Post by Deleted on Jun 11, 2022 21:32:48 GMT -5
Discord/Chatango Username: Ryo, SkelebRyo, The Unknowing
Password 1: Black Hole
Password 2: Moon Pray
Type: Support (Sppr/ES)
Affiliation: SS - Squad 4 Unseated
Rank: 1
Thinking Color: Skyblue
Speaking Color: Plum
Released Speaking Color: Blueviolet
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-Basic Information-
Name: "Father" Gestalt Florentino
Real Age / Age of Appearance : 367 / 46
Birthday (Month/Day): December 17th
Blood Type: O-
RP Sample (Optional):
N/A
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-Appearance-
Height/Weight: 5ft 6in / 193 lbs
Physical Description:
Starting off from the top Gestalt clocks in at a solid 193 pounds of lean mean muscle machine and with a moderately imposing height of 5ft 6in he's really not scaring pretty much anybody. At least not off the bat. If anything he looks more like he's a stock standard middle aged man with hair that lost its color due to a mid-life crisis. Which likely was true back in his prior life given he was in fact a clergyman, hence the title. However, currently with a large smile, easy going eyes, and a few wrinkles that show just how perpetually happy the man is he's really more akin to something of a friendly uncle or your dad's best friend from back "in the good ole days".
His physique is much what you'd expect. Some definition to show he's worked out at least a few times in his life but with a lean frame to help keep him agile. His limbs are proportional however his hands seem a bit stretched out giving them a sort of "pianist" hand. The man in addition if you saw him without much on would realize he's also got hair about where you'd expect it. His legs, the backs of his forearms, halfway down his neck, and just enough fuzz to be noticeable on his face. Everywhere else however is smooth as can be barring the occasional scar, blemish from acne or some other minor inconvenience. . . that is until you get to his right leg.
His right leg is simply an abomination. Where others would have normal legs Gestalt actually has his hell chain physically embedded and piercing through the entirety of his leg. At some points it juts out allowing the black rusted chain to make an appearance and at others it just highly distorts the skin. However if one had an X-ray and could see the leg as a whole you'd note that it's actually wrapped around the bones themselves in addition to curling up like a snake and just "bumping" the skin or through it. The worst part though is that it dramatically increases the weight of his right leg and thus gives him the appearance of a limp due to having what he affectionately calls his "Ball and Chain".
To make matters worse with his right leg the skin looks both mottled and charred black. The charred skin is most notable at locations the chain is piercing through or touching. Skin that is otherwise not immediately touching the chain or just far enough away from the charred skin looks akin to a leathery burn scar. With crevices, waves, crannies and all sorts of other misshapen and melted skin. This all stops at about the upper thigh and continues down well to the feet. However the chain itself does not branch through, thankfully. The skin effects however are definitely present in addition to thick as hell, pun intended, calluses. Over the entirety of his foot's underside.
As for the remainder of his body he's pretty natural. A few minor scars on his chest and back in addition to his hands being littered with cuts. Turns out learning how to use a sword and fight with one for the first time means your hands get cut frequently. In addition he wasn't a terribly great cook back in the day so getting cut on his fingers was a near constant. Thus his hands are also callused in addition to being cut to hell and usually covered in some form of bandages.
As far as his face is concerned he's older. Wrinkles at his eyes, sides of his mouth, and his forehead show that even in his past life he's been around the block a few. With bright brown eyes and thin but full eyebrows he's pretty easy on the eyes as whole. And with his perpetual smile the wrinkles help show off his usually chipper expression. However to his detriment he does require reading glasses and yes they do have a string that attaches to the legs and circles around the back of his neck. In his words "If they aren't attached to me, I'll lose them." Silver frame and dark gray hair and he does take on the term "silver fox" pretty accurately.
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-Personality-
Dislikes:
1. The Self Righteous
Gestalt has been this way in the past. In fact his zealotry towards God and all those who oppose it was part of what had him undone. Gestalt may not know much about the spiritual world but he’s fairly certain no race is truly better or closer to God. And those who think they are have deluded themselves in this idea so they can have some sense of pride.
2. Lack of signs from God
Gestalt maintains his belief in there being a God. The issue however comes from if it’s the God he knows, or if it’s another. The Soul King for example seems like a divine being. . . yet he’s so absent that he cannot consider it God from the christian faith. Not to mention he’s not a creator deity. . . so who or what created everything if not God? And if God has then where is He? The more Gestalt looks the less he sees.
3. Not respecting the dead
Through his time in the Rukongai Gestalt has realized there’s not much respect for those that pass. Which truthfully surprises him that in this second life, one can die again. That aside, this “Soul Cycle” is such a prevalent belief or thought that unless an individual was a direct family one is very rarely mourned or even given special consideration.
4. Alcohol
Make no mistake Gestalt immensely enjoys alcohol. . However he made a vow once that he would not drink. . . and then broke it while a part of the Holy League. Now that his time in the League is done he believes part of his downfall was the near constant and copious amount of alcohol. Thus he prefers to abstain in all situations.
5. His cursed leg
It’s a constant reminder of what happened to him. And unfortunately one he must keep secret. It’s not unknown to him how individuals in the Rukongai view anyone that’s not a shinigami. Given the immediate reactions he’s had in the past it’s only safe to assume the Gotei is much the same. Thus even while he’s aiding them, it must be kept a secret.
6. Fighting
It’s actually more accurate to say he’s concerned that if he fights a great deal that he may return to his zealous ways. Because the fact is that Gestalt enjoys a decent spar, physical training, and just fighting in general. However, like many things, he indulged too deeply and lost himself in the constant fights. Thus he wants to minimize his fighting as much as possible even if that means he’s weaker for it.
7. Being dirty
Ok so real question, who does enjoy being dirty? Not many. Sweat, grime, mud, blood, and anything else that can make you smell and/or feel like a walking stain is not alright. And it’s not even for the fact that it’s disgusting to just amass filth, it's because you KNOW when you’re dirty and the feeling of being filthy gets worse. Ugh.
8. Being unable to help others
If he can’t help others, he cannot atone. At least as far as Gestalt is concerned if he’s not actively helping someone he’s not making up for his mistakes. The problem was more prominent when he first awoke in the Soul Society and had no understanding of anything going on around him. Thus he couldn’t help anyone, let alone himself.
Likes:
1. Incense
It’s hard to describe why. Perhaps it just makes him think of simpler times. Perhaps it’s because it makes him “feel” like God is around. Maybe it’s just because he enjoys the smell. Whatever the reason, having Incense around just calms him. And for that he’s grateful.
2. Reading
Specifically he likes reading history to see how the world has progressed. Not all of it is impressive, such as the World Wars. However the world moves on and it’s always interesting to see how things move on and what changes. More curious though is what stays the same and to his surprise there’s a lot that hasn’t changed.
3. Nature walks / hikes
This is due to one simple fact. Nature is a work of art. Sometimes subtle art, sometimes direct. But it’s always art and it reminds Gestalt that something had to create it. The way the earth, or whatever the Soul Society’s world is called, was made and how it continues to be a seemingly endless expanse is nothing short of a miracle. These are the moments that genuinely remind him that God must exist. How else could everything be explained?
4. Watching people recover
Being in Squad 4 is something else. You see folk at their worst. Gaping wounds, mental trauma that makes the Rukongai look like a joke, and you see a lot of corpses. Or those shortly to become corpses. When he sees someone walk away or recover it’s a breath of fresh air. Really helps make a silver lining in a place that doesn’t always feel like there are any.
5. Journaling
There’s many things Gestalt can’t exactly put to words. And many more things that weigh on his mind from his past life. This became something of a habit for him because he doesn’t always feel capable of speaking to others about his experiences. Thus journaling has allowed him to take a moment to speak his mind and then move on.
6. Physical training
It’s a fine line for him as he needs to be careful about how deep he gets into it. However his squad has mandatory physical training sessions and mandatory sword training. Not only do they take him away from the stressors of working with ill or injured individuals but it just lets him rest his mind. Really get into the motions and just be.
7. Being called “Father” Gestalt
He’s not technically a priest anymore. His vows were either broken or stopped being binding once he passed. But even now he still considers himself a member of the faith and tries to live up to what he believes is proper of a clergyman. . . with some exceptions given his current circumstances. Thus it’s reaffirming to him if someone uses his old title.
Flaws:
1. Lost in the past
Gestalt, despite several centuries passing, is stuck in his past. Sometimes it's the various battlefields he’s been on. Sometimes it's how he handled those close to him in life. And other times it’s just seeing his previous self. All of it however continues to direct his current decisions. Because otherwise can he say he’s truly atoned for his actions in the past?
2. Explosive Anger
Gestalt as he has aged, has learned to be patient. How the issue comes when he’s finally at the end of his rope. Once pushed to that point he begins losing himself to his current frustration and anger. This devolves into him beginning to self loath over his past making his anger last substantially longer than it otherwise should be. It also occasionally comes with a side of broken inanimate objects.
