"Runar" Raizo Kasumi'Oji - Vizard Hopeful TT - Do not grade

["Runar" Raizo Kasumi'Oji]

-Opening-

Member's Discord Name (include nicknames): Ryo, Ryouzen, Skelebryo, Diet Immortal

Password 1: Kazu’s Kidnapper

Password 2: Miraculous Kouhai

Type: Generalist (+RS) / (-Str)

Squad: Kido Corp

Rank: Unseated Shinigami

Thinking Color: Aquamarine

Speaking Color: Royalblue

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-Basic Information-

Name: “Runar” Raizo Kasumi’Oji

Age of Death: 47

Real Age/Age of Appearance: 683 / 53

Birthday (Month/Day): June 21st

Blood Type: B-

RP Sample (Optional):


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-Appearance-

Height/Weight: 5ft 11in, 195 lbs.

Physical Description:


At a glance it's almost immediately apparent that Raizo is a far older soul than most of his peers. Wrinkles are present at several points on his face such as around his eyes, lips, and nose. His skin isn’t as taught as those of a younger persuasion, his eyes while tired look like they hold years of experience, and even his tone while worn is thoughtful. With occasional pauses and slow, clear pronunciation in everything he says. The lack of hair on his head doesn’t help as it gives him a forehead that seems to never end and easily shows any emotions he chooses to display. Mainly through the use of wrinkles on his forehead. However that isn’t to say that he lacks facial hair in any capacity. He actually has a well trimmed mustache and large eyebrows. Thankfully these two areas of facial hair haven’t lost their color just yet. They are instead a dark brown with individual gray hairs poking through.


Typically the only other hair one might see would be an aftershave or “fuzz” if Raizo hasn’t shaved his head and face. Though that is only likely to occur if you find him during a vacation that is significant in length. More than anything Raizo is the kind of individual to keep himself looking “prim and proper” or otherwise clean and well kept. His clothing is pressed until free of wrinkles, spotless, and never found to have holes or tears of any kind. With his face, as mentioned he maintains a clean shaven appearance even going so far as to trim and pluck his eyebrows and mustache. No scars currently mark his face as he has predominantly dealt with politics regarding the Kasumi’Oji and other noble houses in his lifetime. He does however naturally have a tan complexion as opposed to most of his far more light toned family members.


For other minor details to note, there are other signs of aging on his face. Namely the amount of wrinkles around, but you can tell by looking at his ears as they appear to be large and are somewhat wrinkled themselves. He also has liver spots occasionally found throughout his head and his neck is a bit on the thin side revealing his tendons. Last but not least are his eyes which are a bright gray-blue. The gray being the base color of his iris while the blue comes in more as speckles that dot the edges of his sclera and pupil.


For the remainder of his body it appears as you’d think for an older man. Thin with the muscle showing and further wrinkles throughout. Some portions of his body seem a bit “flabby” like his upper arms and the back of his legs. However with the assistance of uniforms or longer style clothing these aren’t as readily seen. His forearms, hands, and feet show the same thinning signs of age. As his tendons and bones are more easily seen here. It doesn’t help that he has long pianist fingers that already accentuated his hands. Liver spots are frequently found throughout the body with his hands and arms being some of the most speckled.


As mentioned earlier though the signs of age are present he retains several characteristics to help keep his body in peak cleanliness. Such as having his nails clipped, hairs trimmed or shaved, and a weak cologne on. The cologne is occasionally switched for the light fragrance of incense. Moving beyond his body we move to the clothing Raizo wears. As it stands for his time being actively involved in the academy and working in the Kido Corp he’s been found to wear the standard shihakusho with minimal if any noteworthy differences. Typically having a nicer white undershirt and wearing an additional sash across his chest that matches the sash tied at the waist. For paperwork he may occasionally pull out a thin set of gloves and he still wears the socks and sandals that are expected of him.


What is different from most other shinigami is that he brings accessories. As mentioned he has a set of thin cloth gloves for any paperwork. These are white and have no noteworthy features as they only cover his hands. He’s been known to have an umbrella on his person that is black with white and gray plants on its topside. He may have a few as some show trees, others show mountains covered in various foliage, and some are a variety of flowers and bushes. He also keeps a fountain pen on his person in a small box that he places in his shihakusho. And on cold days will occasionally wear a scarf of sorts and thicker gloves. Despite being of a noble house wears no jewelry nor any excessively flamboyant designs on his person.






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-Personality-

Dislikes:

1. Bakotto

The nature of creating a weapon that consumes one’s soul seems especially dangerous and arguably not worth the cost. Especially when it puts a major target on the backside of every individual that uses one or is affiliated with them. Meaning himself and his family. It’s a weight that is unfortunately shared given the Kasumi’Oji families continued use and propagation of them. While their presence isn’t undesirable in dire circumstances it's certainly not preferable for long term circumstances.


2. Noble House Corruption (Kasumi’Oji specifically)

Corruption is akin to inefficiency in Raizo’s opinion. It promotes privilege where it is underserved, it allows for laziness in those above and below you, and worst of all, it comes back to bite you in the ass. The sheer volume of time, money, and energy put into the Kasumi’Oji because they want to allow such nonsense is insane. And its continued use isn’t an foreign concept to him but it seems unnecessary when the house is already as powerful as can be.


3. Changing Plans/Schedules

This is a personal pet peeve of Raizo’s. As someone who's worked extensively with other individuals a change in his schedule or plans at any point becomes a major disruption. A very unwanted and frankly unneeded disruption. Depending on the size of said disruption, this has caused him to jump through hoops to finish projects, continue/set/start meetings, and plan out time that didn’t relate to his previous job for the Kasumi’Oji. Change while necessary for the big picture is woefully infuriating to Raizo’s slice of the picture.


4. His new name

Raizo is the name given to him by the Kasumi’Oji. And as far as he can tell, most don’t seem to realize that he recalls his former life. One where he was neither a noble nor living a “comfortable” life. This in turn means he remembers his name that he was “originally” given. “Originally” given he cannot recall if he’s been recycled more than once as things currently stand. Regardless, for functions and documents he will acknowledge the new name given, but that is not him. He is Runar, a swede who got lucky enough to be taken in by those with money and power.


5. Fighting

Fighting as far as Raizo is concerned is just exhausting and detrimental to all sides. Very rarely does one leave with good intentions or feelings. Especially when death and serious injuries occur. It honestly bothers him that others among the shinigami and supposedly other spiritual races are combat hounds, as it calls into question their mental capabilities in his mind. Still with the shinigami fighting is an unfortunate necessity given their responsibilities. Something he’s got to come to terms with considering outside the Seireitei its life or death at every moment.


6. Laziness

Being lazy is being inefficient and without purpose. Something that is allowable while on one’s own time but not while on “company” or working time. Raizo is a staunch believer that barring meal times and free time one's energy should be put first and foremost to work. Especially work that is of high importance, such as working with other noble houses or defending unaware humans. Even if the work is thankless as the consequences can be detrimental to more than just the individual in question.


7. Asian weapons

This is simply something of a personal distaste that Raizo has. All of these “Asian” weapons that Soul Society uses. While individual shikai and bankai do shake up these variations, the standard zanpakuto being a katana, wakizashi, or some other strangely pronounced weapon is jarring and somewhat distasteful. At least with European weapons he could appreciate the form even if begrudgingly. These weapons are just strange by comparison, let alone the methods by which they are formed.


8. Vandenriech

This is one where Raizo just doesn’t understand the true purpose behind their goals. Eradicating the world and all its people, as well as their souls for a deity that has given them power. As well as operating not just on a vendetta against shinigami but on hollows which are simply groups of innocent souls that weren’t fortunate enough to make it to Soul Society first. It’s just . . . strange. And narrow minded in his opinion, but until he talks with one, he cannot be certain that the Gotei 13 and Kasumi’Oji household have given him the complete picture. Regardless, the intent to demolish multiple worlds seems disastrous in any manner you look at it.


9. Indecisiveness

Life is full of choices. Many of which are annoying, hard, or outright unfair to make. But that doesn’t excuse one for not making a decision. As far as Raizo is concerned, if you can’t make a good decision, then make the best decision you can and stick to it. If there’s time, consider it in a reasonable period. If there’s not, then make a decision and move on. It’s unfortunately, that simple as far as Raizo is concerned. And it's something that he continues to practice to this day, despite having made calls that weren’t always correct or the most efficient.


10. Being Bald

Again another personal gripe of his. For all the power of the Gotei and the noble houses, the means of regaining one’s hair is simply beyond them. This is made worse by the fact that he is not the only one who's lost their hair but that is in the minority of having lost their hair at an “advanced” age. Advanced being cynical given there are shinigami and other beings that have lived for thousands of years and look damn near the same. He can’t win every battle but damn if he isn’t mildly frustrated that he lost his hair due to age in this life as well as his previous life.



Likes:

1. Magic or Kido

Kido is akin to old myths of magic. Where the world is born and ultimately shaped by the power held by those with “The Gift”. While in his previous life Raizo considered it fantasy of the highest degree, now he’s seen the spiritual world and come to terms with the fact that magic does exist. It just goes by another name, and for Shinigami it's Kido or Reiatsu. Both of which allow for things that he could only imagine when he was a child. Sadly this is tempered by his desire to learn it for combative use given his joining of the Kido Corp which means while magic is great he only truly desires useful magic.


