Username: T3l0s
Character Name: Hattori Hanzo
Apparent Age: Somewhere in his mid-twenties, though it's difficult to discern in full battle-gear.
Sex: Male
Role: Servant
Class: Assassin
Appearance: [ In war and in peace. ]
Homeland: Nippon... Or rather, what is now modern-day Japan.
Your Wish: Reinstate the honor and the glory of his native land.
History: Born Hattori Masanari, there was little in his early life to distinguish him from others of similar birth: True, his parents were samurai and his father in the service of the great Matsudaira (later Tokugawa), but they were minor nobles at best and even the period of the Warring States gave them little in the way of acclaim. Masanari, however, showed early signs of bringing greatest to his family's name: An intelligent boy whose brilliant gray eyes were often remarked upon as a positive omen, Masanari spent most of his youth training tirelessly in all varieties of the noble martial arts, becoming particularly well-known for his grasp of spear-fighting. However, beginning at age eight and at the behest of his father's Matsudaira employer, he had also trained among the ninja of the legendary Iga clan ,from whom he learned not only the art of close-combat bladed fighting but also the techniques of ninpo which some believed to be little more than myth: Moving faster than the eye could track, honing the senses beyond the physical realm, and even manipulation of the elements. Though he revered his father and the traditions of bushido, Masanari's unorthodox schooling allowed him to think beyond a samurai's limited mindset, employing tactics that were both intellectually brilliant and carried out with a fearlessness that earned him both his public name – Hanzo – and the nickname of Oni no Hanzo. Gaining his first true experience of war during a nighttime siege at age sixteen, young Hanzo quickly gained a reputation for skill that belied his tender years and managed to not only survive the chaos of the Sengoku Jidai but thrived amidst the battle and the bloodshed. Perhaps his most outstanding accomplishment was the rescue and protection of future shogun Tokugawa Iyesu, who after the death of Oda Nobunaga had most of Japan after his head; not only did Hanzo guide his lord to safety, he brokered a peace between the feuding ninja clans of Iga and Koga and even returned to the thick of the fighting to rescue Iyesu's captured family. Passing his samurai skills to his eldest son – but retaining his ninja skills, due to a sworn vow made to the clan who had taught him – Hattori Hanzo lived just long enough to see the lord he'd protected ascend to power; Hanzo was sadly unable to see the unified Japan he'd wished for, perishing in battle against the ninja warlord Fuuma Koutarou at the age of fifty-five.
Personality: In battle, Hattori Hanzo is truly the demon some believed he was: Utterly ruthless against his opponents, he believes that 'honor' is a subjective word and does not feel bound to obey the honor-codes of others, even those of his Master. Should his Master issue an order, Hattori will take the shortest, most efficient route to his goal unless otherwise instructed, and will feel no guilt in doing so. Outside of battle, Hattori is a quiet, meditative man with a subdued sense of humor that rarely has a chance to surface; despite his dreams of a peaceful and flourishing Japan, Hattori long ago accepted that his life is destined to be one of violence and bloodshed, believing in the end that the end justifies the means. When he has the chance, Hattori enjoys being able to meditate on the beauty and natural order of nature, and enjoys a number of green teas; despite his no-frills, even brutal battle-style, Hattori Hanzo is - ironically - an innate peaceful man whose strong loyalties to his country have yet to fade. However, as with many Heroic Spirits so closely associated with their native land, Hattori immediately senses something amiss with Japan after he's spent some time in the modern world, and he's certain that it has something to do with the loss of the warrior spirit. Surely there must be a reason why the Throne of Heroes hasn't accepted a new Heroic Spirit for centuries? Even if it means creating another war of the ancient world to temper the souls of present-day Japan, Hattori will do what he has to in order to repair what he sees as a broken system. Because of what he perceives as 'modern weakness,' Hattori harbors a quiet disdain for the modern world in general and even his Master will have to prove themselves worthy of his respect... though of course, being a loyal retainer still, Hattori will obey his Master's orders even unto his own death. Despite this loyalty, Hattori will - respectfully - offer advice if asked, and will object to what he sees as foolish actions... though he'll carry it out unaltered if his Master orders. Old-fashioned in his ideas of fealty, he will stoically perform any test his Master asks of him, even to the point of self-injury.
Talents: Aside from his combat skills, Hattori is a skilled orator and a philosopher in his spare time, more than willing to discuss ideals, honor, and the nature of Man in and out of battle; it may also be one of the few times one sees him truly passionate about something. A poet in the way of all classical samurai, he actually has quite a way with words and art as well as ukiyo-e painting, and appreciates art of all kinds though his old-fashioned worldview obviously affects his opinions. Though few would know it, he's an accomplished flautist on the shakuhachi (Japanese bamboo flute).
Magic/Weapons: Despite possessing the strength and style of a samurai, Hattori is well aware that his ability to take blows is less than it should be; as a result, his fighting-style is predicated on the concept of illusion, misdirection, and - in the event of necessity - playing dirty. His legendary ability to move faster than the eye can follow is only enhanced by his being summoned as an Assassin.
