Burger

Jianghu: Age After War

Done

Shui Shan

_{“Roots exist in all of us. Some are weak, others strong.”}

_______________________________________________ // INFO P E R S O N A L D E T A I L S Name - Song Shi Titles - Shui Shan (水杉) Dawn Redwood Age - 23 Rank - First Class Allegiance - 茶花財團 | Camellia Consortium -

Appearance The most notable feature that stands out for Song isn’t her beauty or her grace but her silent disposition. This is mostly seen in the nature of her constantly keeping her eyes closed. Some interpret her to be blind while others think she has a condition that prevents her from looking at the sun. Of course, neither are true, and Song just prefers to see the world through her touch and the actions of others before passing judgment on a visual basis. With her heightened senses, it’s easier to walk around the world electively and essentially blind. However, this doesn’t mean she cannot see. There are times, albeit rare ones, where she will gaze upon others. Perhaps when she’s in the presence of those higher than her in rank, when facing opposition, or flooded with emotions she cannot seem to contain. Her iris’s are a fierce green that rival the evergreen surrounding the forests and flora. Her hair is very light and wispy, constantly on the verge of crashing down if not for her head piece. The color is reminiscent to an immature chestnut but appearing to fade to a lighter grey. She has a distinct red pattern starting from the eye ducts and encircling the eyes underneath across the bridge of her nose. No one knows what these markings mean, but again no one dare ask. Besides her heavenly regalia there’s not much to her. Her height is an average 167 cm accompanied by 63 kg of mass. Not an ounce of that is wasted on fat however. Knowing the art of acupuncture with intimate knowledge of health and the way muscles and the body react she keeps her body a well composed and curated temple. To complete her looks is a Jian she carries somewhere under her persons. Personality Like her art, Song is direct in her actions and words. She doesn’t feel the need to mince words or fill her sentences with contradictions that go against her teachings and own governance. She sees the world as a revolving door of qi and tries to emulate that direct flow mirrored in her actions and morales. Dancing around the issue, which at first was her speciality, seems to disrupt the flow and cause a multitude of chain reactions which are most unsavory. Hesitation is defeat. And so while her outward appearance is a gentle resonance with a mild manor and a softness to her movement and actions, she is still as forceful and direct as a flowing stream of water with no stopping. Like water, she can navigate obstacles and take shape to move past whatever is hindering her path. This doesn’t change when faced with an opponent or some kind of adversity. While she is direct, she is still a herald in compassion, teaching, and overall human interaction. Song wasn’t always like this. Her warm but silent aura was very diminished and opaque when she first started working. The ideal courtesan was someone who was docile, quite, and catered to the curt and aggressive customers they dealed with. This meant that Song was very passive and suffered from the inability to make up her mind or voice her actual concerns without forming an incoherent broken sentence. It wasn’t until she learned the arts of Jianghu that she was able to molt from that husk of her personality. History Song had a relatively easy life. Like most of the people who occupied her country, she was raised in a poor household. Not to the extremes where they were severely emaciated and had to reside themselves to anything that moved or fruited during specific seasons. It was far to say the were hovering the line between poverty and being invited to participate in society. This was mostly from the money gained by her mother. During the era of peace between the factions of Jianghu there was no necessity to fight and so the soldiers, martial artists, and the others of the same ilk found themselves idle and with time on hand. Having nothing in the way of entertainment outside of food and drink, saw the meteoric rise of the two mixed together with the newest flavor of 歌女. They go by many sobriquets, Sing-song girls, flower girls, courtesans what have you. While not exactly prostitutes, they were still a form of entertainer and sometimes concubines for wealthy men. Song was unsure of how or who trained her mother from an early age to be a Flower girl, but she excelled at it. She was proficient in instruments, singing, dancing, many a things except for being a ‘lover’. Of her peers she was considered a Shuyu (story teller) and was of the highest class of performer within the ranks. Eventually she saw her own rise and was able to secure a position as the mother or owner of her own establishment. She watched over many girls who had similar troubles as she. Around this time she met Song’s father. His life before her was and still is shrouded in much secrecy. Some speculate he was part of Wilted lotus and was a foreigner while others imagine he was just a nobody coming to pillage their lands. Either way they met and became married. Her father was injured, to the point he was unable to work due to his circumstances. This left her mother to be the bread winner and keep them and Song afloat. Eventually time would pass and Song herself would grow into a refined beauty almost like jade forged in the mountains. It could have been the mixture of genes from two different countries, but who could really say. Like her mother she would follow in her footsteps as being a flower girl. Yet instead of taking the name of a flower she chose a tree instead. She named herself after the native tree Shui Shan or Dawn Redwood. A tree though to be extinct but symbolizes wellness, safety, longevity, wisdom, and communication. The other girls simply saw this as arrogance or a desperate attempt to stand out and take business away seeing as she was the headmistresses kin. Regardless she worked her way up the ranks in a similar fashion as her mother. Expanding her roots and branches until she blossomed into the radiant tree she was named after. While she did enjoy working and providing for her family, the desire to be a flower girl began to waver. Her experiences with male patrons and that of her mothers left an unsettling taste in her mouth. She was starting to believe all men were beasts and only thought of war and drink. That was until she met him. A member of the Kongdong Pai (空洞派) clan who stopped by and requested her. He was gentle and compassionate without a farce. He had explained that a Great War was starting to take place that would shatter the peace. He was so intoxicated by her acrobatic abilities and intricate dances he proposed that he teach her a similar kind of dance. One that used your fingers to dance, but not on the ground, instead, a human body. In their time together he would constantly arrive at the 茶花財團 Camellia Consortium, the establishment her mom had created and housed her girls in. They would share stories, although she had few in comparison, tea, and Jianghu. She didn’t know it was Jianghu at first, but the way Yide could explore the human body and relieve its ailments was incredible. This was when she became a practitioner of acupuncture and pressure point martial arts (Kyusho Jitsu). After a few months she could run her fingers along bodies with her eyes closed and find the ailment, exorcise it, healing the person within. Her final test being that of her father, who she was able to remove the disease plaguing him from walking once more. It was after that the two fell in love and were set to become married. They planned while also practicing martial arts and sword play in addition to the pressure points. Until, Yide was called away to take part in the War a few days before they were to wed. Like all tragic tales this one is no less painful, especially for Song. Yide had died in the war or so she was led to believe. This tragedy crushed her, but instead of reserving herself back into that helpless girl she gave birth to a new tenacity. She would rely on no one else but herself and use the love and tools Yide gave her to find justice and stomp out any remnants of the war that would perpetuate the vicious cycle that’s plaguing her country, even if that meant she take the responsibility on by herself. Other Information Song is ambidextrous in both combat and non-combat instances.

---

Cultivation Base

Most of Song’s cultivation is derived from teachings and a basis from Yide and his affiliation with the Yuán Clan. Song is able to use the spiritual ability shared with herself of the Yuán Clan to create qi. The way Song’s qi manifests in no elements outside the marriage of Yin and Yang. Int this she’s manipulate her qi and the use of pressure points to create a ‘supernatural’ healing effect. Meaning she can heal cuts, wounds, broken bones, damage inflicted by other more advanced cultivation techniques from other practitioners and the such. It can also augment and endow people with enhancements or ‘buffs’ in their martial arts whether that means they feel no pain or fully open the pressure points to allow peak strength and movement.

She calls her technique “Heavenly Dance of the Crane and Viper”. The crane symbolizing longevity and life lends itself to her healing applications meanwhile the Viper encapsulates the marital arts and poison qi application. Like the viper she can create a venom within her body by molding the qi within and around her. This venom poses no threat to her but simply sits within her until she can inject it via pressure points into someone else. The poison once it takes root, will travel and block pressure points and act in the same way snake venom does when coursing through the human body. While she does have poison she forms with qi the poison is always different in assemblage like a cone snail. Not any one poison she injects is the same as the one before, thus creating no antidote.

She does not need to form the poison through her qi it is simply the most efficient way. Using herbal concoctions and coating them on her finger is another application that is more natural than spiritual with lesser effects and easier defense. Song also knows the 20 pressure points that compromise a majority of the teachings.

Body Enhancements

• Enhanced Senses - The only senses really enhanced here are her sense of touch and sound. Sound mostly to aid in her ability to perceive the world outside of sight and touch which she’s honed through her skill of acupuncture and affinity for physical prowess.

• Acrobatic Expert - From her time as a Flower girl and training in martial arts, Song has been able to elevate her affinity for acrobatics. Meaning she is able to stay perfectly balanced in precarious situations which would normally see others fall. This also allows her to attempt and succeed in a variety of stunts such as rolls and dives. Much like running water she can move in ways that the human body shouldn’t be able to exist at.

Techniques

• Viper Sting - Song can mold and create a poison through the manifestation of negative qi. Once created she can inject eh qi through the utilization of pressure points to inject the opponent. The poison will block pressure points, paralyze parts of the body in which struck, and increase intensity of pain felt from subsequent attacks.

• Needle - Rather than using a needle like a regular acupuncturist, Song can accumulate qi into the tips of her fingers to create a needle-like aura around the tips of her fingers to emulate and mimic a real needle.

• Crane’s Roost - Similar to how a crane will roost to keep body temperature at equilibrium by switching feet. Song will heal herself through acupuncture to revert herself to a state in which she is at peak performance.

Equipment

• Standard Jian - Nothing really special just a normal sword.

