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Ryutarou Sudo « Thread Started on Oct 16, 2008, 9:45pm »
RYUTAROUSUDO "i am the son, i am the heir of nothing in particular"
Hi, my name is seraphicgate (sera) and I am proudly twenty-one years young. I've been role playing for a freakin' two years off and on. and I would have to say I'm literate, or advanced (depending on my mood lol) FTW. In case you didn't know, I also play Athena Malatis. I found this place through Final Fantasy Begins.
Even if the morrow is barren of promises
Nothing shall forestall my return;
name;; SUDO, Ryutarou nicknames;; Ryu, Lord Ryutarou, an assortment of military titles sex;; male age;; 19 birth date;; June 10 preference;; heterosexual (but may as well be asexual -_-) species;; human
To become the dew that quenches the land;
fears;; losing any more of his family, the destruction of Wutai, dishonoring himself again
goals;; destroy the Shinra and win the war, find out if his sister is alive, then find the person who hurt her and kill them, conquer the Pagoda and defeat Godo, eventually become ruler of Wutai
strengths;; Ryutarou has already been broken…twice. Thus, he will be rather hard to break again. It’s difficult to upset him, or even make him angry. He is of sound mind, and he remains level-headed in most situations. He may lose his patience with those who do not follow orders, or those who make foolish mistakes, but it is never enough to send him into an outright fury. At most he’ll respond with a simple chide or suggestion—far be it from him to get involved with the incorrigible. Hotheaded, quick-tempered people remind him of himself during the war, so he simply brushes it off with a rare smirk or shrug. Ah, the memories. They’ll learn.
Battle-wise, Ryu is agile and quick as are most warriors trained in Wutai style. His speed has given him a nearly inhuman edge against long-distance opponents—despite not using modern weapons, Ryu is notorious in Red-Hoshu for being able to cut down bullets out of thin air. Naturally, he has to see the things coming or aiming at him or he won’t know, but if he knows you have a gun, don’t bother shooting. His swords were forged by the “Master of Weaponry,” strengthened by the finest steel. His highest stats, in FFVII-lingo, would be Vitality, Dexterity, and Luck in descending order.
weaknesses;; Ryu is extremely honor-bound, tried by tradition. Thus, he’ll go through all the motions in battle despite potentially being used by other people. He takes everything at face-value, and if a problem arises he’ll simply address it later. I wouldn’t say he’s naïve, but he has a innate trust in people—anti-Shinra people, at least. Everyone else is fair game for guerilla tactics.
That brings us to another flaw in his character. Anyone who’s not with him is against him. That’s not to say he’ll attack random people on sight, but he sure as hell won’t trust them. Foreigners are suspicious, but it comes down to more than nationality with him. He trusts AVALANCHE people like Elfé and Shears, for instance. Everyone else is just an obstacle or cannon fodder until he can establish whether they are friend or foe. He’s very careful with that, keeping everyone at a safe distance. Having already lost the most important person in his life, his heart is locked, and he doesn’t let strange people in easily. Outside of warfare, Ryu leads a very cold and solitary life.
In battle, Ryu’s physical strength is so-so. He can handle any normal grunt, like the Shinra MPs, but against SOLDIERs he would have quite a disadvantage. He has no Mako/Jenova-powered augments to fall back on, so he must rely on his acrobatics and graceful swordplay to dazzle and confuse the enemy. Similarly, his physical defense is high (lots of armor layers), but his magical attack and defense is sorely lacking. A powerful magician could take him out in one strike. His lowest stats, in FFVII-lingo, would be Strength, Magic, and Spirit in descending order.
likes;; sparring, calligraphy, tea, quiet afternoons, silence, his sister
dislikes;; SHINRA, guns, foreigners, loud noises, disobedience, incompetence, Godo, Yuffie, and pretty much anyone related to them
turn ons;; almost nonexistent, but respects intelligence, strength, and honor
turn offs;; SHINRA, anything even remotely related to them...end of story.
