Xaldin

[III]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~Basic info~

Behind every great individual, there is that voice which keeps them going onward and toward their next great adventure. [/center][/i]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Username ~ : deiexmachinis

Other characters ~ : Devil Dance, Shera, Bishop

Is this character canon? ~ : Yes

Link to audition thread ~ : Xaldin

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~Character Info~

Waking up in the morning, your thoughts are cluttered. It takes a moment for you to fully become aware of your surroundings, but once you do, everything about your life comes back to you.

[/center][/b][/i]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Name ~ : Xaldin

Age ~ : late 20’s, early 30’s

Birthplace ~ : Radiant Garden

Gender ~ : Male

Race ~ : Nobody [human]

Special Class ~ : None
[/blockquote][/size]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~Appearance~

As you are heading out the door of your house, a small glimmer of light catches your eye. You turn around and see a mirror, putting you face to face with your reflection.

[/b][/i]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Physical appearance ~ :

Xaldin’s definitely one of the more physically imposing members of the Organization. While not quite as strong as Lexaeus, his frame certainly suggests formidable physical conditioning. Standing at six feet (give or take a few inches) he has broad shoulders, defined muscles and powerful legs. Though his posture is rigid, he walks with a silent, loose-limbed grace that suggests a certain amount of comfort in his own skin.

Sadly, he has very little sense of style. No one knows how Namine convinced him that his dread mop is suitable for a member of the Organization but because disgust was supposedly eliminated along with the Heart, no one has tried to press the issue. Many suspect her to also be behind the sideways T-shaped eyebrows that hang ominously above his violet eyes – he’s never shown an interest in plucking his eyebrows before.

He’s always had his sideburns. And the stupid earring.

Clothing/Accessories ~ : Organization XIII robe. Once upon a time, he preferred leather. Lots of leather.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~Personality~

As you're walking through the door, you see many sights that influence your mood. The different feelings that suddenly wash over you are many, leaving you with a strange mix of emotions.

[/i]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alignment ~ : Amoral Neutral

Behavior ~ :

Aggressive: Xaldin likes fighting. It might be his upbringing or his blood or a collusion of different factors. He didn’t have to let Belle go (let’s be honest here – the girl might have had spunk, but she wasn’t in the same league) but, ultimately, his preference for violence allowed him to give her the opening. How boring would it have been to give up the chance to spar with a keyblade wielder?

(...stop laughing, Xigbar. I *did* let her go.)

Hubris: Xaldin’s abilities make it rather easy for him to flee battles, a graceful exit’s only a hop, skip and a jump away after all. He prefers to fight to the end, the odd duck of Ansem’s original six students. Xaldin isn’t, per se, overconfident in his martial abilities but he certainly takes pride in them, retreating only when ordered or if there was no possibility to win to begin with. While losing his heart has made him care less, he considers his pride a form of self-sufficiency and thus necessary.

Martial Discipline: Xaldin still trains on a routine basis, sometimes with his dragoons, sometimes without. It’s a series of exercises that has been ingrained into him since early, early childhood and just because he’s become a Nobody doesn’t mean he won’t continue.

Neat and Tidy: One of the better-kept secrets of the Organization is the fact that Xaldin is a terrible, horrible, incredible neat freak. A trait he claims will keep you healthy, Xaldin still shaves, trims his sideburns, organizes things alphabetically, washes the dishes, bathes the experimental test subjects and deals with their remains, dusts, sweeps, etc. etc. etc. Lacking a heart, he doesn’t have to care, but he chooses to anyways. Dirt doesn’t annoy him (it never has) but things look better, damnit, organized.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~Weapons~

Suddenly, a Heartless appears in front of you, brandishing its claws and threatening to attack. You reach for your weapon and equip it, ready to defend yourself.

[/i][/b]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Primary Weapon(s)

ID: Ryugasen (Flash of the Dragon’s fang)
Quality: Supreme
Element: Wind
Status Effect: Aero Flourish

Six identical spears, they are double ended, one side resembling a dragon’s maw, the other resembling the Nobody emblem. Varying from dark purple to lighter shades of thereof, the Ryugasen are elegant weapons of the wind that are durable enough for prolonged battle and due to their Supreme quality, extremely difficult to damage.

[weak weapon ability: ::Follow-Up Combos::

An ability that Xaldin programmed into his spears through a gear of his own creation: Follow-up Combos allows Xaldin to move in such a way that he will constantly follow his opponent despite the speed, strength and intricacy of his weapon attacks. They will not merely be able to take an attack and be knocked aside – Xaldin can and will easily follow-up on such manoeuvres, requiring them get away through their own power.

[moderate weapon ability: ::Magic Enhancement::

Xaldin often uses his weapons as a foci to channel other attacks. When not being used as double-ended spears (as in, attacking people with the pointy bits) the spears can be used as powerful conduits of magic, enhancing otherwise less than impressive magical attacks. Each spear not being used to attack increases the potency of the attack by 10%. When all spears are on ‘stand-by’ this translates into a 60% increase in the magical potency of his wind attacks. Passive.]

[strong weapon ability: :: Dragon Fangs::

The Ryugasen lances are both of phenomenal craftsmanship and due to the wind magic imbued within them, prodigiously sharp, making them some of the deadliest weapons of the Organization. With a suitable amount of force, Xaldin can make these go clean through a mountain if he so desired. This sharpness being magical, it is capable of cleaving through passive defences as well as through anything with hardness less than that of quartz as easily as if it were rice paper. For purposes of damage calculation, it is considered to be a Strong Passive Damage Enhancement ability.

Active defences that have been enhanced in some way lose their enhancement when faced against Xaldin’s lances (though they are not broken merely because Xaldin has attacked them via the lances and they are not nullified outright – when faced against active defences, his fangs will rend enhancements of that defence). Passive.]

Aero Flourish: Xaldin's weapons are covered with a white-ish aura. Anyone hit by his weapons during this time are lifted about three feet into the air and stuck in that position for three turns. During this time they can still use abilities (that don't require much movement), speak, and even move to a limited extent (everything above the waist) but they cannot move horizontally or vertically and are functionally trapped.

Secondary Weapon(s)

ID: Broomsicks

Six identical brooms, though they appear wooden, their insides have actually been filled with lead and are heavier (if significantly more fragile) then Ryugasen. Xaldin often uses them to train while doing mundane tasks or to insult opponents he considers unworthy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~Abilities~

Just as you're about to fight the creature, you feel the power of your ancestors filling you. The strength of a thousand men courses through your veins as you prepare for battle.

[/i][/b]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AP left: 0

[::Eurus ~ Luck of the East::]

In myth and legend, the East wind has always been associated with ill luck, madness, despair. It brings plague, rot, still waters – sometimes there and sometimes absent, whimsical to the extreme. To master Eurus is to master the strength to read the winds, to anticipate attack through subtle shifts in pressure and temperature upon the skin and represents beginning of true mastery for without the ability to read the wind, one cannot control it.

This ability confers upon Xaldin a heightened sense of awareness. Though his eyes greatly help him, he does not, in fact, need them to sense an oncoming attack and is considered to have 360 degree vision. The range of this sight is roughly the same as that of normal vision though he sees things more clearly the closer they are and is functionally effective at about 108 feet. This ability does NOT allow him to move faster than he is physically capable but does give him, quote-unquote ‘eyes in the back of his head’. He can also see behind obstacles and around corners – so long as there is a flow of wind (or an analogue to such) he can ‘see’ what it touches.