@Salsa Verde

Alright, I'm pretty sure she's fine now. You can put her in the character tab.

Jianghu: Age After War

Done

Shui Shan

_{“Roots exist in all of us. Some are weak, others strong.”}

_______________________________________________ // INFO P E R S O N A L D E T A I L S Name - Song Shi Titles - Shui Shan (水杉) Dawn Redwood Age - 23 Rank - First Class Allegiance - 茶花財團 | Camellia Consortium -

Appearance The most notable feature that stands out for Song isn’t her beauty or her grace but her silent disposition. This is mostly seen in the nature of her constantly keeping her eyes closed. Some interpret her to be blind while others think she has a condition that prevents her from looking at the sun. Of course, neither are true, and Song just prefers to see the world through her touch and the actions of others before passing judgment on a visual basis. With her heightened senses, it’s easier to walk around the world electively and essentially blind. However, this doesn’t mean she cannot see. There are times, albeit rare ones, where she will gaze upon others. Perhaps when she’s in the presence of those higher than her in rank, when facing opposition, or flooded with emotions she cannot seem to contain. Her iris’s are a fierce green that rival the evergreen surrounding the forests and flora. Her hair is very light and wispy, constantly on the verge of crashing down if not for her head piece. The color is reminiscent to an immature chestnut but appearing to fade to a lighter grey. She has a distinct red pattern starting from the eye ducts and encircling the eyes underneath across the bridge of her nose. No one knows what these markings mean, but again no one dare ask. Besides her heavenly regalia there’s not much to her. Her height is an average 167 cm accompanied by 63 kg of mass. Not an ounce of that is wasted on fat however. Knowing the art of acupuncture with intimate knowledge of health and the way muscles and the body react she keeps her body a well composed and curated temple. To complete her looks is a Jian she carries somewhere under her persons. Personality Like her art, Song is direct in her actions and words. She doesn’t feel the need to mince words or fill her sentences with contradictions that go against her teachings and own governance. She sees the world as a revolving door of qi and tries to emulate that direct flow mirrored in her actions and morales. Dancing around the issue, which at first was her speciality, seems to disrupt the flow and cause a multitude of chain reactions which are most unsavory. Hesitation is defeat. And so while her outward appearance is a gentle resonance with a mild manor and a softness to her movement and actions, she is still as forceful and direct as a flowing stream of water with no stopping. Like water, she can navigate obstacles and take shape to move past whatever is hindering her path. This doesn’t change when faced with an opponent or some kind of adversity. While she is direct, she is still a herald in compassion, teaching, and overall human interaction. Song wasn’t always like this. Her warm but silent aura was very diminished and opaque when she first started working. The ideal courtesan was someone who was docile, quite, and catered to the curt and aggressive customers they dealed with. This meant that Song was very passive and suffered from the inability to make up her mind or voice her actual concerns without forming an incoherent broken sentence. It wasn’t until she learned the arts of Jianghu that she was able to molt from that husk of her personality. History Song had a relatively easy life. Like most of the people who occupied her country, she was raised in a poor household. Not to the extremes where they were severely emaciated and had to reside themselves to anything that moved or fruited during specific seasons. It was far to say the were hovering the line between poverty and being invited to participate in society. This was mostly from the money gained by her mother. During the era of peace between the factions of Jianghu there was no necessity to fight and so the soldiers, martial artists, and the others of the same ilk found themselves idle and with time on hand. Having nothing in the way of entertainment outside of food and drink, saw the meteoric rise of the two mixed together with the newest flavor of 歌女. They go by many sobriquets, Sing-song girls, flower girls, courtesans what have you. While not exactly prostitutes, they were still a form of entertainer and sometimes concubines for wealthy men. Song was unsure of how or who trained her mother from an early age to be a Flower girl, but she excelled at it. She was proficient in instruments, singing, dancing, many a things except for being a ‘lover’. Of her peers she was considered a Shuyu (story teller) and was of the highest class of performer within the ranks. Eventually she saw her own rise and was able to secure a position as the mother or owner of her own establishment. She watched over many girls who had similar troubles as she. Around this time she met Song’s father. His life before her was and still is shrouded in much secrecy. Some speculate he was part of Wilted lotus and was a foreigner while others imagine he was just a nobody coming to pillage their lands. Either way they met and became married. Her father was injured, to the point he was unable to work due to his circumstances. This left her mother to be the bread winner and keep them and Song afloat. Eventually time would pass and Song herself would grow into a refined beauty almost like jade forged in the mountains. It could have been the mixture of genes from two different countries, but who could really say. Like her mother she would follow in her footsteps as being a flower girl. Yet instead of taking the name of a flower she chose a tree instead. She named herself after the native tree Shui Shan or Dawn Redwood. A tree though to be extinct but symbolizes wellness, safety, longevity, wisdom, and communication. The other girls simply saw this as arrogance or a desperate attempt to stand out and take business away seeing as she was the headmistresses kin. Regardless she worked her way up the ranks in a similar fashion as her mother. Expanding her roots and branches until she blossomed into the radiant tree she was named after. While she did enjoy working and providing for her family, the desire to be a flower girl began to waver. Her experiences with male patrons and that of her mothers left an unsettling taste in her mouth. She was starting to believe all men were beasts and only thought of war and drink. That was until she met him. A member of the Yuán clan who stopped by and requested her. He was gentle and compassionate without a farce. He had explained that a Great War was starting to take place that would shatter the peace. He was so intoxicated by her acrobatic abilities and intricate dances he proposed that he teach her a similar kind of dance. One that used your fingers to dance, but not on the ground, instead, a human body. In their time together he would constantly arrive at the 茶花財團 Camellia Consortium, the establishment her mom had created and housed her girls in. They would share stories, although she had few in comparison, tea, and Jianghu. She didn’t know it was Jianghu at first, but the way Yide could explore the human body and relieve its ailments was incredible. This was when she became a practitioner of acupuncture and pressure point martial arts (Kyusho Jitsu). After a few months she could run her fingers along bodies with her eyes closed and find the ailment, exorcise it, healing the person within. Her final test being that of her father, who she was able to remove the disease plaguing him from walking once more. It was after that the two fell in love and were set to become married. They planned while also practicing martial arts and sword play in addition to the pressure points. Until, Yide was called away to take part in the War a few days before they were to wed. Like all tragic tales this one is no less painful, especially for Song. Yide had died in the war or so she was led to believe. This tragedy crushed her, but instead of reserving herself back into that helpless girl she gave birth to a new tenacity. She would rely on no one else but herself and use the love and tools Yide gave her to find justice and end the war that’s plaguing her country, even if that meant she take it on by herself. Other Information Song is ambidextrous in both combat and non-combat instances.

---

Cultivation Base

Most of Song’s cultivation is derived from teachings and a basis from Yide and his affiliation with the Yuán Clan. Song is able to use the spiritual ability shared with herself of the Yuán Clan to create qi. The way Song’s qi manifests in no elements outside the marriage of Yin and Yang. Int this she’s manipulate her qi and the use of pressure points to create a ‘supernatural’ healing effect. Meaning she can heal cuts, wounds, broken bones, damage inflicted by other more advanced cultivation techniques from other practitioners and the such. It can also augment and endow people with enhancements or ‘buffs’ in their martial arts whether that means they feel no pain or fully open the pressure points to allow peak strength and movement.

She calls her technique “Heavenly Dance of the Crane and Viper”. The crane symbolizing longevity and life lends itself to her healing applications meanwhile the Viper encapsulates the marital arts and poison qi application. Like the viper she can create a venom within her body by molding the qi within and around her. This venom poses no threat to her but simply sits within her until she can inject it via pressure points into someone else. The poison once it takes root, will travel and block pressure points and act in the same way snake venom does when coursing through the human body. While she does have poison she forms with qi the poison is always different in assemblage like a cone snail. Not any one poison she injects is the same as the one before, thus creating no antidote.

She does not need to form the poison through her qi it is simply the most efficient way. Using herbal concoctions and coating them on her finger is another application that is more natural than spiritual with lesser effects and easier defense. Song also knows the 20 pressure points that compromise a majority of the teachings.

Body Enhancements

• Enhanced Senses - The only senses really enhanced here are her sense of touch and sound. Sound mostly to aid in her ability to perceive the world outside of sight and touch which she’s honed through her skill of acupuncture and affinity for physical prowess.

• Acrobatic Expert - From her time as a Flower girl and training in martial arts, Song has been able to elevate her affinity for acrobatics. Meaning she is able to stay perfectly balanced in precarious situations which would normally see others fall. This also allows her to attempt and succeed in a variety of stunts such as rolls and dives. Much like running water she can move in ways that the human body shouldn’t be able to exist at.

Techniques

• Viper Sting - Song can mold and create a poison through the manifestation of negative qi. Once created she can inject eh qi through the utilization of pressure points to inject the opponent. The poison will block pressure points, paralyze parts of the body in which struck, and increase intensity of pain felt from subsequent attacks.

• Needle - Rather than using a needle like a regular acupuncturist, Song can accumulate qi into the tips of her fingers to create a needle-like aura around the tips of her fingers to emulate and mimic a real needle.

• Crane’s Roost - Similar to how a crane will roost to keep body temperature at equilibrium by switching feet. Song will heal herself through acupuncture to revert herself to a state in which she is at peak performance.

Equipment

• Standard Jian - Nothing really special just a normal sword.

