Ok, apologies in advance that this isn't in a spoiler box to save space, but I'm useless and don't know how to do that XD.
Anyhow here's my characters intro. (BTW Meri I'm getting a stack of 3d design software soon as part of my animation course, so I'll see about bringing your map to life in 3d in the future :D )
Here goes.
The wind was bitter cool in the mid reaches of the mountains. A cold series of knives weaving a slicing through the air. Huddled up in a leafy cradle dug into the ground a lone figure surveys all before him. He sniffed at the sharp air.
"Breakfast time," he mumbled to himself with a smirk. Far below him a furry, grunting shape had caught his eye. He kept his eyes on the beast for a while, then without making a sound he eased his way out of his little dugout. Quickly but carefully he raced down the mountainside. With the wind against him he had the advantage.
Eventually he reached a plateau and his prey. Gently he slid a small tanto out of its sheath from it's tight position in his dougi obi. With the blade pressed tight against his forearm, blade down he slowly approached the beast, now sleeping. Closer he crept, every footstep carefully placed. Behind the beats hi brought the tanto to bear and braced himself to strike into the animals neck. Straight through the arteries he thought, bleed out and no pain. A good death for an honourable bear.
Then the wind changed. A massive, feral eye shot open wide and stared at him for a second. Then nature kicked in with both feet and the massive bear shot up, swiping at the hunter, narrowly missing his head. The hunter quickly moved back and unsheathed his second blade, a wide wakizashi. It's blade gleamed against the sunlight, though the hamon (temper line) was dull, almost black in colour.
The massive bear stood onto its hind legs. An open display of aggression. It roared and spat and pummelled at the floor. Waving its arms it stared squarely at the cool warrior in his gi.
A black silhouette against the entire scene the warrior stood with his wakizashi in his right hand and tanto in his left. One chance he thought to himself. He crouched ever so slightly. More spring in the legs. He brought his weapons up ready, the tanto now turned so the blade was up was resting in his hand which in turn almost rested on his belt. It needs to be a clean thrust. His wakizashi was also resting near it, blade pointing behind him, his arm pulled tight across his body. A fine cut, no room for error.
The bear had finished its display. It knew this thing in fronmt of him was not going to run away and was a threat. A warrior knows another warrior. These great fighting entities locked eyes for one final moment.
Then the bear charged.
It gathered speed quickly it's huge mass all muscle from losing its fat from hibernation. Eyes fixed for the kill it grew ever closer to the figure. It's massive legs struck the ground as the bear pounced from its great stride.
Then the warrior struck.
It was over in an instant. The warrior launched himself from standing, a finely honed rocket. He thrust his tanto out straight and true. True enough it found its mark, just under the bears jawline in the side of its neck. Then as he started to decelerate he swung the wakizashi round in a precise arc, neatly separating the bear's head from it's neck. The force of the cut and his jump allowed him to sail neatly over the bear's stiffened form. He landed neatly and quickly turned to survey his adversary.
"Honourable warrior, it was a good match, thank you for your strength."
The man then proceeded to use his finely honed tanto to take slices of meat from the bear. Once he was done he pushed the gigantic carcass over the edge of the plateau, knowing it would go to feed many more denizens of this harsh landscape.
Much later on beside a roaring fire the warrior sat eating his prize. He was today feasting on another days survival. He ate in silence, his blue eyes reflecting the dancing embers of the fire. He felt uneasy. His strength needed new tests and he was growing tired of the challenges of the mountains.
Maybe I should go to civilisation as he told me to......?
He knew this day was coming. Now bored with honing his skills, it was time to affect the world by placing himself in it. Hi pulled tight the rope gi around his waist and made sure his weapons were securely fastened. Then he picked a direction and started to walk. Shadow, this is time. Destiny is palpable in the air.
And he walked. For days he navigated obstacles and fought off the beasts of the land. The mountainous region gave way to calmer, yet dense bamboo forest. Still he drove himself forward, knowing that soon he would reach a village, or if not, at least the sea.
On the verge of giving up and changing direction, suddenly Shadow stumbled into a perfectly round clearing within the bamboo. The hairs on the back of his neck instantly stood on end. He began to sweat. He hadn't felt this much anxiety in years. It was almost exhilarating, the rush of adrenaline preparing him for fight or flight. Yet he could not even see anything to upset him.
Suddenly something caught his eye. Barely noticeable at first, but on the ground was in fact a pile of green rags. He quickly ran over to it only to find that the pile of green rags was actually a woman draped in a green kimono. Without thinking he knelt beside the woman and tried to rouse her.
