Poplar's Journal

[Poplar 0]

Username

Poplar

Name IRL

Poplar "Poppy" Nakahari

Age

22

Gender

Female

Height

5'4" 

Personality/Background

Raised in a rural town in Pennsylvania, Poppy had few friends growing up. The singular non-white child in her class, her tilted eyes and pale skin got her spooky nicknames and nasty slurs. However, her father's dojo in the nearby city was her sanctuary. The students there were impressed by both her and her father's Japanese lineage, as well as Poplar's natural skill with a jian. But the classes ended at seven o' clock each evening, leaving her time she would later learn to fill with MMORPG's. She loved being able to be someone else, almost as much as she loved the hard thwack of her palms against the wooden training blocks in the dojo. Her mother, a sweet woman who had charmed her father into moving to the States before Poppy entered their lives, abhorred both the her daughter's enjoyment of "violence" and the many hours she would spend staring at a screen. They got along only because the young girl rarely spoke unless spoken to. Maternal affection was sparse, not that Poplar minded. She had her father at the very least.

Overall, she had a pretty normal middle-class childhood, with a few friends whose names she honestly could not recall after a few years in college, the bullying of the racist classmates lukewarm and sticking to occasional verbal remarks that she forgot the moment she held her diploma in her hand.

College, her escape. She loved the crispness of the textbooks, the martial arts club, the surrounding city that attracted people of all ethnic backgrounds and hobbies. She blended in, finally, her head ducked down to peer at her laptop, her backpack thrown across the cafe table to ward off any possible approachers. 

Some people grow more talkative and sociable when they play games. For Poplar, that was never the case. She played video games to win. Period. Any friends she garnered along the way had been chances of accident, people who enjoyed her cynical sense of humor and skill as a fellow player. But other than with her PvP guilds, she never stayed in contact for long.  

Then she heard about Sword Art Online. She had just broken her leg in a tai chi competition at her father's dojo and so sent her hapless, loving father to wait in line to purchase a hard copy. The idea of a virtual reality, a fantasy world to disappear into... it was infinitely less terrifying than the world that awaited her now that she had finished her bachelor's in business and was faced with a crossroads in her life: to train to eventually take over her father's dojo, or to pursue her dream of owning a successful media company on the scales of Ubisoft and larger. Her normal decisiveness had fled her and her shallow friendships left her with no one to turn to for input. Even her ex-fiancé, a man who was lukewarm but companionable even after their break-up, couldn't offer anything but promises of emotional support. 

Whenever the players learned that they were entrapped, Poppy found that she was excited. She was good at video games. She could survive in this land, succeed in it even... and not have to face the responsibilities that awaited her. 

And if she died doing one of the things she loved? So be it. 

Virtues

1. Physical. Between yoga and tai chi chuan, as well as dabbling in boxing classes, her agility and flexibility allowed her to shine during the competitions at her father's dojo. Throw in the years of tai chi chuan training and her sheer endurance allowed her to outlast her larger opponents. She's no prodigy, but manipulating and honing her body allows her to move with speed and precision, including climbing things, running, etc.

2. Confident. Poplar is confident, aware of her abilities and not shying away from situations out of fear of failure. Poplar doesn't question her decisions or her capabilities, knowing a second left to indecisiveness is a second wasted. Because of her confidence, she is decisive, making decisions without second-guessing herself. 

3. Strong-Willed. Poplar is iron-willed, a trait she inherited from her mother. She relishes her individuality and ability to make her own decisions, sticking to those decisions until a better opportunity presents itself. She does not waver when questioned or challenged by life or people, holding to her metaphorical guns in a steadfast manner. To try to convince her that her decisions or actions are wrong is like trying to fool a wall.

Flaws

1. Untrusting. Her natural distrust extends to her interactions with others- in that she's happy to wait years before giving someone her trust. She views anyone and everyone as a possible threat, even her allies. This leads to missed opportunities and strained interpersonal relations. She rarely divulges her real-world circumstances or training to others, keeping others at arm's length.

2. Standoffish. Poplar's distrust of others and confidence in herself lead to a rather solitary lifestyle, with only one or two confidantes. It stems from the bullying in her early life and her confidence- why involve others if you can do it yourself? Due to this, she is not the best at initiating conversation. However, she will speak when spoken to, her mannerisms cold but not rude.

3. Opportunistic/Amoral. Her father tried to hammer a strong moral code into Poplar, but she found herself creating her own... Eat before you are eaten. She doesn't go out of her way to harm or double-cross others, but she watches out for herself and would rather be on the winning team than fight a losing battle. She is not above cheating, either, her well-being is her top priority.

Profession 

NONE

Skills

Total SP: 5

Available SP: 0

Spoiler

Non-Combat Skills -

○

Passive Skills - 

○

Combat Skills - 

○

Weapon Skills - 

○ 1H Curved Sword | Rank 1 / 5 SP

Sword Arts 

Spoiler

▪ Reaver - 1x1 - (1 Energy) - A basic sword art slashing vertically.

▪ Fell Crescent - 1x1 - AoE - (2 Energy) - A charge-type sword art that delivers a downward blow and covers a distance of 4 meters in 0.4 seconds.

Inventory

Spoiler

• Basic Jian (1H Curved Sword)

• 10 Bread 

• 15 Water 

• Col: 0

Roleplays 

Spoiler

○ [Floor 1] Starting City 

○ [OP-F1] Taverns Are Loud (in progress)

 

Edited January 30, 2016 by Poplar
Updating Roleplay Section

[Jomei 0]

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