@Salsa Verde

Okay, my thoughts (and clarifications?):

Hider

If this isn't just a name error, the biggest thing is that it goes against established lore. A good part of it is my fault for simplifying the clan backgrounds a bit too much if this is the case. The Yuan clan already exists and has some very specific details that are not congruent with your character. Mainly before the war, the Yuan clan had isolated and that they are basically wu xing warrior-monks. It's not really included in the background, more so in Feyblue's character sheet because I didn't want to massively dig through and rewrite when Fey already did a good job in the backstory.

Probably the easiest solution would be to rename it unless you are extremely attached to the name/connection (which would require more of a serious rewrite of some sections).

The other main detail is that for most people, the war has ended for at least a year. The final line of the backstory doesn't make too much sense. Probably need some clarification if this was before the war had ended and she participated or not.

This one is just because I want to reign in power levels a teensy bit: try to avoid any qi throwing needles right now. Not fully sure if it's just meant to be out of combat flavour (which I feel it is written as and is entirely fine). Just more so that using qi like that would either require an extremely specialized martial art (see: like sound arts), being a master (see: qi solidification), or being demonic.

Besides those main big deals, there are no other issues.

Jianghu: Age After War

Shrine of an Forgotten God, Henan

---

Despite it being early spring, warmth had still not come to the central province. The barren outskirts were no different. The gentle breeze rustled the trees and grass. A chorus of nature filled the air. The setting sun coloured the forest with a warm orange glow.

A long set of stairs led up a hill. Each step was weathered to the point of becoming uneven. Overgrown grass and roots battled what remained of the steps. At the top was a single temple. The wooden building would have rot long ago if they hadn't been created with care. Though, nature did seem eager to reclaim it. Vines covered half of the one-story temple. While there had been signs of pruning, it had not been cut for a long time. It was easier to let the vines stay fully grown that constantly fight over who the temple belonged to, after all. It wasn't a shrine for Buddha nor was it a place of worship for Taoists. The only clue to what the shrine had been built for was a statuette of an unknown figure in the middle of the courtyard. Despite the disrepair the shrine faced, the statuette had been swept clean and protected from the encroaching wilds.

---

A man wearing a red-peaked straw hat climbed the uneven steps. A dog of the martial alliance, as the recusant would call those who wore that hat. Those within the martial alliance knew them as the hands of the current head. To call them elite warriors wouldn't be correct. No, the most notable thing about them were their loyalty. Even so, he certainly had the aura of a master. Despite his ragged eyes and exhaustion, he carried himself nobly with each step. What was most strange about him was the book he was carrying. It was strange for someone to have a book with them considering how valuable they usually were.

It was strange that someone like him would be at the outskirts of civilization. Nothing happened in a place like this. Despite that, the man seemed to have been travelling for a long time with little time to recuperate at civilization.

"Hello?" The man said with a whistle. "Anyone out here?"

Xincai, Henan

---

A thin haze of smoke covered the streets of Xincai. Incense was in the air as the dense streets were filled with warrior and townsfolk alike. Vendors hawked whatever they could sell. What once had been a humble town had evolved into a bustling city thanks to the war. Xincai had been relatively untouched for Henan. With so much trade being disrupted around it, it was only natural that goods began to flow through Xincai.

With trade came prosperity and with prosperity came growth. Though, not all of the growth had been healthy for the new city. Bandits had quickly moved in to capitalize on whatever they could. With bandits came warriors to protect the merchants. Brothels, restaurants, and inns were built to separate the newly wealthy from their coins. Intoxicating smoke filled the streets as businesses and citizen alike burnt incense not for prayer but for leisure.

Xincai was a city where the only ruler was wealth.

As it stood, the city was home to those of every faction. Under the watchful eyes of the merchant king, the city's functions remained independent from any faction. Anyone was welcome as long as they had coin. Those who didn't? Well, there was sure to be work in the city. There was always someone who needed some hired muscle.

---

"This is 'bout as far as we can take you." A large, rough-looking warrior said.

"What do you mean? I still need to get to Sichuan!" Replied a small scholar.

"Little lady, we aren't exactly the most welcome in the west. And... I'll be honest. The pay was practically us doing you a favour since we were heading 'ere anyways." The rough-looking warrior and his companions had already began to walk away.

"But we had-" The young scholar tried to follow the warriors.

Before she had a chance to complete her sentence, the young scholar dropped her scrolls as she collided with a busy-looking man. The set of warriors with her had already vanished into the crowds of Xincai. Thankfully, the man she had bumped into was too busy to pay her any mind.

The young scholar pouted as tears welled in her eyes. Her face was blush with anger, stress, or embarrassment. It was difficult to tell which. She was out of place, even for someone in Xincai. Her clothes were covered in dirt and dust, yet they were still of noticeable quality. The silk of her dress had been woven into an unusual design of golden clouds. Even though her clothes were high quality, the young scholar didn't seem to care about them judging by her desperation in recollecting her scrolls. She looked more like a rat than a creature of elegance as she crawled around to pick up her scattered scrolls.

---

The Golden River inn was a place where most martial artists congregated in Xincai. Though, it mostly had to do with the large portions of food the inn served. It helped that there was a large board pinned with various jobs and offers for warriors.

One of the most noticeable boards was a poster of a woman in the middle of a board. It was an offer asking for help in finding someone. Attached was a name and portrait. Tang Yuying. It was a familiar name for those who paid attention to those within the jianghu. The Madwoman of Sichuan. Rather than being known for her martial talents, she was known for her eccentric behaviour. Either she wasn't a great martial artist or her eccentricity eclipsed her talent. Most people couldn't tell which. It was fairly easy to tell that she was a strange person even if they didn't know her. Most people didn't have an abundance of red ink smudged across their eyes on their portraits.

Most important was her presumed location. Northwest of Xincai. The wilds outside any path someone would usually take.

Jianghu: Age After War

Sheng Qingling

"Meridians run through the body like strings on a harp. Hum the right note to a string, and it will vibrate in response."

Name:

Sheng Qingling

Titles: 

None, though rumors refer to him as the 'Venom Voice'

Age: 

14

Rank: 

Second Class-equivalent, offensive power wise, but not experience-wise

Allegiance: 

Recusant Clans (unaffiliated)

Appearance: 

Qingling appears to be in a perpetual state of poor health, though he tries to cover it up with nice clothes, makeup, and a weak smile. His small frame is dwarfed by the guqin (Chinese zither) that he insists on taking with him everywhere.

Personality: 

Inexperienced and naive, Qingling seeks stability and approval. Due to his upbringing, Qingling is a skilled actor and tends to lie and keep secrets compulsively. He'll try to get close to whoever he thinks can provide him protection since his life was suddenly pulled out from under him. As a hired musician by trade, all he has known is a sheltered life in some rich mansion, but as a con-artist, all he has known is the endless traveling from one mark to the next. Qingling tries to pretend that he is in control of his situation in order to mask the fear and insecurity of having had a near-death experience and being separated from his parents for the first time in his life.

History:

Sheng Yelang, Qingling's father, is a loud, burly, and boisterous man; proud, arrogant, and ill-tempered. A disagreement with a former master led to unsanctioned combat in which Yelang killed his master and fled the punishment of his sect. He never talks about his former sect, though rumor has it that he was a disciple of the Shaolin. His understanding of Buddhist cultivation practices attests to this, but to anyone who knows him, it is obvious that the tenets of celibacy, prohibition from alcohol, and veganism were not for Yelang. Yelang wandered the jianghu as a vagabond and mercenary, and though he remained unaffiliated, he cozied up with various recusant clans and criminal organizations, who were all too eager to hire him for his skill. His combat style is wild and unrestrained, releasing explosive qi through his strikes. This demeanor, coupled with his signature ability, infusing qi into his throat to release a devastating howl, earned him the nickname of 'The Wolf of the West'. His ambition has always been to make a name for himself and to live life to the fullest, even if it meant taking what wasn't his.

Yu Zheng'e, Qingling's mother, is a tall, hard, cruel, and gaunt woman. She comes from a recusant clan, known as the Immortal Tools, that specializes in meridian control, resulting in the hardening of the extremities. Zheng'e's meridian control is so good that she can feign lifelessness and hide her presence, making her the perfect ambush predator. Her attacks involve long arcing swings of her completely straightened arms and legs coming together in a snapping motion like scissor blades, coupled with her signature move of spinning her hardened body longitudinally while grasping an enemy's throat and pulling them into a death spiral where she breaks their neck and spine has earned her the nickname of 'Urban Alligator', especially since she often attacks her enemies unaware. Zheng'e has always been a studious member of her sect, and simply desires to perfect her craft, even if she has to test her brutal techniques on others.

The romance of the predators begins thusly, while under the employ of the Immortal Tools, Sheng Yelang and Yu Zheng'e took a strong liking to one another. He was the cocky bad boy, she was the quiet girl who'd twist your head off. Being a particularly unorthodox sect, the Immortal Tools did not have any qualms about 'not keeping things within the sect', and did not object to Yelang and Zheng'e's relationship. During the war, Yelang and Zheng'e formed a terrifying duo, his attention-grabbing style perfectly complemented her stealth. Despite being a recusant clan, the Immortal Tools were one of the least offensive to the Martial Alliance, so when it came time to form the Iron Concord, the leader of the Immortal Tools readily accepted as it aligned rather well with their isolationist and defensive doctrine. However, the envoy sent by the Martial Alliance was a member of Shaolin who recognized Yelang. To become a part of the Concord, the leader of the Immortal Tools was willing to tentatively end their dealings with Yelang, who would be exiled from their lands. Zheng'e knew full well that this was just a ruse to placate the envoy, and that their leader would go back on his word as soon as the backs of the Martial Alliance were turned, yet Zheng'e joined her now husband in his temporary exile as an opportunity to see the world and to raise their child with whom she was pregnant with in an open and free environment.