After a trip to Space Paranoids Xaldin’s head was flooded with all the raw data that he was trying to interpret through Eurus – this experience gave him the ability to greatly enhance the speed at which he thinks. He can literally keep track of thousands of moving objects in his field of awareness and has superb concentration and mental stamina. Though his reflexes have not been enhanced per se he is very fast on his mental feet. This ability does not make him move faster, but if his body is capable of it, it produces a synergy making him appear to react before the danger has in fact manifested itself.

Strength: Strong
Uses: Passive

[::Notus ~ Pride of the South::]

Dragoons have always loved heat, some say it is because of the ancient creatures that they have taken as their emblem, others because summer allows for greater combat effectiveness. Notus, the Summer wind, has always been both loved and feared – destroyer of crops, bringer of storms, herald of summer – to master Notus is to master the strength of the strongest storms and take it for yourself.

Basic

Using this ability Xaldin can manipulate his own body with wind allowing him to increase the trajectory of his leaps by at least 108 feet, land softly from great heights etc. Having mastered Notus, when Xaldin jumps straight upwards, he is fast enough as to be practically imperceptible to average eyesight.

He can carry up to his own weight (approx 175 lbs) and still retain the advantages of Notus, any more than that and he will lose altitude at a rate dependent on how much greater the mass has become. Notus does not allow Xaldin to fly.

Use: Passive

Mastery

Having thoroughly mastered Notus, Xaldin can move at such speeds that the very air warps around him, almost making him disappear as he moves forwards at strong-level speeds (note: this does not make him invisible, it is his speed that is difficult to perceive). He does not need to move in a straight line but is required to curve his trajectory if he wishes to move to the left or the right but can manage turns abrupt enough so that he can end up facing the back of a person he has circled. Every burst lets him travel five meters, or roughly 16 feet with a two post cool-down. Note that this cooldown does not apply to any other aspect of Notus.

Use: 1 w/ 2 posts cooldown

Strength: Strong
Uses: Passive or Active 1 w/ 2 post cooldown

[::Boreas ~ Lord of the North::]

Season of sleep, season of death, winter has always been held in high regard for to disrespect winter is to disrespect death. Boreas, bringing chill and cold is rarely loved and almost always feared. Xaldin’s favourite season, his mastery of Boreas is incomplete but still deadly, lending him the calm, cold violence of winter itself.

This ability gives the Xaldin the power to control winds, bending, strengthening and weakening them at will. To a limited extent, this means he can also move his weapons with the wind: Xaldin’s specialty lies with lances, and his manipulation of them is nothing short of amazing. Retaining precision as well as strength, Xaldin can easily dispatch multiple opponents from a distance all without moving a finger.

Treat this ability as giving Xaldin complete control over the trajectory of his weapon (or broomsticks) anywhere within 108 feet of his person. These weapons travel at extremely fast speeds (comparable to the speeds Xaldin himself travels at) and are strong enough to support the mass of a single person.

Strength: Strong
Uses: Passive

[::Three of Cups ~ Fool of the Battlefield::]

Xaldin has participated in so many battles that he has learned to instinctively combine an extreme economy of motion with his abilities as a master air mage. By perpetually removing wastes and keeping himself oxygenated - not merely through the inefficient medium of his longs - but at the cellular level, he achieves an incredible degree of stamina that is virtually unsurpassed by anything else in the world. He does not need to breathe for literally hours and can continue fighting for days at a time if need be. This ability does not make him 'tougher' defensively (nor does it extend his HP bar) what it does do is give him an incredible staying power that can only be whittled away with extreme difficulty, permitting him to fight at peak efficiency for extended periods of time.

Strength: Strong
Uses: Passive

[::Three of Staves ~ Devil of the Battlefield::]

Xaldin is fast. In terms of pure speed it is possible that there are none faster - his body is capable of moving nine times faster than any normal person, both in terms of movement speed and weapon attack speed. In the time it would take a normal person to make a single attack, he can make nine. In the time it would take a normal person to move step he has already rushed forwards. This ability does not give him the compensatory reflexes to match his speed.

This incredible speed does come with certain drawbacks, however. He loses both physical and mental stamina at a rate proportional to how fast he moves (9x faster than a normal person) and his strength is only a third of that of a person of his size and constitution.

If a strong-level passive ability ability gives someone greater (or similar - 7x,8x is close enough) speed without more severe drawbacks, he automatically gains that passive ability and replaces this one with it for the duration of the battle.

Strength: Strong
Uses: Passive

[::Endless Illusion ~ Solid Earth in the Sky, Voices in the Wind, Thoughts in the Air::]

Xaldin has near complete control of the air around him. His greatest achievement is his ability to create 'solid air' for himself. He can freely walk upon air as if it were solid ground and create a foothold or a handhold anywhere he wishes (so long as it is made of air). This takes almost no effort on his part and he can do so as much as he wishes. Its limitations are that it is extremely weak : it cannot be used as a barrier (at best, he can use it as a sort of invisible umbrella) and that it can only support himself (he cannot create a support for another person and cannot support another person while using it). This ability is either purely aesthetic (such as warding off the rain) or mobility-based. He cannot use this ability to 'choke' somebody by solidifying the air around them.

He can however also use it to soften blows, turning the air around him into a padded, cushiony form. It is a relatively unstable form of protective magic, however, reducing damage taken by only 1/3.

Strength: Strong
Uses: Passive

[::Perfect World ~ A Hundred and Eight Broken Vows::]

Passive Form

Xaldin has near complete control of the air around him. He can create hurricane-strength gusts with merely a thought and blow people off their feet with but a gesture. During combat this ability manifests itself as incredibly powerful winds that constantly flow from his body. Any enemy caught within a thirty-six feet radius from him find themselves slowed down by a third and using up stamina at three times the normal rate no matter which direction they try to move in. Flying enemies are slowed down by a factor of three (move at 1/3 speed) and use up stamina at nine times the normal rate. Small objects (up to the size and weight of a rock-sized fist) that aren't nailed down are blown away from Xaldin and those who attempt to jump while in Xaldin's presence should not expect to not make the greatest of progress. Xaldin can turn this ability off whenever he desires, though he cannot turn it off and then on during consecutive posts.

Active Form

A fierce enough gust of wind can blow more than the merely physical - it can disperse magic as well. Xaldin has learned this but his bloodlust has made him rather reckless : usually, a magical incantation is employed, or foci or arduous training. Instead, Xaldin has tied this ability directly to his own health - each use of this ability is powered by a ninth of his total lifeforce making it a form of blood magic - for this reason it is incredibly potent but also extremely dangerous.

Using this ability, a super-fast gust of wind (it appears like a white wave) travels one-hundred and eight feet and temporarily (for 3 turns) strips away either a positive buff, negative buff or a passive ability of Xaldin's choosing from everyone in range including himself - if this 3 turns exceeds the duration of the buff, the buff is simply dispelled. If defended against by a blocking ability, that blocking ability cannot be used again for six turns or its cool-down, whichever is longer - however, the defender has the choice as to whether the wind affects the shielding ability or the buff/ability that Xaldin had originally targeted. Xaldin cannot target shielding abilities on purpose.

Strength: Strong
Uses: Passive

[::The Nine Lives ~ Iolaus' Cunning; Hercule's Might::]

It is said that Hercules defeated the Hydra by crushing it beneath the weight of a mountain, overwhelming through sheer force the creature said to grow to impossible extremes with each wound it took. This is but one version of the legend: another claims it was not through the application of brute force, but rather a companionship betwixt it and cunning that lead to the Hydra's demise. Coated with pitch and set aflame, Hercules destroyed the great Hydra through bow and arrow. Whether true or false, Xaldin's somebody was inspired by the lore to create his own version of the mighty feat.

