P E R S O N A L I T Y Wanjun is quietly charming, an enigmatic smile ever playing on her lips. She's graceful and knowing beyond her years, and her gently whispered words all too often hide a stinging insight.
B A C K S T O R Y Wanjun hails from the sprawling lower districts of Karahar, the de facto capital of the Empress Dowager's faction. She doesn't talk about her childhood, but it cannot have been easy; the first mention of her name in official records is in a bill of sale - as the goods. Someone, possibly her parents, had sold her rights to a house of ill repute.
While slavery is officially banned across Jianghu, there is little to prevent the trading of specific rights and duties of a person. In practice, this commonly results in a state of indentured labour hardly distinguishable from chatteldom.
Surprisingly, things turned out relatively well for the young Wanjun. Her natural grace and beauty had caught the eye of the brothel-keeper, a Madam Wu, and she was trained as a dancer and entertainer, to be groomed to become a courtesan. This gave her "first night" a certain value, to be auctioned off to a discerning client. This value would grow with her popularity, so it was in Madam Wu's interests to educate the girl and keep her in the best of condition until the big day came. Fate, of course, turned things upside down for Madam Wu and Wanjun, just as it did for many others. The death of the emperor and the Dowager's seizure of power represented an even greater opportunity for both - the Dowager was looking for persons of talent, and did not shy from trawling the gutters in the hope of finding pearls. Her agents brought word of a young courtesan, highly intelligent and charming, a brilliant poet, and a musician of no small water. Before long Wanjun was receiving a distinguished visitor, no less a personage than the poet laureate Li Taibai, who presented her with a letter, a commission, and a small jade amulet - the last a symbol of Imperial favour. For Madam Wu, a promissory note that more than covered her entire investment in Wanjun, enough to buy off the staff of the entire brothel... and a gentle but firm warning to forget any and all claims to the girl. After a surprisingly long and frankly terrifying audience, Wanjun now finds herself en route to the Academy in Arnmange City, herself now an agent of the Dowager Empress.
S T R E N G T H S Wanjun is a brilliant scholar, as Jianghu culture defines it - accomplished in the "four arts" of music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and especially learned in poetry. She is also a captivating dancer and a charming dinner companion.
F L A W S Wanjun is a lithe, petite woman - which means that, despite impressive strength and endurance for her size, she will come off much the worst in a physical confrontation. For all her charm, she also has a temper - which manifests as a cold, calculating, vicious fury that is hard to slake. She will remember every slight, every grudge, and not think a decade too long to avenge it.
A T T R I B U T E S
C L A S S Bard would be the closest equivalent, or a Dancer in Three Emblems.
P R O F E S S I O N Courtesan
A B I L I T I E S Wanjun is almost always coolly elegant, but on the rare occasion that she allows her inner rage to flash in her eyes, it's been known to shrivel testicles at thirty paces. She also has the ability to drink a dockworker under the table, having developed impressive alcohol tolerance and more than a few tricks over the years.
E Q U I P M E N T Aside from the trappings of a classical scholar (including brush, ink, inkstone, and paper, as well as zither and flute), Wanjun bears the aforementioned amulet. Showing this to an Imperial official is equivalent to their being in the presence of the Dowager Empress herself; disobeying the commands of the bearer is tantamount to treason - and Imperial officials are all too keenly aware of the varied and exquisite punishments for all the varying shades of offence.
N E N Wanjun is a manipulator, who will express her nen through her arts, particularly dance. She will play upon hearts and minds, causing all to do as she wills.
I think this is an interesting character concept and I like the overall vibe. The formatting needs to be fixed up a little + put into a hider but I think she could be an great addition to the cast.