And so it was that Qingling was born to a pair of the jianghu's notable deviants. It was discovered at a young age that Qingling was blessed with an incredible sense of hearing. Zheng'e was prone to experimentation and, inspired by her husband's wolf howl technique, decided to train Qingling in the art of using sound as a weapon. Here Zheng'e merged different philosophies, starting with Buddhist mantric chanting as the foundation, though she quickly moved into the realm of music. She linked the five notes of the pentatonic scale with the five elements, linked the octave with the eight trigrams and the Buddhist principle of the Noble Eightfold Path, and linked the seven notes of the major scale with the seven chakras. In this way, she tied her son's understanding of sound with his meridians and humors, which followed similar principles as the five elements; and chakras could be construed as the Buddhist concept of meridians. This knowledge allowed Qingling's ability with sound-based martial arts to skyrocket in power, so to further the experiment, Zheng'e brought Qingling out into the streets as a performer and saw how her son's music could affect people in subtle ways.

Given that the family was traveling, they needed a means to support themselves, and though Yelang was fine with committing acts of robbery, Zheng'e wanted to try a more insidious approach. Qingling would play music in a village square, attracting a large crowd, who would shower them with coins. But inevitably, they would catch the ear of a greedy merchant who wanted Qingling's music all to himself. The family would be offered food, lodging and pay, if only they stayed at the merchant's mansion so that he could hear Qingling's songs as he wished. Yelang and Zheng'e would, of course, comply, and during these times, the family would live in the lap of luxury. However, another thought occurred to Zheng'e, who began to train Qingling in the art of hypnotism. By lacing his qi-infused music with subtle suggestions, they could collect greater riches from their patron, even going so far as to have him leave his inheritance for Qingling.

But to cash in on their inheritance, the merchant would have to die. Though the family could murder the merchant easily, it would be too obvious, so Zheng'e decided that a slower approach was necessary. Qingling hadn't yet learned how to kill someone with his music, so Zheng'e gave him some 'help'. She began to slowly poison Qingling with drugs, while manipulating his meridians to throw his qi off-balance. This 'poisoned' qi would flow from Qingling's music and into the merchant, killing him slowly. Eventually, the merchant died, but one does not simply cheat the rich out of their inheritance. The merchant's sons as well as their friends and neighbors felt that it was improper to leave one's inheritance to strangers based on Confucian principles, and did not honor the merchant's will. The magistrate agreed, though he was likely bribed by the sons. Qingling's family were chased out of the household with nothing.

However, by now, Zheng'e had become slightly obsessed with her plan, and she felt that though things didn't work out this time, she could always try again, after they had relocated to a different city that hadn't heard of what they'd done. So the same tactic was attempted a few more times, but each time the rich man's family would sue for the inheritance and win. During their final attempt, rumor had gotten out about a 'venom voiced' child, and concerned parties quickly called up the local exorcists to investigate. The exorcist that arrived was a hero of Wudang and a powerful Taoist. he immediately realized what was happening and recognized Yelang and Zheng'e by their descriptions from the past, and attacked. At this point, Qingling had learned to weaponize his sound, and fired destructive shockwaves of sound from his instrument towards the Taoist. To defend himself, the Taoist leapt behind Qingling and struck a pressure point. Though he had only intended to stun Qingling, who was but a child, Qingling's twisted meridians unraveled from the strike, sending his qi spiraling out of control. It seemed like a fatal blow as blood gushed from Qingling's mouth while he collapsed in a heap, his heart having stopped. Realizing what had transpired, Zheng'e screamed, knowing that her 'training' and scheming had been partially responsible for her son's death. Though shocked by what he had done, the Taoist would not relent until he had brought Yelang and Zheng'e to justice, so Qingling's parents fled from the Taoist's pursuit, filled with rage and vowing to one day avenge their son.

As the Taoist went after the two deviant parents, the merchant's family's hired thugs had to deal with Qingling's body. Without the reverence to give the boy a proper burial, they simply took him out to a nearby forest and dumped his corpse near a creek. Yet Qingling was alive, and still conscious, though his internals were thoroughly messed up. In what seemed like his final moments, Qingling used the hearing that he had been blessed with to listen to the tranquil sounds of nature to find solace from the pain that wracked his body. For a moment, his soul harmonized with his environment. What Qingling didn't know was that for his type of martial arts, resonating with different sounds allowed him to draw energy from his surroundings. Unwittingly, Qingling was repairing some of the damage that had been done to his qi for years. He eventually drew enough energy from the sounds of nature that his heart leapt back into action. Qingling gasped for breath, reborn in a sense, and completely bewildered. For the first time in his life, he was alone in a vast world. Looking to his left, Qingling saw that the thugs had dumped his 'accursed' guqin next to him. Climbing to his feet, Qingling pulled the guqin up by the strap, shouldering it. He took one step, then another. He was still in pain, his meridians still in a precarious state. but he had only one thing in mind, and that was to survive and reunite with his parents, by any means necessary.

 
Body Enhancements:

Enhanced Hearing - Qingling was born with enhanced hearing, able to pick out a pin drop on a different floor of a busy inn, hearing sounds outside of normal human range, and even navigating in total darkness via echolocation. This coupled with a basic ability to sense qi makes it incredibly hard to hide from Qingling as one would need to not only suppress their qi, but also mute any bodily functions that make sound, such as a heartbeat.
Vocal Mimic - Qingling has trained his vocal cords to be able to mimic not only other people's voices, but also various sounds.

Equipment:

Guqin - The guqin is Qingling's instrument of choice, a gift from his parents.

Guqin

Cultivation Base:

Zheng'e drew inspiration from Eastern and Western philosophy to develop Qingling's technique without fully understanding how they worked. The foundation is mantra, the resonant hum that allows one to harmonize with the universe. Sound is a relatively low form of energy, one could even consider it waste energy, and drawing power from it is almost impossible. Through resonating with the sound, instead of taking energy from it, the practitioner becomes one with it, and the energy from this harmonization is greater than merely the sum of its parts. Understanding the different aspects of the various sounds in nature, one can create a 'symphony' with one's qi. Following the principles of Taoism and internal alchemy, one can draw upon these aspects to balance, heal, and augment one's meridians. This requires mediation and contemplation in natural environments where there is a plethora of sounds that one can focus on at different intervals; animal sounds, plant sounds, water sounds, etc. While meditation is possible in urban environments, city life renders humans imbalanced, and the sounds they make and the qi they produce are of poor quality. A practitioner can also make their own sounds during meditation; Buddhist monks strike the wooden fish and chant Om as part of their practice, but the practitioner must know what they are lacking in order to choose the right sound. The beauty of this form of cultivation is that it can be done in a group, as more voices in harmony add to the process.

However, Qingling was trained by two parents who believed that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Following the Immortal Tools' philosophy, Zheng'e used risky shortcuts to power when raising her son, manipulating his meridians and feeding him pills to turn his qi into a poisonous weapon. Though reckless, this was not done out of cruelty or maliciousness, but out of a sincere desire to make Qingling stronger. This coupled with her own ignorance of the depths of sound-based martial arts and the foundations she borrowed from, means that Qingling does not know how to cultivate himself and will remain in poor health until he figures it out.

Techniques:

Sharps and Flats - Qingling strums the guqin forcefully, infusing his qi into a sonic blast in the direction of his arm. Different notes can produce blunt, forceful blasts, or slicing waves. The attacks can be spread out in a wide cone or concentrated into a single corridor.

Meridian Resonance - Qingling can play music to attack an opponent's meridian's directly. Though his qi enters primarily through the meridians of the ears, he can combine this technique with his sonic blasts to strike at pressure points on other parts of the body. This can be used to interfere with an opponent's internal energy, but it can also be used to supplement or boost an ally. However, Qingling's understanding of meridians is at the novice level, so he mostly just injects his own messed up qi into the opponent. While this technique can be used for hypnotism, hypnosis is subtle and weak, and any practitioner of the martial arts will not only be able to detect it, but will be able to 'block' the weak, hypnotic qi. Even against non-practitioners, hypnotic suggestion requires chronic application over weeks and months to truly take effect.

Sounding - Every object has a frequency at which it will shatter. By listening intently to the sound an object makes on impact under three different circumstances, Qingling is able to triangulate this frequency.

Shatter - Once Qingling knows an object's resonant frequency, he is able to replicate it using his guqin. If the object is within hearing range, it will shatter if Qingling holds the note for a long enough period of time. The period of time that the note needs to be held depends on the quality of the object.

The Immortal Tools

The founding philosophy of the Immortal Tools is that the body is the tool of the immortal soul. And to shape a tool, it must be hammered into shape, honed, and maintained regularly. The Immortal Tools practice mental dissociation, allowing themselves to subject their bodies to cruel training that can strengthen them much faster than a healthier, less extreme regime would. But through this, they become masters over their bodies, and are often undeterred by pain. The Immortal Tools are an intellectual sect, often pursuing and discovering new ways to train themselves, and do not have a fixed style. The founder of the Immortal Tools believed that as long as the sect members focused on their techniques, they did not need to engage in the politics of the jianghu until they were powerful and ready, so for much of the sect's history, they have been isolationist and defensive, only occasionally drawing the ire of sects of the Martial Alliance. But their willingness to try out their techniques on living people, blatant disregard for tradition, extreme practices, and lack of a moral philosophy puts them squarely among the Recusant Clans.

