Bansentennin (Naruto D20)

[Zaer Darkwail]

EDIT: What is the starting level?

ECL 10, all info about char gen are in first post.

[Lockepick]

Right now I'm going with a Genjutsu specialist from Amegakure -- No mechanical Bloodline, but a custom 'clan' that is just cosmetic. Also a gay dude, since that is apparently important! Not that I'm expecting much on-screen gay action (though I gladly welcome it). My sheet is pretty much done except for a name, a portrait, and my gear.

My current idea that I'm still developing is that he comes from a clan that had a tradition/secret that would enhance their Shinobi, but at a risk. Over the generations, the Clan has become become too reliant on the tradition. Each new generation is encouraged to take more of that risk, to stay ahead of inter-clan struggles. My character has survived a heavy 'dose', but his siblings were killed by their own attempts. The character is supposed to represent a struggle between tradition or 'the old ways' and developing into the new age. He's loyal to his Clan -- but he can't really stand to be around them, nor does he really trust them. He's eager to get out of that bubble, to get a new perspective, maybe improve the Clan's technique, or find a better and safer alternative.

As for what the tradition/secret is -- right now I'm leading towards chakra-infused tattoos that can be manipulated and shifted around. The idea that the Shinobi focuses by manipulating the tattoo -- similar to hand seals (though not replacing hand seals). I was also playing with ideas involving sound, or something involving gold or silver (the metals) -- but I haven't played into it too much.

[Keelan]

I'm leaning towards a Hyuuga Specialist; focus on Jyuuken and Taijutsu.  Was also considering Hunter-Nin, but can't get that until 6th level and was hoping to get it at 4th to max it out by 10th   Might just go Taijutsu Master, though I'm open to suggestions on making a Jyuuken-specialist...

[ShadowFox89]

 For specing in jyuuken you'll want to max out your unarmed bonuses and techniques. Jyuuken techs are good, but don't overrely on them other. Sacred fist and white knight are good classes to look at.

[Keelan]

White Knight?  Where is that?  I saw Taijutsu Master, but... yeah, didn't see that one, though admittedly there is some 1k pages to go through >.>

[ShadowFox89]

Ctrl+f is a required tool for digging through that monster of a PDF. Its in the bloodline classes section, a prestige class that only someone with the byakugan can take. Funnily enough, your gal would be very similar to mine in terms of ability.... Its just that my character has medical training and so isn't entirely tai focused. But I suggest taking a look at the sheet to get a general idea.

[Lockepick]

Well, if there does end up being two parties, then it's easy to address any overlap!

[Inerrant Lust]

I kind of wanted to see more characters unaffiliated with Konoha. A shame, as I feel like there's a lot of unexplored potential in the other villages.

We do already have a Hyuuga character that is pretty similar to that, though. I am considering a second group, which does not neccessarily have to be anywhere near Ame.

As for your idea, locke- I enjoy it very much. Especially since Ame is (about to) become a hotbed of change, and this war is very much a large tipping point for them. Hanzo's not necessarily a nice guy.. but neither will Pain be. Well, he might be to his own village, we don't know.

So I am thinking about creating a second group... characters from either Kumo or Kiri would fit right in. Maybe Iwa. Though it would require some... work. And they'd be divorced from the current party's plot for awhile before they meet up, I think. I could work with it, and I think it would be quite interesting...

[Purple Dusk]

Sorry I've been a bit slow with my character as I'm catching up again on the system.  Just for a teaser of the character, and for your perusal, the idea I'm working on so far is an Uchiha orphan raised by monks/priests after being found on their doorstep.  He's built mostly on the Smart Hero progression, and I'm deciding between the Master Strategist or Sacred Fist progression, with eventual progression into Sage.

As such, he's more an unaffiliated character at the moment.  Thoughts?

[Inerrant Lust]

Uchiha orphan, eh? I would say that'd make his life somewhat difficult... He either couldn't ever use his ability... or he'd have to make sure anyone who saw it did not live to tell the tale. An Uchiha alone would likely be hunted down by fellow Uchiha (to protect his Sharingan from being stolen) or by those who would want to steal it. Then there's the question of why an Uchiha would allow an orphan to be raised by someone else, presuming they knew about the child (his parents could be dead or he could have been found by someone who didn't know he was an Uchiha, but even so.. wouldn't someone in the clan know that the mother was pregnant?

I have an idea for a second group. Players from either Kirigakure or Kumogakure would work for it. I haven't determined how the two parties will meet yet (if they meet at all..) but I have figured an idea to incorporate the second party into the larger plotline fairly early on. So while you might be from those villages, be prepared to abandon them as you pursue the true enemy (the Bansentennin clan) that is playing the villages' warmongering all off of eachother..

