Ryusugi "Toku" Kenjuko

Reito no Kunoichi
Reiryu-do no Sandan
Go Kamisori Gama no Shen-Doryo
Consor of the Court of Shooting Stars

Description (Shadow)


~An animate shadow, Toku’s allure is overcast with this fluid darkness. The young light-skinned Asian woman might be guessed anywhere from sixteen to twenty. Her lean figure and intense features are masqued in black cottons, silks, and leathers. Black hair is wound in a French bun. A girl’s pair of lips are drawn into an unexpressive, indefinite line. Eyes so brown that they’re almost black burn from behind the smooth, attractive features. She does not radiate any sort of power except an indeterminable persona. Though downright beautiful, she blends in easily. Toku could qualify as a raver chick, goth grrl, or professional assassin. One can’t be sure at a glance, and perhaps that’s why people turn the other way instead of stare.~

OOC: Appearance 4 (alluring); Arcane 4

Description (Bait)


~Who says sex doesn’t sell? A totally different “side” to Toku, the girl looks every bit the jailbait prostitute she dresses and acts like. Dimunitive yet outgoing, Toku boasts a joyful, cherry lips smile and dancing brown eyes. Her black hair, often streaked with blonde, sweeps freely about her smooth, unblemished features. Pert nose high, chin up, Toku struts with a streetwalker’s paperthin confidence. Clad in the skimpiest garments around –- which vary from occasion to occasion –- Toku shows off more smooth, inviting skin than is probably legal in most places. Long legs end in the trashiest porn starlette’s high heels. Curvy hips sway under a flimsy skirt, unafraid to let the garment hang low to reveal the top of the satin thong. Little more than a halter or bikini top clings to the girl’s youthful, firm cleavage. At anyone’s guess, she’s nothing but a cheap whore, an immoral tramp, and a rampant slut. But regardless of her profession, she sure is yummy-looking, and that’s all anyone can really register.~

OOC: Appearance 4 (alluring); Arcane 4

"There’s nothing to be ashamed of. Let me show you the way to heaven, baby."



History


Youth

Though it was no longer a common practice, Toku is an example of a ninja who was stolen from her family as an infant. In 1982, the mysterious Haniwa Family of yakuza hired Clan Reiryu to dispatch a rival family of gangsters, the Mishigi. Kotetsu of the Ryusugi led the operation. The Mishigi didn’t know what hit them. The team of ninja swept through their soldiers and through the family itself. The women and children were not spared -- except the baby of the family leader, Yuri-oyabun and his wife, Jin. She was taken from her cradle while her parents lay in pools of their own blood. Kotetsu took the infant into his charge and the killers returned to their homes.

Her adoptive father named her Kenjuko and raised her in the Reiryu Estate, and in the traditions and practices of the Go Kamisori Gama. The Clan’s diviner noted that she would not Awaken fully. So from an early age, Kenjuko was exposed to the more limited sorceries and rituals in the vast occult knowledge held in the Clan’s library. Kenjuko lived a happy youth among other young ninja-to-be at the estate, happy but hard. She needed little encouragement to study, and had a natural drive for learning and interacting with teachers. Athletic and martial training was more demanding, however, and she struggled some with it. She never slacked too far behind, and showed promise to become a great ninja.

Training

As she grew older, it became obvious that she would one day make a wonderful kunoichi. A kunoichi, she learned, was a female ninja that specialized in seducing and luring targets to their executions. Her youthful beauty and desireable shapeliness fed into her confidence and willingness to fulfill such a role. Though her foster father didn’t actively encourage this role, for he loved his stolen daughter and she loved him, he let the girl choose her own path.

Kenjuko loved her father, even after learning the truth of her origins. Kotetsu confided the dark secret to her on her 12th birthday, in 1994. She was perturbed at first, but soon overcame whatever purported sentiments one might expect of her. She thanked Kotetsu from rescuing her from such a pointless, meaningless, and decadent life. The entire Clan was pleased with her resolute spirit and wisdom. She would make a fine warrior indeed.

The only thing that really bothered Kenjuko was her uneven level when considered with peers that promised to Awaken, or already had. She voiced her dissent with her father, Kotetsu. Although he was Awakened, Clan Reiryu was 75% Sleeper. He encouraged Kenjuko to study the sorceries available to her. Value, he instructed, had as much to do with spirituality as it did utility. She needed to develop both, and not worry about who might be more useful than she.

Taking that to heart, Kenjuko submitted her learning to the mistress kunoichi of the Clan, Atsusa. Kenjuko had learned much about the fighting ways from her father and other clanmates. But to strengthen her resolve and improve her usefulness, she subjected herself to the seductive and sexual instructions of Atsusa. And Kenjuko realized that she enjoyed it. She became one of Atsusa’s best pupils ever. She even began to adapt her sorceries into her techniques. She could lure almost any man away from safety, into bed, and to her knife.