Character philosophy

Qingling is intended to fill the 'role' of a support mage. offensively he is quite powerful, able to strike from range, perform large area attacks, and cast meridian debuffs. However, he is quite immobile, needing to sit to use his instrument, and has little to no defensive capabilities; a 'glass cannon'. He can also buff his allies and counteract meridian/internal damage that they might receive.

I recognize that mind control in any form is usually a banned power, however, I hope that I have placed enough restrictions on it so as to render it harmless to other players and most NPCs, since martial artists can detect and block it easily, and it takes a long period of time to bear fruit. It is more of a 'flavor' ability than anything else.

@Stern Algorithm

He's good. You can put him in the character tab.

Jianghu: Age After War

Old man incoming. Do tell if there's things I still need to change or adjust.

Gu Xuefeng

_{”Listen child, the pursuit of strength will blind even the most powerful of individuals. So much so that you will not even be able to see those closest to you. Hm? Speaking from experience? No, it’s just the ramblings of an old man. Now shoo, go and play with your friends."}

Name:
Gu Xuefeng
‘Old Gu’

Titles:
Previously Empyrean Penguin

Age:
62

Rank:
Formerly a Peak Master but due to damaged meridians he is now just a First Class Warrior.

Allegiance:
Previously the Frozen Sky Peak Sect
Currently none

Appearance

Old Gu is a rather skinny old man. Not to the point where he looks malnourished but one could tell at first glance that he definitely comes from poverty. No matter how much he eats, Old Gu is not able to gain any weight or muscle which is quite strange considering the old man consumes a lot of food. His right leg is twisted at a rather odd angle which gives him a limp while walking though it certainly does not impede his movement as the old man can move with surprising quickness. He stands at 6 feet 2 inches but because of his hunch and injury, he appears to be at around 5 feet 9 inches. His wrinkly face almost always sports a smile that involves a few missing teeth.

Personality

Kindness begets kindness. This is something that Old Gu has learned during his latter years of life. Perhaps as a way to atone for his past or simply because he enjoys his new way of living, the old martial artist never accepts payment for his services. Anything he catches he gives to the villagers while also keeping enough to sustain himself. A very patient and caring old man, a lot of village kids enjoy listening to his stories. Whether fact or fictions, it is something that still stumps them. However should anyone try to bring harm to the small fishing village he now calls home, Old Gu is not afraid to step up and return to his old ways in order to defend it.

Background and History

In the far north of the continent stood three majestic mountain peaks. Each one piercing the heavens above which brought about the ire of the gods who punished these mountains with terrible gale force winds and a frozen tundra that could sustain no life. However, such conditions would give birth to an unexpected being. The Heaven Freezing Snow Flower. An 8th grade herb full of the purest yin energy. Martial artists from all over the land journeyed to this harsh environment in hopes of becoming the ones to conquer it and claim the flower for themselves. One by one they fell, their bones and ambitions buried underneath the thick snow.

All who ventured to this deadly environment faced either death or disappointment. All except one. One man was able to conquer the frozen wastes and lay claim to the Heaven Freezing Snow Flower as well as it’s methods of cultivation and growth. To protect this secret and to ensure the prosperity of his people, the great Ji Xianwao founded the Frozen Sky Peak sect. Situated on the face of the highest mountain, this tiny clan grew to form one of the most formidable sects in all of the northern regions. The influence of the herb accompanied by the strict training regiment to survive in this type of weather has allowed them to produce some of the most powerful cultivators in the face of the Jianghu. They have three exceptionally powerful martial artists, each occupying a mountain. The Fleeting Arctic Fox, lady of the smallest peak. The Empyrean Penguin, lord of the middle peak. And finally the Frozen Mammoth King, lord of the highest peak. Monikers passed down from generation to generation to signify a new ruler of the mountain.

Gu Xuefeng was someone who showed amazing potential since the day he stepped into the training area. Being from the middle peak, his greatest ambition as a child was to be the Empyrean Penguin. A warrior able to brave the freezing waters of the north and move with unbridled agility. To train himself, the young boy would spend hours submerged in ice cold water without so much as a squeak. When he was 15 he had surpassed all his peers, being able to hold his breath for 15 minutes at a time and swim from one end of the lake to the other in record time.

By the age of 30, it was time for Gu Xuefeng to face in the Tournament of Heirs. The best young martial artists from all three peaks will be pitted against each other in an effort to show off their skills and solidify their place in the hierarchy. As per usual, the finals were between the Fox, Penguin, and Mammoth. The fox took third place but the real surprise was when penguin almost defeated Mammoth. In the end Gu could not win against the sheer strength of his adversary and was defeated. However this performance more than solidified his position as the next Empyrean Penguin.

Just like everyone in the Frozen Sky Peaks Sect, Gu Xuefeng was ruthless. It was a dog eat dog world in the mountains. But that frozen heart began to show signs of cracking when he met his wife. A gentle servant woman that would always tend to his wounds whenever he was injured. She had been treating him since they were both young and once the tournament ended, he proposed. Naturally this brought the ire of a lot elders since she had no power for herself. However no one was willing to oppose the next great Penguin.

At 37 years old, Gu Xuefeng was about to break through to the Transcendent Master. The base needed to be the Empyrean Penguin. Unfortunately the previous head died due to taking part in the war which meant that his inauguration was hastened and he took over while he was still at Peak Master. This was also when everything began going downhill. Shortly after, his wife gave birth. It should be a joyous occasion but unfortunately she had given birth to twins. Now the rule of the mountains was that they were never to exceed a certain number, and because someone else had given birth earlier in the year it meant that one of the two had to die. Gu could not accept that outcome and after numerous discussions with all other heads, they all agreed that one must die. In the midst of the discussion an elder entered the room carrying the head of one of his children because as it turned out, the Mammoth had sent out the order. This drove Gu Xuefeng into a frenzy and in that instant, he broke through to Transcendent Master

“Because you took the thing I love the most, I shall do the same to you all.” Were his words before killing around 6 elders and injuring many more before getting his meridians destroyed and broken by the leaders of the two remaining peaks. Gu Xuefeng fled the mountains a cripple but not before making sure his words rang true. Before his escape, he stole a petal of the Heaven Freezing Snow Flower. Now the previous Penguin, traitor of the sect, was nowhere to be found. The vision of him jumping off the edge of the mountain while carrying a petal, seared into their minds.

Body Enhancements

Penguin’s blubber: Being a man from the cold Frozen Peaks, Gu Xuefeng is naturally resistant to cold. He used to be completely impervious to it however after his meridians have been damaged he now only has resistance.

Penguin’s grace: Being a speedy swimmer is a must if one is to be an Empyrean Penguin candidate. Not only that, frigid waters should be like a second home to them, being able to hold their breaths for up to an hour and move with unimaginable agility. Despite his current situation, Gu Xuefeng is still adept at this showing prowess that rivals most first class warriors. But swimming isn’t the only thing that makes penguins fast. They are adept at traversing ice and snow by using their bellies to move around rapidly.

A dot in the snow: Spending most of his life surrounded by raging winds and the endless expanse of snow, Gu Xuefeng had adapted to low visibility by developing keen eyesight. He is able to see and make out details even in the lowest of visibility. This is the only body enhancement of his that hasn’t been affected by damaged meridians

Equipment

Emperor Penguin’s beak: A steel claw made to imitate the sharp beak of a penguin. It is able to easily pierce flesh and with enough precision, even the smallest chink of armor can be penetrated. Gu Xuefeng has two, one for each of his index fingers. He stole this when he escaped from the sect.


Heaven Freezing Snow Flower Petal: A single petal from the 8th grade herb. Even this single piece carries the frost and pure yin energy of the Frozen Sky Peak. It is estimated that a single petal is mid 3rd grade. Gu keeps this in a sealed chest buried at the bottom of the village’s river.

Cultivation Base

Glacial Emperors:
To survive in one of the harshest environment in the entire continent, one must be able to stand in the freezing wind and snow without so much as a complaint. Those who undertake this path must do all their training outdoors, exposed to the vicious weather. They will be blown away by the wind, pelted by hail and rock, and freeze due to the cold. Even children aren’t exempt from this.

Trainees would spend close to 8 hours a day outdoors without so much as food and drink. After that they were to be submerged in freezing water for 2 more hours. Once that is done, only then would they be able to have a meal. Due tot he difficulty in agriculture, even the food was rationed. Not many would go on to complete their training to be martial artists of the Frozen Sky Peak Sect with over 95% of the recruits dropping out in just the first six months. Those who do stay would go on to become formidable fighters.

Middle Peak - Blessing of the flightless bird:
Each peak has their own secondary cultivation that is specialized. As everyone knows, penguins are unable to fly but the trade for that is unparalleled agility underwater. Those who live in the middle peak are trained to be just adept. The usually 2 hours spent in the water is bumped up to 4 hours and to make things harder for them, they are to spend majority of that time under it, only allowed to resurface for no more than 8 times. Those who exceed are punished. They are also required to swim a minimum of five kilometers every day.

