She is my very very main character for the Shadowrun RPG. You could say she's my favorite, my idol, if I could be someone else this is who I would be.

I have a theory about the characters we make, and I believe this to be very true – the characters that we most like to portray or the ones we favor the most is our ideal self. I played with the same people every week and I could really see the archetypes my friends chose in them.

Below is Blossom's history as I initially wrote it.

Tatyana Nakayama a.k.a. Blossom

2028, 24th of May, Wednesday, 12 midnight. In the grand home a child with black hair and blue-black eyes was born to the Nakayama family. She was named Tatyana Yoko, but her father called her Blossom, after the cherry blossoms that grew all around their property.

Blossom grew up just like any other child born to the Nakayama family. A family filled with love, honor and tradition. For generations all children born to the family have been trained in their martial arts, the Code of the Green Dragon. And for generations the Toshin Kuro Kosai (The Society of the Black Blade) have always envied them for their special art. An art which was exlusive to members of the family.

Blossom grew up knowing of the Society's hatred of the Green Dragon. For that, she lived a life of seclusion within the family compounds. She hardly ever left the family estate. Everything she needed was provided for. She has always been content. She has known nothing else.

Until the night of New Year's Eve (2049). The day before every new year, it was their custom to pledge into the Code every family member who have come of age. The day would start with cleansing oneself in the mountain springs. Meditation for most of the day would follow. And finally, to be trully within the Code, one would be tatooed, with the coming of the new year, the sign of the Code...the Green Dragon.

A great celebration was held to welcome both the new year and the newly pledged members of the Code. There was dancing, fireworks and of course, sake. Blossom never attended the celebrations therefore never drank the tainted sake. The sake which destroyed everything she knew.

On the 1st of January, 2049, she vowed to return honor to the family. She made an oath to kill Shinjo Takegawa, the current leader of the Society.

I was introduced to the world of role-playing (RPG) by a friend in college.  For the sake of privacy I will call him WT.  He was introduced to me by JN, one of my best friends from college.  Talking about this really makes me reminisce about the old days.

My introduction to the world of gaming started during one of the many parties WT gives.  Little did I know that WT's party was a conglomeration of gamers. My BWC* friends & I were intrigued by this pen & paper game and we decided to try it out.  Out of the 5 girls that tried it, I was the only one that stuck to it.

Most of the gamers were male and they were kind enough to help us girls generate our character. My character's stats are mostly created by WT or one of the other guys since they are more familiar with the game system. I am more interested in the story.

My very first character was a Shadowrun Elf. I think her name was Galadriel. I have forgotten exactly what archetype she was but I do remember she had mental powers, some sort of Jean Grey, most probably an elf mage. As far as I can remember having mental abilities was so-so. It was lack-luster to say the least. I quickly retired Galadriel and made Blossom.

Blossom is/was the longest lasting character I had. I loved her so much that I made different versions of her in various games (Rokugan, D&D, etc.) I will be posting various documents that I made to help flesh out the characters.

*BWC – that's what my friends and I called ourselves during college. Don't ask what it stood for.