Use Form:

Putting his lances together, Xaldin creates a powerful ball of aerial energy, approximately one meter and a half in diameter. With the strength and speed of the wind, the attack's velocity is unparalleled and anyone hit by it will suffer severe wind-energy damage as well as being blown back almost two meters. To consistently dodge these shots requires active moderate level speeds, or passive strong level speeds. Xaldin can fire three every three rounds using any combination he so desires: 3 in one round with a two round cool-down, one each round, etc.

Strength: Strong
Use: Infinite, 3 every 3 turns in any combination
Cool-down: Depends upon use

True Form:

The reason for which the Nine Lives is called the Nine Lives is not difficult to fathom. True mastery of the Nine Lives allows one to fire off exactly nine shots in a single round. This incredible speed and power comes with drawbacks, of course. Firstly, it saps strength and energy and deals the equilvalent of Strong level stamina damage to whoever who tries it. Secondly, it imposes a 3 turn cooldown wherein the user may not use ANY abilities requiring activation and reduces passive abilities by one grade for those three turns , and an additional six turn cool-down before any form of the Nine Lives may be used (total: 9 turn cooldown). Because of these drawbacks, Xaldin considers the Nine Lives true form to be unpractical despite its overwhelming fire power.

Strength: Strong
Use: Infinite
Cool-down: 9 turns
Misc: self-damage , 3 turn cool-down for all abilities, reduction of passive abilities by one grade for 3 turns.

Caveat:

This ability is extraordinarily difficult to imitate. Those that have blue magic or other imitation abilities cannot control the Use form without at least spending triple the normal amount of time studying the ability (witnessing, being hit by, etc.) and if they do not spend this time will automatically fire off the entire nine shots - with all the after-effects that it implies. Once using the ability, they automatically know how to control it but must wait for the usual cool-down time to elapse.

[/quote]

Items

1.

2.


Equips

1. Aero:
This equip causes swirls of grey wind to spiral all around within three feet of the user. Anyone who gets within that space will have weak wind elemental damage dealt to them constantly while there. In addition to this whenever an attack is made on the user during Aero's presence a bubble of magic will flash around their body and block the damage and any possible physical injury, but will not prevent the character being pushed by the force. This bubble drains the user's health and stamina by half of what would have been lost from an unblocked attack every time it activates. The user may move freely while Aero is active. Lasts 4 posts and has 3 uses per battle.

2. Ultima Weapon
All of a user's weapon attacks will have increased attack power and force behind them when desired, up to the power of a Strong-level passive ability.

[/b]3. Wind Boost[/b]
This Equip boosts the power of all wind-elemental powers used by its bearer. Character/Weapon Abilities and Equips that use magical air become 50% stronger than before.

4. Guard Break
When an opponent is defending physically or has used a shield-type ability or equip that guards them then the user of this equip can perform a single forward thrust with a weapon(or their body) to destroy the guard and damage the foe by the backlash. The attack can also allow the user to deal normal damage to enemies with passive abilities to boost their physical defence. Six uses per battle and can not be used again for 3 of your posts. Damage is determined by the user's own weapon and physical attacking ability, but the weapon itself is not harming the target, just the force of the backlash from breaking the guard.

Special Abilities

N/A


Minions

N/A


Summons

N/A


[/size]


[/blockquote]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~History~

As you slay the last of the beasts, you put your weapon aside, and walk away, knowing your tale of bravery will be told for thousands of years to come.

[/b][/i]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dilan’s parents were once dragoons.

It had been, for centuries, a prestigious post. Dragoons were the shock troops, unorthodox, powerful and precise: the elite of the elite. Radiant Garden would have, so the lore went, fallen three times if not for their crucial presence. By now, in this day of mechanical and magical wonder, the posting was largely ceremonial. Dilan’s great-grand-parents had been the last to see real combat and even then, they had carried flintlocks instead of spears.

With the beginning of Ansem’s rule, one wherein Radiant Garden would strive towards ‘peace and prosperity’, the dragoons were summarily disbanded, commanders and elite being shuffled off into other divisions, the morass and masses told simply to leave their helmets and spears behind. Troops instructed in such a way were given a purse to ‘start their lives anew’ and that was that.

In theory.

In reality, the transition was neither simple nor easy. While few of the dragoons suffered from behavioural problems associated with excessive exposure to violence and trauma, theirs’ had been a somewhat stable form of living, a long, intricate chain in the patchwork kingdom’s geography, history and culture. Adjusting to the sudden lack of discipline and training was, for many, disquieting.

Dilan was three when money ran out and his parents became actors.

---

His parents were never good actors – good in the way that made the viewer care and believe and conjecture about the story they spun, but as something flashy and new they were solid. Artful displays of unusual physical prowess was married to an unshakable calm that easily made them interesting. As villains, as protagonists, as anthropomorphic-personifications-of-a-concept they were gold, so long as no one expected emotion from them.

Dilan was six when his parents decided he’d benefit from a military education, which really just meant that he was being prepped for their new calling. He was seven when he began joining in the shows, strong enough to leap his height with a fully weighted double-lance. Young, his mental flexibility shone enough so that he picked up on the common tropes and roles.

He was nine when his parents disappeared.

---

He became Ansem’s student by accident, not choice.

Of the many foster homes he was carted to, few suited the belligerent, oddly strong youth with a propensity to launch into loud and vociferous soliloquy. Of the two that did, one was later discovered to be ‘unsuitable’ due to the non-traditional family structure, the other, in fact, only existed on paper and scrappy bribes that the ‘family’ accepted with some condescension and faked concern.

Dilan didn’t mind living on the streets. Ansem, of all people, did.

That he didn’t look like a king was Dilan’s first reaction. He just looked – old. Timeless in the same way old works of art were timeless: ancient, outdated, and preserved out of a fit of pique. To be fair to the youth, the royal regalia was also missing: when traveling incognito, the King wore a brown duster and a black bowler hat.

(And the goatee. Ugh.)

“There should be better places to sleep than park benches,” the king had said softly. Dilan, perhaps in retrospect quite reasonably, hadn’t assumed that a good Samaritan had stumbled across his path. Nor that he was King.

“There’s a place two streets down that caters to your tastes, old man,” he’d said, rolling over, mock-suave but mostly trying to hide a sudden frantic treasure hunt for something sharp and pointy, half-remembered training screaming: keep your eyes on the enemy. “I’m clean and staying that way.”

It was the first and last time that he’d get to enjoy seeing King Ansem at a complete loss for words.

That didn’t prevent the man from later calling in two burly ape-men who carted him over to the Castle confused, disoriented and contemplating teeth if they forced him to do anything unseemly.

---

Rumors swirled rich and deep around the new apprentice. In turn, Dilan absorbed a lifetime of idle chatter as he snuck through kitchens and closets, listening, absorbing, taking. There were four others, apparently. Even and Ienzo had been star pupils at the local academy, Aeleus a small mountain, Braig a mystery like himself.

Hazing was not exactly fun.

The pecking order in the Bastion was odd. Master Ansem, of course, resided at the top – everyone else sort of danced and snuck their way around his flickering, somewhat absent-minded shadow. Unable to read, Dilan was on the bottom rungs for a while, his only saving grace being his martial training which interested both the sharpshooter (who tended to test reflexes on a whim) and Aeleus who seemed inclined to see Dilan’s magic and his own as natural opposites.

