Author Topic: Yu Nanhai  (Read 4618 times)

MonsterManic

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Yu Nanhai
« on: June 15, 2018, 05:24:10 AM »

CHARACTER

Name: Yu Nanhai

Age: 17

Species and Gender: Male Otter Faunus

Occupation: First Year Beacon Academy Student, Royale scholarship recipient

Appearance: On first glance, no one would assume Yu Nanhai to be anything more than another regular old Faunus. With the short height of 5'1, dark skin which serve to illuminate his bright green eyes with short, choppy brown hair and his easily visible otter nose and whiskers which Yu trims regularly, the small boy gives absolutely no reason for others to keep him in their mind. He is, at first glance, a cute but easily forgettable person. If one did choose to pay closer attention, however, they would soon find out that there is much more than meets the eye to Yu. His choice of loose clothing serve to conceal his remarkably well-built swimmer's physique, with defined shoulder, arm and chest muscles--details that tell a story more intricate than what the eye can perceive.

Speaking of clothing, Yu's fashion sense is equally as unassuming--almost every piece of clothing he owns is waterproof with few exceptions. Unlike other hunters-in-training that can afford to have custom threads sewn to their liking, Yu's clothing is ill-fitting, loose and baggy, a result of having little choice when searching for expensive waterproofs. As such, most of his clothes are either second-hand or old, some of the cheapest yet intact pieces of clothing scrounged from thrift shops, yard sales and the like, though he tends to stay away from animal fur if possible. A pair of cheap, nondescript sneakers adorn his feet that can be easily removed if Yu needs to swim.

Even in school or on missions, Yu has little that actually defines him as a Hunter. While some hunters have elaborate, ornate sheathes, shining plates of armor and gleaming swords, and others wear rows of belts filled with hundreds of cartridges and magazines, Yu simply does not have that luxury. Nothing about him stands out in battle, simply wearing the same outfits he does in everyday life. Not a single amenity will ever be found on Yu's body, for the simple reason that he does not own one. The closest thing one would find is a metal fishing net hanging off Yu's left shoulder--an odd fashion choice. It is, however, so much more than that...

History: Yu himself doesn't know where he was born apart from being in Atlas. A member of a small nomadic Faunus tribe, he and his parents formed part of a small Faunus community living independently from the high-tech cities of Atlas, having found refuge from the faunus-hating communities in the frigid, frozen forests and rivers. Their group never stayed in one place to avoid patrols of Atlesian soldiers and the ever-looming threat of the Grimm, constantly on the move and simultaneously on the hunt for prey to eat.

Yu's tribe were masters of hunting and survival. Having lived off the land and the water for more than fifty years, Yu's parents were obliged to pass on everything they knew to ensure that not only Yu, but also the generations after that, would continue to flourish in the unrelenting cold and snow. This involved teaching Yu to recognise what greens, roots and berries were edible and what medicinal purposes they contained within their unassuming exterior, how to use the tools at their disposal to set up a base camp, the techniques of reading spoor of wild animals and how to fish without a pole. Rather than rely on flimsy, thin rods and string, Yu's tribe preferred to use reliable and sturdy tridents to break the ice and spear the fish underneath. All of this information was passed on to Yu, who absorbed it dutifully. When not out hunting, foraging or scavenging, Yu's parents would educate him on general knowledge of the world (what they knew of it, at least), including their motto of "Durabo" or "I will endure", words which Yu took to heart.

In order to find another solution against the creatures of Grimm apart from running away, Yu's tribe developed their own style of fighting with their tridents to not only hunt large animals, but to find an effective way to fight off the Grimm that periodically harassed their camps. While none of the tribe were Hunters--which meant none of them had their Aura unlocked--they still had the instincts and skills to hold off the attacks of the Grimm with relatively minimal losses, and like a obedient student Yu learnt to wield the trident not only as a tool for survival, but also as a weapon. In a show of special treatment Yu's parents fashioned a fishing net from scraps of rope and wood as a gift. In a situation where everything was gold to the tribe, this was a rare occasion and thus Yu treated it as if it were indeed made of gold.