personality;; Ryutarou Sudo is a man of careful words. He speaks in a matter-of-factly tone—not cold, but unimpassioned. Calm, casual, factual…. He sounds like he could have been friendly—perhaps in another lifetime if this one hadn’t torn him down. Instead, he carries a business-like, noble air…almost royal. He’s not arrogant (anymore—a past experience has humbled him), but he has a way of talking and interacting with others that gives off a patrician vibe. Instead, Ryutarou seems like he has found his “center”…. He seems like he’s been weathered and enlightened, like he’s been around the block enough times not to sweat the small stuff. Like an old man pretty much, except…he’s not. In fact, he’s not even twenty, and he looks like he could be sixteen. That’s the remarkable thing about his character: he exhibits old age and all the wistful composure that comes with it, but he’s not even old enough to drink. He has a very sobering countenance, and those who spend enough time around him eventually come to respect him for that. Brave, responsible, and stately, his early maturity has earned him a leadership position in the ranks of the Red-Hoshu.
On the flip side, though, Ryu has become something of a stiff. He rarely ever smiles, and he never does so on purpose. It’s kind of an involuntary reaction to him; if he finds a comment or an action amusing, he may raise a brow or harrumph, but if he smiles he certainly didn’t mean to…and definitely did not intend for you to see it. The last time he smiled was probably when he said farewell to his sister long ago, for the last time. For a young man his age, he is rather boring. He finds no trouble with that; his duties with the Red-Hoshu and Wutai military keep him occupied well enough. He was forced to grow up quickly; thus, he lacks the excited, optimistic spirit he once had as a small child. The only time he gets riled up is to hype up his men for a mission. Then, that’s a leadership responsibility—comes with the territory.
Ryu is what we would call old-fashioned. He likes things simple—his food, his clothes, and definitely his free time. A good time to Ryu would be classified as sitting down in his dining hall for an afternoon tea ceremony. Then maybe a nap or two. Or some sword training. Or calligraphy. He would drive most teenagers and young adults nuts. Again, of course, he could care less.
But he does have feelings, mind you. He just keeps them locked away in his heart, buried with the treasured memories of his twin sister. His entire life revolved around her, and now that she’s gone, he is fueled by vengeance and hatred. Cool and tempered hatred…evangelical and methodical. Liquid steel. To this day he still believes that she could be alive somewhere, as her body was never found, but if so, there’s a possibility that she was captured by the enemy. That just makes him hate the Shinra even more. And trust others even less. If any harm ever came to his sister, let alone the rest of his family, suddenly his calm demeanor would shatter and a hellspawn would break loose. Luckily, no one has ever come close to seeing that state, but heaven forbid he should find that his sister is actually is dead. If she is, her killer and anyone associated with him or her would be as good as dead. He keeps it contained until that day….
But supposing she is already dead, Ryu may never be able to find closure. He loved his sister. He hates the Shinra. And he will always equate the two.
fire surging through;
hair & eyes;; brown eyes & black-brown hair height & weight;; 5’9” (175 cm), 147 pounds (67 kg) distinguishable features;; five long, wrapped ponytails; distinctive samurai armor play by;; Yoshitsune Minamoto from Genji: Dawn of the Samurai
appearance;; Being of Wutai descent, Ryutarou possesses the typical attributes of the ethnicity. His hair is a smoky black-brown; while loose, his long tresses extend as a curtain all the way past his knees; around his face hang short spiky layers, parted in the center and leaving his forehead exposed. Two slightly longer locks hang down in front of both his ears, longer than the rest of his bangs and reaching his shoulder blades. Since his hair is obscenely long, he keeps it tied in five thin ponytails, each wrapped all the way down in white ribbons. His brown eyes are of a slanted parallelogram shape, wide and attentive. His lashes are almost nonexistent. His face and chin are round and smooth, his nose on the smallish side, and his thin lips are perpetually glued together in a droopy frown. He has a boyish quality to him, almost babyish in that his features are soft and slightly effeminate—as if puberty hasn’t quite done its job yet. As a result, people tend to think Ryu is much younger than he actually is. He is about 5’9” (175 cm), 147 pounds (67 kg), so he’s not very intimidating…at first glance. Underneath all his armor, years of physical training have gifted him with an impressive physique; he’s no body builder, but he does sport a six pack and bulges of muscle here and there.