The five of them studied. Ansem, apparently, had not grabbed them as a public relations gesture – there was a method here, though what that method was Dilan hadn’t the faintest clue. Tests, theorems, applications of scientific method, physical measurements, more studying, classes, pop quizzes, practical skill training, magic enhancement – all came and went, most of the time it was mind-numbingly boring, other instants interesting, some exhilarating.

Dilan lagged behind. It was... maddening. He told the king as much one day.

“Everyone must be taught patience,” the king had replied, calmly sipping his tea while Dilan quietly ignored his own steaming cup. To be an apprentice to Ansem was to always have his ear: for them, no matter how petty, their grievances and concerns were always heard. “Brilliance has its own drawbacks – see too clearly and you see too little.”

Dilan grumbled at the useless wisdom. Ansem merely chuckled. For a while it seemed like life would continue like this forever.

Of all things, it was a mouse with a key that would change things.

But first came another castoff. This one without memories.

---

Xehanort was, if nothing else, brilliant.

He was also a mystery. Moreso than Braig and Dilan who could (if they so chose, which they mostly didn’t) reveal their pasts. Xehanort was a blank sheet, inscribed with potential. Ansem, who could be inscrutably wise even if he did have his eccentricities, took him in as his sixth student.

There was no hazing.

Xehanort arrived with nearly nothing. Within months he had caught up, surpassed his peers and delighted the king. Tinctures that were thought undecipherable were separated, fire mixed with ice, theorems deconstructed, light and dark explored.

It was the last bit that should have alarmed Ansem. But the old man was distracted by a meteor shower and a king from a distant land.

---

The experiments had begun with Ansem’s approval. His golden child merely had to ask, muse aloud: “If the Darkness bridges worlds, could it not bridge time, space – maybe memories?”

Whether or not the king held any trepidation on what they were about to do, would remain unknown. Crystallized fragments of Darkness were stored, the radiation emanating from these dangerous fragments played over Xehanort’s frame like incense. For the most part, there were no changes. It was... infuriating.

They sought more test subjects. When Ansem refused they procured more, being the King’s personal protégés made them at least moderately famous and people didn’t question the need for more domestics – Braig had been the one, in the end to berate them on the importance of being discrete after a fiasco wherein twenty disappeared during the same night. Dilan, honestly, didn’t truly care. To be perfectly frank, his estimation of the Darkness was closer to his estimation of seers and street magicians: all talk. Nothing had happened to Xehanort, right?

In retrospect, that was a stupid assumption.

---

The rest of the tale has been told and re-told, more or less accurately. There would be more students, more apprentices, more experiments, some Light, some Dark. The First Death would be quickly followed by a re-birth that would be known as Xaldin. Then another Death, at the hands of a Keyblade-wielder. He would have died for real but for his pride – Xaldin dead, at the hands of a child? No. Impossible. Entering the realm of death he began to bargain with its master...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~Class~

Before you embark on your journey a vision comes upon you. You see three weapons in front of you.

~ A sword of terrible destruction - The power of the warrior: Invincible courage.

~ A shield to repel all - The power of the guardian: Kindness to aid friends.

~ A staff of wonder and ruin - The power of the mystic: Inner strength.

You know that one of them must be chosen. What power will you seek?

[/b]

[The Power of the Staff]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~Other~

Total Costs:
Abilities:

Weapon Abilities:
Supreme Upgrade: 500 munny

Ability Upgrades: 20 AP è 48 AP

28 AP è 2100 munny at half-off due to RP discount

Equips:
1 slot – 100 munny (orig. 200 but ½ off due to RP discount)
1 ultima weapon – free (ticket)
1 air boost – 200 (orig. 400, but 1/2 off due to RP discount)
1 guard break – 175 (orig. 350 munny but ½ off due to RP discount)

475 munny

So that’s… 500 + 2100 + 475 = 3075

Gah. So late. I dunno if my math is good. >_<


Rp discount:

Weak This is a stupid ability, but Xaldin’s weapon combos cannot be escaped from. I figure it’s kind of an ability. Maybe. Paid already, no cost.
Moderate Xaldin never uses his lances when using any of his distance attacks even though he could since they’re just floating around. My explanation. Paid already, no cost.
Supreme Lance Upgrade:
If you check the movie, the lance hits Axel’s chair and sticks to it – canonical proof that it can at the very least pierce stone.
Zero Gear + 5: ‘increases strength by 124’ according to wiki. Zero 5 gear also gets Xaldin’s KHII weapons.

Ability Upgrades

Eurus: At this post Xaldin ‘loses’ Eurus due to information overload. He only regains it a few posts later. RP discount.

Notus: Got rid of the ‘floating’ part, increased the range of jumps to 108 feet. All prior rp discounts apply: no cost.

Boreas: From moderate to strong. Got rid of the ‘gust of wind’ ability part, increased the range from 100 feet to 108 feet (because 108 is a multiple of 3 and looks prettier due to Buddhist symbolism) and made it so that the lances are as fast as him. Youtube has his lances as fast as him. No cost.

Perfect World:
Of Talks and Treasure - Active Form first displayed

Dark Wanderer - Passive Form implied to have been used to nudge a sandstorm Rp discount.

Endless Illusion: www.youtube.com/watch?v=esNCyri_Ppo From 0:46 – 1:00 Sora is attacking Xaldin from above and yet he never touches the ground. Also, throughout the battle we see Xaldin hovering at various heights. Canon discount.

Three of cups: Scroll to the bottom – Xaldin’s been in a LOT of battle threads. Rp discount.

Three of Swords: Replacing God of War ability. Prior canon discount applies (or if you want, I’ll show you a half-dozen threads with Xaldin moving quickly) – no cost.

The Nine Lives: www.youtube.com/watch?v=esNCyri_Ppo Xaldin shoots out 3 of the attacks in a row. 0:28-35 Canon discount.

Equips:

Transfer High Jump 2 to Bishop
Air boost – Xaldin gains a ‘magical necklace’ that is explicitly said to increase wind powers.
Ultima weapon: Innovation Contest Ticket
Guard Break + Equip Slot: Shinra Passes have special abilities.

[III]

THIS TOOK FOREVER.

[center]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/center][u][b]

[center]~Basic info~[/b][/u]

[i][b]Behind every great individual, there is that voice which keeps them going onward and toward their next great adventure.[/b] [/center][/i]

[center]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/center]

[size=1][blockquote][i]Username[/i] ~ : deiexmachinis

[i]Other characters[/i] ~ : Devil Dance, Shera, Bishop

[i]Is this character canon?[/i] ~ : Yes

[i]Link to audition thread[/i] ~ : [url=http://khrpffinalmix.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=auditions&action=display&thread=6945]Xaldin[/url]

[b][center]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/center][/b]

[u][b][center]~Character Info~[/u]

[i]Waking up in the morning, your thoughts are cluttered. It takes a moment for you to fully become aware of your surroundings, but once you do, everything about your life comes back to you.[/center][/b][/i]

[b][center]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/center][/b]

[i]Name[/i] ~ : Xaldin

[i]Age[/i] ~ : late 20’s, early 30’s

[i]Birthplace[/i] ~ : Radiant Garden

[i]Gender[/i] ~ : Male

[i]Race[/i] ~ : Nobody [human]

[i]Special Class[/i] ~ : None
[/blockquote][/size]

[b][center]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/center][/b]

[center][b]~Appearance~[/b]

[i][b]As you are heading out the door of your house, a small glimmer of light catches your eye. You turn around and see a mirror, putting you face to face with your reflection.[/center][/b][/i]

[b][center]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/center][/b]

[size=1][blockquote][i]Physical appearance[/i] ~ :

Xaldin’s definitely one of the more physically imposing members of the Organization. While not quite as strong as Lexaeus, his frame certainly suggests formidable physical conditioning. Standing at six feet (give or take a few inches) he has broad shoulders, defined muscles and powerful legs. Though his posture is rigid, he walks with a silent, loose-limbed grace that suggests a certain amount of comfort in his own skin.