3. Uncertain in his beliefs
Unlike those around him Gestalt is still learning about everything. Other races, other beliefs, etc. His own are constantly challenged and it’s left him feeling lacking because he can’t with 100% certainty say why his beliefs are correct. How can he claim fully that God exists when he’s never spoken to him? How can he believe Hollows are lesser than shinigami and humans when they are more akin to animals than a person? It’s like comparing apples to oranges. Thus with all these conflicting viewpoints to his own, Gestalt has lost more faith and certainty in his beliefs than ever before.
4. Without ambition
Gestalt has lost the will to do much of anything beyond atone. Make no mistake he doesn’t want to die but his life’s goal has shifted to atoning without knowing how to do it. Thus even if he could accomplish it, he wouldn’t know what to do or how to live after the fact. As of the moment he’s really only joined the Gotei so that he can atone by sticking to the sides and helping those with dangerous responsibilities.
Habits:
1. Muttering Prayers
Beginning of the day, before a meal, before sparring. Gestalt takes prayer to another level and prays to God whenever the situation seems appropriate. This sort of prayer is usually only ever a couple sentences long or a few words. But regardless, anyone who listens to him or watches him will realize that this is without a doubt the most common thing he does.
2. Holding onto his cross
Gestalt no matter what wears a simple wooden cross with string. It’s about 3 inches long and about a quarter inch thick. Yet it’s always worn over anything he’s wearing. And you can bet that when Gestalt is deep in thought or just doing tedious work his hands shoot up and fumble or rub the wooden cross.
3. Stares somewhat longingly at vices
It cannot be denied that Gestalt has a fondness for a couple vices. Alcohol being the most notable. And when he’s confronted with it, Gestalt finds it hard to take his eyes off it. Thus more often than not he will look at the object of temptation. Stare. Take a deep breath and then slowly force himself to look at anything else.
4. Actively listens
Unless Gestalt is certain an individual is done speaking he will remain quiet. This includes sparring as well as just conversations in general. Serious or not. Part of his job was to listen to others and try to help them with whatever ailed their minds. So it’s no surprise he’s more of a listener than he is a speaker. This has caused problems at times given there are individuals who expect immediate responses or otherwise assume he is simply choosing not to speak.
Fears:
1. Hell
Every christian fears this. The fire and brimstone that it’s well known for doesn’t exactly give many a willingness to visit. This was only further heightened when he met and died by the hand of a demon. Which is nothing to say of the fact that he’s physically warped by said demon. To make matters worse for his sins of slaughtering innocents and even the Ottomans brutally he believes there’s a real possibility he could be sent down.
2. Fighting
As mentioned he enjoys fighting. It feels natural. Simple. And honestly it’s fun. But like alcohol he’s indulged too much in the past. And it worries him greatly that if he’s not careful he’ll get sucked into the thrill and passion of fighting again. Gestalt more than anything else, doesn’t want to add more blood to his spiritual tab unless it’s absolutely necessary. And if he loses himself into fighting again, that body count will increase exponentially.
3. Failing to Atone
This isn’t because he’s worried about Hell. Though that does hold some sway. But he’s more concerned that he can’t atone for the evil he spread. The people he’s killed. He’s acknowledged he’s fucked up but killing someone isn’t so simply to forgive or atone. And certainly it’s not so easy to atone when you’ve killed enough that you lost count. So between being uncertain how to atone and being concerned if he even can atone this fear gets to sit very close to his heart.
Goals:
1. Atone
First and foremost his goal. It’s vague but what it boils down to is trying to save and help those around him. If he can ever get confirmation that he’s done enough . . . I mean it’d be a miracle. However he doesn’t expect that and thus this goal is effectively unachievable in his mind. But he’ll keep trying to reach for it so that he can try to make up for his sins in his prior life.
2. Attain enough power to assist others
The truth is that Gestalt does want to fight but he wants to fight for the right reasons. And namely for those who cannot. If he can find the right amount of power to help him do that but not so much that he loses himself in it then he’s happy. He knows that this balance exists; he just isn’t certain as to where that is for himself.
3. Find a sign of God
This is vague and it's intended to be. Gestalt holds no qualms over whatever sign comes his way. He just wants to be able to know for a fact that God, the trifecta that he’s been raised to know, exists. And if that means he has to travel the three worlds and meet with anyone and everyone around then that’s what he’ll do. But somehow some way Gestalt intends to find this sign of God, if only so he can finally have the mental peace that comes with it.
Alignment:
Lawful Good / Lawful Evil (Sasei Oni Active)
Aspect of Hell:
Sin
Overall Personality:
So surprisingly despite being cursed by hell he's actually a pretty chipper individual. With a smile on his face and an upbeat attitude he tends to try being an optimist as much of the time as possible. However, don't mistake him for being naive or limited in his emotional pool. He's been to the depths of the negative bullshit life throws and he's seen others there. Hell in his mind he's still getting thrown trials from God even now that he has become a shinigami. Otherwise why would he have this chain embedded into his leg?
Still that doesn't stop him from having issues with his faith. Make no mistake he's steadfast in his belief and love of God. However the issue at hand is that even in the spiritual side of life he's still not able to interact with Him. This makes Gestalt have a bit of a repressed questioning frustration since he hears nothing and sees very little. Still he does actively look for signs of God and though it sometimes feels fleeting he does see majesty in the small corners and walks of life. Now if only he could understand what in the Lord's name is a "Soul King". It sounds like God but without the proper title.
Regardless faith in God aside, the remainder of Gestalt is simply described as this. A man doing the best he can. He's not the most amazing at his job and boy does he not always understand this "reiatsu" shit but what he does know? He knows that whatever the Soul Society is doing is aiding others. Allows spirits to move on and hopefully meet with their creator and since he's witnessed their weapons send others to hell they clearly purge the world of unnecessary evil. Ultimately he may not "get it" but he has the gist together. Corrupted spirits manifest and shinigami cleanse them. Then send the pure remains where it belongs and God willing it goes to heaven and meets the maker.
A daunting task that Gestalt is more than willing to take on given it's a mission from God. . . At least as far as he understands it. But seriously God aside he's not changed much since his reincarnation. He works for what he believes is the greater good. He aims to keep people doing the right thing and chastise against acts that harm others. By no means is he about to go on with a lecture about how sin is evil and everyone's evil and all that jazz. Most tend to know that much. He's just there to act as a gentle reminder to the common folk to do their best. And for those who cross the line? Well God did gift him with a weapon. And with righteous zeal will he smite those who need to be. Though. . . This time around he is trying his best to keep his zeal in check. Especially considering events of the past. . .
There is however. . . one issue. Gestalt does have a darker side. And truthfully it's not even what he'd call a darker side of himself, it's actually just a demon that's attempting to possess him. Now of course what he doesn't realize is that it's actually a twisted reflection that shows how he would be if he ever became a hellion or succumbed to his darker desires. Or that it’s spawned by the corruption of hell that was forced upon him. If anything he sees it as wild, untamed, and unconcerned with the harm induced on others. Or in simpler terms, a reflection of his former self back in his crusading days. Days he’s not quite fond of reliving in memory or in action.
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-Powers-
Fighting Style:
Gestalt before anything else will try to solve fights by not fighting at all. Due to his concerns regarding his self-control he's more willing to try and talk down someone before throwing hands. And in truth even in the middle of a fight, should Gestalt get involved in one, he throws the offer to talk and stop the fight. He just doesn't want a fight to go down if he can help it at all. He's trying to help people, not harm them. However, there are people or situations in which Gestalt just cannot talk his way out of. Whether in the case of a hollow where they can't understand him or in the case of a Rogue who just decides not to. In these cases, Gestalt first and foremost releases his shikai, assuming it's available. The reason is simple. He has the means to fix any possibly lasting damage done to himself or possibly bystanders if there are any involved. To that end his priorities shift to a balance of defending himself and those nearby. And more than anything he'll take hits for someone else to ensure they're safe. Namely because it's just part of what he thinks helps him atone.
With that in mind let's talk about how Gestalt will be fighting specifically. So, Gestalt at his core is something of an intermediate to short range fighter. His whips in either release stage (Zan or Sasei Oni) is capable of being used as a significant range. However, should someone get within their maximum distance they'll find that Gestalt himself has the basics of Hakuda fairly well understood. And thus, is not against wrapping his arms in the chains and using the heads of the whips alongside his fists. His objective in close quarters is to force an opponent to back off. Preferably so he can go back to using his whips at range. This is to aid him in moving around the battlefield while giving him the space to analyze his opponent. There is however a secondary objective while in close quarters but it's situational. If the opponent offers an opening Gestalt aims to pin his opponent or prevent the use of a limb. Namely locking it or dislocating it. Thankfully his time in Squad 4 gives him so much needed anatomy lessons and thus can generally dislocate with ease, assuming his opponent isn't of overwhelming strength.
