Post by Prince Zuko on Dec 18, 2005 22:02:37 GMT -5
Character: Prince Zuko
Player Name: pyrefly
Email: pyrefly@gothmail.net
Messenger: N/A
Role Playing References: Harry Potter: New Generation (LJ); Harry Potter: No Good (GJ); Sanguine Sonata: Cruel Fairytails (Original vampire, LJ) - The list goes on, but these are the ones you can easiest check. ^^
Brief Character History: Zuko is a 16 year old firebender, two years into banishment from his home country of the fire kingdom for an accidental slight against his father. Young and, admittedly, somewhat idealistic at the time, Zuko's mistake was mostly opening his mouth before having the skills to back up his words, relying instead on the fact that he was right to sway jaded and corrupt older warriors. In speaking out he not only offended the men he spoke out against, but offended the man who chose to keep them in his confidence: his father. The result was a duel for honor that Zuko is innately too honorable to ever have won, leaving him with a burn scarring the left side of his face and the impossible task of capturing the missing Avatar if ever he wants to show his face in his home again.
Brief Character Personality: Zuko is an angry young man on several different levels: angry with himself for speaking out when he was told to remain quiet, angry that learning all he needs to learn to become the warrior he wants to be is taking time he doesn't feel he has, angry that his father refused to acknowledge that it was right to speak out against the foul, life-sacrificing tactics of his warriors and, most of all, angry that his father would simply throw him away to save face before people not worth it. He knows and believes that honor and reputation are extremely important, but the inborn need of all children for familial affection is always there, fueling his search for the Avatar stronger than any pride ever could. But anger isn't the equivalent of hateful, and Zuko can't be described as such. He is simply distant, driven, and desperately searching for some kind of validation. His conduct, while not what one could term affectionate or nice, always follows the most honorable path possible in given circumstances.
Character Motivation: Zuko's motivation is two-fold: The main impetus he openly recognises and admits is the need to find the Avatar to bring honor to himself and allow him to return home. The drive less often admitted, even to himself, is the need to force people (particularly his father) to acknowledge his existance as a person, an individual no less, with very real and viable ideas. Deep down, there's also a tiny part of he himself that thinks he'll only be worthy of any form of recognition when he finally becomes strong enough to complete the task he's been given.
Character Strengths: Zuko, while not yet on the level of most adults, is a quick learner and posessing a devotion that is almost impossible to shake once he sets his sights on something. Pure drive to succeed, as well as confidence that he will do so and a moral compass that steers him as straight as situations will allow, get him through almost everything.
Character Weakness: Impatience, with himself and the world in general, is a large part of Zuko's downfall. He wants to learn everything /right now/ whether he's ready or not, wants his voice to be heard and opinions to be recognised /immediately/ in spite of his young age, and simply refuses to wait until he or others are ready before he barrels through life. This tends to lead to a lot of outbursts and angry challenges that get him into trouble. Perhaps his greatest weakness is his inability to admit that there are things he can't do, or that he may need help of others in some domains.
Character Bending/Warrior Skills: Zuko is a firebender, and while a good one he still hasn't mastered /all/ of his basics just yet. This makes it rather difficult for him to master all of the advanced techniques though he does manage a few. His hand-to-hand skills are up to par with what one would expect of a young warrior of his stature and bloodline, but that doesn't mean he can beat his way successfully through anything with brute force alone. He's still in training and will be for a good long while.
Character Talents: Strategy, finding trouble, getting /out/ of trouble. Zuko also has the air of a natural leader that often puts people in their place simply with a glare and a few well-thought, acidic words. He can also make a mean pot of Ginseng tea...just ask his uncle. ^~
Plans to develop the character: Nothing solid at this point in time.
Role Playing Sample:
Zuko leaned against the railing on his ship's starboard side, gazing out at the pale reds and oranges starting to paint the horizon as the sun prepared to set. It was a calming scene, serene and peaceful, a stark contrast to the conflict always boiling just beneath the surface of his thoughts. It would be nice, he admitted, to be able to match the calm of the ocean this evening, of the gulls floating lightly on the air and the stars just beginning to peek their softly twinkling lights out from behind the last few vestiges of clouds...
"Ah, that tea was wonderful, I must say. Now, let me just have a few more pieces of salmon and we can continue your training. Are you going to eat yours?"
Something made an audible snap. On any other ship it might have been the machinery clinking down below or one of the crewman's tools being dropped on the deck. On this particular ship, however, it was the sound of Zuko's teeth snapping tightly shut, echoing the inner snap of his long ago thinned patience.
"You've been eating those fish all day!" he practically shrieked...only practically, as Zuko didn't shriek. He exclaimed, occasionally at a much higher pitch than normal, but he never /shrieked/. "You haven't shown me any of the more advanced techniques since two weeks ago, instead you spend all of your time eating and playing that stupid game!"
Iroh's serene expression as he took another mouthful only doubled his irritation. He clenched his fists in anger, small tongues of flame enveloping them for a moment before they faded from existance. Zuko whirled around and stormed through the open door leading down to his cabin, hoping that some meditation might help him get over his uncle's reluctance to teach him anything of use.
He got only a few yards into the shadows before he turned and stormed back out, snatching his bowl from the table just as Iroh reached for one of the smoked salmon in it.
"I'm saving that for later," he muttered, disappearing back inside with his food and leaving Iroh to sigh and reach for another cup of ginseng tea instead.
