#;a natural born killer (MOMOCHI TANBA);

[iinexorabile]

TANBA,MAIN INFO (redux)

                       OVERVIEW

“MOMOCHI TANBA, THE IGA’S GRANDMASTER… HE’S CRUEL, BRUTAL; A NATURAL BORN KILLER.”

NAME: momochi tanba ALIAS(s): too many. AGE: 30 - 40 biologically BIRTH: 1600’s ORIGIN: japan CLASS: assassin EYES: gold HAIR: black HEIGHT: 5'8"default, but always changing ALIGNMENT: neutral evil ENNEAGRAM: 8w7 MBTI: ENTP-A

STORY

Born into one of Iga province’s greatest Shinobi clans– the Momochi– Yasumitsu was the youngest of his four siblings, and was not particularly favoured by his father at birth. Having three sons already, more than enough to ensure the stability of his family line, Yasumitsu’s father had hoped for a daughter, one he could eventually use as a political tool, and receiving yet another son did not sit well with him. In all likelihood, Yasumitsu would have been carted off to a monastery once he was old enough to speak, having no use to his family, at least in his father’s eyes, but destiny would have greater plans for the boy.

A great plague would one day strike the province, tearing through households like a raging fire, and the Momochi clan was not spared from the blaze. Each of Yasumitsu’s elder brothers perished to the blistering infection, dying slow, agonizing deaths, to which their father could do nothing but watch. Not Yasumitsu, though; strangely enough, this disease never touched the boy, even while those around him dropped like flies. When all was said and done, and the last of his brothers slipped away from this world, Yasumitsu was left as his father’s only male heir. The father had mixed feelings on this matter, wishing that it was Yasumitsu who perished instead, but like it or not, his father knew what this meant– Yasumitsu was the Momochi clan’s future.

For the rest of his childhood and later teenage years, Yasumitsu lived Kashiwara Castle, where he studied tirelessly under the tutelage of his father. Trained and conditioned in the ways of the Iga-ryu, Yasumitsu, to his father’s surprise, excelled in all areas, magic especially, and by age seventeen, he was regarded as one of Iga province’s fiercest, and brightest, a true shinobi prodigy if there ever was one. There was great hope for this to-be leader of the Momochi clan, and when Yasumitsu’s father finally passed away under ‘mysterious’ circumstances, Yasumitsu set in motion a series of events that would change Iga province forever.

Taking the name Tanba Momochi, he immediately called for a grand council of Iga’s three great shinobi clans, and there, they deliberated for four days straight. Tanba’s goal was to bring Iga’s great houses together under a single banner, to truly combine their strength and end the days where they played second to Nihon’s other major powers. Iga had been effectively independent for quite some time already, and the Divine Body that fueled the power of all Iga-ryu shinobi made them a force to be reckoned with, their but Tanba wanted to see Iga become a force that could rule all of Nihon one day.

There was great resistance to Tanba’s idea of course, and with good reason– working toward what he proposed would set many eyes upon Iga, and could easily put it in great danger. In the end, however, Tanba’s charismatic nature won out, and for the first time in history, Iga’s three great Shinobi clans, the Momochi, the Hattori, the Fujibayashi, and the smaller retainer clans beneath them, stood united under one cause, one banner, and one leader– Tanba himself. Being elevated to the post of Sōdai-shinobi (Grand Shinobi) by the heads of the Hattori and Fujibayashi, and self styling himself as the ‘Shinobi King’, Tanba immediately set out on making his goal a reality, becoming a feared presence across all of Nihon through his machinations, fighting prowess, and command of ancient magecraft, although the eventual rise of a certain warlord in Owari– Oda Nobunaga– would end up setting the stage for a war more difficult than originally expected.

For years, Tanba would go on to work against Nobunaga and their allies, even working behind the scenes to string together a coalition of warlord’s to oppose the Demon King at one point. In the end, however, Tanba’s hubris would spell the end for him and many of his people. Tanba’s actions and ambitions, you see, had not gone without notice, and inevitably, he ended up drawing too much attention to Iga, putting them in the direct sights of many, including Nobunaga, who, by 1580, had either killed or subjugated most of their enemies– save Tanba.

Isolated and surrounded on all sides, Iga was invaded by a vengeful Nobunaga in 1581, and in the fighting across the province that followed, Tanba and his forces were thoroughly routed. Whether Tanba himself was killed in the fighting or escaped is unclear, but what was clear was that he vanished from the pages of history afterword.

PERSONALITY

An eccentric who’s as kind as he is twisted and egotistical, “complicated” would be the easiest way to describe Momochi Tanba. Cordial and upbeat with those he encounters, and at times prodigal with his wealth, it would be easy to mistake Tanba for a genuinely “good” person, an undeniably strange person on account of his odd and at times over the top mannerisms, but a good one nonetheless. Stick around Tanba long enough, however, and one will quickly see how morally bankrupt the man truly is behind his smiles, pleasantries, and quirks. That’s not to say that what Tanba presents to others is a front, it isn’t, what you see (in most situations) is what you get with him, but his affability and eccentricities can easily be overshadowed by the more troubling aspects of his character.