Over the years of being constantly on the move the tribe had established for themselves predetermined routes where it was safer, more sheltered or with more resources to gather. It was on one of those routes that they had to cross a wide river, not frosted over since they had arrived in the summer where Atlas was at its warmest. Still, the process of constructing rafts from trees meant that they had to remain in the same location for longer than was safe, and they were in the process of fording the river when the Grimm chose to pounce. With half the tribe on one end, half on the other and some people in the process of crossing the river, even with the pack's relatively small numbers the tribe still stood little chance of survival. With no other way of escape Yu was forced to dive into the river and swim downstream, his last glimpses of his family being them fending off the Grimm that had followed him into the water in pursuit. After struggling to find his way back to the river crossing, shivering both from fear and cold, he found little remaining of the battle except for the blood-soaked snow, bits and pieces of broken equipment and bundles of branches tied together upright in freshly upturned snow, used to pay respects for the fallen of the tribe. There was no-one to be seen--what remained of the tribe had moved on after burying the casualties of the battle, assuming Yu had been one of the dead.

There was no time to grieve. Efficient as his tribe was at using everything at their disposal, even their scraps were of utmost importance to Yu at this point in time. To him, this was the ultimate test of survival, his time to use every skill he had learnt from his parents in order to live until he could reunite with civilisation. With nothing but his trident, net and clothing Yu spent five years alone in the woods, doing whatever it took to feed himself and evade larger predators. He climbed trees, dug holes, straight up ran from whatever he couldn't face, but also practiced his trident skills with the knowledge that if he failed, he would die. He'd 'spar' against similarly-sized animals like deer and the odd boar, learning how to wield it like an extension of his own arm, alongside the support from his net. However, never once in those five years did he ever fight Grimm. Without Aura he knew it could only ever end one way. Slowly but surely he accumulated enough materials and skills to establish a foothold in life, yet still scraping by with the skin of his teeth. He dared not approach people for help lest they report him to the Atlesian authorities, and so stuck to the routes he knew best.

This monotonous lifestyle changed abruptly one day when an unexpected caravan crossed paths with Yu on his standard route. With five years to get familiarised with the standard times when trade lines were at its busiest, this came as a massive shock and surprise for the teenager. Reluctant to approach with suspicions that this was, at worst, an Atlesian military patrol, those worries were unfounded as the owner of the caravan was revealed to be one Marvin Royale, who took Yu under his guidance after hearing his story. Deciding to release Yu's aura to heal some unavoidable wounds, the event was nothing if not spectacular. His soul, tempered under the years of harsh conditions and events, instantly revealed his Semblance to him--it was as if his Aura itself was offering ways to help him through the hardships. Recognising this as a strong sign that Yu would prove to be a good Hunter if he ever took up the option, Marvin offered him a scholarship at an academy of his choice, as well as introducing him to the wonders of both Atlesian technology and Dust alike. In awe of his sudden fortune and luck, Yu was inspired by the display of Dust to design a new, more combat-oriented net, which one of Marvin's contacts easily supplied.

Ultimately choosing Beacon as the place to start his new life as a Hunter anew, over the more rigid traditions of Mistral and the scorching heats of Vacuo for the louder, bustling cities of Vale, Yu enters his time as a Hunter-in-training armed with more survival knowledge than any of his classmates. He does, however, have a lot to catch up on when it comes to getting accustomed to Vale's more carefree lifestyle...

Personality: Yu Nanhai is a humble and hard-working person who prefers to avoid attention. Quick to praise others and slow to receive, his personality paired with his innocent young face completely hide the fact that he's alone in the world, having lived many a year in the wilderness with nothing but himself and his trident to tide him through life. Despite having entered a world of technology far-flung from his old nomadic ways, Yu prefers to keep it old-fashioned--rarely using the school's technology provided (partly due to lack of Lien), as well as making constant, valiant attempts to preserve his tribe's traditions. This does also mean that he is a loner at heart, unused to much social talk and being firmly rooted in his past.

Unfortunately, the painful truth is that Yu is a Faunus, and literally has no way to hide it. Despite being born in Atlas, where the attitudes toward their kind have been...less than ideal, Yu has embraced his roots and has only benefited from it. It's more than likely that being born half-aquatic animal has made Yu equally comfortable both on land and water, not to mention being an impressive swimmer to boot, able to manoeuvre through fast-flowing waters without need of goggles. He's also grown resilient to harshly cold climates, and can thrive even in temperatures near 0, though the opposite cannot be said for hot climates. Over the years, he's developed an intense love for seafood even with it being a luxury in Atlas, and being an otter Faunus even has a favourite rock stored away on him for when he needs to break hard-shelled crustaceans. One might often find Yu in his spare time just floating in a pool with a plate of clams and oysters on his chest, cracking each one open like an actual otter.