Ryu’s Red-Hoshu armor is both intricate and beautiful, indicative of his status within the military. It is closer to the ancient style of samurai armor worn by the Wutai centuries earlier but with a sleeker, modern finish. The underlying layers consist of a dark gray doublet and trousers; those are then covered with puffy sleeves and pants woven with a heavy white fabric. These white layers are laced together with red weave. Over that is a mythril dou (cuirass) with the crest of his family engraved on the chest. His black boots are decorated with more red ribbons, and he protects his arms with two black vambraces. Two long coattails hang off his armor in the back, red-orange on the forward side and white on the backside. Finally, two red bands cross on his forehead in an “X” shape, a kind of headband. In battle Ryutarou’s form could appear artsy and dramatic; he flashes a palette of white and red, and both his tentacle-like ponytails and billowy coattails trace his every movement. Ryutarou rarely ever ventures without his trusty armor anymore, but if you’re lucky (or if he’s just careless) you may find him with his hair loose and sporting a simple white kimono with a red nagajuban.
Ryutarou dual wields twin katanas in battle, and he’s equipped with a few Materia (the basics: Fire, Ice, Cure, all level one). That’s it. Though the modern Wutai army makes use of them, Ryu finds automated weapons like guns, grenades, and cannons dishonorable, and he only condoned the use of the Mako Bomb because it presented a valuable opportunity to destroy the Shinra. He could care less if others use them, but he would never use one himself. He considers himself “above” such things. He can use martial arts if disarmed.
To spare the sands, the seas, the skies;
parents;;
father: Lord Staniv Sudo, master of the 4th floor of the Five Gods Pagoda mother: Lady Ikari
history;; Ryutarou, or Ryu for short, is one of a pair of twins born in Wutai. He is a soldier, young but skilled, who leads his own small unit within the Red-Hoshu clan despite his age; with his early maturity he has proven himself to be quite a capable leader. He grew up with his twin sister Ryoko, and together they lived in the capital under the watchful eye of their parents, Staniv Sudo of the 5 Gods Pagoda and his wife Ikari. As one can imagine, a great burden was placed onto the shoulders of this young man at an early age.
Ryu grew up in a state of nobility; being the son of one of the greatest warriors of Wutai certainly had its perks. His father, Staniv, was the greatest blacksmith of Wutai, a master of weapons, and known for his “Weapon Change” transformation. The special transformation was a secret Wutai art that turned the user into a powerful beast-creature. It had been passed down generation to generation for only the warriors of the Pagoda. It is said that the ancestors of the Wutai were blessed with such a power from the gods, but no one knows how they are able to transform to this day. Thus, the successors of the Pagoda are referred to as “Gods” simply for having this arcane power. Obviously, growing up around such an environment, Ryu was raised as a samurai from the day he could pick up a sword. As his father was a blacksmith, the prodigy found himself wielding two katanas with ease. His initial duty during his younger days was to serve as a bodyguard for Lord Godo and the royal family. This was fine. Ryu was very content; his childhood days were filled with laboring and training, but he did not grow angry and bitter toward his family. In fact, the only reason Ryu was able to remain content was because of his twin sister Ryoko. Every day as the young boy returned home from training, he and his sister would immediately play together for the rest of the day. They loved each other dearly, and they became inseparable. Ryoko was also burdened with Magic training, but the twins found solace in each other. They were each other’s support—he encouraged her, and he always felt at ease around her.
As the two grew older, Ryoko developed an interest in the music arts. She was the daughter of Staniv, after all; she was expected to have some ladylike skills. Thus, she picked up the shamisen, and she learned to play it under her mother’s instruction. As Ryutarou came home from training, Ryoko always played for him to relax him. Ryu would lie on his back as he listened, his sister’s lilting melodies drifting into his ears. It was a balm Ryu had become accustomed to day after day after day. Even after many failed practices and tryouts, he would always come home to his sister and her shamisen, and all was right with the world.
Then the war started.
