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Pasha, Murat - [SHINIGAMI]
Murat Pasha
Gotei Ambassador to the Quincy
Reiatsu130 Strength15 Defense50 Speed15 Spirit50 ApplicationMurat | Kimmie | Dust ThreadsDown the Rat Hole
Pasha, Murat - [SHINIGAMI] Jul 6, 2016 23:23:28 GMT -5 via mobile Fuuyuko Suwa, Niji Amidasu, and 3 more like this
Post by Murat Pasha on Jul 6, 2016 23:23:28 GMT -5
Pasha (Kundakçı), Murat
First Division Records Officer
Age / Apparent Age: 140/early 40's
Height & Weight: 166 cm (5 foot 6 inches), 67 kg (149 lbs)
Hair & Eye Color: Dyed Black Hair, A Single Dark Brown Eye
Positive Traits: Diplomatic, Cautious, Open-minded, Practical, Outgoing
Negative Traits: Idealist, Paranoid, Cruel, Resentful, Hedonistic
Loyalties: The people of the Seireitei
Birth to wealthy political family in Izmir, Ottoman Empire - October 20, 1876
Diplomatic work in Japan - 1906-1912
Served as officer in Ottoman military - 1912-1915
Death to artillery fire at Gallipoli - April 25, 1915
Administrative assistance in Rukongai with war dead - 1915-1918
Headmaster at Rukongai school - 1918-1934
Attends Shinigami Academy - 1934-1937
Completes Academy and serves in records office in First Division, regularly volunteering for missions to Earth - 1937-1975
Loses eye in Hollow attack at Beirut, Lebanon - December 6, 1975
Ceases volunteering for missions, lets skills atrophy, and becomes increasingly suspicious - 1975-2016
Theme: The Protomen - The Hounds
Murat is a somewhat light-skinned man of Turkish ancestry. Not enjoying the same second youth most who cross over do, he has taken to dying his otherwise gray-streaked, dark brown hair a deep black. The dye job, though effective in the low-light environments Murat usually spends his time in, doesn't really hold up too well under intense lighting. His shoulder-length hair is held in place firmly by a large amount of gel, swept back and parted gently down the center with a few locks dangling loosely over his forehead. His strong chin is even further enhanced by his beard, which he keeps carefully trimmed. His narrow lips are rarely seen fully closed, typically because he is usually either sneering, smirking, or smoking either a cigar or cigarette.
Most of the time, onlookers have their attention drawn to the large polished brass mechanism affixed to his right ear and running the full length of his face up to his eye socket. At its termination, a large, dark purple lens runs from the end of the device to the bridge of his nose, completely covering where his eye used to be. While others might be self-conscious of such a garish eyesore on their face, Murat actually quite enjoys it, using it to distract from any subconscious facial tells he might accidentally let slide. If he removes the device, which he has unfortunately had to do more times than he'd have cared to thanks to increased paranoia about infiltrators from Heuco Mundo, his empty and heavily scarred eye socket can be seen. Aside from this implant, Murat bears little in the way of customization of his attire while on duty, save for having affixed a wide array of pockets inside of his uniform in order to facilitate hiding flasks and smokes. If given the opportunity, be it while off-duty or in his Gigai, Murat typically opts to ditch his uniform in favor of a dark two piece suit and tie.
Though he puts forth a token effort to remain in shape, Murat often skips over leg day, opting to spend it sitting at a bar with a cigar in hand. This has left him with a muscular upper body and a somewhat curvy lower body, not that he seems to mind. After all, what's the point in being a prime physical specimen if you let your mind degrade? This, combined with long hours spent sitting around thanks to his job, have combined to give him a slightly slower than usual gait.
Two lifetimes of chronic smoking take their toll on someone's lungs and, compounded by his preference to avoid the doctors of Third poking around in his eye cavity for new and painful ways to try to restore his full vision, Murat's voice has a very noticeable throaty grit to it. In order to prevent any embarrassing coughing fits, he normally either speaks rather quietly or takes regular breaks to clear his throat. When he's not coughing, his voice has a deep baritone tone with only the faintest Ottoman accent.
Murat's life has always revolved around obfuscating facts or information, be it from other officials, his formal reports, or the mental gymnastics he uses to convince himself that he's in the right. It is perhaps fitting, then, that his Reiatsu resembles a dry, smoky, purplish haze that lingers around him much like the fabled smoke-filled rooms oh so many backroom deals have been struck in. Normally, the smoke gently pours from his hands as if it were coming from a lit cigar, but in the rare occasions when he has felt real fear, the flow becomes significantly stronger, billowing forth from the rest of his body, particularly from the empty socket located behind his eyepiece.
Murat is driven by the desire to work for a better society, and is more than willing to commit a multitude of lesser evils in order to help achieve that goal. His actual moral code is flimsy, if it even exists at all. He has seen men who were rumored to be evil incarnate commit great acts of self-sacrifice and he has seen supposed white knights abandon their solemn oaths at the slightest provocation. Though Murat has internalized and fully accepted this dichotomy, he realizes that most others cling to their constructs of good and evil. This causes him to hold his tongue more often than not with regard to his actual thoughts, phrasing his ideas in ways that would be more socially acceptable.
His particular brand of heresy deals with the civil service apparatus of the Gotei. For far too long, might has made right, resulting in innumerable war dead, terribly oppressive regimes, and an ever-increasing tendency for the most competent among the ranks of the Seireitei to be pushed out of their rightful place in the limelight only because they couldn't swing a sword as hard as the other guy. Such a system should be, quite simply, impossible to sustain with the faith of the people. How long will it be until the Rukongai rises up against their masters, and what if the strongman sitting in the Captain Commander's seat at that moment was the kind of fool to actually return fire?
This is not to say he is rude, or even remotely hostile in nature. Murat is very outgoing and likes to have a good time. This is dual-purpose. From a practical standpoint, Murat recognizes that it is easier to catch flies with honey than with vinegar. Also, it is much easier and natural to try to get along with people than to strive to have repeating conflicts with everyone you disagree with. Plus, how are you supposed to know that there's been any progress in society if you can't experience it yourself?
At his desk job, Murat attempts to uphold solid productivity at the expense of his professionalism. Be it drinking, smoking, fucking his latest boy toy, or sleeping in, Murat is pretty much the outward model of the imperfect employee to anyone who knows him personally. Those who don't see his work process and only see the product, however, are often content with the speed at which their requests are processed. Though he has a strong working relationship with several Shinigami, there are precious few who he would consider anything close to a friend.
When he is not on duty, Murat will typically make his way out into Rukongai in order to visit his favorite bars. It is in these moments, a stiff drink in one hand and a freshly lit cigar in the other, when he feels most at peace. He normally does not invite other Shinigami out with him, but he typically puts on a happy face when he sees them in public.
Diplomatic: You don't get very far in foreign relations without understanding the needs of others. Even the most evil monstrosities have motivations which, to them, are at least in part benign. As a result, Murat almost always tries to understand why someone is acting the way they are before he moves. By framing his arguments as a win for both sides instead of a winner-take-all situation, Murat aims to avoid unnecessary conflict and make sure he has plenty of allies when conflict is the only option.
"I mean no offense, but, if you would like, I'd be glad to help you prepare for situations like this in the future. I did some diplomatic work back in the day and would be more than happy to assist you in... 'acclimating' to your new position. Everything kept behind closed doors, of course."
Cautious: Flying off the handle almost always causes more problems than it fixes. Striking a single decisive blow at the right moment is better than wasting your energy trying to force an opening to appear, both in combat as well as in diplomacy. Too many novice Shinigami have fallen victim to their own arrogance, and Murat is determined not to repeat their mistakes.
"You do not need to die pointlessly fighting something you shouldn't be fighting alone. No unnecessary heroics, no stupid moves, and we all have a shot at making it out of this alive."
Outgoing: Murat will eagerly try to make new acquaintances, be they walking into his office or pulling up to a stool next to him at one of the bars he frequents. A fan of indulging in vices, he is more than willing to try new methods of entertainment. Even though this can rub more prudish activity companions the wrong way, Murat typically succeeds in playing off his more outlandish activities and suggestions as jokes.
"Murat Pasha, First Division Records Officer. Pleased to make your acquaintance. If you'd like, I can make you a drink while we go over the details of your request."
Practical: Time and time again, Murat's coworkers received seated positions, oftentimes for work that he did. Their reward? A nice big bullseye from their new subordinates and increased scrutiny from their superiors, both of which consistently make their inevitable falls all the more painful. Murat has seen this happen to countless Shinigami over his tenure and does not intend to repeat their mistake of blindly seeking personal gain. By remaining grounded in practical matters, he does the boring work that actually keeps the system moving.
"Good work, everyone, but let's hold off on the celebrations until our wounded are taken care of."
Open-Minded: Tradition for the sake of tradition killed the greatest empires the human world ever saw and it is unacceptable for Soul Society to meet the same end. To Murat, the only reason a course of action should be discarded is on its merit. It doesn't matter if it's coming from an established elder or if it's from someone he's never met before.
"Anyone interested and with time to participate should sign up, no matter their rank. The final product of these committees will be brought back before our full body for a final vote of approval before submittal to Fourth."
Idealist: In order to make an omelet, you have to break some eggs. Murat is prone to looking at things as serving the greater good. Seemingly evil acts are perfectly permissible if they serve to do the "right" thing in the end. Blindsided by his ideals, it is easy to imagine scenarios where Murat would allow an increasing amount of lesser wrongs pile up, all under the assumption that the final good deed would all be worth it. This is most notable in his desire to see the civil service reformed. For far too long, sheer strength has ruled the Seireitei. Murat believes that leadership should belong to those with the aptitude to wield it properly, not whatever guy who can swing his sword the hardest.
"Are you as sick as I am of being pushed around? We are supposed to lead this society, not stumble over our toes."
Paranoid: Murat has done more than a few questionable things in his second life which his enemies would no doubt love to use against him, and he has no intention of stopping as of present. This inherent paranoia has oftentimes caused him to second guess the motivations of all but his closest friends and allies. Though this has been a boon on rare occasions, it usually does more harm than good as it can be hard to trust someone who doesn't trust you back.
"What proof do we have of any of this? I didn't see the Captain Commander die. Did you? Did anyone?"
Cruel: When push comes to shove, Murat is not above resorting to tactics others might find underhanded or cheap, be they in a meeting or in a fight. He isn't above raking someone's eyes, threatening or blackmailing them, torturing them, going after their family or friends, or committing outright heinous acts of violence on innocents. This willingness to sink below ethical standards might be effective against his target, but it almost always earns him the disapproval, scorn, or outright horror of onlookers.
"I have friends in the city. One word from me and they will find you when you're purified. I will make you pay for everything I've had to live with since that day. Come, it is time to meet your end!"
Resentful: Murat is normally very tolerant of people who have differences with him. It is when they act on those differences and actively try to hamper his efforts that he starts having issues. He is extremely prone to holding grudges, and is not one to easily give someone a second chance without some sort of sacrifice or admittance of wrong-doing on their part.
