USAGI YOJIMBO
JEI
Val CHA Cost Roll Notes 16 STR 6 12- Lift 229.7 kg; 3d6 HTH Damage [2] 23 DEX 39 14- OCV: 8/DCV: 8 20 CON 20 13- 18 BODY 16 13- See Below 14 INT 4 12- PER Roll 12- 20 EGO 20 13- ECV: 7 30 PRE 20 15- PRE Attack: 6d6 8 COM -1 11- 8 PD 5 Total: 11 PD (3 rPD) 8 ED 4 Total: 11 ED (3 rED) 4 SPD 7 Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12 8 REC 2 40 END 0 36 STUN 0 Total Characteristics Cost: 140 Movement:: Running: 6"/12" Leaping: 3"/6" Swimming: 2"/4" Cost Powers & Skills 13 Hard To Kill: +20 BODY; Only To Stave Off Point Of Death (-2) Martial Arts: Kenjutsu Maneuver OCV DCV Damage 4 Lightning Stroke +2 +0 Weapon +2 DC Strike 0 Weapon Element: Blades Martial Arts: Yarijutsu Maneuver OCV DCV Notes 4 Block +2 +2 Block, Abort Notes: Also Kenjutsu Block 4 Disarm -1 +1 Disarm; 26 STR to Disarm roll 4 Evade -- +5 Dodge, Affects All Attacks, Abort Notes: Also Kenjutsu Evade 3 Legsweep +2 -1 Weapon +1 DC Strike, Target Falls 4 Root +0 +0 31 STR to resist Shove; Block, Abort 4 Shove +0 +0 31 STR to Shove 5 Slash -2 +1 Weapon +4 DC Strike Notes: Also Kenjutsu Slashing Stroke 4 Thrust +0 +2 Weapon +2 DC Strike 1 Weapon Element: Spears, Staffs 24 Black-Bladed Yari: HKA 1 1/2d6 (2d6+1 w/STR), +1 Increased STUN Multiplier (+1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2); OAF (-1) plus Stretching 1", Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2); OAF (-1), Only To Cause Damage (-1/2), Always Direct (-1/4), No Noncombat Stretching (-1/4) 22 Katana: HKA 1 1/2d6 (2 1/2d6 w/STR), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2); OAF (-1) plus +1 OCV; OAF (-1) plus Range Based On STR (+1/4) for up to 25 Active Points of HKA; 1 Recoverable Charge (-1 1/4), OAF (-1), [1 rc] 14 Wakazashi: HKA 1d6 (2d6 w/STR), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2); OAF (-1) plus +1 OCV; OAF (-1) plus Range Based On STR (+1/4) for up to 15 Active Points of HKA; 1 Recoverable Charge (-1 1/4), OAF (-1), [1 rc] 47 Master Of The Spear: Multipower, 70-point reserve, all slots OIF (any spear (yari); -1/2) 2u 1) Flurry Of Spear Thrusts: Autofire (5 shots; +1/2) for up to 55 Active Points of HKA, Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/2); Extra Time (Full Phase, -1/2), OIF (any spear (yari); -1/2), END 1 3u 2) Whirling Spear Strike: Area Of Effect (up to 2" radius; +3/4), Selective (+1/4) for up to 55 Active Points of HKA, Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4); OIF (any spear (yari; -1/2), Extra Time (Full Phase, -1/2), Can Be Blocked (-1/4), END 2 16 Drawing Out The Soul: Drain BODY 2d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Trigger (Activating the Trigger requires a Zero Phase Action, Trigger resets automatically, immediately after it activates; trigger activates upon striking a foe; +3/4); OAF (Black-Bladed Yari; -1), Black-Bladed Yari Must Do BODY Damage (-1/2), Only Works Against Targets With Souls (-1/4) 14 Consencrating The Blade: Major Transform 3d6 (standard effect: 9 points) (normal spear or blade into consecrated spear or blade [i.e. weapon now has a black blade and does +1 STUN], "heals back" when Jei selects a new weapon to be his own); Extra Time (1 Turn (Post- Segment 12), -1 1/4), Limited Target (bladed weapons; -1/2), No Range (-1/2), END 4 11 Aura Of Cold: Change Environment 2" radius, -1 Temperature Level Adjustment, Personal Immunity (+1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2); Always On (-1/2), No Range (-1/2) 2 Doesn't Feel The Cold: LS (Safe in Intense Cold) Talents 6 Chambara Swordsman: Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED) 32 "They're Here": Danger Sense (immediate vicinity, out of combat, Discriminatory, Function as a Sense) 12- 7 Spearmaster: Deadly Blow: +1d6 (with spear) 3 Lightsleep Skills 10 +2 with HTH Combat 6 +2 with Black-Bladed Yari 2 AK: Japan 11- 3 Breakfall 14- 10 Defense Maneuver I-IV 0 Language: Japanese (idiomatic; literate) 3 Paramedics 12- 2 PS: Samurai 11- 5 Rapid Attack (HTH) 3 Stealth 14- 2 Survival (Temperate/Subtropical) 12- 3 Tactics 12- 3 WF: Common Melee Weapons, Staffs Total Powers & Skill Cost: 318 Total Cost: 458 200+ Disadvantages 20 DNPC: Keiko the Innocent 11- (Incompetent) 15 Distinctive Features: Creepy Voice (like one from the grave) And Empty Eyes (Not Concealable; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses) 15 Distinctive Features: Eerie Presence (aura of cold/evil) (Not Concealable; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses) 10 Distinctive Features: Style (Not Concealable; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Large Group) 20 Psychological Limitation: Believes Self To Be The "Blade Of The Gods" (Common, Total) 20 Psychological Limitation: Casual Killer/Driven To Destroy "Evil" (i.e. Jei's a total sociopath) (Very Common, Strong) 15 Psychological Limitation: Hates Usagi (Must kill Usagi to take place among the gods) (Common, Strong) 10 Reputation: Blade of the Gods/Deadly Killer, 8- (Extreme) 133 Blade of the Gods Bonus 458 Total Disadvantage Points
Background/History: Jei's origin is a complete and total mystery. His initial appearance in Usagi Yojimbo looked to be a one-shot, until Stan Saki brought him back again and again for further adventures with Usagi.
