Like all Go Kamisori Gama, Gakai's style is a mixture of religious devotion and the martial arts. Gakai believes he is a chosen agent of the Heavens and the kami and goes about all duties and sorceries with a religious devotion. But Gakai knows he is not a priestess, but a warrior -- a warrior of stealth. He operates from the shadows in all things, and the shadows conceal those operations in kind. Understanding of the worldly elements, devotion to the kami, and martial prowess are all extensions of this true awareness. Gakai extends his will through such mediums, for he was chosen to do so for the gods. Gakai is their keen blade, their icebrand, their kori-kaen. His icy focus insures that the damned are forced to return to Hell where they belong. To that end, Gakai has developed many techniques to further that willful extension to many different aspects of the universe, illusory as it may be. Paradox descends when he fails to fulfill the desires of the gods appropriately: divine wrath.
Knowledge of Ummei ("Doom" -- Entropy) guides Gakai's hand in everyday life. He depends on this esoteric wisdom to survey the future accurately, discern weaknesses, and note destinies. Battle is a metaphor for life - or is that the other way around? There are patterns in all things. Reality is a web construct: intricate patterns with loose threads here and there. Knowing those loose ends allows more precise manipulations to give Destiny a nudge in the right direction by summoning good or bad joss (luck). To the martial artist, the greatest expression of patterns is the kata (which literally means "pattern"). Still a beginner in this Art, Gakai must perform an open handed or weapon form to enact his will through Ummei.
Seiryoku ("Energies" -- Forces) is a potent Art that Gakai is still developing, but this magick he has a good natural handle for. Perhaps due to the influence of the circumstances of his Awakening, altering ambient temperature to cold levels - "ice magick" - comes easiest to Gakai. He often employs it to freeze his opponents to the bone or cause his weapons to burn like dry ice. Though Seiryoku is attuned to the element of Fire in the ancient alchemies, Gakai can burn enemies as easily with ice. The power of the elements is a reflection of the natural world's power that the gods have permitted the Awakened to forge and reshape. Much like raw materials, iron and copper, weapons and tools can be made of the world's energies. That's why Gakai finds it easiest to summon this unearthly power through the driven focus of his sword, Kori-Kaen. Though the talisman weapon is unique, it is not necessary.
Ancient herbal remedies, concoctions, and poisons are the seat of Gakai's Iki ("Breath" -- Life). Preparing these salves, elixirs, and tonics demands materials and basic equipment. His opened eyes allow him to pierce the illusion of the reality of the natural element of Wood, which symbolizes all life. Thusly, life can become as mutable as clay in a sculpter's hands so long as Gakai has the herbs and other ingredients ready to enhance his will. At this point, he has grown better with the art of Iki, and these herbal concoctions are no longer necessary.
The specialty of the Go Kamisori Gama, Iko ("Designs" -- Mind) is one of Gakai's strongest magicks. Through its enlightening reach, Gakai can most directly influence the illusions of reality, that framework upon which the gods based the entire drama of Destiny. By touching the conscious of men, shen, animal, demon, and himself, Gakai can command wills, distract for that moment of attack, and become a shadow in the back of the mind. Due to his combat training and extensions, Gakai often manipulates the minds of others through feints and misdirection. However, he is skilled enough at these kage-waze that even the merest thought can create such effects. His martial feints are not necessary.
Ki no Nagarette ("The Flow of Quintessence" -- Prime) was taught as an important Art to Gakai. He knows he has much to learn and works hard to develop it further. This magick is a measure of controlling the most base elements of Reality. Quintessence itself may be an illusory element, but it is one that few understand in any form. Control of it can yield direct and potent results when utilizing kage-waze of any sort. In many ways, this Art is an echo of reality, just like speech is an echo of thought. Which is more real is ultimately unimportant - all are entirely false and therefore mutable to the skilled magician's hands. But this echo metaphor is how Gakai was taught, and he still believes strongly in the comparison. When channeling raw ki, Gakai voices a fierce kiai. And because he must still remind himself of Prime's truth with this comparison, the kiai is still necessary.
Gakai's secondary mystickal specialty is the Art of Shunkan ("The Moment" -- Time). Through it, the road to final Destiny may be mapped and discerned. Gakai believes that a single Fate commands the world: the world is far greater than any man, even a mage. But each man commands his own Fate, and though how it feeds the world's Fate cannot be changed, how that singular Fate unfolds is up to the individual. Some walk the road betting on blind luck and faith because that's all they have. But the Awakened can learn to pierce the illusions of space and time like any other aspect of reality. To this end, they can affect their own Fate so that they can improve their celestial directives. While some pitiful mages use this magick to make vacation money or avoid every battle so that they can grow more powerful, Gakai uses it to map out his - the gods' - enemies' movements. Demons are hard-pressed to ambush this kensai and his intended fencing duels can never escape the inevitable match with this young, aspiring master. Like its brother Art, Ummei, Shukan can be seen as a set of web-like patterns with a host of loose threads that one can tug here and there. Of course, like the opposing laws of Yin and Yang, the inevitable Doom is more mutable than the river-like flow of the Moment. Thus, not any kata will do for Gakai's magick. He must perform it with the Kori-Kaen, to cut through the tougher threads of time. Gakai often combines the kata performance with a divination of I-Ching, discernment of feng shui, or similar omen-reading. Of course, due his skill and wisdom, he needn't do anything at all but extend his will. The patterns of time are that familiar to him, so the kata is not necessary.