"I've got half a mind to send the belongings of every fallen member of First or Academy student we find to Akamine. We'd have been there by now if it weren't for that bitch taking away our support."
Hedonistic: Murat drinks, smokes, and fucks way more than he has any business doing, and sometimes does so at wildly inappropriate times in order to alleviate his nerves. Though this makes him a hit at parties, it has tarnished his reputation with the more upstanding members of society, and runs him the constant risk of having his vices taken away by an angry superior officer.
"Hey, chief. Let's go with three double whiskey shots and follow 'em up with some Mai Tais, please. Come to think of it, make them doubles too."
Ever the revolutionary, Murat dreams of one day creating a Gotei where administrative competence is rewarded instead of sheer combative power. How many excellent potential Captains have been sent to their death as fodder by someone whose only claim to leadership is being able to win a one-on-one fight? If a society is to prosper, it must recognize that physical or spiritual strength are not the only leadership traits that matter. To this end, he is slowly and carefully amassing like-minded individuals in the background, plotting and waiting for the right timing for an efficient and complete takeover of the governance of Soul Society. To accomplish this undertaking, he must:
Acquire like-minded associates and get them in positions whereby they will be able to act to transform society for the better.
Obtain the goodwill of the people, both within Seireitei and the Rukongai at large.
Maintain a low profile and preserve the safety of his people until the time is right to do what must be done.
If possible, accomplish the final goal without the need for bloodshed.
Nesim, Murat's Zanpakuto spirit, appears before him as a short, toned woman of Turkic lineage. Clean of scars, yet covered in dirt and dried blood, she sits atop a small, yet swift, riding horse. Strands of her dirty and frayed brown hair pop from underneath a large, ornamental helmet. To this day, Murat has only ever seen her adorned in a suit of stained and battle-worn scale mail. Despite his hedonistic nature, Nesim's mail is designed for combat, not to show off her assets. At her hip sits a large curved cavalry blade and across her back is strung a short cavalry bow.
Like Murat, Nesim prefers to play a multitude of angles and has a wide array of outfits and personas she is willing to adopt to accomplish her goals. She has no interest whatsoever in making him a more traditionally moral man, focusing instead on breaking his irritating tendency for passivity. For more than 40 years, her primary goal has been spurring him to get back off his ass. As a result, her counsel is usually more aggressive than what Murat would typically pursue. Where Murat would prefer to run, Nesim will urge him to fight. When he would cover up a potential issue with lies or bribery, she will advocate assault or murder.
Like Nesim, Murat's Inner World is secretly multi-layered, but he is yet to glimpse beneath the surface. To the best of his knowledge, this realm is a vast semi-arid steppe with a large tent in the middle. Inside of this tent, free from the glare of the sun, Nesim typically waits for him at a large war table. Laid out upon the table are copies of whatever document or plan he was last thinking over, marked up with heavily revised notes. It is at this table that Nesim tries to spur him to act.
Murat is yet to be brought into the second part of his Inner World, a vast, dimly lit warehouse hidden beneath a hatch concealed under a rug in Nesim's tent. A thick layer of sweet-smelling smoke hangs in the air perpetually about 7 feet above ground level, significantly restricting vision. It is in this warehouse that Murat's thoughts, plans, and paranoid delusions are stored in files concealed amidst the seemingly endless aisles.
By focusing his will, Murat is able to draw the subconscious mind of his target forward, allowing him to prey upon the same second-guessing and tangential thinking that has paralyzed him for so much of his life.
Murat normally keeps his blade hidden away in a sheath underneath his clothes, believing that outwardly carrying his weapon makes him a both a viable target for his enemies and a source of ridicule among his allies for wielding a blade little longer than a letter opener. He keeps several small sheathes sewn into different locations underneath his clothing to allow for easier concealment and unpredictability, should the need to draw or sheathe his blade present itself. The weapon itself resembles a World War 1 trench knife, with the blade coming to a mere 17 cm (7 inches) long, only slightly longer than the handle. A large guard extends from the base of the blade down to the tip of the handle, shaped to mirror brass knuckles both in function and form.
After releasing, the blade portion of Murat's Zanpakutō remains nearly identical to its previous shape, though the brass knuckles recede into the handle. Much more obviously, thin metallic gloves made of what appears to be a flexible brass adorned with silver accents that look like swirling smoke appear over his hands, extending down his forearms and ending just above the elbow. The gloves are strong yet pliant, capable of deflecting most weapons as long as Murat catches them at the right angle. In this form, it is not uncommon for Murat to sheathe his blade entirely and focus on fighting hand to hand, using Kido, or frantically defending himself while looking for another way out of whatever confrontation he has managed to stumble his way into.
Origin (Mortal Life):
Ayşe Kundakçı gave birth to her second son on a mild fall day in 1876 while her husband, Bekir, was out of town at a regional council meeting. For Bekir, this was nothing unusual. Izmir had been beset with troubles and he had taken it upon himself to see that they were resolved. In truth, he provided no substantial boon or detriment to the meeting, but that never stopped him from telling everyone that he was single-handedly saving the Empire from the forces threatening to tear it apart.
It would be over three weeks before Bekir was finally able to return to their home to see his child. Ayşe did as well as she could, relying heavily on their hired help. Murat was finally given his name after nearly a month, his father opting to forego his originally planned name in order to name his son after another member of the governing council who he was trying to get a favor from.
Murat's early life was one of content leisure, one of the benefits of being born into wealth. Bekir tried to hide it, but Murat noticed a very clear favoritism coming from his father for his oldest brother, Suleiman. His mother did a good job of keeping the peace between Murat and his brothers and sisters, a trait Murat came to admire deeply. It seemed like every time his mother recovered from her pregnancy, she was immediately with another child. By Murat's 13th birthday, he had 9 surviving younger siblings, in addition to his older brother and more half-siblings than he cared to know about.
It was a month after turning 13 that Murat had his first taste of sadness. He had been around the house during several of his mother's childbirths and had even been allowed to assist with the last two. This time, however, something was off. Gone were the almost playful attitudes of the midwives. Everywhere he looked, all Murat could see was panicked faces and hurried footsteps. Slowly, the reality of what was happening dawned on him. His mother was dying in childbirth, and there was nothing he could do to help. He watched in horror as his mother screamed in pain, grasping at the bed in the futile hope that there was something in her power that would prevent the inevitable. Suddenly, with one final deafening yell, Ayşe went limp. Weakly, he watched the midwives try to revive her and save the child. Seconds seemed to stretch on into hours as he pleaded to God that somehow everything would be okay and she would look at him and smile, but his prayers were not answered. His mother would never speak to him again.
Learning that the baby brother she was trying to bring in to the family didn't survive actually made Murat happy. The baby had killed her, and Murat hated it almost as much as the absentee father who had put it in her and who only had the time to attend the birth of his first son. It took him four days to return home after she died. By that time, his hatred for his father blinded him to reality. Murat didn't stop to think about how long it had taken for the message to reach Bekir, much less the time it would take him to get back from his government business. All Murat knew was that he hated his father and that he wanted to see him suffer.
For the next 2 years, Murat took to his studies. He did not want to get anything in life because he was his father's son. Finally, at age 15, he applied to school in İstanbul and was accepted. Leaving home with the clothes on his back and a small trunk of personal belongings, Murat dedicated himself to his education, determined to spite his father. Born equally of hate and of actual desire to make a difference, Murat fell in with a group of academic revolutionaries. He was sure they likely sought him out because of his family name, but he didn't care if they wanted to use him for their own means, so long as it served his too.
After graduating, Murat entered into politics, becoming a low level party organizer. As he expected, the party had him return to Izmir to agitate the masses. Needless to say, his father was disgusted by this, as were most of his siblings. For 5 years, Murat waged his war of words, scoring several victories and utterly humiliating his father until, in 1904, he met Ayla. Her fiery passion for democracy and progress drew Murat in. After his mother's death, he thought he could have never brought himself to take a wife, lest they suffer the same fate. As their love grew, though, Murat realized that he could provide where his father had not. He would not demand children of her, he would not desert her, and he would love her and any offspring they produced to the fullest of his ability. They married the next year and she gave birth to a son, Ali, four months after the wedding.
The next year, the party won in the elections handily. Murat was awarded a position in the foreign service for his work and was sent with a delegation to Japan, where he was to serve as diplomat and translator. Pooling what money he had, he was able to arrange passage for Ayla and Ali and, after some bargaining, he convinced her to move with him. Japan was great for Murat. Finally, he was free of his family legacy. In fact, most people couldn't even properly pronounce his full name, a fact which gave him great delight. Here he was, making alliances and working out trade deals and where was his father? Wasting away at home after having been ousted from his seat. Life couldn't get better than this!
His mission was going well and, in addition to helping open up trade, Murat also began making friends from other lands. Not only the Japanese, but also American, British, Russian, and Germans. His linguistic skills expanded, as did his cultural sensitivities. Initially opposed to drinking, Murat's resistance finally gave way and he found himself regularly getting drunk with other diplomatic delegations, sharing stories of home over bottles of sake. One night in 1909, Murat had a few too many glasses with Harry Jacobson, a diplomatic assistant from Canada, waking up the next morning naked in his bed. Initially guilt-ridden, Murat noticed in the coming days that his proposals at the British office were getting through nearly immediately, instead of waiting for the usual month or more of processing time. Rationalizing his escapades away as serving the country's best interests, Murat began regularly going out to drink with Harry, typically ending back up at his place afterward. It wasn't long before he stopped needing to drink in order to justify his actions. Homosexuality had been legal in the Ottoman Empire for several decades, but the British held on to their cultural views. Though he feared what would happen to Harry if he were found out, the benefits were very tangible, plus Murat wasn't about to deny that it felt good.
He still loved Ayla and Ali, and was sure to spend more than enough time at home with them. His attraction to his wife had not diminished. If anything, Murat believed that it had been strengthened. In 1910, Ayla gave birth to a daughter, who Murat named Ayşe. Harry was recalled to Canada in late 1911 and, though Murat was sad to see him go, he accepted that it was probably for the best.
The next year was pleasant enough until September. His diplomatic mission had been enough of an excuse to avoid a call-up to military service. The threat of the impending Balkan War, however, led to immediate recall orders. Dread filled his chest as he read the papers. He had been trained in military matters at college, but didn't expect he'd ever be called on to use any of his training, especially at his increasing age.
Ayla was not enthusiastic about the prospects of war, but knew that their family didn't really have a say in the matter. Agreeing to stay in Japan for safety, Murat's family saw him to the ship he would be taking back to İstanbul. Murat had refused to spend more than one consecutive night apart from his wife since their wedding night, and he was now going off to fight for what could be years. As they stood on the dock, Ayla gave him a small wrapped bundle. Opening it, Murat looked upon an ornamental trench knife. Tearfully, Ayla insisted that he was only allowed to use that knife or any other weapon to make sure he could get back to them in one piece. Above all, she didn't want her husband coming back from war a changed man. Nodding to her and giving his family one final hug, Murat left for war.
