[X] A younger blond-haired man stands politely at the door, grinning easily, "Is Sakumo-sama here? I wanted to speak with your father about some things." (Kakashi gains Namikaze Minato as a mentor.)
[X] Fleet of Foot (●●●). Kakashi is impressively fast and agile and he receives 1 bonus dice on all taijutsu and ninjutsu combat rolls.
[X] Danger Sense (●●). Kakashi enjoys an extraordinarily fine-tuned sense for danger and he receives 1 bonus die on all rolls to detect danger.
[X] A man with long dark hair looks down at you, "you are the new prodigy Kakashi-kun?" He eyes you solemnly, "has something happened?" (Kakashi gains Orochimaru as a mentor)
[X] Chameleon (●●●) Kakashi has a supernatural ability to fade into the background. He receives 1 bonus die on all stealth rolls.
[X] Enhanced Sense (●●). Kakashi has an enhanced sense and receives 2 bonus die on all rolls involving perception with that sense
-[X] Hearing
[X] A younger blond-haired man stands politely at the door, grinning easily, "Is Sakumo-sama here? I wanted to speak with your father about some things." (Kakashi gains Namikaze Minato as a mentor.)
[X] Fleet of Foot (●●●). Kakashi is impressively fast and agile and he receives 1 bonus dice on all taijutsu and ninjutsu combat rolls.
[X] Danger Sense (●●). Kakashi enjoys an extraordinarily fine-tuned sense for danger and he receives 1 bonus die on all rolls to detect danger.
[X] A man with long dark hair looks down at you, "you are the new prodigy Kakashi-kun?" He eyes you solemnly, "has something happened?" (Kakashi gains Orochimaru as a mentor)
[X] Chameleon (●●●) Kakashi has a supernatural ability to fade into the background. He receives 1 bonus die on all stealth rolls.
[X] Enhanced Sense (●●). Kakashi has an enhanced sense and receives 2 bonus die on all rolls involving perception with that sense
-[X] Hearing
[X] A younger blond-haired man stands politely at the door, grinning easily, "Is Sakumo-sama here? I wanted to speak with your father about some things." (Kakashi gains Namikaze Minato as a mentor.)
[X] Fleet of Foot (●●●). Kakashi is impressively fast and agile and he receives 1 bonus dice on all taijutsu and ninjutsu combat rolls.
[X] Enhanced Sense (●●). Kakashi has an enhanced sense and receives 2 bonus die on all rolls involving perception with that sense
-[X] Hearing
[X] A younger blond-haired man stands politely at the door, grinning easily, "Is Sakumo-sama here? I wanted to speak with your father about some things." (Kakashi gains Namikaze Minato as a mentor.)
[X] Fleet of Foot (●●●). Kakashi is impressively fast and agile and he receives 1 bonus dice on all taijutsu and ninjutsu combat rolls.
[X] Danger Sense (●●). Kakashi enjoys an extraordinarily fine-tuned sense for danger and he receives 1 bonus die on all rolls to detect danger.
[X] A younger blond-haired man stands politely at the door, grinning easily, "Is Sakumo-sama here? I wanted to speak with your father about some things." (Kakashi gains Namikaze Minato as a mentor.)
[X] Fleet of Foot (●●●). Kakashi is impressively fast and agile and he receives 1 bonus dice on all taijutsu and ninjutsu combat rolls.
[X] Danger Sense (●●). Kakashi enjoys an extraordinarily fine-tuned sense for danger and he receives 1 bonus die on all rolls to detect danger.
[X] A man with long dark hair looks down at you, "you are the new prodigy Kakashi-kun?" He eyes you solemnly, "has something happened?" (Kakashi gains Orochimaru as a mentor)
[X] Fleet of Foot (●●●). Kakashi is impressively fast and agile and he receives 1 bonus dice on all taijutsu and ninjutsu combat rolls.
[X] Boundless Endurance (●●). Kakashi can go for days without rest and he receives 1 bonus die on all rolls to avoid exhaustion or sleep.
[X] A man with long dark hair looks down at you, "you are the new prodigy Kakashi-kun?" He eyes you solemnly, "has something happened?" (Kakashi gains Orochimaru as a mentor)
[X] Fleet of Foot (●●●). Kakashi is impressively fast and agile and he receives 1 bonus dice on all taijutsu and ninjutsu combat rolls.