Now as far as long range? He's at a bit of a disadvantage there. His powers do give him breathing room, but the goal is to continue to be close by someone. Long range fighters are honestly some of the hardest people he can fight because unless he's learned some kido or other applicable longer distance attacks he's really not inherently capable of fighting at range. His best bet kido aside is using shockwaves. But even that is only going to work so much due to his intermediary strength. Truly the best thing about Gestalt is his large reservoir of reiatsu and the means to just use his abilities as often as he pleases that and using his energy sensory capabilities to pick up on any weakness, he can get his hands on. However, where Gestalt truly shines is in multi-person combat. Gestalt is capable of handling himself, without a doubt. But he is intended to be a character that aids another. He should be working with someone to bring out the absolute most of his abilities. And this is due to just the nature of his powers. With a variety of buffs, healing, and the means to find weaknesses he's a perfect supplement to any aggressive or otherwise more directly combat capable fighter.
Gestalt’s Inner World:
Gestalt's inner world is a curious place to say the least. First and foremost, it is not a realm bound by gravity, except in certain areas. Instead the world is an expanse of floating islands that slowly but surely move around. Different islands have different environments but most typically stay within the same vein. Forests, mountains, occasionally a lake or spring that is filled with water from a higher island. The land itself seems fertile despite the hard and unmoving rock from below.
To add to the overall flair of the world the weather actively changes here. Sometimes a reflection of the world Gestalt is present in, sometimes a reflection of mood, and sometimes just the personal fancy of Zadkiel or Faisel. The weather can be pretty much whatever you'd imagine. Sometimes clear sunny days with just enough breeze to keep you from being overheated. Sometimes it's an intense storm that can even shift and move around the islands. With lightning so fierce that wildfires spread despite the good health and heavy set rain that's issuing on the world. Other times it's simply coated in clouds to create fog on the islands and make travel between the two nights impossible.
However it should be noted that there are two islands of importance in this world. Zadkiel and Faisel’s islands. Zadkiel’s island is something of a paradise but hidden away within a massive shard of stone. A visitor is very likely to only assume that said shard is just a large floating piece of rock given the entrances into this hidden paradise are very well hidden despite being numerous. Upon finding an entrance and following the caves deeper within the visitor is granted a special sight. An entire citadel but partially sunken within a pool of incredibly clear and bright blue water.
Despite what looks like centuries having gone and eroded it there is no doubt in any viewer's mind that this citadel is eternal. The architecture never crumbles though it has seen damage and even signs of erosion due to the immense amount of water. Hell even the plant life that lives within this spring is healthy but not damaging to the citadel. It instead grows with it, around it, sometimes into open passages but never to the detriment of the citadel. And even more curiously is that there is an immense amount of wildlife that are present within this citadel alone. Aquatic and land based. And if you thought the underwater sections were the only portions that had plant life you'd be wrong. Within various houses, plazas, streets and throughout the entirety of this citadel are trees, hanging gardens, small forest, bushes, and an immense variety of plant life.
The best part of the underwater section is that curiously, unless Zadkiel doesn’t want an individual to swim through it an individual is not required to breathe. Thus it’s been noted that the land based wildlife has occasionally gone for a swim and just not returned. Ultimately just embracing its new underwater life. The last point to note about the water is its temperature. It is perpetually cool and if you were to drink it, refreshing. However it doesn’t cause chills or reduce one’s body temperature to a dangerous zone. Thus even if one is within for an extended period there is no capability to freeze in it. And speaking of the water’s capabilities it is crystal clear all the way to the bottom. Sure you’ll get some sight distortion if you try to look all the way to the bottom from the surface but with good enough eyesight it is possible.
While Zadkiel's isles are places of great and hidden beauty emphasizing life and its infinite wonders, Faisel is something of the opposite. Faisel’s isles are perpetually hidden around clouds, usually close to but not actually storming. Sheet lightning present with gusts and bursts of semi-intense winds. However it rarely rains and instead seems to be present more for the aesthetic. Moving from the cloud cover and to the isle’s themselves it becomes obvious just how different the two are. For one thing Faisel has several isles all connected by bridges of stone. Some wide and short, others thin and narrow, and some just change their dimensions as one walks through the connecting paths. However the most notable thing one could tell at a glance is the extreme lack of color. Grays, browns, blacks, and occasionally white are all that are present. This is due to the isle’s nearly being devoid of any life. Or if signs of life are present they are clearly warped.
Tree’s are thin and black. Jagged in shape with sharply jutted joints and with little to not leaves. The ground looks hard and has cracks throughout it. Or if there’s no ground then it’s immense amounts of sand. Sand that falls from one isle to another. There are skeletons of various creatures littered around. Some animals, most human, and others unknowable. Though that is partially due to the bones being generally just pieces of a full skeleton and normally not a complete set. The winds are forever blowing here but it does not have a defining amount of heat or chill to it. Occasionally the winds blow up some sand or create Dust Devils but that’s about the extent. Unless Faisel or Gestalt are in emotional duress. In which case full on tornadoes can be present and the winds present become harsher in speed and force. One could be forgiven for assuming that there are no structures on this series of isles aside from small mountains or mounds of rocks. However several of the isles have a series of tunnels to traverse. And in the deserts or more remote portions of the isles actual decrepit buildings do exist.
Rarely are the buildings more than ruins however. Looking forcefully destroyed with key structures broken and various sections collapsed. However what’s truly curious is that these structures, should one visit multiple times, are collapsed and broken in new ways. Meaning at some point they are rebuilt, only to be destroyed again. Typically these buildings are made of the same stone and earth that the isle’s have. However there are tents, huts, and even other tree based buildings though again they have typically all been utterly decimated. Or are otherwise hidden within the sands and occasionally shown light by a storm having dug them up. The last point to note is that on the centermost isle there is a lake. An unnaturally still lake that covers most of the isle. It is a lake of pitch that’s such a dark green that it’s honestly more accurately called black. However if one takes a small portion of the unnaturally viscous substance it’s clearly green. And God help you if you breathe through your nose because it smells rotten. Yet there’s no mass within it. No bodies. No fungus or rot. It doesn’t even have anything diseased in it and yet the oddly still mass is just as putrid smelling as one can imagine. What may or may not lie within this lake is unknown. For even Gestalt hasn’t had the nerve to try and dive into its depths.
Saisei Oni Spirit Appearance:
Faisel is an interesting entity to say the least. For one thing he does look well . . . more human in a literal sense. He has arms, legs, a torso, and heads. . . . Yea Faisel is not human by any stretch but he's on point for what one would expect from an angel, especially a high up one. While Zadkiel takes on a more energy based appearance Faisel is very much a physical presence. His entire being is a mix and match of several different bodies. With at least 3 being the minimum used to create him. Much like Zadkiel however gender doesn't apply though it doesn't apply because technically Faisel is all of them. Or none of them. Gestalt isn't exactly keen on finding out and though he's spoken to Faisel and refers to it as a he, that's mostly for ease of convenience as opposed to the complicated discussion of if there even is a gender that applies to Faisel.
Big things to note about Faisel. He is at a minimum a conglomeration of 3 bodies. He has 4 legs, two and a half ribs(?), 6 arms, 6 wings, 3 heads, an incredibly thick neck that looks like 2 merged together, and various bits of cloth flowing around him. The heads are a curious thing as it shows a mans, a woman's, and a child's or a mix between the two. Faisel doesn't specify and Gestalt is honestly a little concerned about the answer to that. The wingspan out to 10 feet at the longest, for the center set. 7 feet for the uppermost set and ends with 4 feet for the lower most set. These wings are ashen gray with a few shades of darker feathers mixed in. They are surprisingly soft to the touch though on a whim they can become akin to razors and the bottom most set generally are semi-sharp regardless of if they are meant to be or not.
The arms are pretty standard as far as what a human arm looks like. It's not a gym bro's arm nor is it an emaciated limb. It's simply a joe schmoe limb. They are however placed in different spots of the torso. The center set is where a human would normally have a set of arms. The backmost set is merged into the shoulder blade. And the forward most set erupts from where one's pectorals would be. However, the hands are what are interesting. There are numerous scars on the backs of them in addition to calluses over the entire palm portion. And his nails are pitch black and sharpened. It's honestly better to call them claws at this point. Moving onto the legs they are much the same though given 4 legs are trying to fit on Faisel's waist they look a little stretched and distorted at the top of the thighs. The feet are the interesting bits here. While one might have expected claws again instead on the bottom of each toe and the outer rim of the hell it's instead a hoof. They are small, only standing about 4 inches tall but this is on every foot. Also a little irregular is that there are only 4 toes on each foot.
