Spacing Out
Boredom at its finest
The Silk hiding Steel/Red lotus
Name:
Masumi Kakazu
Age:
26
Country of Origin:
Fukuya
Physique:
Masumi stands at 5'4 in height. She possesses ivory skin and long Raven hair that ends at her thighs. She is usually seen by nobles in the layers upon layers of silk and her hair embellished with Kanzashis.
Chi Color:
Yellowish-Orange
Chi Accessible?
Yes
Equipment-
Dual Tessen fans (War fans):
This is Masumi's signature weapon and carries it wherever she goes. Tessens are folding fans with outer spokes made of heavy plates of iron which were designed to look like normal, harmless folding fans. Using a war fan as a weapon is often associated with grace, class, elegance, and an air of mystery. When wielded these fans with a specialized fighting style that is based on the concept of turning an opponent's energy against them and exploiting openings. These can be used for defense, fending off knives, and block sword attacks. they could also be thrown elliptically as boomerangs or propelled as projectiles.
Hair sticks/ Kanzashi:
Hair sticks and Kanzashis are hair ornaments used in traditional Fukuyan hairstyles. As empress, Masumi's hair is usually adorned with them. She has modeled her hair sticks to become self-defense weapons, Which can be used similarly to knives or throwing daggers.
ko-naginata (Stored):
As mandatory training, Masumi was taught the ways of the polearm growing up and has become an adept wielder. The naginata is considered one of the weapons most suitable for women in fukuya, since it allows a woman to keep opponents at a distance, where any advantages in height, weight, and upper body strength would be lessened. the blade of the ko-naginata are smaller than the male warrior's ō-naginata in order to compensate for the lesser height and upper-body strength of a woman. The blade of the weapon can be removed and instead used as a bo staff.
Yumi bow(Stored):
This weapon was also mandatory for the young empress to learn growing up since it is used for court ceremonies, games, and contests of skill. To use this weapon you must have some knowledge of kyudo or "The Way of the Bow". It is considered by many to be the purest of all the martial ways in fukuya. She is fairly decent but her skills are restricted more so when she is on horseback.
Proficient Weapon Forms-
Form VIII: Unarmed Fighting
Form IV: Reach
Form II: Dual Wielding
Form X-II: Speed/Agility
Biography:
At the age of three, She was removed from her parents and raised in an Imperial nursery and looked after by her own doctors, nursemaids and teachers. As well as Attending a school designed for students of nobility and accompanied by five “classmates” selected to fit her persona. There she learned elements that were expected for noblewomen which is oriented around being artisans. This included: Poetry, flower arranging, and musical abilities (Which introduced her to fan dancing) along with basic academic skills. However, due to her position as an heir to the royal throne was required to expand her knowledge and become well versed in things such as ethics, mathematics, and self-defense.
As one would expect, When she finally returned to the palace, Her relationship with her parents didn't get better. Following tradition, the successor does not speak to the Emperor to make an appointment for a visit and the current Emperor does not offer advice to the successor. Imperial Household Agency stewards make arrangements for both sides and the grand steward is responsible for solving problems between the two. There wasn't much luck with her mother either; only speaking to eachother on special occasions or at supper.
Masumi, being restricted from the outside world and forced to stay in suigin, never to lay an eye on individuals whose ranking was lower than a samurai. This her only resources to understand what it was like outside the village was through literature, art, and various tales she heard over the years. To escape her reality, she resorted to what she knew best: Art especially Painting. She was acknowledged to be very precise and swift comparing her methods to Swordsmanship. She has painted on paper as large as 20 tatami mats to painting sparrows on a grain of rice.
When she was ten years of age, her father died of natural causes thus enthroning her Empress of Fukuya, seeking guidance from Daimyos and Shoguns. Despite her already knowing a few skills in ko-Naginata, the Yumi bow, and some forms of Martial arts due to their necessities to the royal lifestyle. With the Shinobi conflicts still raging on, Masumi wanted to create her own style focusing heavily on the element of surprise. Thus she began to train in tessenjustsu as well as finding discreet ways to hide weapons on herself at all times which result in modeling her Kanzashis similarly to daggers/knives. Currently, Masumi is searching for resolutions to the ongoing Shinobi conflicts whilst attempting to convince her peers to be open-minded regarding trade with foriegn nations.
