Mitsuki


Questions

1) What is your name?

I am Mitsuki. Taira Mitsuki. Just Suki, if you please.

2) How old are you?

Twenty Seven.

3) What do you look like?

I am as you see. Somewhat small. Somewhat thin. Somewhat dark as Americans judge, and even as my own people see.

4) What was your training?

That is not a simple question, nor one you are supposed to ask. My role is that of a 'face,' to travel with those who go in harm's way, to prevent, with gentle words, such harm. I complete the deal, whatever the deal might be. I am not a nun, yet I meditate. I can sense somewhat the moods, the feelings, of those I am with. I am no ninja, yet I am supposed to walk with such, to not fall behind, to not draw attention, to not let obstructions bother me. I am not a geisha, yet I am supposed to bring peace, joy and contentment. I am not a priestess, yet I have guidance from the spirit realm.

This is, as they say, the theory. I have also been taught that theories are beautiful and wondrous things, before first contact with the enemy.

It is most fortunate that I have partners rather than enemies.

5)What are your motivations?

My trainers taught me much. I lived long high on a mountain amidst beauty. I wish, someday, to revisit this beauty, to teach others as I have been taught. Meanwhile, I have student loans, as you would say, that must be repaid. These are loans of the spirit as much as in credit.

I wish to bring peace, to end strife, to bring contentment, to be pleasing to the eye, to make sure that all surviving parties are satisfied.

6) Where did you come from?

Did I not say? From high on a mountain? My people prefer privacy.

Very well. There are mountains on the island of Hokkaido.

7) What sort of person are you?

I am supposed to be polite, elegant, quiet, agile, tireless, poised, gentle, fast and on rare occasions deadly.

That is, as they say, the theory. I am supposed to be a lot of things.


A Tradition

The above is very much a draft, and apt to continue to change.

I note that a specialization is half the cost of a skill, and thus spent half a point for specialties: semi-automatic pistols, vaulting, Aikido and bullet wounds. Does this feel right? I'll also note that 'martial arts' is the example close combat specialty. I wouldn't know how to specifically do Aikido, though the style feels right for Mitsuki.

Mitsuki started with a character concept, a adept face with back up physical skills. I'm trying to justify her training after the fact. I'm hypothesizing a monastery or training center in Japan that combines various traditions such as ninja, aikido and geisha with the Shadowrun concept of 'face.' In my mind this monastery is a new thing, founded after all the changes. They give lip service to a tradition of peaceful resolutions, but they train shadow runners not diplomats. There is a sincere belief that settling things with words rather than bullets is more cost effective. It is a point of pride to demonstrate this when reasonable, but they would not put lives or profits on the line to prove the point. Often enough the problem will be seen from the first as requiring force, in which case words become just another weapon. They will favor the interests of those that hire them rather than any principle of fairness or law. They might in theory be hired by both sides of a conflict to straighten out a conflict, but that would be more exception than norm.

The monastery might be a distant force in the campaign. They might occasionally be a source of contracts. I see Mitsuki owing them a portion of her fees if she wishes to remain in good graces with them, which would be prudent. She might pass them information, and use them as an information source. I see her as a new graduate, given a turf, expected to establish herself, working to make a careful reputation.

There are many aspects to her training. I don't see everyone from the monastery as having the same emphasis. There might be some leaning heavily towards being warriors, others better at reading people and negotiating, with any number of variations on the theme. I also don't figure it to be important, the monastery being small and far away. It's just that mages are supposed to have a tradition.

The role of the geisha has changed often. During the US occupation of Japan after World War II, many prostitutes claimed the name and wore some of the traditional clothing. During other eras sex was not at all part of it. Mitsuki would avoid using sex as a weapon far more than avoiding her gun. One loses gravitas. One wouldn't be taken as seriously. This doesn't imply that it isn't in the arsenal.

I see it as a point of pride to preserve Essence. While Mitsuki will carry technology, I'm trying to have her avoid implanting technology. This might be a doctrine marking her tradition.

I am wondering how Shadowrunners are chosen, or choose themselves? One must be born without original SIN. This might imply poverty or parents also lacking SIN. I can see recruiters looking for likely graduates, sometimes from youth gangs or ordinary criminals, but they might have ears out.

This is my first attempt at a Shadowrun character, let alone 3.8. I'd appreciate comments.

Violence is an abhorrent thing. I am a firm believer in ending violence as quickly as possible. One should always hit what one aims at.