2. Well thought out plans

It should come as no surprise that Raizo is a man of thought more than he is a man of risk. Which means he prefers to have an idea of what to do at all times and a game plan to follow if things go to shit. It’s simply how he managed to succeed as a diplomat for the Kasumi’Oji as well as how he expects to survive as a shinigami. And it's yet to fail him as of now.


3. Shinigami / Gotei 13

This is less that he enjoys the organization of the Shinigami and more that he respects the goal. To keep the worlds in balance. To assist souls in moving onwards, albeit to a less than preferable life on occasion. To allow the souls of hollows and those they’ve consumed to be returned to the worlds at large. It’s a tough job, and one that not many are strong enough mentally, physically, or apparently spiritually. Which makes it all the more respectable that those in the Gotei 13 try to do it anyway. Even with their moderate death rate.


4. Exploring the various worlds

Back in Raizo’s previous life, travel wasn’t exactly a preferred lifestyle. It also wasn’t the more carefree, sightseeing method of traveling that he’s experienced in this life. It was moving from one place to another to fight. Moving to survive. Moving for reasons outside his control. And now he can not only see parts of the human world that he could have never dreamed of seeing but now he can see alternate worlds. Hueco Mundo and Hell to name a couple. While these are without a doubt dangerous it's something he actively looks forward to doing. If only so he can be more familiar with them when next he must go to them for an assignment.


5. Fixing problems

Problems arise in every job, in every position. He has had to fix his own, others, and organizational issues for several centuries now. Having been in positions where he both can and cannot address issues in a meaningful way has shown Raizo exactly where he wants to be. In the position where he can address and correct problems that arise. Many others would rather sit and let them be but that is only going to worsen the problems at hand. Thus there is a special joy for him for being able to see a problem, fix the problem, and then move onto the next. And if he can ever get to a point where for a short period of time, there are no issues, he’s functionally succeeded.


6. Blunt Honesty

Raizo is blunt. He’s not fond of colorful worlds, hidden truths, or outright deception. It’s a form of inefficiency that makes him both upset and annoyed as it causes problems down the line. Such issues that can be avoided by being open and upfront. Even if the truth is painful or otherwise hard to swallow, it's better to simply be honest and move on from there. Problems can only be managed once they are known and the situation is understood.


7. Self Realization / Self Actualization

While this predominantly applies to Raizo himself, he’s not against seeing this in others. But more specifically there is a certain special feeling for realizing that you can do more today than you could yesterday. When you’ve achieved a goal that was long and hard fought. And for the spiritual world, it's more than simply being more skillful there is a level of power and outright capability. Something very tangible and easily displayed when achieving certain levels of personal power. It’s about as rewarding as possible all things considered.


8. Reading

It’s a skill that is “new” as far as Raizo is concerned. Having been unable to do so in his previous life, he now takes advantage of it all the time in his current life as he has been taught to read. At least with regards to Japanese and eventually Swedish. It isn’t wrong to say it's literally changed his world view because it opened the door to so many written words that he had no previous knowledge about. While reports and more bureaucratic paperwork is still boring, the recreational uses are beyond enjoyable. And truly one of the highlights of Raizo’s current life.


9. Research and Development groups

Raizo has a level of respect and healthy appreciation for those who dedicate their lives to learning about various subjects. It’s both important and far more impactful than his previous life would have let on. Which is why Squad 12 in particular is something he appreciates from a distance. While he’s not unaware of the likely less than pleasant truths regarding the various rumors of it and how they handle their research, the end result is still something tangible and usable. Sometimes even an object that assists in an endeavor that was previously considered too difficult, time intensive, or otherwise unimportant.


10. Pets / Animals

It shouldn’t be a surprise that Raizo isn’t fond of children or adult children. Let alone things that find themselves being time and energy intensive due to a helplessness of sorts. However pets and animals are a sort of exception. While he’s not the type of individual that could readily be considered “responsible” enough to manage them, he does appreciate those that can. And even secretly wishes they were easy enough to manage in a way that didn’t distract him from his current tasks and duties.



Flaws:

1. Blunt

There are many things that Raizo is good at. And one of them is speaking, however that only refers to him speaking his mind. And frequently his tone as well as his word choice are especially harsh as he doesn’t hold back on commentary regarding things he dislikes. Let alone things he finds especially inefficient or useless. This includes people and their work ethic. He is especially harsh although upfront about what he wants done and how he wants things done.


2. Unempathetic

Emotions simply don’t sway him all that much. In fact he finds those who are more swayed by their heart than their head to be particularly annoying. Especially when they attempt to make arguments that are completely from the heart or a place of emotions. Emotions have their place but only when tempered and controlled. Which for Raizo means, nearly non-existent as in his own words “You can have your feelings and even express them to yourself. But I expect you to keep them in check and to yourself when your work and duties are involved. “


3. “Ends justify the means.” Mentality

Where many will consider the path towards the goal and be stopped or concerned about how to achieve a goal Raizo isn’t nearly as concerned. That isn’t to say he goes out of his way to pick morally dubious or even “evil” paths. However if a way is hard on others but gets the outcome he desires in the quickest fashion, he’s likely to pick that route. Even if the route is too fast for others or has consequences of a noteworthy variety. As long as the outcome is worthwhile to him, he’ll prioritize the outcome over the path taken to reach the outcome.


4. Used to positional authority

While it's not always intended, Raizo has a tendency to act and speak as though he is in charge of others. In part this is due to the fact that he was in charge of a portion of the Kasumi’Oji clan while working as a diplomatic correspondent for the other noble houses. However, as he’s shifted to joining the Gotei 13 and thus is starting out as an unranked shinigami, this does occasionally seem him talk down to others. Mainly due to having plans and believing he can handle situations effectively due to perceived similarities to his previous job.


5. Unreasonable Expectations

Raizo expects a lot out of those around him. He expects that when faced with a challenge, moral/emotional/etc. that the “correct” choice will be made. Correct referring to the choice he would have made. Regardless of what one's emotions or heart may try to persuade is correct. It’s about doing the “right” thing for the group when it applies to others. And with regards to personal decisions he expects logic to take over as for what makes sense, not risk taking on feelings. This is despite knowing that most cannot or will not follow his logic and thus inevitably disappoint him and his objective focused mindset.



Habits:

1. Reads / Carrying a book on his person

As mentioned previously Raizo is an extensive reader. Thus he is never without a book on his person, even if it is a small short story. It’s not only a good use of his free time but it allows him to learn more of the world Soul Society and the Human World’s depending on the book chosen. Not to mention it’s just fun for him to read many different and varied kinds of books, stories, and collections of knowledge. If one were to find any used or completed book of his, they’d find little notes written within them regarding questions, his thoughts, or book markers written on the edges of the pages.


2. Keeping personal information limited

Raizo is the type of person who likes to keep his heart and his emotions close to his chest. Maintaining a work focused personality primarily and keeping anything personal to a minimum. For example, he would almost certainly not inform others about his disappointment at being bald again. Nor would he allow others to know his distaste for asian weapons. It’s simply unimportant to the task at hand. It’s also why you’d find minimal time that he is around others outside of work or family related matters. His personal time, which is usually dedicated to reading, is done alone.


3. Keeping himself as clean as possible

Call it a learned habit from his time as a diplomat. Raizo has had to ensure he looks his best at all times. Even while sleeping. Because he could have been called for anything and anyone could have seen him. Thus he always has multiple pieces of cloth on him to clean himself with. He’s always maintaining his uniform and his personal appearance to be as clean as possible. And it's why he may at times seem to overthink simple things like how to walk around or over a puddle of muddy water to ensure he’s not sullying his clothes.


4. Forward Thinking / Planning

Time is finite. Opportunities come and go at the drop of a hat. Thus it should come as no surprise that Raizo, who despises inefficiency, tries to maintain and schedule everything that he can into a schedule of some sort. From fighting, to managing tasks, to determining how he wants to spend his free time. It’s all about planning and trying to fit things in properly so he can quickly go from one task to another without delay. All while ensuring he’s not overwhelmed so that he can continue to keep things at a pace that can work in.


5. Lead by example

Raizo believes in the idea of “Be the change you want to see in the world.” Thus if he wants to make people see his way of working or achieving results is correct, then he must stick to his tenets at all times. Create the path by which others can follow and show how things are intended to be done. Whether it's through how to manage paperwork or how one studies other races abilities. All will be something he displays, quietly and expressing the methods by which he has done so when asked. And when he is in charge, he will ensure those beneath him follow the same path so that there is no question as to how to achieve success.



Fears:

1. Seeing the Kasumi’Oji’s fall into ruin

Raizo may have qualms with certain things they do and he may not always enjoy the games he must play as a nobleman. But that doesn’t mean he can’t see value in the family and their potential. Let alone, a debt of repayment that he would like to give them. Food, clothing, luxury, and knowledge are all things he gained a great deal of in this life. All of which weren’t necessarily things he had in his previous life. So if he can’t assist the family and instead had to see them become non-existent that would be soul crushing.


2. Increased Bakkoto Incidents

As Bakkoto are illegal and Soul Society as a whole has heard of the rumor regarding the Kasumi’Oji’s involvement, there is always a lingering worry in the back of his mind regarding when enough is enough. If too many events happen and reveal the uncontrolled nature of the Kasumi’Oji’s involvement it could bite them in the ass. Ruin the family, cost them millions of Ryo in reparations, and cost them their future as individuals. Raizo worries immensely about the Bakkoto’s and all the problems that could spawn from them if shit hits the with even a single noteworthy Bakkoto.


