SKILLS
ANIMAL HANDLING - Expert: Lu has an exceedingly strong rapport with animals, made all the stronger since his magic allows him to communicate with them directly. While nothing approaching animal control, he is effectively able to calm animals, ride them exceptionally well, and given time also train them effectively.
ATHLETICS - Expert: Lu is an absolute master of all kinds of physical athletics, from running and climbing to gymnastic and acrobatics. He is also ambidextrous and double-jointed. He often uses this enhanced flexibility coupled with his stealth skills to effectively shadow people even at very short distances and remain unseen.
CHARISMA - Expert: Lu has a great deal of personal charisma. He is not exceptionally manipulative, but he's both conventionally attractive and personally charming, if often in an unconscious way. Likewise, when he is sufficiently moved to anger, he can become very intimidating, particularly when his fighting spirit, or ki, begins to rise, giving way to the various power "special effects" that occur around him.
KI KNOWLEDGE - Expert: Lu's knowledge of the occult is very focused. He knows relatively little of occult lore outside his own sphere, but when it comes to knowledge of his own style of ki techniques, he is a prodigy who has dedicated his life to fully understanding his abilities and what they can do. He knows more than a passing bit about spirits and incorporeal beings, as well as the mysticism and bestiary of creatures of the far East, and the means to maintain and recreate his ki-enhanced gear. But in the conventional sense of magic, sorcery, and any western magics he knows nothing.
MARTIAL ARTS - Expert: Lu is an extremely gifted martial artist. Raised by an order of spirit monks who dedicated themselves to improving their martial arts skills, Lu was a once in a generation prodigy. Having become the greatest of them, a "chosen one" of sorts, he has continued to do everything in his power to constantly train, test his abilities, and refine his skill. Having been raised to consider it a sacred duty, an obligation to the world to protect it from Oni and other threats. He is also equally skilled with various ancient weapons, as associated with classical Eastern martial arts. His style is a unique hybrid of all styles his order has ever encountered, so it constantly evolves rather than remaining dedicated to one set practice. His familiarity is such that he can often assess another person's fighting style just by their stance at the start of combat alone.
MIMICRY - Expert: As in the sense of a classic ninja, Lu's training has taught him to observe and mimic others. This is often the basis for his learning new techniques with his ki sorcery, as detailed in that power, but it also makes him a truly masterful impressionist. With a disguise and a little time to prepare, he can impersonate almost anyone, even fooling close associates and comrades, at least on a voice- and sight-based level. Of course, this does not grant him access to things they would know that he had no way to know, such as passwords, secret information, and the like.
STEALTH - Expert: Trained in stealth much like a classic ninja, Lu is extremely skilled at all forms of sneaking, hiding, silence, and concealment. He is also versed in related techniques, such as lock picking, pickpocketing, breaking and entering, and so forth. Notably, his personal code prevents him from using his skills for illicit theft, but there are a surprising number of good reasons to use such skills for perfectly honorable purposes. Coupled with his abilities he is able to perform seemingly supernatural tricks of stealth, including hiding from various types of surveillance, mundane or mystical. But he can still be spotted by those with augmented perception or senses of some kind or sufficiently powerful surveillance.
WILLPOWER - Competent: Focused and disciplined, Lu's mind is as much a temple as his body is. While he lacks active psychic powers (apart from what he can do with his ki sorcery), he has developed his will so much that it grants him effective defense against most mental intrusions or manipulations. Coupled with his powers, this gives him Enhanced level mental defenses against unwanted mental influence, intrusion, mind-reading, or attack. He is also virtually fearless, and as such enjoys substantial resilience from intimidation or fear based powers and abilities.
POWERS
AWARENESS - Enhanced: Apart from generally sharp, keen senses, Lu is extremely aware of his surroundings, almost seeming to have "eyes in the back of his head" and having general awareness that extends into on the superhuman. He can see through most illusions, and he also has something of a life sense, that alerts him to the presence of living beings nearby, alerts him of immediate danger to his person (almost like Peter Parker's senses), and alerts him of major shifts in the cosmic balance (as in the scene in Star Wars when Obi-Wan senses the destruction of Alderaan). When coupled with his various skills and training, these special forms of awareness also enable to make highly accurate estimates of the "power" or "threat" level of a potential opponent, if their personal energies can be perceived. This perception becomes even more accurate if he is able to observe their fighting ability. He can similarly use these senses to determine weaknesses or flaws in an item or individual when given time to observe them.
DRAGON RAGE - Supreme: When in Dragon Rage form, Lu's physical abilities and his ability to project energy are temporarily dialed up to their maximum capacity. Effectively, that means that in Dragon Rage form, his strength, dexterity, resilience, and the energy attacks created by his Ki Mysticism are all rated at Supreme level. His Dragon Rage usually only lasts for for the duration of the situation that caused it, up to one hour, after he has built up enough energy to activate it. Under special, plot-based circumstances, his Dragon Rage might be sustained for longer periods of time, as befits the story. This power is accompanied by an "nimbus" of energy and illusory effects, but these are essentially cosmetic "power special effects," such as a blazing light surrounding him, illusory serpentine dragons roaring and twining about him, or explosive blasts of power knocking things away from him as he channels energy to "power up."