Arriving in İstanbul, Murat quickly noticed several unexpected changes. The militarization of the city and populace was dramatic. He looked back on his idealistic college days and reconciled that this war wasn't about changing their society, it was about protecting it. Things would surely go back to the way they were once it all ended. He received his orders, met his men, and began organizing them as best he could, writing every week to Ayla.
His men fought bravely in the Balkan Wars, but bravery wasn't enough. He had hoped, once the fighting was over, that he would be allowed to reunite with his family. His wishes were not to be granted, however. Ordered to the East to deal with a growing problem among the Armenian population in February 1915, Murat threw himself into his work, optimistic that a strong showing might allow him to get a promotion that would permit him some much needed leave. The government's orders had been clear. If war were to break out, the Armenians would surely try to rebel again, following the successes in the West. Opening up a giant hole of territory to let Russia assault straight to the heart of Anatolia was to be stopped at all costs.
The initial roundups went as well as could be expected, and Murat's men were making efficient progress in making sure the outlying populations were safely dealt with. Incidents were minimal, as most of their targets were easily persuaded to leave their homes when the military rolled up, especially with a compassionate commanding officer there to assure them that nothing would come to them as long as they cooperated. That cooperation ceased three weeks in when Murat and his men came to a small ranch. The whole endeavor was doomed from the moment his bright-faced private from Bodrum set his hand on the gate to the property. He hadn't even pushed on it when the gunshot rang out from the house, a round landing right in the throat of the rookie and dropping him to the ground, blood surging from the hole in his neck.
Something in Murat's mind snapped as he watched his soldier draw his last breath. The people in that house were no longer humans to him, they were murderers. Drawing his sidearm and taking a few wild suppressive shots at the window the rifleman had been in, Murat ordered his men to take the house, which proved to be nothing close to a challenge. The murderer fell first, followed by the rest of the house's residents in a brutally efficient bloodbath. From that day forth, gone was the friendly officer just following orders. In his place stood a resolute defender of his squad, determined to make sure no man befell the same fate as that private, no matter how much terror and pain it caused the populace.
In April, news came that the British were amassing forces for a naval assault. Taken off relocation duty, his unit was sent to Gallipoli in preparation of a suspected assault. When they arrived, command assigned them to the suspected front lines. Concerned, but assuring his men that they would remain safe, Murat led his team to their assigned location and began arranging a defense. After weeks of preparation, the offensive finally began. As they hid behind their cover, Murat tried to rally his men. Ordering them to fire, he watched as waves of men and boys were mowed down by his soldiers' guns.
They just had to hold this beach. As long as they could stop the landing, the Empire would be safe. Peace would surely follow soon after and he'd be allowed to return to his family. Murat kept telling himself this as he watched the battle unfold before him.
He had yet to draw his own weapon as he marched up the line barking orders to fire. As he reached a machine gun crew, a loud explosion rocked the ground behind him, sending a sharp pain surging to the back of his head and throwing him forward from the impact. An artillery shell had exploded just behind his trench, and debris had embedded itself deep into his back and head. Deafened by the blast, Murat frantically tried to move, but found his body unresponsive. In panic, he stared forward. The men who had been near him were in similar states, their eyes stuck open in shock, shrapnel sticking out of what remained of their previously pristine uniforms. He faded out of consciousness, overcome by a simultaneous exhaustion and pain as he watched blood drip from the previously pristine uniforms of his countrymen.
Origin (Rukongai):
Murat came to in his trench shortly thereafter as a confused and frightened Plus. His trench had clearly been taken, though the British troops walking along the line didn't seem to notice him. He didn't make it far as he wandered the trench before he was spotted by a Shinigami assigned to clean-up detail. He would have probably ran if it hadn't been for the man calling out to his compatriots further up the trench line in Japanese. Despite his confusion over the whole situation, Murat composed himself as best he could and bowed lightly, greeting the man in his native tongue diplomatically.
His display caused the Shinigami to break out in a fit of laughter. Be it from the absurdity of finding someone here who could actually understand him or of a Plus acting so formal, Murat never really found out. The Shinigami, after he calmed himself down, took the time to explain a how things really were to Murat. It was a lot to accept that his entire worldview was wrong, but Murat's confusion was so severe that he really didn't fight any of it. He could hear voices in the distance crying out something else that seemed to distract the man in black in front of him and, before Murat could inquire as to what was going on, the Shinigami raised his sword hilt to the Turk's head and pressed down, sending him away from the battlefield.
The afterlife was nothing like what Murat had expected it to be and, had it not been for some timely assistance from a local official pointing him in the way of an office that had been set up to deal with the war dead, he would have been in a lot of trouble. Stumbling around the streets, he managed to eventually find his way to it, located within the 9th West district. Supposedly, this place would help him find a suitable family, but Murat had other ideas. He had failed to protect his men, and possibly his country. Sure, he could walk through those doors and become just another face in the sea of souls, but what if he could do some actual good here?
The building itself was essentially a miniature keep. The ever so slightly cracked foundation showed signs of not only the building's significant age but also the amount of care and, more importantly, resources that must flow through it. As he entered, Murat was almost immediately swept away by how busy everyone was. Nearly every person he could understand was pouring over logbooks with bewildered people sitting across from them, delivering similar speeches to what he had just been told by the Shinigami before he was sent on over. Wandering through the chaos, he eventually made his way to someone who looked important, judging by the fact that he was one of the only people who wasn't busy. After introducing himself and explaining the events that had happened since his demise, the man eyed him up for what felt like forever, finally shrugging and showing him to a desk in the corner and assigning one of the other workers to train him.
Murat learned quickly what his job was to be. He had an extensive list of "families," languages they spoke, and the amount of new bodies they were willing to take on. From this list, he was to assign newcomers to a suitable family to help them acclimate. It was good work and gave him a sense of belonging, despite never being formally acclimated himself.
Murat could have easily assigned himself a family, and quickly learned which ones were the best. He decided not to, though. A handful of his new coworkers had been recruited in a similar way as he and had shacked up in an empty wing of the building. Taking up residence with them, a bizarre sort of soldier's camaraderie was born. Most of the men had died at the hands of each other's armies, but they had set that aside in order to come together. Knowing a common language turned out to be a good way to ignore the ambitions of their former rulers. The men in this group jokingly began referring to each other by titles affiliated with their former governments. Murat, frustrated with people butchering his family name, formally adopted his new surname of Pasha.
Shortly into his employment, Murat was approached by a man who identified himself as Mr. Stanley. This man, who looked far more Asian than a name like Stanley would imply, offered Murat a simple deal. If he would see to it that men who seemed physically strong were assigned to a few specific families, he would be given a small bribe. Murat agreed and, after a quick investigation, discovered that Mr. Stanley was using these men in what was essentially slavery and, more importantly, that they were earning his associates a considerable sum of money.
Rationalizing his actions away, Murat realized that he could do some real good here. Exposing the slavery ring would do nothing in the long run. A new Mr. Stanley would likely pop up in a matter of months and, worse, Murat would likely not fare too well for having snitched. No, what he needed to do was get more involved in their operation, but use the money he got to work toward the greater good. Murat revealed what he had found out to Mr. Stanley and offered to help him make it so the same paths of inquiry that were used to find that information wouldn't work again, as well as to implement a few efficiencies into the whole process to allow for a much cleaner and more effective system. Mr. Stanley's initial shock dropped off his face as Murat spoke, replaced with a broad smile. He agreed and brought Murat on board. In rather short order, Murat's take had multiplied tenfold and contingencies were set up to make sure that it would be extremely difficult to detect his involvement.
Throughout the rest of the war, Murat worked in this office. Recently dead troops progressively told of worse and worse problems going on. These continuous tales of pain and suffering weighed heavily on Murat's heart. If only they would have listened to him and fought against the Central Powers, this whole mess could have been avoided. Instead of enjoying his days, Murat found himself dreading waking up every morning. The war didn't take weekends off, and Murat became worried that he would spend his entire afterlife in a dead end job, slowly waiting for some link in the criminal organization he had entered into to break down and reveal his participation.
As the war finished up, the dead slowly trickled down to more manageable levels and Murat found himself at a crossroads. He had amassed a small personal fortune thanks to his dirty dealings and, with the war dying down, he knew it was a matter of time before his office downsized. Recognizing that if he lost his job and didn't have something lined up right away, he would likely be sucked into levels of Mr. Stanley's organization that he didn't think it would ever be possible to escape from, Murat took his saved money and bought a large building in the district, founding a small school in association with the assignment office and bringing some of his former coworkers on to help out.
After a few years, the school was doing quite well. Murat continued to teach the classes that interested him, but he found his days taken more and more up with administrative duties, not that this bothered him. He still spoke regularly with his students and teachers, new and old, and kept tabs on what was going on in the human world. He was heartbroken to learn that the post-war treaties had seen his old Empire dissolved, though news of the new Turkish Republic filled him with optimism. Though he had long since given up on meeting his wife or children again, it was comforting to know that they had a country to return home to in the event they had to leave Japan.
Things were going well, until a string of unfortunate circumstances drove Murat out of his pattern of complacency. In the spring of 1934, Mr. Stanley showed up in Murat's office with an offer. His employers had recently opened up a facility that required laborers trained in chemical processing, opposed to the brute strength they had been using. To assist with this, he wanted Murat to start pushing his students toward careers with the organization. Recognizing several poorly veiled threats in Mr. Stanley's offer, Murat said it would take him some time to get everything set up, but that he would have his answer within a fortnight.
Unwilling to send his students off to work in what he had inferred to be drug manufacturing, Murat started looking for a way out. As luck would have it, a Shinigami showed up nearly a week later to assess one of his graduating students, a youngster by the name of Shin, who had expressed interest in attending Shinigami Academy. This had happened a few times before, but Murat had always been busy and unable to attend. Deciding that he needed to step away from his desk for a bit, Murat attended the meeting, his mind still racing as to possible ways to get out. His spiritual essence was typically unintentionally held in check by his strict focus, but that was not the case today.
As the Shinigami, a tall and beautiful woman, walked into the room they had arranged for the interview, her eyes were drawn to Murat first. Eyeing him up, she sat at the table with Shin and conducted his interview, her eyes shooting back over to Murat every minute or so. Murat, for his part, didn't even notice this with how absorbed he was in his own thoughts. The interview concluded after about 30 minutes, at which point, the Shinigami thanked Shin for his time and said that he would hear the results in a few days. Giving a small bow to the student, the Shinigami walked over to Murat and started making small talk as Shin left.
