In the Darkness there is Truth
Name: Sumiko Tanaka
Alias: Sister Sakura
Faction: Independent Sith Lady, Covenant of Uriel. Formerly, she served the Atrisian Empire.
Rank: Sith Lord, Sith Sorceress class. Cult leader of the Covenant of Uriel. During her time in the Inquisition, she managed to reach the rank of Senior Inquisitor by the time the order was purged. She turned her back on the Inquisition's principles when she declared herself a Sith.
Species: Human
Age: 31
Gender: Female
Height: 5'5"
Weight: 119 lbs
Eyes: Hazel
Hair: Dark brown, almost black.
Skin: Err...Space Asian
Force Sensitive: Yes, very much so.
Force Alignment: Dark Side, Neutral Evil. The Inquisition was the ruthless secret police and shadow sword of the Atrisian Empire. Not all of its members were darksiders, but many and Sumiko clearly falls into this category.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Amplifier Artefact: Souldrinker and the Ring of Dominion greatly enhance her already formidable sorcerous power. However, this is a double-edged sword, because she's also dependent on them. The Ring in particular is insidious, psychologically addictive and can never be fully trusted. She is bonded to both, which makes it a Deal with the Devil. To a degree, Sumiko is aware of this, but is also arrogant enough to think that she can control her tools. She would be weakened if she was deprived of them, especially in the midst of battle.
Black Magic: She specialises in mentalism, illusions and necromancy.
Dark Magical Girl: This one is probably pretty self-explanatory. Good at fighting and killing things, mostly uses powers generally classified as 'dark magic', also a bit of a queen.
Even Evil Has Loved Ones: Loved ones is a big, big stretch, but she's noticeably more pleasant when she's around fellow Atrisians and retains some affection for former members of the Inquisition and her sister [member="Amaya Tanaka"]. She's nicer to her alchemised Sithspawn pets than to most people. But in the end, it's all about herself and she has no conscience.
Combat Pragmatist: No one would've lasted long in the Inquisition if they were faint-hearted or held on to archaic, outdated notions such as honour and all that. For it is just a fancy term to excuse stupidity. You either fight or muck around. At least that's what Sumiko would say, though all of this one's chars seem to have this trait. Suffice to say don't expect her to play by any sort of rules. Survival comes at any price, any dirty deed if it means that she will come out on top in the end. This also includes knowing when it's smarter to flee than to fight it out if she's clearly outmatched. She has no qualms about getting her hands dirty, but is just as willing to throw a disposable asset at a problem - and sacrifice it if that furthers her agenda.
Drunk on the Dark Side: Hardly a virtuous or even a good person beforehand, the Ring of Dominion seems to have amplified Sumiko's less redeeming characteristics.
Seeker Archetype: Sumiko is fascinated by knowledge, one of the things she is truly passionate about. Uncovering mysteries is something she is deeply intrigued by, which is partially probably a result of her time with the Inquisition, a shadowy group that thrived on secrets whilst seeking to exert as much control as it could over the force-using population of Atrisia. She is especially fascinated by Force arcana, magicks and such. She is ready to go very far in her pursuit of knowledge, which lends itself to a rather ruthless personality.
The Unfettered: Membership in the Inquisition was not conducive to creating a particularly moral persona. This is a character who can commit herself to a singular goal completely, absolutely and unflinchingly. Prioritising ruthlessly can have its advantages, but is obviously not conducive to getting other people to trust you or effectively working with people who, unlike you, think that morals are important and that the means must justify the ends.