Despite his cute appearance and likeable personality, there's a part of Yu's soul that has closed itself off to everyone due to the Grimm attack that wiped almost all of his loved ones off the face of the planet. Yu will do whatever it takes to survive, abandoning former allies in a heartbeat if it looked like they were losing, letting others take the blame without effects on his conscience, even going so far as to steal from people. The latter is quite rare, however--having lived in the wilderness for the greater part of his life has taught Yu how to live off the fruits of the land and thrive with bare necessities. So strong is the habit that till this day Yu still prefers the scenery and quiet that the nature provides over the bustling, safer cities. After all, out in the woods and rivers lie only similar-minded animals to live or hunt with, and none of those humans who live solely to see the faunus suffer.

The PTSD that was absent from Yu's life during his solo adventure before he was found by the caravan has hit back thrice-fold in the absence of the strain of survival, leaving Yu with a concentrated flurry of emotions that he never had to deal with before. Now that he no longer has the constant threat of losing his life hanging over him, Yu experiences frequent nightmares about the few seconds he witnessed of the slaughter before diving into the water to escape, as well as extremely heavy experiences of homesickness, often enough to leave him in tears and incapacitated. In addition, with no treatment and no one close enough to him that Yu can vent his experiences to, the nightmares have only become worse since they first started emerging, causing Yu to begin hallucinating slightly whenever night falls. As such, he is always nervous and jumpy at night even when many people are around, and has troubles falling asleep without nightmares plaguing his sleep. While his physical condition has improved since leaving his old life behind, his mental state has not.

Thanks to the scholarship Yu was granted, he no longer has to scrape by on minimal resources. However, old habits die hard, and he still prefers to camp out somewhere on the campus ground instead of wasting unnecessary money on accommodation. In addition, most of the funds goes into paying for Beacon, repairs for his weapon and net, and purchasing Dust--meaning that Yu has had to find a job as a bona fide fisherman selling whatever he caught to the highest bidder, leaving the smallest catches for his meals. It's not a high-paying job, however--Yu is still struggling with his finances, and is constantly looking for jobs he can take on that can further supplement his tight pockets.

Aura: Aura Color: Maya Blue/#73C2FB

Born and raised a resilient and hardy survivor, Yu's soul burns strong with the desire to live on in the harsh world. He'd survived in the harsh climates of Atlas with no Aura, living off the land and doing whatever it took to evade predators, both human and Grimm. So unsurprisingly, when his Aura awoke it brought with it the corresponding traits that reflected his soul. Yu's Aura has a significantly stronger Aura Detection ability than most untrained hunters and can even match some trained Hunters--able to detect both Aura users and Grimm at longer distances than others.

Semblance: Survivor's Instinct--Yu gains a sixth sense of sorts; the ability to detect incoming objects that would pose a threat to his body. Once the semblance detects one such threat, it sends signals directly to Yu's brain which include: what the object is, what direction it is coming from, the velocity of the threat (if any), and how much damage it will do to his Aura (if up) or his body, including any internal damage. The information is instant, providing Yu with a 180 degree sense of awareness of anything that may cause him harm. This takes form in a invisible halved sphere that can be rotated around Yu's body as the centre.

This does not affect Yu's reaction time, however--anything normally too fast to really do anything about will damage Yu before he can register that the threat has emerged. Survivor's Instinct has a 3-meter range in any direction, too short to properly deal with ranged projectiles, but perfect for melee combatants. One way to counter this ability is to overload Yu's senses with a overwhelming amount of attacks; each one will be displayed as a separate attack and will confuse Yu heavily.

Survivor's Instinct can be activated in up to 3-minute bursts with 5-minute cool downs in-between.

Combat Behavior: Simply put, Yu fights not to win, but to survive. He fights in a way that he will be the last one standing no matter the size of the fight, in the least-harmed state of any participants involved. This involves fighting cautiously, patiently, never hesitating to retreat or even straight-up run from an opponent that clearly outclasses him. Backing his fighting style up are his Aura abilities and Semblance, providing Yu with a ability to avoid danger that others might lack. However, his willingness to retreat and run, while keeping him safe, also endanger any teammates he fights alongside. This does not affect Yu's decision-making--he'll sacrifice others' lives to protect his own in a heartbeat.

A lifetime of running from things that could kill him as simply as taking a breath has drilled into Yu the natural instinct of "fight or flight"--the reaction that causes adrenaline to be inserted into the bloodstream. It's not uncommon to see Yu on edge, ready to spring into action at the slightest sense of danger--or eject himself from the fighting just as quickly. Paired with this is his natural stamina and speed, both on land and in water--running from predators was a thing he had to do often, and being caught meant his life. It was with this threat looming over him that Yu relentlessly honed his speed and stamina, while his Faunus traits meant he felt equally at home in the water.

