[b]Name:[/b] Ryon Hyun-Shik

[b]Age:[/b] 42

[b]Origin:[/b] Hang-Jun, the Fortress.

[b]Appearance:[/b] 
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[img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/349397317515870229/546976358513770508/0acb8fe717659b0cf309d29c07fc77c9.jpg[/img]

A tall, burly man whose muscles are borne of years of training and experience. He keeps his medium-length black hair tied up in a bun so as not to obstruct his vision. He has a tendency to shave every so often, but it seems this time around, he has decided against it, causing some minor facial hair to propagate. Behind his friendly expression is the eyes of a man who had seen too much bloodshed, but has elected to continue on his path regardless. His face and body is marred with scars and pockmarks, memories of injuries long-past. His palms are rough and calloused, resembling the hands of an artisan, like a blacksmith or carpenter.
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[b]Personality:[/b] A friendly, jovial man with just the barest hint of arrogance, forged by a silent pride that had up until recently, remained unbroken. In spite of his rugged appearance, Ryon is remarkably well-learned, especially when it came to arithmetic and geometry. Regardless of his personality, the man has seen more than his fair share of bloodshed. His tactical acumen and years of experience make him an excellent choice for a commander. One notable thing about him is his distinct lack of honor on the battlefield; the way he sees it, the Undead are already at an advantage, so he would readily discard old traditions if it meant leveling the playing field. That being said, his intentions are nevertheless good. He's more inclined to perform ambushes and clandestine attacks if it means preserving the lives of his men.

However, while he easily gets along with men and women of all factions, he seems to have a burning hatred for the Undead. While the same could be said of all soldiers under the Five Faction Concord, his rage is zealous and unyielding. Ryon spares no mercy for those who have rejected their humanity. The same extends to their sympathizers and is only amplified towards the top brass: the Sanguine Nobles. 

He fights for two simple reasons. To save Humanity, and to destroy those who have abandoned it.

[b]Sacred Weapon:[/b] The Bulg-Eun Yuseong, or [i]Red Meteor[/i]. This beast of an arbalest was the result of Ryon's multiple attempts to merge the Zhuge Nu (repeater crossbow) with the Weigong Nu (siege crossbow). The result was a powerful long range weapon capable of piercing lamellar. This weapon could fire five bolts in quick succession before requiring a reload. However, this design was not without flaws. Not only was the weapon immensely heavy and unwieldy, but it was also intricate, requiring constant maintenance, lest it fail on the battlefield. Additionally, while the rate of fire has increased due to the repeater design, the heavier bolts require sturdier casings. Due to the cumbersome cartridges, reloading the [i]Red Meteor[/i] takes several moments, making it a gambit to attempt a reload in the middle of battle. Ryon must make every shot count.

[b]Mundane weapons:[/b] A ubiquitous steel hwando for close encounters, standard issue for most soldiers. An ornate dagger with precious jade gemstones inset into its handle, a parting gift from a friend. If all goes well, he will not have to use either of these. 

[b]Equipment:[/b] Ryon's outfit does not deviate too much from a normal guardsman from the Fortress. He is covered in lamellar from head to toe, though his particular outfit is modified with extra straps and pouches to fit his extra gear. Soldiers have likened Ryon to a walking armory. When traveling, it's not uncommon to see his packs laden with armaments. Caltrops, steel wire, primers, grenades, fire bombs, smoke bombs, flash bombs, and the materials to produce more can be easily found with him. 

[b]Background Story:[/b]
[hider=Backstory]

Born in the sprawling metropolis city of Hang-Jun, Ryon was the son of one of the siege engineers that managed, maintained, and developed the various siege engines that stood proudly atop the massive walls of the Fortress. The Hyun-Shik family had created a long and venerable line of engineers and tinkerers, and Ryon would be no different. He was homeschooled for majority of his childhood, before eventually being sent to learn at the academy at the age of eight. There, he met his best friend and rival, Yang Eun-Soo. She was a girl his age with a similar background. Just enough to be relatable, but just enough to competitive. Needless to say, they both took to their competitions with gusto.