[X] Danger Sense (●●). Kakashi enjoys an extraordinarily fine-tuned sense for danger and he receives 1 bonus die on all rolls to detect danger.
If we are using RAW Solar Stealth Charms then I say we want all the dice in that ability we can get. Its a flipping amazing charm tree and has a few which seriously chomp Naruto flavour. IIRC theirs a Shadow Substitution charm, and another that allows you to hide inside a persons shadow and puppet them.
[X] Chameleon (●●●) Kakashi has a supernatural ability to fade into the background. He receives 1 bonus die on all stealth rolls.
[X] Danger Sense (●●). Kakashi enjoys an extraordinarily fine-tuned sense for danger and he receives 1 bonus die on all rolls to detect danger.
[X] A man with long dark hair looks down at you, "you are the new prodigy Kakashi-kun?" He eyes you solemnly, "has something happened?" (Kakashi gains Orochimaru as a mentor)
This will totally not end well, but hes probably the best source of the 3 for classic twilight skills like Sorcery and Crafting.
[X] A younger blond-haired man stands politely at the door, grinning easily, "Is Sakumo-sama here? I wanted to speak with your father about some things." (Kakashi gains Namikaze Minato as a mentor.)
[X] Fleet of Foot (●●●). Kakashi is impressively fast and agile and he receives 1 bonus dice on all taijutsu and ninjutsu combat rolls.
[X] Danger Sense (●●). Kakashi enjoys an extraordinarily fine-tuned sense for danger and he receives 1 bonus die on all rolls to detect danger.
[X] A man with long dark hair looks down at you, "you are the new prodigy Kakashi-kun?" He eyes you solemnly, "has something happened?" (Kakashi gains Orochimaru as a mentor)
[X] Fleet of Foot (●●●). Kakashi is impressively fast and agile and he receives 1 bonus dice on all taijutsu and ninjutsu combat rolls.
[X] Boundless Endurance (●●). Kakashi can go for days without rest and he receives 1 bonus die on all rolls to avoid exhaustion or sleep.
[X] A man with long dark hair looks down at you, "you are the new prodigy Kakashi-kun?" He eyes you solemnly, "has something happened?" (Kakashi gains Orochimaru as a mentor)
[X] Fleet of Foot (●●●). Kakashi is impressively fast and agile and he receives 1 bonus dice on all taijutsu and ninjutsu combat rolls.
[X] Danger Sense (●●). Kakashi enjoys an extraordinarily fine-tuned sense for danger and he receives 1 bonus die on all rolls to detect danger.
[X] A man with long dark hair looks down at you, "you are the new prodigy Kakashi-kun?" He eyes you solemnly, "has something happened?" (Kakashi gains Orochimaru as a mentor)
[X] Fleet of Foot (●●●). Kakashi is impressively fast and agile and he receives 1 bonus dice on all taijutsu and ninjutsu combat rolls.
[X] Boundless Endurance (●●). Kakashi can go for days without rest and he receives 1 bonus die on all rolls to avoid exhaustion or sleep.
[X] A younger blond-haired man stands politely at the door, grinning easily, "Is Sakumo-sama here? I wanted to speak with your father about some things." (Kakashi gains Namikaze Minato as a mentor.)
[X] Boundless Endurance (●●). Kakashi can go for days without rest and he receives 1 bonus die on all rolls to avoid exhaustion or sleep.
[X] Fleet of Foot (●●●). Kakashi is impressively fast and agile and he receives 1 bonus dice on all taijutsu and ninjutsu combat rolls.
I'm going to leave the vote open til around for another 4 hours or so. I think the next chapter will be from the POV of Kakashi's mentor to provide some context on why that person dropped in out of nowhere and offered help. Also, lol at Jiraiya not receiving a single vote. No love for the toad pervert I guess.
So @dmclain2 serious question time, can we favour Linguistics and use our mad Calligraphy skills to build next level paper bombs and other neat tricks?
Lists all the canon Charms (mystical gifts and tricks) available to a Solar exalted. It displays the trees they are unlocked in, names, and a brief explanation of their effects, so none of the copyright issues that come with posting big chunks of the core book.