Once Shin was out of the room, she asked Murat what she thought of the student's abilities. Murat bit his lip as he thought about Shin's record. He was certainly good at his studies, but Murat had recently discovered that he had been cheating. Murat looked into the smiling face of the Shinigami and gave a truthful review of his performance and difficulties. She then asked him if, in her position, he would bring someone like that in. Murat, still very distracted, casually said that if he were in her position, there were a lot of things he'd do. Continuing to smile, the Shinigami asked him what he had meant by that, to which Murat realized what he had blurted out apologized and elaborated, explaining that he would take the student on, as cheating can be a valuable life skill if properly honed.
The Shinigami looked at him for a moment and then laughed heartily, saying that it wasn't often that you saw a teacher call cheating a valuable life skill. She then launched into a lengthy discussion with Murat, going over his mortal life, his life in Rukongai, and his personal philosophies. Murat, his attention still diverted, continued answering truthfully and casually. The conversation went on for roughly 2 hours when the Shinigami folded her hands and sat in silence, pondering Murat. Finally, she asked him if he had ever given any thought to attending the Shinigami Academy. Murat, taken aback by the suggestion, suddenly realized what had been going on these last 2 hours. At much further-spaced intervals, she had asked identical questions to Murat that she had also asked Shin. She had been interviewing him and, from the sound of her question, she was offering him admittance, or at least consideration, to the Academy. Murat jumped on the opportunity, saying that he hadn't realized that he could have applied, making a joke about his apparent age compared to those he had seen from Shinigami. After a brief chuckle, the woman said that she certainly couldn't guarantee anything, but that it would be possible for her to see what she could do. Murat happily expressed his interest and she nodded, saying she would talk with her superiors and see what they could work out.
It was two days a messenger arrived for Murat and Shin, informing both of them that they had been accepted for admittance and that they were to report immediately. Hurriedly, Murat got his affairs in order, handed temporary control of the school over to his staff, and sent a message to Mr. Stanley letting him know that he had been recruited into the Shinigami, and that his school was likely under surveillance by the authorities. Wishing him the best in his future affairs, Murat finally washed his hands clean of the criminal organization and prepared to move on to the next chapter of his life.
Academy life was rough for Murat. He did well enough in Kido, placing in the top quarter of his class. He also excelled in more mundane subjects like history and philosophy, though he received little recognition for his mastery of "boring" subjects. Combat drills were, by far, his worst subject. He proved barely capable and only ever won a handful of very close one-on-one fights, only ever winning through a handful of sand to the eyes or other trickery. Many times, he considered dropping out, but he knew that doing so would guarantee that he would fall too deeply into crime, assuming he survived whatever Mr. Stanley had in mind as punishment. No, Murat's only option was to pass and become a full fledged Shinigami.
There was one unexpected benefit Murat quickly found and embraced. His Academy robes seemed to grant him easy access and free drinks at several establishments. He made extensive use of this privilege, spending most nights sitting at a bar enjoying a strong drink on the house. For their part, the bar owners were also happy with this arrangement. Shinigami had a reputation as unparalleled fighters and Murat wasn't about to ruin has meal ticket by breaking that illusion. In fact, on the rare occasion Murat did need to break up a bar fight, he proved more than capable. Sadly, smashing chairs over people's backs didn't really fit into the standard Shinigami combat training program.
Due to the large numbers of civilian deaths already taking place in the years leading up to World War II, many graduates were finding certain requirements waived in order to get more Shinigami in the field and, as the only thing he had yet to accomplish was displaying a Shikai, Murat was allowed to enter active duty service prematurely. After graduating, he considered entering Third or Fourth Division. His scores certainly would have justified applications, but he realized that his organizational talents would be better used in First. On his first day, Murat was assigned a back office near a seldom used meeting room. He immediately set about personalizing his work area, obtaining much more comfortable furniture, getting a liquor cabinet and large humidor installed, and submitting the paperwork to get the floor and walls fixed. It was only a matter of years before the old meeting room's wall came down and he expanded into there, secretly gaining one of the largest offices in the Sereitei, particularly for an unseated novice.
With the outbreak of the Second World War, Murat found himself routinely volunteering for field duty, ending up on a team of novice Shinigami tasked with making sure those who met their demise as a result of the fighting were quickly dealt with. It was during the war that he fought his first Hollows, almost always with multiple other Shinigami as backup and never truly alone. It was also during the war that Murat came to develop an interest in motion pictures. He would routinely sneak away to soldier recreation areas in order to watch the latest films, claiming that the research was necessary in the event he needed to stimulate a passable Gigai, an argument his superiors begrudgingly accepted.
Murat would continue to volunteer for missions on Earth for the next few decades, treating them like miniature vacations. He could still get the mission done, but there would almost invariably be gaps in his reports for recreational "research." He would find himself coming back to work relaxed and refocused after every trip. It was during these side-trips that Nesim would become the loudest he had heard her to that point, decrying his laziness and trying to get him to actually act like the guardian of the cycle that he was supposed to be.
Things are going well for Murat until December 6, 1975. A report came in of small scale civil unrest brewing in Beirut, Lebanon. Volunteering immediately, Murat was sent on his first solo mission. Upon arriving, Murat was shocked to see that things were rapidly deteriorating. What was supposed to be a light disturbance with a handful of dead was fast turning into a massacre. Either the intelligence had been off or someone had set him up. Murat didn't know which was the case, but he also didn't want to look bad on his first outing alone. First Division got a lot of flak for being a bunch of weak bureaucrats and, even though it was likely fully deserved in Murat's case, he was going to do whatever he could to prove them wrong.
Running through the streets, he hurriedly took care of any lost souls he could find. After an hour, he started realizing the suspicious lack of hollow activity. Things had been hot in Lebanon for a while now, so it would have made sense for at least one to be hiding in wait, but he wasn't seeing or sensing anything aside from the mortals and fresh Plus souls. Thinking himself lucky, Murat barreled around a corner into a back alley.
Suddenly, Murat felt a strong Hollow presence above him, something he would have normally hesitated to fight even with backup. Looking up, a gigantic Hollow shaped like a snake hung down between the two buildings on the sides of the alley. The creature dropped down into Murat with no warning, scrambling to wrap him in its coils.
He was too slow to get away. Panicking, Murat drew Nesim and tried futilely to defend himself. The Hollow cackled as it wrapped him up. Frantically, Murat stabbed at the beast, but his blade might as well have been a thumbtack for all the good it was doing. After a long struggle, the Hollow held Murat in its coils so that only his head was visible. It squeezed, causing a sickening cracking noise to run throughout Murat's body. As the Hollow opened its maw over Murat's head, he watched in terror as a drop of venom dripped down, giving off a strange heat. The drop connected directly with his eye, sending a pain Murat had never before imagined surging through his head.
Murat had known his Zanpakutō's name for some time, though he had been hesitant to bring her forth. She was eager to get out and had told him how he could do so many years ago during one of his excursions to Earth. He did not normally trust his blade to cooperate or to allow him to hold back if the need arose, as her advice had always been far too aggressive for his tastes. None of that mattered at this point, though. Crying that it was time for her to make her showing at last, Murat triggered his Shikai. As his inner rage took over, his years of withholding his spiritual power melted away. A darkness began emanating from his hands, black lines shooting from the small gaps between the Hollow's coils. Murat didn't understand why, nor did he particularly care at the moment, but his Shikai had caused the snake to lessen its hold enough for him to slip his fingers between the gap. It wasn't until well after the encounter in one of his talks with his spirit that he learned just what his power was capable of. Prying and tearing, Murat freed himself from the hold he was stuck in and set to work on the snake Hollow.
He could and should have gone for the mask right away, but Murat didn't care about giving the Hollow peace. He wanted it to feel and remember the pain he was about to cause it though any future reincarnations. Slowly and maliciously, Murat began skinning the Hollow alive. It's shrieks filled the night air, joining the chorus of moral voices crying out for mercy from their captors. Slowly, Murat tore the flesh off the beast, wrestling it all the way. In its frenzy, it attempted to bite him, but Murat was prepared. After deflecting the fangs with his new gloves, he grabbed the beast's head and forced it to bite its own exposed internal organs. As the hot venom dripped into the wound, a putrid smell flooded the alleyway, and the Hollow's cries of agony turned into weak whimpers.
Standing up over his dying foe, Murat panted in exhaustion. His eye still burned and he felt broken bones in several places throughout his body. Looking at the Hollow, he spat as he pulled his blade out for the final strike. Driving his knife into its mask, he used his free hand to hold the Hollow down. Several times as he pulled his blade, Murat had to pause and reinsert it from a fresh strike. The final cut resembled a 7 year-old's arts and crafts project, but it got the job done. The Hollow dissolved and Murat painfully made his way back to Soul Society.
Returning from his ordeal in Lebanon, Murat was rushed to Third Division to see if there was anything they could do for him. Agonizing hours of pain stretched out into weeks as the healers tried everything they could think of. To the surprise of the staff, everything they tried only served to make it worse, until the pain became simply unbearable to continue trying conventional healing methods. Finally, one of the assistants mentioned having heard of a device that Fourth had designed as part of an advanced combat aid. It was intended to help normalize vision and inner-ear stability to improve balance, but no discernible benefit regarding sure-footedness could be established and, worse, had caused significant damage to the test subjects' affected eye. Still, there was a chance Murat could get his depth perception back with it, if not his full range of sight.
Eagerly, he accepted the offer and was fitted for one of the prototype models. The installation procedure was incredibly painful, but nowhere near as bad as what the last few attempted treatments had been. When it had finished, Murat eagerly tested the device. As he had feared, it did not restore his eyesight, but he did see a return of his depth perception. He remained in recovery for another two months while his vitals were monitored and the staff could verify he wasn't experiencing any side effects. Finally, without any cause to keep him, Murat was released and allowed to return to duty, which he did gladly.
Upon getting back to his office, Murat found a massive pile of paperwork waiting for him. He also found that his desires to go back to Earth, be they for work or pleasure under the guise of work, had all but vanished. Whenever he thought of returning, his eye socket burned and he remembered the pain he had suffered. Continuously justifying his staying behind by claiming his pile of work had simply gotten too large, even decades after having gotten back, Murat kept himself safe from harm in the dark backrooms of First Division for nearly 40 years. These 4 decades were a trying time for his already tenuous relationship with his spirit, frequently dissolving into mental shouting matches and nightmares about that fateful night in Lebanon. While he was at work, he poured over countless records, trying to find out what had happened with regard to the night he went out. He could find no indication of why the intelligence hadn't registered the threat level as needing more than one novice Shinigami, and no evidence that anyone had tampered with it. Whatever had happened, Murat was finally forced to accept that it was either a grander conspiracy than he expected he warranted or it was simply a run of bad luck.
Realizing that his paranoia had been holding him back and eager to find a way to make Nesim quiet down a bit, Murat began looking into combat training. Sadly, his skills and weaponry did not fit into most standard Shinigami training programs. It was also extremely humiliating to get his ass kicked by a bunch of kids fresh from the Academy. Doing some research, Murat discovered a new martial art that had been used in the old USSR that seemed to rely on the up close fighting-style his weapon's reach was restricting him into.