3. All the enemies of Soul Society

Hell, Las Noches, the Vandenriech, all of these and likely many others are all groups dedicated to Soul Society’s destruction. In some capacity. In some manner. All of them have history with Soul Society and specifically the Gotei 13. To say it is the most worrisome aspect of joining the shinigami is an understatement. All it takes is one faction to make a plan, find a weakness, and capitalize on it. All while the great houses are fighting one another, while C46 and the Captain Commander continue black and white enemy/ally affiliations. Some day, these will come to bite them in the ass. And the Kasumi’Oji as well as Raizo may be swallowed up by these problems.


4. Close relations with another

This isn’t specific to romance as it can involve long standing relationships built off of friendship or work relations. When things get too close, it's unnerving. And more worryingly, with high turnover rates of shinigami, they could just vanish one day. It’s partially why Raizo has concerns even about the zanpakuto spirit he will encounter eventually. He doesn’t know how he would lose contact with them but it's not outside the realm of possibility. And they are a part of how he would achieve greater personal power. Losing that would be a detrimental blow to him unlike any other sans a close friend or relationship being lost.



Goals:

1. Make the Kasumi’Oji a noteworthy noble house again

It’s not hard to see that the Kasumi’Oji are in a decline in their power. Having seemingly degraded to barely being a noble house of note, outside scandals and longevity. Thus it should come to no surprise that Raizo, having seen the time when the house thrived and was noted for many feats, seeks to return them to their former grace. At least in some capacity. If at all possible he seeks to make them a noble house akin to the Kuchiki who have yet still remained in power as a dominant noble house.


2. Realize his full potential

Raizo knew he had some talent in combat given his prior life and the battles he fought then. However the difference between the world he used to know and the world he lives in now is akin to night and day. This implies many changes, some of which can be potentially achieved by his own merits. Making it possible to be able to realize a form of self that isn’t even possible to be imagined. Thus Raizo seeks to know what that could look like and thus see what he can be at his peak. With figures like the Captain Commander who are exceptionally old and powerful this seems to be as feasible even with his more advanced age.


3. Attempt to curb the Bakkoto Generation

As mentioned previously, Raizo isn’t fond of Bakkoto. They have many dangerous capabilities, the most notable being soul consumption. While Raizo isn’t saying that there can’t be a way to use them properly, the manner by which the Kasumi’Oji are handing Bakkoto now serves only to weaken them. Let alone set them up for failure in the long term. Thus if Raizo can become Head of the Family or gain enough power within the family, he could curb their production, reclaim them, and then work with Soul Society to manage their use so as to not be illegal. As well as ensure they do not cause any unnecessary deaths.


Alignment:

Lawful Neutral


Overall Personality:

Raizo is a man of two faces. One that is seen by the world at large due to the teachings of the Kasumi’Oji to be “perfect” at all times. Efficient, capable, and available. Some of which were parts of his own personality built upon by the family and others strictly enforced. And his personal hidden self, denoted by when he refers to his previous name Runar. Raizo, the name given to him by the Kasumi’Oji is the denotation he refers to for his day to day life. He is a noble first, specifically a noble of the Kasumi’Oji. Which implies many expectations and rules that must be followed. The first of which being the lack of personal emotion he shows to most. Around members of the Kasumi’Oji displays of emotion are acceptable though openly admitted that it can be used by others that prefer to pull emotional strings. Reinforcing the idea that a lot of his personal and emotional aspects need to be hidden lest they be manipulated by others. Or capitalized upon by those who would seek him or his family harm.


It is the side that is engraved into his being as his “work self”. Because it’s always task oriented. Focused on what he can do both for the family and his personal power. Because with noble houses it's not necessarily about the individual but about who they are. Playing by unspoken rules such as “Do not speak back to persons above your station”, “Always look for details that are hidden away by others”, “Assume an appearance of grace regardless of circumstance”. It’s an exhausting side but one that is so lived in that Raizo by this point slips into the lifestyle with ease. It’s also why Raizo has certain traits such as being blunt. While certainly it is preferred by nobles to use flowery language and display a sense of superiority by having an expanded vocabulary, it also wastes time. And if Raizo is good at his job then he can ease up in some regards elsewhere. As long as he’s still playing the game properly.


For example, if he achieves a task within a determined time and has done so with less resources. Then his toeing the line of politeness or outright stepping past it and telling others in no uncertain terms what he wants and how he wants it done, can be looked over. Or forgiven if it caused an issue. It’s part of what fuels his “Ends justify the means” mentality. Because the path taken, while important, can be just as detrimental if allowed to hinder the ultimate goal. Whereas if the goal is pursued then he can always succeed even if it's not in the exact manner he wanted. Which while not preferable, is still a success and at the end of the day, that’s what matters. Especially in noble house politics. An individual, and by extension a house’s, successes are what make or break individuals and give their words and actions weight. Not the ideals that cannot be shown for nor empty promises and words that will never be backed up.


This all boils down to how the work centric Raizo is made to be. An individual that willingly takes on additional tasks. One that is constantly thinking about others so he can maneuver his own life, namely the goal of getting into higher positions of authority. This way it can always be a reflection of his family and what they can do. Both for themselves and others that would be willing to join. It’s what makes him such a clean freak about his appearance because even minor shows of weakness or frailty may shatter the appearance of control he needs to maintain. And could inevitably cast doubts on his family. It’s why he maintains standards that may be unreasonable for others because if he can maintain them it shows his capability. It shows his ability to manage and allows for more to be given to him. And the more given to him, the more that he can control. It’s all a game of control inevitably, both self control and external control.


Meanwhile Runar, his true self and original name speaks to a far simpler man. One still focused on results but less concerned about the blunders on the way. One who focuses on themselves and tries not to speak for others, especially organizations. It’s a far more in the moment individual who isn’t nearly as concerned for the future when the present is now. It’s also sadly an almost forgotten side that is hidden away due to Raizo’s perceived importance at all times. Especially considering that Raizo is his current iteration whereas Runar was his previous iteration. It could be argued that such a simple view and person were only necessary for the simplistic world that he was involved in and not the currently far more complex world that Raizo exists within. And to a degree this would be correct.


Yet Runar refuses to be completely abandoned. His previous life, no matter how distant, plays an important role. It reminds him of lessons learned that his current life couldn’t consider. Such as how to persevere through especially hard tribulations. Certainly dealing with other nobles is annoying because there are rules to play and only so many resources that can be called upon. But that is nothing compared to the need to ensure one survives for the next day. That necessary supplies like food, shelter, and drink are available. That allies are achieved in a genuine manner so as to not give them cause to backstab or create issues. Let alone to find things and time in life that can be enjoyed. Even if they are simpler or not “kosher” to those around. It’s a reminder of the fact that at the end of the day, Runar is Runar and there is not another of them to try every different path of life.


It’s why even with Raizo’s dominance of his current lifes iteration, there are compromises. Such as planned times throughout the day that are strictly just for Runar. Such as times to read, times to walk around the manor or Soul Society at large. Time to train and study. It’s also a reminder of the fact that only a single person can do so much. That even when things are done at their best, that shit can still hit the fan. It is this simpler life that reminds Raizo of the common truths that apply to everyone, regardless of status or rank. And that lessons of the past even from different time periods are just as important as those of the current. Overall, Runar, while not the dominant iteration, is a grounding force. As it seeks to counter in some capacity, the overall complexity of Raizo and issues that stem from the current life.


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-Powers-

Fighting Style:

It should be readily apparent by this point that Raizo is a mage through and through. Though their appearance may portray them as something of an athlete capable of some manner of physical prowess that is incorrect. Raizo is a mage though very specifically a War Mage. The difference being that Raizo has a speciality towards magic that can be utilized in combat and done so effectively. Large scale rituals, or long casting time magic, or even utilitarian magical applications are not specifically the forte of Raizo though depending on what the return investment is for such magic this could tempt Raizo to add it to his arsenal. But these are highly specific and situation dependent which is an apt show of how Raizo considers his fighting style.


It may come as a surprise to find that Raizo’s lack of experience fighting during their extended time as a mediator doesn’t terribly hinder Raizo’s ability to be combatively capable. If anything it helped push him to be not only more invested in determining the capabilities of but also analyzing said abilities to alter his tactics for a fight. Make no mistake if Raizo’s fighting style were to be boiled down, it’d be described as “Win by any means necessary” but that in and of itself is too vague. As any means implies literally anything and Raizo though pragmatic and logical in nature, some options are simply off the table. Including continuing a fight when the end is in sight and it's not in Raizo’s court. If anything Raizo’s strongest suit should be the determination of if there is a fight that is worthwhile fighting for any particular reason and the likelihood of if he is going to be in significant danger as well as how likely it is he can leave if need be.


If Raizo can determine a reason or a necessity to fight, then fighting will be the path chosen. Especially if they can determine that there is a means to finish the fight in his victory or otherwise stop the fight if things turn south. When a fight breaks out Raizo, despite his pragmatism, is a man of scaling threat and capability. If there is no reason to use Bankai, then that card should remain hidden. If there is a particular weakness that Raizo can take note of, he will try to capitalize on it. This even goes to the point of attempting to play himself off as weaker than he really is. Especially regarding those who he has determined are likely more directly capable than him in some regard. Offensively, defensively, physically, spiritually, etc. Fighting is a war of information first and foremost. And the party who knows the most has the greater advantage. It’s similar to mediation regarding politics.