FLIGHT - Enhanced: Lu has used his ki powers to allow flight so often that it is now second nature to him. He flies at hypersonic speeds within an atmosphere, and thanks to his command over his power he does not cause a great deal of atmospheric disturbance by doing so. He is not as fast a flyer as some, but he is solidly in the realm of super-powered. His flight is accompanied by a perpetual nimbus of energy and a glowing trail for several meters behind him. Making stealth based abilities impossible when flying.
HOME RUN - Enhanced: Lu's abilities, both physical and energy based, have a tendency to create a tremendous amount of potential kinetic energy. This energy manifests in causing extreme levels of knock back against those unprepared for or unable to defend against it. Often throwing the unwary a great distance based on mitigating factors like preparedness, weight, etc.
KI MYSTICISM - Enhanced: The main function of Lu's ki Mysticism is combat, allowing him to engage in classic "anime martial arts battle" techniques. Such as throwing ki-based beams and blasts, creating massive explosions, as well as deflecting, or returning the very same sorts of attacks. This is also the basis for most of his other powers, such as super speed and spirit travel. His mystic focus is based in his understanding of and ability in martial arts, so to maintain his power levels he must also maintain his martial arts skills (as per his flaws). Notably, his combat-base ki powers require him to perform motions and incantations, usually including shouting the name of the maneuver he's executing.
He can also create incidental illusions, use his magic to enhance his stealth, or do more seemingly minor things, such as speaking to animals or interacting with spirits. These abilities are generally spiritual or energy-based in nature, and they must always be thematically appropriate to what he knows how to do -- with one exception. In a sharp contrast to his combat powers, his stealth-based ki powers require him to behave as quietly and unobtrusively as possible.
When he observes another character use a power, he can utilize his mimicry skill to teach himself to do something similar as a magical effect. This is not true "power copying," but effectively he can be inspired by what he sees others do, then teach himself to do the same thing using his magic. All of his magic's usual limitations apply to these abilities, and he cannot gain any abilities that require extensive physical changes (such as gaining additional limbs, wings, or the like).
PHYSIQUE - Enhanced: Thanks to his training and mystic enhancements, Lu has physical abilities far beyond those of normal humans. This affects his strength, dexterity, and toughness most obviously. Without powering up, he has reflexes fast enough to catch bullets, can punch hard enough to shatter stone, and could have boulders dropped on him and come away with only a few scratches. Lu's body also regenerates constantly at a fairly low level, meaning that while he does not heal as quickly as a character like the canonical Wolverine, he does heal consistently and thoroughly. This same effect allows him to purge toxins or ailments from his body, and it makes his cells regenerate fast enough to vastly reduce his aging (by a factor of 100 or more). As he powers up, his ability to heal increases as well. But never reaching the levels of characters well known for their regenerative acumen. Notably, he does have some vulnerabilities, such as to edged weapons, which are noted in his flaws.
POWERING UP - Basic: Lu gradually gets stronger as a fight wears on, his Ki enhancing and fueling his abilities over time. The stronger his fighting spirit becomes, the more focused and effective his abilities become. (There is not a set "speed" for this, as it tends to work at the speed of "drama" as a fight wears on. In practice the more powerful the threat the more likely his abilities will increase, the less powerful the less likely. This can be a matter of perception as well, allowing him to be fooled if he fails to make use of his senses. In practical terms, this will be worked out with anyone in a scene based on appropriate consent rules.) When fully "powered up," he enters "Dragon Rage" mode and gains access to the abilities listed in that power.
SPIRIT TRAVEL - Supreme: Lu can travel through the spirit world at sufficient speed to make it seem that he instantly teleports across even intercontinental distances, traveling at the speed of light itself while there. Distances farther than what he could reach in an instant will simply take longer than an instant to reach, though still an appreciably shorter period of time than in the material world. He may take others along with him, if they are in physical contact. They must remain in such contact or take a chance of becoming lost. It is possible for Lu to even travel to other realities in this way, though the sheer distances and the confusing nature of the Spirit Realm make this very complicated.
While in the spirit world, he is free to slow down and interact with entities there, and thanks to his ki mysticism his abilities on the spirit plane work much the same as they do in the physical world. However, he still has biological needs, such as to eat, so without some other form of magical intervention, he cannot remain on the spirit plane indefinitely.
In the material world, this ability allows him to physically interact with beings of pure spirit as well -- ghosts and other incorporeal beings, for example. This includes seeing and simply speaking to them in addition to physically touching them as needed. This is seldom done lightly, however, as it is considered a sacred gift to his order from Ryujin the Water Dragon.