Sadly, he has very little sense of style. No one knows how Namine convinced him that his dread mop is [i]suitable for a member of the Organization[/i] but because disgust was supposedly eliminated along with the Heart, no one has tried to press the issue. Many suspect her to also be behind the sideways T-shaped eyebrows that hang ominously above his violet eyes – he’s never shown an interest in plucking his eyebrows before.

He’s always had his sideburns. And the stupid earring.

[i]Clothing/Accessories[/i] ~ : Organization XIII robe. Once upon a time, he preferred leather. [i]Lots[/i] of leather.
[/blockquote][/size]

[b][center]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/center][/b]

[b][center]~Personality~

[i]As you're walking through the door, you see many sights that influence your mood. The different feelings that suddenly wash over you are many, leaving you with a strange mix of emotions.[/center][/b][/i]

[b][center]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/center][/b][blockquote]

[size=1][i]Alignment[/i] ~ : Amoral Neutral

[i]Behavior[/i] ~ :

[i]Aggressive[/i]: Xaldin likes fighting. It might be his upbringing or his blood or a collusion of different factors. He didn’t [i]have[/i] to let Belle go (let’s be honest here – the girl might have had spunk, but she wasn’t in the same league) but, ultimately, his preference for violence allowed him to give her the opening. How boring would it have been to give up the chance to spar with a keyblade wielder?

(...stop laughing, Xigbar. I *did* let her go.)

[i]Hubris[/i]: Xaldin’s abilities make it rather easy for him to flee battles, a graceful exit’s only a hop, skip and a jump away after all. He prefers to fight to the end, the odd duck of Ansem’s original six students. Xaldin isn’t, per se, overconfident in his martial abilities but he certainly takes pride in them, retreating only when ordered or if there was no possibility to win to begin with. While losing his heart has made him care less, he considers his pride a form of self-sufficiency and thus necessary.

[i]Martial Discipline[/i]: Xaldin still trains on a routine basis, sometimes with his dragoons, sometimes without. It’s a series of exercises that has been ingrained into him since early, early childhood and just because he’s become a Nobody doesn’t mean he won’t continue.

[i]Neat and Tidy[/i]: One of the better-kept secrets of the Organization is the fact that Xaldin is a terrible, horrible, incredible neat freak. A trait he claims will keep you healthy, Xaldin still shaves, trims his sideburns, organizes things alphabetically, washes the dishes, bathes the experimental test subjects and deals with their remains, dusts, sweeps, etc. etc. etc. Lacking a heart, he doesn’t [i]have[/i] to care, but he chooses to anyways. Dirt doesn’t annoy him (it never has) but things look better, damnit, organized.[/size][/blockquote]

[b][center]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/center][/b]

[center][b]~Weapons~[/b]

[b][i]Suddenly, a Heartless appears in front of you, brandishing its claws and threatening to attack. You reach for your weapon and equip it, ready to defend yourself.[/center][/i][/b]

[b][center]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/center][/b]

[size=1][center][u]Primary Weapon(s)[/u][/center]
[blockquote][b]ID[/b]: Ryugasen (Flash of the Dragon’s fang)
[b]Quality:[/b] Supreme
[b]Element:[/b] Wind
[b]Status Effect:[/b] Aero Flourish

Six identical spears, they are double ended, one side resembling a dragon’s maw, the other resembling the Nobody emblem. Varying from dark purple to lighter shades of thereof, the Ryugasen are elegant weapons of the wind that are durable enough for prolonged battle and due to their [i]Supreme[/i] quality, extremely difficult to damage.

[[i]weak weapon ability[/i]:  ::Follow-Up Combos::

An ability that Xaldin programmed into his spears through a gear of his own creation: Follow-up Combos allows Xaldin to move in such a way that he will constantly follow his opponent despite the speed, strength and intricacy of his weapon attacks. They will not merely be able to take an attack and be knocked aside – Xaldin can and will easily follow-up on such manoeuvres, requiring them get away through their own power.

[[i]moderate weapon ability:[/i] ::Magic Enhancement::

Xaldin often uses his weapons as a foci to channel other attacks. When not being used as double-ended spears (as in, attacking people with the pointy bits) the spears can be used as powerful conduits of magic, enhancing otherwise less than impressive magical attacks. Each spear not being used to attack increases the potency of the attack by 10%. When all spears are on ‘stand-by’ this translates into a 60% increase in the magical potency of his wind attacks. Passive.]

[[i]strong weapon ability:[/i] :: Dragon Fangs::

The Ryugasen lances are both of phenomenal craftsmanship and due to the wind magic imbued within them, prodigiously sharp, making them some of the deadliest weapons of the Organization. With a suitable amount of force, Xaldin can make these go clean through a mountain if he so desired. This sharpness being magical, it is capable of cleaving through passive defences as well as through anything with hardness less than that of quartz as easily as if it were rice paper. For purposes of damage calculation, it is considered to be a Strong Passive Damage Enhancement ability.

Active defences that have been enhanced in some way lose their enhancement when faced against Xaldin’s lances (though they are not broken merely because Xaldin has attacked them via the lances and they are not nullified outright – when faced against active defences, his fangs will rend enhancements of that defence). Passive.]

Aero Flourish: Xaldin's weapons are covered with a white-ish aura. Anyone hit by his weapons during this time are lifted about three feet into the air and stuck in that position for three turns. During this time they can still use abilities (that don't require much movement), speak, and even move to a limited extent (everything above the waist) but they cannot move horizontally or vertically and are functionally trapped.

[/blockquote][/size]

[size=1][center][u]Secondary Weapon(s)[/u][/center]
[blockquote][b]ID[/b]: Broomsicks

Six identical brooms, though they appear wooden, their insides have actually been filled with lead and are heavier (if significantly more fragile) then Ryugasen. Xaldin often uses them to train while doing mundane tasks or to insult opponents he considers unworthy.

[/blockquote][/size]

[b][center]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/center][/b]
[center][b]~Abilities~[/b]
[b]
[i]Just as you're about to fight the creature, you feel the power of your ancestors filling you. The strength of a thousand men courses through your veins as you prepare for battle.[/center][/i][/b]

[b][center]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/center][/b]

[size=1][blockquote][b]AP left:[/b] 0

[::Eurus ~ Luck of the East::]

[i]In myth and legend, the East wind has always been associated with ill luck, madness, despair. It brings plague, rot, still waters – sometimes there and sometimes absent, whimsical to the extreme. To master Eurus is to master the strength to read the winds, to anticipate attack through subtle shifts in pressure and temperature upon the skin and represents beginning of true mastery for without the ability to read the wind, one cannot control it.[/i]

This ability confers upon Xaldin a heightened sense of awareness. Though his eyes greatly help him, he does not, in fact, need them to sense an oncoming attack and is considered to have 360 degree vision. The range of this sight is roughly the same as that of normal vision though he sees things more clearly the closer they are and is functionally effective at about 108 feet. This ability does NOT allow him to move faster than he is physically capable but does give him, quote-unquote ‘eyes in the back of his head’. He can also see behind obstacles and around corners – so long as there is a flow of wind (or an analogue to such) he can ‘see’ what it touches.

