Icebound Shadow

"Saving the world and saving my world are two very different things."
Icebound Shadow
Player: @Maki
Origin:	Magic
Archetype:	Mastermind
Security Level:	50
Personal Data
Real Name:	Junpei Yukimura
Known Aliases:	None
Species:	Human
Age:	Early-Mid Thirties
Height:	5'9"
Weight:	180lbs
Eye Color:	Brown
Hair Color:	Black
Biographical Data
Nationality:	Japanese
Occupation:	Ninja
Place of Birth:	Honshu, Japan
Base of Operations:	Unknown (Presumably same as birthplace)
Marital Status:	Single
Known Relatives:	Number unknown, presumed alive
Known Powers
Ice creation/manipulation, demon summoning, superhuman mobility, concealment via conjured fog
Known Abilities
Stealth methods, breaking and entry, misdirection
Equipment
Enchanted shortbow, various effects classically associated with ninja
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History

The Yukimura ninja clan traces its lineage all the way back to the Sengoku period. Their claim to fame, apart from the oni bound to serve whoever reigns as grandmaster, was their corpus of ice manipulation techniques. As the forward march of time pushed ninja into the shadows of irrelevancy, this particular clan survived through the shrewd political maneuvering of their grandmaster. The clan persisted as a tool of the wealthy, their primary rivals thinning out over the years with one notable exception. For much of its history after the unification of Japan, the clan existed in comfortable secrecy, known to those with the means to employ them yet unknown to the public as much more than a myth to inspire stage plays and stories. Those who rose to the top of the organization did so not only because of their talent, but their willingness to adapt to the times. Opportunism and change go hand in hand--be it the eventual predominance of the merchant class, the rise of organized crime, or even a wartime government, the Yukimura persevered.

Junpei Yukimura was born in the early 1990s, to what he believed was a painfully ordinary family. On his sixteenth birthday, he discovered that his father's 'business' and his mother's 'software development' were intricately crafted deceptions for himself and for the outside world, inducted into the clan and trained in its arts. He took to his training like a natural, all the while maintaining a flawless facade of an ordinary student, even into his college years. Embracing the internet as a source of leads, Junpei shot into relevance as a capable member of the clan, impressing his great uncle, the grandmaster at the time. The computer science degree he earned still has a place on his mantle.

It's because of Junpei that the clan is known internationally--he pushed for the clan to branch out in the 2010s, and the decision has paid dividends. By the time he fended off an attack on the clan's holdings, his great uncle had an easy decision to make when it came to the next grandmaster. At twenty-five, Junpei was the youngest member in recent history to have earned the position and the consequent title of Icebound Shadow. Under his leadership, the clan has bolstered its digital presence, allowing it to mobilize and effectively strike beyond its power bases in Japan and the Isles.

Unconventionally, he even personally takes some assignments, though seldom for something as pedestrian as money. Power and political influence are his preferred payments, and if a prospective client can't offer those, he prefers at least a payment which is interesting. Finished but ultimately irrelevant inventions, niche magical paraphernalia, first drafts of published works or movies, or original paintings

Personality

Any idealism that Junpei had is gone as of his college days. To him, the world is a cold place, dominated by forces hopelessly larger than the individual and still much larger than small organizations like his clan besides. A brief stint as an idealistic vigilante cured him of any notion that heroes can peel the fingers of those forces off of the throats of people--one's time and effort are better spent securing what small pockets of safety and happiness one may, and perhaps finding a few like-minded people with which to weather those forces. For him, something being unfair is no reason not to do it, especially when people with the weight of culture at their backs (like heroes, police officers or soldiers) can behave unfairly with none of the stigma that those without cultural authority would otherwise suffer.

He nevertheless feels it important to stay informed about current events and to have an idea of public thoughts and feelings, not only because his position somewhat demands it, but because he finds that it's valuable to stay grounded in his line of work. His secret identity isn't just a disguise, it's a means of touching grass, so to speak. Accordingly, heroes and villains alike find that the Icebound Shadow is surprisingly reasonable, given the profession. He isn't the sort to bleed for something that isn't truly, preciously important to him, and he is deliberate with what he considers to be of that importance.

Junpei is perfectly pleasant and polite at a resting state. With adversaries, he's cool and collected even in battle. The nature of his work means that yesterday's enemy could be today's ally, and he doesn't really feel he can afford to be acrimonious over past engagements. He has a tendency to keep acquaintances at a polite arm's length, coming across as a very private person even in relaxed social settings; he might go out for drinks, might even make good conversation, but won't say much of any real substance about himself. His trust is hard-won, owing to his feelings about the way of the world--but if he manages to trust someone on a personal level, it's because he thinks they're worth making a spot for by the proverbial fire and weathering the cold of the world with them.

Attributes

Power Grid
	Statistic	1 2 3 4 5 6 7
	Intelligence
	Strength
	Speed
	Durability
	Energy Projection
	Fighting Skill

Powers

Ice Clone Jutsu: The clan's most notorious technique allows for animate life-sized duplicates of the user to be constructed. The more skilled the user, the higher the number of duplicates and the more refined the level of control. Junpei can control five at once, and each fights with the same finesse as Junpei himself. He is able to direct them to intervene and take hits on his behalf, and may switch places with them on the fly. Destroying a clone releases a burst of supercooled air at the assailant, sometimes enough to freeze unsuspecting foes and most always enough of a distraction to allow Junpei time to conjure a replacement.

Ice Armory Jutsu: Creates armor, weapons and tools (such as caltrops, blinding powder or grapple hooks) from ice, provisioning himself, his allies or his duplicates.

Winter Fog Jutsu: A technique as useful for breaching fortifications as it is for escape. Creates a thick fog capable of concealing people.

Wind Chill Jutsu: Alters the temperature of the air drastically to create thermals for enhanced leaping. Used offensively, can create blizzards to reduce visibility and wear down enemies.

Polar Lights Jutsu: Creates perfectly spherical, highly reflective hailstones that capture the light in distracting patterns; this light can be used offensively to blind as easily as it draws attention. Junpei can manage two, even with all of his duplicates active.

Ice Conjuring Jutsu: The first technique which Yukimura ninjas learn. It does precisely what the name implies, altering the temperature of the air and drawing on moisture to create ice. Junpei frequently returns to it to iterate new uses. He has been observed icing floors to confound pursuing enemies or combatants, conjuring it to stick himself to walls or ceilings, creating entry or exit structures, and frosting over his enemies to sap their strength.

Oni of the Deep Mountain: An oni bound to serve the grandmaster of the Yukimura clan. Can conjure and manipulate fire. Superhumanly durable. Death appears only to shatter its physical form for a time.