So @dmclain2 serious question time, can we favour Linguistics and use our mad Calligraphy skills to build next level paper bombs and other neat tricks?
[X] A man with long dark hair looks down at you, "you are the new prodigy Kakashi-kun?" He eyes you solemnly, "has something happened?" (Kakashi gains Orochimaru as a mentor)
[X] A younger blond-haired man stands politely at the door, grinning easily, "Is Sakumo-sama here? I wanted to speak with your father about some things." (Kakashi gains Namikaze Minato as a mentor.)
So I think it's important to provide some context for Orochimaru, at least in my opinion. During the main story, he serves as an excellent villain in the style of an amoral, sadistic, researcher.
During the backstory, he's described as twisted, but there's tons of twisted shinobi in Konoha and elsewhere so that doesn't really mark him out as any kind of extraordinary evil, or whatever. To my mind, there are three major turning points in Orochimaru's character prior to his death/rebirth: first is losing his parents, second is being passed over for Hokage, and third is observing the power of the Sharingan in Itachi. At this point, only the first of those events have actually happened.
To me, this means that the Orochimaru at this point in the story is amoral, slightly sadistic, and may be unduly interested in experimenting on shinobi bloodlines. This last point I think would have been glossed over if he hadn't kidnapped loyal Konoha shinobi, and even then, a reliable (for a given definition thereof) way to grant a user the Wood Release bloodline would have probably granted clemency for those crimes and official permission to experiment on captured shinobi.
It's almost certain that he was experimenting on people at this point. However, as a nod to my own personal sensibilities, Orochimaru is only experimenting on already dead bodies and captured enemy shinobi.
Kimimaro hasn't yet been born, thus Orochimaru hasn't yet embarked on the path that leads to cursed seals.
He is still in his original (human) body. Though he has begun the modification process.
Orochimaru can probably be redeemed (at least to a comparable degree as his character after rebirth) and a solar exalt is probably uniquely suited to doing that.
Orochimaru was definitely the best choice to help Kakashi develop some of his more esoteric abilities. None of the other options would have had the mindset or patience for that kind of experimentation. On the other hand, he was definitely the worst choice for Kakashi's overall mental health and he will probably reinforce Kakashi's defining intimacy.
Orochimaru walks through the tree-covered paths that mark the lands set aside on Konoha's founding for the various clans that settled there. He had just left the Senju estates and couldn't help the frown that graced his face. Tsunade was still insisting that she was retired from active duty had been since Dan had died over a year ago. Most days, the weakness of his former teammates disgusts him, some days it amuses him, sometimes though it brought melancholy thoughts.
Bonds break because people aren't strong enough to keep them because people leave, or die. A memory of dark eyes, mirror to his own, flashes in his head. He sighs, thirty years old and still not strong quite strong enough to stand without those bonds. If only he were stronger.
His mind drifts to a more pleasant thought. The well-preserved body of a young Kiri shinobi with a minor dojutsu strapped to an operating table in one of his underground bases. A gift from root, from Danzo, and an acknowledgment of his work. The file note had mentioned nothing of great interest, an ability to see through objects, and at a great distance. Unfortunately not the Byakugan, but that was a dangerous route to walk down, especially with his easy access to numerous bloodlines from each of the other hidden villages. Still, the things he could learn. Perhaps after sensei retired. Carried on those pleasant thoughts, his melancholy at seeing the state his teammate had sunk to fades and he walks through sakura covered paths, leaving undisturbed flower petals behind.
A faint sense of intuition, the sense that something was out of place, perks his thoughts back to the present and he looks around. A small estate, an estate he knows belongs to the Hatake clan, sits dark, no smoke rising from the chimney despite the morning chill. Perhaps on another day, he would dismiss this as irrelevant Hatake Sakumo was after all a peer and the man deserved privacy after his latest mission. Something slowed his steps though and after a moment he acknowledged the thought. It felt like the day his mother had died.
He finds himself standing in front of the estate's door, not remember the intervening space. The welcoming chimes were ringing with a pleasant sound and Orochimaru blinks. The door opens and he looks down at messy white hair and red-rimmed eyes. Sakumo's chakra presence is nowhere to be felt, and there was no reason for the other shinobi to hide himself within his own home.