After a trip to Space Paranoids Xaldin’s head was flooded with all the raw data that he was trying to interpret through Eurus – this experience gave him the ability to greatly enhance the speed at which he thinks. He can literally keep track of thousands of moving objects in his field of awareness and has superb concentration and mental stamina. Though his reflexes have not been enhanced per se he is [i]very[/i] fast on his mental feet. This ability does not make him move faster, but if his body is capable of it, it produces a synergy making him appear to react before the danger has in fact manifested itself.

[i]Strength:[/i] Strong
[i]Uses:[/i] Passive

[::Notus ~ Pride of the South::]

[i]Dragoons have always loved heat, some say it is because of the ancient creatures that they have taken as their emblem, others because summer allows for greater combat effectiveness. Notus, the Summer wind, has always been both loved and feared – destroyer of crops, bringer of storms, herald of summer – to master Notus is to master the strength of the strongest storms and take it for yourself.[/i]

[u]Basic[/u]

Using this ability Xaldin can manipulate his own body with wind allowing him to increase the trajectory of his leaps by at least 108 feet, land softly from great heights etc. Having mastered Notus, when Xaldin jumps straight upwards, he is fast enough as to be practically imperceptible to average eyesight.

He can carry up to his own weight (approx 175 lbs) and still retain the advantages of Notus, any more than that and he will lose altitude at a rate dependent on how much greater the mass has become. Notus does not allow Xaldin to fly.

Use: Passive

[u]Mastery[/u]

Having thoroughly mastered Notus, Xaldin can move at such speeds that the very air warps around him, almost making him disappear as he moves forwards at strong-level speeds (note: this does not make him invisible, it is his [i]speed[/i] that is difficult to perceive). He does not need to move in a straight line but is required to curve his trajectory if he wishes to move to the left or the right but can manage turns abrupt enough so that he can end up facing the back of a person he has circled. Every burst lets him travel five meters, or roughly 16 feet with a two post cool-down. Note that this cooldown does not apply to any other aspect of Notus.

Use: 1 w/ 2 posts cooldown

[i]Strength[/i]: Strong
[i]Uses[/i]: Passive or Active 1 w/ 2 post cooldown

[::Boreas ~ Lord of the North::]

[i]Season of sleep, season of death, winter has always been held in high regard for to disrespect winter is to disrespect death. Boreas, bringing chill and cold is rarely loved and almost always feared. Xaldin’s favourite season, his mastery of Boreas is incomplete but still deadly, lending him the calm, cold violence of winter itself.[/i]

This ability gives the Xaldin the power to control winds, bending, strengthening and weakening them at will. To a limited extent, this means he can also move his weapons with the wind: Xaldin’s specialty lies with lances, and his manipulation of them is nothing short of amazing. Retaining precision as well as strength, Xaldin can easily dispatch multiple opponents from a distance all without moving a finger.

Treat this ability as giving Xaldin complete control over the trajectory of his weapon (or broomsticks) anywhere within 108 feet of his person. These weapons travel at extremely fast speeds (comparable to the speeds Xaldin himself travels at) and are strong enough to support the mass of a single person.

[i]Strength: Strong[/i]
[i]Uses: Passive[/i]

[::Three of Cups ~ Fool of the Battlefield::]

Xaldin has participated in so many battles that he has learned to instinctively combine an extreme economy of motion with his abilities as a master air mage. By perpetually removing wastes and keeping himself oxygenated - not merely through the inefficient medium of his longs - but at the cellular level, he achieves an incredible degree of stamina that is virtually unsurpassed by anything else in the world. He does not need to breathe for literally hours and can continue fighting for days at a time if need be. This ability does not make him 'tougher' defensively (nor does it extend his HP bar) what it does do is give him an incredible staying power that can only be whittled away with extreme difficulty, permitting him to fight at peak efficiency for extended periods of time.

[i]Strength: Strong[/i]
[i]Uses: Passive[/i]

[::Three of Staves ~ Devil of the Battlefield::]

Xaldin is [i]fast[/i]. In terms of pure speed it is possible that there are none faster - his body is capable of moving nine times faster than any normal person, both in terms of movement speed and weapon attack speed. In the time it would take a normal person to make a single attack, he can make nine. In the time it would take a normal person to move step he has already rushed forwards. This ability does not give him the compensatory reflexes to match his speed.

This incredible speed does come with certain drawbacks, however. He loses both physical and mental stamina at a rate proportional to how fast he moves (9x faster than a normal person) and his strength is only a third of that of a person of his size and constitution.

If a strong-level passive ability ability gives someone greater (or similar - 7x,8x is close enough) speed without more severe drawbacks, he automatically gains that passive ability and replaces this one with it for the duration of the battle.

[i]Strength: Strong[/i]
[i]Uses: Passive[/i]

[::Endless Illusion ~ Solid Earth in the Sky, Voices in the Wind, Thoughts in the Air::]

Xaldin has near complete control of the air around him. His greatest achievement is his ability to create 'solid air' for himself. He can freely walk upon air as if it were solid ground and create a foothold or a handhold anywhere he wishes (so long as it is made of air). This takes almost no effort on his part and he can do so as much as he wishes. Its limitations are that it is extremely weak : it cannot be used as a barrier (at best, he can use it as a sort of invisible umbrella) and that it can only support himself (he cannot create a support for another person and cannot support another person while using it). This ability is either purely aesthetic (such as warding off the rain) or mobility-based. He cannot use this ability to 'choke' somebody by solidifying the air around them.

He can however also use it to soften blows, turning the air around him into a padded, cushiony form. It is a relatively unstable form of protective magic, however, reducing damage taken by only 1/3.

[i]Strength: Strong[/i]
[i]Uses: Passive[/i]

[::Perfect World ~ A Hundred and Eight Broken Vows::]

Passive Form

Xaldin has near complete control of the air around him. He can create hurricane-strength gusts with merely a thought and blow people off their feet with but a gesture. During combat this ability manifests itself as incredibly powerful winds that constantly flow from his body. Any enemy caught within a thirty-six feet radius from him find themselves slowed down by a third and using up stamina at three times the normal rate no matter which direction they try to move in. Flying enemies are slowed down by a factor of three (move at 1/3 speed) and use up stamina at nine times the normal rate. Small objects (up to the size and weight of a rock-sized fist) that aren't nailed down are blown away from Xaldin and those who attempt to jump while in Xaldin's presence should not expect to not make the greatest of progress. Xaldin can turn this ability off whenever he desires, though he cannot turn it off and then on during consecutive posts.

Active Form

A fierce enough gust of wind can blow more than the merely physical - it can disperse magic as well. Xaldin has learned this but his bloodlust has made him rather reckless : usually, a magical incantation is employed, or foci or arduous training. Instead, Xaldin has tied this ability directly to his own health - each use of this ability is powered by a ninth of his total lifeforce making it a form of blood magic - for this reason it is incredibly potent but also extremely dangerous.

Using this ability, a super-fast gust of wind (it appears like a white wave) travels one-hundred and eight feet and temporarily (for 3 turns) strips away either a positive buff, negative buff or a passive ability of Xaldin's choosing from everyone in range including himself - if this 3 turns exceeds the duration of the buff, the buff is simply dispelled. If defended against by a blocking ability, that blocking ability cannot be used again for six turns or its cool-down, whichever is longer - however, the defender has the choice as to whether the wind affects the shielding ability or the buff/ability that Xaldin had originally targeted. Xaldin cannot target shielding abilities on purpose.