➸ Soutenha :: A double-headed kusari-gama, Soutenha's chain is inscribed with sacred symbols that render it unbreakable save by supernatural power, i.e. the magic or weapons of a Servant; the chain is also capable of extending or retracting to nearly indefinite proportions, though past an obvious point it just becomes unwieldy. The heads of the kusari-gama are armed with four blades in a blossom formation that can also function as a grappling hook and serve similar purposes.
➸ Kuji-in :: Originating as meditative Buddhist hand-symbols, they were imbued with mystic meaning by the ninja-clans who developed their usage during the Sengoku Jidai; tutored by the Iga clan's kuji-in master himself, Hattori is capable of using them to invoke various elemental 'magics' which are actually manipulations of ki and chi. He also uses them in the non-magical sense to meditate, as originally intended. By maintaining a continuous chant with the appropriate hand-signs of the entire phrase (“May all those who preside over warriors be my vanguard!”), Hattori may create a seven-layered protective barrier visible to those with magical ability as a transparent dome of light; the ward is ten feet in diameter and lasts so long as Hattori continues the chant and takes no other actions.
➸ Sainen-ji :: Hattori's most legendary spear, often saw less action as his skills in other areas increased; however, he remains recognized as one of Japan's premiere spearmen and retained Sainen-ji as his most favorite of the lot. Notable for its black-and-red lacquered shaft and an unusually long blade of nearly fifteen inches, it's particularly useful - as it was in life - against mounted or flying opponents, and its tip possesses the ability to ignore supernatural armor (though the armor itself remains as strong as ever). Its material form is housed in a small, sacred temple in Japan, and Sainen-ji spear remains his most identifying feature; thus, this weapon is rarely drawn.
➸ Kagejutsu :: Vaguely known as 'shadow magic,' Hattori must extend tendrils of prana to seize control of the shadows in a certain area, animating them to ensnare his enemies and solidifying them for attacks. He may do so remotely, but must remain within line-of-sight in order to do so effectively; the shadows are fragile and will weaken if strongly struck, but Hattori may reform them so long as he's willing to expend prana. Due to the fragility of the shadows produced, kagejutsu is usually used in ambush tactics or in conjunction with other skills to form traps. If confronted by bright light equivalent to daylight, the shadows dissolve and will be unable to approach the light-source.
➸ Genjutsu :: Or 'illusion techniques,' these allow Hattori to expend prana in order to create realistic illusions, or implant stray thoughts or misdirection directly into the minds of his enemies. Because they rarely work if actively guarded-against, they're primarily used while the subject is asleep, at rest, or otherwise not expecting an attack: If he knows their present location, Hattori can create such illusions or suggestions remotely. Nowhere near the level of hypnosis or mind-control, they're used to weaken victims with nightmares or horrible memories of their past; in battle, Hattori generates phantom duplicates as distractions that seem read until struck, upon which they dissipate into gray smoke.
Notes: Though a master of battoujutsu, Hattori will not use Sougyou-no-ken unless he has no other choice; that particular Noble Phantasm is a powerful one-trick pony, and he relies on creative use of his 'standard' abilities instead.
Noble Phantasm:
Oni no Kamen :: The 'mask of the demon' is actually an ornate horned helmet of worked gold and blue steel, molded like clay and tempered in flame by the most capable smiths of the era. This helmet bears all the weight of Hattori Hanzo's legend since the day he gave up his birth name to become Oni no Hanzo, for the sake of his lord and his country; this encompasses his heroic deeds as well as the blood he spilled in the name of his ideals, and is the foundation of most of his special abilities. While wearing the 'mask,' little besides Hattori's gray eyes and his mouth can be seen; he always dons the Oni no Kamen in preparation for battle, and the only way to remove it is by striking it hard enough to splinter the steel. As a Noble Phantasm, it can never be truly destroyed unless by Hattori himself; however, another Noble Phantasm may succeed in cracking the mask, which will deny Hattori varying special abilities (depending on how badly the mask was damaged) and usually cause Hattori to retreat until it has repaired itself. Hattori's Master may also expend prana to heal it automatically.
Sougyou-no-ken :: The 'blade of daybreak,' this was a gift to Hattori Hanzo from Tokugawa Iyesu shortly after the two met for the first time: Skeptical of Hattori's supposed skills, Iyesu ran him through a number of grueling tests which Hattori met with aplomb; impressed by his vassal's ability and cool loyalty, Iyesu rewarded him with this blade. A slender silver-white katana, it's most often kept in its scabbard, a black-lacquered work of art inlaid with gold and mother-of-pearl. Once drawn, Sougyou-no-ken emits a flash of white light that will blind any who look at it directly save its wielder, who is immune to it. Once drawn, time in the area of Hattori for a ten-foot radius will slow to a crawl while simultaneously boosting Hattori's strength and speed to inhuman levels, even for a Servant; while the effect lasts only for a few moments at best, it's usually more than enough time for Hattori to accomplish his goals. Onlookers, including his victims, will come away with the impression that Hattori is merely having his physical stats enhanced; detection of the temporal change will require that a powerful Mage or Servant be looking for such a thing while observing the use of Sougyou-no-ken first-hand.
Signature Song: Tsuru no Sugomori, Miyata Kouhachirou
