Matt Tatami is, to put it lightly, a weird kid.  He was raised in America, often spending summers with his even weirder paternal grandfather.  As he grew up, he became more of a loner and more rejected by normal high school society, as he spent most of his time with books and computers.  Eventually, the rejection and bullying became too much for him to bear, and he had to find a way out of the path life had set him on.  He turned to the occult.<br/><br/>Matt's family had a lot of secrets, and what his grandfather had done for a living was one of them.  Matt found some hints when he started exploring the dark recesses of the old man's library.  As of yet, not even his parents suspect that he's been an occult practitioner since he was 14. Magic appeals to him, even more than computers used to.  It's a secret and intellectual discipline, practiced in private, that can be turned into temporal power with a little effort.  It's everything computer hacking used to be for him, turned up to eleven.  Of course, there are downsides.  His occult studies have exposed him to the shadow world, that part of the cosmos only visible to some.  It's dangerous, there, and Matt's no warrior.<br/><br/>He's been successful so far.  His studies have progressed rapidly, and he's moved from tiny cantrips on to real dweomers, with the next tier of attainment already so close he can taste it.  He's had some practical successes as well.  There was a showdown between him and the new geography teacher, Mr. Martin, who was doing<em>something</em>to the other members of his class.  After spying, observation, and some research, Matt determined the man was really a low-level monstrosity from the Shadow World, sneaking through to prey on teenagers.  Mostly the cheerleaders, but a few loners.  Matt was afraid he might be next, as Mr. Martin was starting to suspect something.  So, he marshalled what magic he'd managed to learn and confronted the suddenly fanged and red-eyed Mr. Martin, in a midnight showdown set against a strangely twisted version of the High School.  That night culminated in Matt beating him to death with a baseball bat.  The next morning he woke up to horrified janitors and lit-up police cruisers.<br/><br/>Nobody would have believed his true tale, but there was enough extenuating circumstances that he could create a reasonable doubt of self-defense.  And there WAS a girl, obviously deranged, but stating in no uncertain terms that Mr. Martin had attacked her.  Also, after Mr. Martin's body disappeared from the morgue ("Stolen," but leaving a trail of bloody footprints), everybody just wanted rid of Matt and to sweep the whole matter under the rug.  His mother, in a fit of national pride, said that only a Japanese boarding school would do to get her son on the straight and narrow.  He's managed to move into a private room in the dorm without too many questions being asked about his stuff, and he's kept his spellbook and bank accounts pretty much concealed.  He's new to Japanese culture, although he knows the language.  He's determined to be less of an outcast here than he was at home, but it's time for his first day of school and he hasn't had as much time to adjust as he'd planned...<br/><br/>So here he is.<br/><br/>Name:  Matt Tatami<br/>Level 5 (Smart 3, Mage 2)<br/>Occupation: Shadow Scholar (Research, Arcane Lore, Gather Info)<br/>Age 16<br/>Half-Japanese<br/>Reputation: +2<br/>Wealth: +17<br/><br/>Str 8 -1<br/>Dex 10<br/>Con 14 +2<br/>Int 18 +4<br/>Wis 13 +1<br/>Cha 10<br/><br/>AP: 8<br/>HP: 32<br/>Attack: +2 (Melee +1, Ranged +2)<br/>AC: 12<br/>F: +3<br/>R: +1<br/>W: +6<br/><br/><br/>Feats:<br/>Simple Weapons<br/>Heroic Surge<br/>Iron Will<br/>Arcane Skills<br/>Spellslinger<br/>Eschew Components<br/><br/>Talents:<br/>Savant: Arcane Lore (+3)<br/>Exploit Weakness<br/><br/>Skills:<br/>Concentration: +8 (+2)<br/>Spellcraft +8<br/>Computer Use +8<br/>Craft: Chemical +8<br/>Craft: Electronic +6<br/>Decipher Script +7<br/>Investigate +7<br/>Knowledges:<br/>•   Arcane Lore +8 (+1) (+3)<br/>Repair +7<br/>Research +7 (+1)<br/>Search +6<br/>Speak Language 3 [English, Latin, Sumerian]<br/>Read/Write Language 3 [English, Latin, Sumerian]<br/>Profession:  Programmer +6<br/>Gather Info +8<br/><br/>EQ:<br/>Spellbook<br/>Messenger Bag (Spell component pocket)<br/>School Supplies –books, notebook, laptop (upgraded +1, broadband)<br/>Really badass cell phone<br/>Honda Silverwing<br/><br/>Elsewhere:<br/>Flash drive hidden in his mattress with backup spellbook<br/>Encrypted file in an off-site server also containing a backup spellbook<br/>Metal Baton under bed (+1 Attack, 1d6-1, 19-20x2)<br/>Deluxe Evidence Kit<br/>Deluxe Electronic Kit<br/>Chemical Kit<br/>Rope, handcuffs, etc.<br/>Extensive Personal Library<br/><br/>Spells:<br/><br/>0-Level (5)<br/>Daze X<br/>Light X<br/>Mage Hand X<br/>Prestidigitation X<br/>Message<br/>Read Magic<br/>Magic ID X<br/>Mending<br/>Alarm<br/><br/>1st-Level (4)<br/>Change Self X<br/>Mage Armor<br/>Magic Missile<br/>Sleep X<br/>Obscuring Mist X<br/>Comprehend Languages<br/>Degauss X<br/>Magic Weapon<br/>Shield<br/><br/><br/>