[i]Strength: Strong[/i]
[i]Uses: Passive[/i]

[::The Nine Lives ~ Iolaus' Cunning; Hercule's Might::]

[i]It is said that Hercules defeated the Hydra by crushing it beneath the weight of a mountain, overwhelming through sheer force the creature said to grow to impossible extremes with each wound it took. This is but one version of the legend: another claims it was not through the application of brute force, but rather a companionship betwixt it and cunning that lead to the Hydra's demise. Coated with pitch and set aflame, Hercules destroyed the great Hydra through bow and arrow. Whether true or false, Xaldin's somebody was inspired by the lore to create his own version of the mighty feat.[/i]

Use Form:

Putting his lances together, Xaldin creates a powerful ball of aerial energy, approximately one meter and a half in diameter. With the strength and speed of the wind, the attack's velocity is unparalleled and anyone hit by it will suffer severe wind-energy damage as well as being blown back almost two meters. To consistently dodge these shots requires active moderate level speeds, or passive strong level speeds. Xaldin can fire three every three rounds using any combination he so desires: 3 in one round with a two round cool-down, one each round, etc.

Strength: Strong
Use: Infinite, 3 every 3 turns in any combination
Cool-down: Depends upon use

True Form:

The reason for which the Nine Lives is called the Nine Lives is not difficult to fathom. True mastery of the Nine Lives allows one to fire off exactly nine shots in a single round. This incredible speed and power comes with drawbacks, of course. Firstly, it saps strength and energy and deals the equilvalent of Strong level stamina damage to whoever who tries it. Secondly, it imposes a 3 turn cooldown wherein the user may not use ANY abilities requiring activation and reduces passive abilities by one grade for those three turns [strong -> moderate; moderate -> weak; weak -> no ability], and an additional six turn cool-down before any form of the Nine Lives may be used (total: 9 turn cooldown). Because of these drawbacks, Xaldin considers the Nine Lives true form to be unpractical despite its overwhelming fire power.

Strength: Strong
Use: Infinite
Cool-down: 9 turns
Misc: self-damage [strong stamina dmg], 3 turn cool-down for all abilities, reduction of passive abilities by one grade for 3 turns.

Caveat:

This ability is extraordinarily difficult to imitate. Those that have blue magic or other imitation abilities cannot control the Use form without at least spending triple the normal amount of time studying the ability (witnessing, being hit by, etc.) and if they do not spend this time will automatically fire off the entire nine shots - with all the after-effects that it implies. Once using the ability, they automatically know how to control it but must wait for the usual cool-down time to elapse.[/quote]

[u]Items[/u]

[b]1.[/b]

[b]2.[/b]


[u]Equips[/u]

[b]1. Aero[/b]:
This equip causes swirls of grey wind to spiral all around within three feet of the user. Anyone who gets within that space will have weak wind elemental damage dealt to them constantly while there. In addition to this whenever an attack is made on the user during Aero's presence a bubble of magic will flash around their body and block the damage and any possible physical injury, but will not prevent the character being pushed by the force. This bubble drains the user's health and stamina by half of what would have been lost from an unblocked attack every time it activates. The user may move freely while Aero is active. Lasts 4 posts and has 3 uses per battle.

[b]2. Ultima Weapon[/b]
All of a user's weapon attacks will have increased attack power and force behind them when desired, up to the power of a Strong-level passive ability.

[/b]3. Wind Boost[/b]
This Equip boosts the power of all wind-elemental powers used by its bearer. Character/Weapon Abilities and Equips that use magical air become 50% stronger than before.

[b]4. Guard Break[/b]
When an opponent is defending physically or has used a shield-type ability or equip that guards them then the user of this equip can perform a single forward thrust with a weapon(or their body) to destroy the guard and damage the foe by the backlash. The attack can also allow the user to deal normal damage to enemies with passive abilities to boost their physical defence. Six uses per battle and can not be used again for 3 of your posts. Damage is determined by the user's own weapon and physical attacking ability, but the weapon itself is not harming the target, just the force of the backlash from breaking the guard.

[u]Special Abilities[/u]

[i]N/A[/i]


[u]Minions[/u]

[i]N/A[/i]


[u]Summons[/u]

[i]N/A[/i]


[/size]


[/blockquote][b][center]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/center][/b]

[center][b]~History~[/b]

[b][i]As you slay the last of the beasts, you put your weapon aside, and walk away, knowing your tale of bravery will be told for thousands of years to come.[/center][/b][/i]

[b][center]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/center][/b]

[size=1][blockquote] Dilan’s parents were once dragoons.

It had been, for centuries, a prestigious post. Dragoons were the shock troops, unorthodox, powerful and precise: the elite of the elite. Radiant Garden would have, so the lore went, fallen three times if not for their crucial presence. By now, in this day of mechanical and magical wonder, the posting was largely ceremonial. Dilan’s great-grand-parents had been the last to see real combat and even then, they had carried flintlocks instead of spears.

With the beginning of Ansem’s rule, one wherein Radiant Garden would strive towards ‘peace and prosperity’, the dragoons were summarily disbanded, commanders and elite being shuffled off into other divisions, the morass and masses told simply to leave their helmets and spears behind. Troops instructed in such a way were given a purse to ‘start their lives anew’ and that was that.

In theory.

In reality, the transition was neither simple nor easy. While few of the dragoons suffered from behavioural problems associated with excessive exposure to violence and trauma, theirs’ had been a somewhat stable form of living, a long, intricate chain in the patchwork kingdom’s geography, history and culture. Adjusting to the sudden lack of discipline and training was, for many, disquieting.

Dilan was three when money ran out and his parents became actors.

[hr]

His parents were never [i]good[/i] actors – good in the way that made the viewer care and believe and conjecture about the story they spun, but as something flashy and new they were solid. Artful displays of unusual physical prowess was married to an unshakable calm that easily made them interesting. As villains, as protagonists, as anthropomorphic-personifications-of-a-concept they were gold, so long as no one expected emotion from them.

Dilan was six when his parents decided he’d benefit from a military education, which really just meant that he was being prepped for their new calling. He was seven when he began joining in the shows, strong enough to leap his height with a fully weighted double-lance. Young, his mental flexibility shone enough so that he picked up on the common tropes and roles.

He was nine when his parents disappeared.

[hr]

He became Ansem’s student by accident, not choice.

Of the many foster homes he was carted to, few suited the belligerent, oddly strong youth with a propensity to launch into loud and vociferous soliloquy. Of the two that did, one was later discovered to be ‘unsuitable’ due to the non-traditional family structure, the other, in fact, only existed on paper and scrappy bribes that the ‘family’ accepted with some condescension and faked concern.

Dilan didn’t mind living on the streets. Ansem, of all people, did.

That he didn’t look like a king was Dilan’s first reaction. He just looked – old. Timeless in the same way old works of art were timeless:  ancient, outdated, and preserved out of a fit of pique. To be fair to the youth, the royal regalia was also missing: when traveling incognito, the King wore a brown duster and a black bowler hat.

(And the goatee. Ugh.)

“There should be better places to sleep than park benches,” the king had said softly. Dilan, perhaps in retrospect quite reasonably, hadn’t assumed that a good Samaritan had stumbled across his path. Nor that he was King.

“There’s a place two streets down that caters to your tastes, old man,” he’d said, rolling over, mock-suave but mostly trying to hide a sudden frantic treasure hunt for something sharp and pointy, half-remembered training screaming: [i]keep your eyes on the enemy[/i]. “I’m clean and staying that way.”