Tanba is someone who can be deceptively intelligent and astute, being able to think quickly and efficiently on his feet with unparalleled wit in any given situation, making it a mistake to write him off as a “fool”. An even greater mistake, however, would be to write Tanba off as “harmless”, for he is anything but. Tanba is, in every sense of the term, a ruthless murderer, one who takes great joy in spilling the blood of others, often brutalizing his targets in displays that show a disturbing lack of humanity. Tanba’s standards on who or what he kills can be inconsistent, but he is generally open to and okay with killing anything and anyone if he see’s the need or feels the desire to, be it man or woman, enemy or bystander, human or beast– it matters not, if someone is his opponent, they are in his way, or if he just happens to be bored, he will kill them, and he will most likely enjoy it to the fullest extent.

The ego on this man is another issue entirely– it’s not the most deplorable facet of Tanba’s psyche by far, but it can be seen as problematic. Believing himself to be, quite literally, of higher status than everyone around him, Tanba automatically assumes that those he encounters are lesser than he is in every conceivable way. Tanba doesn’t make it a point to flaunt this idea in the faces of others all day and night, and he’s certainly not above paying someone compliments about their own skills, but he has no problems with letting others know of his superiority when he believes its necessary. By extension of his own ego, Tanba believes that Shinobi in general are superior to everyone else, especially samurai, it just happens that he is the most superior Shinobi.

Tanba is also highly ambitious, harboring a dream that, if fulfilled, would give birth to a world where Shinobi reigned supreme, with him seated upon a throne as ruler of humanity. Tanba is extremely passionate about this dream, and if you spend any amount of time around him, it won’t be unheard of for him to mention it. However, Tanba’s passion for this dream usually translates into him killing others to make it a reality, meaning he leaves quite a trail of blood behind in his wake.

Looking past everything else, deep down Tanba is someone who struggles with his emotional connections to others. Tanba is more than capable of forming platonic bonds, but when dealing with bonds of the romantic nature, he experiences great difficulties. Tanba’s fumbling and awkwardness when romance is involved aside, he struggles with romantic “love” itself. “Loving” someone in the romantic sense has proved near impossible for Tanba despite his best attempts and desires to return the feelings of his various partners. Tanba is someone who wants to love, but the strings of his heart play a tune he and others often fail to understand. Tanba’s inability to deal with the troubles that stem from his romantic failings– like his tendency to run from those problems and the people he is involved with– only make things worse, but if his heart ever truly settles on another, he will never, ever let go.

PARAMETERS

STR: B+ // END: C // AGI: A++ // MAG: A // NP: A++ // LCK: C

SKILLS

PRESENCE CONCEALMENT: EX MASTER OF THE IGA RYU: EX DUAL LEGEND: C CHARISMA: B EYE OF THE MIND (TRUE): B BATTLE CONTINUATION: A GOLDEN RULE (AMBITION): B

SKILLS (in depth)

Master of the Iga-ryu: Iga-ryū (伊賀流, “the Iga School”) is a historical school of ninjutsu, according to Japanese legend. It became one of the two most well-known ninja schools in Japan, along with the Kōga-ryu. An art that taught mental, physical and magical techniques, Tanba’s degree of mastery and innovation in every one of it’s facets broke the limits of what was thought possible and then some– he may as well have reinvented the art himself.

As a servant, this skill serves as the overall representation of that mastery, allowing Tanba the use of Iga-ryu Ninjutsu and the use of Kuji-in (both on par with Magecraft from the Age of Gods thanks to their connection to a Divine Body), the knowledge to use a wide array of weaponry and tactics, and the ability to create / summon items suited to his profession in life (those of which can affect servants, but are more effective against masters or in stealth situations).

Dual Legend: A variant of the 'Double Summon' skill. According to legend, Momochi Tanba and Fujibayashi Nagato (one of Iga’s other great shinobi) were the same person, with the latter being one of Tanba’s many aliases, and while this is not true, their immaculate legends have still become mixed as a result, allowing them to benefit from one another’s individual reputations in the form of empowerment (rank up’s to each parameter, not counting personal skills, class skills, or noble phantasms), a higher leveled Saint Graph, and access to skills that would otherwise only be available to Tanba had he been summoned as a Caster (i.e Master of the Iga-ryu, which contains elements of the Item Creation skill and allows Tanba to use his unique magecraft/ninjutsu).

Technically, this skill also allows Tanba, and conversely, Fujibayashi Nagato if they are ever summoned as a servant, to use one another's Noble Phantasms, but only when they are within their Culture Sphere.

Charisma: A composite Skill consisting of a person’s charm as well as the natural talent to command or unify an army or country. Assassin first displayed this charisma when he was able unify Iga province without bloodshed, and displayed it time and time again as he led his people throughout the Sengoku Period, and strung together the Anti-Nobunaga Coalition.

Eye of The Mind (True): A heightened capacity for observation, refined through training, discipline and experience. Eye of the Mind (True) is a danger-avoidance ability that utilizes the intelligence collected up to the current time as the basis in order to predict the opponent’s activity and change the current situation. This is not a result of talent, but an overwhelming amount of combat experience. A weapon wielded by none other than a mortal, gained through tenacious training. So long there is even a 1% chance of a comeback, this ability greatly improves the chances of winning.

Battle Continuation: A Skill that allows for the continuation of combat after sustaining mortal wounds, and a skill that also reduces the mortality rate from injury. This Skill represents the ability to survive and/or the mentality of one who doesn’t know when to give up, consisting of one’s strength of vitality in predicaments.