"Ma'am are you alright?" he asked concerned.
"Mmmmmnmnmmm.... hmmm?" a lazy eye opened to inspect him. Deep crimson in colour. Then another, inspecting every facet of his face and his clothing.
"Who are you?" an innocent voice asked, Shadow had hardly noticed the womans striking beauty. Her porcelain skin was smooth, almost waxy to look at.
"I am known as Shadow, have you been hurt? I found you unconscious on the." he was cut short.
"You woke me," the woman stated, "I was asleep and you interrupted that sleep."
"Well then I." she interrupted again.
"It is not wise for one such as you to stumble upon one such as me, it is I who must apologise for what is about to become of you......"
"What?" Shadow was completely stunned her tone was ethereal, yet sharp and for some reason looking at her was making him feel hugely uncomfortable.
"I'm sorry then I'll be going," Shadow got up, he was not about stay near this area, he had a horrid feeling in his gut. As he turned to walk away the woman grabbed his wrist, she had the grip of a titan. Uh oh.
"Perhaps you should stay here with me........ permanently......" Shadow wished he hadn't turned back to look at her. Suddenly the perfect skin had become scales, the ethereal tone now a hiss. The hand now scaly also had long sharp claws protruding from it.
"AAAARGH!" Shadow screamed in alarm, he quickly grabbed his other hand over the creatures grip, quickly maneuvering in for nikyo wristbreak. The demons wrist shattered and splintered just like any humans, but the sound it made was not from any man or woman. He deftly punched her in the side of the head and made space, sharply swinging his staff free.
The demon woman screeched at him and flung herself forward swinging her remaining good arm wildly. Shadow slammed his staff down having the advantage of distance and neatly cracked the tip into the monsters skull. A thick green ooze trickled like treacle down the beasts face. She staggered back wildly.
Shadow slung his staff back over his shoulder and withdrew his wakizashi. It's gleaming blade began to resonate violently in the presence of the demon. She suddenly became transfixed with it in sheer horror.
"The Onikiller? that can't be the real blade, it has been lost for decades!" She was visibly now mortified slowly trying to back away from the advancing Shadow.
"This thing? I don't know what it's called but I'm pretty sure it's going to end your miserable life demon! You should have known better than to tangle with someone as powerful as me!" Shadow's gait became predatory as he neared the demon. He readied his blade as he approached.
The demon cowered on its knees. It put its one good hand to the floor, holding the other tight to its stomach visibly paining. It grovelled pathetically all the time trying to shuffle backwards away from 'Onikiller'.
"Please traveller, it is obvious you have much strength, but maybe a warrior of your calibur would show some mercy in return for a favour?"
Shadow stopped, inches from the monster, he looked down arrogantly and raised his blade, "what can you hope to bribe my mercy with, fool?"
"Please lower your weapon and.."
"Tell me!"
She flinched, "Okay okay!". She attempted to sit in a seated kneel, still clutching her damaged arm to her chest, her other firmly on her leg.
"Listen close warrior and gain some wisdom....."
Shadow relaxed a second ready to hear what she had to say. But it was all she needed, she flung her damaged arm at him forcing him to react. He cut her head cleanly off, the force of the cut sending it sailing through the air. It landed neatly on the ground beside her.
Shadow staggered back and inspected himself. He's been scratched across his chest, four neat black lines running down the middle of his chest, stopping short of his stomach. His chest felt like it was on fire. Shadow's head began to swim. His vision becoming blurry. In the distant background he could here the demon laughing.
"You will become one of us now! I curse you Master of the Onikiller! That sword will be your demise!!!!!" Then the head, along with the body burst into flames.
The pain was becoming unbearable. Shadow screamed out in pain, trying to recite mantras to counter the curse. He looked down at his chest he could seen the poison quickly spreading across his chest. He needed to hurry. Without thinking he quickly bolted out of the clearing, crashing through the woods. His thick gi suddenly began to feel incredibly heavy and his vision seemed misty. He had lost sense of focus and direction. Onwards he ran crashing through woodland until suddenly bright white light hit his vision.
He was out of the forest. Then then next wave of pain came. He clenched his teeth together cursing his own arrogance. The his vision went black.
(Ok so it's a bit amateurish, but hey, I haven't written creatively for a while in a story sense. Anyways you can stick Shadow wherever you want him now he can either side with the good guys as some half demon badass for example, or awaken to the dark side a bit and seek out folks to munch on souls. I'll keep thinking of ways I can develop him, just let me know a) if you want him in and b) what kind of allegiance you want him to have.
