Name: Kim Silver Real Name: Kimberly Jade Silvers Player: Ben-San Arizona Homeworld: Earth variant Appearance: Kim is a pale American woman of 22. Her ancestry is mainly Caucasian, although her eyes are rather "asiatic". Her hair is long and silver, usually done in two loose braids forwards of her shoulders and loose behind. Her eyes are dark brown. She's rather attractive, but doesn't make a show of it. Her usual clothing is casual, tending towards the "jeans-and-T-shirt" variety and dark colors. She is usually seen with one of her guitars. Skills: Kim is an excellent singer, guitarist and songwriter. She also has a high-school education, and a year of college education from before she dropped out. Her other significant skill is proficiency in zanshin.. "purity of focus". The more unusual effects of this are listed under "powers"; more mundanely, she is able to enter a state of "thought/no-thought" and focus herself purely and clearly into what she does. Most commonly, she enters this state when playing her guitar. She cannot enter zanshin without an activity to focus on, although paradoxically the state of zanshin allows her to perform some other tasks without disturbing her zanshin; movement and conversation will not break her zanshin, but combat will (unless she has entered a combat zanshin). To enter zanshin requires a few moments so that she can find her center and balance her breathing, and is not possible unless she truly wants to lose herself within the activity. She is also rather proficient in tai chi, although not a form suited to combat. Equipment: Kim was on the road when she disappeared to Odain. As a result, she has her luggage with her, including several changes of clothing. Most importantly, she has with her three guitars; a quality acoustic guitar, a cherry-on-black Gibson electric, and a no-name electric that she doesn't use much anymore, but keeps around for sentimental value and teaching purposes. She considers the guitars her most valuable possessions. Powers: When Kim is in a state of zanshin, she has several unusual abilities. She is able to sense the presence and approximate positions of objects in her vicinity, as well as chi disruptions. Disruptions can be caused by magic, injury, direct chi manipulation, or particularly strong emotional distress, among other possibilities. These senses do not limit action any more than the trance itself does. When in her state of zanshin, Kim "focuses without thought" on her activity. What this means is that she will act to the fullest limit of her skill, while at the same time both focused on and detached from the activity. She acts fluidly, with no motions wasted. Everything she does becomes an aspect of her zanshin focal activity. As a result, she is able to multitask other activities, but will seem rather "detached" as well. The range of activities possible while in trance is limited; major and complex motion outside of the activity is difficult to impossible while still maintaining the zanshin focus. The more spectacular aspect of zanshin is Kim's ability to manipulate the environment around her by subtle alterations of the movement of chi as it flows through her. "Fluid" elements, such as wind, water or fire, can be shaped and moved with relative ease. Non-living plant matter can also be shaped, although crudely, and doing so will probably damage the matter in question. Living plants can be shaped, but subtly; doing so will not accelerate growth significantly but will only direct it. Therefore, shaping plants by this method is a long-term proposition. Animal matter, solid mineral matter, and intelligent plants cannot be manipulated at all via Kim's zanshin. Chi-shaping cannot be combined with other activities than the focal activity of the trance, or conversation other than brief phrases. Kim can enter zanshin quickly and deliberately when performing a suitable task. However, the focus achieved is superior when the zanshin trance comes to her rather than vice versa. "Suitable tasks" require physical action, although the motion may be small. In addition, they must be tasks wherein she can focus on the act itself rather than the emotional or intellectual returns; for example, conversation would not be viable, speechmaking could be viable in the correct emotional state, and blank chant would be completely viable. Weaknesses: Kim has all the weaknesses one would expect of a normal 22-year-old human woman. She lacks formal combat training or equipment, and in a fight must rely on the enhanced senses and efficiency of motion of combat zanshin to survive. Personality: Kim is rather more philosophical than might be expected. She believes that everyone should have a "higher purpose".. in her case, music. In social interactions, she alternates between being casual and cheerful, quiet and moody, and mysterious and philosophical. She somewhat regrets not having finished college; she doesn't like to discuss what happened during the two years between dropping out of Berklee College of Music and forming Four-Star Matinee in Boston. Connections: None in Odain. At home, she was the lead guitarist of Four-Star Matinee, a rising indie band in the Boston area.