By this time the twins were in their teens, and they were deemed ready for battle. Thanks to their years of training and happiness, both were confident, chipper, and eager to end the war quickly and return home. The sooner things went back to normal, the better. Ryu wasn’t entirely sure why the war began, as he was just a young boy, but he wanted to make his father and his country proud. The day had come at last when he could finally put his training to the test. Ryu’s duty was to protect the tower; as Godo’s bodyguard he was obligated to protect his lord’s life. Ryoko, however, was sent to the front lines. Her Magic abilities had come along well, and she was expected to follow in her father’s footsteps. Time passed, and many a month expired after Ryu had stopped hearing from his sister. Finally, he lost all communication with her. She was presumed dead…though no one ever found the body.
As if matters couldn’t get any worse, Godo was planning to surrender to the Shinra, ending the war. The homeland Ryu loved so much, the island his sister fought to protect, would no longer be in their possession. Ryu, though he loved his family and his motherland, began to spite the ruler of Wutai. He perceived Lord Godo as weak (though in reality Godo was simply hiding his strength). However, any person could challenge the tower, and Ryu eventually got the idea to try to take on the Five Sacred Gods himself. Godo was not fit to be ruler, so why should he be allowed to reign in the tower? Ryu knew he was eligible; as a son of one of the Sacred Gods, he had his own share of followers rooting for his success anyway. On the eve of the Wutai-Shinra armistice, he finally ushered up enough courage to try to take on the tower alone. He entered haughtily, bitter and determined, fighting his way past Gorky on the first floor:
“Why do you come here, Lord Ryutarou? It is not safe.”
“Do not speak to me in such a manner. Your life is on the line!”
Ryu surpassed Gorky, then Keter, the father of Shake and current warrior of the second floor, and even Chekhov on the third. Finally, he got to his father, Staniv, who was yet undefeated. No matter how hard he tried, Ryu just couldn’t best him, and he fell quickly against the might of his father’s Weapon Change. Previously filled with aristocratic hubris, sure of his impending victory, his defeat brought him tumbling back to earth in shame and disaster. Before he could leave, however, he found Godo waiting for him at the entrance, and the ruler offered him these few words:
“Strength without determination means nothing. And determination without strength is equally useless.”
Godo spoke kindly, as though he were addressing a small child. …Ryu exited the Pagoda in mortified disbelief. He was humiliated.
Ryu had lost. He had lost everything. His sister, his pride…even the trust of his own lord. Ryu fled from the palace in shame, and eventually he found himself training more fiercely than ever before. The experience of entering the tower had severely humbled him; he realized he was not as infallible as he thought. He found a new calmness, a determination to prove himself to his father and his country. He could save Wutai. He had to. The Shinra had to be punished…this was all their fault…. But the war would be over soon, and nothing could be done.
If you’ll recall, AVALANCHE originally consisted of scholars from Cosmo Canyon who studied Planet Life. These were extremists who condemned the Shinra for their rape of the Planet and its energy. The extremists broke away from Cosmo Canyon and formed small, disparate resistance groups. As time passed, these groups eventually gathered in the small war state of Wutai. The extremists then officially established AVALANCHE, but they had not yet stepped onto the world stage. They had something in common with Wutai, however—they all hated the Shinra. The two groups would work independently from each other, but the Wutai would house AVALANCHE and serve as their base of operations. In return, some Wutai were deeply influenced by the scholars’ teachings….
The Wutai are some of the few people who still adhere to the “old ways”—of polytheism, of magic and divination. All Wutai believe that summon spirits like Leviathan and the mountain of Da-chao are as gods; the army practices such old magics as beast-taming (Crisis Core) and transmogrification (Pagoda side-quest)—along with modern weapon training, of course. Perhaps one of the main differences between the Red-Hoshu and other Wutai clans is their degree of devotion.