However, regardless of how close to his heart Raizo would like to keep his cards, there is a balance and thus he must reveal parts of his hand. This comes in the basic image he offers to his opponents. An image that capitalizes on stereotypes regarding Kido or magic in general. That it can be slow and ineffective to physical combat at close range. That the longer the spell the more potent it is. That if you can stop him from speaking then you can stop him from casting. That his physicality is as frail as can be. All this and more are the images he wants to have his opponents play into. He desires appearing to be the stereotype and thus using that stereotype to create openings. Even going so far as to reveal that he cannot utilize his release if he doesn’t hold onto it. As one would expect from a mage.


Yet he has no intention of being a slouch. Pragmatism dictates that if he can find or make an opening, that this is how he’ll win a fight. That if he can lull his opponents into a false sense of security that he’ll be winning the mental fight. This may be far from the truth but it's better to play it safe than sorry. And for Raizo he intends to win. Thus he’ll actively make himself appear to be weaker than he is, he’ll play into certain stereotypes, and he’ll lay traps down on key points to ensure his opponents fall into them. Openings are everything. And it's hard to stop a kido that blasts into your brain through your eye, if you can’t move to stop it. Thus comes the use of his shikai in every fight. While revealing the card that is his shikai is perhaps a downside unto itself he stands to gain entirely too much from having it active and available as it makes his kido capabilities entirely too versatile to ignore.


In truth, part of the actual combative power of Raizo is having determined a spell selection that is actively useful in his particular style of combat. It’s akin to building a deck if you want to consider a fight with another as a card game. A significant portion of Raizo’s combative capability stems from any research or information he’s been given and how accurate it is. Thus if he can build himself to be an effective combatant to the target in question then he should be significantly harder to handle or outright kill. This can and does include picking terrains, situations, and particular items of note that can further help stack odds in his favor. But for some opponents they will simply be too tough for effective “deck building” and underhanded tactics like forcing deadly choices between important objectives.


Sometimes he needs to reveal the true powers of Trollkarl. Thus necessitating Bankai. It must be said that Raizo will attempt to keep his bankai’s abilities under wraps in an attempt to continue minimizing information to others. Thus making him just as likely to leave or “lose” a fight in an attempt to hide such information until it's necessary. But when circumstances necessitate a final solution to a permanent problem, his Bankai is his answer. Forcing a localized environmental shift as well as looking to force others to quickly drain themselves of resources that would sustain a fight in any significant capacity. All while maximizing his abilities to out endure in a fight. Should he use Bankai, rest assured that there are two main paths he’s attempting to reach. Either the means to overwhelm an enemy or otherwise sustain himself and his abilities so as to exhaust his opponent.



Zanpakutou Spirit Appearance:

Trollkarl is a being that sort of epitomizes the idea of control over one’s self at all times. Regardless of the situation. This is most notable by the dichotomy between their upper and lower forms. From the waist up is a humanoid being akin to an elf. Slender, tall, serene and with a supernatural grace to them. Their skin, sans for their veins being black, is soft white. And otherwise is untarnished by any sort of marring or scaring. Their hands are long and wrap around the staff of choice which changes appearance depending upon who sees them. The gown and shawl they wear is made of silk with speckles of starlight weaved within the black cloth. There are no tears or holes and it looks as though the concept of a stain has never been considered. The outlines of it have gold weaved throughout.


Their face is androgynous though there is a feminine leaning as the smooth and soft features bring a female to mind more than a mans. Rounded cheekbones, thin but dark lips, a small mouth, and a slender neck and shoulders don’t help this. The long wavy snow white hair that trails halfway down their back again doesn’t terribly help this feminine image. However their voice is masculine and deep, despite there being an otherworldly tenor present. It almost sounds distant despite the entity in question being so close by. Even their crown, though it covers their upper face, is in perfect condition. No nicks, scratches, missing sections. It’s constantly clean and well polished with stars on the end of each spike.


Despite their upper portion being well maintained, the bottom is hideous and monstrous. Bulbous flesh that has blacked like rotted flesh. Constantly oozing out sludge and grime and with bones jutting out in all directions. It truly seems as though Trollkarl has actually collected the bones of many as their portion closest to the waist seems to have corrupted tree branches, bones, and flesh all stitched up together to create something of a skirt. In addition to the grime, there is a light miasma that oozes off of their lower form. This form is several times larger and longer than the upper body. Where the upper is in the realm of four feet in length the bottom is four feet thick and at least twenty feet long. Possibly longer though Raizo hasn’t taken the time to measure for certain.







As one would expect, Trollkarl maintains composure at all times. Typically keeping to a light and playful attitude despite their appearance. Their words while distant seem to echo and bounce off the walls and they err on the side of calm. Their energy is typically focused on either the current or the future depending on the topic at hand. While they hold a fascination for Kido that likely represents Raizo’s more honest interest in it, they never find themselves bound to it. Instead choosing to always take a distant and judgemental stance when considering their intricacies. They can well and truly be considered a scholar as their interests are many and varied throughout all topics. Thus pushing Raizo to learn all they can about the world inside and out.


With regards to problems that are presented to them, Trollkarl takes any considerations fully. Thinking over various scenarios and looking towards the possible conclusions. Especially those that are determined to be desirable. As decision making is not typically their job, they choose to instead continue to evaluate problems from a distance leaving most decisions to Raizo. Though if asked directly they do tend to err on the side of peaceful decisions. Speaking and convincing as opposed to force. As force would instead shift the gears to another matter: How far do they go to ensure the result they desire? This is the most underlying aspect of Trollkarl. While they are generally peaceful and distant to most matters, they do not allow others to stand in their way of any goals. Even Raizo would have trouble persuading them from a decision once made. And the worst part is that Trollkarl will take any and every means necessary if they truly desire a specific outcome.


With regards to Raizo they find themselves more along the lines of a mentor and friend. When it comes to learning about Kido they are a fellow student, albeit an avid student. Typically sharing “notes” and ideas about how they work. How might they be changed, and what the purposes are of each Kido. This applies to more than just Kido but is most notable there as if to spark a larger desire in Raizo. And in fact may be a mirror to a lot of Raizo’s more inherent desires that are hidden beneath the surface. Meanwhile when it comes to using their release to the fullest or when asked for their opinions on an important topic they turn more into a mentor. Forethought and self control being emphasized all while making sure to take in details. The answers given are usually long but given significant thought so as to be useful to Raizo.



Inner Hollow Appearance:

Eritia is a curious hollow spirit in that they too hold a dichotomy but the dichotomy is . . . strange to say the least. Where Trollkarl is a being that emphasizes self control despite one's circumstances. Eritia is a child in a monster's body. True to their name they emphasize being true to one’s self despite circumstances as shown where Eritia is a joyful, exuberant, and typically outgoing hollow. Almost never really trying to be angry or harmful to another despite their hollow nature. Even more strangely going so far as to embody childlike curiosity in all regards but especially so with shinigami “magic” or Kido. They sit and watch with glee learning all they can, forgetting, and then trying their damndest to defy the odds of their life. This is of course keeping in mind that they are a monster that is larger than Raizo could ever hope to be, standing at seventeen feet tall and with disproportionate limbs compared to their relatively small torso.


Eritia is a being that looks as though they came from a monster movie with a severe case of “Evil is a corrupting force” as a theme. A vaguely monkey appearance can be seen when looking over their body structure and realizing they are not only hunched over but they have larger and longer hands than is necessary, small hind legs, and a skull that looks elongated and has larger canines than is strictly necessary. The additional detail of long dark body hair doesn’t help this as it looks rough and wiry but eerily similar to human hair just over their arms, legs, and backside. The addition of an equally long tail with the same fur doesn’t help the reference to monkey’s but it does add to the strangeness of a monster being functionally a child as far as personality is concerned.


To put how childlike Eritia is into perspective imagine something of an eight to ten year old child. Things that interest them are all that their mind focuses on. They daydream, scribble out ideas, are constantly hyperactive, and seem to shift emotions on a dime. Eritia feels every emotion very strongly, enough that they obviously have difficulty containing or otherwise regulating it. As shown when they are pleased they quite literally bounce around for joy. Speaking quickly and fumbling words while also trying to light others up to the same level of happiness. Whereas when they are sad they scream and cry, throwing tantrums as they go wild. They yell and speak things that they don’t know about or otherwise try to throw “insults”' that rarely if ever hit true. As it's more a series of blubbering thoughts than actual coherent ideas.


This is the kind of being we’re talking about. In truth, even their “urges” such as wanting to eat things or actively do something on Raizo’s behalf are usually just common wants that human children have. They make messes and play with their food because it's fun. The concept of what they are doing to others, when killing or harming, isn’t something they think about deeply and act more on instinct with a childlike glee. Like a child playing with a bug and smashing it by accident. Except the end goal is eating which comes as a secondary thought after the fact. Even their desire to take over and use Raizo’s body is less a display of dominance and more a desire to “Do what you do also!”. Which is casting “magic” or Kido and getting to use Trollkarl like Raizo does because it “looks fun”.


This isn’t to say that Eritia isn’t cunning or is devoid of higher level thinking and self control. The opposite is actually true as per their name, Eritia occasionally hints at or hits eerily close to the truth of matters that they see. Both through their eyes and Raizo’s. The problem is their desire to really invest in thinking at higher levels and spend time doing “nothing”. Especially when they can play and do more “fun” things. Yet when given time and they are bored enough, they will plan and enact childish ideas to spice up their time in and occasionally out of the inner world. This is what makes Eritia so dangerous is that these ideas do not consider morals or the future and instead emphasize the now. Causing many issues to spawn up or reveal themselves and thus make Eritia much more willing to throw a tantrum to get their way. Despite knowing that this isn’t how things will pan out.