First Missions

Then she received her first real test at age sixteen. The Haniwa yakuza were taking advantage of their ties to the Reiryu, hiring only the Sleepers and sending them on missions only Awakened operatives could handle. It happened twice, both missions failing and resulting in the deaths of three good warriors. The Reiryu took their revenge, and Kenjuko was sent into Sapporo to start the fray.

She was presented to the family leader, who then “gave” her over to his younger brother. The two soon vanished to the bedroom. A family meeting came around and when the oyabun’s brother didn’t show up, men kicked their way into the bedroom. The brother was found, throat cut…no sign of the assassin. They were cut down from behind as Reiryu ninja stormed the cliffside house and took their revenge…

And Kenjuko sat the rest of the battle out, trimming her nails on the rocks by the sea on the beach below. She was commended and awarded her 1st dan (black belt) rank in Reiryu ninja-do and accorded full status in the clan. She took the “code” name of “Toku”, which means “virtue”. Kenjuko clearly thought little of standard morals, designed merely to keep men and (especially) women “in their place” instead of doing what had to be done to purify the country and world.

Over the next few years, Toku paid close attention to the battle with the Haniwa Family. It turned out that the Haniwa Family was not a simple yakuza firm, but an entrenchment of Kuei-jin with criminal business interests. The young kunoichi’s skills were high in demand, as unwary vampires were lured by their lust for a healthy, attractive, and young woman’s Chi from the street to the hotel room -- and to their coffins, where her teammates waited to put them.

The rivalry was bitter and lasted longer than some might think it would. The Haniwa Family, with its powerful Kuei-jin backers, was formidable. But had the Reiryu Clan taken it seriously, the threat would have ended in the first week (if not day). With the potent Awakened powers at its disposal, the Go Kamisori Gama could make mincemeat of any foe. But what the Haniwa Family didn’t realize -- and wouldn’t have believed even if told -- was that the Reiryu Clan used this opportunity to test and blood many young new members. The Haniwa fell to its enemy’s children.

Reassignment

By twenty years old, Toku had honed her sorceries and talents to an expert level. She was considered as valuable as any fully Awakened kunoichi. Hearing of Lady Nekoko’s exploits in America, and wanting to make an even bigger name for herself by helping, she requested permission to join the Reito Cabal. The Clan leader, Hinodi Kenmon, agreed and sent the request to Nekoko -- who agreed as well. Overjoyed, Toku packed her belongings. She had no need to take weapons. She took only the components of her magics, which wouldn’t raise airline security’s eyebrows nearly as much. In fact, the harmless materials didn’t cause them to bat an eye.

So Toku moved to Kansas City in the summer of 2003. Though 21, she looked younger than she was (in part due to Atsusa’s magicks). But her cabalmates all knew of her ability. She was in a good place here, she thought. Now all she had to worry about was handling these Western supernaturals without being manhandled herself.

Magical Style & Paradigm


Although she is not true shinta, she has long studied the mortal sorceries at her disposal. Clan Reiryu is host to massive occult material, and she was prepared to learn these sorceries since youth. Indeed, the Go Kamisori Gama at whole do not differentiate much between “hedge” and “true” magics, excepting in that some mages are capable of much more powerful magic than others.

But that doesn’t make her useless. Nor does it change the fact that she is Go Kamisori Gama, and her magic is practiced very similarly. Toku believes that the rituals and secrets of sorcery are gifts from the kami, from Heaven. They are tools for the gods’ human servants, to invoke the elements of the Earth and manipulate the illusions of the Tapestry. She serves her Clan, family, and land faithfully, with an extreme sense of loyalty and duty -- known collectively as giri. Provided she does not violate this dark code of conduct, her magic will always be at her fingertips to perform the tasks set before she and her brethren.

Paradox is the price of the greater magicks that other Go Kamisori Gama can call. But Toku knows that even the “lesser” magics at her disposal have a cost. Should she perform her spell improperly, the gods punish her for her folly. Because her magics are fairly subtle anyway, there is no risk to the consensus of the Masses, and the gods do not take offense as regularly as they may with “true” mages when they use their Arts less cautiously.

Because none of her Paths are directly associated with the martial arts or combat, they deal instead with deceit, mental tricks, and ancient alchemies. The sorceries Toku learned give her great utility and purpose. She is able to serve effectively as “bait”, luring targets from safety, and into easy killing range of her deadly cabalmates. Most of her spells revolve around attracting victims and then escaping or avoiding contact with enemies. She is a true kunoichi.