In his first appearance, Jei fought Usagi and attempted to kill him for being "evil." A bolt of lightning ended the fight, and Jei was presumed slain. He later appeared as a bandit leader and captured Jotaro, Usagi's son by Mariko. The resulting fight with Usagi pitched Jei off of a cliff and into a river. He was found by a fisherman and recovered to full health. Killing the fisherman, Jei then encountered Keiko, the "innocent" and with her traveled about seeking Usagi. Along the way, he found the sword Kusanagi (Grasscutter) and fought Usagi and Gen for its possession. He wounded both—Gen severely—before dying on the blade of Grasscutter. As his body turned to ash, it would seem that this death is for good... or is it?
This write-up is for Jei after he encounters Keiko, but before his death (naturally).
Personality/Motivation: Jei is utterly insane. He speaks at one point of being possessed by a burning fever and then awaking with the knowledge he was the "blade of the gods" and it was his duty to destroy evil in all its forms. The only problem is that Jei sees evil in everything and everyone. He has slaughtered whole shiploads of people and the entire processional party of a daimyo. Jei's main desire however, is to kill Usagi, so that he may then die and take his place among the gods.
Although Jei is a sociopathic killer, he doesn't slaughter people wantonly. Usually he needs to be provoked to start one of his rampages. Of course, considering his nature, provoking Jei can be accomplished simply by talking to him (and the longer you talk to him, the greater chance of his deciding you're evil). For example, Jei will not bow to any lord, or any processional—he is "above" such things. When pressed to do so by a lord's retainers, Jei pronounced the retainers (and their lord) "evil" and carved up the lot. If not hassled, however, odds are Jei won’t trouble anyone.
Quotes: "My actions are not my own! I am merely an emissary of the gods! My blade finds the evil in this world and destroys it!"
"As an emissary of the gods, I set the standards for sanity in the world."
Powers/Tactics: Jei is an excellent and accomplished spearman. He has fought Usagi to a virtual standstill several times, losing only by the slimmest of margins. He is also skilled with the sword, although not to the extent that Usagi is. Two of Jei's favorite tactics with his spear is to unleash a flurry of rapid strikes at a single target, or to whip his spear around in a large circle, slashing at all in range. In addition, Jei's spear seems to draw out the souls of those it kills, and several victims have remarked on feeling cold and/or extreme pain (Gen said that it "burned").
If Jei ever loses his spear, he will find a new one and "consecrate" it to the gods. This requires him to hold the weapon up and bless it. The blade will then turn black. This consecration will turn any normal weapon into a +1 STUN weapon. It should be noted that Jei's swords are not black, and that he could not consecrate the sword Grasscutter.
The Hard To Kill power represents Jei's ability to come back from almost any wound. Basically, in order for him to really die (magic weapons not withstanding), Jei must go to negative 38 BODY. His Aura of Cold is the sort of power some Game Masters may want to ignore. It is readily apparent in his first appearance, but less later on. Keiko never comments on it, although others do. I should note his power of “They're Here” only really appeared once, but sort of makes sense, considering his origins. Also, Jei killed three armed samurai with just his bare hands. He might have some sort of HKA defined as "Clawed Hands" or some such.
Appearance: Jei is a tall anthropomorphic wolf with long black hair drawn up in a samurai topknot. His eyes are white and empty of pupils, while his fingers have long claws. He wears a long black kimono with white trim, a pale yukata, and a white obi. In the obi are thrust a katana and wakizashi, while Jei carries his yari in his hand. The yari is normally kept sheathed, but when the blade is revealed it is dead black.
Jei's appearance is fairly frightening in of itself, but his voice is supposed to be "like one from the grave." Jei also seems to radiate cold, or at least the temperature drops when ever he is around.
Designer's Notes: Jei's character sheet is loosely derived from the Fuzion stats for other characters given in the Usagi Yojimbo Role-Playing Game put out by Gold Rush Games. Additional skills were derived from material in the Sengoku Role-Playing Game and from scenes in the comic series. As for Jei himself... he's a very, very strange character. For starters he seems (or seemed) to be unkillable. Every time he was thought dead, he would return, whether it was from being struck by lightning or from falling off a cliff into a river. He didn't truly die until Usagi stabbed him with the sword Kusanagi. Even then, his death wasn't permanent, as his spirit entered the body of Inazuma, a female swordsman of unsurpassed skill. Personally, I think that the last page of Volume 12, Grasscutter, where Keiko encounters the "new" Inazuma with the words "I've been looking all over for you... Aunty." to be one of the most creepiest sets of panels in comics.
A lot of Jei's origin and nature can easily be understood by the following comment from Stan Sakai: "Jei... started off as a gag, a character whose name was inspired by Jason from those Friday the 13th movies. Jason. Jei-san. Get it?"
(Jei created by Stan Sakai, character sheet created by Michael Surbrook)
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