Hēi Lián [Ready]

[Dubstep]

Name: Hēi Lián (黑蓮) (Black Lotus)

 

Sex: Male

 

Age: Young Stallion

 

Species: Qilin

 

Eye Colour: A vibrant Ruby Red (#E0115F).

 

Coat: Champagne White (#F7E7CE) with the scattered scales along his back and haunches being Royal Yellow (#FADA5E) and the uniform scales on his snout and underbelly being charcoal grey. His antlers and hooves are the same charcoal grey.

 

Mane/Tail: Long, wavy, silky black hair with a gradient of dark blues and greens, giving his mane, tail tuft, and ankle fluffs a look akin to an oil slick. When in formal situations, Hēi keeps his mane up in a tight braid and knot. Informally he lets his mane hang free.

 

Physique: Slim and fit, an athlete's build.

 

Residence: The Imperial Palace in Huangjing.

 

Occupation: Prince of Long Guo, Anointed Follower of the Harmonious Path.

 

Imperial Attire: When attending courts or important political affairs, Lián wears an elaborate white and gold shimmersilk mianfu adorned with an embroidery of the Imperial Crest — a black and white serpent dragon spiraling around a flaming pearl. Lián's cutie mark resides in the center of the crest. He occasionally wears a white and gold yishanguan along with it.

 

Cutie Mark: A Black and White Lotus Blossom with a Golden Aureole.

 

Unique Traits: Like his twin sister, Lián has a good degree of training in both physical and magical arts. However unlike his sister, he has attempted to take each of these several steps further since his sibling's ascension to the throne to better defend both his country and his sister should the need ever arise.

 

While well versed in a variety of breath magics, Lián excels at electrical based spells, employing them to disable and devastate in equal measure should the need arise. But the magic he totes as his signature combative ability is also the one that can leave him the most vulnerable. Using a focused lightning breath to shock and stimulate his muscles, Lián can greatly amplify his speed and strength to super-qilin levels. This allows him to move faster than the average eye can keep up with and strike harder as well. Though this magic has a great downside of burning through his energy rapidly and leaving him tired and vulnerable afterwards.

 

The young prince also employs his electrical magics when it comes to weaponry — electrified staves or tonfa being his mainstay — having practiced long and hard with the light and swift weapons.

 

History: As the twin and only full blooded sibling of Yù Yuè, Hēi Lián and his sister shared a spot as the Emperor's youngest children and were tied for last in the line of succession. A thought that didn't remotely bother the young Qilin, who was simply content to spend his days with his sister and their friends, with much of his childhood spent outside of Huangjing at his mother's — the Emperor's former consort — estate.

 

It was there he learned of how the other half lived, making wonderful lives in spite of meager means. Balancing work and rest in equal measure, always finding time to spend with their family despite the labours they faced. Something like that was rare back in the palace, except between him and Yuè, where he and the young filly would often play alone while their siblings busied themselves with their studies and their father with his rule.

 

When the two were finally old enough, Lián would often join his sister on her excursions into Huangjing. Although they were rarely ever without the watchful eye of a nursemaid, the two were occasionally able to give their chaperone the slip and stay out mingling with the common folk longer than they would usually be allowed, affording them more time to learn of the city and its nuances. On more than one rare event, Lián would sneak out on his own to further his knowledge of the cityscape and the charming residents therein. This practice would earn him quite a number of friends in the Outer Ward later in life.

 

Back in the palace, Lián often minded his studies alone or with his sister when he was able. Shirking and avoiding the Court that tore his parents apart for fear of them doing the same to him and his sister. Far from impetuous though, the colt was always properly affectionate and polite to his mother and father and consistently applied himself in his lessons. Being that the two were the Emperor's youngest, hardly anyone was concerned about leaving the two to learn at their own pace. After all they had many, many years before either one would, improbably, reach the throne.

 

With so much of their time spent together, it was a wonder that the twins didn't earn their cutie marks at the same time. But while Lián was born first by five seconds, Yuè was the first to earn her cutie mark. A feat that made him both proud and jealous! And one that, unbeknownst to him, would change both of their lives forever.

 

For several weeks after Yuè got her cutie mark, the Emperor began to dote on her more. Taking a greater interest in her affairs, spending more time with her, and imparting advice that he had never shared with his other children. It was easy for Lián to see the hurt in his jilted older sibling's eyes. It was a moment where he realized that, now more than ever, he had to keep his sister safe and try to keep the peace in his already tumultuous family.

 

With this new drive and determination, Lián began to shadow some of the Watch during their training exercises, watching how they fought, learning the techniques they used, practicing late at night when he was alone. He would sneak his way into the city and learn to streetfight from his friends in the Outer Ward, which raised many an eyebrow about where he got so many scrapes and bruises. After all, he never left the palace!