Her primary path of sorcery is Fascinate. She is skilled in both general and specific methods of using the path. She has experimented little with using Fascinate in a detached way, to allow a “client” to be the one who can attract others. Mostly, she uses Fascinate on herself to lure a victim -- or victims -- into a deadly ambush and assassination. Occasionally, she acts simply as a provocateur, establishing an ally through the judicious use of (entertaining!) sex. Indeed, her Fascinate magics are geared towards establishing a sexual attraction. But she is able to tone that down to simply befriend targets as well (so heterosexual women are not safe! Bwaha!). Her general Fascinate spells involve the application of a special perfume. The perfume must be made from the essence of cherry blossoms mingled with purified seawater -- from the Sea of Japan. A specific attraction uses the same device, except she must also carry a token of her target on her person. The token must have some personal importance -- car keys won’t do it (unless the person really loves his car), but even a strand of hair will.

Shadows is her magic of alluding enemies and escaping victims moments before her comrades strike. Use of this path depends on her exact intent. When trying to simply avoid notice, she must swallow a gulp of a watered down nightshade (one gulp won’t harm her, but having to drink more can get quite unhealthy, with effects depending on how much she drinks, how often). When escaping a person, or slipping away, she must actually hypnotize the target. She wears a necklace with a round piece of smooth blue jade fixed in platinum to help do just that. In spite of hedge magic rumors, her Path of Shadows does not come from an evil source. It is simply magic common to the “Shadows of Darkness” -- ninja.

The last path she knows is Shapeshifting. However, she approaches this path wholly from a perception of a spy’s intent. She has no interest or study of animals, cannot transform into any animals, or take on any animalistic features. It’s simply not part of her paradigm; as a result, she has none of the social pro’s or con’s other Shapeshifters acquire. Instead, Shapeshifting for Toku is used to alter her features to better disguise herself during her missions. Like Fascinate and Shadows, Shapeshifting is more an extension of her mundane training than it is some odd, esoteric skill she uses to compliment normal activities. While anyone can hide in the dark, turn on intended victims to lure them away, or put on make-up to hide their face, without the proper rituals and esoteric concoctions, that’s all they can do. As a sorceress, Toku Shapeshifts for disguise purposes through the application of a special paste and salve. It is rubbed into her skin (normally her face, as that’s all she can work with at this point) while gazing into her own eyes in a five-sided mirror.

Significant Other


Strutting the streets of Little Asia is how Toku met Ushi Lam in 2004. The Nyan is an entertaining dally for the young Reiryu provocateur. But neither of them are truly serious. Ushi doesn't expect Toku to give up her career (any part of it!), and Toku doesn't expect Ushi to become monogamous. There are plenty of fish in the sea, and these two enjoy sampling all sorts. Still, Toku continues to toy with Ushi. She's as enchanted with the playful and beautiful Cat as a moth is drawn to a flame.

Ushi

The Reito (Cabal)


Toku belongs to the Reito Cabal. Comprised solely of Go Kamisori Gama of Clan Reiryu, this cabal's purpose is the secret razor of the Coalition of Little Asia. Slicing away that which threatens the Court and its master's goals, the cabal is one of the most lethal war-bands in the city. Hinodi "Nekoko" Kimi leads the cabal, along with Ryusugi "Konton" Hanabi, Hinodi "Gakai" Seijin, Ryusugi "Inzen" Sakon, Ishiwa "Shusen" Heian, Hinodi "Togeyabu" Mitsuko, Ishiwa "Ginryu" Yujiro, Ryusugi "Sasayaki" Shina, and Ryusugi "Kaze" Nagoya.

Weakness
Sexual Confidence

It can be said that a woman who is sexually free of various social inhibitions, taboos, and mores is a stronger, independant person. But there are dangers. While dangers like pregnancy and STDs are fairly easy to deal with when a Life Master (Nekoko) is your sensei and cabal leader, more immediate dangers can present themselves. A number of supernaturals use sex as a means of luring victims to a grisly end -- which is what Toku does! But Toku is only human. Indeed, she isn't even truly Awakened. She is thrust into dangerous positions all the time, and it has been a matter of luck and intelligence that has kept her alive so far. But an untenable situation is almost inevitable. Is she valuable enough to her chi'n ta allies to not be thrown to the dogs?

Likelihood of Corruption


High.

Her likelihood of corruption is rated high simply by her dangerous profession and lack of serious defenses. The fact is, however, that long-term corruption is virtually impossible. Her Awakened comrades, especially Nekoko, insures that she stays mentally and spiritually safe in the long run. In the short run, however, it is easy for (as an example) a Bane to possess and destroy her (which is as easily accomplished with a well-aimed bullet). But to possess her in order to infiltrate the cabal is futile and stupid, resulting in the purgation and destruction of the Bane, and a safe Toku.

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