Last but not least at the heads and neck. As mentioned the neck looks like it was merged with another neck with all the veins, muscles, and possibly even an additional spinal cord involved. This then splits off to 3 separate heads. Each of which has no eyes or eyebrows but a full set of shaggy and unkempt hair. This hair flows down his back, where able, and reaches about the midway point. The hair color is the same as his wings. Each head does have a mouth to talk through however each sounds different. The center sounds masculine, the right sounds feminine, and the left is. . . indescribable. It just sounds like multiple voices talking at once. Sometimes echoing, sometimes quiet like whispers, sometimes like a crowd shouting. But it always sounds distorted and multiple. Mind you the other two heads hold an authority to them and a voice distortion but it's nothing on the level of the left head.
Saisei Oni Appearance:
Upon allowing Faisel to exert his influence Gestalts body changes dramatically. Though he remains humanoid, that is about the only thing that remains "Human" about him. The transformation itself is highly physical but ultimately results in Gestalt tearing himself open from the inside and walking away from his former shell into his new angelic appearance. And truly he does look for all intents and purposes like an angel. He has 6 wings each set coming out from his spinal cord at different sections. The first set just under his shoulder blades. The second set at the dead center of his spine. And the last at just just above his hips. They start as white from the base but change to gray and ultimately black tipped wings. These do give him the means to fly despite their relatively short length of 3 feet per wing.
Returning back to his body Gestalt's skin tone has changed to that of pure untouched snow. His entire body is akin to this and to make it more apparent he looks thinner, not emaciated but definitely getting there if he doesn't eat soon. In addition to this however is his chain of hell which now is wrapped around his body and integrated into it. This is most notable in that it "swims" through his flesh diving beneath the surface of his skin only to resurface later on. The notable exception to this however is his hands where there are holes in place of his palms. His right hand has the chain exiting with his release weapon, a censer attached at the end. It looks to be made of dark brass with a small amount of smoke coming out of it.
For the remainder of his form his legs, arms, hands, and feet look humanoid. With the notable exception of being pure white. However curiously while not "a part of him" there are small motes of gold that shine and encircle his hands and feet. These motes are about 4 inches in diameter and number at 10 total around each limb. The upper portion of his legs are covered in what looks like a skirt of some sort but it's entirely created out of feathers. Feathers from ravens and hawks giving it a black and brown coloration to it. As we move back to the torso however here is one other feature to note and it's more a detail that just shows how thin he's gotten. His torso has his rib cage showing very visibly and even his abs simply due to how thin he's become.
Finally, we are here, his head. So first and foremost is that the former man has cloth wrapped around his eyes. Or more specifically eye sockets given the cloth seems to dip inside where his eyes should be. But there are no blood traces and instead there's simply clean cloth as though they were freshly sewn together. However his face as a whole looks more akin to a skull with a bit of skin on it now given his jaw and the roots of his teeth are visible. His skin sinking into his cheeks and the sides of his head. It genuinely appears that Gestalt lacks any form of muscles on his face. Most interestingly however has to to be the crown Gestalt wears now. With part of it digging into his ashen hair and his skull as a whole. It looks akin to the motes of light that circle his hands and feet now solidified but still shining brightly.
Saisei Oni Primera Overall Ability:
Upon releasing Sasei Oni Gestalt is gifted with an object no self respecting church would be caught without. A censer. This censer does what one would expect a censer to do, it releases incense out. However this incense is not akin to the incense released in a church. Instead it is a vile incense that promotes and propagates the evil within one's soul. This translates to an aura ability of miasma that the incense releases constantly and exudes out at 25 feet in every direction. In addition this censer also gains the means to produce a couple of "attacks" with this miasma. The attacks in this case are really bursts of miasma that are released in a direction that Gestalt chooses. These come in two forms: a cone that reaches out 40 feet in front of Gestalt or a small explosive orb that can be fired out and reaches 60 feet before detonating anyway. The orb moves at a speed of 600 and the breath moves at 500 speed.
These miasma "attacks" do not harm the individual in question, instead they simply ensure that Gestalt's incense takes effect. In addition while the aura moves with Gestalt these clouds generated by the breath or orbs remain in place until pushed away by wind or an attack that has equal or higher OS. The effect of this incense however is sinister but unassuming initially. With Gestalt becoming the arbiter of God he has now evolved into a divine judge, jury, and executioner. Thus he condemns the sins of others and what better way to condemn others than to make their sins manifest more readily? That is what this incense does. For every instance of contact, capping at once a post, an individual's LA converts to DA by 15 points. For those at or over 50 DA they convert 20 LA instead. In addition if one is a hellion they will have their maximum cap for DA increased to 125. If a hellion is already at 100 DA the conversion occurs regardless of the lack of LA present.
This can be mitigated so long as an individual has points in Poison Tolerance or Strength of Will. Only one skill can be used however but for each point in the selected skill the conversion is reduced by 10. Those with 1.5x Gestalts OS automatically start at 10 points converted. If an individual contains 300 HE they also start at 10 for the conversion. And those who can heal the soul can return their auras or another's with their green aura so long as they spend a post cleansing it uninterrupted.
This change in aura can be permanent regardless of the thread if the RP'er should like. This however is not forced upon an individual even in DE. However when an individual's DA increases their darker tendencies and flaws begin to show more abundantly. If an individual decides to make this permanent to return to their prior LA/DA they must do a social thread where they reflect and tackle their darker side. Or meet with an individual who has a high enough HE to heal the soul.
Saisei Oni Primera Etapa Techniques:
1. Confessions of the Soul (Body):
Sin affects everyone. In some shape or form every individual has sinned at some point in their life. And though the sins may be small or insignificant they still remain as weights on the soul. That is of course unless you confess to God and repent for your sins genuinely. Most do not. And thus this technique twists the concept and turns the sins of the user against them. When this technique activates, eyes appear on all of Gestalt's wings, front and back. These eyes as the saying goes are windows to the soul but not Gestalts. Instead they reflect and show the sins of an opponent's soul. If an enemy attacks Gestalt while these eyes are open they reflect and manifest the entities the individual has sinned against. These manifestations are made of purely spiritual energy but with an illusion over them that tailors them to a specific sin of the individual in question.
Upon coming within 10 feet of Gestalt these manifestations will attempt to hinder the attack or outright stop it before it reaches Gestalt. The power of these manifestations depend on the opponents DA. For every 10 points up to 50 it uses 20% of Gestalt's OS. For every 10 points past 50 however it uses 10% of the opponents OS on top of Gestalt's OS. For hellions and those with a 100 in DA these sins however do not stay as manifestations, they instead are the genuine souls of those sinned against by the individual and are physically present. Once the attack in question however has been stopped or it's pushed through regardless of the state of these manifest sins / spirits they fade away.
Drawbacks:
Costs 200 a post to maintain the eyes and effects active. Due to the various eyes produced Gestalt is more readily able to suffer from visual sensory overload. Those without DA or low DA will have an easy defense to punch through. Cannot actively harm an individual, it is simply a means of defense. With a 2 in Illusion Resist the manifestations can be seen through and weaken the defense by 50% (This does not apply if the spirits are summoned). Opponents OS cap at 100 DA. Total OS used cannot exceed 3x Gestalt's OS.
Segunda Etapa Upgrade:
This ability activates within any area that the incense has spread so long as an individual is attempting to attack Gestalt. Illusion Resist required is increased to 3. Those who have a 75 in DA or higher now summon forth the spirits of those they sinned against.
2. Flaws of the Fallen (Weapon):
If the sins of an individual can be made more readily apparent then the sins can be turned into a weapon. Especially when used against the sinner in question. Thus comes this technique, while Gestalt has either level of Sasei Oni active this ability is active and immediately docks 300 reiatsu from his pool at the start. This technique allows the censer to have an additional purpose that becomes more apparent the higher one's DA is. If one comes in contact with the miasma the censer releases it increases one's DA. In addition however it initiates a check where one's points in Poison Tolerance come to play. Should an individual have any points in Poison Tolerance the secondary effects of the miasma are delayed by 1 post per point. Once these posts of immunity have passed or if the individual didn't have enough to start anyway the effects begin.
The individual begins to succumb to their sins to an exceedingly dangerous degree. This manifests as two of their flaws from their character sheet. One is picked by Gestalt and the other is picked by the characters RP'er. These flaws become a heightened part of their character to such a degree that it puts them in dangerous situations. I.E. Someone's character flaw is Pride. This individual will believe themself so powerful they will simply stay put and allow attacks to hit them. One whose flaw is jealousy will turn on their allies in whatever manner best suits them. Etc. Flaws are dependent on the character and effects can be talked out between the RP'ers. These character flaws remain in effect for as long as Gestalt's Sasei Oni is active.
