Kanzaki no Kazuki

[Kanzaki no Kazuki]

Kanzaki no Kazuki (神崎の和希)

Ishigami no Kazuki (石神の一貴); Misaki no Kazuki (岬村の和希); Inazuma (稲妻)

Age:
24

Language:
Yamataigo, Amoraean (semi-fluent), and Archaean (smattering).

Religion:
Shinto/Buddhism

Faction Loyalty:
Yamatai, in a general sense, but more specifically: Izumo no kuni, the Kanzaki clan, and that Tachibana clan (in roughly that order of importance to him).

Alignment:
Neutral Good

Profession:
Heir to the Kanzaki clan, umamawari (formerly), shugyōsha (currently).

Appearance:
Kazuki stands at an unassuming height of about 5' 6". He is lightly built, possessing more lean, wiry muscle than bulk. His complexion is typical for a Yamatai native of Yamatai. He has a distinctive scar on his left cheek, caused from two separate slash marks which intersect. His eyes are a dark brown in color. Likewise, his hair is also brown, often pulled back into a ponytail, with his bangs hanging freely.

Clothing-wise, he cares little for popular fashion, and prefers simplicity and practicality. He usually opts for garments that are loose and easy to move in. Occasionally he can be mistaken for a peasant, if not for his weapons.

Personality:
On the surface Kazuki usually presents a calm, laid-back face to the world. At times he can seem clumsy or foolish, but in truth he is intelligent and observant, open-minded and level-headed. He has seen and done much during his short life. Often remaining unfazed even in dire circumstances, he has no fear of suffering or death.

Curious by nature, he takes particular delight in the odd or unusual. He has an interest in learning, history, and philosophy. He has little care for fame or material wealth and keeps few material possessions. Instead, he seeks spiritual growth and to understand the world around him. He usually relies on his own intuition and is somewhat introverted, guarded about expressing his own inner-most feelings, tending to be self-reliant.

Kazuki respects social rank and title, but only to a point, preferring to determine a person's worth by his words and actions, not the station of their birth. He is still haunted by his sister's death, for which he has never truly forgiven himself for, and feels remorse for the lives he has taken. This has instilled in him a sense of compassion and empathy for others. He does not relish violence, but feels compelled to defend the weak and defenseless. He won't fight without a purpose, but when he does enter combat, Kazuki is a skilled and determined opponent.

History:
Kazuki was born in the autumn of 395CE, in Misaki-mura (岬村; Misaki Village), which is located in northern Izumo no kuni. He is the second child, and only son, of Kazuo (和夫), the current head of the Kanzaki clan (神崎). The clan is an old one, and for generations its leaders have served as lord of Misaki and its outlying regions, first as minor kokushi under the Tennō and then later as shugodai (prefects) under the shugo (praeses). At the time of Kazuki's birth Yamatai was still under the nominal rule of the waning Amoraean Empire, but its praesides no longer had the power they once held. In those days Kazuo, and many other Izumo shugodai, were able to govern their territories without direct Amoraean influence. This was due in large part to the control which the Tachibana clan exerted over Izumo's praeses from behind the scenes.

Kazuo was, and still is, a renowned swordsman throughout all of Yamatai. He wields a unique blade, the Shichishito* (七支刀), inherited from Kazuki's grandfather, Kazuhiko (和彦). He is also a stern and domineering man, who showed little affection toward his children throughout Kazuki's youth. Tragically, Kazuki's mother passed away during childbirth. In later years, he would come to suspect that Kazuo blamed him for the death of his wife.

Kazuki's earliest years passed without incident, and as soon as he was able to properly hold a sword, his father saw to it that his martial arts training was started. In this Kazuo was strict and unrelenting, sometimes to the point of cruelty. Kazuki not only endured these grueling lessons, but began to show a high degree of proficiency from a young age, especially at swordplay. By the age age of 10, while sparring with bokken (wooden practice swords), he consistently bested his elder cousins and sometimes even his uncles. Likewise, he also won many duels over the years against the youths of neighboring samurai clans. Yet on the other hand, not once could he defeat his elder sister, Miwa (美和), who showed prodigious talent of her own. However, neither of them could defeat their father.

