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 Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2007 1:49 pm
Hi there! I'm Drakochan, and obviously this is my quest for a GotP... Oh, you want to hear more about me and less about the quest? Well... I've been Roleplaying for about 6 years (Yeah, holy crap @_@), but I only recently got into the B/C forums. About January, to be honest. Yep, only about five months.
I'm in my senior year of highschool, so I have a feeling my life will be rather busy in the next few months, but I'm too addicted to B/C and the internets to get too distracted from any of my shops ^^ If I get Katsumi, this will be (officially) my second B/C pet :3 I work in Cabbage Patch, L.O.T.U.S., and Dawn of Heroes as an RP Manager, and at DoH as an artist.
Please critique this quest as much as you'd like!! I'm always looking to improve stuff.
Post o1. Welcome, intro
Post o2. The Monster: Yuki-Onna
Post o3. Katsumi
Post o4. Backstory
Post o5. Appearances
Post o6. Powers
Post o7. Guardian: Sakda
Post o8. Thanks/Credits
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Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2007 4:29 pm
She will appear to a viewer serene, but is in truth a ruthless killer, and depending on what myth you happen to be reading, can kill by anything as simple as luring a person out into a snowstorm and leaving them to die of exposure, or actively take part in a person's death, using her icy breath to kill. Other times she will appear holding a child, and lure parents who have recently lost a child to their deaths. She is the icy version of a siren. Beautiful and inviting, but truly a deadly force to be feared and dealt with caution.
Oddly enough, there are indeed times when she will release her victim. "She sometimes lets would-be victims go for various reasons. In one popular Yuki-onna legend, for example, she sets a young boy free due to his beauty and age. She makes him promise to never mention her again, though, and when he relates the story to his wife much later in life, his wife reveals herself to be none other than the snow woman. She reviles him for breaking his promise but spares him yet again, this time out of concern for the children she has born him (but if he dares mistreat their children, she will return with no mercy." [source]
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Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2007 4:31 pm
Meaning: Mist
Nicknames: Kat, Tsu, Tsumi
Hair color: Light blue, like shadows on the snow
Eye color: Gray-blue
Build: Slender and tall, especially for a Japanese woman
Skin-tone: Pale, almost translucently pale
Hobbies: Dancing, singing, dress-up, bird-watching
Personality: Though she seems to have no reason for it, Katsumi can be quite spiteful and hateful to someone who has slighted her. It is partly her nature as a Yuki-Onna, but partly from the experiences that she doesn't remember as a forerunner in the political battle of the different okiya and her own fellow geisha.
There is a sweet side, the more prominent side of her personality. She is loving, patient, affectionate, when she trusts a person. Though these two facets of her personality are seemingly contradictory, it is part of who she is. Wearing the 'mask' of a geisha, she was the considerate, polite, perfect woman, and could hold scathing conversations in the most pleasant of voices. Without the mask, she was kind only to those closest to her, and all else were seen as someone trying to get the upper hand. She is ruthless in battle, be it wits or otherwise.
As a natural artist, Katsumi has a passion for dance and singing, but also dabbles in the other arts of painting and drawing, though not nearly as seriously. She adores admiring nature, and will sit in the garden for hours, watching the world go by with no real care for time she's losing. Very much the dreamer, she loves to read fantasy and listen to all types of music, especially classical.
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Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2007 4:32 pm
So, one night it was arranged that just that would happen. It was a beautiful winter night, if a bit chilly, and the snow floated down calmly in the city, creating powder-soft piles on the sidestreets and on the roofs across the city. Katsumi was on her way home from a party, the last of the night, when she noticed that the rikshaw she rode in was not headed towards the Okiya; it was going towards the city gates. Whenever she protested, the rikshaw driver gave no acknowledgement, and instead kept running.
She knew that she had been betrayed when they stopped at the gates, and the guards gave no protest to the geisha's leaving the city. As they rode out into the night, she glimpsed her most fierce rival Hanako stepping into her own rikshaw. There was nothing she could do, as she daren't leap out for risk of ruining the kimonos she wore, and the rikshaw driver paid no attention to her protests and cries to bring her back. Even the orders, begging, and bribes did nothing, and it was almost as if the man was posessed by some sort of demon.
When they finally stopped, not even the lights of the city could be seen, and the only light was the eerie glow of the night that snow seems to bring upon the landscape. It was utterly abandoned, and some time ago they had strayed from the road. Katsumi began to fear that the rikshaw would never stop when suddenly the trees didn't zip by quite so quickly, and finally the rikshaw came to a stop. She stepped out, and promptly moved to reprimand the rikshaw driver, turning to face him, but finding only a pile of clothing and a talisman that held a spirit to the place until its appointed task had been completed. These were evil magics.