For Hellions and those with 100 in DA Gestalt picks both character flaws. If a character has only a single flaw then said flaw is heightened to the extreme. There is nothing else to the character but that flaw and they live and breathe said flaw regardless of circumstance.
Drawbacks:
An individual must have been in contact with the miasma to take effect. The individual can delay it up to 4 posts if they have 4 points in Poison Tolerance. Those with equal to or less than 50 DA are immune. Those with 1.5x Gestalts OS gain an additional 2 posts to ignore the effects. 2x Gestalts OS makes an individual immune.
Segunda Etapa Upgrade:
An additional flaw is picked for those suffering from this effect. However Gestalt chooses what flaw to inflict upon his opponent. 2x Gestalts OS is required to gain 2 posts to ignore the effects. 1.5x his OS gives 1 post. Those with 30 DA or less are immune.
Saisei Oni Segunda Etapa Overall Ability:
Gestalt's form doesn't change and neither does his weapon; however the potency of his weapon increases immensely. The aura produced by his incense now increases to 50 feet in any direction. In addition it leaves a trail of miasma while following Gestalt. Furthermore his breath attack increases in speed to 600 and the explosive orb increases to 800 speed. In addition the range of these attacks increases to 60 feet for the breath attack and 90 feet for the orb. Furthermore when an individual comes in contact with the miasma their LA is converted to DA at 25 point increments. 30 if an individual has over 50 DA. Lastly the cap for hellions and all other races is now 150 DA. This additional DA is generated regardless of if there is any LA present to convert.
This however is not the worst effect that comes from the unholy incense. While Segunda is active if an opponent has 70 DA or higher their sins begin to actively hinder Gestalts opponents. This comes in the form of chains that spawn on each of the individual's ankles, wrists, neck, and their backside. These chains actively weigh down an individual and make all forms of movement harder. Mechanically this reduces one's speed by 25 points and reduces their step technique speed by 1x for each chain generated. These chains can be destroyed but they have a durability of 1.25x Gestalt's OS. In addition these chains reform every post and must be destroyed again if one intends to maintain their full movement capabilities. These chains however only form while one is within the miasma. If an individual maintains their distance for a post the chains fade.
As before in Primera this aura change can be mitigated so long as an individual has points in Poison Tolerance or Strength of Will. Only one skill can be used however for each point in the selected skill the conversion is reduced by 5. Those with 1.5x Gestalts OS automatically start at 15 points converted. If an individual contains 400 HE they also start at 15 for the conversion. And those who can heal the soul can return their auras or another's with their green aura so long as they spend a post cleansing it uninterrupted.
This change in aura can be permanent regardless of the thread if the RP'er should like. This however is not forced upon an individual even in DE. However when an individual's DA increases their darker tendencies and flaws begin to show more abundantly. If an individual decides to make this permanent to return to their prior LA/DA they must do a social thread where they reflect and tackle their darker side. Or meet with an individual who has a high enough HE to heal the soul.
Saisei Oni Segunda Etapa Techniques:
1. Divine Verdict:
As mentioned prior Gestalt upon utilizing Sasei Oni becomes Judge, Jury, and Executioner. Up to now he's been the Judge and Jury digging up one's sins and bringing them to the surface. Namely to ensure that those who oppose God are given punishment in equal measure. Sinners can only be redeemed if their sins are cleansed after all. And if they are not willing to ask for it then Gestalt will cleanse it from them forcefully with extreme prejudice. Thus comes this technique where Gestalt takes on the role of Executioner and forcibly cleanses the sins of an individual before him.
How this is used starts with Gestalt using all the miasma the censer would produce that post forcing it to condense and be shaped into a weapon. But this is no ordinary weapon, at least from what Gestalt sees, it is the flaming sword wielded by God's angels and that defends Eden. If such a sword is used to defend the righteous and holy then so too shall Gestalt use it to defend those under his care. However there is something to note. Gestalt sees a radiant uncorrupted claymore engulfed in radiant and divine flames. The colors of the flames being akin to an ever changing rainbow. Meanwhile in reality the sword though still a claymore reeks of malevolence. It exudes a flame like aura of intense miasma that's colors are akin to pitch and nightshade violet. The blade though a deep gray looks tarnished and horribly corroded. And the energy is anything but holy.
This weapon has only one goal. And that goal is to cleanse an individual of their sins. This is done by simply letting the sins of the individual flow freely from their housing of sin. This is most obviously done by having the sword come into contact with the victim and cut the skin. This can be something as little as a passing scratch or this can be as obvious as running an opponent through with the blade. In either case the injury spreads across the entirety of the limb that was injured however what is released is not blood it is instead a thick, viscous, and utterly putrescent ichor. This is the liquid equivalent of one's Dark Aura aka their sins made manifest. But this utterly disgusting goop is only the initial show of something worse brewing. Starting on the opponent's next post the goop starts to form into skeletal partially rotten apparitions of those the individual has sinned against. This includes animals, people, spiritual races, even fictional or otherwise not "present" entities. This last species includes things like entities that the individual believes in.
These apparitions actively try to crawl out the wound and begin immediately attacking the user as well as attempting to restrain them. They cannot completely remove themselves from the wound, mostly getting their upper bodies alone out. However even if a body is destroyed another will form out of the oozing wound starting on Gestalt's next post. The durability of these creations is based on the victims OS however their actual offensive capabilities are based on Gestalt's OS. Due to these entities being spawned from the victim they do have one major benefit. They are not stopped by any inherent skin or body defense that is currently active on the victim. Nor do their wounds heal while Gestalt's Sasei Oni is active.
As with most of the techniques there are certain benefits for Gestalt should he choose to use this against someone with either 100 DA or higher as well as if they are a hellion. For hellions and those with a 100 or higher DA the apparitions are 25% more durable and stronger. However the true benefit is that if the individual has capped at 150 DA the blade itself cannot be blocked by skin defense, body defenses, or even physical/spiritual flexing. So long as it comes into contact with an individual's body it will be able to cut them. Non-body defenses however will be capable of defending against it however. These include weapons, barriers, attacks to deflect it, etc.
Drawback:
The first and foremost is the cost at 600 reiatsu for this technique. In addition once the weapon comes in contact and manages a scratch the weapon shatters. In addition this technique is a once per release use. The weapon has a durability equal to Gestalt's OS and thus can be destroyed. If destroyed this technique cannot be used again. Those with less than or equal to 50 DA will find this technique useless against them. For the post this weapon is created as well as every post this weapon exists the censer cannot generate additional miasma.
A surprising point that most don't realize is this can be turned against Gestalt. If someone managed to take the weapon and harm him with it, he'll also be subject to its effects. In this instance he cannot willingly stop his release until it's duration naturally ends.
2. Benediction of the Fallen:
A prayer type ability that enacts both a curse and a blessing to all those in a nearby area. For enemies with high DA's this ability is a curse with debuffs that apply and possibly grow depending on how much DA is present. Meanwhile his allies also gain benefits but turn into twisted and darker versions of themselves due to the amount of DA present within them. Higher DA means more benefits but also corrupts and changes them into worse beings for a limited time.
If there is one thing angels are known for, it's bringing about blessings from God. What these blessings are and how they manifest however are always something to be found out only after receiving them. Sometimes even taking a short time before they manifest. Regardless however the point stands that only those who are followers of God and doing His work on earth are capable of receiving them. Others who would attempt to receive such a blessing generally only receive punishment for daring to take that which was not offered to them.
This same concept is what this technique is based off of. Once the reiatsu cost has been paid Gestalt begins to utter out a prayer. It can be short or long winded, deep or shallow. Genuinely it doesn't terribly matter however he must speak out a prayer loud enough for all present to hear it. Upon the completion of said prayer all those within 120 feet of Gestalt will either receive a blessing or a curse, this being dependent upon who Gestalt views as an ally or foe. The issue however is that regardless of who is present during the prayer those affected become either victims of a cruel punishment or they become a cruel and twisted version of themselves. At the absolute worst they become something demonic even. When an ally receives this blessing they gain certain effects depending on how high their dark aura is.
These effects are as follows:
75 DA: Reiatsu costs are 10% less than their original cost for all Non-release techniques/abilities.
100 DA: Releases and any cost associated with it are reduced by 15%. This includes reiatsu costs with releasing at a higher class.
125 DA: Stamina is suspended and all body/mental skills are increased by 1. Up to a 3 in a given skill. Step techniques act as 2x higher. (10x would be 12x)
For enemies who hear the prayer they immediately induce an OS clash. This clash however changes depending on how much DA the individual in question has. For every 10 DA above 100 the victim loses 10% of their OS for this clash only. This caps at 30% of their OS. As one would expect however Hellions have a special effect should they be in the radius and have heard the prayer. Should the conditions be met they suffer an automatic 20% OS cut for the clash. This however does mean they would need 130 DA before any further OS cuts would apply.