After such a loss, Kazuo would often deride his son and daughter for being weak. As a young child, Kazuki would often cry, but his elder sister would always be there to dry his tears and comfort him. With no mother, and a severe father, the siblings greatly depended on one another. Constant companions, playmates, and confidants, they were practically inseparable.

In the year Kazuki would turn 15, 410CE, the Norska attacked the Amoraean heartland far to the west, and it was perhaps that incident that first sparked his interest in the greater world beyond his father's lands. Shortly after their invasion began, the four great shugodai launched their own rebellion against the praesides of Yamatai. In Izumo, the Tachibana clan attempted to force the praeses to relinquish his position peacefully, but he refused, and gathered what troops he could in a desperate attempt to carve out a piece of land for himself in the wake of the crumbling empire. The Kanzaki clan, and many others, answered the Tachibana call to arms. It was to be Kazuki's first real battle, one that he was not truly prepared for. At the time he had a romanticized view of war and was eager to win a share of the glory for himself and his family, but also wished to prove his strength to his father. So too was it Miwa's first battle as well, who was forbidden by their father to come along, but nonetheless compelled to disobey by her desire to fight alongside her brother and her countrymen in their bid for independence.

The two sides clashed on the fields south of Iwane. The praeses was vastly outnumbered, and the battle was a short one, but left Kazuki forever changed. He fought bravely, or tried to, but up until that point he had never personally taken a life, and was both shocked and sickened by the carnage that surrounded him. At first, anyway. His face was permanently scarred, and he nearly lost his life, but a more grievous blow was dealt when Miwa was felled by an attack meant for Kazuki. In a fit of rage and sorrow he slew the man responsible for his sister's death, and afterward his sword drunk deeply of Amoraean blood that day.

In the end the coup was successful, and the head of the Tachibana clan ascended to the position of daimyo without much trouble. Kazuo would later boast of the number of heads taken by his clan, including his son, but father's praise meant very little to Kazuki now. He was devastated by the loss of his sister. Revenge had brought him no satisfaction, only further despair, for it was himself that he truly blamed for his sister's death. Time passed, slowly at first, as he grieved Miwa's death. The only onna bugeisha among them, she and the others that perished in the battle would become venerated for performing a samurai's ultimate duty, bringing great honor to their respective clans. In this, Kazuki was able to take some measure of comfort.

The Kanzaki clan profited greatly in the following years. For his service, Kazuo had been appointed one of the Tachibana daimyo's karō. Given command of Kita-ki, and a large fief centered around the castle (within which lies Misaki, which Kazuo has given over to his younger brother, Masahiko[正彦]), he has since built up a reputation as one of Izumo's fiercest commanders. Despite his youth, Kazuki himself had been offered a position in the elite umamawari unit, the daimyo's personal bodyguards, in recognition of his growing reputation as a swordsman.

Around three years later, shortly before his 18th year, he proved his worth when, in the blink of an eye, he cut down a hired assassin with one stroke. For that, he earned the nickname "Inazuma" (lightning bolt). The attempt on the daimyo's life was found to be made by the Sakai clan, who had not participated in the fight against the praeses, and only pledged their loyalty after the battle had been won. In response to the attempt on his life, Kazuo was ordered by the daimyo to eradicate the clan. Kazuki was given the 'honor' of accompanying his father on this mission, and he played his part well, as duty dictated. But it was not a battle, so much as it was a massacre. Kazuo acted without remorse. Kazuki, on the other hand, again felt regret for the blood on his hands.