Inner World(Optional):


Prior to Eritia’s influence being noteworthy:







Raizo’s inner world is a calm and peaceful realm. Blessed with a very limited amount of beings at any one time. As far as Raizo is concerned, at this point, it's one.His Zanpakuto spirit who is just as happy to have them around as they are to leave them be. In truth the world is a reflection of what Raizo desires to have. An orderly, complete world where minimal work is necessary and that is almost silent sans the wind and other small noises. Such as the taps of one’s foot against stone or the earth. The sound of rain, lightning, and thunder when it rains or even just the breeze or gusts traveling through the castle. It also helps that the inner world is sort of “hidden” in a manner of speaking as there is a mountain range of sorts around the central palace. Should there be more beneath the clouds and mountain peaks is unknown as Raizo has no intention of actually searching the space itself. Content within his sphere of influence.


With regards to Trollkarl they tend to stay within the castle grounds though usually in the deeper sections where they work on their understanding of Raizo’s inner world as well as the outer world. Usually reading through the books shown in the inner world’s library. These books include memories, Raizo’s thoughts, memories, books read, and notes on Kido as determined by Raizo and Trollkarl. Within this inner sanctum is a space where Trollkarl also practices Kido as seen by Raizo and understood through teaching and instruction given by those at the Academy. This is alongside any kido or magic that Trollkarl also decides to experiment with as they tend to let their curiosity drive their pursuits. All in all, it's a fairly peaceful realm where minimal intrusion is possible and the world actively responds to the two present here.


However it should be mentioned that part of the reason that the world is shrouded and hidden away is not solely because of Raizo’s lacking interest. Though Eritia is more or less asleep their influence can be felt, namely in the fog. It creates the weather patterns when allowed, hides the shifting nature of the world beneath the clouds, and helps define where the “Known” and “Unknown” are. With Eritia being actually being at the lowest point in the castle but hidden behind several secret doors, tunnels, and pathways as the world attempts to hide and protect them just as it does for the other residents.


With Eritia’s influence:







Upon Eritia’s awakening the first and most notable impact on the world is that the clouds and fog surrounding the mountain range is removed for the most part. The main castle is still present but what becomes noticeable is that the world around is not nearly as isolated as Raizo and Trollkarl had once believed. While the original palace still stands in the central mountain range, it's actually apparent that the valleys inbetween are filled to the brim with a seemingly endless number of interconnected buildings and structures. Covered in foliage and fauna it's effectively a high fantasy dungeon with various nooks and crannies to explore. New venues and heights to scour and find. And most of all the occasional “monster” though they are very obviously mimicries of real world creatures. It’s especially noteworthy that most “monsters” have a hollow mask though as Eritia learns more of mythos and fantasy new creatures that look less and less like hollows find themselves appearing.


Inherently the world doesn’t exactly change much in its peaceful status. Only when Eritia, Trollkarl, or Raizo make an active decision that the world should react to them do the creatures react. This makes it especially useful for training a plethora of scenarios and testing out the effects of various Kido and abilities. However it’s easily noted that this is akin to a child's wild fantasy with a helping of some ordered chaos to allow things to actually function as intended. With this maze-like labyrinth before them it's hard to know if it can ever be mapped as sections change every day. Sometimes in real time and others over time. There’s a level of memory and imagination that solidify the realm below. In essence, while the main castle still remains heavily under Raizo’s influence the valley and its sprawling dungeon below find itself melded in its influence by all three of the main inhabitants. With Eritia making the most noteworthy changes as it shifts due to their “what if” mentality.



Zanpakutou Appearances:


Shikai:





Trollkarl’s shikai form is fairly underwhelming all things considered. It stands at five feet two inches tall and the form is that of a staff. Or a walking stick. The entirety of the weapon is made from a thick and somewhat heavy wood that has seen the wear and tear of time. As the surface has many nicks, scratches, and even dents along its form. The surface aside from these marks is rough in texture and occasionally has flakes of bark peeling off. The only pleasing portion of the weapon is a silk wrapping on the upper portions of the staff. Just under the curved portion of the topmost part and down to the centermost portion. There are leather strings that tie up bands of silk across it. The silk is a lavender purple in color and unlike the staff has no markings or damage to it.


In truth the most noteworthy portion of the staff is its head. About nine inches from the top has the wood warped into nearly a complete circle. The end comes to a rounded face that looks like it could double as a hammer in addition to a staff. Beyond this immediately noticeable warping and eerily similar shape to a hammer head, the wood is much the same as the remainder of the staff. Old, worn, and flaking off.



Bankai:





Trollkarl’s final form is yet another staff however unlike its previous iteration, this staff is far more visually striking though perhaps for not so great reasons. For one thing the staff looks as though it is not a single branch of wood, or at least not originally. Instead looking towards the base and lower half of the staff there are what look like spiked roots or branches that contort and twist around one another into the main body of the staff. By the central portion of the body, these roots or branches seem to fuse together and become a semi-cohesive object. Do not let this fool you into thinking that there are no further branches however. Throughout the staff are thin branches that look almost akin to vines that wrap around the entire staff and look almost akin to growths as they emerge from near the base, wrap around the body of the staff, and then meld back into the staff near the top. Throughout the body and the vines surrounding the staff are small little breaks and dead branches that act more as spikes.


At the topmost portion of the staff is another noteworthy feature that is immediately recognizable. That being the erupted portion of the head. The branch looks akin to someone having taken a spike and slamming into the center to split the central sections of the woods innards into five distinct chunks. These chunks each have small branches that seemed to have tried to grow out but dried up and died in the process. Each of these split sections also appear to have rough rudimentary “sharpened” points of bark. And at the center of it all is an abject swollen mass of mold, fungus, or even a cyst of some kind. It’s bulbous and sickly dull yellow-white. While it doesn’t smell it does “jiggle” around when moved or interacted with and if one listens closely could almost hear a small amount of sloshing liquid. The presence of this growth implies that the entire staff itself is infected with something and thus likely explains its warped and blackened appearance. To make matters worse if it wasn’t already apparent that something is wrong with it, the staff in question oozes off a malignant reiatsu signature and blackens kido and reiatsu channeled through it.


Zanapkutou Release Names(Include both Shikai and Bankai names, and call out phrases)


Shikai: Reveal your secrets, Lärling Trollkarl

Bankai: Subjugate the essence of the world, Forntida Avgrunds Trollkarl


Overall Ability:

Living up to its name, Trollkarl's powers are heavily focused on doing one thing. Assisting the user to being the best mage possible. Beyond the fact that the weapon takes the form of a staff, its overall power revolves around the one limiting factor every mage must deal with. This factor is how much “mana” an individual has. With regards to shinigami this roughly translates to reiatsu that can be utilized. Thus the staff attempts to allow for the user to have an additional supply of reiatsu that can be tapped into so that the user can continue to utilize spells even when their personal reserves begin to run dry. Initially starting out by focusing on creating a recycling method for the personal reiatsu of the wielder and then shifting into dominating and absorbing the latent reiatsu of around the user and possibly siphoning from those around to further allow the user more reserves to draw from.


Shikai Overall Ability:

As mentioned previously Trollkarl’s overall ability in Shikai is to allow the user to recycle their energy. This occurs so long as the user is holding onto the staff while using any reiatsu ability as excess reiatsu is siphoned from the users body and stored within the staff itself. The rate at which reiatsu is converted to mana depends on what non-release technique is being used. For kido the conversion rate is 4:1 (reiatsu to mana) and for non-kido techniques it is 6:1 (reiatsu to mana). However as mentioned this is mana, and mana is only usable with regards to casting magic or in this case Kido. Bakudo, Kaido, or Hado, all variants including personally created kido are viable for this. Any other reiatsu ability/technique however cannot use mana.


The maximum amount of mana that can be held at once by the staff is 1,000 mana. Upon releasing shikai for the first time in a thread the staff is filled with half the maximum total already available for use. Should the mana limit be reached it can no longer store further mana. Thus all reiatsu used after this point is wasted. For Shikai mana can be utilized to cast further kido only and is used at a 1 to 1 ratio (Mana to reiatsu) for the reiatsu cost. While this allows the user to cast additional kido with an alternate resource this does not allow the user to bypass any negative effects. All the drawbacks sans the reiatsu cost still occur to the user assuming the kido in question has them. Additionally if the user is not holding onto the staff then they cannot utilize mana or convert reiatsu to mana.


Shikai Zanpakuto Techniques:

1. Deceptive Casting

Deceptive casting can be utilized prior to or while a kido is being cast by the user. So long as the user pays 100 reiatsu the kido in question gains the means to be hidden from sight and energy sensory while being casted/incanted. To sense that a kido is being casted they must have an ES equal to 150. For every point in Kido or Stealth the user has increases this by 25 points. This increases to 50 in Bankai. While for every point in Anti-Stealth or Focused Eye this is reduced by 25 points. Should an individual have the requisite ES then they can see and detect the kido if it wasn’t being hidden. For those without the requisite ES if the user doesn’t need to enact a physical aspect of the kido, such as harming oneself or speaking out the name, then it becomes unable to be detected prior to it being released.


Drawbacks:

Reiatsu cost, appropriate skills can allow individuals with lower ES to sense the spell in question. This does not hide the shows for every spell. Shows include those which need to harm themself, physical actions, or drawbacks that come from preparing the kido. Kido can only have two release techniques applied at once, limiting other techniques or otherwise preventing the use of this technique if two are already in use. Doesn’t hide the kido once casted as it hides the kido’s preparation. Must be holding onto the staff to use this technique.



