Touhou Project → Patchouli Knowledge

Your name: Arashi
Personal LJ: snakesandarrows
Contact info:
AIM: NeurotiKca
MSN: working.at.perfekt@hotmail.com

Character's name: Patchouli Knowledge
Character's age: Exterior: 16; Real: Approx. 166
Character's gender: Female
Series the character is from: Touhou Project

Background: Originating a rather long time ago, back in the days when belief in the supernatural was commonplace, there was a small region of (where else?) Japan called "Gensokyo." Gensokyo is the kind of place that no-one, no-one from around there would ever want to set foot in, because it was bloody infested with youkai. A few brave faces occasionally entered it intentionally, but they were so far and few between that they were considered purely myth. Much more common were the naive who wandered in... and somehow came out alive! Had Patchouli Knowledge been one of those who escaped, her name might have been remembered, but she did not.

She only entered as there was no-where else she could go. Capable of magical powers since birth, she was often thought to be a youkai and, as a result, was ostracized from society. Her parents were taken away when she was nine, having traveled the world extensively before then. Her father was slain by a group of hunters who intended to exterminate the monstrous scourge which had, obviously, grown from a minor outbreak to the largest infestation of anything that anyone could imagine. Her mother was taken away by shrine maidens of the Hakurei Shrine, on the very edge of that evil place, presumably to be left for dead to the strange monsters that wandered the area; however, the truth of what they did with her remains unknown.

As time passed, those of neighboring towns to the region of Gensokyo were growing weary of this smudge, and decided to rub it out. At the same time, it turned out, Patchouli - now age 16 - was running - well, floating, really - from an angry mob. She was chased right into Gensokyo a few moments before its sealing. Of course, the mob buggered off, but she was trapped... Forever! Right?

Wrong. She escaped... about one hundred fifty years later. In those one hundred fifty years, she was locked - of her own free will, mind you - in the library of the vampiress Remilia Scarlet, who said she was the descendent of Dracula himself. Of course, no-one knows if she was, but she was very talented at not only hiring absurdly sexy maids but also at causing chaos. Patchouli spent most of her time in this library, reading the ancient books - there was little natural light, so candles had to be used at all times, which she lit through magic. The books were all quite dusty, which probably is responsible for her current lung problems. Her mild anaemia probably didn't help.

Existing in the mansion immediately designated her both as a direct servant of Remilia; she had a servant herself, Koakuma, an imp who maintained a significant... closeness to Patchouli, who, despite her lowly position, took on a dominant role, which was rarely seen, though primarily due to her lethargy; however, Patchouli still mananged to take a dominant role over most of the maids, including the head maid, Sakuya Izayoi. As a result, Patchouli resolved to defend Sakuya by fighting for the safety of the mistress against Reimu Hakurei before the maid, and similarly Koakuma stepped up before the witch. Remilia had not planned this, thinking Patchouli too ill to guard the house; this proved true and she was easily defeated by shrine maiden Reimu Hakurei.

She also helped to silence Suika Ibuki when she was attempting to summon the oni by summoning all of Gensokyo together for numerous feasts, yet she mostly did this because it was problematic for her, as Remilia and Sakuya were both working to stop this for the whole of the Scarlet Devil Mansion. She was also one of a few who willingly allowed Aya Syameimaru to photograph her, even revealing some experimental magic to the tengu during the photoshoots. Otherwise, though, she rarely left the mansion or even the library, even sleeping there.

She has a great issue with thieves and has a tendency to deliver swift justice of her own brand. She has no respect for thieves and less respect for guards who fail to forbid their entry. However, she does not speak of the latter lack of respect. Despite this, however, her feelings for Sakuya never diminish. She also has developed a passion for chemistry through her readings. However, she's never managed to obtain a chemistry kit. The only times she's left the Scarlet Devil Mansion since the event involving Suika was to see Rinnosuke, a merchant living in the Forest of Magic - also the only male character in Gensokyo - who obtains items from Yukari Yakumo, a youkai who is supposed to tend to the border but is very irresponsible when it comes to such a simple task. Since Yukari can manipulate he border between Earth and Gensokyo she often crosses it to obtain wares for Rinnosuke. Usually, on the way there, she stops to speak to her friend Alice Margatroid, a witch who controls dolls, and to Marisa Kirisame, who, despite being a "rat" (i.e. thief) who slipped past the "cats" (i.e. guards) and stealing from Patchouli often, befriended the other witch. However, she soon returns home finding that no object like what she was looking for ever arrived.