Setting out into Rukongai, Murat called on some of his old contacts who had remained on the right side of the law in West District 9 to locate someone able to train him. It was through them that he was united with Pyotr, the soul of a former KGB agent and Spetsnaz officer who claimed to have died in a recent drug sting back on Earth. Making his way to the small house Pyotr lived in, Murat found a boy who appeared no older than 9 waiting for him. Murat greeted the boy and asked for Pyotr, only to be saddened to learn that the child was in fact the person he had been seeking.
Most other men would have turned their backs, maintained their sense of pride, and left to find a different teacher. Murat was not like most other men. He had no delusions of pride or dignity. Kneeling before the boy, he pleaded with him for training in Systema. Had anyone who knew Murat seen this, it would have been the talk of First Division for months. Their veteran of nearly 80 years was begging a small child to teach him how to fight. Pyotr laughed at the absurdity of the situation, not aware that his client was one of the supposed defenders of the balance of worlds. When Murat's seriousness was made clear, Pyotr's laughter continued for a good three minutes. Finally, he settled down and, after some price negotiation, agreed to train Murat in Systema.
This training would prove invaluable in the summer of 2016. Taken by surprise and away from his Division-mates during Obsession's Invasion, Murat seized a leadership role rallying support and leading a rescue team to the Academy grounds. Though his own personal prowess wasn't as heavily tested as many others, his leadership abilities were. Accidentally making a name for himself and drawing a whole lot of unplanned attention, Murat now fears for what is to come. How will he deal with his newfound prominence? Will he slink back into the shadows or will our backroom manipulator finally step into the light?
Original App:
S H I N I G A M I
The Soul Reaper
Murat's Theme:
Name: Murat Kundakçı Pasha (Literal Translation: Desire Gunstock Governor)
Age: 140 (39 at death, around an hour as a Plus, 18 in Rukongai, 6 at Academy, 76 in a back room in the First Division
Apparent Age: Late 30s
Ethnicity: Ottoman Turkish
Dominant Hand: Right
Hair & Eyes: Unfortunately, Murat did not enjoy the same second youth many who cross over do and, as a result, has decided to dye his hair black to conceal his gray streaks and attempt to blend in. The dye is fairly effective under the right lighting, though a keen eye can see through it. He wears his medium length hair heavily gelled in place, with a slight part down the center. His left eye is dark brown. His right eye, lost in battle with a particularly troublesome Hollow many years ago, has been replaced by a large mechanical "eye" allowing him to retain his depth perception. He has a slim beard and mustache, both of which he also dyes black.
Build: Murat makes a point of staying in shape, though he has an unfortunate tendency to skip leg day, spending it instead sitting at a bar with a cigar in hand. This has left him a little top-heavy. He exhibits no desire to change his habits, claiming physical health is meaningless if you forego your mental health in order to achieve it.
Voice: Murat's voice carries a deep baritone sound. During his years in Rukongai, he has managed to all but eliminate his accent, though a careful listener can spot him talking a little too academically to be a native speaker. His years of chronic smoking have brought about a very strong throaty grit to his words, made all the more obvious when he yells. In order to keep from embarrassing coughing fits, he typically tones his volume down unless it is absolutely necessary for him to speak up.
Clothing: Aside from his ocular implant, Murat wears the standard Shinigami uniform when on duty. Despite having a diverse personal wardrobe, his off duty attire is almost always his favorite custom tailored dark suit and tie. On occasion, he'll remove his easily recognizable implant and wear tinted glasses in order to go incognito.
Physical Description: Murat is a somewhat light-skinned man of Turkish decent. His strong chin is even further enhanced by his beard, which he keeps carefully trimmed. His narrow lips are rarely seen fully closed, typically because he is usually either sneering, smirking, or smoking either a cigar or cigarette. Most of the time, onlookers have their attention affixed to the large polished brass mechanism affixed to his right ear and running the full length of his face up to his eye socket. A large, dark lens runs from the end of the device to the bridge of his nose, completely covering where his eye used to be. While others might be self-conscious of such an eyesore on their face, Murat actually quite enjoys it, using it to distract from any subconscious facial tells he might accidentally let slide. If he removes the lens, which he has unfortunately had to do more times than he'd have cared to in order to prove to other Shinigami that he isn't in fact a secret Arrancar, his empty and heavily scarred eye socket can be seen.
Spiritual Description: Murat's Reiatsu is nearly imperceptible unless he is in what he perceives as life-threatening danger. In its normal state, a faint dryness circulates around him with very subtle tones of purplish gray accenting his immediate vicinity, seemingly coming off of his hands. Since donning his black robes, it has only flared up once - in the fight where he lost his eye. When driven into that frenzied state where he was fighting for his very survival, the previously barely noticeable dryness amplified, straining the eyes and throats of those around him as if they were in a smoke-filled room. The otherwise hardly noticeable purple-gray tones also progressively darkened, until his features became slightly obscured within a black haze.
D&D-style Alignment: Lawful Evil
Behind The Eyes
Personality: Murat is driven by the desire to work for a better society, and is more than willing to commit a multitude of lesser evils in order to help achieve that goal. His actual moral code is flimsy, if it even exists at all. He has seen men who were rumored to be evil incarnate commit great acts of self-sacrifice and he has seen supposed white knights abandon their solemn oaths at the slightest provocation. Though Murat has internalized and fully accepted this dichotomy, he realizes that most others cling to their constructs of good and evil. This causes him to hold his tongue more often than not with regard to his actual thoughts, phrasing his ideas in ways that would be more socially acceptable.
This is not to say he is rude, or even remotely hostile in nature. Murat is very outgoing and likes to have a good time. This is dual-purpose. From a practical standpoint, Murat recognizes that it is easier to catch flies with honey than with vinegar. Also, it is much easier and natural to try to get along with people than to strive to have conflicts with everyone you disagree with. Plus, how are you supposed to know that there's been any progress if you can't experience it yourself?
At his desk job, Murat attempts to uphold a strict sense of professionalism. His coworkers know him as a useful resource for getting things done quickly, though not always at the highest quality. Though he has a strong working relationship with several low rank members of First Division, he lacks any meaningful relationships that extend beyond the office walls.
The course of his work has brought him into frequent interaction with the other Divisions, though he has tried to keep himself just another faceless cog in the bureaucracy. Until he lost his eye, this strategy had largely worked. Now he's a highly recognizable cog in the bureaucracy, requiring that he approach this work with a little more personal care. While he generally gets along well with members of the Third and Fourth Divisions, he has concerns about the Second. The last thing he wants is an internal investigation implicating him in any wrongdoing. He also dreads having to interact with Fifth Division, though he tries to keep these worries concealed. Murat is convinced that his combat ineptitude is the subject of many jokes in their barracks, even though most members of Fifth don't even know who he is, much less his personal history.
In the event he is sent to Earth for whatever reason, Murat avoids going alone. The last time he made the mistake of choosing to go out into the world unaccompanied, he barely made it back. When he can overcome his nerves, Murat likes to enjoy himself while on assignment. He likes to assert that it is extremely possible that whatever disturbance they are detecting is hiding in the nearest movie theater or sporting arena, and that a thorough investigation lasting at least the full length of the event taking place is necessary to be sure everything is okay.
Positive Qualities:
Understanding: You don't get very far in foreign relations without understanding the needs of others. Even the most evil monstrosities have motivations which, to them, are at least in part benign. As a result, Murat almost always tries to understand why someone is acting the way they are before he moves.
"I can see where you're coming from, and you raise some very valid points. Perhaps we can actually reach an agreement everyone would benefit from."
"Hold your blades, men. We're not charging in their until they finish going over their plans."
"If you think you're having fun now, just wait until you see the next place I've got picked out for us!"
Open-Minded: Tradition for the sake of tradition killed the greatest empires the human world ever saw and it is unacceptable for Soul Society to meet the same end. To Murat, only reason a course of action should be discarded is on its merit. It doesn't matter if it's coming from an established elder or if it's from someone he's never met before.
"Let the kid talk. We haven't figured out a solution for this in centuries. Maybe he's got an idea we haven't tried and failed with already."
Negative Qualities:
Blind Idealism: In order to make an omelet, you have to break some eggs. Murat is prone to looking at things as serving the greater good. Seemingly evil acts are perfectly permissible if they serve to do the "right" thing in the end. Blindsided by his ideals, it is easy to imagine scenarios where Murat would allow an increasing amount of lesser wrongs pile up, all under the assumption that the final good deed would be all worth it. Perhaps more concerning than actually committing wrongs in order to advance a greater right is his tendency to derive a somewhat perverse enjoyment from amoral behavior.
"Yes, I technically sold some people into slavery, but I was able to use the money I got to provide an education to far, far more. Is the life of a few dozen really worth less than those of several thousand?"
Suspicious: Murat has done more than a few questionable things in his second life which his enemies would no doubt love to use against him, and he has no intention of stopping as of present. This inherent paranoia has oftentimes caused him to second guess the motivations of all but his closest friends and allies. Though this has been a boon on rare occasions, it usually does more harm than good as it can be hard to trust someone who doesn't trust you back.
"But can we really be sure he'll sign on for this? What if he's aware of the rest of the plan?"
"I'm sorry to hear you forgot where you put those documents. You know, I did some looking myself and came across this interesting file that Second submitted while ago. I wonder if your new girlfriend would like to see it."
Resentful: Murat is normally very tolerant of people who have differences with him. It is when they act on those differences and actively try to hamper his efforts that he starts having issues with them. He is extremely prone to holding grudges, and is not one to easily give someone a second chance without some sort of sacrifice or admittance of wrong-doing on their part.
"An eye for an eye only works when you don't factor in interest. I feel I'm owed a little more, and I'll be taking it."
Likes: Smoking, sausages, strong alcohol, wrestling, public baths
Strength Of The World
Zanpakutō Spirit: Murat's Zanpakutō spirit appears as a young woman of Central Asian descent, identifying herself as Nesim. To date, Murat has never seen Nesim dismount from the small, swift stallion she sits astride. Adorned in ancient Hunnic war gear, Nesim often has heated disagreements with Murat over the appropriate levels of haste and violence that are required for a situation, with Nesim typically advocating for more aggressive options. They have something of an uneasy truce as, though Murat is reluctant to give her the bloodbath she frequently desires, he is more than happy to indulge her should the opportunity present itself. For all the frustration Nesim gives him, Murat finds her a welcoming confidant in a world where he struggles to fully trust anyone. While he still believes he holds many of his master strokes from her, she understands more of his inner mechanisms that anyone.
Inner World: Murat's inner world is a vast grassy steppe, stretching off endlessly. A large, white, open air tent stands near where Murat always seems to enter from, protecting him and Nesim from the perpetual state of high noon. A large war table sits in the middle of the tent, covered with documents covering whatever plans and ploys he and Nesim have most recently argued at length over.