Becoming The Mask: The Inquisition was steeped in secrets, mysteries and lies, even as it aggressively worked to uncover them. Sumiko was conditioned to be loyal until she believed in its principles, but at the same time had to wear mask after mask to carry out her duties. For one she had a cover identity in the Imperial hierarchy, which changed as needed, and also was increasingly called upon to serve as an infiltrator in Force cults and darkside groups, which naturally required inventing an entirely different persona at odds with the one she had to maintain in the Inquisitorial Citadel. After she became a free woman, Sumiko was adrift for a while, further pursuing her study of the sorcerous arts while making a living as a tomb raider and sorceress for hire. She began dabbling in Sith artefacts to expand her power, before eventually becoming Sith herself. Undoubtedly the powerful devices she utilised played a role in this. Today, she plays now the role of a cult leader and has come to enjoy it.
Lady of Black Magic: She's elegant, she's composed, she's graceful and she loves her pretty things. She can also raise the dead as zombies or drain someone's life force, leaving them a desiccated husk.
Photographic Memory: Sumiko has a perfect memory, able to recall anything she has seen or heard before. This obviously comes in handy in many situations, but there's also downsides because we all have things we'd rather forget. For one she remembers every life she ever ended, how she was broken in by the Inquisition and what she endured during the Anti-Force-User purge after Madeline Kahoshi took over the throne
Primal Fear: Turns out Sumiko is afraid of rats. This was something Grand Inquisitor Lai, Mirien Valdier's predecessor, exploited on one occasion in order to teach her some good old fashioned discipline. Her face was strapped to a cage filled with rats, then he lit a fire at the other end of the rats' cage and let them scratch and bite her face while watching a heart rate monitor hooked up to her. Suffice say it was quite effective. Being locked for an extended period in a tiny, poorly heated cell where she was unable to sit down has also given her a case of claustrophobia that manifests during stress situations.
Pragmatic Villainy: Sumiko has little interest in the eternal conflict between Jedi and Sith. Jedi are her enemies when they get in the way of what she wants, which probably happens a lot due to her amoral nature, but she does not feel bound to pursue an ancient grudge. She's very organised and disapproves of mindless sadism and brutish methods not for moral reasons, but because they're often counterproductive and a waste of resources. Of course, at the same time she's capable of great cruelty and feels no remorse for her actions.
Professional Killer: Essentially, the Inquisition was the Atrisian Emperor's personal hitman squad. That's not her job anymore, but she still has the skills of a spook and an assassin.
Sociopath: Sumiko is lacking in morals. In other words, she has none. Her time in the Inquisition already turned her into a distrustful, ruthless woman. Her embrace of the Sith arts, her use of Souldrinker and the Ring of Dominion completed her fall to the dark side. To put it plainly, Sumiko looks out for herself and views other individuals as threats or assets. She retains some affection for former members of the Inquisition, which used to be her twisted little family, and views her old homeworld Atrisia with some fondness but at the same time resents those days when she was a tool forced to do someone else's bidding. She's extremely vain, arrogant and power-hungry.
Ice Queen: Well, she's a heartless queen. Also cannot suffer those she considers fools. She's cold, ruthless and free of any sort of moral scruples. When she wants something, she'll try to get it by any means necessary. The Sith Lady is extremely arrogant, haughty and vain.
Basics Only: While Sumiko has a strong Force connection, she only possesses basic lightsabre skills. Enough to defend herself, but she would suffer against a physically stronger opponent or one with a more potent technique. She is quite proficient in Soresu, but mostly in terms of using it against blaster-wielding opponents, less than so against lightsabre wielders in close combat. In other words, if a competent glowstick-wielder engages her close-up, chances things won't go well for her. She is quite good in hand-to-hand combat, but this only comes in handy so many times.
Social Darwinist: 'A woman chooses, a slave obeys'. Yes, survival of the fittest for the win!
Vain Sorceress: One of her defining characteristics.
Possesions/Equipment: Force Disperser, Shadow Rifle, lightsabre, shatter gun, couple arcane scrolls 'liberated' from the former Inquisitorial archives during the chaos that came after Madeline's assassination and presumed death. Her most important possessions are Souldrinker and the Ring of Dominion. She also owns a Dream Singer Talisman from her days as an affiliate of the Witchmasters. Keeps a Sithspawnified Atrisian tiger called Akuma as a pet. Sumiko dresses practically, preferring darker, subdued clothing. She dislikes showing a lot skin and thus favours clothes that cover her body. When she deigns to dress up for fancy occasions such as soirees, she favours elegant, conservative dresses and robes. Usually wears a light suit of armour or Stygian Robes if she expects to find herself in combat situations.