 

But hooves and magic were never meant to be the only answer. Peace and discussion were just as strong as any spell when given the chance. And so, as he threw himself into frays, so too did he throw himself into books. Books on psychology, diplomacy, and philosophy gave the colt many a sleepless night. Hours he would spend ruminating over the topics and tending his wounds.

 

One quiet night, Lián would find himself having to put his theories of peacekeeping and diplomacy to the test. An elder sister, tired of all the attention and praise that Yuè had received of late, fumed and stormed her way towards the twins' room only to be stopped by Lián, who was once again up late with a book in hoof.

 

For hours the two sat and talked. The sister was hurt and angry. She had always seen herself as the favoured daughter. Why, then, had father taken to Yuè instead? And though Lián couldn't claim he knew the workings of his father's mind, he did know that in spite of his faults and shortcomings, the Emperor loved each and every one of them and only ever tried to do what was best for them and for their country.

 

Even though her heart still ached, she knew her younger brother was right and that sabotaging Yuè wouldn't make her feel any better. Worse than that, it would hurt father more. Something she couldn't bare to do. With peace of mind and a smile, the elder sister gave Lián hug of thanks, just as the colt's cutie mark came into existence — a white and black lotus blossom with a golden light shining from behind it. The colt got no sleep that night.

 

While most young colts would be excited and rush off to tell their family, something that Lián wanted dearly to do, his exuberance over his cutie mark was quickly overshadowed by the news that his sister would be leaving soon for Fenghuang Monastery to become a student of the Harmonious Path. Refusing to let themselves be split apart, Lián approached his father, begging the Emperor to let him go with his sister. After some convincing, the Emperor acquiesced and bade Lián to prepare to leave as well.

 

For Yuè, the change of scenery and pace went smoothly. But for Lián it took some adjusting. There were no more nights of sneaking out to plan and roughhouse with his friends, nor could he keep his habit of sleepless nights of study. The change was not an easy one, but the young qilin tried his hardest and eventually found his stride, learning a great deal in the martial arts, dragon breaths, art, and mediation. Some things were different, but much stayed the same.

 

After their time of study, training, and service to the community had reached its end, the twins had grown into proud and strong qilin in mind, body, and spirit. Though the night, after gaining the title of "Anointed Follower," their joyous celebrations came to an abrupt end. Several frantic messengers from the Capital had come to rush them home, their father had taken ill and requested that Yuè be at his side. It was in that moment, as they hurried home to be with the sick Emperor, that Lián truly realized why his father had taken such interest in his sister. Yuè was to be Empress.

 

In the hurricane of emotions that swept through the palace after his father's passing, Lián sat aside his personal desires and feelings to do what he felt he must. His elder siblings and even the members of his father's court were furious and confused. Lest Yuè suffer the slings and arrows of their hurtful words, Lián spent days and weeks doing all he could to calm the tide of anger and still find time to comfort his sister.

 

And while the storm has passed for now, and Yuè sits upon the throne smiling and giving her all to her Empire, Lián knows a storm still stirs on the horizon and in his sister's heart. Yuè tries to close herself away from befriending others in fear of betrayal and the court and their siblings won't stay quiet forever. Someday the hurricane may rage once more, but so long as he can help it, Lián will do everything he can to protect the Empire and above all, his sister.

 

Character Personality: Lián in private and Lián in court are two sides of the same coin. Away from the politics and drama of court life, Lián is lively and outgoing with a strong desire to make connections with not only the people of his country, but also those of other lands. While not the most versed in being a diplomat, he's more than happy to meet with ponies, griffons, and others to discuss his own home and hear about theirs in kind. Most would call him quite charming.

 

In court, Lián is quiet and calculating. There are those in his sister's court that would see her disposed from the throne for no reason other than their own gain, and some of his brothers and sisters are not much better. Thus, he must keep his eyes and ears open to see past the guile of crooked courtiers and scheming siblings.

 

One thing never changes between court and private life, and that's Lián's devotion to his sister. As her twin, Lián knows more than anyone the struggles that she shoulders and tries to hide, and the young stallion does his best to keep her spirits high and reminder her that there are still those out there she can trust and open her heart to.

 

Character Summary: A young and charming Prince, the twin brother of Long Guo's reigning Empress who believes in his sister above all else. It's his desire to see her — and her people — happy and fruitful, and will do everything in his power to protect her and his nation from those who seek to do it harm. Even if they are blood.

Over all, Lián is a friendly noble, oft times shirking the stuffier traditions that one comes to expect from the Imperial Children of Long Guo. He's much more at home mingling with the people, learning how they live, who they are, and what troubles them. Most often he's in a good mood, until he has to deal with the overwhelming swarm of politics that he knows he has to deal with.

 

Text Colour: (#E0115F)

 

Poison Joke Reaction: TBD

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