2. Origin Displacement

Upon using Origin Displacement to a kido the user gains the means to change where the kido is casted from. This range extends to 150 feet around the user and so long as the user can see a point they can choose the location as the spell's new origin point instead of the user. For example, this allows the user to cast Sho not from their hand or the staff but instead it can come from the floor beneath an enemy at 15 feet away. In Bankai this range extends to 300 feet away from the user so long as they can still see the location they want to use.


Drawbacks:

Costs 100 reiatsu, makes the spells very obvious as the reiatsu charges and forms a sphere of reiatsu at the location chosen until the spell is completed. Incanting a spell makes this a much longer process. Up to 3 spells at a time can use this technique at once. If the user cannot see due to smoke, lack of lighting, loss of eyes then this technique becomes impossible to use. Must be holding onto the staff to use this technique. Kido can only have two release techniques applied at once, limiting other techniques or otherwise preventing the use of this technique if two are already in use.



3. Spell Sculpting

When using Spell Sculpting the user gains the means to change the shape of the spell into any form or shape they desire. This costs 100 reiatsu and allows for the user to, for example, utilize Sokatsui and open pockets in its explosive capability to allow it to be used in a crowded room without harming allies for example. Or it might allow the user to turn a bolt of lightning into a wave of lightning. The specific choice of form is limited by the user's imagination. While in Shikai two kido can benefit from this technique at once, while in Bankai four kido can benefit from this at once. Additionally in Bankai the shape can be changed for any still active kido once per post, per kido.


Drawbacks:

Kido with maximum ranges or defined sizes can still be changed in form but they are bound by the limitations. For example, a softball sized attack may turn into a wave but it still must abide by the maximum flat surface area of a softball. While places of relative safety can be made it doesn’t prevent harm from occurring to an individual if they are moved from those safe spaces as the kido cannot have its shape changed once cast in Shikai. Bankai can shift kido's forms once a post so long as they have a duration and are active in said post. Must be holding the staff to use this technique. Total number of kido that can benefit from this at once is limited. Kido can only have two release techniques applied at once, limiting other techniques or otherwise preventing the use of this technique if two are already in use.



4. Shortened Incantation

For many kido the incantation isn’t terribly long but in fights that matter a moment or two is the difference between casting or not casting a kido. Yet the power of incarnations cannot be denied and thus this technique was made. By spending 50 reiatsu the user gains the means to reduce the amount needed to be spoken (or thought in Bankai) to cast a kido or to spend 150 reiatsu to cast a kido with its incantation benefit without speaking the incantation. For shikai this allows a kido to be casted without incantation by simply stating the type of Kido. For example “Hado #1: Shō " becomes"Hado ". However, when 150 reiatsu is paid the user simply needs to say the full name of the technique to gain its incantation benefit (Or think the full name in Bankai). Thus, instead of Sho’s incantation the user would simply say (or think) “Hado #1: Shō”.


Drawback:

When used in Shikai the user must speak out the kido revealing to the enemy what kido is being used. This applies for both methods of shortened casting. Bankai allows for mental chanting, but the shortened chants are still required. For opponents that pay attention they will be able realize the gimmick quickly. Small reiatsu cost for casting the kido without incantation faster while the cost is tripled for kido with incantation benefits. The latter of which can only be used twice a post in Shikai and 3 times a post in Bankai. If the user cannot speak this technique cannot be utilized, even if the user has points in Mental Incantation during shikai. Kido can only have two release techniques applied at once, limiting other techniques or otherwise preventing the use of this technique if two are already in use. Must be holding onto the staff to use this technique.



5. Glyph of Warding

From the moment the user has this release active, they gain the benefits of Glyph of Warding. Upon casting a kido the user gains a defensive glyph that intersects itself between the user and any attack that would seek to harm the user. The glyph’s class is equal to the class of the release and starts with a durability equal to the user's OS in shikai and at twice the users OS in Bankai. This functions as HP and is degraded with every hit it takes. Unique to the glyph however is that the durability can be replaced and increased to 2x the user’s OS by casting additional kido. For every kido casted the reiatsu used to cast it replenishes the durability. Causing many lower class techniques to be necessary to repair damage or reinforce the shield while more reiatsu intensive kido replenishes the glyph more readily.


In bankai the glyph gains two noteworthy benefits. The first is that multi hit attacks, such as Hundred Fangs, proc only one instance of damage as opposed to the total number of hits. The second is that the durability can be increased to 3x the user’s OS so long as the necessary kido are cast. Additionally in Shikai and Bankai the user can allow attacks to bypass the barrier if they see fit but unless specifically allowed it will activate on its own. This appears as a magic circle intercepting the attack and can engulf the user should a large area be affected.


Drawback:

While there is no inherent “cost” to create the barrier, it relies heavily on the user casting kido to replenish its defensive capability. Thus making its “reiatsu cost” expensive to maintain at usable levels. Additionally should it hit 0 durability the user loses access to this glyph in both the post the durability reached 0 as well as the following post. During this cooldown period, it will not regain durability. As mentioned, if the user neither has the time nor means to keep the glyph from activating it will respond to every attack, regardless of how minimal. Which can be a problem as the glyph itself is physical in nature upon manifesting causing a temporary loss of vision.



Bankai Overall Ability:

Where Shikai’s ability was to allow the user to recycle their reiatsu and create mana through which they can cast yet more spells the bankai variant is not only far more efficient at this but it also allows the user to take not just convert their reiatsu but the reiatsu of the environment as well as enemies that are within Trollkarl’s sphere of influence. Specifically upon activating Bankai Trollkarl creates a zone where no latent or natural reiatsu exists as it absorbs all nearby reiatsu. The range of this zone is up to a quarter mile (1,320 feet) and while within a spiritual realm (Soul Society and Hueco Mundo) the physical world around them is still present but akin devoid of reiatsu making it akin to the Human World. Functionally it makes the matter within the sphere of influence inert. This in turn prevents abilities that would attempt to manipulate or otherwise draw upon reiatsu from within Trollkarls sphere of influence unless reiatsu is infused into the local environment first. (Using soul Command or a Quincy's ability to draw in reiatsu from the environment.)


It should be noted that so long as bankai is active the user gains 200 mana per post for constantly siphoning the latent reiatsu from the environment. Additionally, Trollkarl begins to siphon reiatsu not just from the environment but from others as well. Typically, this applies to all individuals within Trollkarls sphere of influence. However up to four allies can be designated to be withheld from the siphoning effect. Any beyond this point are drained at 400 reiatsu per post. Unlike the recycling abilities of the users reiatsu when converted to mana, drains from others are at a 2:1 (Reiatsu to Mana) efficiency thus allowing the user to gain 200 additional mana per post, per person that finds their reiatsu drained. Mana can additionally be used to restore the user's reiatsu pool at a 2:1 (Mana to Reiatsu) efficiency for the total mana used. Enemies are immune to this if they have 1.5x the user's OS.


Speaking of recycling, the efficiency of the users' reiatsu being recycled into mana is also increased in Bankai. At this stage all reiatsu costs now have 4:1 (Reiatsu to Mana) efficiency rate. Meanwhile for any kido casted all have 3:1 (Reiatsu to Mana) efficiency rate. Finally all shikai techniques can now have their reiatsu costs paid by the mana the staff holds. Which is now capped at 2,000 mana and starts off at maximum when bankai is activated for the first activation in a thread.


Bankai Zanpakuto Techniques:

1. Living Spell

This technique is the pinnacle for Trollkarl and for good reason. When used it grants life to any kido the user casts allowing it to serve as a temporary ally. The form of the now animate spell is determined upon creation however it is always able to fly regardless of the form chosen. Additionally, the kido despite its now living form is still considered the same kido in question allowing for all the effects of the kido to apply. Thus, if the kido has a piercing property, the creature summoned has a piercing property. It should be noted that kido casted are boosted to a class equal to the class of the release. It also gains a durability stat that serves as HP for any instance of damage that it suffers. This is equal to 3x the users OS. Additionally, when defending the user, the living kido spell does not harm the user regardless of if they are in contact in any manner. In fact, the kido can engulf the user if commanded to or if it determines that this is the safest manner to defend the user. Lastly additional kido can be casted through the creature so long as they are within 200 feet of both Raizo and Trollkarl.


The creature created uses the following stat block:

Strength: 200
Speed: 800
RS: Uses the Kido's RS
SPPR: 0 (Immune to Cutback)
Instinct: 300
Senses: 200
ES: 200
HE: 0 (Unless the kido casted is a Kaido then user's RS applies.)
Durability: 3x the user's OS


Drawbacks:

Costs double the cost of the kido in question. Can only have two out at a time and each lasts for 3 posts. This is counts against the number of release techniques that can be used for the shikai techniques. Must remain within range of Raizo's bankai else they vanish. Kido used to create the creature cannot be cast for the next 3 posts after the technique ends. (I.E. 6 post cooldown.) Harms allies just as much as they harm enemies, especially when they are attacking or otherwise causing additional effects. (Hiragana which creates an earthquake will harm those allied along with enemies.) Range limit for the animate kido to cast additional kido. Costs are increased by 25% per creature created, making each kido cast through them 50% more expensive if two are active. If Trollkarl and Raizo become separated and the creature is beyond the 200-foot range of either, they cannot cast kido. Staff must be held during the creation of the creature.