Powers and abilities: Sumiko's skill set is focused on mentalism, specifically illusions and mental manipulation. To this end, she employs Sith sorcery and magicks. She can also raise the dead and turn them into her enthralled pawns. Her saberplay lags behind her skill as a sorceress. She has a certain understanding of Soresu and Makashi, but not much beyond that.
Telekinesis: Sumiko has skill with TK, though not in a Sio Kerrigan mass destruction way. Her skill lends itself more to fine manipulation, such as ballistakinesis.
Force Scream: Something Sumiko has become quite potent in and unleashes when sufficiently pushed. She roars and carnage ensues, which has turned out to be quite handy at times in certain situations.
Force Cloak: Specifically the subset that uses shadows to render oneself invisible to other beings, droids included in this. She can also mask her dark side presence and project a false light side aura, though this obviously has its limitations when facing a skilled illusionist and/or empath.
Mentalism and Illusions: Sumiko is a powerful mentalist. She is particularly skilled in shielding her mind, concealing herself and summoning realistic illusions.
Force Suppression: Goes hand in hand with mind-bending. Can theoretically convince others they've been cut off from the Force, negate/diminish certain Force powers.
Force-Enhanced Aim: Always useful when she is say using a Shadow Rifle or another precision weapon.
Her natural connection to the dark side coupled with her dedication to manipulating the Force and studying its arcane aspects gave her an affinity for Sith magic. Over time her power grew along with her understanding of the art, especially after acquiring the holocron of Sorzus Syn and studying the works of Freedon Nadd and Darth Zannah. Thus Sumiko is capable of summoning several powerful spells, especially those related to manipulating someone's mind and perception of reality, and is an accomplished necromancer. Of course, dabbling in dark magicks comes at a price.
Ship: Sumiko owns a Revenant stealth transport, which serves both as a mobile home and a means of infiltration. She is usually accompanied by her acolytes [member="Illyria"] and/or Qual'Zyanya.
Backstory: In lieu of an actual biography, there shall be a journal entry. This one blames [member="Coryth Elaris"] for this. Why? Just because. Written shortly after Sumiko escaped Atrisia following the attempt on [member="Madeline Kahoshi"]'s life.
“Such a tiny device, truly. Minuscule. I speak of the X4-2 Biological Threat Containment System. An implanted control device for the Inquisition to make sure its agents remain on a tight leash. I'm afraid to disappoint, but that's not a reference to sexual kinks. This device, the embodiment of the Inquisitorial ideology, was implanted into the spine of any and all Inquisitors. Lead wires ran along the spine, wrapping around it until finally they reached the brain stem where they were implanted and connected into the nervous system of the wearer. They had a separate control device which could do one of two things, namely paralyse the victim or induce extreme pain. EMP/ion shielding around the device prevented deactivation that way, and attempted surgical removal would send out a massive electrical pulse to the brain steam killing the victim.
For the record the Inquisition never implanted bombs into the heads of its agents. Why not? Not for ethical reasons, but because it would be stupid. Inquisitors were valuable resources, combining the professionalism of elite agents with the power of the Force. If one tried to escape, recapture, correction and punishment – that is torture and brainwashing – would be on the agenda. Not so casually wasting a valuable resource by blowing their head off. Besides, there are so many security reasons for why such a crude device would be stupid.
No, the X4-2 was utilitarian, efficient and represented complete control. In other words, the perfect embodiment of what the Inquisition believed to stand for. Power on a leash, one might say. Even Grand Inquisitor Mirien Valdier could not escape implantation, though rumour has it she was only one to know how to remove it.
