Art by Eryke over at
Superbuddies.
Background: Jennifer and Kimberly Satou are the latest generation of Satous to inherit the mantle of Sohei and possession of the magical naginata Enryakuji. Going all the way back to the late-12th century Genpei War, there has always been a Sohei, even if this heroic figure most often went by different names. As the family story goes, the first Satou to wield Enryakuji was a warrior-monk who lived outside Kyoto. When Minamoto no Yoshinaka betrayed Emperor Go-Shirakawa, a messenger from the heavens brought Enryakuji to Satou with the charge to defend the weak and punish treachery. Ever since, the Enryakuji has been passed to a worthy Satou so that the first Satou's mission can continue.
The first Satou to be publicly known as Sohei was Toyotomi Satou, a Japanese expatriate living in Australia. Long disturbed by the militaristic totalitarian dictatorship that ruled his native land, Toyotomi Satou took up Enryakuji against Japan during World War II, fighting alongside soldiers and super-soldiers from China, Australia, the Phillipines, and the United States throughout the Pacific theater. After World War II ended, Toyotomi Satou retired his costume and returned to a quiet life as a carpenter and painter. He married an Australian woman and together they had three children, only one of whom lived to adulthood.
James Satou left Australia for the West Coast of the United States in 1969, and he took Enryakuji with him as his legacy. For a brief time, he fought crime as the second Sohei, but quit after having his fill of the increasing radicalism in the U.S. fomented by totalitarian sympathizers and self-obsessed draft protestors. He moved to northern California, married Dawn Hendersen, and settled down to raise a family. Like his father, James earned a living as a carpenter and painter. His wife Dawn was a dancer and costume designer. After a time, they had two daughters, the eldest Kimberly and the second Jennifer.
Kimberly and Jennifer lived a relatively normal life, made remarkable only by father's rigorous martial arts instruction, an activity that elicited polite disapproval expressed in letters from James's aging father. Kimberly took her martial arts training seriously, enraptured by her father's stories of her family's noble history. Jennifer's motives were more personal, relating to her heartfelt desire to earn her father's respect. When the girls were both in high school, their mother Dawn fell ill with ovarian cancer resulting from conditions that had long prevented her from bearing other children. Although treatment saved Dawn's life, she was left barren.
James realized that he'd never have a son to whom he could pass Enryakuji. He talked with Dawn about adopting a boy. He wouldn't have been the first Satou to do so, but Dawn convinced him to take another course of action. How could he spurn his own daughters? Instead of adopting a child, why not pass the Satou legacy to Kimberly? She was dedicated and an accomplished martial artist, almost the equal to her father. James meditated long and hard upon these questions. His meditations were rewarded when the messenger from the heavens returned to a Satou for the first time in nearly 800 years.
The angel told James to not bequeath Enryakuji to Kimberly, but instead to grant the Sohei legacy to both of his daughters. James did as instructed. The magical powers of the Sohei legacy were divided between the two young women. Kimberly became the third Sohei while Jennifer took up Enryakuji under the alias Blade Dancer.
BLADE DANCER
Quote: "Admire the beauty of my style...while I kick your ass!"
Concept: Artistic weapon master
Occupation: Artist, dancer
Real Name: Jennifer Satou
Legal Status: Citizen of the U.S. with no criminal record
Identity: Secret
Place of Birth: Eureka, California
Marital Status: Single
Living Relatives: James Satou (father), Dawn Satou (mother), Kimberly Satou (older sister)
Height: 5 ft. 2 in.
Weight: 100 lb.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Brown
Motivation: Acceptance
Complications: Insecurity, Secret
STR 20 (+5);
DEX 20 (+5);
CON 12 (+1);
INT 10 (+0);
WIS 14 (+2);
CHA 14 (+2)
TOU +6/+1*;
FORT +8;
REF +13;
WILL +9;
INIT +9;
KNOCKBACK -3/-0*
* If flat-footed.
MELEE +10;
RANGE +6;
GRAPPLE +15;
DAMAGE +5 unarmed, +8 naginata (crit 19-20);
DEFENSE +14*
* +5 flat-footed.