And so she had remained for 150 or so years, reading and reading and reading, very often being watched by a large amount of the maids, her mistress Remilia and the mistress' sister Flandre; as a result, Patchouli is very intelligent and her magicks range now from negligible to ridiculously powerful. However, her knowledge is rather out of date and so working with technology is difficult for her. Once she rises from the mansion, she finds she can breathe much better here and actually recite some of her spells; however, as a result of her anaemia she is still fragile, yet her physical strength can be amplified by an incantation. She greatly prefers floatation to walking still, however, and will more than likely never be seen with both feet on the ground and actually moving in this way.

NOTE: Patchouli's from the most recent part of the series, i.e. post Episode 10/Mountain of Faith.

Personality: Patchouli, no longer alone, now able to see the world, is much different from her previous personality; before, she was an almost complete shut-in who spent all her time reading and paying no mind to the outside world. Sometimes, some would come to see her, but by and large these encounters meant absolutely nothing to her. In those times, she also had a very strong sense of justice and a tendency to take said justice into her own hands. Now, she has a very flirtatious personality, occasionally to the point of overt sexuality. However, she often lapses into her old personality. Despite her occasional violent tendencies and her tendency toward moments of nymphomania, she is still considered to be moekko (i.e. submissive) in most instances and also has a somewhat servile nature still.

Sample Post:

Have you ever thought about what it might be like if we didn't dream? If that all disappeared one night, and you woke up and you hadn't dreamed, what would it be like? I haven't been dreaming very much recently. Maybe I'm on the verge of... something? No matter what, it's a strange feeling to not dream so much. It feels... empty. It's hard to sleep when you can't seem to dream. Without dreams all there is in sleep is impenetrable darkness, darkness which summons forth ideas of all-consuming emptiness which force you to awaken again.

Then again, I did also suddenly wake up in a different place from where I fell asleep, too, which might have an influence on this. Maybe I didn't dream because I was getting pulled into... wherever. What is this place? It's... It's so much bigger than my homeland... I'd never imagined a city could be this big! It's... It's very impressive, really, even if industry wasn't something I ever favored. I guess it's time for me to end up getting completely lost. I hope to meet a few of you on the way.

Before I forget, my name is Patchouli Knowledge.

I know nothing good can come of my presence. My extraction can't mean anything positive. The border is growing fragile now; otherwise, Yukari-sama's playing more games. Neither option is especially a good one. There's a possibility that one is caused by the other, which is an even worse possibility. However, I've endured worse than this, worse than being spirited away to a massive city, and at least I get my chemistry stuff, I don't have to deal with youkai hunters anymore, I don't have to worry about psychotic shrine maidens and deranged survival plots, but most of all, I finally got my chemistry kit! Now I just have to make sure nothing blows up.

It feels so strange to be in such a crowded place. I've never beem around so many people at one time! I think there are more beings here than there were at home, and certainly more humans! It's so wonderful to see so many creatures pulled away from their homes who have managed to build their own little sanctuary from whatever they have! ...I guess it's silly to like this so much, but to actually see it happening! How many more will ever get to see this happen? ...Hee. I'm getting a little carried away, ne? If anybody wants to know anything, I'll do everything in my power to tell you about it! I have so much information available in these books... But, before that happens, can anyone tell me where I am?

And has anyone seen a little thief by the name of Marisa Kirisame, dressed facetiously as a Halloween witch, with skin certainly less pallid than mine, blonde hair significantly shorter than mine, and golden eyes? If you see her, inform me of her position IMMEDIATELY! ...Thank you.

Wing and Room you want for your character to live in: Wing A, Room 101