Techniques

10 steps of the Flightless Bird:
A technique that is only used underwater. It makes use of the users agility and endurance. Gu Xuefeng is a master at this, moving at unbelievable speeds, practically dancing around his enemies leaving only a trail of blood. Although he is only able to use up to the 7th step due to his condition.

5 fold technique of the Emperor’s Beak:
A technique taught to the heir of the Empyrean Penguin. It is close quarters combat style which mimics the sharp beak of a penguin. Users of this art are taught the various pressure points in the human body which allows them to incapacitate the enemy or make them feel unimaginable pain. They are also able to transmit freezing cold qi into their opponent’s bodies and freeze them from the inside. Gu can still use all 5 but is unable to maximize the potential due to his limp and damaged meridians.

@Moon Man

Here's my main thoughts on it.

Hider

Penguin is pretty weird. I know that it's pretty classic to have martial arts based on animals, but it's pretty weird to base martial arts on an animal that, to my knowledge, would not have been known to exist. Mammoth is weird, but elephants and Siberia borders China so it's somewhat understandable as a limitation of language rather than something else. China has white foxes natively so that one's good. This might be a bit nitpicky though.

Pretty much all of the water arts are so specific and weird. It's pretty unlikely that I'll ever intentionally put people in situations where it's useful. More of a word of warning than something to fix.

The cultivation base hits half of the process. The main thing I'm looking for is why, not the exact process. It's an open system so there doesn't have to exact parallels to traditional Chinese energies, but it just missed why the cultivation works. It's just written as people being abused without reason as to why.

I'm not sure if I've ever elaborated on grades. I'm assuming they're 1:1 with rank. I'd honestly just stay away from grading systems for now. Just have the flower be of immeasurable energy and the petal be of considerable energy.

It is pretty weird that his meridians were destroyed but he got away. Was it from combat and he managed to escape? Weird that they would just break his meridians and not just straight up kill him if that wasn't the case.

It feels that his character is pretty outside the ballpark that he'd not really fit in as one of the gang. It'd make him pretty hard to place and write around as a character. He feels that he'll be off doing his own thing more than anything else. This is probably the biggest issue, in all honesty.

---

This is also a message for everyone.

I know I called ranks things like peak master and this requires a bit of specific knowledge into different wuxia series, but words work a lot better if you shuffle things around a bit. You reach the position of peak master, you breakthrough to the peak realm, etc. Also capitalizing every single title is kinda ugly. I'm not the most consistent with it, but you don't need to capitalize things like qi, peak master, etc.

Also, the IC will probably be late-Friday to some time Saturday.

Jianghu: Age After War

Bin Myung-Suk

Name:

Bin Myung-Suk

Titles:

The closest thing to a title Myung-Suk would have is "Cockroach."

Age:

24

Rank:

First Class Warrior

Allegiance:

The Heavenly Demonic Cult

Appearance:

5'5". A scrawny weakling, unfit for the Jianghu.

Personality:

A rat who desperately clings onto his own pathetic life, Myung-Suk is the sort of person who seems to put himself over anything else, especially if his life is on the line. He acknowledges that he is a weakling, and is more than fine with being a "doormat" for those who are stronger than him. A weak fool who lacks any form of confidence, it is a surprise that Myung-Suk even has a place in the Jianghu to begin with.

However, deep within the boy's psyche lies a hidden reservoir of grudges. Resentment, envy, revenge, all of Myung-Suk's negative emotions are all kept within, growing and festering until the time is right. Hiding his resentment behind a façade of cowardice, Myung-Suk keeps his grudges close to his heart. Such strong emotions would be better served to push him further towards the direction of his goal: The eradication of the Devil Clans.

This determination to meet his goals by clinging onto grudges long past has given Myung-Suk a conviction of steel to walk the path of a killer. This determination stems from a life of inferiority, a desire to become stronger after living a life of weakness. The root of his hatred is his lowliness, and his wish to rise above his self-perceived uselessness.

Perhaps his guise as a sniveling wimp only serves to further sharpen this resolve.

History:

Twenty-Two Paragraphs...

The Disciples of the Wilted Lotus, sequestered deep within the Jugeul Forests, was one of the more obscure sects of the Heavenly Demonic Cults focused on a certain aspect of Strength, one cultivated through hatred. Because of this, their martial arts edges on the taboo, a mere step away from the forbidden techniques of the Devil Clans. Seeing the Devil Clans as mere 'weeds' who sully the garden of the Jianghu the Wilted Lotus trains its disciples as 'exterminators' tasked with weeding out the miscreant devils from the world of martial arts. By learning their forbidden techniques, they are able to better face off against their heretical foes at the risk of their own humanity. Demons made to fight Devils, it is no wonder the Disciples of the Wilted Lotus operate in secrecy even within the Jianghu.

As the years led up to the Age of War, the Wilted Lotus would find much of its masters eliminated, systematically slaughtered by the Devil Clans as their plans would slowly come to fruition. Those who remained were either too mad to see the machinations of their sworn foes, or too old to meaningfully act against them. And so, the Jianghu devolved into war while the remnants of the Wilted Lotus consolidated their dwindling forces. They began to recruit more desperately as they did their best to maintain their profane traditions in the face of extinction.

One such recruitment drive brought a pair of young warriors, siblings from an otherwise unremarkable Martial Alliance clan whose village had been the target of one of the Devil Clan's earliest raids. They were Jin, the golden child said to have possessed a divine vessel, who had fought back against the raiders of their clan with all his strength, and Myung-Suk, a weakling destined not to make even a ripple in the Jianghu, who played dead until help had arrived. Both boys, who stood at opposing sides of the river of strength, were given the same training and were indoctrinated with the same principles.

Strength over the Devil. Strength cultivated by Hatred.

They trained side-by-side, the difference in their strength and skill made apparent as they continued their cultivation. Jin was praised as a "natural demon," whose fists seemingly aflame with his grudges. Myung-Suk, meanwhile, was mediocre in comparison, incapable of focusing his hatred into more than a single strike. As their training progressed, the divide between the two brothers grew further, and a new seed of hatred grew within Myung-Suk's very being, a seed that he would cultivate for nearly a decade. As he continued to cultivate his strengths, Myung-Suk focused on his hatred.

Hatred for the Devils who scorched his home. Hatred for the Martial Alliance and Recusants who had failed to perceive the threat of the Devil Clans due to their ceaseless feuding. Hatred for his masters, who looked upon his brother with pride and himself with disdain Hatred for Jin, whose natural talents far surpassed his own. And most intensely, hatred for his own weakness.

It was this hatred that allowed Myung-Suk to to keep up with his ever-shining sibling just a few paces behind in their training. It was this hatred that the old master of the Wilted Lotus had been seen within the eyes of the young weakling, a hidden strength he believed could be made of use. And after nearly a decade, it was this hatred that allowed Myung-Suk to reach the Wall of Willpower alongside his brother, who himself neared the Wall of Talent.

At this time, the Heavenly Demonic Master called for the strongest warrior of each of the cult's sects to prepare for the final battle against the forces of the Devil Clan. For the Wilted Lotus, whose remaining masters were either too old or too injured to answer the call to battle, it was instead determined that the strongest among the young Disciples would represent the sect in this battle. To determine who would serve as the Wilted Lotus's champion, the seven most gifted disciples would all participate in the Naraka, a night of endless combat. In the very same room where the disciples had trained and cultivated their strength together, they would face off against each other in a battle royale until only a sole victor remained. While it was not necessarily a battle to the death, to come out of such a trial alive would be nothing short of a miracle. After all, to walk the path of the Demon is to walk a path stained with blood.

Among those chosen were the two brothers, whose differences in strength remained separate as the Heavens and the Earth. It was strange that Myung-Suk had specifically been chosen to participate in the Naraka. Perhaps it was determined that he, the weakest of his cohort, would be made an example of. Perhaps it was a punishment for Myung-Suk's weakness. Whatever the reason, the old master had insisted that both brothers would participate in the Naraka.

At the twelfth hour of the faithful night, the participants would all enter the chamber of battle up to the last before the doors behind them would be sealed. They were to battle in the darkness of the night, no technique or strategy forbidden. This would proceed until the crack of dawn, where the chamber would then be unsealed. A victor would then be determined among those who remained standing.

Myung-Suk, ever the self-preserving weakling, would feign his defeat almost instantly, falling against the first strike made against him. He knew he was destined to lose just as his brother was fated to win. So instead, Myung-Suk chose to survive until the night's end. Closing his eyes, he focused solely on himself in order to drown out the sounds of battle. He focused on his hatred once more, the hatred Myung-Suk bore for himself for his cowardice. He was not fit to be a Wilted Lotus. He was not fit to be a part of the Heavenly Demonic Cult. He was not fit for the world of Jianghu. Myung-Suk focused on his self-directed hatred, his only respite in this dark and terrible night as he fell into a deep trance.

Soon, the sounds of fighting would soon dwindle... no, they shifted, morphed into something more sinister. Screams of pain, torment, all sounds Myung-Suk did not expect to hear from this chamber, yet these very screams were ones he was far too familiar with. He felt the need to stand, to behold the bloodshed before him. As he did, he would come face-to-face with something he had wished to never see.

His brother, Jin, the once shining exemplar of the Wilted Lotus, was now nothing more than maddened beast, laughing with sadistic glee as he ripped the fingernails off an already-defeated disciple.

