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Name: 金火旭 Jīn Huǒxù
Nickname: N/A
Alias: Traitor of Tiāntáng Tī (Paradise Ladder), The Wandering Guard
Age: 22
Gender: Male
Race: Human
Role: Guardian/Escort
Birthplace: The base of the mountain Tiāntáng Tī.
Height: 5'11
Weight: 140 lbs
Hair Color: Black
Eye Color: Black
Skin: A fair skin tone without any non-human traits
Physique: Lean and athletic
Written Appearance: Huǒxù doesn't spend too much time talking about his looks, he'd only get carried away doing so. The young man sports ahead of long raven hair that falls down to his waist. Black eyes with a harmless, mischevious twinkle to match his dark hair. Standing at 5'11, he's accepted that he most likely won't be the tallest man in the room, though he may walk on his toes in an attempt to look a bit taller. The young man often walks with a bounce in his step, the bell on his waist making soft jingles with each bounce. He's fair-skinned with dark brows and lashes. On each ear, he wears a single obsidian earring. He has an overall kind and friendly demeanor, but it can change in an instant if he deems you a threat to what he's guarding.
Personality: On the surface, Huǒxù is rather simple. He's lively and energetic, while also proud and impulsive. But, his heart is always in the right place. Despite his impulsiveness, he's incredibly resourceful as well as dependable when it comes to carrying out a task he's been assigned and just in general seeing as the Jīn were raised to be survivalists. He takes his work seriously but also enjoys to take time to simply enjoy himself. Even if that means causing a bit of (usually) harmless trouble. Huǒxù loves fresh citrus fruits and a good tree to hang out in. They remind him of home, despite how many issues home as caused for him. He doesn't enjoy the cold and takes extra care to dress appropriately for the weather. While sociable, he isn't one for unwarranted physical contact and will make that known should need be.
When working in groups or with a partner, Huǒxù does very well. He works just fine by himself but seems to enjoy teamwork. Maybe it reminds him of working with his brother. Or maybe he just likes being able to show off his martial arts. When engaged in battle, Huǒxù is a close-combat fighter. The closer he is to his opponent, the more deadly his attacks. Though Huǒxù has a somewhat strong personality, he knows his place on the team and won't stray from that position. He can lead, but he excels in a support position rather than leadership.
Huǒxù, while delighting in the attention of others has issues letting others get too close in friendly, nonwork-related relationships. Due to a misunderstanding in his past that he still has yet to completely understand, he keeps himself at an arm's length. Huǒxù has no issues being friendly, but he has no intention of spilling his thoughts and feelings to anyone. He feels those feelings are his to bear alone.
Background: At the base of Tiāntáng tī, the tallest mountain in Huayuan, the Jīn clan guards the mountain. Tiāntáng tī, literally called Paradise Ladder, is considered one of the most sacred places within Huayuan. The Jīn were said to have been chosen by the divine themselves to look after the sacred land many generations ago. Tiāntáng tī is easily the largest burial site in Huayuan. When coming to bury the deceased, the Jīn offer no help as it is the final journey the friends and relatives of the deceased are taking with them. The further up the mountain they travel, the shorter the journey for the dead when it's time to leave their bodies to seek paradise. Out of respect, the Jīn only guide the friends and family back down the mountain. Not only do the Jīn guide people down the mountain, but they maintain the area as well. Whether it's offering prayers or clearing weeds, the deceased must be shown the utmost respect and care. Not everyone feels that way though. Tiāntáng tī is the resting place of many important and rich historic figures, which makes the mountain prone to grave robbers and thieves. The most important job of the Jīn is to ensure that the deceased can rest easy and undisturbed. Tiāntáng tī, with so many bodies buried on its land it is also very fertile. The Jīn use many of the resources on the mountain whether it be the wild fruit or medicinal herbs. The Jīn are known for their survival skills as traversing the mountain can sometimes take days depending on the destination.
Jīn Huǒxù and his twin Jīn Jìngxī were brought into the world and immediately embraced by those around them. Born to the clan's leader, his first and only sons would be next to watch over the mountain. The twins would grow to understand the importance of their jobs as well as having compassion and empathy. Cultivated into well-rounded guardians as those before them they would become a force to be reckoned with. On the south and east sides of the mountain are two Jīn settlements. The north and west sides are steep and hard to traverse, though there are some that will attempt to enter from those sides.
Tiāntáng tī, with so many bodies buried on its land it is also very fertile. The Jīn use many of the resources on the mountain whether it be the wild fruit or medicinal herbs. Whatever isn't on the mountain they travel to nearby villages and towns to get. The Jīn are known for their survival skills as traversing the mountain can take days depending on the destination.
