Zal Mano

Zal Mano is a student at Shade Academy and a member of Team LZRT.

## Backstory

Zal Mano is from a fishing village along the Vacuo coast, where his family runs a small but profitable salvage operation, recovering wreckage from ships destroyed by creatures of grimm. Due to the danger inherent with their work, all members of the Mano family are trained to control their aura and carry salvage tools that can be used as weapons should the need arise.

In Zal's case, he elected to train not just in basic combat, but to pursue a career as a huntsman. In his youth, he befriended Lapis Honu, another resident of his home village who also aspired to be a true warrior.

When the boys were 9, a trade caravan stopped at their village for a few weeks, which is when they met Kanika Rutto, a rather impulsive young girl who had been trained by her mother to be a huntress for most of her life, and the three agreed to enroll in Shade together.

By the time the trio reached the age of 17, they had changed their goal; rather than enrolling at Shade, they elected to travel the the southwest and attempt entrance to Harbour, an academy built for the sole purpose of combating aquatic grimm. Zal and Lapis, both having trained in aquatic combat, were natural fits; while Kanika quickly adapted.

During initiation, the three of them met up as planned, while Kanika had been partnered with a youth by the name of Tyson. Together, they became team Lazurite under Lapis' leadership.

## Personality

Tends to be extremely grumpy in the morning, as he prefers it late at night when the sun is down. As an obligate carnivore he becomes physically ill after eating produce and as such avoids fruits,
vegetables, and grains at all cost. Does not play well with others, and tends to act meaner than he is to get people to leave him alone. Tend to be at his friendliest when Lapis is around, or in the evenings.

Due to his somewhat aquatic nature, Zal has a great love of the water, and will spend much of his free time swimming, particularly in deeper water, as well as going hunting for fresh fish. As a faunus, he lacks the typical night vision of the race, instead possessing electroreception that enables him to hunt effectively underwater.

## Appearance

Zal is an albino, with his skin and hair bleach white, while as a faunus his mouth is filled with rows of razor sharp teeth which fall out on occasion, only to be replaced by a fresh set. Wears white pants with white and red sneakers, plus a dark red lightweight hooded shirt. Carries a pair of sunglasses as well.

## Skills and Abilities

### Weapons

#### Mako

-Wielder: Zal Mano

-Type: Hydraulic Boosted Salvage Shears

-Short Description: Weapon covering the users entire right arm, worn harnessed to the body. The hand is able to reconfigure into several different salvage tools. Modifications to the mechanisms allow these to be used effectively in combat.

#### Pristiophorus

-Wielder: Zal Mano

-Maker/Smith: Zal Mano

-Classification: Executioner’s Dust Chain Sword

-Weapon Derivation: chainsaw, executioner's sword, cutlass

-Design: flat of blade is engraved with sharks, stingray handle wrap with black wave-patterned titanium knuckle guard

-Holstered/Inactive Form: hip sheath

-Form 1: a 2’6” long Executioner’s sword, rather than a normal cutting edge with a rounded tip, a toothed chain runs the perimeter of the blade. The grip contains a well for dust magazines to be loaded.

-Features: none

-Dust Capacity: lightning and water (primary) other types (situational)

-Usage: Offensive style of swordsmanship, uses parrying and redirecting strikes, constant movement of the chain on his sword makes blade locks nearly impossible. The sword uses water dust to eliminate resistance while fighting aquatically, as well as to extend the cutting power of aura slashes. Lightning dust increases the spinning force of the blade and electrifies it to increase melee damage.

-Planned/Possible Upgrades: firearm function, maybe.
-Notes: Pristiophorus is the genus containing most species of sawshark

### Semblance

-Name: Heliophobia

-User(s): Zal Mano

-Type: Aural

-Purpose: Utility

-Short description: the user can reflect light and energy off of their aura

-Activation Cue: deep hissing sound, lens flare when focused on the user

-Range: personal

-General limitations: glare can be a hindrance to the user's allies, reflection of light limits the user's vision while active

-Passive ability(s) (if any):  minor protection from sunburns

-Active ability: Tier One: any light or non-thermal energy that makes contact with the user is reflected from their body at random

-Active ability: Tier Two: user can direct where light reflecting from their body is reflected

-Active ability: Tier Three: gather and concentrate energy reflected to produce frickin' laser beams

-Dust interaction (ice): energy is reflected more efficiently

-Dust interaction (lightning): convert reflected energy into an electrical field, allowing the user to charge surrounding objects with static

-Notes: The user is an albino and has a burning hatred for sunlight, the semblance is a reflection of his desire to avoid it at all costs.

### Other

As a Faunus, Zal possesses shark-like teeth, which can be used for combat in a pinch. In addition, he lacks the natural night vision of many faunus, instead having a sharks electroreception sense, enabling him to detect electrical fields.

## Statistics

@) Physical Statistics

-Strength: 4

-Speed: 5

-Agility: 5

-Stamina: 4

&) Aural Statistics

-Aura Reserve: 4

-Aura Manipulation: 4

-Semblance Manipulation: 4

-Dust Manipulation: 1

$) Technical Statistics

-Dust use: 2

-Weapon Skill (Primary): 5

-Weapon Skill (Unarmed): 4

-Weapon Skill (Close Combat): 0

-Weapon Skill (Mid Range Combat): 0

-Weapon Skill (Ranged Combat): 0

total: 40