Skills: Acrobatics 10 (+15), Climb 10 (+15), Craft (artistic) 5 (+5), Escape Artist 15 (+20), Language 1 (Japanese), Notice 7 (+9), Perform (dance) 5 (+7), Profession (dancer) 5 (+7), Sense Motive 6 (+8)
Feats: Acrobatic Bluff, Attack Focus 4 (melee), Blind-Fight, Defensive Roll 5, Dodge Focus 4, Evasion, Fascinate (Perform [dance]), Improved Critical (Strike), Improved Initiative, Instant Up, Move-By Action, Power Attack, Set-Up, Takedown Attack, Teamwork, Uncanny Dodge (auditory)
Powers:
* Speed 2 (
Speed: 25 MPH)
* Strike 2 (
Power Feat: Mighty;
Flaw: Only with Charge [-1])
* Super-Movement 2 (Air Walking)
Device:
Magical Naginata (Device 4, hard-to-lose, 20 points)
* Blast 10 (
Power Feat: Triggered by Strike critical hit;
Extra: Burst [+1];
Flaws: Only if Triggered [-1], Touch [-1])
* Immunity 10 (bullets, fire damage)
* Strike 3 (
Power Feat: Mighty)
Attack/Damage Tradeoff: +0/-0
Defense/Toughness Tradeoff: +4/-4
Abilities 30 + Skills 16 (64 ranks) + Feats 26 + Powers 24 + Combat 32 + Saves 22 = 150
SOHEI
Quote: "Supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting...but I'll settle for beating you down if you push your luck, punk."
Concept: Hippocratic powerhouse
Occupation: Artist, physician
Real Name: Kimberly Satou
Legal Status: Citizen of the U.S. with no criminal record
Identity: Secret
Place of Birth: Eureka, California
Marital Status: Single
Living Relatives: James Satou (father), Dawn Satou (mother), Jennifer Satou (younger sister)
Height: 6 ft.
Weight: 155 lb.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Brown (wears blue and white wig as Sohei)
Motivation: Goodness
Complications: Responsibility, Secret
STR 28/24* (+9/+7*);
DEX 12 (+1);
CON 30 (+10);
INT 10 (+0);
WIS 14 (+2);
CHA 14 (+2)
TOU +12;
FORT +15/+13*;
REF +6;
WILL +8/+6*;
INIT +1;
KNOCKBACK -12/-10*
MELEE +8;
RANGE +8;
GRAPPLE +20/+18*;
DAMAGE +9/+7* unarmed, +12/+10* naginata, +11/+9* parang (crit 19-20);
DEFENSE +6/+8*
* Without Rage.
Skills: Concentration 8 (+10), Craft (artistic) 5 (+5), Diplomacy 8 (+10), Intimidate 10 (+12), Knowledge (theology and philosophy) 5 (+5), Language 1 (Japanese), Medicine 8 (+8), Notice 6 (+8), Profession (doctor) 5 (+7)
Feats: All-Out Attack, Defensive Attack, Diehard, Equipment 3, Fearless, Power Attack, Rage 6 (+4 STR, +2 Fort and Will, -2 Defense, 10 rounds), Set-Up, Startle, Teamwork
Powers:
* Enhanced Constitution 20
* Enhanced Strength 14
* Immunity 15 (fatigue effects, stunning)
* Impervious Toughness 8
* Impervious Toughness 2 (
Flaw: Only with Rage [-1])
* Speed 2 (
Speed: 25 MPH;
Flaw: Only with Rage [-1])
* Super-Strength 3 (
Heavy Load: 2.7 tons [4.8 tons with Rage])
Equipment:
* Armor (+2 Impervious TOU; EC 4)
* Naginata (+3 damage; EC 4)
* Parang (+2 damage, crit 19-20; EC 4)
Attack/Damage Tradeoff: +2/-2
Defense/Toughness Tradeoff: -2/+2
Abilities 10 + Skills 14 (56 ranks) + Feats 17+ Powers 65 + Combat 32 + Saves 12 = 150