Avatar
Gakai's Avatar manifests in his dreams mostly. They are often feverish visions. But since his dabbling in divination, his omen-reading sometimes sparks similar visions. These iterations define themselves as a host of masterful and legendary swordsmen. They are always taunting and daring Gakai to improve himself, to become better than they. Sometimes it's a single warrior dueling Gakai -- and usually winning. Overall, they push Gakai further and further along his Path to perfection. Where others would snap, Gakai grows stronger and wiser from the years of constant failure and derision.
Resonance
Static (Icy)
Gakai comes across as a cold-hearted killer. Penetrating that layer of ice seems pointless, because he seems to be a cruel, heartless man. He receives a +3 difficulty to all Empathy and related rolls. Persuading others that he is a cruel man who would make good on his threats is easier, however, and he receives a -3 difficulty to those sorts of Intimidation rolls.
Magickally, his Icy Resonance suffers a +1 difficulty to magick rolls involving heat and flame. Spells of ice and cold, of course, receive a -1 difficulty modifier.
Dynamic (Misty)
Gakai commands a mysterious and hidden nature. As if lost in a perpetual night, the Surgeon's past, present, and future are shrouded in smoke and shadow. A man with no background or apparent purpose is an untrustworthy soul. Consequently, he suffers a +3 difficulty when trying to convince others that he speaks the truth. Actually lying, of course, knocks -3 off of the difficulty of the Subterfuge roll.
Spells that mask the kensai from the minds of others receive a bonus of -1 difficulty to the rolls. Spells that intentionally or unintentionally reveal the mage to all around suffer a +1 difficulty. The Go Kamisori Gama are to operate in concealment and shadow.
Entropic (Murderous)
Gakai is feared and distrusted due to his penchant for executionary tactics. Even if the Surgeon is operating on those in need of surgery, it's still murder. The look of grim and cold-hearted satisfaction adds +3 difficulty to Social rolls whenever peace-talks or parleys are being made. Issuing death-threats, however, are not taken lightly from the kensai: -3 difficulty to such intimidating Social rolls (this is not cumulative to the Icy Resonance Social bonus).
Spells cast to heal others' bodies are rolled at +1 difficulty. Spells cast to directly harm others' bodies -- that is, the magick itself inflicts the damage (such as Rip the Man-Body) rather than an elemental attack that causes bodily harm (such as freezing a foe to sub-levels) -- are made at -1 difficulty.
The Reito (Cabal)
Gakai 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, Ryusugi "Toku" Kenjuko, Ryusugi "Inzen" Sakon, Ishiwa "Shusen" Heian, Hinodi "Togeyabu" Mitsuko, Ishiwa "Ginryu" Yujiro, Ryusugi "Sasayaki" Shina, and Ryusugi "Kaze" Nagoya.
Talismans
Kori-Kaen
Level: 4
Arete: 4
Chi: 20
Origin: The Kori-Kaen was crafted as a coming of age gift for Gakai, and empowered during the course of his Awakening.
Description: The Kori-Kaen is a masterfully-crafted katana. It boasts the strongest alloys and finest, black hilt-wrappings. The Hinodi family mon is imprinted in the handle of the sword. The hilt is actually, hollow, of course, giving space for small darts, throwing blades, or other objects. A ten foot long wire of surpassing strength and flexibility is attached from the hilt of the sword to the kensai's wrist. It is a serviceable feature of the mystick's dependance and connection to the Icebrand. The thirty-five inch long blade reveals the most unusual traits of the weapon. While most swords reflect like fine steel should, the Kori-Kaen blade bears a unique appearance -- like a length of edged ice. The blade seems wet and fragile, though it is stronger than any normal sword. It reflects all around it like a sheet of semi-transparent ice. Gakai often uses this to his advantage for minor feints and tricks in the course of combat. The true reason for this appearance is its bathing in the mystical heart of Yokorima and that reflects its icy power.
Effects: 1) inflict aggravated damage, 2) decrease ambient temperature, 3) add an "ice element" to attacks for extra damage, 4) freeze a target in solid ice
Chi Costs: Talisman: 1, Effect #1: 0, Effect #2: 1, Effect #3: 2, Effect #4: 3
Activation: The Icebrand is attuned to only one mage at a time, requiring a Seeking-like spiritquest to bond to the Talisman. Activating the Talisman thereafter requires only the will; the blade must also be drawn. This automatically activates Effect #1. Effects #2-4 require a brief, kata-like motion with the sword.