It was then that Myung-Suk realized the Truth of their cultivation, of their training, of their purpose. The path of the Wilted Lotus was the very same as that of the Devil Clan. To walk such a path would be synonymous with becoming a demon, abandoning humanity for the sake of strength. They were not expected to follow this path directly, but to instead stalk those who follow such a path. The Wilted Rose was expected to bear the grudges of the demons within their very being, not to burden their bodies with their hatred. It was such a stark difference that truly showed the divide between the two brothers.

Jin, whose shining body served as a font for qi, would instead find himself wholly incompatible with the grudge-seeped fists of the Wilted Rose.

Myung-Suk, whose meridians struggled to maintain his qi for longer than a single strike, sported the perfect composition that would allow him to excel in the sect's techniques.

It was no surprise that Myung-Suk had put down the beast that was once his brother, the hatred that he held within suffocating the grudges that permeated Jin's profane body. With a single strike, the divide between the two brothers had been crossed.

When dawn struck, the chamber of death was once unsealed, the stench of hatred within almost suffocating to those who were tasked with unearthing the disciples. Only Myung-Suk remained standing, his sole fist covered with the blood of his brother. Among the dead, it was Jin's body that had been rendered the most disfigured, as if his meridians had shattered all at once, engulfed with qi.

The Old Master's beliefs were well-founded. Myung-Suk was hailed as the strongest of the young disciples, the first of his cohort to reach the Wall of Talent. There was one more task left in his training, in his path to earning the title of Peak Master: Myung-Suk must slay one of the Devil Clans' profane masters with his bare fists. And so, he would march to the fields of war alongside the Heavenly Demonic Master, to prove he is worthy of being a Master and to bring an end to this Age of War!

However, for Myung-Suk, a mere cockroach in a world of tigers and dragons, the final battle was nothing short of a bloodbath.

He had awoken almost a week after the final battle in the care of a small hamlet much like the one he was raised in a a child. There, he would learn of the outcome of the Age of War. The Heavenly Demonic Master's life was traded in exchange for the Devil God's death. The battle has ended, and the world would begin to heal as the Jianghu reached a new age of peace...

... Or at least, that is what the commonfolk believed. To Myung-Suk, he knew the scheming Devil Clan had only gone into hiding. The garden was still riddled with weeds, and it was Myung-Suk's duty to trim these parasitic weeds so that the Jianghu may truly flourish once more. He also knew that he could not return to the Wilted Lotus. Not now, not yet.

After all, he still has not slain a Master of the Devil Clan.

Body Enhancements:

Myung-Suk puts rocks in his shoes to make himself about an inch taller. Does that count?

Equipment:

Myung-Suk carries little on him aside from the black, dirty rags on his back and a cloth mask that covers his face.

Cultivation Base:

The Disciples of the Wilted Lotus utilize a form of cultivation almost akin to that of the profane devils they are sworn to hunt. Simply put, it is the accumulation of grudges, and the conversion of these grudges into qi. By focusing on one's own negative emotions as a source of energy, one could direct their negative emotions into their movements, directing their fists purely through their intent. In other words, to use one's hatred as fuel for their techniques. However, to avoid being consumed by one's own grudges, meditation and breathing exercises are practiced.

Despite this cultivation's focus on the negative, the practitioner requires a strong sense of control over their own emotions in order to properly control this form of cultivation. Also, because of the nature of this form of cultivation, 'negative' qi is produced. To allow one's meridians to be permeated with this qi for too long would result in instabilities on the user's body and mind. In other words, one would become something akin to a "demon." To prevent this, the first and most important step in this cultivation is to focus one's ire onto a particular subject, a "seed" of hatred. This would create a reservoir, where one's grudges can freely accumulate and one's hatred can continue to further fester, so that this negative energy would not profane the rest of one's body.

In Myung-Suk's case, his hatred is centered on himself. His inferiority and self-perceived weakness all serve as a font of grudges he could draw up. The grudges that fuel his qi are directed towards the strong, the talented, those who would dare stand above him. To the Devils, monsters who hail themselves as above the restrictions of humans, this qi is antithetical to their very existence.

Techniques:

Self-Preserving Fists - The unique fighting style of Myung-Suk. Rather than a refined technique, it is instead a series of purely defensive maneuvers that mitigate any damage inflicted against one's self. A warrior's philosophy that can only be followed by one who is unworthy of being a warrior, it is a style that almost guarantees the bearer will lose a battle, but also ensures their survival. Rather than a testament to one's strength, this technique serves as proof of Myung-Suk's weakness as a warrior. After all, if one were to truly equate Myung-Suk's skills in direct combat, he would be nearly third-rate. A mere cockroach among tigers and dragons, it is his worth as a killer that allows Myung-Suk to stand at the Wall of Talent. It doesn't matter if he receives a thousand blows. Only one is needed for victory.

Art of the Eightfold Realms of Hell - The primary techniques of the Wilted Lotus, killing arts that are a stroke away from taboo. One's negative emotions are converted into killing intent against the target. This intent is then directed to a singular blow, engulfing the target of this strike with one's negative qi. Those who are struck would find themselves smothered with the attacker's hostility, their meridians choked with negative energy. In other words, those who are stuck would suffocate under the intense pressure of the attacker's qi, a formation of their intent to end the target's life. If utilized correctly, a second strike is needless. The technique of a killer, to it is difficult to perform this technique multiple times in a single battle given its nature. It can also only be utilized against 'living' targets, the energies only conflicting that which permeates all living things.

Vitrification - The ability to mask one's hostile intent, a step away from the ability to hide one's very presence from being detected that many masters possess. A necessary technique for the Disciples of the Wilted Lotus, for their hatred will otherwise fill the very air around them. In Myung-Suk's case, by focusing on his self-doubt, he is able to appear as naught but a scrawny weakling, unfit for the Jianghu. This is especially effective against those who possess a strong presence of their own.

@Cu Chulainn

He's good to put in the character tab.

Look at me and my record response time.

Jianghu: Age After War

I thought I wouldn't finish today, but after I had lunch I was fueled with motivation. Gotta love food lol

Luo Yifang

The Lost Dancer | 罗依芳 | 28

Luo Yifang

Name: Luo Yifang
Rank: First Class Warrior
Allegiance: Martial Alliance

APPEARANCE

Yifang is much like ghost: other wordly, still, watchful, pale. Maybe once upon a time she was stronger, but her body has grown thin with age and lack of appetite. Her long hair is one part of her that seems to be cared for daily. Long and dark, a strand is never out of place. When she fights or dances, it flows with the wind.

PERSONALITY

Yifang has grown somber in her late twenties. She is serious and watchful, scornful of too much play. It is perhaps part of the reason why she struggles to grow into a master: her mind is not at peace. The Luo Clan embraces the philosophy of Yin and Yang, maintaining balance between the mind and body. However, very few of her thoughts are positive, forward thinking while much of her thoughts are dark and negative as she seems to still dwell on her fiance's untimely death. There are moments where she is caught smiling, but it is not a comfort to onlookers as its usually at the misfortune of someone else: an elder falling, a child being bit by a dog, or ill omens.

HISTORY

Yifang was young when the devil clans made their motives known the rest of the The Jianghu--nearly 18. The pressure to grow stronger was heavier than ever for the Luo Clan, and Yifang was able to deliver. She ascended confidently through the ranks, particularly skilled with a blade in hand. It was said watching her fight was like watching a dance, a convergence of power and grace that left no enemies standing. It was not so surprising when became engaged half way through the war--who couldn't see her beauty? Her strength?

At the end of the war, destroying their dream to settle down peacefully together and raise a family, Yifang's fiance was lost. He was killed in their battle against a Transcendent Master of the devil clans--though not without first defeating the enemy. He earned the title "Shadow Bolt Slayer" in his death. Yifang has changed much since then. Those who are old enough, remember her as a bright and friendly woman. She was easy to smile, easier to laugh. Though, since that fateful day, she has grown quite somber. Frown lines threaten to grow around her mouth, pushed back only when she is amused by others' misfortunes. She no longer wears the colors of the Luo clan, but dull blacks and whites. Much of what defines her is as she is versus as she used to be.

Her cultivation has stagnated. During the war, Yifang rose through the ranks to First Class and there was much promise in her potential as a Master. However, now it is hardly fair to call her even First Class as she has seems to grown quite placid--hence her title given by those who know her story: the Lost Dancer. The veteran lives as a self-made outcast on the outskirts of the Luo Clan territory. It is here that she manages an old temple to a nearly forgotten goddess who blesses followers with good health.

EQUIPMENT

Mercy: Her blade gained recognition during the war due to the allies it killed. It is known among the Martial Alliance that Yifang constantly moved into enemy territory to rescue allies. While her persistence and bravery during the war allowed her to save many members of the Martial Alliance (and even some of The Recusant), the acts of evil that the devil clans inflicted upon others left them beyond saving. Forbidden cultivation practices broke minds and bodies, and often only Mercy could free these prisoners. Now, Mercy collects dust. It is not a weapon she likes to use.

Her favored weapons these days put distance between her and her target: when she is seen training, bows or guandao are her preference. If one watches carefully, they will see that Yifang is particularly skillful with a bow, but few pay her much mind anymore.

CULTIVATION BASE

For the Luo Clan, qi is created where Yin and Yang meet. In deliberate movements where one's limb extends away from the body and is pulled back, qi manifests at the range where neither pulling or pushing is happening. In breathing, qi manifests not when one draws in their breath or exhales--but for that moment their breath is held. Disciples of the Luo Clan spend much of their time learning to create qi with this theory via meditation and tai chi. While Yifang still does daily trainings, she struggles with any martial techniques since the war. Nowadays, she uses her cultivation base to heal others and maintain what little strength she has.