Player Name: pyrefly
Email: pyrefly@gothmail.net
Messenger: N/A
Role Playing References: Harry Potter: New Generation (LJ); Harry Potter: No Good (GJ); Sanguine Sonata: Cruel Fairytails (Original vampire, LJ) - The list goes on, but these are the ones you can easiest check. ^^
Brief Character History: Zuko is a 16 year old firebender, two years into banishment from his home country of the fire kingdom for an accidental slight against his father. Young and, admittedly, somewhat idealistic at the time, Zuko's mistake was mostly opening his mouth before having the skills to back up his words, relying instead on the fact that he was right to sway jaded and corrupt older warriors. In speaking out he not only offended the men he spoke out against, but offended the man who chose to keep them in his confidence: his father. The result was a duel for honor that Zuko is innately too honorable to ever have won, leaving him with a burn scarring the left side of his face and the impossible task of capturing the missing Avatar if ever he wants to show his face in his home again.
Brief Character Personality: Zuko is an angry young man on several different levels: angry with himself for speaking out when he was told to remain quiet, angry that learning all he needs to learn to become the warrior he wants to be is taking time he doesn't feel he has, angry that his father refused to acknowledge that it was right to speak out against the foul, life-sacrificing tactics of his warriors and, most of all, angry that his father would simply throw him away to save face before people not worth it. He knows and believes that honor and reputation are extremely important, but the inborn need of all children for familial affection is always there, fueling his search for the Avatar stronger than any pride ever could. But anger isn't the equivalent of hateful, and Zuko can't be described as such. He is simply distant, driven, and desperately searching for some kind of validation. His conduct, while not what one could term affectionate or nice, always follows the most honorable path possible in given circumstances.
Character Motivation: Zuko's motivation is two-fold: The main impetus he openly recognises and admits is the need to find the Avatar to bring honor to himself and allow him to return home. The drive less often admitted, even to himself, is the need to force people (particularly his father) to acknowledge his existance as a person, an individual no less, with very real and viable ideas. Deep down, there's also a tiny part of he himself that thinks he'll only be worthy of any form of recognition when he finally becomes strong enough to complete the task he's been given.
Character Strengths: Zuko, while not yet on the level of most adults, is a quick learner and posessing a devotion that is almost impossible to shake once he sets his sights on something. Pure drive to succeed, as well as confidence that he will do so and a moral compass that steers him as straight as situations will allow, get him through almost everything.
Character Weakness: Impatience, with himself and the world in general, is a large part of Zuko's downfall. He wants to learn everything /right now/ whether he's ready or not, wants his voice to be heard and opinions to be recognised /immediately/ in spite of his young age, and simply refuses to wait until he or others are ready before he barrels through life. This tends to lead to a lot of outbursts and angry challenges that get him into trouble. Perhaps his greatest weakness is his inability to admit that there are things he can't do, or that he may need help of others in some domains.
Character Bending/Warrior Skills: Zuko is a firebender, and while a good one he still hasn't mastered /all/ of his basics just yet. This makes it rather difficult for him to master all of the advanced techniques though he does manage a few. His hand-to-hand skills are up to par with what one would expect of a young warrior of his stature and bloodline, but that doesn't mean he can beat his way successfully through anything with brute force alone. He's still in training and will be for a good long while.
Character Talents: Strategy, finding trouble, getting /out/ of trouble. Zuko also has the air of a natural leader that often puts people in their place simply with a glare and a few well-thought, acidic words. He can also make a mean pot of Ginseng tea...just ask his uncle. ^~
Plans to develop the character: Nothing solid at this point in time.
Role Playing Sample:
Zuko leaned against the railing on his ship's starboard side, gazing out at the pale reds and oranges starting to paint the horizon as the sun prepared to set. It was a calming scene, serene and peaceful, a stark contrast to the conflict always boiling just beneath the surface of his thoughts. It would be nice, he admitted, to be able to match the calm of the ocean this evening, of the gulls floating lightly on the air and the stars just beginning to peek their softly twinkling lights out from behind the last few vestiges of clouds...
"Ah, that tea was wonderful, I must say. Now, let me just have a few more pieces of salmon and we can continue your training. Are you going to eat yours?"
Something made an audible snap. On any other ship it might have been the machinery clinking down below or one of the crewman's tools being dropped on the deck. On this particular ship, however, it was the sound of Zuko's teeth snapping tightly shut, echoing the inner snap of his long ago thinned patience.
"You've been eating those fish all day!" he practically shrieked...only practically, as Zuko didn't shriek. He exclaimed, occasionally at a much higher pitch than normal, but he never /shrieked/. "You haven't shown me any of the more advanced techniques since two weeks ago, instead you spend all of your time eating and playing that stupid game!"
Iroh's serene expression as he took another mouthful only doubled his irritation. He clenched his fists in anger, small tongues of flame enveloping them for a moment before they faded from existance. Zuko whirled around and stormed through the open door leading down to his cabin, hoping that some meditation might help him get over his uncle's reluctance to teach him anything of use.
He got only a few yards into the shadows before he turned and stormed back out, snatching his bowl from the table just as Iroh reached for one of the smoked salmon in it.
"I'm saving that for later," he muttered, disappearing back inside with his food and leaving Iroh to sigh and reach for another cup of ginseng tea instead.