Incredibly rarely will Yu go on the offence, but when he does, he dual-wields his choice of weaponry with a dexterity and natural flair that only a lifetime of training to save his life with them could achieve. Able to coordinate both arms ambidextrously, the combination of trident and net, each feeling like an natural extension of his arms, present a intimidating front for any melee fighter to face. While one hand keeps his opponent occupied with swift, smooth thrusts of his trident like spearing fish from a river, the other holds the net ready to ensnare the target at any opportune moment, all the while backing his prey into a corner, giving them no way to escape from his elaborate trap.

While Yu fights more defensively than any other Hunter he knows, that strength can easily be turned into a weakness. His reluctance to attack can be exploited by ranged fighters by simply chipping away at his Aura, assuming their projectiles aren't slow-moving targets that can be knocked out of the air. In fact, anything that has a longer reach than his trident will have a relatively easy time against Yu as he will never opt to close the distance. Similarly, skirmishers and fast-moving fighters in general can easily slip past Yu's guard, bypassing Survivor's Instinct with enough speed. While Yu has good stamina, those who can outlast him will also benefit as Survivor's Instinct's usefulness relies on Yu being able to react in time--and that becomes harder and harder as he becomes weary from the fight. Multiple fighters converging on Yu at the same time will almost guarantee a retreat, something that becomes clearly obvious after the first few attempts.

To Yu, fighting is simply another form of hunting and of survival, only with prey that fight back--and he's had plenty of experience with those.

WEAPONS

Name: Recens Procellam (Storm Caller)

Primary Form: Recens Procellam is a simple grey trident measuring up to 6 feet in length. While almost the entirety of the trident is dinged up, scratched and slightly dented in places, the three prongs are kept in pristine condition, always ground to a fine point. Along the length of the shaft are seam lines running along the circumference of the pole, and near the non-pointy end there is a thicker section for ease of gripping. The entire trident is well-balanced, allowing for simple one-handed usage.

Secondary Form: Recens Procellam can be split into many separate metal rods that can be reformed to create many different objects ranging from a small, one-man tent frame to a spit roast, stool frame, tripod for boiling water, makeshift stretcher, spit roast--only limited by Yu's large knowledge of DIY tools. In total, Recens Procellam can be broken down into 30 rods of different lengths, and can be reassembled into 3 spears of equal length. However, it's main function is its flexibility to be built into many tools for living out in the wilderness.

Storage Form: Breaking Recens Procellam down to its smallest pieces and sections allows it to be stored separately in Yu's pockets and sleeves.

History: It's no exaggeration to say that Recens Procellam is single-handedly responsible for saving Yu's life countless times over, both from enemies and from the invisible danger of starvation. While his nomadic tribe had always preferred sturdy, reliable tridents and harpoons over frail fishing rods when it came to fishing in the frigate climates of Atlas and those frozen lakes, it was the constant threat of Grimm that drove them, and later Yu, to mastering the art of wielding the trident not as a tool, but a weapon against the forces of darkness. They say necessity is the mother of invention, but to Yu it was also his saviour. Inherited from his father before he died during the river crossing

Name: Apath

Primary Form: Apath is a large fishing net that Yu thought up the design of after seeing Dust in action for the first time, and now brings his expertise with using nets to combat. The rope mesh has been replaced with metal wire, interlaced with small metal capsules in each cross-section. A short circular handle wrapped with leather is on one end of the net giving Yu an easy handhold for one-handed casting. A button on the grip of the handle sends a minor electrical charge throughout the net, using positive and negative charges spread through the metal wire to untangle any fumbled knots via magnetism.

Storage Form: When not in use, Apath simply hangs from Yu's left shoulder strap, resembling a shoulder cloak. It also doubles as a sort of chainmail armor for his left arm, wherein any Dust can be activated to create an extra layer of protection.

Dust Functions: Inserting any form of Dust into Apath's handle imbues the net with similar effects, with the points of ejection being the small capsules in each cross-section.
Dust effects: ShowHide

Fire Dust -- The entirety of the net, bar the handle, bursts into flame, not hot enough to melt steel even under 5 minutes of constant exposure but certainly enough to burn any opponent trapped underneath.

Ice Dust -- Both sides of the net are coated in ice, making the net heavier as well as causing laceration damage to anything underneath the net that is large enough to be trapped.

Electric Dust -- Every part of the net apart from the handle is given a strong electrical charge, shocking anything that conducts electricity if it comes into contact with the net.