Valdier...or Rebecca Novar. I hear she is frightfully close to one Siobhan Kerrigan these days. Joined at the hip. Such irony, to be so close to an 'unsanctioned, unrestrained force-user'. How do I feel about her? Such a typical question, so emotional. Sometimes I have the desire to kill her. After all, she was our slave owner, an ice cold queen, though maybe this is because I was moulded in her image. Ah, this almost sounds Freudian. At other times I just want to find her...there is so much she must know, so many secrets she has to have kept hidden. Admittedly the two options are not mutually exclusive. Of course, the somewhat amusing idea of slaying her is moot at this point because the power balance is admittedly not in my favour. If word is to be believed, the ice queen killed Madeline. Point in her favour.
We were such a twisted little family, not related by blood but by bound by it. Sometimes literally. We enslaved our own kind, yet kept them safe from the wrath of the common Atrisian who loathed us...yet could not do without us. In a perverse sort of way, I imagine the Inquisition saved my life...if the Men in Black had not come, I wager that the enraged mob of Atrisians would have lynched me after the, how shall I put it, incident where my powers first manifested. Saviour yet slaver, valued tool yet reviled threat, believers yet not believers...the Inquisition thrived on dichotomy. What it needed was agents who were total cynics yet possessed burning zeal when called for, willing to lay down their life for one another even as they were forced to be on constant lookout for betrayal, trusting no one, especially not those like them. Or the other Imperial agencies. See, Madeline's purge did not come out of the blue or happen in a vacuum.
But now things are...different. The world is changed. Such a dramatic phrasing. Perhaps it is merely my perception of it that has changed. Atrisia lies in ruins, its dreams of achieving galactic hegemony shattered. I wager it could have achieved greatness if its rulers had not been...so single-minded in chasing old glory. Or simply had chased it more wisely. The point is moot, I do not miss it. Or the howling mob that were its people. As perverse and bizarre as it might seem, even to me, I miss the twisted little family though. Oh, and I miss the tea. You do not get anything that good anywhere else.
On the other hand, no longer having that device implanted in me and having a Sword of Damocles hanging over my head is a definite improvement. Bit of a pity I was only able to liberate so little from our former archives after Madeline bit the bullet. I imagine Skaldi had a field day, if the rumours of her activities are true. It's a pity I do not possess the gift of mechu-deru, or else breaking the tin can and enslaving her would be most appetising. But then...there is plenty of time to catch up. Patience is a virtue, as they say.
Anyhow, current events. Yes, trillions of people vanished into the netherworld, then the Force vanished, Akala made dramatic announcements. Caused no end of drama and an orgy of land grabbing. One must commend the Sith on being so enterprising when it comes to swallowing up planets. The amount of carnage caused by Forcers over the years, across the killing fields of Togoria, Metalorn, Rhommamool and Osarian, Manaan and Corellia almost makes one believe the Atrisians had a point when they said we had to be leashed or destroyed. So little self-control, so little responsibility, much belief in being a 'luminous being, not these crude plebeians', but maybe that's the indoctrination talking inside me. Or perhaps it's theological and the Force is some malicious god...but no.
Bit of a pity that my trip through the underworld was so short. It was quite interesting on an intellectual level. Sadly most spirits were not that communicative and it seems I left before actually encountering the truly interesting ones.
As for current plans, well, I imagine war will engulf the Galaxy soon again. All very fascinating. So much left to study, secrets to unlock...without any supervision from paranoiac Atrisians. Perhaps I shall even give Valdier a call. A family reunion, you might say. Who knows, maybe more of us survived the purges and the cataclysm...
Threads:
Training Received:
http://starwarsrp.ne...traininginvite/: (Honing mechu-deru skills, chatting with an ancient holocron, playing with dark magicks.)