[Lockepick]

Kakumei Sumi
Human Male - Charismatic Hero / Shinobi Adept / Genjutsu Master

History of the Sumi Clan

The Sumi Clan
Nation: Land of Water, Kirigakure
Current Population: ~42

The Sumi Clan's origins go back as far as anybody can remember, and the Clan boasts that it was one of the first true Clan of Shinobi. When the world was first beginning to grasp the nature of chakra, and how it can be utilized, the Sumi Clan was on the forefront. The Sumi Clan had learned to embed chakra into Nara ink, and then embed that ink into their Shinobi. The process was called 'Ten Irezumi', and it was both difficult and painful. The Shinobi infused with the ink gained power that put them above their peers, and while the world was still struggling to understand chakra, the showy displaces of the Sumi Clan's mobile and mutable chakra-infused tattoos struck terror in the hearts of those that would oppose them.

This put the Sumi Clan in a lofty position early on. As the Shinobi world continued research, as they began to further understand what Chakra was, how to utilize and control it, the benefit of the Sumi Clan had carved out for themselves began to become smaller and smaller in comparison. The chakra-infused ink was a big fish in an ever-widening pond. As the years and generations passed by, the Sumi Clan tried to cling to its noble status by increasing the volume of ink in each generation, but it was a losing battle. As the doses increased, more and more members were poisoned by the process. Some of the Shinobi didn't survive the procedure, and even more were so damaged by it that they couldn't perform. The Shinobi world around them was progressing faster than the Sumi Clan. The Clan may have been lazy or stubborn, but they were still crafty. The power of the tattoos became negligible, but they would serve as a focus for the Sumi Shinobi, and a distraction or scare tactic to their enemies. What was once the cutting edge, was now ornamental feathers on a peacock, or the bright coloration of a harmless milk snake. It was a bluff that had worked for years now, but no secret stays a secret forever...

Kakumei's Backstory

Early Childhood:
Kakumei was born to Mei and Aki of the Sumi Clan of Kirigakure, their third of four children. Just like all children of the Sumi clan, he was raised even at a young age with intent to join the academy. Kakumei's family enforced strict training for all their children, and they were submitted to rigorous and exhausted tests offset by luxuries of a rich and noble Clan. In actuality, the riches and comforts that Kakumei and his siblings grew up around were all purchased through debt. Mei and Aki were constantly borrowing, stretching the limits of their reputation an collateral to keep up the facade of their wealth and clout.

Academy/Genin:
Kakumei joined the Academy of Kirigakure just like the rest of her siblings. While most of the Sumi children were ostracized under a perceived reputation that they would be stuck up or would look down on their peers. The Sumi children mostly stuck together, helping each other along. When it came time for the Genin Exams, Kakumei was advanced enough to take the test along side his two older siblings, while the youngest waited for the next test. It was decided that the oldest three would undergo the 'Ten Irezumi' to prepare them for their test. Mei and Aki pressured their children into the process, and their entire lives had been full of the propaganda that lead them up to the procedure. Right before the 'Ten Irezumi', Mei and Aki admitted that their family was broken, and that the children would be the only hope.

The process of forcing the ink into them was torturous, painful and nauseating. The ink was like venom and fire as it coursed through them. Each injection felt like it took hours, even if it was only a few minutes. The children had reached the highest dose recorded, but the weight of their clan's future and their parents pressure from before was enough to make them push further. Kakumei was pushed to the brink of death, but he was the lucky one -- Kakumei's two siblings having pushed too far, and were killed in the process. Kakumei took almost two weeks to recover, and the Clan celebrated his achievements, even if Kakumei was now all too aware of how little they had improved him.

A look at the 'Ten Irezumi'

For Kakumei -- the Shinobi Drugs on his character sheet are from this process. Each of these drugs would be dangerous for a fully trained ninja, never mind a child; and forcing so many onto one person would be seem as ludicrous. The Clan hired a Jonin Medic-Nin to assist with the procedure, and utilizing 'Poison Purge' and 'Poison Ward', prevented any permanent damage in Kakumei. The cost of hiring a Jonin for a Rank-A Mission (Wealth: 30) has already been subtracted from Kakumei's sheet for this -- the family might have paid for it, but since it benefits Kakumei, the cost was taken out of his sheet.

Kakumei passed the Genin test. His own potential outweighing his internal struggle and sadness. It was that fire, expertise, and efficiency that drew him the eye of Tsukiri Suke, the Mizukage's personal assistant and bodyguard. Kakumei was eager to distance himself from his family, quickly joining up with two other Genin in a squad under a Jonin. The fresh squad worked mostly on D-Rank missions, but when one mission ended up being a high C-Rank, Kakumei had a chance to shine. An escort mission that didn't expect any opposition was besieged by a cartel. Kakumei lead the squad through the situation without issue, disabling the cartel bandits so they could be collected by the authorities. From there, the squad worked only C-Rank missions.

Kakumei avoided his parents, still resenting them for the death of his two siblings. He met with his younger brother, but always outside of the house. He tried to push the little brother to quit the academy in general, and when that failed, to at least delay his exam. His little brother was too wrapped up in following in Kakumei's footsteps to understand that his situation was unique, or lucky. Tsukiri Suke occasionally met Kakumei for tea, the importance of which was lost on the young Genin.