The effects of the curse that are placed upon the victim are as follows:
75 DA: Victims find their fighting capabilities reduced due to their body fighting against them. This reduces martial, weapon, and any other fighting style specific skills by 1.
100 DA: Victims suffer further harm than is otherwise expected. For every wound received on the individual its size or intensity increases by 50%. a 2 in cut is now a 3 in cut. 1st degree burns would be 2nd degree burns. Etc. This does not affect drawbacks to techniques or abilities.
125 DA: Victims find all attacks to be noticeably weaker at 1 class below their current level. The effects of 100 DA now affect technique drawbacks.
Drawbacks:
For such a potent blessing or curse there must be a balancing factor. God rarely intervenes without something needing to be offered up and sadly thanks is not enough. To start 800 reiatsu must be spent prior to the prayer. And if the prayer is interrupted the reiatsu is lost and the ability canceled. This also invokes a 1 post cooldown before it can be attempted again. As far as the curse is concerned Gestalt actually suffers both the 75 and 100 DA of the curse effect. All individuals who gain the blessing or suffer the curse must be within the initial radius and hear the entire prayer.
This technique can also only be used once during Segunda Etapa. (Assuming it's successful on the first try.) Gestalt cannot benefit from this technique as it is strictly given to his allies.
Speaking of his allies they also suffer drastic personal changes if they accept the blessing. For one thing they become more akin to demons than individuals at 75, 100, and 125 DA. Minor physical features manifest at 75 DA, at 100 DA they become partially demonic, and at 125 they change into a fully fledged demon for the time being. While painful this is merely a visual effect that leaves upon the blessing being removed.
The real drawback is that due to this hellish vigor they do not realize that every reiatsu attack burns them in the process adding a 1st degree burn for every use of reiatsu. This is on the body part channeling it. In addition higher level thinking is reduced to that of a raving or raging beast doing evil for evil's sake. If Gestalt is unable to direct them they will attack and harm all around them. After the blessing is gone, all abilities that use reiatsu cost 50% more for the 3 posts.
Additional Powers:
Zanpakuto Appearance:
At its base form Gestalts zanpakuto is like any other, a simple sword although strangely enough it's a longsword as opposed to an asauchi. This is due to Gestalt's understanding and preference towards more European weapons as opposed to an Asian persuasion. The weapon however is very plain and unassuming at its base. With a black leather grip and the remainder being made of simple spiritual steel it's about what you expect. Hell, even its length is about what you'd expect. Nearly 3 feet long in blade alone and the remainder of the hilt and handle being a foot when combined.
This however changes dramatically upon release. Gestalt's weapon becomes a whip but not the simple leather whip that one would expect to work with. No, instead it's a whip made of chains with a 3 in thick handle that spans about 9 inches long. The length of all the chains totals to about 30 feet in length. Most of this chain finds itself wrapped around Gestalt's right arm with the handle inside his grip upon release. The end piece of this chain however is a hefty mace head that totals in a foot long and a foot in diameter (assuming you count from one plate to another).
Zanpakuto Spirit Appearance:
Gestalt's inner zanpakuto spirit is something of a curious design. To start with Gestalt has actually never seen them nor can he see them. What he gets however is a presence, a force and a voice to work with. This would be Zadkiel, they are an angel in honestly some of the truest form. With several wings both wrapped around them and extended out to be usable it's not a matter of question as to what they are. These wings are colored like a rainbow, constantly shifting and changing into various gentle hues of all colors, aside from black.
Their form, if someone else were to enter, would look humanoid at its base with the wings being decorative and the majority of the detail. In addition even the humanoid body is more a shape than a genuine form given that it's made of pure radiant energy. When looked upon it can range from pure white, to gold, to cream, to yellow, or even orange. But the hues always change depending on the person in question. For the most part it's shape is well maintained but Zadkiel is more than able to shift it into something else if they so desire.
A curious thing to note however is that Zadkiel does not actually have a gender. Go figure given they are made of pure energy but their form attempts to sort of deceive the viewer into believing that there is a gender. Namely whatever is more comfortable for the viewer but such changes and differences are only small and still make a viewer question just what gender Zadkiel is. Should Gestalt ever have the chance to see Zadkiel he will see something pointing towards the female side but with male physique. A confusing mix to say the least.
Like Zadkiel's body and form change, so too does their voice. This is a bit more determined by their current mood however. Thankfully though Gestalt actually has the means to hear their voice and this voice for them is thunderous, loud, but with a comforting undertone. Due to how loud it is there is no way for Gestalt to further determine Zadkiel's gender. If anything he's more likely to hear a mixture between a male and female voice just overlayed.
Zanpakuto Release Phrase / Name :
Defend the faithful, Zadkiel
Zanpakuto Overall Ability:
Zadkiel's power is a curious one for a number of reasons most notably because it does not display any extra abilities, inherently, to Gestalt. As far as Gestalt is concerned it's simply a weapon of God that allows him to combat the forces that oppose God. What it does however is far more subtle and that is simply it gives Gestalt and those around him miracles from God. It may sound crazy but boiled down that is what Zadkiel aims to do. It generates blessings for Gestalt that are stored on his "person" and continue to collect until he decides to use them. This usually comes in the form of a short prayer or by guidance from Zadkiel themself.
Shikai Overall Ability[/b][/u]:
Mechanically this is how it works. For every post that Gestalt has his zanpakuto released he gains a single Blessing counter. In addition to this passive gain, Gestalt can gain additional blessings by doing a couple of actions. First and foremost defending his allies. How he defends them doesn't matter. He could use a kido, he could use his body, his zanpakuto, hell even a rock to distract an enemy is enough. But so long as he's actively defending his ally he gains an additional blessing.
He also gains an additional blessing for hitting his opponent or their release / release weapon. This occurs for each instance of being hit, though wrapping the chain around an individual will not qualify as more than one hit. There is an interesting point to make note of however. If Gestalt is fighting a hellion or an individual with 75 or higher DA he gains an additional blessing. These can stack with one another to allow him to generate 3 blessings per instance of contact.
Lastly and this is arguably the most important overall ability for Zadkiel, is that depending on how many blessings Gestalt has gives him an AoE aura. This aura takes the form of Zadkiel's wings and radiant energy encompassing Gestalt. This aura even alters the feeling of his reiatsu from a simple shinigami's energy to something different. Similar but touched by the divine. This is most notable on his chain whip which changes from spiritual steel to a physical radiance with the mace head shining brightly. This radiance is the same color as Zadkiel and changes subtly from white to yellow to gold to cream and back again.
To gain this aura however takes 10 blessing counters and upon being achieved the effects slowly manifest in the post the last counter is gained. In addition to this visual display, that all but Gestalt can see, he gains an aura that reaches out 15 feet from him in all directions. For every 5 additional blessings this aura expands its radius by 5 feet until it reaches 30 feet. From there it no longer grows in radius. Depending on who is within this aura changes the effect this aura has on another. If an ally or bystander is within this aura they gain a point in Calm Mind and Strength of Will. This is due to God's grace enveloping those near Gestalt and encouraging them to fight on past any mental handicaps that may be hindering them. This caps up to a level of 3.
If an enemy however is within this aura, they begin to suffer the weight of God's wrath and must have a 2 in Strength of Will or Calm Mind to ignore it. If they meet this requirement, they will feel the weight and presence but be able to move past it. If they cannot however then they will begin to experience growing anxiety over fighting Gestalt. Their hearts will race, they will begin to sweat, their mind struggling to keep on any task that isn't directly attempting to find a place to hide. This induces a 5% increase in all reiatsu costs for every 2 posts an opponent exists within the aura. This caps at 75% increased costs. Hellions, Prodigy V1 & V2, Empath, and Freak all act as though their Strength of Will or Calm Mind is 1 less than its current. If a hellion has any of these types, then they suffer a -2 to their Strength of Will or Calm Mind.
Shikai Techniques:
1. Divine Intervention:
As with most fervent and devout followers of a god, occasionally their god intervenes on their behalf. Gestalt and his steadfast belief and trust in God and Zadkiel is much the same. And thus as a fight goes on it becomes readily apparent that it's not just Gestalt one is fighting but an angel of God as well. Boiled down what this ability does is at certain blessing counts give Gestalt a minor buff.
The intervals are as follows:
5 Blessings: Gestalt can control and direct the whip with his mind. So long as he's holding onto the handle he can direct it in any which way and use his SPPR for physical clashes. (I.E. if he wraps it around someone his SPPR determines its strength as opposed to his Strength)
10 Blessings: He is able to unleash reiatsu shockwaves via his whip. These shockwaves use his SPPR for their OS and have all the properties of a standard shockwave. They however fade away after 40 feet. These do not cost anything but can only be used 3 times a post.