Katsumi cried out for help, but knew it was to no avail. She tried to follow the tracks back to the main road, but her toes swiftly got chilled trekking through the snow that even reached above her geta. The tracks of the wheels was lost under the worsening snowstorm. Katsumi found herself going over her own trail, and couldn't even find the rikshaw again, as though it had disappeared completely. Her cries for help gave way to cursing Hanako's name.
The night was long, and cold, and all the layers of silk did not keep Katsumi warm enough against the chilling wind, the snow that had once felt so pleasant melting against her face was now like cold needles. Tears had created two lines of ruined makeup down her face, and she wiped them upon her sleeve, not caring about the white smears upon the priceless silk. The morning found her slumped across the ground in front of a tree, exposure and subzero weather doing its deed. Her once beautiful face was deathly pale, her once gorgeous lips cold and almost purple in hue, hair in disarray.
If Hanako felt any remorse, it was only on the coldest of winter nights when she heard the karankoron of geta on the cobblestones and the cry of sworn revenge on the wind outside the okiya, and it was only the remorse that she could not stay out later with her clients.
The maiko always whispered of the Yuki-Onna that haunted their okiya, even after Hanako was long turned to dust, and how the creature would wait outside, calling Hanako’s name, and lure the unwary maiko out to her death, swallowing her in mist and snow and ice.
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Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2007 4:37 pm
Katsumi can become her namesake, and disappear in a flurry of mist or snow when she becomes agitated. She can re-manifest without any trouble once she gets control of the power, but at the beginning will likely have trouble due to panic. It works much like teleportation, as long as her destination contains some sort of water or snow nearby.
Disadvantages to this power would be that if she becomes too agitated before she gains control, she will poof into a cloud of mist. Think how hard conversations will be? She'll probably continue to have trouble with it until she becomes a teen and likely not gain complete control until she is a youth; moments of extreme agitation will cause her to become a cloud of snow.
Icy Breath (Manifests at: Kid)
When she wills it, can breathe frost upon things, even to the extent of being able to kill, as Yuki-onna from myths are able to. In very hot weather, she will not be able to use this ability unless the intended victim is right against her mouth.
Power of Persuasion (Manifests at: Teen)
She can lure people to do her bidding as well as lure them into different places. She will probably mostly use this on her guardian, intending to get what she wants. Occasionally she will be able to touch on a deep desire and twist that to her means, such as a dead lover or child (which will most likely not happen often).
Create snow/mist (Manifests at: Teen)
Solidifying and cooling the water in the air to snow, she can create a mini-blizzard around her in which she can use her powers more potently. This ability may override her weaknesses in some weather, and will compound with her ability to become snow or mist and create places to transport that may or may not have the required conditions by creating them herself.
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Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2007 4:40 pm
Wand: A white or light blue wooden staff with an inset of what seems to be ice, and frost creeping down the wood, with a chilly aura about it.
Baby: A beautiful asian girl, clad in a light colored yukata and her light hair already long and flowing.
Toddler: Longer hair, starting to wear hair combs with decor as well as ornate kimonos
Kid: She'll probably wear normal kimonos, but a lot of hair ornamentation. No makeup yet, just pretty traditional kimonos.
Teen: Katsumi will probably lean towards a 'street fashion' version of the kimono; very neo-age, Fruits magazine style clothing, but still leaning towards an authentic appearance with a new age touch. She'll grow her hair out, and still wear a lot of hair ornamentation, probably even some eye makeup and lipstick (bottom lip only) to go with the Geisha look. She'll already be pale enough that she won't need any white makeup, though.
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Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2007 6:54 pm
Meaning: Thai name meaning "power"
Age: 24
Height: 5'2"
Weight: 140-ish
Hair color: Black
Eye Color: Brown
Build: Average, but not overweight; he's toned but not beefy--Sakda goes to the gym, and usually goes for swimming or running for exercise, so he's a leaner sort of toned. He also does Aikido
Skin-tone: Naturally dark tan
Hobbies: Aikido, dabbles occasionally in various martial arts, swimming, running, coding, visual arts
History: He was on a vacation to Osaka when he came upon the wand, and didn't know what else to do with it but keep it. He was dismayed to find, when he got back home, his luggage had become a veritable ice-block.
Personality: Very easygoing, Sakda enjoys his life as an independent graphic-designer, and is a relative genius with computers. He's the type that is smart but not cocky or arrogant about it, and will help a friend in need. Sakda is college-educated and loves reading. He considers himself fun, but his main hobbies are watching his favorite tv series and surfing the net. He'll probably have to change quite a bit to adjust to the arrival of his Ghost, but is willing to try new things; even if it means taking care of a child.
Clothes-of-choice: Usually Sakda will wear tee-shirt and jeans, but enjoys traditional clothing from all around Southern Asia, such as his aikido uniform.