Chuunin/Present:
Kakumei's squad took the Chuunin test together and graduated on the top of the exam. During the written exams, Kakumei used illusions that only her squad could see to help cheat during the written tests. During the second stage, Kakumei made the goal of the tower invisible to all of the other students, bargaining information for the right to even let them finish. During the final tournament, Kakumei bested his own opponents without drawing a weapon. During stage two, Kakumei had used the bargaining with the other Shinobi simply to gain exposure to them, to plant suggestions and fears in their heads, which only revealed themselves during the tournament -- giving Kakumei's squad mates an advantage even when Kakumei wasn't there.

The squad went their separate ways after the exam. Kakumei had used his years as a Genin to distract him from the death of his siblings and the corruption of his family. Now that he was on his own, he had no choice but to address it. He decided to use his gifts to find a replacement to the Ten Irezumi -- to find a new power source for his clan; hopefully before his little brother tried the Ten Irezumi and hopefully before he'd have to take more drastic measures against the Clan to stop their barbaric practices...

<MENTOR LADY> officiated a relationship with Kakumei as his mentor. Kakumei was groomed for espionage, counter intelligence, diplomacy, and Genjutsu. He found time between his own mission to accompany her in mediation amongst Kirigakure's Clans, as well as summits with the other villages. It helped broaden Kakumei's horizon, he was forced to study and learn from other cultures, learn the rumors of other Clan's techniques. When he's not working directly with his Mentor, Kakumei is an established Chuunin. He is most commonly hired for espionage, for cease fires, and for capture missions. Even as a Chuunin, he's completed multiple B-Ranked missions, and been party to two A-Rank missions.

Important Relations

Mei and Aki Sumi: Kakumei's mother and father. Kakumei maintains minimal contact, mostly through letters or third parties.

Gaku Sumi: Kakumei's little brother. An academy studeny focused on physical enhancements and Taijutsu. Has not undertaken the Ten Irezumi yet.

Tsukiri Suke: The assistant to the Mizukage who has taken an interest in Kakumei. She kept only light contact until Kakumei became a Chuunin. After that, she took a more active role in mentoring, training, and grooming Kakumei to one day serve the Mizukage -- present or future.

Akito Hayame: Jonin instructor at the Kirigakure academy. Lead Kakumei's Genin squad. Did not see Kakumei's potential, and attempted to push Kakumei into a more 'active' or 'physical' role. Even when Kakumei made a name for himself, Akito attempted to claim credit. Akito claims he only pushed Kakumei towards more diversity, and tries to ride the coat tails of Kakumei's success.

Nao Ume: Chuunin Medic-Nin at the Kirigakure academy. She was in Kakumei's genin squad, but currently works full time as a medic-nin within the academy. Avoids missions and prefer lower 'risk' work due to a lack of confidence.

Daiki Juunzo: Chuunin 'speedster' working for Kirigakure. He was in Kakumei's genin squad, but once they graduated, he left the squad to pursue ANBU training. He currently works in a squad with two other Chuunin who are also Taijutsu and speed inclined. He resents Kakumei for the Genjutsu he used during the Tournament to assist his win -- having wanted to win on his own.

Personality / Goals

Kakumei needs to prove that something good has come from the trials that killed his two siblings. He needs to go out there and do well, to bring help his village, or the world. He would like to say it's to help the Sumi Clan leave a good mark, but it's just to make up for the damage they've done. He knows that perceptions are everything, and he knows he can get further with the appearance and reputation of strength and skill.

Kakumei doesn't actually care about the glory of his Clan -- he's already committed and succeeded at making a name for himself. Whatever loyalty or attachment he acts on towards the Clan is just the means to the end. If he can fix the Clan -- he doesn't have to destroy it. Every day that passes by makes it more likely that somebody else will attempt the Ten Irezumi, next up is most likely his little brother.

[Inerrant Lust]

Two changes to the crunch that I am considering...

One, combining skills
Two, Feats every odd level, instead of every 3rd.

The combined skill list would work as if you had ranks in all of those skills. Obviously there won't be any synergy bonuses though. THe list may or may not look like this;

Balance, Escape Artist, Tumble (Acrobatics, Dex)
Bluff, Disguise, Genjutsu (Genjutsu, Cha)
Climb, Jump, Swim, Taijutsu (Taijutsu, Str)
Chakra Control, Concentration (Chakra Control, Wis)
Craft Mechanical, Disable Device Repair (Mechanical, Int)
Craft Chemical, Craft Pharmaceutical, Know Earth and Life Sciences, Treat Injury (Medicine, Wis)
Forgery, Craft Writing, Craft Visual Art, Decipher Script, Research, Fuinjutsu (Fuinjutsu, Int)
Craft Structural, Demolitions (Demolitions, Int)
Diplomacy, Gather Information, Sense Motive (Diplomacy, Cha)
Gamble
Handle Animal, Ride (Handle Animal, Wis)
Hide, Move Silently, Intimidate (Stealthy, Dex)
Investigate, Know Streetwise, Know Behavioral Sciences (Investigate, Int)
Listen, Spot, Search (Perception, Wis)
Navigate, Survival (Survival, Wis)
Ninjutsu, Sleight of Hand (Ninjutsu, Int)
Perform, Profession (Profession, Wis)

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