15 Blessings: The whip can move at 600 speed and his chain can phase through objects and defenses that have 1.25X his OS or lower.
Drawbacks:
First and foremost this technique requires Gestalt to be at or above the current requirement of Blessings. If he lowers beneath them at any point the abilities granted shut off mid post. This increases his release cost by 200, making the total 500 reiatsu. Shockwaves are limited in per post use. Moving whip at up to 600 speed still drains Gestalt of stamina as though he moved at over 400.
2. Offering the other cheek
Many things cause suffering and pain to those who fight for God. Even those who simply follow God's will must endure hardship of many kinds, and in some cases this is unending. However it's at times like these that God reaches out and allows for one to not suffer alone. This is where Gestalt comes in, being the hand of God and blessed by Zadkiel Gestalt when using this ability can take on a punishment suited for another. Most notably the drawbacks of one's techniques.
Sadly this is not all inclusive, Gestalt cannot take on the entirety of a technique's drawbacks however he can pick and choose which he'll be taking. This includes but is not limited to: Reiatsu Cost, Stamina Cost, bodily damage, Stat penalties, etc. At a maximum Gestalt can take on half the total drawbacks listed for a technique. In the event a technique has only 1 drawback Gestalt will take on the singular drawback but in no other circumstance can he take on all the techniques drawbacks. This can be used on up to 2 individuals.
Drawbacks:
5 blessings (per individual), lasts for 3 posts, all drawbacks assumed by Gestalt are automatically inflicted. I.E. if it says lose an arm Gestalt loses his arm. Without careful consideration Gestalt can rapidly decrease his own pool of reiatsu, critically injure himself, or otherwise become useless. Requires physical contact with the individual in question though only a single touch is necessary. Reiatsu costs increase by 25% if Gestalt chooses to take on the cost.
3. Absolution of Sin:
There comes a time in every individual's life where the weight of evil and sin drag us to our knees. Where our strength and will alone are not enough to help us stand again. It's at times like these that the penitent cries out to God. And without delay does He answer. In this case however Gestalt, aided by Zadkiel, answers and relieves those who are suffering. This miracle takes on the form of a cleansing. This cleansing removes any and all debuffs present on an individual.
This is done by instigating a clash between the OS of the debuff and the OS of the individual. If the individual has a higher OS than the OS used for the debuff then the debuff is removed in its entirety. This can remove the following debuffs: Stat alterations, skill point alterations, poisons, illusions, bindings of a spiritual nature. (Think Bakudo.), etc. As long as the effect is negative to the user and is not self-induced this technique can remove it.
However sometimes an individual's strength is not enough. In times like these Gestalt can spend Blessings to further aid his compatriot in cleansing themself. For every 3 blessings Gestalt uses he can add 10% of his OS to another's for the purposes of this clash. This caps at 15 blessings. Gestalt can use this on himself but can only pay 3 blessings to use and his OS does not increase.
Drawbacks:
While powerful there are some limitations to keep in mind. This technique does not heal any damage done by the debuff. For instance say someone was poisoned and their internals are liquifying. While it will remove the poison, the damage is already done. This technique also cannot remove physical bindings or debuffs induced by damaged body parts. I.E. tearing one's muscles and limbs can't be cleansed away. And being physically bound by steel for example is also unable to be removed.
Cannot cleanse abilities that are not equal or lower in class. Costs 250 reiatsu. Requires physical contact with the individual. Blessing cost of 3 or more to aid an individual. Has a 2 post cooldown for the individual that benefits.
4. Holy Sacrament:
It is not unknown to many that to take on the body and blood of Christ is a fundamental aspect of saving an individual. Gestalt in fact has done this many a time long long ago when he was still a priest for the Catholic church. But even now this still remains a fact that the Sacrament can save those who are willing to take part. That is the basis of this technique.
Upon paying the reiatsu cost and the necessary blessings Gestalt forms a small wafer in his hand. This wafer is bolstered by Zadkiel and upon being consumed imparts HSR to an individual. The duration of this HSR depends on the amount of blessings Gestalt spends to create this wafer. For a single post he must spend 3 blessings. However, if he intends to allow an individual prolonged healing then more blessings must be spent. For every 3 additional blessings spent Gestalt can increase the post duration by 1. This caps at 5 posts (15 blessings).
However something special happens at 9 blessings. Due to infusing the wafer with a great deal of God's power Gestalt is able to increase the potency of the healing offered by the wafer. For a short time. When 9 are offered the healing for a single post increases to heal all internal organs. The heart and brain being the notable exceptions. After this initial post the remainder are returned to standard HSR. Gestalt can use this on himself however he can only use up to 9 blessings on himself.
Drawbacks:
400 reiatsu, 2 post cooldown if used on Gestalt, requires 3 blessings to use at all let alone increasing its potency, 2 post cooldown for the individual who eats the wafer, stamina is lost that would equal the amount of damage healed, wafer can be stolen by another and consumed who then gain their effects.
Other Techniques:
Shunpo - Learned
An Zam: Khad taslagch (Road of Hunt, Cliff Cutter) - Learned
Advanced Air Platform - Learned
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-History-
Birthplace:
Venice, Italy
Current Residence:
Squad 4 Barracks
Memorable Figures:
1. Ottoman Empire
2. Perdita - Akki
3. Father Rugir
History:
Gestalt’s story starts several centuries back. Back when crusades were still an idea that wasn’t looked down upon. That’s right, Gestalt was born in Venice in the 1600’s, specifically 1655. Alas the family Gestalt was born to is something of a grain of sand lost to time. Namely being that he was an unwanted child and was shortly thereafter given to the church in the hopes that God may yet find a use for the child. Gestalt’s formative years were fairly quiet. He grew up as a child of the local church and as such grew up with God at his side. His days were spent mostly learning about God and his lessons written down in the bible for all to learn from. Alongside simple chores and whatever immediate tasking the local priest and his assistants needed aid in. Near his later teens he eventually decided to further his knowledge of God and aim to follow in Father Rugir’s footsteps. Namely to be a father of his own little chapel and lead a congregation of fellow Christians. Thus was the start of Gestalt’s life in the clergy and eventual rise to Father.
Unlike Gestalt's life as a child of the church he was not found without issues. Some of which were seen earlier in his time learning to be a member of the clergy and others more pronounced the closer he came to the end of it. Namely when he eventually decided to walk away and start his own congregation regardless of Father Rugir’s thoughts. Initially he did things with a light and open heart. Willing to learn and burn the midnight oil so that he could read and write the scripture without the aid of Father Rugir. Even outside of the chapel and throughout the city Gestalt was seen aiding the sick, trying to stop those who were bewitched by alcohol, and even trying to defend the meager from debt collectors. This obviously had some negative repercussions given Gestalt in his youth was quick to apply the church’s teachings without any concern for the situation at hand. Add this with a lack of life experience and you get genuine and well intended aid . . . that ultimately took a harsher and strict outlook on how to handle things. This rarely boiled over well. There were several times he’d return to the church bruised and beaten or otherwise with an “extra” close behind.
This continued for a couple years as Gestalt was determined to aid Venice by doing God’s work where he saw it lacking. At the same time however as Gestalt continued to take his understandings of scripture throughout Venice he began to focus less and less on his training and duties as a priest. Occasionally even finding himself missing Sunday mass or having started fights when others would not hear him out. Many arguments were had between Gestalt and Father Rugir, many were ignored, and the remaining brushed off. And this eventually spiraled to its pinnacle once he was 27. Certain that the Father was holding him back and actively avoiding the final duties as well as ceremonies he chastised him in front of his entire congregation. This obviously did not go well and eventually he was forced to leave Venice entirely. From here he wandered around as a self described “priest” until eventually finding a small town among the Republic of Venice. From here he finally finished his “training” to become a priest. Namely by finally listening to the withered old Father that ran their local chapel. Make no mistake, he wasn’t fond of hearing of his folly. Nor of the repremendings he earned, namely given that during his time wandering he’d come to realize the truth of several teachings of the former Father.
Upon turning 30 is when he finally finished his training and became Father Gestalt. And true to his prior goals he’d gained a small and non-descript congregation. Namely due to the former priest passing away shortly after his final vows. The following 5 years were interesting to say the least. The republic had joined the Holy League and was actively fighting the Ottoman Empire. Effectively starting up another Holy Crusade, in all but the specific words. Still while a part of Gestalt wanted to participate, he couldn’t bring himself to leave his congregation. Instead he simply did his role as the priest and when a youth or other individual made mention of their desire to aid in the “Crusade” he simply advised that it was allowed by the Pope and thus was righteous. These comments occasionally spurned an individual to join the league’s armies but most simply acknowledged and moved on with their life. That was. . . until the village was attacked by the armies of the Empire. Unbeknownst to Gestalt while the Empire had been on the losing end that hadn’t meant that there were territories that were being claimed and ultimately taken by the Empire. His small village very quickly became one such land.