The best result is achieved when a resilient body is combined with this Skill. Tanba’s ranking in this skill is a result of his reputation for surviving/fighting through wounds or situations that would have killed most other people, a point that turns up in his legend multiple times.

Golden Rule (Ambition): Firstly, this skill represents the fortune Assassin was able to acure in life, and how he lavishly spent or used it in some way on himself, his land, and his people. Secondly, it represents Assassin’s sheer ambition, in regards to how relentlessly he pursued his goals, either for his own benefit or for the benefit of Iga, regardless of the challenges he faced.

It is a passive composite skill, and as a result of it, Assassin is afforded two boons– first, Assassin is never without access to great wealth (this wealth usually being in the form of pure gold). Secondly, thanks to this skill, Assassin receives a temporary boost to his END parameter (+ modifier) after talking about and/or boasting about his ambitions– i.e, his desire to rule the world or anything related to it. (yes his ego is so big that it can literally somewhat empower him, crazy right?).

Presence Concealment: This skill is the capacity to hide one’s presence as a Servant. In life, Assassin shared an affinity with the shadows that could scarcely be matched, with it being said he and the shadows were at times one and the same. Assassin was never seen or detected if he did not wish to be, not once, even when he came up against the most keen minds or greatest of magical defenses. As a servant, Assassin’s presence, at his ranking, is completely hidden at all times, outside of combat or otherwise, making perfect sneak attacks always possible, though servants with Instinct or other supernatural abilities like Clairvoyance are far more likely to snuff those attacks out before they land. A target’s luck parameter, if high enough, may also cause Assassin’s otherwise ‘perfect’ sneak attacks to fail, even if he is not detected.

As a result of his ranking in this skill, Assassin’s parameters, skills, and even true class designation, cannot be reliably viewed by outside sources, save for those with the skill True Name Discernment, although Assassin can still evade this with a successful luck check.

NOBLE PHANTASMS

Getsuruitō - Sword of Lunar Tears (Massacre by Moonlight) | Anti-Unit / Anti-Army / Anti-Fortress C ~ A++ Said to have originally been forged by the moon god Tsukuyomi, it is a katana-like blade that was passed down between leaders of the Momochi clan, and was bestowed upon Tanba when he became head of his family. When activated by the phrase ’watch now as the moon weeps; Getsuruitō!’, this noble phantasm gains the ability to manipulate moonlight and the shadows it casts, allowing it a number of effects. This noble phantasm’s classification, power, and ranking vary depending on what phase the moon is currently in.

The Thousand Golden Blades | Anti-Unit / Anti Army D They are kunai-shaped daggers with golden trimmings (similar to the Dirk’s used by the Hassan) that Assassin uses as throwing weapons or for close melee. They are noble phantasms of the passive nature, their blades inflicting a devastating poison-like effect upon enemies, but they are weak enough to be deflected by most magical armours. They are most effective when used in mass, and can utilized in such a way easily, with Assassin being able to multiply their number whenever they are thrown at a target if he wishes. The Thousand Golden Blades are especially effective during surprise attacks, too, though Assassin can utilize them in just about any combat situation with deadly skill.

Hensōjutsu - The Seven Ways of Going (Art of the Many-Faced Crow) | Anti-Unit (self) EX While Assassin has access to a wide array of Ninjutsu based magecraft, this specific area was converted into one of his noble phantasms due to his sheer level of skill in this particular area and how much his use of it influenced his legend. 'Hensōjutsu' itself is the art of disguise and impersonation, but in life, Tanba took it to levels never seen before him. Tanba did not merely disguise himself as a foe or impersonate them with simple shapeshifting, he rediscovered, tapped into, and then improved upon the Iga-ryu's most ancient and taboo arts that hailed from the Age of Gods, and used them to change his being and truly become whoever or whatever he wanted.

As a servant, Assassin need only look upon a target and hear their voice once to assume their complete identity, while also gaining the skills, powers, and/ or noble phantasm’s they have displayed despite not truly possessing them himself.

Replicating the full power of Noble Phantasm’s that are beyond the destructive anti-army classification is also not possible (unless he is within his culture sphere), though Assassin can still use said Noble Phantasm’s at anti-army capacity, regardless of their true classification. This Noble Phantasm’s ability to let Assassin assume different forms or identities extends far beyond human targets as well, giving it a wide variety of applications in truth.

Being ‘killed’ while assuming the form of someone else does not kill Assassin himself, but it will force him back to his normal appearance, and leave him in a severely injured state. It can be partially utilized without a chant, and is technically always active for Assassin in a passive-effect sense, but to activate its true power, Assassin must speak the phrase 'This crow has many faces, as the world will soon see; Writhe in fear, for I now walk the Seven Ways of Going’.

Tsuki no kage (Shadow of the Moon) | Anti-Unit (self) B At one point crafted by the same deity responsible for Getsuruitō, this set of light armour was passed down between leaders of the Momochi clan, and like Getsuruitō, it was bestowed upon Tanba when he became head of his family. From dusk till dawn, this armour will completely protect the wearer from projectile attacks, hostile magical attacks/effects (including those dealt by noble phantasm’s), curses, and from the effects of poison, with the arm and shin guards in particular resisting all manners of damage. However, weapon’s, magic’s, poisons, and beings of demonic nature can bypass these defenses with ease.