Zanpakutō: Murat normally keeps Nesim hidden away in a sheath underneath his clothes. He believes that outwardly carrying his weapon makes him a both a viable target for his enemies and a source of ridicule among his allies for wielding a weapon no longer than a letter opener. He keeps several small sheathes sewn into different locations of his clothing to allow for easy concealment and unpredictability. The blade itself looks remarkably similar the trench knife his wife gave him before leaving for the Great War, coming to a mere 17 cm (7 inches) long, only slightly longer than the handle. A large guard extends from the base of the blade down to the tip of the handle, shaped to mirror brass knuckles both in function and form.
Release Phrase: Murat's release phrase is some variation of "Time to feed, Nesim."
Released Zanpakutō: After releasing, the blade portion of Murat's Zanpakutō remains nearly identical to its previous shape, though the brass knuckles recede into the handle. Much more obviously, thin metallic gloves, made of some sort of flexible brass adorned with silver hook-shaped accents, appear over his hands, extending down his forearms and ending just above the elbow. The gloves are strong yet pliant, capable of deflecting most weapons as long as Murat catches them at the right angle. In this form, it is not uncommon for Murat to sheathe his blade and focus on fighting hand to hand or to resort to a nearby improvised weapon with more reach.
Zanpakutō Power: In a desperate fight or tense negotiations, the slightest slip-up can spell doom for either party, something Murat is keenly aware of. A dropped arm, a misread stipulation, or even something as simple as someone pausing to wonder if they left the stove on is all the opening a skilled and observant opponent needs to ruin their foe. His power focuses on making these sorts of openings present themselves.
By channeling and focusing his own will, Murat can drive someone's background thoughts to the surface of their mind, leading to a lapse in attention until the thought in question has been resolved. He has no control over the thoughts themselves, nor does he know what they are. All Murat can do is bring them forth. For all Murat could know, his opponent would be suddenly reminded that they were going to paint their garden shed that weekend and still needed to decide on a paint color. While they are contemplating this, Murat finds an opening and strikes. Unfortunately, Murat cannot manipulate the thoughts or guarantee a complicated problem will be the one laying in wait. For all he knows, the target might make their decision in a split second or they might passively mull it over for hours. What he does know is that the doubt sets in immediately, and that the distraction is usually effective enough to give him an upper hand.
Fighting Style: Murat's method of fighting, which he has only recently started to work on, resembles a slightly modified version of Russian Systema. Having not focused on combat readiness for several decades, his rudimentary fighting skills had diminished quite considerably after leaving the Academy, leading up to him losing his eye in a particularly embarrassing fight. Murat decided to seek out a tutor who offered a style of combat that he could use with his limited range weaponry, eventually meeting an ex-KGB agent who had passed over and who was willing to tutor him in Rukongai. His skills are still developing, and the grappling and dirty fighting associated with Systema have given Murat useful tricks to hopefully protect himself with, should the need arise again.
Legacy Created
Current Division: First Division
Previous Divisions: None, Murat has been a career administrator.
Mortal Childhood (1876-1891)
Born as second son to wealthy family in Izmir
Raised by mother due to absentee father
Hit hard by death of mother
Left for university at age 15
Mortal Adulthood (1891-1915)
Graduated from program in international politics and languages
Became involved in revolutionary politics
Married wife and had two children
Served on Japanese diplomatic mission
Died from artillery fire at Gallipoli
Plus (1915)
Found by a Shinigami wandering the trenches looking for war dead
Prior to being sent on, received instructions to assist with war clean-up organizational efforts due to language skills
Rukongai (1915-1933)
Assisted with organizing war dead at HQ in inner districts
Became involved in human trafficking ring
Set up and administered a mildly successful school
Academy (1933-1937)
Joined Academy to escape criminal organization looking to drag him deeper in
Narrowly passed combat skills
Performed well in Kido
First Division: Pre-Injury(1937-1975)
Joined First Division
Assigned to backroom job
Volunteered for wartime emergency assistance on Earth
First Division: Post-Injury(1975-2013)
Lost his eye in a fight with a Hollow at the same time he obtained his Shikai
Ceased volunteering for missions
Became paranoid and obsessively investigated the mission he lost his eye on, only to find no indication of wrongdoing
Found Systema teacher and began combat training
Living in the Lap of Semi-Luxury (1876-1889)
Of Love and Revolution (1889-1912)
The next year, the party won in the elections handily. Murat was awarded a position in the foreign service for his work and was sent with a delegation to Japan, where he was to serve as diplomat and translator. Pooling what money he had, he was able to arrange passage for Ayla and Ali and, after some bargaining, he convinced her to move with him.
Japan was great for Murat. Finally, he was free of his family legacy. In fact, most people couldn't even properly pronounce his full name, a fact which gave him great delight. Here he was, making alliances and working out trade deals and where was his father? Wasting away at home after having been ousted from his seat. Life couldn't get better than this!
A Call to Arms (1912-1915)
The next year was pleasant, though Murat feared about news from Europe regarding the amassing of armies. Prior to war being formally declared, Murat made an impassioned plea to party leaders back at home that they either remain neutral or that they ally with Britain and Russia. Within two months, a reply returned, bearing the seal of the military. He was to return to the Empire immediately, at which time he would be given command of a small unit of men. His suggestion, it seemed, had only served to remind the military that he existed, not to sway their opinion. Dread filled his chest. He had been trained in military matters at college, but didn't expect he'd ever be called on to use any of his training, especially at his increasing age.
Ayla was not enthusiastic about the prospects of war, but knew that their family didn't really have a say in the matter. Agreeing to stay in Japan for safety, Murat's family saw him to the ship he would be taking back to İstanbul. Murat had refused to spend more than one consecutive night apart from his wife since their wedding night, and he was now going off to fight for what could be years. As they stood on the dock, Ayla gave him a small wrapped bundle. Opening it, Murat looked upon an ornamental trench knife. Ayla explained that he was only allowed to use that knife in self-defense. She didn't want her husband coming back a changed man. Tearfully, he promised her that he would never use it unless it was to guarantee his own safety or that of his men. Giving his family one final hug, Murat left for war.
Arriving in İstanbul, Murat quickly noticed several unexpected changes. The militarization of the city and populace was dramatic. He looked back on his idealistic college days and reconciled that this war wasn't about changing their society, it was about protecting it. Things would surely go back to the way they were once it all ended. He received his orders, met his men, and began training them as best he could. He soon learned of plans to ally with Germany and Austria. Though this went against his original desires, he recognized that this would offer the Empire the best chance of reclaiming lands which had been stolen from it. You have to be willing to gamble in order to win. He wrote to Ayla and his children daily, sharing his love and wishes to be back with them.
In 1915, his unit was sent to Gallipoli in preparation of a suspected assault. When they arrived, command assigned them to the suspected front lines. Concerned, but assuring his men that they would be safe, Murat led his team to their assigned location and began arranging a defense. After weeks of preparation, the offensive finally began. As they hid behind their cover, Murat tried to rally his men. Ordering them to fire, he watched as waves of men and boys were mowed down by his men's guns.
They just had to hold this beach. As long as they could stop the landing, the Empire would be safe. Peace would surely follow soon after and he'd be allowed to return to his family. Murat kept telling himself this as he watched the scene unfold before him.
Murat had yet to draw his own weapon as he marched up the line barking orders to fire. As he reached a machine gun crew, a loud explosion rocked the ground behind Murat. A sharp pain surged in the back of his head, and he collapsed awkwardly on his side, thrown forward by the impact. An artillery shell had exploded just behind his trench, and debris had embedded themselves deep into his back and head. Deafened by the blast, Murat frantically tried to move, but found his body unresponsive. In panic, he stared forward. The men who had been near him were in similar states, their eyes stuck open in shock, shrapnel sticking out of what remained of their previously pristine uniforms. He faded out of consciousness, overcome by a simultaneous exhaustion and pain as he watched blood drip from the previously pristine uniforms of his countrymen.
A Fortuitous Meeting (April 25, 1915)
Murat came to with a start. Looking around, he saw that he was still sitting in his trench, only the men walking about it were wearing different uniforms and firing in the wrong direction. As he processed this information, he saw a figure move out of the corner of his eye further up the trench. Straining to not draw attention to himself, he watched the figure, his eye almost forcefully drawn to them. It looked to be a thin man, wearing black robes, walking among the soldiers. They paid no attention to him, nor did he to them. As he closed in on Murat and his eyes became clearer, Murat realized that the man was looking directly at him, his hand resting on what appeared to be a sword. Backing up frantically, Murat tried to put some distance between the man and him, though with every step he took backwards, the man seemed to advance three. Panicking as the man somehow continued gaining on him, Murat cycled through the languages he knew, offering varying translations of his surrender. English, Russian, Turkish, and Arabic all failed him. As the man stepped just within striking distance, Murat finally hit on Japanese. The man finally paused, eyeing Murat up until finally bursting into laughter.
Murat considered running. It would have been possible to get a head start, but whoever this was seemed unnaturally quick. Also, he was unsure of where he'd go. He was standing in what appeared to now be an enemy trench, though none of them apparently had even noticed him. No, running wouldn't work. Neither would fighting, but that was a good thing. Murat didn't know why, but somehow he knew that he would lose before he had a chance to ready a weapon. Standing up straight and brushing his uniform off, Murat bowed and introduced himself.
The man in black looked him over, still chuckling to himself. Putting his hand to his chin, he smirked and gestured toward a small doorway that had been dug into the trench. Murat recognized it as a dugout they had prepared for war planning earlier that week. The table they had used for organizing their troop strength lay broken in the middle of the room. Their maps and papers were completely missing, hopefully secured in the retreat. Taking a seat in one of the rickety chairs that had been left behind, the man gestured for Murat to join him. Before Murat could start trying to work some sort of a deal out, the man burst into a well rehearsed speech, explaining several unpleasant realities to Murat: his death, the existence of a completely different afterlife than what he had been taught his whole life, the man's role as a Shinigami, and the current state of affairs in some place called Rukongai. Murat took the news of his death better than most. His actions in life would have been severely problematic if what he had been taught growing up had been correct. He had several questions, of course, and he and the Shinigami had a lengthy talk about them, as well as his linguistic and organizational talents.
As their conversation slowed and it became apparent Murat was catching on, the Shinigami shifted into a more casual tone and informed Murat that his linguistic abilities would be needed. There had been a massive influx of dead as a result of the war. Many Shinigami, including those who had normally avoided leaving Japan when they came to Earth, were now being tasked with maintaining order and helping humans cross over in countries they'd never even heard of. As a result, resources were stretched on the home front, and lots of new souls were coming over with no idea as to what was going on. As Murat's talents would make him an asset to the organizational efforts, the Shinigami informed Murat of an office in the 9th West district where he could apply for service. Accepting his fate and recognizing this as an opportunity he couldn't afford to pass up, Murat happily accepted. The Shinigami smiled and pressed his sword hilt to Murat's head. As he did so, Murat realized he had never gotten the man's name. In a flash of light, the opportunity to ask was lost as Murat crossed over.