Earth Dust -- Covers the net with packed earth. While not of particular use in combat, it makes for a remarkably water-proof tent cover--perfect for conjoined use with Recens Procellam's other features.

Gravity Dust -- Weighs the net down heavily, effectively adding 300lbs of weight to the net. Used to pin prey to the floor for an extended duration of time.

History: Yu's original net, a simple one made of bits and bobs of cloth and string, had underwent multiple repairs by the time the caravan found him. Upon discovering the wonders of Dust, Yu's experimentation with the stuff led to a more combat-oriented design to replace the old net. He still keeps the net, one of his only mementos of his parents.
« Last Edit: June 19, 2018, 01:56:51 AM by MonsterManic »
Beacon: ShowHide

Setsuna Antiqua - First Year Leader, Team ASTC - Chivalrous Shield

Tina Allan - First Year Member, Team ATLA - Twin Sharpshooter

Tieren Augus - First Year Student - Emotional Berserker

Kei Tsz Fung - Fourth Year Member, Team SARK - Silent Duelist

Lunae Terenas - Second Year Student - Unlimited Explosion Works

Graham Dylandy - First Year Member, Team LLGD - Technological Samurai

Jocelyn Antiqua - First Year Member, Team CASA - Combat Medic

Yu Nanhai - First Year Student - Lone Survivor

Haven: ShowHide

Rachel Jonquil - First Year Student - Spirit Summoner

Others: ShowHide

Prof. Ferus Talandar - Grimm Specialist Teacher at Beacon - One Man Army

Emile Antiqua - Former Professional Huntsman - Gentle Giant

Kingnoname1

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Re: Yu Nanhai
« Reply #1 on: June 19, 2018, 01:28:59 AM »
I still dislike the semblance but trust you to keep it under control. I would also recommend taking another look at the nets dust abilities; if fire dust is hot enough to melt steel wouldn't it melt the net? And 75lbs isn't that much so I would recommend making it 'incredibly heavy' or something similar.

Still not enough to stop your first approval. +1
No criticism is too harsh so hit me with your best shot.

Calen Shrike - ASTC - First Year Beacon.

Saffron de Cortez - SALT - Third Year Atlas.

Amarant Lovis - (formerly of)ACCE - Headmaster of Atlas Academy

Ramalia - RASB - First Year Shade

MonsterManic

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Re: Yu Nanhai
« Reply #2 on: June 19, 2018, 01:49:17 AM »
Fire Dust is noted “not hot enough”, on the contrary. But duly noted for the gravity dust.

EDIT: Increased weight from 75 to 300 lbs.
« Last Edit: June 19, 2018, 01:57:14 AM by MonsterManic »
Beacon: ShowHide

Setsuna Antiqua - First Year Leader, Team ASTC - Chivalrous Shield

Tina Allan - First Year Member, Team ATLA - Twin Sharpshooter

Tieren Augus - First Year Student - Emotional Berserker

Kei Tsz Fung - Fourth Year Member, Team SARK - Silent Duelist

Lunae Terenas - Second Year Student - Unlimited Explosion Works

Graham Dylandy - First Year Member, Team LLGD - Technological Samurai

Jocelyn Antiqua - First Year Member, Team CASA - Combat Medic

Yu Nanhai - First Year Student - Lone Survivor

Haven: ShowHide

Rachel Jonquil - First Year Student - Spirit Summoner

Others: ShowHide

Prof. Ferus Talandar - Grimm Specialist Teacher at Beacon - One Man Army

Emile Antiqua - Former Professional Huntsman - Gentle Giant

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Re: Yu Nanhai
« Reply #3 on: June 24, 2018, 11:18:28 PM »
I like this, someone who grew up outside of the kingdoms who actually feels like they grew up outside of the kingdoms. Approved and moved.
Atlas: ShowHide
Mercenary: Kol Augur ~ The Judicator of Atlas
Speaking: #5C5054 Thinking: #EAC117

Mistral: ShowHide
Huntress-in-Training: Aca Roth ~ Member of Team RWND
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Huntress-in-Training: Brook Pallas ~ Member of Team CNBR
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Council Member: Phaedo Katsaros ~ Figurehead for Faunus/Human relations
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40th Vytal Tournament Champion: Zabar Aga ~ Member of Team DAWN
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Huntress: Malina Nahualli-Roth ~ Leader of Team MCCA
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Beacon Professor: Titania Printemps ~ Assistant Headmistress of Beacon Academy
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Drop-out: Durian Ghede ~ Former leader of team DFDL
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