When Wutai declared war against the Shinra, they suddenly had the invaluable knowledge of Planetary scholars on their side. Despite this, after a few months the Wutai admitted defeat. Closely connected with AVALANCHE ideals and Wutai tradition, the Red-Hoshu clan refused to surrender to the Shinra, instead resurfacing as an extremist terrorist group. Then Hollander’s defection from Shinra was perfectly timed. The scientist had left Shinra whilst privy to their operations, projects, and secrets. Now the Red-Hoshu had Hollander’s scientific knowledge, as well…. As is well known, the development of the Mako Bomb that took out half of Midgar was one of the fruits of this collaboration.
Ryu was already a member in the Red-Hoshu clan around the time of the armistice, so he was there when the group decided to rebel. He has been with them ever since, compatriots who had not given up on their country. Men who were willing to die, as he was—to defeat the Shinra by any means necessary. The young man rose through the ranks quite easily, surpassing even some of the older men who were in the clan. He eventually took charge of his own squad, and now he leads them in the ongoing fight against Shinra.
The Red-Hoshu are willing to sacrifice anything to free their homeland from the grasp of Shinra. In fact, they are perfectly content to wipe Shinra completely off the face of Gaia. Anyone who stands in their way is a threat—even innocent people—but in their opinion, anyone who supports the reign of Shinra in the world is potentially an enemy. They are willing to sacrifice their own lives for their cause. Dishonorable surrender to the Shinra is not an option—they would rather commit ritual suicide. Unfortunately, Godo’s surrender to the Shinra has caused him to fall out of favor with many of the Red-Hoshu. This includes Ryutarou. Though his father is one of the “Five Sacred Gods,” he has lost his respect for Godo and his royal family. Godo has shamed his name and dishonored his bloodline, so Ryu feels it is his sole duty to depose him by conquering the Pagoda. He has made climbing the Pagoda one of his lifetime goals—but he knows that as of yet he is too inexperienced to attempt it again, so he secretly continues to train with hope that one day he will conquer his father, Lord Godo, and the entire Pagoda.
What drives him? The even greater hope that somewhere out there his twin sister is still alive.
I offer thee this silent sacrifice;
sample post;;
Black strokes glided across the page. Bold, practiced, carefully measured. A young man concentrated on the movements of his hand, the brush he held tipping the washi paper ever so slightly with ebony ink. Pressure was important. The order of each stroke, vital. He was seated at his low table, isolated in his study. Before him lay the traditional tools of his trade—a brush, inkstone, ink stick, and bamboo paper laid across a desk pad. Beside him on the floor, two scabbards holding his trusted twin katanas. His face, the complete picture of stillness as he maintained his posture in seiza position. He painted the traditional Wutai characters down the page in specific order: top to bottom, right to left. A strand of glossy black hair slid down his face; he quickly brushed it away with his other hand to join the charcoal curtain trailing down his back. Concentration…concentrate….
The sliding door to the room opened, revealing a kneeling soldier on the other side. The young calligrapher did not lift his eyes. Understanding his intrusion, the visiting soldier spoke succinctly, keeping his voice low:
“Lord Ryutarou, sir. The leaders have called for you in the meeting room. I believe they are preparing to stage another attack.”
The brush froze mid-stroke. Then, calmly, the young man raised his head to nod understandingly at the messenger. “Very well. I will be there at once.”
The soldier excused himself, sliding the door shut, and Ryutarou turned to face his unfinished work again. Another interrupted session. He always found time to train his body, but never his calligraphy it seemed. He was just a student, after all. He’d only been in the capital for a short time, and he did not yet have a chance to reconnect with his tutor.
Being in the homeland for a short time was both bittersweet and relaxing, but it also meant he was at the Wutai government’s beck and call. The Red-Hoshu had operated on their own for a while, but once the Shinra had declared war on Wutai a second time, suddenly the rogue clan had been called back to the capital. It figures. Only the Red-Hoshu had been brave enough to take a stand when even the leader of Wutai would not, and now they were being ostracized for it. It was enough to make the young man sick with disgust.
“Fine. I will do my duty for the sake of our homeland,” Ryu thought to himself. “And for you…sister.”
His gaze drifted back to his page. The brush had slipped, and now melanic ink was slowly making its way down the page. The practiced characters faded slowly, merging into a spreading pool of black.
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