Raijū (Thunder Beast) | Anti-Unit / Anti Army D An obsidian colored kusarigama with gold trimmings, it was said to possesses qualities that likened its slashes to bolts of lightning, and was recorded to have been used during a few of Tanba's engagements against Oda forces. In life, this weapon's origins were unclear, with some saying it was personally forged for Tanba, and others saying it was passed down to him. As a servant, Assassin does not utilize it as much as he does his other lesser Noble Phantasm, the Thousand Golden Blades, and depending on the power of his Master, he may not even be summoned with it, but if he does possess it, Raijū can have many useful applications during combat against single or multiple opponents.

[iinexorabile]

TANBA: INFO

“MOMOCHI TANBA, THE IGA’S GRANDMASTER… HE’S CRUEL, BRUTAL; A NATURAL BORN KILLER”

                       OVERVIEW

NAME: momochi tanba ALIAS(s): too many. AGE: biologically in 40’s BIRTH: 1600’s ORIGIN: japan CLASS: assassin EYES: gold HAIR: black HEIGHT: 5'8"default, but always changing ALIGN: neutral evil ENNEAGRAM: 8w7 MBTI: ENTP-A

STORY

Born into one of Iga province’s greatest shinobi clans– the Momochi– Yasumitsu was the youngest of his four siblings, and was not particuarly favoured by his father at birth. Having three sons already, more than enough to ensure the stability of his family line, Yasumitsu’s father had hoped for a daughter, one he could eventually use as a politcal tool, and receiving yet another son did not sit well with him. In all likelyhood, Yasumitsu would have been carted off to a monastery once he was old enough to speak, having no use to his family, at least in his father’s eyes, but destiny would have greater plans for the boy.

A great plague would one day strike the province, tearing through households like a raging fire, and the Momochi clan was not spared from the blaze. Each of Yasumitsu’s elder brothers perished to the blistering infection, dying slow, agonizing deaths, to which their father could do nothing but watch. Not Yasumitsu, though; strangely enough, this disease never touched the boy, even while those around him dropped like flies. When all was said and done, and the last of his brothers slipped away from this world, Yasumitsu was left as his father’s only male heir. The father had mixed feelings on this matter, wishing that it was Yasumitsu who perished instead, but like it or not, his father knew what this meant– Yasumitsu was the Momochi clan’s future.

For the rest of his childhood and later teenage years, Yasumitsu lived Kashiwara Castle, where he studied tirelessly under the tutelage of his father. Trained and conditioned in the ways of the Iga-ryu, Yasumitsu, to his father’s surprise, excelled in all areas, magic especially, and by age seventeen, he was regarded as one of Iga province’s fiercest, and brightest, a true shinobi prodigy if there ever was one. There was great hope for this to-be leader of the Momochi clan, and when Yasumitsu’s father finally passed away under ‘mysterious’ circumstances, Yasumitsu set in motion a series of events that would change Iga province forever.

Taking the name Tanba Momochi, he immediately called for a grand council of Iga’s three great shinobi clans, and there, they deliberated for four days straight. Tanba’s goal was to bring Iga’s great houses together under a single banner, to truly combine their strength and end the days where they played second to Nihon’s other major powers. Iga province had been effectively indepenent for quite some time already, but Tanba wanted to see Iga become a force to be reckoned with, a force that could potentially rule all of Nihon one day.

There was great resistance to Tanba’s idea of course, and with good reason– working toward what he proposed would set many eyes upon Iga, and could easily put it in great danger. In the end, however, Tanba’s charismatic nature won out, and for the first time in history, Iga’s three great shinobi clans, the Momochi, the Hattori, the Fujibayashi, and the smaller retainer clans beneath them, stood united under one cause, one banner, and one leader– Tanba himself. Being elevated to the post of Sōdai-shinobi (Grand Shinobi) by the heads of the Hattori and Fujibayashi, and self styling himself as the ‘Shinobi King’, Tanba set out on making his goal a reality, becoming a feared presence across all of Nihon through his machinations, fighting prowess, and command of magecraft, although the eventual rise of a certain warlord in Owari– Oda Nobunaga– would end up setting the stage for a war more difficult than originally expected.

For years, Tanba would go on to work against Nobunaga and their allies, even working behind the scenes to string together a coalition of warlord’s to oppose the Demon King at one point. In the end, however, Tanba’s hubris would spell the end for him and many of his people. Tanba’s actions and ambitions, you see, had not gone without notice, and inevitably, he ended up drawing too much attention to Iga, putting them in the direct sights of many, including Nobunaga, who, by 1580, had either killed or subjagated most of their enemies– save Tanba.

Isolated and surrounded on all sides, Iga was invaded by a vengeful Nobunaga in 1581, and in the fighting across the province that followed, Tanba and his forces were thoroughly routed. Wheter Tanba himself was killed in the fighting or escaped is unclear, but what was clear was that he vanished from the pages of history afterword.

PERSONALITY

An eccentric who’s as kind as he is twisted and egotistical, “complicated” would be the easiest way to describe Momochi Tanba. Cordial and upbeat with those he encounters, and at times prodigal with his wealth, it would be easy to mistake Tanba for a genuinely “good” person, an undeniably strange person on account of his odd and at times over the top mannerisms, but a good one nonetheless. Stick around Tanba long enough, however, and one will quickly see how morally bankrupt the man truly is behind his smiles, pleasantries, and quirks. That’s not to say that what Tanba presents to others is a front, it isn’t, what you see (in most situations) is what you get with him, but his affability and eccentricities can easily be overshadowed by the more troubling aspects of his character.