War has Changed (1915-1918)
The afterlife was nothing like what Murat had expected it to be and, had it not been for the Shinigami's assistance, he would have been in a lot of trouble. Stumbling around the streets, he managed to eventually find his way to the office in the 9th district, following the instructions he had been given.
The building itself was essentially a miniature keep. The ever so slightly cracked foundation showed signs of not only the building's significant age but also the amount of care and, more importantly, resources that must flow through it. As he entered, Murat was almost immediately swept away by how busy everyone was. Nearly every person he could understand was pouring over logbooks with bewildered people sitting across from them, delivering similar speeches to what he had just been told by the Shinigami. Wandering through the chaos, he eventually made his way to someone who looked important, judging by the fact that he was one of the only people who wasn't busy. After introducing himself and explaining the events that had happened since his demise, the man eyed him up for what felt like forever, finally sighing and showing him to a desk in the corner, assigning one of the other workers to train him.
Murat could have easily assigned himself a family, and quickly learned which ones were the best. He decided not to, though. A handful of his new coworkers had been recruited in a similar way and had shacked up in an empty wing of the building. Taking up residence with them, a bizarre sort of soldier's camaraderie was born. Most of the men had died at the hands of each other's armies, but they had set that aside in order to come together. Knowing a common language turned out to be a good way to ignore the ambitions of their former rulers. The men in this group jokingly began referring to each other by titles affiliated with their former governments. Murat, frustrated with people butchering his family name, formally adopted his new "title" of Pasha.
Those who can't, Teach (1918-1934)
Those who can, Do (1934-1937)
Academy life was rough for Murat. He did well enough in Kido, placing in the top quarter of his class. He also excelled in more mundane subjects like history and philosophy, though he received little recognition for his mastery of "boring" subjects. Combat drills were, by far, his worst subject. He proved barely capable and only ever won a handful of very close one-on-one fights.
Many times, he considered dropping out, but he knew that doing so would guarantee that he would fall too deeply into crime, assuming he survived whatever Mr. Stanley had in mind as punishment. No, Murat's only option was to pass and become a full fledged Shinigami.
There was one unexpected benefit Murat quickly found. His Academy robes seemed to grant him easy access and free drinks at several establishments. He made extensive use of this privilege, spending most nights sitting at a bar enjoying a strong drink on the house. For their part, the bar owners were also happy with this arrangement. Shinigami had a reputation as unparalleled fighters and Murat wasn't about to ruin has meal ticket by breaking that illusion. In fact, on the rare occasion Murat did need to break up a bar fight, he proved more than capable. Sadly, smashing chairs over people's backs didn't really fit into the standard Shinigami combat training program.
Back on the Front Lines (1937-1975)
After graduating, Murat considered entering Third or Fourth Division. His scores certainly would have justified applications, but he realized that his talents would be better used in First. On his first day, Murat was assigned a back office near a seldom used meeting room. He immediately set about personalizing his work area, obtaining much more comfortable furniture, getting a liquor cabinet and large humidor installed, and submitting the paperwork to get the floor and walls fixed.
With the outbreak of the Second World War, Murat found himself routinely volunteering for field duty, ending up on a team of novice Shinigami tasked with making sure those who met their demise as a result of the fighting were quickly dealt with. It was during the war that he fought his first Hollows, almost always with multiple other Shinigami as backup and never alone. It was also during the war that Murat came to develop an interest in motion pictures. He would routinely sneak away to soldier recreation areas in order to watch the latest films, claiming that the research was necessary in the event he needed to stimulate a passable Gigai, an argument his superiors begrudgingly accepted.
Murat would continue to volunteer for missions on Earth for the next few decades, treating them like miniature vacations. He would still get the mission done, but there would almost invariably be gaps in his reports for recreational research. He would find himself coming back to work relaxed and refocused after every trip.
Running through the streets, he hurriedly took care of any lost souls he could find. After an hour, he started realizing the suspicious lack of hollow activity. Things had been hot in Lebanon for a while now, so it would have made sense for at least one to be hiding in wait, but he wasn't seeing or sensing anything aside from the mortal activity. Thinking himself lucky, Murat barreled around a corner into a back alley.
Suddenly, Murat felt a strong Hollow presence above him, something he would have normally hesitated to fight even with backup. Looking up, a gigantic Hollow shaped like a snake hung down between the two buildings on the sides of the alley. The Hollow dropped down into Murat with no warning, scrambling to wrap him in its coils.
Murat was too slow to get away. Panicking, he drew his blade and tried futilely to defend himself. The Hollow cackled as it wrapped him up. Frantically, Murat stabbed at the beast, but his blade might as well have been a thumbtack for all the good it was doing. After a long struggle, the Hollow held Murat in its coils so that only his head was visible. It squeezed, causing a sickening cracking noise to run throughout Murat's body. As the Hollow opened its maw over Murat's head, he watched in terror as a drop of venom dripped down, giving off a strange heat. The drop connected directly with his eye, sending a pain Murat had never before imagined surging through his head.
Murat had known his Zanpakutō's name for some time, though he had been hesitant to bring her forth. She was eager to get out and had told him so many years ago. He did not trust his blade to cooperate or to allow him to hold back if the need arose. None of that mattered at this point. Crying that it was time for her to feed at last, Murat triggered his Shikai. As his inner rage took over, his years of withholding his spiritual power melted away. A darkness began emanating from his hands, black lines shooting from the small gaps between the Hollow's coils. Murat didn't understand why, nor did he particularly care at the moment, but his Shikai had caused the snake to lessen its hold enough for him to slip his fingers between the gap. Prying and tearing, Murat freed himself from the hold he was stuck in and set to work on the snake Hollow.
Flying Under the Radar (1975-2013)
Returning from his fight in Lebanon, Murat rushed to Third Division to see if there was anything they could do for him. Agonizing hours of pain stretched out into weeks as the healers tried everything they could think of. To the surprise of the staff, everything they tried only served to make it worse, until the pain became simply unbearable to continue trying conventional healing methods. Finally, one of the assistants mentioned having heard of a device that Fourth had designed as part of an advanced combat aid. It was intended to help normalize vision and inner-ear stability to improve balance, but no discernible benefit regarding sure-footedness could be established and, worse, had caused significant damage to the test subjects' affected eye. Still, there was a chance Murat could get his depth perception back, if not his full range of sight.
Rushing back to his office, Murat found a massive pile of paperwork waiting for him. He also found that his desires to go back to Earth had all but vanished. Whenever he thought of returning, his eye socket burned and he remembered the pain he had suffered. Continuously justifying his staying behind by claiming his pile of work had simply gotten too large, even decades after having gotten back, Murat kept himself safe from harm in the dark backrooms of First Division for nearly 40 years. While he was there, he poured over countless records, trying to find out what had happened with regard to the night he went out. He could find no indication of why the equipment hadn't registered the threat level as needing more than one novice Shinigami, and no evidence that anyone had tampered with it. Whatever had happened, Murat was finally forced to accept that it was either a grander conspiracy than he expected he warranted or it was simply a run of bad luck.
Back in the Saddle (2013-2016)
Realizing that his paranoia had been holding him back, Murat began looking into combat training. Sadly, his skills and weaponry did not fit into most standard Shinigami training programs. It was also extremely humiliating to get his ass kicked by a bunch of kids fresh from the Academy. Doing some research, Murat discovered a new martial art that had been used in the old USSR that seemed to rely on the up close fighting-style his weapon's reach was restricting him into.
Setting out into Rukongai, Murat called on some of his old contacts in District 9 to locate a teacher. It was through them that he was united with Pyotr, the soul of a former KGB agent and Spetsnaz officer who claimed to have died in a recent drug sting. Making his way to the small house Pyotr lived in, Murat found a boy who appeared no older than 9 waiting for him. Murat greeted the boy and asked for Pyotr, only to be saddened to learn that the 9 year-old was in fact the person he had been seeking.
In the years since, Pyotr has gotten Murat up to a basic competency, though he's still nervous about taking on any big challenges alone. His confidence has been building, though. Murat is getting to the point where he will soon be capable of doing more than just manning a desk. The only question left is if he will be up to the challenge this time around.
Player Alias: Ratty, though whatever you want should be fine.
Do you want a grade?: Sure! Without a feel for playing here, I'm not sure how much to ask for, so whatever works is fine by me. If I feel I get too much, I'll likely bank a decent bit of it. I want to start out pretty weak overall.
Were you referred by anyone?: Tokiyo is a real life friend of many moons.
Other Characters: None (yet)
Last Edit: Jan 15, 2017 16:43:13 GMT -5 by Murat Pasha
In character voice | Inner thoughts | Zanpakutō
Pasha, Murat - [SHINIGAMI] Jul 11, 2016 14:58:31 GMT -5
Post by Murat Pasha on Jul 11, 2016 14:58:31 GMT -5
Reiatsu: 130
Defense: 50
Spirit: 50
Universal Skills
Systema: 100 (Novice)
Shunpo: 100 (Novice)
Reiatsu Perception: 400 (Expert)
Shinigami Skills
Zanpakutō Resonance: 200 (Journeyman)
Hadō: 200 (Journeyman)
Bakudō: 400 (Expert)
Custom Skill: 0 (Currently unlearned)
Expenditures:
Total GP: 4,076
Stats: 2,100
Skills: 1,400
Banked: 76
BGP: 1,500
Earned: 2,076
Last Edit: Jul 5, 2017 0:35:08 GMT -5 by Murat Pasha
Powers and Favored Techniques go here
Arc 1 - Anyone got a light?
CLAIMED - [STALLED] Pleasant Stroll in the Forest with Niji Amadasu: Murat undertakes a seemingly simple investigation on the request of the Captain Commander's Office. What could possibly go wrong?
CLAIMED - [COMPLETE] Beneath the Dust with Kasumi: Murat is dragged into an investigation of suspicious activity. In his efforts to clear his own name, he gets sucked into a larger conspiracy and realizes that he may need to resolve some issues from his past criminal activities.
CLAIMED - [COMPLETE] Defend the Third (Invasion) with Kamizawa Minoru and Cazador : Murat finds himself dropping off some paperwork at Third Division just as Obsession's Invasion begins. With the assistance of a novice Shinigami, he fights a dragon Hollow to a stalemate and assumes a leadership role in organizing medical rescue efforts during the invasion.
CLAIMED - [COMPLETE] Navigator Truck (Invasion) with Kamizawa Minoru, Chancelor Vahn, Kasumi, Seryu, and Alexander V. Terada : Murat leads a small group of medical/support staff into Fifth, seeking strong fighters to help them relieve and protect the injured in First. He instead finds a tree and loses his support squad.
CLAIMED - [COMPLETE] Leader of the Class with Omoki Tachi, Chancelor Vahn, and Sin'ichi Takahiro : Murat and Chancelor set out to support First Division in the attack, focusing on the vulnerable Academy.
Arc 2 - Blowing Smoke
CLAIMED - [COMPLETE] Bottoms Up [AO] with Walkren Dekharr: Murat gets tired of paperwork for the day and heads out on the town for a drink (or twelve.) What he finds is Walkren's [CENSORED].