Pieces click into place and Orochimaru speaks, "you are Hatake Kakashi? The new prodigy," He asks. That was the wrong question though, and he starts again, "has something happened?"
Dark eyes look up at him and Kakashi responds woodenly, "my father killed himself last night."
Orochimaru merely nods, sympathy wasn't something he really understood, and it didn't look like Kakashi wanted it, "are you an orphan now Kakashi-kun?"
The child's head tilts as he studies Orochimaru, and after a moment he responds, "I suppose I am, Orochimaru-sama."
A brief thought, of white chakra and the young boy strapped to a table, runs through his mind. A moment of consideration, it would be days before anyone would know he was gone. Another thought, a memory of sensei, a memory of childhood. Orochimaru shakes his head internally and discards the thoughts. "Does anyone else know Kakashi-kun?"
"I don't think so," the boy shrugs, "no one has come to visit father in weeks."
Orochimaru shakes his head, externally this time, he had already made his decision. He opens his mouth to speak and a noise from Kakashi's stomach changes what he had been about to ask. "Would you be willing to join me for breakfast?"
"Why?" the question is simple and Orochimaru shrugs elegantly in response.
"Consider it an offer, from one prodigy to another," Kakashi frowns and Orochimaru continues, "from one orphan to another."
Dark eyes seem to flash golden for a split second as they study him. After a long moment, Kakashi nods, "thank you Orochimaru-sama."
Orochimaru studies the academy student across from him as he eats with the grace one would expect of Sakumo's son. This wasn't exactly how he had planned on spending his morning, but it wasn't terrible. Perhaps it could continue.
[] "You remind me of myself, Kakashi-kun," Orochimaru begins, and as Kakashi focuses entirely on him, he continues, "it is uncommon, but when you graduate the Academy, I could request to have you become my apprentice." (Kakashi will become Orochimaru's protege. This will gain him a powerful advocate and sensei in Orochimaru, but he will also inherit all of the complications that come with that position.")
[] "Your talent should not be allowed to languish," Orochimaru carefully doesn't add the words now that your father is dead, and he can't tell if Kakashi hears the unsaid words, but the boy nods either way. "I have some time on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons, If you wish, I could meet you at a training ground and provide some guidance." (Kakashi will gain Orochimaru as a periodic trainer. Orochimaru will be well disposed to his occasional student, but will keep his more controversial research to himself.)
[Kakashi has already chosen favored abilities in stealth and taijutsu
He has 3 remaining favored abilities that can be chosen and 14 ability points left. To represent something of a mono-focus in priorities the top 3 options will receive 3 dots each. The remaining 5 points will be assigned in the next chapter. If a caste ability is chosen as favored, the remaining points assigned next chapter will be increased accordingly.]
Approval Voting is in effect.
Caste Abilities
[] Bureaucracy ●○○○○
[] Craft ●○○○○
[] Integrity ●○○○○
[] Investigation ●○○○○
[] Lore ●○○○○
[] Medicine ●○○○○
[X] "Your talent should not be allowed to languish," Orochimaru carefully doesn't add the words now that your father is dead, and he can't tell if Kakashi hears the unsaid words, but the boy nods either way. "I have some time on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons, If you wish, I could meet you at a training ground and provide some guidance." (Kakashi will gain Orochimaru as a periodic trainer. Orochimaru will be well disposed to his occasional student, but will keep his more controversial research to himself.)
[X] "Your talent should not be allowed to languish," Orochimaru carefully doesn't add the words now that your father is dead, and he can't tell if Kakashi hears the unsaid words, but the boy nods either way. "I have some time on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons, If you wish, I could meet you at a training ground and provide some guidance." (Kakashi will gain Orochimaru as a periodic trainer. Orochimaru will be well disposed to his occasional student, but will keep his more controversial research to himself.)
[X] "You remind me of myself, Kakashi-kun," Orochimaru begins, and as Kakashi focuses entirely on him, he continues, "it is uncommon, but when you graduate the Academy, I could request to have you become my apprentice." (Kakashi will become Orochimaru's protege. This will gain him a powerful advocate and sensei in Orochimaru, but he will also inherit all of the complications that come with that position.")
[X] Bureaucracy ●○○○○
[X] Dodge ○○○○○
[X] Larceny ○○○○○
