essenceofdeadlybeasts | Application for Apocalypse How

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Name: Aisu

Age: 30+

Contact: PMs to journal, plurk/discord upon request

Character(s) in game: N/A

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→ CHARACTER INFO

Character Name: Zhao Tianyou

Age: 30s

Canon: Yakuza / Ryu Ga Gotoku

Canon point: post Y7

History: Essentially, Zhao grew up in a Liumang (Chinese mafia) household that was strict and demanding upon him as the heir to leadership. He was good at everything but lacked motivation, put off by his demanding family and having everything handed to him. He didn't want to become the next leader but had no choice. It took him a while to figure out what he wanted out of life. He eventually took over after his father retired. As leader of the Liumang he continued to make sure everything ran smoothly while keeping the secret of the Ijin Three from everyone else in the gang. It was not easy on him. Then came this random guy named Kasuga and everything changed. The events of the game took place, etc. Yakuza 7 summary. Zhao no longer leads the Liumang and has to figure out where to go with his life from here on out now that he's got the chance to do whatever he wants for a change.

Personality:
•Duplicitous/deceptive - Zhao's time as the leader of the Liumang caused him to become very good at hiding his true nature from others. Outwardly, he displays an indifferent attitude to everyone around him and comes off callous and uncaring, sometimes even unhinged as he wields his gun with abandon. This is how Kasuga and party first see Zhao while they try to convince him that Zhao's right hand man is plotting against him. He laughs in their face and points his pistol at them without a care in the world. However, later it is revealed that Zhao actually cares deeply for those around him. He didn't really want to hurt Kasuga or anyone else and in fact only did what he did to save face in front of his men. He wants the Liumang members to have a safe place to call home and is willing to do anything--include put aside his own feelings--to ensure this remains true.
•Caring/kind - Despite his best efforts to appear otherwise, Zhao is actually a rather caring individual. Even whenever Zhao gives up his position as leader of the Liumang he has its members' best interests in heart; handing over the gang to another individual he knows will keep them safe and help them rebuild. Not only does it benefit his own men, however, it aids another (supposedly) rival gang by giving them more support and a place to call home since theirs was recently destroyed. In other words, he had everyone in mind when he made this decision and wanted the best for them. Another, more personal example showcases his loyalty as much as his caring nature. Even after the man he calls brother, Mabuchi, betrays him, Zhao goes out of his way to save the guy from death. Mabuchi tries to return to Ijincho after being expelled from the city. Zhao goes to confront him. After defeating him in battle, Zhao yells out his feelings of love and care for the man that he once considered his brother and hopes that Mabuchi will take his advice and leave before someone kills him for what he did. The rest simply chalks up to Zhao being friendly and amiable to the party as they run together, though he does love to play pranks and jokes on them. But he doesn't mind playing hero with Kasuga and party, and showing off his softer side from time to time.
•Witty/Prankster - Zhao happens to be the annoying little gremlin of the group who loves to push people's buttons. He often uses clever repartee in conversations and loves a good schooling when it comes to any subject he knows, and even some he doesn't. Sometimes his pranks are cruel and ironic. Other times he just likes to show off the knowledge he knows. But often he uses sarcasm and wit to convey his feelings or message in a conversation.
•Ruthless/bloodthirsty - In battle, Zhao shows a different side to himself. He reverts to a vicious gangster, eager and ready for bloodshed, with no mercy in mind. He yells out cruel taunts to rile up his opponents and uses theatrical tactics (such as flashy sword maneuvers and brandishing fire with his attacks) to scare his foes. This side of him does not change no matter how long he stays with Kasuga and the party, always coming back to him whenever his life, or those he cares about, is on the line. A part of him still enjoys the thrill of battle and finds it fun to beat those that are beneath his skill. This means he rides a fine line between caring and ruthlessness--and regret can easily plague him if he chooses the wrong option at the wrong time. He pretends killing doesn't bother him, that he has no guilty conscience, and indeed prides himself on his ability to provide the killing blow when the going gets tough, but in reality he doesn't like to take life even when necessary. It doesn't mean he won't--he absolutely will and has--its just that it will take its toll on him mentally after the fact. An addiction to causing fear and destruction would be quite the troublesome predicament for someone like him who relishes it and fears it at the same time...
•Devil-may-care attitude - Zhao often exudes a sense of relaxed calm, uncaring of the environment around him no matter what's going on or who is around. Part of this is his demeanor as a capable leader, another part of it is simply a lack of interest or an attempt to feign boredom. He has a tendency to look bored even when he's in a meeting with Big Important People. He admits to Kasuga at one point that he was good at everything from sports to educational pursuits, and that he "didn't give a flying fuck" about any of it, it didn't interest him in the end because, maybe, "that's what happens when you're good at everything", you stop caring about anything. Despite all his amassed talents and skills, or perhaps because of them, he remains mostly unmotivated to this day though he does show vague interest in Kasuga and his group of friends thanks to the plot their embroiled in. That doesn't keep him from drawling out observations like lazy afterthoughts as they go about it though.