Tanba is someone who can be deceptively intelligent and astute, being able to think quickly and efficiently on his feet with unparalleled wit in any given situation, making it a mistake to write him off as a “fool”. An even greater mistake, however, would be to write Tanba off as “harmless”, for he is anything but. Tanba is, in every sense of the term, a ruthless murderer, one who takes great joy in spilling the blood of others, often brutalizing his targets in displays that show a disturbing lack of humanity. Tanba’s standards on who or what he kills can be inconsistent, but he is generally open to and okay with killing anything and anyone if he see’s the need or feels the desire to, be it man or woman, enemy or bystander, human or beast– it matters not, if someone is his opponent, they are in his way, or if he just happens to be bored, he will kill them, and he will most likely enjoy it to the fullest extent.

The ego on this man is another issue entirely– it’s not the most deplorable facet of Tanba’s psyche by far, but it can be seen as problematic. Believing himself to be, quite literally, of higher status than everyone around him, Tanba automatically assumes that those he encounters are lesser than he is in every conceivable way. Tanba doesn’t make it a point to flaunt this idea in the faces of others all day and night, and he’s certainly not above paying someone compliments about their own skills, but he has no problems with letting others know of his superiority when he believe’s its necessary. By extension of his own ego, Tanba believes that shinobi in general are superior to everyone else, especially samurai, it just happens that he is the most superior shinobi.

Tanba is also highly ambitious, harboring a dream that, if fulfilled, would give birth to a world where shinobi reigned supreme, with him seated upon a throne as ruler of humanity. Tanba is extremely passionate about this dream, and if you spend any amount of time around him, it won’t be unheard of for him to mention it. However, Tanba’s passion for this dream usually translates into him killing others to make it a reality, meaning he leaves quite a trail of blood behind in his wake.

Looking past everything else, deep down Tanba is someone who struggles with his emotional connections to others. Tanba is more than capable of forming platonic bonds, but when dealing with bonds of the romantic nature, he experiences great difficulties. Tanba’s fumbling and awkwardness when romance is involved aside, he struggles with romantic “love” itself. “Loving” someone in the romantic sense has proved near impossible for Tanba despite his best attempts and desires to return the feelings of his various partners. Tanba is someone who wants to love, but the strings of his heart play a tune he and others often fail to understand. Tanba’s inability to deal with the troubles that stem from his romantic failings– like his tendency to run from those problems and the people he is involved with– only make things worse, but if his heart ever truly settles on another, he will never, ever let go.

PARAMETERS

STR: B+ END: C AGI: A++ MAG: A NP: A++ LCK: C

SKILLS

MASTER OF THE IGA RYU: EX DUAL LEGEND: C CHARISMA: B EYE OF THE MIND (TRUE): B BATTLE CONTINUATION: A GOLDEN RULE (AMBITION): B+ PRESENCE CONCEALMENT: EX

SKILLS (in depth)

Master of the Iga-ryu: Iga-ryū (伊賀流, “the Iga School”) is a historical school of ninjutsu, according to Japanese legend. It became one of the two most well-known ninja schools in Japan, along with the Kōga-ryu. An art that taught mental, physical and magical techniques, Tanba’s degree of mastery and innovation in every one of it’s facets broke the limits of what was thought possible and then some– he may as well have reinvented the art himself.

As a servant, this skill serves as the overall representation of that mastery, allowing Tanba the use of powerful shinobi magecraft, the use of Kuji-in, the knowledge to use a wide array of weaponry and tactics, and the ability to create / summon items suited to his profession in life (those of which can affect servants, but are more effective against masters or in stealth situations).

Dual Legend: According to legend, Momochi Tanba and Fujibayashi Nagato (one of Iga’s other great shinobi) were the same person, with the latter being one of Tanba’s many aliases, and while this is not true, their personal legends have still become mixed as a result, allowing them to benefit from one another’s individual reputations in the form of empowerment (rank up’s to each parameter, not counting personal skills, class skills, or noble phantasms), and a higher leveled Saint Graph.

Charisma: A composite Skill consisting of a person’s charm as well as the natural talent to command or unify an army or country. Assassin first displayed this charisma when he was able unify Iga province without bloodshed, and displayed it time and time again as he led his people throughout the Sengoku Period.

Eye of The Mind (True): A heightened capacity for observation, refined through training, discipline and experience. Eye of the Mind (True) is a danger-avoidance ability that utilizes the intelligence collected up to the current time as the basis in order to predict the opponent’s activity and change the current situation. This is not a result of talent, but an overwhelming amount of combat experience. A weapon wielded by none other than a mortal, gained through tenacious training. So long there is even a 1% chance of a comeback, this ability greatly improves the chances of winning.

Battle Continuation: A Skill that allows for the continuation of combat after sustaining mortal wounds, and a skill that also reduces the mortality rate from injury. This Skill represents the ability to survive and/or the mentality of one who doesn’t know when to give up, consisting of one’s strength of vitality in predicaments.

The best result is achieved when a resilient body is combined with this Skill. Tanba’s ranking in this skill is a result of his reputation for surviving/fighting through wounds or situations that would have killed most other people.