This changed everything. Father Gestalt saw the village nearly razed, most of its men and occasionally elder children killed. Families torn apart. Livestock stolen or slaughtered. Precious goods stolen or otherwise destroyed. And even his chapel was burnt to the ground for being “Heresy” not that he could understand the Ottoman’s language. The worst part in all this was that as a priest Gestalt had made a vow to not fight another. And through sheer luck had managed to not be killed outright though he was wounded. It was the remaining congregation that aided him both recover and escape the mayhem. Throughout his recovery though he felt something burning inside him. He saw the faces of his lost congregation when he slept or blinked. And sometimes he swore he could hear them still. It was during the end of his recovery that he finally made a decision. The league needed him. God’s people needed him. And the souls of his former congregation needed him to keep their families safe. Thus once he was physically able to, he immediately joined in the Republic’s standing force. Yet only renouncing his vow against violence and instead vowing to ensure the war would be taken back to the Ottoman’s for their sins against God.
The first several times he attempted to join ended in failure for several reasons. He was physically incapable. He was a clergyman. He was nearing the age of being too old to fight. And several other reasons. This however did not stop him and eventually when he proved that he could take on any other would-be soldier that was recruited, he was finally admitted. His training was quick and his time spent outside the front lines blurred together for him as all he saw was the fights to be had. And when he got there? It was what he expected. Man against man. Wild, chaotic, and utterly devolving at times. Yet he swore he could feel the power of God with him. And thankfully, he wasn’t alone in this. Many fellow soldiers felt this as well. Though God’s might was tested thoroughly indeed as the combined force of the League’s armies faced off again and again with the Ottomans. And yet Gestalt survived. Battle after battle. Skirmish after skirmish. His sword felled as many Ottomans as he could get in reach. And yet it never felt enough. He continued to feel more and more like he wasn’t getting anywhere. The fights were glorious, righteous even and yet while they ultimately gained ground it did not stop the Ottomans. Why? The power of God should have been made known to them in his mind, especially after 5 years beating them back. And yet again and again they rose up with soldiers.
And this is where we near the end of Gestalts life as a human. Years on the battlefield and the lands once occupied by the Ottomans changed Gestalt. Where once he’d been more peaceful and considerate, he was instead stoked by his zealous outbursts. Non-combatants were killed and exiled to the harsh lands he once traveled himself. He was lost not only in the fighting but in his fervor about God and the call to smite His foes into submission. He saw demons and the worst in everyone that wasn’t the soldiers he was stationed with. And he acted on it without concern. This finally brought him to yet another non-descript village. Really a series of hovels that the Ottomans had been using as homes while the League pursued after their armies. And yet before even stepping into the battlefield something was off. This didn’t feel like any other fight he’d been in. No, this felt like a deeper evil was present. Something far more nebulous was present, something that could only be described as profane. Gestalt shrugged it off however and continued onwards to smite the heretics before him. And initially his fears eased as the fighting was much like the other battles he’d been in. Yet as time passed and the battle progressed he realized something. For one thing men around him were dying in droves. Noxious fumes were present and sowing just as much discord and chaos to ally and foe alike. Even Gestalt had to admit that he was slowly becoming more hindered as time went on. And that’s when he saw it. A true incarnation of evil. Something only the foulest place could spawn. A demon, well really an akki and frankly a low end one at that but still far more capable than any simple human could be.
Its form could only be described as jagged. Female and humanoid was the basic design and yet it had rocks jutting from every joint. Some with holes at the end which produced and further spread the fumes throughout the battlefield. Beneath the rocks and rough exterior were small sections of deeply bruised skin ranging from dark purple to near bright lavender. It had no eyes as large horns jutted out from their eye sockets and through the forehead. It had a mouth that spread from each end of its face to the other and was covered in sharpened rock shrapnel. With a wicked tongue that was occasionally fired out and had barbs that could pierce and tear through solid metal with ease. As the battling continued eventually it was Gestalts turn to face the hellish terror. Though it spoke to him, it was not any language Gestalt could understand. However the attempts at a mocking laugh and the occasionally careless movement made it very clear. It wasn’t concerned with him nor any in the fight. And it certainly didn’t see any chance of it losing considering most blows to it simply shattered the weapon in question. Gestalt was much the same.
Though for one reason or another it decided to play with him longer than most. Allowing glancing blows and specifically aiming for points that weren’t mortal but debilitated him. Before he knew it, Gestalt was weaponless and on his last legs, death by a thousand cuts seemed to be the way he’d pass until the akki slowly walked up to him and began mocking him. Then mocking the field and mocking the combatants. It mocked life itself and simply showed how depraved it truly was by casually killing even a few of its “allies” for no reason other than it could. Gestalt did everything he could at the moment to try and stop it and yet nothing worked. And finally it decided to finish him off. Sending its arm through his stomach was all but an instant death sentence. One even Gestalt knew would take him soon. And yet in his final moments that's when something surged within him. That same flare from years and years back when he first was beaten to near death. Except it continued to grow and it felt like it would consume him had it not actually alleviated any pain he felt and enabled him to move again. Still he could see the darkness encroaching on the side of his vision and knew there was only so long God was going to give him the strength to continue. And he knew that without a doubt this strength was solely so he could purge from this world a creature that never should have been in the first place.
With the newfound strength and the last of his zeal, he muttered a quick prayer, grabbed the nearest weapon. A long polearm of some sort. Blessedly it still had the metal tip in good condition. And with one last surge of strength ran towards the beast from behind and threw the spear at the only weak spot he could find. A small section of “flesh” on its back that, if he guessed correctly, was the backside of its heart. Thankfully it was, though the front was covered in hardened “rock” so the spear didn’t go through but the beast clearly felt the weapon and its heart get pierced through. It screamed out in rage but ultimately collected itself enough to come after Gestalt yet that was when he finally saw black and died. Ultimately his body did die but his spirit was quickly being born though he ultimately was passed out due to exhaustion. But the akki was going to take him down with it. To Hell he’d go and suffer for daring to harm it, a mere human. And it almost did. Gestalt was in its hands and the portal was being opened while he laid unconscious in its grip. Yet he would not meet Hell. He would find his body back on the ground as the arms that had previously held him were cut in half. And the previous injury that was given by him was only furthered by a pair of shinigami working in tandem.
Yet akki are a curious thing. Spurned on for all eternity and driven by such dark impulses that it’s hard to know where the person they used to be ended and where the demon they are now begins. It would not let Gestalt get away from her unhindered. Could not let him get away. Thus, it did the only thing it could. Lashed out with its chain of hell and imbued his soul with as much caustic and hellish energy as could be produced on its dying breath. The gates opened and dragged it back within yet its grasp on Gestalt held firm. His soul was quickly beginning to be corrupted before the shinigami’s eyes. Something had to be done lest it kill him and likely drag him to hell with the beast. Thus they did the only thing they could think of. And Konso’d him. At worst it’d do nothing and he was doomed in SS or on Earth. At best it’d cleanse him and hopefully save him.
It did both. . . sort of. Gestalt was sent to the SS and in the process turned into pure energy before reconstituting. Yet in the meantime the hellish energy fully corrupted a significant portion of said energy before finally halting its spread. And upon Gestalt's reconstitution? Well he came back physically nearly the same, barring his right leg. But spiritually he was not the same anymore. His fate intertwined with Hell and yet not completely. He wasn’t bound to it and was free to exist wherever he pleased. Albeit with the looming promise of eventual damnation if his right leg were a show of anything. From this point on Gestalt eventually awoke in the Rukongai, ragged, worn, and with his right leg both in agony and quite literally weighing him down. It took several months before he finally got used to how his body worked. And several more months before he finally realized what exactly had happened and what it entailed. Still. . . that left one big question for him.
What to do now? He was no longer alive. No longer a priest, technically. And certainly whatever was going on around him was NOT the blissful realm he thought he would go to. And that’s when it dawned on him, he was in Purgatory. His actions in life, in the war, and the breaking of several vows as a priest had forced him to be here. Though his intentions may have once been pure and genuine it had been many years since then. And the sins of having slain as many as he did certainly ensured he deserved no such heavenly bliss. That left him to wonder why he was even here. If he could even attempt to atone or if he simply would be forced to exist in this in between state of damnation and reunion. For now all he could do was try to be as he once was. A follower of God and a spreader of the good word. God willing, maybe even a healer. Or the mender of others wounds both physical and spiritual. Only time would tell. But he hoped beyond hope that if God decided he should venture down the path of defender, that this time he wouldn’t lose himself again. That perhaps the ever nagging reminder of his former life, in the shape of his leg, would be enough to keep him in check. But hopefully that would be a long, Long, LONG time in the future. When hopefully he learned more and grew wiser and again God willing. More capable.