It was the first and last time that he’d get to enjoy seeing King Ansem at a complete loss for words.

That didn’t prevent the man from later calling in two burly ape-men who carted him over to the Castle confused, disoriented and contemplating teeth if they forced him to do anything unseemly.

[hr]

Rumors swirled rich and deep around the new apprentice. In turn, Dilan absorbed a lifetime of idle chatter as he snuck through kitchens and closets, listening, absorbing, taking. There were four others, apparently. Even and Ienzo had been star pupils at the local academy, Aeleus a small mountain, Braig a mystery like himself.

Hazing was not exactly fun.

The pecking order in the Bastion was odd. Master Ansem, of course, resided at the top – everyone else sort of danced and snuck their way around his flickering, somewhat absent-minded shadow. Unable to read, Dilan was on the bottom rungs for a while, his only saving grace being his martial training which interested both the sharpshooter (who tended to test reflexes on a whim) and Aeleus who seemed inclined to see Dilan’s magic and his own as natural opposites.

The five of them studied. Ansem, apparently, had not grabbed them as a public relations gesture – there was a method here, though what that method was Dilan hadn’t the faintest clue. Tests, theorems, applications of scientific method, physical measurements, more studying, classes, pop quizzes, practical skill training, magic enhancement – all came and went, most of the time it was mind-numbingly boring, other instants interesting, some exhilarating.

Dilan lagged behind. It was... maddening. He told the king as much one day.

“Everyone must be taught patience,” the king had replied, calmly sipping his tea while Dilan quietly ignored his own steaming cup. To be an apprentice to Ansem was to always have his ear: for them, no matter how petty, their grievances and concerns were always heard. “Brilliance has its own drawbacks – see too clearly and you see too little.”

Dilan grumbled at the useless wisdom. Ansem merely chuckled. For a while it seemed like life would continue like this forever.

Of all things, it was a mouse with a key that would change things.

But first came another castoff. This one without memories.

[hr]

Xehanort was, if nothing else, brilliant.

He was also a mystery. Moreso than Braig and Dilan who could (if they so chose, which they mostly didn’t) reveal their pasts. Xehanort was a blank sheet, inscribed with potential. Ansem, who could be inscrutably wise even if he did have his eccentricities, took him in as his sixth student.

There was no hazing.

Xehanort arrived with nearly nothing. Within months he had caught up, surpassed his peers and delighted the king.  Tinctures that were thought undecipherable were separated, fire mixed with ice, theorems deconstructed, light and dark explored.

It was the last bit that should have alarmed Ansem. But the old man was distracted by a meteor shower and a king from a distant land.

[hr]

The experiments had begun with Ansem’s approval. His golden child merely had to ask, muse aloud: “If the Darkness bridges worlds, could it not bridge time, space – maybe memories?”

Whether or not the king held any trepidation on what they were about to do, would remain unknown. Crystallized fragments of Darkness were stored, the radiation emanating from these dangerous fragments played over Xehanort’s frame like incense. For the most part, there were no changes. It was... infuriating.

They sought more test subjects. When Ansem refused they procured more, being the King’s personal protégés made them at least moderately famous and people didn’t question the need for more domestics – Braig had been the one, in the end to berate them on the importance of being [i]discrete[/i] after a fiasco wherein twenty disappeared during the same night. Dilan, honestly, didn’t truly care. To be perfectly frank, his estimation of the Darkness was closer to his estimation of seers and street magicians: all talk.  Nothing had happened to Xehanort, right?

In retrospect, that was a stupid assumption.

[hr]

The rest of the tale has been told and re-told, more or less accurately. There would be more students, more apprentices, more experiments, some Light, some Dark. The First Death would be quickly followed by a re-birth that would be known as Xaldin. Then another Death, at the hands of a Keyblade-wielder. He would have died for real but for his pride – Xaldin dead, at the hands of a child? [i]No. Impossible.[/i] Entering the realm of death he began to bargain with its master...[/blockquote][/size]

[b][center]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/center][/b]

[center][b]~Class~[/b]

[b][i]Before you embark on your journey a vision comes upon you. You see three weapons in front of you.[/i]

~ A sword of terrible destruction - The power of the warrior: Invincible courage.

~ A shield to repel all - The power of the guardian: Kindness to aid friends.

~ A staff of wonder and ruin - The power of the mystic: Inner strength.

You know that one of them must be chosen. What power will you seek?
[/center][/b]

[size=1][blockquote][The Power of the Staff][/blockquote][/size]

[b][center]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/center][/b]

[u][b][center]~Other~[/center][/b][/u]

[Beaver Dude]

Oh, and of course, take whatever you need from this account to make up for the munny.

Priorities: If you want to prioritize anything because this shopping list looks too bulky, weapon abilities + equips + The Nine Lives (last ability) are the priority items for now.

Also: this is Bishop's profile for the equip transfer.

[Akito]

Congratulations, you are now the strongest Organization member. At least on paper.

[Akito]

Old habits die hard. MINI MODDING FTW

Dragon Fang: What do you mean it will render enhancements on active defenses? Say, a defender shield ability, what will it do?

Boreas: You mentioned moving other objects to a limited extent. Clarify if you actually want to make use of it.

Endless Illusion: How much can he make into solid air? The maximum size and the maximum distance away from him he can form it. I imagine if he does that to ALL the air in the battlefield, enemies will be hard pressed to...breathe.

Perfect World: Active form, how big is the gust of wind? Is it dodgeable? With the way you phrased it, I'm assuming a gust of wind in all directions - like a sphere. Write that down if that is so, but maybe have it make a sound or something? So there is some possibility to dodge invisible wind rushing at you.

Some of your coding needs revising.

[Beaver Dude]

Roxas has 9500 munny worth o' keyblades.

Supreme weapon thingy: it would do nothing. This ability is designed to be effective against a single type of ability - Herc the jerk's mighty cumulative auras.

There, I said it. I'm a terrible person. But still. Random abilities that triple another abilities affect AND totally allow for protection against guard break equips? I say BULLS-

Boreas: whoops, leftover text. That part of the ability is no longer in effect.

Endless Illusion: It's supposed to be closer to Ichigo's (yeah, I know, Bleach, shame on me) random ability to look like he's on solid ground when he's in fact in the middle of the sky. So... his feet? His hands?

Perfect World: yes, sphere. Uhhh, I guess I can mention it looks like an aero equips gusts of wind? Whitish?

GAH. g2g. I can't edit these edits in right now BUT DO NOT LET THAT STOP YOU CHARACTER MOD. YOU KNOW THAT XALDY NEEDS THESE EDITS. DDD:

[Akito]

I'm just a passer by too nosey for his own good. I'll let the pros handle it.

[lysander]

This looks good to me, but if another party would like to look over it for bias' sake, feel free. I'll leave it Accepted, but unlocked until the tournament gets going, at which point I'll make the necessary edits and lock this thread.

[Beaver Dude]

I modified Xaldin's abilities per Akito's crits - also there was a leftover bit to the weak weapon ability - it was supposed to be written in as a passive ability but there was 6 uses every 6 posts to it that belonged to a different ability. I changed it to passive but I, um, really don't care. >>

AND WOOOH. LEVEL 10 QUEST WITH NO ITEMS LET'S GO!

[nothito]

Pardon my intrusion, but I can still break you in half you long haired hippie D<

[Beaver Dude]

;__; Don't say that right before an epic quest of doom.