Golden Rule (Ambition): Firstly, this skill represents the fortune Asassin was able to acure in life, and how he lavishly spent or used it in some way on himself, his land, and his people. Seconldy, it represents Assassin’s sheer ambition, in regards to how relentlessly he pursued his goals, either for his own benefit or for the benefit of Iga, regardless of the challenges he faced.

It is a passive composite skill, and as a result of it, Assassin is afforded two boons– first, Assassin is never without access to great wealth (this wealth usually being in the form of pure gold). Secondly, thanks to this skill, Assassin recieves a temporary boost to his END parameter (+ modifier) after talking about and/or boasting about his ambitions– i.e, his desire to rule the world or anything related to it. (yes his ego is so big that it can literally somewhat empower him, crazy right?).

Presence Concealment: This skill is the capacity to hide one’s presence as a Servant. In life, Assassin shared an affinity with the shadows that could scarcely be matched, with it being said he and the shadows were at times one and the same. Assassin was never seen or detected if he did not wish to be, not once, even when he came up against the most keen minds or greatest of magical defenses. As a servant, Assassin’s presence, at his ranking, is completely hidden at all times, outside of combat or otherwise, making perfect sneak attacks always possible, though servants with Instinct or other supernatural abilities like Clairvoyance are far more likely to snuff those attacks out before they land. A target’s luck parameter, if high enough, may also cause Assassin’s otherwise ‘perfect’ sneak attacks to fail, even if he is not detected.

As a result of his ranking in this skill, Assassin’s paramaters, skills, and even true class designation, cannot be reliably viewed by outside sources, save for those with the skill True Name Discernment, although Assassin can still evade this with a successful luck check.

NOBLE PHANTASMS

Getsuruitō - Sword of Lunar Tears (Massacre by Moonlight) Anti-Unit/Anti-Army C ~ A++ Said to have originally been forged by the moon god Tsukuyomi, it is a katana-like blade that was passed down between leaders of the Momochi clan, and was bestowed upon Tanba when he became head of his family. When activated by the phrase ’watch now as the moon weeps; Getsuruitō!’, this noble phantasm gains the ability to manipulate moonlight and the shadows it casts, allowing it a number of effects. This noble phantasm’s power and ranking vary depending on what phase the moon is currently in.

The Thousand Golden Blades  Anti-Unit / Anti Army D They are kunai-shaped daggers with golden trimmings (similar to the Dirk’s used by the Hassan) that Assassin uses as throwing weapons or for close melee. They are noble phantasms of the passive nature, their blades inflicting a devastating poison-like effect upon enemies, but they are weak enough to be deflected by most magical armours. They are most effective when used in mass, and can utilized in such a way easily, with Tanba being able to multiply their number whenever they are thrown at a target if he wishes. The Thousand Golden Blades are especially effective during surprise attacks, too, though Tanba can utilize them in just about any combat situation with deadly skill. Hensōjutsu - The Seven Ways of Going (Art of the Many-Faced Crow) Anti-unit (self) A++ While Assassin has access to a wide array of Ninjutsu based magecraft, this specific area was converted into one of his noble phantasms due to his sheer level of skill in this particular area. Hensōjutsu itself is the art of disguise and impersonation, but in life, Tanba took it to levels never seen before him. Tanba did not just disguise himself as a foe or impersonate them with simple shapeshifting, he used ancient, taboo magic that hailed from the Age of Gods to change his being and literally become them.

As a servant, Assassin need only look upon a target and hear their voice once to assume their complete identity, while also gaining the skills, powers, and/ or noble phantasm’s they have displayed despite not truly possessing them himself (though skills/powers/noble phantasm’s he hasn’t witnessed a target use will remain out of his grasp until he see’s them). Replicating the effects of noble phantasm’s beyond the anti-unit classification is also not possible (unless he is within his cultre sphere), though Assassin can still use them at anti-unit capacity, regardless of the noble phantasm’s actual classification. This Noble Phantasm’s ability to let Assassin assume different forms or identities extends far beyond human targets as well, giving it a wide variety of applications in truth.

Being ‘killed’ while assuming the likeness of someone else does not kill Assassin himself, but it will force him back to his normal appearance, and leave him in a severely injured state. It can be partially utilized without a chant, and is technically always active for Assassin in a passive-effect sense, but to activate its true power, Assassin must speak the phrase 'This crow has many faces, as the world will soon see; Writhe in fear, for I now walk the Seven Ways of Going’.

Tsuki no kage (Shadow of the Moon)  Anti-unit (self) B At one point crafted by the same deity responsible for Getsuruitō, this set of light armour was passed down between leaders of the Momochi clan, and like Getsuruitō, it was bestowed upon Tanba when he became head of his family. From dusk till dawn, this armour will completely protect the wearer from projectile attacks, hostile magical attacks/effects (including those dealt by noble phantasm’s), curses, and from the effects of poison, with the arm and shin guards in particular resisting all manners of damage. However, weapon’s, magic’s, poisons, and beings of demonic nature can bypass these defenses with ease.

[getsuruito]

An amazing 👀 piece I had commissioned, done by the wonderful @ibuii !! Great stuff right here!!!