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Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2007 7:01 pm
Ghosts of the Past belongs to Kyribird (Duh)
The brushes I used for the banners came from is here
Most of my Yuki-Onna mythology information came from wikipedia, but also a bit I remember from F. Hadland Davis's book Myths and Legends of Japan
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Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2007 11:42 pm
Not bad I really like this quest, just a few thoughts. Quote: solidifying and cooling the water in the air to snow, she can create a mini-blizzard around her in which she can use her powers more potently. This ability may override her weaknesses in some weather, and will compound with her ability to become snow or mist and create places to transport that may or may not have the required conditions by creating them herself.
You need to extrapolate on how and when this will work. also how does current weather affect this. noontime on a hot summers day with no humidity would make it extremely hard to find enough water in the air to become snow, plus the air itself around Katsumi would have to be cool enough for snow to last?. it seems alike an ability best suited for night t ime or in a cold climate if you want to be technically about it. If not then rock on.
Also how does her creating her own weather and stealing moisture from the air affect her immediate vicinity and the weather around her. The elements are finite you can't just sap water from somewhere and not have it have an affect when the water that was there is needed elsewhere.
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Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2007 1:15 am
ladyumbra Not bad I really like this quest, just a few thoughts. Quote: solidifying and cooling the water in the air to snow, she can create a mini-blizzard around her in which she can use her powers more potently. This ability may override her weaknesses in some weather, and will compound with her ability to become snow or mist and create places to transport that may or may not have the required conditions by creating them herself.
You need to extrapolate on how and when this will work. also how does current weather affect this. noontime on a hot summers day with no humidity would make it extremely hard to find enough water in the air to become snow, plus the air itself around Katsumi would have to be cool enough for snow to last?. it seems alike an ability best suited for night t ime or in a cold climate if you want to be technically about it. If not then rock on.
Also how does her creating her own weather and stealing moisture from the air affect her immediate vicinity and the weather around her. The elements are finite you can't just sap water from somewhere and not have it have an affect when the water that was there is needed elsewhere.There's always part of the air that's water... That's where the water comes from... >3> It's just a temporary effect on the surrounding area, but I guess I didn't get that through.... But all of her abilities build on each other. I know I mentioned that her ability to use the water is dependant on conditions somewhere... I'm not saying she takes it and turns it into nothing; it would (if it were snow and/or rain) fall to the ground, evaporate if it's warm enough, and go back into the air...
I guess I don't really get where you're saying that the elements are finite so she couldn't do that...
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Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2007 2:03 am
sorry i wasn't quite clear enough there. basically yes there is always a certian amount of water in the air but if she takes some of it to make snow with then she decreases the amount left in the air. depending on how far she moves and when that snow melts and re-evaporates she's depriving the air of that water..
lets say it's a nice humid day plenty of water in the air and it's supposed to rain later that day. If earlier that day Katsumi uses up too much of the water in the air t and it dosen't re-evaporate within a certain time or is moved further from it's source it may not rain that day becuase that moisture that would have been rain is gone.
Also the weather around her changes and there might be no rain because of the sudden cold snap needed in that area to produce snow changes what happened to the warm drafts of air carrying moisture to the clouds etc.
Weather manipulating abilities are fickle because everything is so closely tied togeather. I like the ability but there should be consequences to the action.
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Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2007 1:17 pm
...we have different lives and faces, but our hearts have common places...
First off, 'Katsumi' doesn't mean mist, 'Kasumi' does, though for your character I like 'Katsumi' better, even though it by itself doesn't mean anything because 'Tsumi' means sin. xD;
As far as her powers go, I'd like to see more disadvantages, or at least take them to deeper levels. For example, the Mist Cloud ability-- so she poofs into a cloud of mist when she's agitated. How had is it for her to change back? What happens if someone steps inside her while she's a cloud?
Icy Breath - What are the disadvantages? Is this an on/off thing, or is it going to be there at all times-- I think it'd be interesting if it were there all the time from kid on. After all, she'd then have to eat with Icy Breath, but... yeah. Okay.
Power of Persuasion - Again, disadvantages. This is a power you'll have to be careful with because of the possible godmod thing. So give it disadvantages and make sure you play them.
Umbra already went over the create snow/mist thing.
As far as your story goes... it feels very cliché to me. Show me more of your character. I 'saw' her dying, didn't 'feel' it, didn't really care. That's not good for me. Also, she doesn't necessarily have the same name in her past life-- most of them don't, since how would the guardian know their past name?
Also... where does the 'otherwise' part of battle come from? O.o; I'm confused. Wits, I understand, but... she doesn't seem to be a warrior.
Take her appearance in ways away from her heritage. At least when she's young, a lot will be influenced by her guardian-- not just by her past.
Also, the guardian doesn't find the wand, he gets it at the wand shoppe.
Her personality also seems predictable. GIVE ME QUIRKS OR GIVE ME DEATH. Erm. Maybe not the best thing to say with this concept. But seriously-- quirks and flaws and tiny details make or break someone.
Thass all for now. xD;
...this was deep inside me, and you helped me find it at last...
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