Suitability: While he could run off to Japan there's nothing for him in this version of the world. None of his friends are there, his gang doesn't exist, and even the city he grew up in is slightly different. He has more reason to stay and figure things out than to run off, especially with the warning of the monsters being attracted to people like him. While it's not a plot point or game mechanic for it, he most likely will want to look into some way to get back home on his own or with other PCs wanting the same thing. It's only natural and he has stake in it. Helping the local people and solving investigations into the supernatural goings-on will be satisfying and help him learn more about this new world setting, and maybe how to get home (so he hopes). He's used to seeing things through and/or following others to get things done so there is some motivation for him to help out beyond the goodness of his heart.

Powers/Abilities:
• Cooking: Zhao is a very good cook despite no formal training or certification in any skills. It's likely he picked up this knowledge from watching the professional cooks of the restaurant that fronts his gang. He's skilled enough to gain the praise of many who eat his dishes and in particular his friends love his chili shrimp dish.
• Jack-of-All Trades: Talented at everything he does, picks up skills quickly, and has remarkable intelligence. What he lacks instead is motivation and ambition to drive him.
• Leadership: He has a decade or so of experience leading the Yokohama Liumang, the Chinese mafia in that area. While he's never quite sure he's a good fit and insists his father was much better, he still did the job right for all his time at it. He tends towards keeping the peace and using diplomacy to keep his boys in line which makes him come off weak to most of the guys yet somehow he kept them all in line and together despite all this for quite some time. He puts on an indifferent front that comes off careless or ruthless depending on what's most useful at the time but in actuality he cares deeply about his gang members and making certain they have a place to call home.
• Fighting: Zhao is shown to be a very skilled combatant. He's proficient in numerous melee combat forms such as a variety of kung fu styles, and fighting with or without a weapon in hand. He is also familiar with handguns and using improvised weaponry with whatever is on hand. The Heat of Battle also allows for more extreme fighting abilities to be used as well as strategies and attacks that effect an individual in some way (helping or hurting their capabilities). Zhao specializes in moves that enhance his own prowess or weaken his enemies' capabilities. Using Heat is almost something akin to using a supernatural ability and wears the user down with use; however, it can be recovered through further battle or with the aid of recovery items (stamina/energy drinks, certain foods, first aid kits, etc). Zhao also has an increased resistance against bleeding, fear, rage, and silence while in combat.

Entity Affinity: The Desolation. This entity would both attract and repulse Zhao at the same time. His bloodthirsty nature in battle would make it easy for him to slip into using his powers and fueling this entity by killing and/or destroying the things around him. He also has an affinity for fire, using it in a few attacks. So literally watch things burn around him. On the other hand, this destruction and wanton death would repulse Zhao as he realizes what he's done. It would be a point of contention with his kinder, caring nature beneath the hard facade he puts up. It would be interesting to see how far he goes, or how hard he tries to fight against it.

Inventory: All that ridiculous clothing and accessories he wears, his cellphone, a fully loaded handgun, his Chinese saber, a Staminan X drink, and some miscellaneous pocket change.

Samples: Late TDM prompt. and tag-in.

A meme thread.

And...dialogue prompt? If none of that doesn't cut it.

"Yo, Kasuga-kun. One of these damn days I'm actually going to catch you when you're not out playing hero and too busy to answer your phone. Then again, you wouldn't be you if you weren't out playing hero. Anyway, I have a proposition for ya. You still owe me a round of darts. So for motivation: if you win, I'll cook whatever you want for dinner. Of course, if I win... well, you'll just have to show up tonight to hear the rest. Don't disappoint, yeah~?"