SUPER SPEED - Enhanced: Lu can move faster than the normal human can follow, sometimes moving so quickly that he cannot be seen by the naked eye. This allows him to move fast enough to strike enemies who have vibrated out of phase with the physical world, as well as running or fighting at speeds that the normal eye simply cannot follow. He is able to use this technique to create after images of himself. Giving the appearance of being in multiple places at one time. However as it is only a speed based illusion, others with speed approaching or greater than his own will never be so fooled.
ADVANTAGES
DRAGON TAIL ONI'S BANE The "Doragonteiru Oni Bein" is a weapon that is virtually indestructible, contains a bladed edge like a sword, and also has a grappling feature, enabling him to ensnare or entangle foes or to use it like a swingline. Effectively, it's what it sounds like: a "dragon tail," almost like a chain whip with a blade on the end.
GEAR Lu wears a sturdy chest shield over his costume. Though it is strong as steel, it is light enough to be used as a glider for those times when flight would be unwise. He also has a helmet with Enhanced level armor that will filter out toxins from the air, protect him from sensory overload, and allow him to exist in places where he would need a contained air supply. His other costume elements are more mundane and often the shield and helmet are nearly all the remain of his costume after a battle. Apart from this, he carries a supply of blackout bombs (which create a localized area of otherwise mundane darkness using mystic means), a potent healing salve, and a good set of lock picks at all times. Incidentals include clothing or other basic personal amenities.
HOME RUN Lu's abilities, both physical and energy based, have a tendency to create a tremendous amount of potential kinetic energy. This energy manifests in causing extreme levels of knock back against those unprepared for or unable to defend against it. Often throwing the unwary a great distance based on mitigating factors like preparedness, weight, etc.
SPIRIT MONKS Though he has gone out into the world to battle the enemies of man-kind. Lu is still the chosen one and champion of The Spirit Monks. He could always rely on them for whatever aid they might provide, including replacement equipment, wisdom, and training in new techniques he has yet to master from the elders of the monks.
WEAPONS Lu maintains a variety of weapons, including a well-crafted katana, a supply of shuriken, a pair of ninja fighting/climbing claws, and a set of four kunai.
WEAKNESSES
DIFFICULT PAST From having suffered a traumatic car accident to having had to leave the spirit monks, there are many things in Lu's past that weigh on him and affect the way he sees the world and interacts with it. This can exacerbate some of his other personality traits, such as his personal code of honor.
EDGED ATTACKS Despite his great resiliency, he is still vulnerable to being harmed by edged attacks if they are strong enough. A sword of normal material might slice his skin, but it will probably not be able to penetrate his flesh deeply, as it will lack the necessary tensile strength. However, a weapon sturdy enough not to break against him and with a sharp edge can harm him very seriously.
FOOD He eats tremendously large volumes of food to fuel the huge caloric needs of his body, but he is very limited in what he will eat. Generally, only healthy, natural foods appeal to him. Fast food or food that is exceptionally sweet or greasy tends to turn his stomach, and he vastly prefers food prepared in Asian cooking styles. If he does not maintain his level of food intake, however, his abilities will suffer. For every missed meal, he loses about twenty percent of his overall power and fighting ability.
HOME RUN Lu is especially susceptible to planned knock back or incidental knock back from powerful attacks. Even attacks that inflict little damage have the capacity to send him careening through the air, potentially causing him to strike other objects and giving breathing room to an otherwise pressed enemy.
NEGATIVE KI Negative ki attacks affect him with unusual strength, causing him harm when he might otherwise shrug off an attack.
PERSONAL CODE He is a typical classic hero in many ways, such as always striving to save the lives of innocent people, never harming innocents, never letting his friends down, protecting those he cares about, always keeping his word, and fighting honorably. He is also driven to strengthen himself as a fighter, so he will virtually never back down when challenged, and he constantly strives to do everything he can to become stronger.
RAGE If he witnesses innocents or those he cares about being seriously harmed or when faced with an enemy that appears to be truly, monstrously evil and would threaten those he cares about, he may enter a controlled rage where he will focus on that enemy and go into an all-out assault on them, doing everything in his power to utterly and completely defeat them, leading him to ignore other things. However, he will not allow himself to kill as a result of this rage.
SHADOW OF THE DRAGON Lu is the Chosen one of Ryujin the Great Water Dragon. His shadow is often seen when a bright light is trained on Lu, rather than Lu's own. Typically this can be a simple enough thing, just adding to his mystique. But when impersonating others or engaging in any form of stealth it is also an easy way to potentially identify him.
TRAINING He must train constantly, on average fourteen hours per week, in order to keep his skills sharp and to avoid a decline in ability. He must also meditate and pray to Ryujin for one hour each night, or his spirit may become unbalanced, thus causing his powers to begin to decline.
