushed as the Hollow merely plowed through the trees leaving only splintered remains in his wake.

Akihiko decided to try a last ditch effort. Using two sturdy, rather close together trees, he wrapped his Soul Chain around as a trip wire. The Hollow was downed by the tactic, though the anchor was nearly ripped entirely from his chest in the process, causing Akihiko to let out a roar of pain that nearly blinded him. In his rage, and a moment of primal rage, he unraveled the chain from the trees and wrapped it around his fists before leaping onto the downed Hollow.

Punching into the stunned Hollow's mask, Akihiko continued to do so even as it let out a roar of pain and entered it's death throws. He continued punching the creature, even as it began to disappear. When it finally did, he collapsed onto the ground as pain wracked his senses and exhaustion set in.

As his vision blurred from tears and narrowed from losing consciousness, Akihiko caught sight of one of the men in black approaching him and drawing his sword in the same motion.

When he awoke, he remembered nothing of who he was or where he came from. His care takers, who he would later come to find out were Shinigami, gave him a name and employed him for odd jobs. He did everything from delivering items and letters for them, to small time repairs and shopping in town. Finally, he was approached and offered to be sponsored into the Academy. He accepted with honor.


Life as a Shingami

Akihiko flew through the Academy with ease. His Instructors fondly referred to him as the "Golden Boy" of his era. He quickly gained an advanced understanding of Kidō, hand-to-hand combat, and Zanjutsu, but seemed to lack in shunpo. While the Instructors insisted that everyone had a weakness, Akihiko merely shrugged it off saying: "I don't think shunpo can handle carrying my awesomeness."

Despite his flaw, and because of his natural talent Akihiko graduated with honors and with very little studying on his part. He spent most of his free time chasing women throughout the school house.

Upon graduation he was immediately accepted into the 5th Division and quickly began climbing through the ranks. A fellow friend from the Academy was in the Division as well, and he spent most of his time pestering her. While she was attractive, Akihiko refused to call the woman (Tamiko Haneda) by her name, and instead called her "Ice Princess" for constantly rejecting his advances.

As he rose through the ranks, however, something gnawed at him, urging him to gain more and more power. After gaining Shikai, the gnawing became more and more prominent. Violent thoughts became to form into actions. Kidō spells would go awry, burning instead of targets but full buildings. Sparring with wooden swords would turn to straight out brawls. He disagreed with "crap" battle plans and instead wanted to shoot from the hip.

Eventually these actions began to happen more and more often, and then he would lost control of his own actions entirely, though only for a few seconds. He would say things he wouldn't usually say. Reach out and grab objects, or even people.

Despite this, Akihiko managed to impress Tamikp (or rather, wore down her patience) and fostered a relationship--and eventually agreed later on to be wed. The night that he proposed they spent together, and it was then--as he slept--that he was confronted by the being behind all of his actions.


The Change...

As he slept he was pulled into his Inner World and confronted by a being that identical to him in looks, though held a maliciousness that he could never dream of having. The being stated that it was a Hollow, though the true owner of the body that they shared. It explained to him that most Shinigami didn't have the condition that he had, but his story wasn't like most of there. It told him of his past and how he had nearly severed the Soul Anchor entirely, starting the Hollowfication in it's very beginning stages. Though he was sent to Soul Society immediately after, before any real Hollowfication could begin, the seed was planted--watered by his rising in power and nurtured by his desire to become stronger and impress Tamiko.

The Hollow stated that Akihiko would never be able to leave his Inner World because he would kill him and take control of his body as the rightful owner. Akihiko agreed that he would never leave, as he couldn't let filth like him to dwell inside him.

And so the fight was on, though Akihiko was constantly thwarted with his attacks, as the creature seemed to know every block and counter for every attack Akihiko would throw--even after ascending to Shikai.

The Hollow showed it's superiority several times by taking vicious looking attacks Akihiko would throw with his sword, his heirro not allowing him more than a scratch. In desperation Akihiko released a premature Bankai against the Hollow--who revealed that it too had a Bankai. Shocked by this, the Hollow revealed that it had long since devoured Awaisubeta, and thus had all of it's knowledge. When Akihiko tried Illusions, because of this, it could discern the real thing with no effort.