Training Given:
Dominions:
http://starwarsrp.ne...e-4#entry934463
http://starwarsrp.ne...on-of-aeten-ii/ (aiding Mandalorians, practicing illusions, acquiring stygium).
http://starwarsrp.ne...n-of-midvinter/ (mind raping zombies, investigating a Sith relic and mind raping it as well)
http://starwarsrp.ne...-2#entry1005017 (exploration of an ancient Rakatan temple gets interrupted by an earthquake)
http://starwarsrp.ne...n-of-jagga-two/
http://starwarsrp.ne...on-of-morellia/
http://starwarsrp.ne...n-of-saleucami/
http://starwarsrp.net/topic/75527-riders-on-the-sand-storm-ssc-dominion-of-tash-taral/ (exploring an ancient tomb to banish a spirit, fighting Klaxxi, getting maimed a lot, spirit is battled and eaten by Souldrinker).
http://starwarsrp.net/topic/76825-jungle-fever-ssc-dominion-of-felucia/
http://starwarsrp.net/topic/76676-every-which-way-but-ruusan-techno-union-dominion-of-ruusan/ (helping the Obsidian Order slaughter darkside cultists squatting in the Valley of the Jedi)
http://starwarsrp.net/topic/77840-cake-by-the-ocean-the-coalition-dominion-of-arkas/ (Treasure hunting and meta)
Invasions:
Faction Threads:
http://starwarsrp.ne...-22#entry975664
http://starwarsrp.ne...or-my-precious/(faction thread with the Covenant of the Black Rose, Sumiko and Darth Timoris find artefacts after killing beasties and banishing ethereal guardians)
Quests:
http://starwarsrp.ne...tself-and-you…/(quest to find the holocron of Sorzus Syn with Darth Zilti)
http://starwarsrp.ne...-darth-shadow/�(artefact hunting on Ziost, discovering Sumiko's sword)
http://starwarsrp.ne...ical-formulas…/(quest with Darth Zilti to find the spellbook of Zannah)
http://starwarsrp.net/topic/77187-are-you-ready-to-kill-a-world/(Quest with Darth Zilti)
Character Development:
http://starwarsrp.ne...e-7#entry813931(mainly a thread for Naamah, the char Sumiko replaced. But Sumiko escapes Space North Korea. Her character arc begins).
http://starwarsrp.ne...th-love-mirien/(reconnecting with Sumiko's old boss, Mirien Valdier, spy games and 'enhanced interrogation' on Naboo. Jack Bauer would approve!)
http://starwarsrp.ne...of-kairos-kara/(meeting Kära Vi'dreya, job offer)
http://starwarsrp.ne...-and-the-sword/ (getting acquainted with Sumiko's new Sith sword)
http://starwarsrp.ne...nersvik-sumiko/ (Midvinter after-action report. Telling Thurion and Coci about the zombie-creating relic of doom, getting paid)
http://starwarsrp.ne...ong-id-know-it/ (Sumiko teams up with Firemane and Eldorai to rescue Elanil Saedaris from Archangel's clutches)
http://starwarsrp.ne...y-darth-shadow/(Joins Darth Shadow's new alchemy company as a partner, adventures on Belsavis to recover ancient tech with her new buddy Illyria. Long, big quest.)
http://starwarsrp.net/topic/76216-into-the-badlands/#entry1124267 (Sumiko is hired by Sochi Ru to help out with Sith magicks and break a spell)
http://starwarsrp.net/topic/76855-enemy-information-sumiko-sinya/#entry1133740 (Gets hired by Nantaris to identify and analyse Sith toys he found).
http://starwarsrp.net/topic/80274-power-vacuum-illyria/(reunion with Illyria after Shadow's apparent demise)
Misc. Threads:
http://starwarsrp.ne...e-5#entry939179 (studying alchemised beasties)
http://starwarsrp.ne...-siobhan/page-4 (sort of training for hiding Force Signature)
http://starwarsrp.ne...adeline/page-11 (playing with Drain Knowledge and illusions)
http://starwarsrp.ne...e-3#entry838
