Sumiko Yamagata

山形炭子

The Wraith of Kitagawa
Crystal | Mateus-US | 21+

Overview

Beautiful to the eye. Deadly to touch.

Extensive History

Once believed to be dead, she has returned to haunt those who sought to destroy her.

Hooks & Rumors

Dark musings spread like wildfire.

Screenshots & Artwork

A picture is worth a thousand words.

Out of Character

Preferences and expectations.

Overview

General
✧Full Name: Sumiko Yamagata
✧Age: 24
✧Birth Date: 15th Sun of the 1st Umbral Moon
✧Ethnicity: Au Ra (Raen)
✧Gender: Female
✧Birthplace: Kitagawa Village, Yanxia
✧Current Residence: ???
✧Occupation: Kunoichi; Demon Slayer; Sekiseigumi Lapdog (formerly)
✧Specialization: Tessenjutsu (Japanese iron fan martial arts)
Relationships
✧Parents: Tetsuki and Ayame Yamagata (deceased)
✧Siblings: Renjiro (younger brother, deceased)
Physical Traits
✧Eye Color: Topaz with golden limbal rings
✧Hair Color: Black
✧Height: 5'0"
✧Body Type: Thin with slight curves
Personality
✧Usual Mood/Expression: Charismatic, playful, unrefined, humorous, calm, resolved, and focused.*Sumiko's disposition, appearance, and personality can deviate if she is disguised.

Extensive History

"I want to be a butterfly who dares to rest upon the spider lily.
Graceful and unafraid of death."

*Potential MSQ (Stormblood) spoilers beyond:As the guardians of Kitagawa Village, those who carried the Yamagata name were expected to be as tempered steel: resilient and deadly. Born as the heir apparent of the once elusive and yet powerful clan, Sumiko was no different. From birth, she was held to high expectations. She began training in the art of tessenjutsu at an early age, learning how to properly wield the iron fan and kunai alongside reading, writing, and arithmetic. Having been raised under Garlean rule, Sumiko naturally became fluent in the spoken tongue of her oppressors and became familiarized with the strict conditions they imposed upon her people. The resentment she held for the Empire was ignited within her at a young age. With no way for it to be quelled, it burned violently.Her father, Tetsuki, was an even-tempered man who strove for balance in Yanxia. Like his father before him, he turned a blind eye to the atrocities inflicted by the Garleans. Some saw his pacifism as necessary; the only way to protect Kitagawa. Others, like Sumiko, only saw cowardice. His complacency came to an abrupt end once the conditions worsened for Kitagawa and surrounding villages, and he began to conspire with other ninja clan leaders to start a rebellion. But secrets never stay secrets for long…One evening, while training alone in the dojo, Sumiko was disturbed by the sound of a large explosion. She peered out the screened windows to soldiers engulfing Kitagawa in a wild inferno. A small siege had been laid on Kitagawa led by Garlean lieutenant Astinus pyr Vaesar, a wicked man who reveled in chaos and bloodshed. Though a pang of fear filled her chest, Sumiko knew she could not stand by idly. It was her duty to protect the village as the heir of the Yamagata clan. With fans in hand, she fled into the darkness. As she parted through the veil of smoke, she came upon a grisly scene. Lifeless bodies littered the ground, trailing to the heart of the village. Men, women, children--none were spared during the attack.The shinobi were rendered useless against the Garlean’s magitek. By the time Sumiko had reached them, the frontline of defense had been reduced to corpses. Those who had not been burned alive had met the cold bite of tempered steel and ammunition. Among them were her own mother, father, and brother. Blinded by rage, Sumiko ran headfirst into the fray with her eyes set on the orchestrator of this perverse symphony. She weaved dexterously through the lines, using the focus on the remaining shinobi to her advantage. But before she could reach her target, Sumiko was stopped dead in her tracks. A single round from Astinus’ gunblade was enough to bring the Raen to heel, and he left her to die alone in a pool of blood.Perhaps it was a blessing by the kami or a mere stroke of good luck, but Sumiko was rescued the next day by a traveling herb gatherer who had come upon the destruction. The man's medicinal salves ended up saving her life, and she stayed in his care for nearly a year before making a recovery. Once recovered, she began traveling from village to village, taking on odd jobs in exchange for food and night's rest. Her end goal was simple: exact revenge on the man who had taken everything from her. But that would take time.It was during an extended stay as a field hand when she was approached by a fellow shinobi. The disgraced son of a Hingan lord, Harushina had been hired to dispatch the sole survivor of the Yamagata bloodline. But the empathy he held towards Sumiko stopped his hand, and he instead offered her a chance at a new life that did not involve slumming. She was offered a place within his clan and, for the first time since leaving Kitagawa, she had a semblance of a home. For the next four years, the two of them traveled the world, fending off demons, void-sent, and those stupid enough to trifle with such. During their travels, the lordling taught Sumiko the dangers that vengeance would impose upon her should she follow such a dark path. It was under his tutelage that she learned how to use her fury for the good of others.When she heard rumors that a rebellion was stirring in Doma, Sumiko felt compelled to return to her homeland. If she could help usher in a brighter tomorrow for the next generation of Yanxians, then she must. On the promise that she would one day return, she parted ways with Harushina and set sail to the Far East. She spent two years operating within the battle-scarred lands, gathering intel and cutting down Garleans until Zenos yae Galvus' 'death' at Ala Mhigo.Following the liberation, she assisted with the Doman Restoration until hearing wind of a mysterious Garlean figure seen around various Eastern ports. She learned that the supposed subject was none other than Astinus pyr Vaesar, who was seeking refuge after the Empire's defeat. Feeling pulled by the threads of fate, she decided to seek out the man responsible for destroying her home and finally bring him to justice. Her efforts would eventually lead her to Kugane, where her target was supposedly licking his wounds after the fall of Garlemald. For the next year, she continued going down the rabbit hole. No lead was dismissed, no matter how questionable or bizarre it may have been. But what was once a blazing hot trail would soon turn cold. Intel ceased to flood in and those who had once claimed they knew of Astinus pyr Vaesar conveniently 'forgot' he ever existed.As hope began to run out, Sumiko was quietly approached by a man named Lau who implored her to seek out and aid her old friend, Harushina, who had joined a group of former yakuza turned sekiseigumi grunts. Briefly, she assisted him and Kurone and, as a result, temporarily became a sekiseigumi lapdog herself. During this time, she learned that Astinus had become a grunt for The Triad, a group of Domans who were contributing to the river of underground crime that was flowing within the city. Disgraced and defeated, he was forced to lick at the heels of those he once oppressed so that he and his daughter could survive. Rather than seize the moment to exact her revenge, she chose to simply walk away. Killing him would not be just if it came at the price of another young girl becoming an orphan, and his current fate was worse than any death.Shortly after, Sumiko decided to part ways with Harushina for the last time. While she wanted to remain at his side, she realized that he belonged with his new family and she was not yet ready to give up her nomadic lifestyle. In the dead of night, she made her departure. All that remained of her were the two items she chose to leave behind: the scroll declaring her intentions and the flower pin that once adorned her hair.Without direction, Sumiko has been unsure of what lies in store for her from here on out. But the world is her oyster and there is much of it left for her to explore. Over the past year, she has gone back to her roots as a traveling yokai and demon hunter throughout the Far East. Though a thankless job, it gives her a sense of purpose where else she would have none. She has also recently begun rebuilding her once forgotten clan and has assumed the position as its leader. Though her birth family is gone, she hopes to rebuild a new one with other Yanxians who lost everything to Garlean oppression.