Mid-battle however, Akihiko discovered the Hollow's weakness. While it's heirro protected it from physical attacks, it did little to absorb Kidō based abilities. As his premature Bankai was fading, he managed an opening and bested the Hollow with a reiatsu infused punch to it's stomach--and using a low level Hadō to nerely sever it in two. When Akihiko snapped back to reality, however, he discovered his life would never be the same.

Fugitive

As his Inner World shattered like one of his Illusions and snapped him back to reality, Akihiko found himself standing atop the rubble of his squad's barracks, in a tattered shihakusho, with a terrified Tamiko before him. The woman he loved to no ends was sitting back to a low standing wall, hands before her face and eyes wide with terror was tears flowed freely from her eyes. Her own uniform was in tatters from combat, and her Zanpaku-to lay broken in pieces in front of her.

Akihiko seemed in a daze at what stood before him. The sounds of sirens snapped him to, and he did the only thing he could think of.

He ran.

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RP Sample
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Role Play Sample: (Used colors to seperate the Hollow's dialogue and Akihiko's. Red is the Hollow, Green is Aki's. This is severely abbreviated.)

Bright emeralds looked at the familiar surroundings. The lush field, the dense forest that surrounded it, the brightness...even the mountain that loomed in this distance. It was his home. His inner world. The emeralds searched this time. Where was that blasted fairy when you needed him! Sometimes, he wondered how a big guy like himself got stuck with a teensy fairy as a 'Zanpak-to'. At first, he had thought it all a joke. A crazy dream. But when that fairy told him things that only he known...then realization hit. He had a fairy for a Zanpak-to.

Movement. In a flash, Awaisubeta was drawn, his feet skidding back and leaving a trail in the lush grass in his wake as an exact replica of his weapon struck the ground where he had just stood. Those bright eyes raised to the attacker. Himself. A pale version of himself, grinning maliciously at him.

"So you finally started to stop being a coward and fight me, eh?"

That cocky grin widened on the Inner Hollow as he ripped the blade from the earth, placing the sword upon his shoulder.

"Whatsa matter? Don't like me taking over...I just wanna play with your little concubine some...c'monnnn!"

Cackling laughter rung out as the creature brought the sword down, resting it horizontally as he pointed at the man. "All I gotta do is kill you, right?"

Those fierce emeralds narrowed at the mention of his lieutenant and the man glared at the maliciously grinning Hollow before he stood straight, raising his Zanpak-to into the air.

"Try it."

The sword came down, turning as it did so that the blade was pointing towards the Earth. "Glare, Awaisubeta." Akihiko barely noticed that the Hollow across from him mouthed the same words, and the area was bathed in light, sounds of blades crashing resounding in the area immediately after. After several moments of matching blades with the Hollow, which seemed to know every move he would make, he leaped back, skidding to a stop on the grass. Akihiko stood from his hunched position and tossed the strands of grass he had gathered to the ground.

"Mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! On the wall of blue flame, inscribe a twin lotus. In the abyss of conflagration, wait at the far heavens. Twin Lotus Blue Fire, Crash Down."

The blue reitsu soared forth in the light, it's target the evil reitsu of the Hollow. Akihiko shouted a wail of pain as he realized his attack missed.

"I told you....anything you can do, I can do better," the Hollow said from behind, his blade buried deeply into Akihiko's shoulder, nearly to his chest cavity. He ripped the blade out and spun around, using the pommel of the sword to send Akihiko crashing to the earth of his own world.

"Any last words?!" The Hollow shouted this as he brought the sword upwards again.

"...yup," Akihiko coughed as he made his way to his feet, albeit shabbily. "BAN-KAI!"

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Skill Sheet
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General Skills

• Durability: Master/Advanced/Adept/Beginner
  
• General Speed: Master/Advanced/Adept/Beginner
  
• Strength: Master/Advanced/Adept/Beginner
  
• Weapon Skill: Master/Advanced/Adept/Beginner
  

Racial Skills

• Hoho: Master/Advanced/Adept/Beginner
  
• Cero/Bala/Kidō: Master/Advanced/Adept/Beginner
  
• Zanjutsu: Master/Advanced/Adept/Beginner
  
• Hakuda: Master/Advanced/Adept/Beginner
  

• 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: Beginner
  
• Pain Endurance: Adept
  
• Focus: Adept