[atopearth]

Nightshade Part 1 - Ishikawa Goemon Route

I'm superrrr excited to play Nightshade! I've always been so curious about it so yayyy! Enju looks so cool and cute too. Toriumi Kousuke voices Chojiro? Okay, I love him already, and it seems like he's a big brother figure too, I love those🥲🥲 I have a soft spot for overprotective bodyguard types like Gekkamaru too though, he's so loyal! Maybe to the point of it being detrimental to the both of them though, since when Enju trains, he protects her lol, and he doesn't go out on a lot of missions because he wants to protect her. I guess the good thing about it is that this is of his own free will. I guess it's interesting that Enju is the symbol of peace between the Iga clan (that was mostly decimated by Oda Nobunaga) and the Koga clan (who was the Iga's rivals and ended up taking in the remnants of the Iga clan) due to being the daughter of the Koga clan master and the late Iga clan master's sister. Ohh Chojiro is Momochi Tanba's (late Iga clan master) son! I wonder how he feels.. Wow, Kando (Enju's father) looks so fierce and cool. I guess Gekkamaru protecting Enju isn't completelyyyy his free will, considering it was what Enju's deceased mother asked of him and he's kept his promise to this day. Awww Chojiro recommended Enju to come along for the mission! Exciting! I can't imagine having to go on a mission for 8 years, I wonder if Enju and them will even recognise Kuroyuki. I can't believe Kuroyuki was sent on the mission when he was 8 years old! That's just crazy.. Aww Kasumi is so cuteee, her crying at everyone leaving on a mission was so sweet. Lmao at Chojiro telling Enju and them that the mission will always come before their lives and Gekkamaru completely dismisses it later by saying it doesn't matter to him since Enju will always be his top priority.

Kuroyuki definitely seems like he has a lot of baggage with him, but I guess that's to be expected when he was dumped on a mission at such a young age, and if he's coming back alone, that means for all these years, he must have been really lonely. He never got the support of others like Enju and them did. For some reason, I really like Kyara's voice, I should check the VAs. Okay, omg no wonder why lol, I loveee Hayami Saori~ WHOA, I'm in for a ride, Tsuda Kenjiro voices Hanzo? I'm looking forward to that. Oh nooo, Midorikawa Hikaru voices Goemon?? I don't like Goemon's looks, but I guess I'll love his voice regardless😂 Right now, he kinda reminds me of Tamahome from Fushigi Yuugi lol. Even though Enju's naive, I really did like how she took back the girl's money bag from the thief and gave it back to her naturally. I'm kinda interested in "Goro" (Goemon), he looks sleazy (lol) but he seems to be quite mature? Oh, their mission is to find the next place Goemon will rob? I know Goemon is a "good" person because he only robs officials who are corrupt and don't treat the citizens properly, but that's about all I know haha. I guess it's understandable why Ishida Mitsunari needs to capture him if Tokugawa Ieyasu and other council guys are coming, it would be pretty embarrassing and shameful to not be able to catch a single notorious thief, and it doesn't help that Toyotomi Hideyoshi is getting older and the council elders have considerable influence. Btw, lmao at Kyara trying to cook with her weapon😂

Wow, Ieyasu is beautiful~ I love his looks🥺 I didn't realise that guy was Hattori Hanzo until I heard his voice a bit more though hahaha. Anyway, yeah, Enju throwing a shuriken to save Ieyasu (when he used himself as bait) was definitely reckless and silly as a shinobi, but I can't really dislike her for it, because she's not someone who can just ignore that. Considering that Hanzo is the strongest/top Iga ninja, and is tasked with protecting Ieyasu, is he a part of Koga now or is he independent? Honestly, I always took Kuroyuki as a flighty guy so when he stood up for Enju (when Hanzo called her a burden if they were to take her along to kill the guys after Ieyasu) against Hanzo, I was a bit touched. Ieyasu is really kind to think about the shinobi who died protecting him from the assassin, it is pretty saddening tbh. Enju catching Goemon was pretty cool, I think he really let his guard down and didn't want to hurt her though. I knew Hideyoshi was going to die and Enju would be accused as the killer, but it's kinda sad since Hideyoshi seemed genuinely happy and impressed with her. Anyway, considering how important Hideyoshi is, I'm surprised they even let him be alone with Enju with no guards at all?? Or any ninjas to protect him or anything?? I like the idea of Goemon "stealing" her away, so she's not escaping and causing more trouble for the Koga clan, but I wonder what will happen to the clan... I mean, Ishida's missions were what kept the clan going so... Anyway, I forgot that Goemon was an Iga ninja, that's certainly interesting, and he left before the Iga clan was basically destroyed so hm~