Shortly after that incident, he came to question his purpose in life. Although serving his lord loyally brought honor to himself and his clan, he could find no joy in performing his duty, which entailed killing on the behalf of the daimyo. He seemed to lack something that his father and other samurai possessed, that which enabled them to serve their lords proudly and unquestioningly. It shamed him as a samurai, but he yearned to live his own life. Though he loved his homeland dearly, he desired to see what the world beyond Izumo could offer. So, a few months later, he requested of his lord permission to leave on a musha shugyō*, a warrior's pilgrimage. This he was granted, and he soon after took the alias of "Ishigami" to distance himself from his clan and his past. For the last several years he has wandered, but in that time the name "Ishigami no Kazuki" has earned something of a reputation of its own throughout Yamatai as a champion of the common people, defending them against bandits and other criminals.

Strengths/Weaknesses

Strengths:
Kazuki is calm, level-headed, and capable of great focus, possessing much fortitude and an indomitable spirit. He is very difficult to rattle or anger. Despite the fact that his easy-going manner can make him seem lazy at times, he rarely ever gives up when he sets his mind on something.
Overall, he is fairly intelligent and quite perceptive. As a member of the samurai class, he received a basic education in his youth, and is literate in the Yamatai language. Over the years of wandering, he has picked up various tidbits of knowledge here and there.
He is a superb martial artist, especially skilled at swordplay. Though his physical strength is average, he is exceedingly quick and agile. Accordingly, his fighting style places emphasis on speed, maneuverability, and using his opponent's own force against them.

Weaknesses:
Kazuki is no powerhouse, nor is he fond of wearing heavy armor, which negatively impacts his mobility. Thus he is not the most physically durable of opponents.
For all his wandering, he was a terrible sense of direction and gets lost very easily. Beyond basic arithmetic, he is hopeless with numbers. To this end, he is terrible with managing money and frequently finds himself strapped for cash.
For all the good it does, a cunning opponent could potentially take advantage of Kazuki's compassionate nature and use it to their advantage. Likewise, it can also lead him to make personal sacrifices or get involved when it's not to his advantage.
He occasionally has recurring nightmares involving the death of his sister, which can rob him of a full night's rest.

Likes:
Traveling, martial arts, nature, philosophy, history, music, rain, snow/cold weather, noodles.

Dislikes:
Unnecessary fighting, arrogance, narrow-mindedness, being bound to a single place for long periods, hot weather, eggs.

Weapons:
A masterwork tachi, with a blade length of approx. 27.5in (~70cm). The tsuka (hilt), just over 10in (~26cm) in length, is custom fitted to the tang of the blade and wrapped in same kawa (ray skin), over which is wrapped beige tsuka-ito (braided silk cords).
Its saya (scabbard) is carved from hinoki wood, with a coat of lacquer on the exterior. It is mahogany in color. The sword it worn at his side, cutting edge up.

A simple double-edged kaiken (dagger), with a blade length of approx. 10in (~25.4cm). The saya matches the color of his tachi, but isn't lacquered.

An asymmetric longbow, called a yumi, made of bamboo; the string is made from hemp. It's about 83in (227cm) in length. Carried across his back, along with a quiver of arrows.

Armor:
N/A (although he is proficient with keiko and tanko armor).

Extra

Your OOC name:
Kamui or Kazuki.

RP Sample:
A small rustling in the leaves overhead could be heard and a ratty brown haversack suddenly fell from the tree Molly was sitting under. This was followed by a figure in a loose and tattered black duster, who swung down from a branch and landed lightly next to the slumped over sack. A few stray leaves drifted down, one of them landing on his head. Sitting on his haunches, crouched rather like a monkey, the dark haired young man yawned and stretched his arms and back, as if he had just woken up. Which was, in fact, the case. For a drifter such as himself it was far safer to rest out of sight.
Blinking a few times, he looked up with a sleepy expression at the blonde blue-eyed young woman in front of him.
"Huh," He said, speaking mostly to himself, "Yeah, I thought I heard someone..."
There was harsh prruk-prruk-prruk sound and the flapping of wings as a gaunt looking raven emerged from the branches, perching itself on the young man's shoulder. It's beady black eyes gazed intently at the young woman.
"Hello." The young man greeted her casually, as if he had not just dropped out of a tree. Covering his mouth, he yawned again.

[Wolfezth Severus Deraine]

And you are acccccepted.