Mask Appearance:






Given Eritia’s form it should come as no surprise that the mask in question is monstrous in nature. Not quite to the same degree as Eritia themself but close. The mask in question is particularly thick, reaching four inches and covers the entire face of Raizo. While the main mask is white the deep scars and crevices along the main portion of the mask are black as can be. With small circular holes that look like someone took an ice cream scoop to the mask and just started scooping out portions of it. Within each hole are small dots of red that to the viewer act as eyes as they follow and accurately show where the wearer is looking.


If it wasn’t monstrous enough due to just being hollow in nature and an eerie mix of black, white, and red then the remaining details really seal the deal. Such as the jagged and almost rock-like appearance of the mask. As though a piece of a boulder were broken off and chiseled poorly. This gives the overall mask a triangular appearance with the “bottom” points at either side of the skull. Just over the temples. Meanwhile the user's chin is hidden behind the “pointed chin” of the mask. And just for good measure the horn has a pair of jagged, spiked horns that protrude near the top ends of the mask. These curl around the wearers temple before making a sharp turn down towards the chin and resting about evenly with the plane of the mask.


Other Techniques:

Free - Shunpo - Proficient

1. Hado #1: Shō (Thrust)

2. Bakudō #3: Sazanami (Ripple)


Birthplace:

Soul Society, Kasumi’Oji Manor

Current Residence:

Kido Corps Barracks / Kasumi’Oji Manor

Memorable Figures:

Ake - Swedish father of Raizo in his time as a human. The single most looked up to individual in Raizo’s previous life and who taught him how to fight as well as survive on a battlefield. His death pushed him away from the battlefield initially but is also the driving force for why he returned.


Freja - Swedish mother of Raizo when he was a human in his previous life. She was who taught him how to manage and run the farm as well as more “basic” home skills. Her death ultimately pushed him to a mercenary life.


Akiko Kasumi’Oji - Mother of Raizo in his current life.


Renjiro Kasumi’Oji - Father of Raizo in his current life. Mentor for becoming a diplomat for the Kasumi'Oji.



History:

Raizo’s life starts not at his current rebirth in Soul Society, but back in his previous life. Back when he was known as Runar. Runar was born to a common pair of peasants. Specifically slightly more well off peasants as they owned a small farm with a couple extra hands to help them manage it. Ake and Freja were the lucky parents of Runar and while his birth was a blessing to each, it was at a time where Sweden, not even formally a united nation, continued to be involved in wars, coups, and restructuring of their governments. Worse yet, it was a time shortly after the Black Death had run rampant throughout Europe as a whole and had brought many to their death even this far north. To put it simply, the world as a whole was a tumultuous and ever changing land as things continued to spiral into unknown realms.


For Runar’s childhood he wouldn’t know his father Ake in really any capacity until he was around five years old. His father was consistently called upon by the local lords to gather other men and boys of appropriate age in the village they lived in to create a peasant fighting force for the nation's military. Thus causing him to only really see his father during long breaks between battles and certain holidays where the army was more or less “disbanded” for brief periods to allow for morale boosts. During these younger years his mother Freja raised him and was the mainstay in his life. Attempting to instill morals and lessons of all kinds into Runar with varying success. All while trying to placate his desire to see his father or even join his father on the battleground. Once he was eight years old, this would be when he’d finally begin to shift to the mainstay being his father.


During these times it wasn’t uncommon for the boys of the village to also be called to assist the men. Though how they assisted the men depended heavily upon age. For those eight to twelve years old, they’d simply be helpers around the camps. Keeping things clean, beginning training, moving supplies, and any other miscellaneous jobs that couldn’t always be handled by adults. This wasn’t a perfect system but those who were older were tasked with managing the younger boys to make sure at least something happened and that training was at least attempted. Which became much of Runar’s life until he was twelve. Sticking alongside his father while he was at the camp, assisting around the camp where he could, and being personally taught how to wield weapons, shields, and whatever scraps they could find to make “armor”. As well as learning tricks and tips about the environment.


These long periods where both Ake and Runar were out of the house ate at Freja. If anything went wrong, both could be killed. Or worse, enslaved and she’d know neither until her death and eventual reuniting with her family. This would come to bear fruit later on as both mother and son would have a caring but strained relationship due to how minimally the two had interacted over the next decade. In the meantime, while Runar’s relationship with his mother waned his relationship with his father only grew stronger. The two grew ever closer as Runar learned more about how to fight, how to lead others, how to be useful at the camp, and ultimately learning how to be a man amongst men. As Runar sought to emulate his father who despite all odds seemed to never fail. Never fall. Certainly he’d come back with wounds and there were several that were nasty and deadly but he’d always spit in death’s face. Never fully letting go of life. Occasionally he’d even go so far as to save other men if he could help it. And this was in spite of the occasional loss of their bands in the various fights that were fought.


When Runar came to the age of twelve that’s when he got the first big shock of his life. While not a direct combatant he finally saw what a battle really was. Up close and personal. The stench that came from gutting a person’s internals, the iron in the air when many men of a generation had soaked the ground with their blood, and worse yet, the smell of those that had to be burned to ash because there was no means to bury those who had fallen. It was grizzly and overwhelming. And Runar’s first few outings to the battlefield as a helper and collector were some of the worst experiences of his life. It was made worse by the not so uncommon not quite dead members of the enemy forces that would make a last ditch attempt at his life. And it was this period of time that he came to become ever closer to his father for a couple reasons. Most notably due to his father coming to his rescue several times. One time saving him from almost losing his leg to an enemy combatant who’d been hiding in some nearby foliage waiting to kill whoever was close by.


It was also at this point and time that Runar had to deal with his first kills. Where those who were nearly dead on either side necessitated a merciful end. I.E. Runar using a dagger he was given and stabbing into their jugular to make the death quick. Every time he’d done this had been hard, sometimes being harder than it should be as boys his own age were sometimes caught by those who weren’t quite dead. He quickly realized just how terrifying and dangerous this world was and just how long his father had been dealing with this world. Between these experiences, their consistent training, and the realization that the two would both be a part of this world soon enough, Runar couldn’t stop seeing his father as something of a constant. Something that would always be there. That would always help him through these tough moments. Something that couldn’t die.


And for a long time, this would certainly seem the case. As by the time he became fifteen he was now considered “acceptable” for use on the battlefield. And same as before, when he’d just been coming to the aftermath, his world view changed significantly. The people he interacted with, on both sides, seemed less than people and more akin to beasts. Their eyes crazed, their actions wild, and their fury almost physical. The battlefield was a wild place where he had to focus on those closest to him yet also be aware of those who were fighting directly in front of him. Foul words spat at him, the momentary pauses of his body, the fear that crept into his hands, the last looks of those who he’d killed. Not mercy killed, but those whose life he personally and directly ended. Were it not for his father, he’d have almost certainly died within the first couple battles.


But as per his father’s proven track record he’d managed to come in and save him. All while fending off those he’d been dealing with. It was far from perfect and it gave Runar yet another view of his father as another veritable monster like those he’d seen from the opposing side. Slowly but surely however he managed to get used to the madness and chaos of fighting. Slowly dulling his senses to the blood, rot, and filth that seemingly surrounded him at all times. And eventually he grew “comfortable” in it, or at least unphased while he was on the battlefield. The two became a father-son combo that scarcely any common man could handle as one would finish off their opponent, then leap to the aid of their other, before returning to assist another or instigate another fight. This continued until Runar, now “well into being a man” was at the age of twenty one.


Having been in many fights up to this point he’d expected nothing different. Sure, his father had been getting older. The wounds he’d survived a bit more grisly as the scars left behind were deeper than his previous ones. Yet he never fell and as always he came out more or less the same. But there would be one fight where the impossible would happen to Runar. His father would die, in his arms, after having saved him. The fight seemed to be easy at first, it’d started in the open fields near a swamp and it was during the spring. A cool day with the sun warming up the morning just enough to not cause a deep chill. The initial attack went well as they not only broke the initial line of men on the first clash but they slaughtered most of those who remained. When those who survived had begun to break apart and run into the swamp, they suspected nothing and followed quickly after them.


Yet this was the plan. To lure the fight to the swamp, surround them with yet more armed militias and overwhelm them with numbers. The fight played out exactly as you’d expect. Those who fled were found and killed on the spot. The group eased up their defenses and were subsequently attacked by those who’d been growing in number around them and then the group lost many on the first wave of attack from sheer shock and surprise. The father-son combo had been injured but not actually killed yet and despite the initial advantage of their enemies, those left in the original group were starting to push back and overcome their aggressors. For Runar the moment he lost his father, was the moment he’d forgotten to check those whose body he was stepping on. As with his previous time cleaning up battlefields, not every person was completely dead by the end. And this one had been waiting for someone to not care about where they were stepping.


With a dagger in hand, they grabbed Runar’s ankle and lunged at him with the intent to stab his legs until he bled out into the swamp. Ake realized this and lunged away from his current enemy to save his son. Cutting off the man’s arm and then stabbing him in the back of his neck to ensure he died. The brief moment of relief for both parent and child was short lived as the previous opponent impaled the father from behind, taking every opportunity to kill another with the intent to kill the younger one before them. This wouldn’t happen as Ake would pull the individual close, grab their dagger and stab them in the neck all while making their wound worse by twisting their body around the blade. The man quickly fell dead meanwhile Runar froze in place as his fathers body quickly lost its strength and fell onto him.