Aww Enju and Goemon traveling together, pretending to be husband and wife and holding hands is so cute~ I love how Goemon speaks his mind and tells her she's cute, because Enju is definitely super cuteee. Lmaoo when the innkeeper thought they were siblings. How heartbreaking to hear that Enju's father disowned her... It's probably what he needed to do to protect the rest of Koga, but yeah that would hurt. At least Gekkamaru is adhering to what he said before and is ready to discard everything to protect Enju. I agree with Goemon and his choice to leave the village though. I mean, it's respectable and crazy how dedicated and loyal shinobi are to their mission and to their villages, but shinobi literally live for all that and nothing else. It's admirable, but it's also such a saddening way to live? Especially since so many of them die so frequently for their missions. I'm personally glad Gekkamaru is doing this for Enju. I guess in a sense this journey is a blessing in disguise (as long as no one dies) because it will help Enju think about how she wants to live. She's always been stuck in her village "protected" by everyone just because she's the symbol of peace, so rather than appreciating her for who she is, people only look at her as a symbol that needs to exist, yet Enju feels like she needs to "repay" them for treating her so kindly when they basically imprison her in the village and bind her to it in a sense to make themselves feel better. Not saying they're not nice people but the whole ninja village thing isn't really great when it comes to anything about freedom and choice, so it's nice for Enju to now see things with a different perspective. It was cute how they both said to each other they would be a good wife/husband. As for Mokichi, I was suspicious when he insisted on going to the festival alone with Enju, but I do feel bad for her. I know Enju is very careless, too naive and kind for her own good, but I honestly wish to see her continue to see the world in a nice way because it's saddening otherwise I guess. I'm surprised Gekkamaru didn't follow them at all though, like it's still dangerous!!

I was wondering what Kuroyuki was doing this whole time considering he's just like his brother Gekkamaru in terms of how much he wants to protect Enju, but it seems like he was trying to look for her too! Oh.. Goemon wasn't even born into Iga, he was sold there and used as disposable pawns when needed and trained harshly to the point that if he couldn't take it, they would just dump him. Honestly, Goemon hasn't really made my heart flutter much haha, but when he got angry and asked Enju whether she wanted to live or die (when she thought maybe she should stop running so she wouldn't trouble the others anymore), and then when he told her that he would stay beside her until the end, I couldn't help but feel touched. He's not optimistic enough to think that they will definitely survive, but he's not willing to give up, and is willing to do whatever he can to stay alive alongside her and I think that's sweet. Goemon patting her head as she enjoyed the soothing view of cherry blossoms was nice. Enju has really gone through a lot these days so I'm glad Goemon is always trying to help her relax a bit. Whaaat?! Goemon was the Fuma leader?? Oh...Goemon escaped from Iga when he was 8 and somehow or another ended up at Fuma.. I guess Goemon hates killing because of the amount of people he's killed before, and knowing how "easy" it can be with the ninjutsu he learnt as the Fuma leader... It's nice how comfortable they've gotten with each other that they can even sleep side by side together now lol.

I honestly don't really trust Mitsunari, and really don't know if this "goodbye" with her friends will really be for the good. I mean, even on the off chance Mitsunari has good intentions, other people in the castle don't. Anyway, I really liked how forward Enju was in wanting Goemon to stroke her head, and he even kissed her on the forehead~ Goemon is a flirt but he's always so polite and careful with Enju, it's kinda cute. Honestly, the last bit with Goemon pretending to kill Chojiro and them etc was pretty... meh? Like, it was obvious what was going to happen, especially with the gold and him giving it to people lol. I guess something nice and interesting was that Enju will continue to hide from the public eye since she's supposed to be dead, so she'll be traveling with Goemon from now on. Kinda cute how Goemon is more open with his affections. The bad ending was quite nice, I liked how it was Enju who gave up on living because of everything that happened, and because of that, Goemon ended up using the ninjutsu he hated so much to kill the Elders for causing all this to happen, and forcing an innocent girl to lose the will to live and basically sacrifice herself.

Overall, while I do like Goemon's personality, I find his route very lacklustre. I think the biggest problem with Goemon's route is that it's very focused on Enju and her escape from the Elders and how Goemon helps her with that, supports her and that's how they end up bonding by both encouraging her and understanding the desire to live for oneself rather than romance. There were cute moments that I enjoyed between the two, but I don't feel like I learnt much about Goemon as a thief or even as the Fuma leader. They talk about his past and why he hates it all, but it doesn't expand on it which can be okay, but the story doesn't expand on the current him as Goemon either. All we ever learn about him is the superficial stuff like he's a good thief with a crappy past, and that he's a flirt lol. I just feel like since it was his route, I wanted to learn more about him, because other than his desire to live without being tied down to stuff like villages and stuff, and hoping that people like Enju wouldn't have to sacrifice their lives for stuff like that, I'm not sure anything much happened. Like, I wanted to see more of the ramifications of how it was for a shinobi clan to lose their master, how Goemon's "betrayal" towards the Fuma went etc. So yeah, kinda disappointing. The bonus scenarios and stuff were nice though, especially when they chatted about little Chojiro back in the day being cute hahaha.

[doomxdriven]

—— all that glitters isn't gold, but its still beautiful

[getsuruito]

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Momochi Tanba aesthetic moodboard. Templates here.

[getsuruito]

//i just felt the need to share these wonderful doodles i or my gf had commissioned by dailyarturia over the year. beautiful really.

[getsuruito]

a lovely piece of art of mY FAVORITE SHINOBI!!! LOOK AT HIM LOOK AT HOW BEAUTIFUL HE IS!!!! 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏😭😭😭👌👌👌👌

i had this done by the extraordinary exzireart, a truly amazing artist, i hIGHLY RECOMMEND THEM!!

[getsuruito]

i think with my heart,and move with my head.

[getsuruito]

you machiavellian, natural villain / you're shady, it just don't feel right.

[getsuruito]

LOOK AT ME, HELL IS  H E A V E N L Y

[getsuruito]

i'm a savage, i'm a asshole, i'm  a  K I  N G

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a thousand voices dead at my feet.