First it was a footrace to see who could run the perimeter of the city the quickest. Then it became a wager to see who could get the highest score on the school examinations. Over the years, their rivalry only intensified further. Throughout their lives, they learned about new things, and sought to outdo the other. The discovery of blackpowder proved to be a very volatile one, and naturally, the saw it only as another hurdle to overcome. Who could make the biggest fireworks in the city? The Hyun-Shik/Eun-Soo rivalry was a topic that many could laugh or shake their heads at. 

Both Ryon and Yang's hotheadedness was cooled immensely during their adolescent years when the latter had lost several fingers in an accident involving blackpowder. Fingers were something very important to an engineer. A grave setback indeed. Since then, they've calmed down somewhat. Their rivalry became less about execution, and more about ideas. Where the body failed, the mind could substitute. Thus, they turned their talents to aiding the city of Hang-Jun. Everything from the lowly drainage system to the mighty wall defenses. They became rising stars in the engineer community.

But once the Sanguine Fever began to spread, everything had changed.

Production within Hang-Jun quickly shifted to a military-based one. Even more so than before, that is. Workshops and engineers could produce armaments at an alarming rate, but soldiers were needed. In hindsight, one [i]could[/i] say that they were taken in by the propaganda, but a part in both of them wished to defend their home. Plus, it would be a chance to see the siege engines they were working on in action. Thus, the two were drafted into the Jinju Army.

Through years of service, the two became experienced in marksmanship. Their rivalry began to show once more, though this time it was to see who could put a bolt through an Unresting from the furthest distance away. In spite of Yang's missing fingers, they managed to be valuable assets in the army, eventually gaining actual military positions. They both reached the rank of lieutenant, the two going their own ways to manage their own squads and battalions. During his command, Ryon began to slowly loathe the Undead more and more, remembering all the lives that have been lost to them.

Over time, it became increasingly clear that the new weapons designed by the engineers were only serving to slow the advance of the stronger Undead. It was as if there was nothing that could slay the Jiang Ji or Sanguine Nobles. Nevertheless, part of the military was mobilized to sally forth and break the Undead forces before they could set up a proper siege camp. The resulting bloodbath was horrific. The ground was muddied by the blood and gore that was left behind. In the end, the sally was successful; the siege was repelled before it began. The cost? Only the lives of thousands of men. If there were to be another victory like that, there would be no returning to Hang-Jun.

However, the Undead were only repelled momentarily. They would return, and everyone knew it. As the battered soldiers steeled themselves for another gruesome siege, a messenger had brought word from neighboring lands. The undead could be stopped.

They only needed weapons.

Although the process was a shock to most, there was no shortage of volunteers. Ryon and Yang were no exception. And thus, Kae Sun-Yung had selected them to come along as well. Ryon and Yang both looked to each other. They could've flipped a coin and be done with it, but where was the fun in that?

They had one last contest. The one who could produce the greatest arbalest design would be the victor. The loser would give their life to make that weapon reality. They both said their goodbyes and made their peace. There was no ill-will or animosity between them. They both knew what needed to be done. Thus, they set out to work one final time.

For three days and three nights, they had toiled. Tirelessly, they planned to see who could come up with the best design. In the end, it was a contest between Ryon's [i]Red Meteor[/i] against Yang's [i]Lone Dragon[/i]. It was judged before other engineers, and then by each other. After some deliberation, it was clear who was the winner.

Ryon had won, if only by a little bit. His design proved heavier, but more reliable. The two embraced, had a drink, and then said their goodbyes. The Red Meteor was named after Yang's first firework. A blazing comet that streaked across the city's night sky. Now armed with a weapon capable of harming the Sanguine, Ryon set out to fight. For those who had been lost in the war, and so that others may continue to live.
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