Time froze as far as Runar was concerned as he listened to his father. The two held one another for the last time as his father eventually grew cold and his grip slackened until it fell off him. His father’s body landing into the swamp unceremoniously all the while Runar forgot how to move, how to breathe, and just fell into the water himself. It wouldn’t be until after the fight that others would realize that Runar was still alive when they were inspecting the various bodies. Runar’s perception of time from then on, felt like the world was running from him while every second felt like an eternity unto itself. The collection of his father’s possessions, the mass burning of the bodies, fighting that came after, and even the trek back to his family’s farm all blended together. Almost nothing felt real until he saw his mother again nearly two years later, now at twenty three. The two fell to the ground upon seeing one another without Ake present.


The following years found Runar being blessed with a “peaceful period”. Where fighting didn’t happen despite yet more changes in government and country. He and his mother managed the fields together with a few helpful hands from their neighbors as his mother, like his father, was getting up there in years. Just over fifty years in age and already one of the older members of their village, it wasn’t hard to imagine that things for her would be harder until she finally passed. This period of Runar’s life would undoubtedly be the hardest period of his life as he was finally given time to think on what he’d been doing. How his life was lived. How it could be lived from here on out. What he could or even wanted to do. And how he would ever come to terms with the significant changes to his life, such as seeing blood, bodies, and the faces of those he’d killed or seen killed everywhere. It was harder than anything he’d done up until this point, to just do his best to learn from his mother and try to live a “quiet life”.


And to an extent he did learn. He learned the motions and followed through with them. Minute after minute, hour after hour, day after day until eventually he became “normal”. But by that point it was clear his mother was soon to pass. As he neared thirty his mother’s health took a turn for the worse. She’d already had to leave the farm work to him and was slowly but surely becoming more and more bound to the bed. Needing her son to take care of tasks such as cleaning, cooking, shopping, everything after a while. Until shortly after reaching thirty years old his mother finally passed from a sickness the local healer could not identify. His world was shattered yet again. He’d lost his mother right before his very eyes and there was nothing he could do to stop it. She didn’t even go out with any final words like his father had. She’d just quietly with soft eyes and a pained expression left him. Now he was without anyone, stuck in a house and a farm that only reminded him of the life he used to have. Full of reminders for those he couldn’t get back.


Runar tried his damnedest to stay in the quiet farming life. To move on and push towards . . . nothing beyond the same things on a different day. And yet it ate at him slowly but surely. The memories, the sights and sounds, the lack of those he was close with. Eventually it overwhelmed him and he simply gathered up his belongings and sold everything he didn’t need. The farm, their possessions, everything. All of it had to go. If it wasn’t his weapons, the armor he’d gotten from his time on the battlefield, food, and small things he could keep on his person, it wasn’t worth it. And he’d made just enough money to get himself far away from the village and its memories and to a major city where he found a mercenary group. Against all the wishes of his mother, he couldn’t think of anything else that he could even hope to do. Let alone something that would help keep him distracted by the literal life or death consequences. Though in truth it wasn’t incorrect to say that he likely wanted to perish on the battlefield just so he wouldn’t have to continue living with the loss of his parents.


While intended to be a death wish Runar made something of a small name for himself and managed to survive for years in this band of mercenaries. Slowly but surely becoming not dissimilar from his father. A monster in a fight that scared his enemies and helped keep his allies alive. On more than one occasion he managed to save those he worked alongside with crazed and wild decisions. And on many more occasions he’d slowly but surely get himself more and more injured and scarred. Yet it did nothing to stop him from fighting and if anything spurred him forward to continue fighting. Even earning him the attention of a few specific members of the band. Runar would finally meet his demise during a siege of a castle, a strange job that the band was hired to help take over. With many rumors of “magic” and “mysticism” surrounding it.


The group, and Runar by extension, didn’t believe any of it and thus more or less laughed it off. Taking the job and the money nearly on the spot. When the day arrived it was a strange day that had every member’s instinct on high alert. Something very clearly wasn’t right and it hadn’t been right as the forces they fought were unnaturally resilient and few in number. Even storming the gate and gaining entrance to the castle was surprisingly easy all things considered. Thus it wasn’t really a surprise when the gate closed behind them and a larger force than expected was brought out from the nooks and crannies of the castle. Their band was killed mostly by armed fighters and bolts/arrows. Yet there as Runar continued to fight for his life, it didn’t go unnoticed that something else was present and was killing off the members of the band.


Something that tore through their number in literal chunks and that threw body parts around in a haze of blood. This would be how Runar was killed. Something sundered his arm from his body and then ripped out his neck from his chest. Before he knew it he was simply a soul residing where his now decapitated body was and he could see the beast in question. A massive monster with a mask unlike anything he’d ever seen. Arms that were as large as the bodies of most men with a tail and other appendages to boot. Before he knew it, his soul was consumed in piecemeal and he was just a vague consciousness that was being broken down further by the beast. He could almost feel the void crawling ever closer to him as more and more of “himself” was fading. And from nowhere it stopped and his consciousness came back to the forefront.


Yet it felt . . . different. Not altogether himself. But he was about as complete as he could be and then he fell asleep. Into a deep, dark, complete sleep that he wasn’t even certain he’d wake up from. One he wasn’t sure he wanted to wake up from. When he did finally wake up, he wasn’t Runar anymore. Instead he was Raizo. A member of the Kasumi’Oji noble clan of the Soul Society. He was now only five years old and was with his parents Akiko and Renjiro who were trying to teach him how to eat properly, which it seemed he had failed to do up until now. Runar and any memories of his previous life weren’t present yet there was a nagging in the back of his head that had him wondering why everything felt so . . . similar. To what he was uncertain. And for the remainder of his formative years this same feeling would find itself growing stronger and weaker depending on the scenario. That is until he finally was fifteen again that the floodgates opened during a dream and when he awoke he was finally able to recall everything. His death, his family, the death of his family, his life prior and vaguely that something happened that brought him here. Yet it seemed like something ate him?


Raizo, now uncertain if he should be called Runar but deciding it better to remain Raizo, kept it to himself. Never thinking it’d be important or perhaps worse yet, concerning if he spoke of it to others. His new life was, after all, new. It held some similarities but more than anything it held significant differences and those who he’d want to find were likely either long gone or somewhere else. They were functionally still lost to him, like they had been previously. Thus Raizo pushed onwards in this life carrying the knowledge of his previous life and the many burdens that came with it. All while trying to keep it to himself and hide it within, though it did begin to change his perspective in several ways. The most notable being if he would join the Gotei 13. To which he almost immediately decided that he would not. This new life of his wouldn’t be sacrificed to fighting and likely dying in an even worse way.


Thus he began his training as a diplomat for the house. To mainly work as a mediator and ultimately an organizer for events and affairs of the Kasumi’Oji. Especially when it came to interacting with other nobles and their families, the other major families being the most notable. He was yet again paired with his father Renjiro to learn the various ins and outs of being a diplomat. It was . . . boring at times. Dreadfully so but it eventually became more exciting as he learned where the unspoken rules were and how to bend them as needed. When he could act in certain ways while making sure to live up to the family standards. And after nearly seventy years he was finally ready to work on his own. Taking up the mantle as head diplomat while his father, already several centuries old, took a backseat and watched his son flourish. The life Raizo had chosen was . . . hard in its own ways and easy in others. It certainly didn’t make him worry about life or death situations but the intricacies were different and would plague him far more than the visions of the battlefield he used to have.


Especially when another nobleman or noblewoman decided to dredge up any failures. Perceived or true. This slowly but surely led Raizo to become more and more focused on his new position. Ensuring he was a visual form of perfection, with his tasks mediated and calculated in such a manner that it was hard to find problems with their management. And eventually he would grow into what the niche he carved for himself, becoming far more concerned with what he was doing than how. Eventually going so far as to give him a somewhat harsh reputation given how he would begin to throw off decorum if it meant he could get those around him to do what he needed. Yet despite becoming an avid player in the politics game as the centuries went back it became obvious that the Kasumi’Oji had several problems, some of which weren’t possible to be dealt with easily. The presence and ever remaining rumors of bakkotos being one such problem.


Another being that their heads were constantly shifting. Causing him to need to work harder to continue with the changes in the family as well as maintaining those they worked with to continue respecting their presence. Eventually when the family functionally became unable to maintain and support any one individual in charge of the family it began its true fall from grace. Negotiations fell through, the money and influence of the house fell, and the family itself started to branch and shift into different factions. Some of which wanted to do dangerous things with the Bakkoto and others decided to go down what could only be called “occult” rites. Problems left and right showed up that Raizo had to manage as a means of maintaining some semblance of their families image. It should be noted that while it didn’t significantly change from an outside perspective, especially those not involved in the political games of Soul Society. From the inside, the family was floundering and if things didn’t change then it was unlikely to recover.


Thus shortly after the new millennium came around Raizo finally decided he would do something about it. Against his own personal desires, he left his position as a diplomat and enrolled into the Shinigami Academy. While he knew what it likely meant for his life and possibly, his death, now that he was well aware of the spiritual world, he had to do it. The Kasumi’Oji needed him to push forward. Needed him to be the change the family needed. Needed to have him restore not only their position but core. To mend the various splintering that had taken place in the recent years. While it wouldn’t be easy, it was what he felt like needed to happen. And if anyone could do it, then it was him in his mind. And thus he put his full attention to becoming the head of the family. Starting by working to graduate the academy, learn how to become spiritually capable, achieve noteworthy status in Soul Society, and then finally take over as head and begin making the internal changes necessary. It’d be arduous but nothing he couldn’t handle. At least he hoped so.