CLAIMED - [COMPLETE] Dude, Where's My Zanpakutō with Walkren Dekharr: Murat wakes up still drunk and naked in bed with a stranger and has to rush off to make it to a meeting to go over Academy students who are being brought into Third Division. But where is his blade? Who was that stranger? Why does the guy he is helping with the records seem so damn familiar?
The Best and Brightest with Alexander V. Terada and Amou Daichi : A frustrated Daichi calls a meeting of First to whip them into shape, but Murat drunkenly shifts the focus toward the events of the Invasion and away from anything that might damage his ability to get drunk on the job. Unfortuantely, this also forces him to participate in his first combat drills in years.
CLAIMED - [COMPLETE] Shamal with Cazador : Reassigned to field duty, Murat finds himself running into an old enemy in Dubai.
CLAIMED - [STALLED] Bizans Karkas with Octavia : A long overdue meeting of dead empires at the end of a long pier.
CLAIMED - [COMPLETE] Gotei Consolation Squad, Deploy! with Kirito and Walkren Dekharr : Walkren and Murat stumble upon Kirito as he attempts to drown his sorrows. Will they get him drunk enough for a threeway or will they instead actually try to console the youngster?
CLAIMED - [COMPLETE] The First Mission with Kahōmono Moriya, Walkren Dekharr, and Rufino Tauro: Murat joins Walkren on a mission to haul Kirito back, worried that the kid might slip up and implicate him as the reason he went AWOL.
Arc 3 - Smoke and Mirrors
CLAIMED - [COMPLETE] The New Order with a lot of Shinigami : Murat has a few too many drinks and rouses some rabble during Kionchi's pronouncement of Captain Commander Tokiyo Fujikagi's demise.
CLAIMED - [STALLED] Kidou Club's First Meeting with Hanabi, Mirabelle Bonnet, Malix, Walkren Dekharr, and others?: Murat joins the Kodou Club, sitting in as a recordkeeper and minute-taker.
CLAIMED - [COMPLETE] Not The Bar with Kasumi: Murat gets a promotion, but just what strings might be attached?
CLAIMED - [COMPLETE] Shark Tanked with Calendrea Klein: Murat goes on assignment on Earth watching over one of his newly acquired staff only to find himself bumping into a female Quincy at a bar.
Look What The Cat Dragged In with Ichiro: This is a bad idea for everyone involved. Hurt feelings are all that can come from this.
A Routine Audit with Alexander V. Terada: Murat, after a month of dealing with his promotion and the sudden disappearance of Walkren, hits a lead in Kasumi's investigation that implicates one of his assets.
Leads with Alain Merrick: Murat deals with a permit request and some other, much less boring business.
[COMPLETE] Party at the Castle with a bunch of people: The Quincy Queen holds a party and Murat is among the attendees.
Last Edit: Apr 29, 2017 19:02:27 GMT -5 by Murat Pasha
Jian Oreachi
RankSpiritualist Reiatsu400 Strength40 Defense160 Speed40 Spirit160 ApplicationJian Oreachi
Post by Jian Oreachi on Jul 14, 2016 19:08:18 GMT -5
Physical Description ~ 200/300
You've got a lot of really good details here, it likely would be better served by not breakinging it up into so many sub categories as it breaks up the flow a good deal. I do get a good picture of how the character looks and from it a bit of the personality comes clear.
Personality ~ 300/500
I like the approach of good at all costs, but I'm not super certain of the execution. A lot of the summary is spent with how he deals with the other divisions and not addressing what you set up in the opening. The traits mentioned here seem fitting and are described well enough to fill in the blanks so to speak, while the examples provided for some of them seem a little bizarre I'm given a good idea of how the character will act and behave.
Power & Race-Specific Details ~ 200/400
The spirit is interesting, and I'm interested by what seems like its push for him to descend into darker behaviour, I can see it playing out well. The power is actually quite charming and I like it a great deal though I'm not sure I see its greater ties to the character or the spirit.
History ~ 100/300
The history begins strong developing both an interesting story and establishing details of the characters personality, the sections on his time in the war hit a bit of sort of useless filler detail but it moves along quickly to his spiritual life where we get the further establishment of his character. It doesn't develop incredibly naturally, specifically his rationalization for his more heinous acts is absent. A lot of what occurs afterwards doesn't really do a lot for the character either other than seemingly fill in blank time. It works but it could be a lot tighter and focused.
Total earned GP: 800!
Total base GP: 1,500!
Total GP: 2300!
If you would like to attempt at a higher score in the future, read this post in our Rules to find out how.
OHGOD WHERE IS JIAN I HAVE JUST THOUGHT OF THE MOST AMAZING SIGNATURE SUBTITLE FOR HIM
I NEED HIM HERE NOW BEFORE I FORGET
FUCK IT I'LL PM HIM
I FORGOT NANAMI WAS JIAN
Come on and slam.
**basks in the glory**
Pasha, Murat - [SHINIGAMI] Jul 29, 2016 13:31:27 GMT -5 via mobile
Just realized my stats weren't approved! Systema is essentially Murat's Hakuda substitution. I'm working out possible custom skills, so I'm leaving that blank for now. Also, I am deliberately banking 300 GP in order to keep him nice and squishy for his first story arcs.
Reiatsu Perception: 200 (Journeyman)
Zanpakutō Resonance: 100 (Novice)
Hadō: 100 (Novice)
Bakudō: 200 (Journeyman)
Stats: 1200
Skills: 800
Banked: 300
Base GP: 1,500
Bonus Application GP: 800 (2,300 Total)
Milestone GP: 00
Written Total: 00
Roy Blue
Post by Roy Blue on Jul 31, 2016 17:06:49 GMT -5
Approved! I'll get your sidebar.
Pasha, Murat - [SHINIGAMI] Sept 29, 2016 11:28:33 GMT -5 Walkren Dekharr likes this
Post by Murat Pasha on Sept 29, 2016 11:28:33 GMT -5
As the Invasion appears to be ending and I'm about to start my first post-Invasion threads, I figured now is a good time for GP claim:
A Pleasant Stroll in the Forest - 4,562 words - 91 GP (Thread partner is MIA)
Defend the Third (Invasion) - 4,657 words - 93 (Complete)
Navigator Truck (Invasion) - 4,314 words - 86 (Complete)
For a total of 270. Adding in my banked 300, that brings it up to 570. I would like to make the following increases:
Reiatsu: 60->83 (460 GP)
Defense: 15->28 (260 GP)
Spirit: 20->30 (200 GP)
Hadō: 100 (Novice)->200 (Journeyman) (100 GP)
GP Left: 10
GP Spent: 2,560
Last Edit: Sept 29, 2016 23:18:10 GMT -5 by Murat Pasha
Emily White
ApplicationLink ThreadsLink
Pasha, Murat - [SHINIGAMI] Sept 30, 2016 10:12:08 GMT -5
Post by Emily White on Sept 30, 2016 10:12:08 GMT -5
Onaylı! Keep up the good work!
Benjamin de la Cruz
Pasha, Murat - [SHINIGAMI] Dec 14, 2016 22:45:41 GMT -5
Post by Murat Pasha on Dec 14, 2016 22:45:41 GMT -5
I thought I could deal with the 83 and keep laughing at it (because both the numbers 8 and 3 look like butts) but it is driving me nuts. Also gonna start working toward a Mastery (gasp!)
Claiming:
Beneath The Dust - 7,829 words - 156 GP (Complete)
Leader of the Class - 3,568 words - 71 (Complete)
The New Order - 1,266 words - 25 (Complete)
For a total of 252. Adding in my banked 10, that brings it up to 262. I would like to make the following increases:
Reiatsu: 83->85 (40 GP)
Defense: 28->30 (40 GP)
Bakudō: 200 (Journeyman)->400 (Expert) (200 GP)
Skills: 1100
Last Edit: Dec 14, 2016 22:46:27 GMT -5 by Murat Pasha
Walkren Dekharr
Reiatsu300 Strength30 Defense75 Speed75 Spirit120 ApplicationHere
Pasha, Murat - [SHINIGAMI] Dec 14, 2016 23:17:03 GMT -5 Murat Pasha likes this
Post by Walkren Dekharr on Dec 14, 2016 23:17:03 GMT -5
Approooooooved.
Voice | Vaizard | Thoughts | Zanpakuto | Hollow
Pasha, Murat - [SHINIGAMI] Jan 15, 2017 17:00:55 GMT -5
Post by Murat Pasha on Jan 15, 2017 17:00:55 GMT -5
Claiming the extra 400 from my regrade, as well as 29 (1,457 words) from The First Mission, and adding that to my banked 22 for a total of 451.
How about we break that 100 mark?
Reiatsu: 85->105 (400 GP)
Marco del Castillo
Pasha, Murat - [SHINIGAMI] Jan 18, 2017 12:49:00 GMT -5 Murat Pasha likes this
Post by Marco del Castillo on Jan 18, 2017 12:49:00 GMT -5
I sat for a good five minutes like "why's he spending 800gp wat".
Pasha, Murat - [SHINIGAMI] Apr 21, 2017 21:21:34 GMT -5
Post by Murat Pasha on Apr 21, 2017 21:21:34 GMT -5
Know what I haven't done in a long time? Claim stuff. Let's do that.
Bottoms Up - 2,010 words - 40 GP (Stalled)
Dude, Where's My Zanpakutō? - 2,116 words - 42 GP (Stalled)
Shamal - 4,356 words - 87 GP (Complete)
Bizans Karkas - 1,542 words - 30 GP (Stalled)
Gotei Consolation Squad, Deploy! - 1,986 words - 39 GP (Complete)
Kidou Club's First Meeting - 1,284 words - 23 GP (Stalled)
Not The Bar - 2,230 words - 44 GP (Complete)
Shark Tanked - 1,031 words - 20 GP (Complete)
Zanpakutō Resonance: 100 (Novice)->200 (Journeyman) (100 GP)
Reiatsu Perception: 200 (Journeyman)->400 (Expert) (200 GP)
Sora Shiryoku
RankRogue Shinigami Reiatsu225 Strength30 Defense25 Speed90 Spirit80
Pasha, Murat - [SHINIGAMI] Apr 21, 2017 21:25:34 GMT -5 Murat Pasha likes this
Post by Sora Shiryoku on Apr 21, 2017 21:25:34 GMT -5
Approved...
Claiming Milestone #1 for its 500 BGP bump, Let's just dump it all into Rei.
Reiatsu: 105->130
Strength: 10->15 (100 GP)
Pasha, Murat - [SHINIGAMI] Apr 24, 2017 0:18:29 GMT -5
Post by Sora Shiryoku on Apr 24, 2017 0:18:29 GMT -5
Applebbed.
Pasha, Murat - [SHINIGAMI] Jan 3, 2018 22:37:12 GMT -5
you have been dubbed inactive
do let us know when you're back