To be continued...

Hooks & Rumors

✧ Some have reported sightings of a woman who bears a resemblance to the lost kunoichi of Kitagawa. These sightings have even reached Eorzea.
✧ Sumiko dons various disguises in her work as a kunoichi. Those who frequent Kugane's entertainment district, in particular, may have crossed paths with a geisha called the Aka Josei, or The Red Lady.
✧ Yanxians may be familiar with the once illustrious Yamagata Clan and its line of succession.
✧ Those who took part in the Doman Liberation Front may have crossed paths with or even worked closely with Sumiko.

Screenshots & Artwork

*All screenshots are taken by the writer

Out of Character

Thank you for your interest in Sumiko. She is a character that I have enjoyed creating. Knowing that she can bring joy to others is very humbling.A bit about myself:
✧ I am 21+ years old
✧ I am located in EST
✧ I have been roleplaying off and on FFXIV for four years. However, most of my roleplay experience occurred in World of Warcraft.I am open to exploring a variety of storylines and themes with different kinds of characters. However, like everyone else, there are certain things that tickle my fancy over others and I have my preferences.Looking for:
✧Long or short term roleplay
✧Character development
✧Networking
✧Mature and dark roleplay
✧Combat
✧Adventuring
✧Slice of Life
✧Friendships, acquaintances, and rivalriesNot Looking For:
✧ERP
✧Storylines involving lore-breaking and overpowered characters. This includes, but is not limited to, void-sent and Warrior of Light characters.
✧OOC romancePreferences:
✧Roleplay partners who are 21+ (In fact, it is a requirement)
✧Eastern characters and Eastern storylines though I’m open to roleplay outside of these realms
✧Flexible and patient roleplay partners
✧In-game roleplay, though small scenes via Discord are okayThough I prefer Eastern storylines with Sumiko, I want to reiterate that I am not opposed to exploring outside of that realm. Because Sumiko is a well-traveled kunoichi, it is not out of the realm of possibility for her to be lingering in Eorzea for a small spell. I’m sure something could easily be arranged should the occasion arise.If you are interested in discussing possible storylines, plots, or just casual roleplay, feel free to message me in-game or via Discord (Seilune).

Disguises

"Men wear many names, many faces.
Different faces, but always the same man."

Hanako Kitsurabi

'Hanako' is a young geisha residing in Kugane's Sanjo Hanamachi. She claims to have been born in Sui-no-Sato and was orphaned at an early age. In hopes of exploring the world outside of the Ruby Sea, she left her village at the age of 16 and settled in Kugane, where she began working as a maiko in one of the city's okiya.Known for wearing luxurious, crimson silk finery, 'Hanako' has been dubbed the Aka Josei or "Red Lady" by visitors to Sanjo Hanamachi. She is also regarded as an accomplished performer, and it has been said that her koto playing can reduce listeners to tears.Allegedly, Hanako wears makeup that is laced with crippling poisons. Some who have dared to lay a hand on her have been found temporarily paralyzed, incapacitated, or in excruciating pain. A rare few have been found dead.

Ayame Satō

A yamabushi or "mountain hermit" who is occasionally seen wandering through the Yanxian mountains. Seemingly reclusive by nature, she is warm and friendly to those who approach her.Despite her youthful appearance, she claims she is nearly 50 years of age and accredits the preservation of her beauty on "special" elixirs and creams she has concocted.