Isambard Nihtholt

* "Cavalier"
* Arc 2
* Child

**Isambard Nihtolt** is a student from Haven Academy and a member of Team NPIR. His weapon of choice is Kopfjäger, a wood axe-shotgun hybrid.

He made his first appearance in the "Homeward Bound" Arc, following Nyssa Noirette meeting Jin-Shi Pan for the first time since the Fall of Beacon. He originally studied at Elysium Academy, then graduated to Haven Academy where he became a member of Team NPIR alongside Nanako Amaranth, Jin-Shi Pan and Petra Redwood.

## Appearance

Isambard is a young man of above-average height, with a pale complexion and dark teal hair with mint highlights.

### Original and Arc 2 Outfit

He wears a long, dark green jacket and trousers with a turquoise undershirt and green-grey knee-high combat boots.

### "Cavalier" Outfit

Isambard's "Cavalier" outfit consists of a white collard shirt, over which he wears a blue waistcoat and a dark green, short-sleeved suit jacket with lighter trim. He wears grey-green bracers and pants, a green belt with a silver buckle, and blue fingerless gloves. He also wears black and green boots.

During Arc 3, Isambard applies goggles to his outfit, and slicks his hair back.

## Personality

Isambard is his team's voice of reason, and remains cool, calm and collected. He is friendly and soft spoken, but can be brutally honest if he has to be.

He is well versed in weapon design, as cited by Nyssa Noirette when she thanked him for helping her design Barghest Fang MkII, and he later improved all of his Team's weapons following their encounter with Sterling Braith. This suggests he is focused, educated and adaptable.

Isambard's closest relationship is with Petra. The two share a very close platonic bond, considering each other siblings as well as best friends. Isambard has been observed quickly jumping into action to calm Petra down, and vice versa.

## Background

Isambard is the son of Humbert and Ishild Nihtholt.

When he was around seven years old, Isambard was accosted by a large, humanoid Grimm that carried its severed head in one hand. This traumatic event later manifested as a fear of the dark - and to combat this his semblance developed to provide him with bioluminesence.

After his encounter with the Grimm, Isambard was picked up by three huntresses and honed his craft as a weapon smith. It is likely his own weapon, Kopfjager - a shotgun/axe hybrid - was based on the weapons of his caretakes, as one wielded a large axe and another used a shotgun.

Petra Redwood was eventually picked up by the huntresses, and the two bonded over their shared fears. They later joined Elysium Academy, where they met Jin-Shi Pan, and later Haven Academy, where they met Nanako Amaranth.

## Abilities and Powers

Similar to other members of his team, Isambard has a mid-range to close quarters combat style, using a shotgun and a wood ax.

### Semblance

*Main article: Illumination*
Born to counteract his fear of the dark, Isambard’s semblance causes his body to glow with bioluminescence to the point he turns completely pale as he produces said light.

### Weaknesses

Isambard's strengths lie in his mind, leaving him one of the weaker combatants in Team NPIR. He is displayed to have been easily disarmed and incapacitated.

## Battles

 Team NPIR, Team AL, Irving and Nyssa vs. Grimm
 Nyssa, Jin-Shi, Isambard and Petra vs. Team BRUT
 Isambard Nihtholt & Petra Redwood vs. Rusty Gilford

## Trivia

### Allusion

* Isambard alludes to Ichabod Crane of Sleepy Hollow.
	+ Ichabod Crane encountered the Headless Horseman; in his youth, Isambard encountered a Grimm that carried its decapitated head in one hand.
	+ His weapon is named "Kopfjäger", meaning "head hunter", referencing the Headless Horseman.
	+ In *The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,* Ichabod Crane is poor and the ladies of the town take care to feed him. Similarly, Isambard was taken care of by three huntresses in his youth.

### Colour Naming Rule

* Isambard is an Anglo-Saxon name meaning "glittering iron".
* His surname is a compound word for “nighttime forest”.

## References

1. ↑ Citation for Isambard's Parents