TECHNIQUES

Bone Mending: Yifang can harness qi to mend broken bones over the course of a few days rather than the usual months. While an extraordinary ability, she doesn't claim it herself. Instead, she says the goddess blesses her with the ability to help those who seek it. Despite its name, it extends to flesh as well, and can be life saving against bleeding out.

Qi blocking: entirely defensive, Yifang can counter skin-to-skin attacks by stopping the flow of qi in another person's body. She does have to make physical contact with them to do so, but a successful hit to her target's meridian will stop the flow of their qi.

Heaven's Arrow: by focusing her own qi, Yifang can enhance her dexterity and vision. Its purpose is to improve her archery and range attacks in general, give her an eagle's eye whether she is shooting an arrow or throwing a knife. When adopting Heaven's Arrow, she cannot miss her target(s)--though its intense focus makes her farsighted, so to say. She becomes insanely vulnerable to close attacks, almost completely unaware of them.

@Kidd

Yifang's good. You can put her in the character tab.

Jianghu: Age After War

Alright. I think I've finally got this working. Apologies in advance, everyone -- this is probably the most ridiculously extra CS I've ever made on this site. XD

Yuán Xiáyīng

this thing's 30k damn characters

@Feyblue

She's good. You can put her in the character tab.

---

Xiao Shan, Young Master of the Broken Mountain Sect

<Snipped quote>

Stealing? Hah! It’s called learning!

Name: Xiao Shan

Age: 19

Rank: First Class Warrior

Allegiance: The Iron Concord (Formerly The Recusant)

Appearance:

Appearance: 210 cm, 85 kg.

Amongst the Broken Mountain Sect, Xiao Shan is the tallest, including her own father. A source of pride for the latter and consternation for the former. Xiao Shan is dressed in a weird mixture of both Han and Wakoku clothing style. One that isn’t out of place in her sect but outside of it, it’s very obvious and clashing.

Additionally, Xiao Shan always wears the mask to denote her official position as the Broken Mountain Sect Young Master as per tradition and never seen going out without it and thus, leading to many outlandish claims of the Young Master of the Broken Mountain Sect being a disfigured brute of a man.

Yet, despite all of that, she is a female. One that many others would envy heavily if they saw what lay underneath her thick eastern clothing that masks her true gender.

Personality:

Personality: Xiao Shan is one that never shies away from learning something new or fawning over things she finds exciting or fascinating regardless of how trivial it is. This bled into her martial art style, not having a single iota of shame when it comes to learning new techniques and moves that other sects perform. An image that the Broken Mountains thievery on techniques and moves also encourages.

As another side result of her upbringing from her sect, she’s also very blunt at times which often brings her plenty of trouble outside of her home and downright insensitive to the majority of the Jianghu.

History:

History: Hailing from the Broken Mountain Sect, a recusant sect that came about from multiple martial artists of sordid, fallen or exiled past, congregating together to form their own haven amongst the many mountainous regions in the Jianghu.

Xiao Shan, daughter of the Unrestrained Master that leads the Broken Mountain Sect, was raised amongst the band that conducts bodyguard business, protection racket, Inn business, and smuggling routes for less than savory merchants.

Her father, who desired a son instead of a daughter, felt conflicted at her birth, and thus, decided to raise Xiao Shan up like a son instead. Under his watchful eyes, Xiao Shan was raised thoroughly as the next successor of the Broken Mountain Sect. Given the best training, attention, and care, she was even allowed to accompany her father on official business for running the sect.

Seeing many faces, from devils, and scums of the lowest rung to honourable warriors, saints and even heroes of the Martial Alliance. Xiao Shan was intrigued and listened to many stories told by travellers that stayed in their territory. Filling her heart with tales of heroism and stoic stories of how the Iron Concord was forged, alongside with the eventual sacrifice of the many heroes and Heavenly Demonic Master.

This stoked a fire in her heart, desiring and wishing to be as great as these heroes were. After all, they saved the entire Jianghu and stopped the tracks of the Devil Clan. Were they not examples to be followed?

Yet no sooner than the major conflict was over, did the Resucants begin to turn their attention to old grudges again. The Broken Mountain sect had suffered attacks from the Martial Alliance despite not being close to the initial conflict, only being dragged into it after enough assault.

But the perpetrators were caught, their vengeance sated, was it not enough?

No, it was not. They may be outcasts, but to show weakness in front of this affront, was to invite greater danger and shame upon themselves. An eye for an eye, blood for blood.

Thus, Xiao Shan left the Broken Mountain Sect home under the pretence of undergoing her wandering trials to break into the Peak Master, understanding that she and her father will never see eye to eye in regard to the Iron Concord.

Equipment:

Equipment: War Club, a heavy piece of steel and hardwood meant for bludgeoning others. Two grown men would struggle to even lift the heavy war club but Xiao Shan alone is able to wield it like a normal club.

Cultivation Base: Sturdy as a mountain

The foundations of the Broken Mountain Sect are numerous as it is mixed. Born from multiple masters mixing and numerous unfortunate trials ranging from humiliating to deadly, one path was finally created to be the basis of its Martial arts.

These mix of ideas, while contrary to some of the Recusant view, had its origin from former Orthodox Masters. To gain true strength, one must endure numerous trials and dangers.

Many Broken Mountain Practitioners are noted for their impressive physical bodies because of this. Bones are broken but healed, then hardened over time that it’s no different from iron. Some are even able to mimic the Iron Fist techniques just as well, one that has caused no few arguments with the Iron Fist Sect, claiming it was stolen.

Finally, for those that met the requirements of the body. Will have another wisdom imparted to them.

Through the body growth, shall Qi follow.

By pushing the body to its limits, one gains a foundation strong like a mountain and in turn, allows pathways of Qi to be developed in tandem. These pathways are then slowly mastered before pushing it to the limits just as well.

The advanced techniques will be utilising Qi as part of the strikes themselves and Infusing their weapon, making even the simple twig to be as sharp and hard as a piece of steel.

Then, the final techniques are the mind. It is particularly the hardest, as it involves studying oneself thoroughly and pushing basics like Qi Sensory, pre-initiative, post-initiative and finally, foresight to its mastery.

Lastly, the pinnacle will be a combination of Qi, Mind and Body, effectively allowing the user to break past their very limits. Once all conditions are met, only then can one reach the desired level of Profound, or perhaps, the coveted Heavenly Master rank. Commonly referred to as breaking the mountain itself.

Techniques:

<Snipped quote>

Iron Skin - Hardening one limb enough to the point that the skin darkens till it’s black, creating a powerful defensive skill that can block even weapons. A favoured way of showcasing one prowess amongst the Broken Mountain Sect, it’s the very technique that the Iron Fist claimed to be stolen from them. Arguments arose aplenty, saying that their technique could never match the true Iron Fist style. Yet those that dare utter such words often don’t last long in front of the Broken Mountain Masters.

Thunder Strike - Xiao Shen infuses either a limb or weapon with Qi, compresses, and releases, creating a powerful shockwave on point of impact. It’s her father's trademark skill and the only technique that she can match her father.

Slow Observation - Xiao Shan utilizes Qi to further speed up her senses and thoughts, allowing her to perceive the world in a slower manner and thus, pick up things that usually are missed by others. An advance technique meant for Peak Masters but she had learned it unintentionally since young, enabling her to progress her skill far more rapidly.

Finally got my CS up, sorry it took a bit.

@Restalaan

She's good and you can add her to the character tab, just a few things for everyone's posterity:

The Iron Concord isn't specifically a faction. It's a general treaty between the recusant and the martial alliance. She would still be a recusant (or independent?), since recusant is pretty much shorthand for someone on the unorthodox path. The unorthodox path basically being any clan not following the general tenets of honour that the orthodox follow. It is good to know that she supports it, though.

---

To the both of you (since you guys had relevant clan information), I did some writeups with the information you provided and a little bit of my own work. Tell me if that information is good, I misread it and got something wrong, or if you had something else planned for it. I should probably add more to the write ups, but I am very bleh right now.

Jianghu: Age After War

<Snipped quote by OwO>

I saw that a 0th post is already present in the CS tab, but did you want me to wait until you added your own character in a 1st post or anything like that?

@Zeroth

Nah, go ahead and post it. I have the 0th post for all of my needs.

Jianghu: Age After War

I'd like to apply with a character in similar theme with Condor Heroes' Xiaolongnu, how would you rank her at the beginning of her story, and possibly reasonable age for her in your setting?

Here's her profile if you're not familiar with the lore

@VeyrinDay

Condor Heroes came out at a time where being ambidextrous was a full on martial skill you had to learn, so it's a little weird to place it on more modern power scaling.

I would probably say as a general rule of thumb that your character shouldn't be a master and they should generally be pretty specialized. IE, one main art (at the beginning, at the very least) and any additional technique should seek to enhance or work alongside it. Basically, you shouldn't have both jade bee control (even then, I would hesitate for living bee control; it would have to be a character that impresses me) and skilled swordsman.

Reasonable age is pretty much do not play a literal child unless you have a really good concept that only works if they're a child, don't play a super old man (unless you have a really good concept) because that would either mean you're a master (which I would rather not have) or a martial dead-end (which limits the future, but is funny). No going past the natural human life expectancy since that would also imply being super deep in the master tree, also no immortality because I don't want to deal with timelines.