Even at the base of what was considered to be one of the most sacred places in Huayuan they were not safe from the evil unleashed by the demonic emperor. On Tiāntáng tī, there are many actions considered unfathomable by a Jīn warrior. Some of the worst being defacing graves and digging up the deceased. Jīn Huǒxù had the image burned into his mind of what he saw the day he was accused of dishonoring Tiāntáng tī. Strung from the trees like party decorations were the decaying bodies of many resting on Tiāntáng tī. Severed body parts were strewn across the grounds. The air was suffocating, the spirits were angry. Jīn Huǒxù had been the first to stumble across the scene and by his corrupt his brethren he was accused of causing the scene. He could see the corruption in their eyes and hear it in their voices as the chorus rang out, "Jīn Huǒxù! Traitor of Tiāntáng Tī!"
With little choice and a heavy heart, the leader of the clan banished his son. Without proof of someone else causing the incident, Jīn Huǒxù was forced to leave his homeland. Though, not everyone had turned their back on him. Jīn Jìngxī, knowing his brother wouldn't have caused such a horrific scene, promised to prove the innocence of his sibling and eventually bring him home. While Jīn Jìngxī's faith meant the world, it didn't mend his brother's heart completely. Since leaving, Huǒxù can only imagine that things have gotten worse.
After spending some time wandering from place to place and cursing his very existence after his banishment, Jīn Huǒxù was able to find work as an escort for hire. He'd been trained to guard, so the job felt like the right fit. Though it wasn't the same, it kept him fed and busy. His charm and skill helped him become a rather popular choice for those looking to travel in such dangerous times. He does the work more for himself as it gives him a sense of purpose, though it's usually short-lived.
Gear: Huǒxù isn't one for heavy armor or excessive layers. He wears just enough to keep from getting cold and doesn't mind getting a bit warm. He wears black and/or white like all of the other Jīn members do. Every Jīn member is given a gold bell to wear on their waist and Huǒxù is never without his. Despite the loneliness the jingle reminds him of, he can't bear to part with it. There isn't anything particularly fancy about what he wears and he tends not to stray from his usual fashion. Which is comfortable enough for him to lounge about in as well as mobile enough for him to fight in with no issues. He tends to carry a knife around, but it's never exclusively for combat. Being a survivalist he'll use it for other things like skinning animals or tending to a fire.
Weapon: Jīn Huǒxù excels in hand-to-hand combat. Without having to rely on carrying a weapon around, he's always ready to jump into the fray. At most, he'll carry a knife. Which he uses more as a tool than a weapon.
Magic: While there is no magic that the Jīn can conjure up on their own, the golden bells they carry allow them to call on the spirits. Through the bell and prayer, the Jīn are able to inquire with the spirits for a short amount of time. This is the skill is especially useful on the mountain when looking for a burial party to escort back down. Through the spirits, they are able to receive the relative location of whatever it is they are searching for. The location is hardly ever exact, but it helps to narrow down the placement of the person or thing. There is always the chance that the spirits won't answer though. On the mountain, they always receive an answer, but spirits in other places may be wary or even too hostile to communicate with.
Fighting Style: 青铜狮步 Qīngtóng shī bù - Bronze Lion Step. A style cultivated by the Jīn when they were first assigned to watch over the mountain generations ago. It focuses more on subduing the opponent but certainly has the potential to kill. It uses a lot of moves such as grapples and stun techniques. It isn't the prettiest style and involves getting in the dirt sometimes, but overall it's a mostly defensive style. It was created specifically for bodyguards and escorts during a time when thieves and robbers were especially active on Tiāntáng tī. One of the many philosophies of the style is to have compassion and empathy for the opponent, the same ideals that Jīn practice on the daily whether fighting or not. While taking a life is a big deal to the Jīn, they are capable of doing it through this style.
Martial Arts: Dog Claw Latch: A restrictive technique used to keep an opponent at bay when their cooperation is needed or merely no longer a threat to anyone else.
Three Bulls Push: A technique used to create space between the enemy and the martial artist or someone else. This technique is useful when needing to create a quick escape and secure a path out of harm's way.
Wind Walking: A breathing technique that heightens the user's focus to increase their speed. It's said that this is the technique used by the Jīn to scale the sacred mountain so quickly.
Eight Rivers: This technique is most useful when cornered by multiple opponents or facing tougher enemies. The martial artist is able to match the enemy's pace and flow to strategically place counters and various other strikes. One of the harder techniques to master as the user must remain calm and focused in the midst of many opponents or someone proving to be quite the challenge.
Guardian Spirit: A large, bronze-colored lion dog by the name of Zhōng. Frightening at first, but a loyal spirit with a strong drive to guard and protect. Throughout the Jīn clan, it is a common guardian spirit. Zhōng is identical to Jīn Jìngxī's guardian spirit.