#//hewwo work is killing me atm but i finally got around to touching this up a little and giving tong one of his own audio intro things

[iinexorabile]

PANG TONG INFO (redux) 

                 OVERVIEW

NAME: pang tong ALIAS(S): the fledgling phoenix OCCUPATION: strategist, sorcerer, supernatural hunter (occasionally) AGE: immortal, biologically mid-late twenties. SPECIES: aberrant transcendent (demonic) EYES: green HAIR: dark green HEIGHT: 165cm (5'4") WEIGHT: 180 lbs (81 kg) ALIGNMENT: chaotic neutral (at best)

                 PERSONALITY

At times nihilistic, smug, flippant, smarmy, sarcastic, or snarky, Tong is a genius who always speaks his mind, while also being a very casual, laid back person who often maintains a very calm demeanor regardless of the situation at hand. On the surface Tong's nature can be quite a disarming trait at times, but one should be wary to let their guard down around him, since his ever so casual demeanor can be downright deceiving, as he’s completely capable and willing to commit ruthless and (at times) horrifying acts to bring down his foes or otherwise achieve success in his pursuits, all with that same casual attitude in tow. That’s because at his core, Tong is ruthless, a ruthless pragmatist to be exact, and while he may not be proud of or happy with what he sometimes does, there’s almost nothing he won’t do to achieve victory, especially if he thinks it will bring the land / world closer to true peace.

That said, while Tong may still act quite casual and can still be a sarcastic bastard around friends, family, and loved ones from time to time, he will spare such people any malice (provided they don’t stab him in the back), and can actually be very caring, protective, thoughtful, and all around softer toward them, in his own way.

On account of his extremely casual nature, he’s been called lazy, and a slacker, and while he can indeed be lazy (you’ll seldom meet someone who naps as much as he does), to say he gets nothing done would be a lie– Tong always gets his work done, often outdoing expectations by a long shot to boot, he just takes things at his own pace, slow and haphazard as that can be.

The same can be said for Tong’s seeking of thrills– those who don’t know Tong may think he never let’s loose, but those who do will know he’s a little playful in his own way (flirtatious even under the right circumstances), and has plenty of fun with life, especially when alcohol or related substances are involved, or when clashing against his opponents. To that end , humour is not in short supply with Tong, either, though it’s usually of the dry, sardonic, and / or mocking sort, depending on who he’s talking to.

However, for all Tong’s cool and composure, he has moments of doubt and piles of insecurities and fears and pains just like most people do– despite everything, he’s still human at his core (even if his true nature is now more complicated thanks to his Contract) and has the emotions to match, meaning his calm, casual nature can sometimes be thought of as a facade, but you may never know that if you never grow close enough to him, since unsurprisingly, he’s not big on opening up to people.

                 STORY

Pang Tong, styled Shiyuan, and better known as the “Fledgling Phoenix”, is a genius strategist, and masterful sorcerer of Eastern Han China. Tong was raised by his foster father Sima Hui (a mystic and founder of the secretive order of the Eight Enigma’s) after Tong’s parents and uncle met an unfortunate end following one of many upheavals during the twilight years of the Han Dynasty. Tong’s genius and aptitude for magic was noticed early on, and under Sima Hui’s guidance, he was molded into one of China’s greatest minds and fiercest wielders of magic. It wasn’t long before Tong was outperforming seasoned minds and sorcerers alike in matters of strategy and spell casting, and soon enough, he would join his foster father’s order, where his prowess would only continue to grow.

By age twenty one, in recognition for his genius and magical ability, Tong would receive the title of “Fledgling Phoenix”, one of the only two titles to be held within the Eight Enigma’s, marking him as an equal to his fellow Enigma, Zhuge Liang, the “Crouching Dragon”, who was said to be the brightest mind and most powerful sorcerer to grace China in ages.

Some years after achieving his title, Tong would delve deeply into the more arcane sides of magic, where he would end up (in yet another feat of his genius and magical ability) tricking a demonic entity into forging a contract with him, an act that would afford him great power, though strain his social status considerably on account of the markings that ended up on his face.

In time, however, Tong, along with the other Enigma’s, would eventually set out into the world seeking worthy lords to serve, lords they felt were best equipped to bring peace to the war torn, disease ridden, destitute hell hole their country had devolved into. Tong would go on to ply his services as a strategist and sorcerer to a number of lords, but all, save for two, ultimately turned Tong away due to his appearance, those two lord’s being Liu Chong, the prince of Chen, and then later, Liu Bei, the future Emperor of Shu.

Tong quite enjoyed his service under Liu Chong, and saw great potential in their ability to lead and bring people together– Tong saw China’s future in the prince, and would have done anything to see them succeed, but due to the machinations of a fellow Enigma, Liu Chong ended up being the victim of an assassination plot. Though he mourned his fallen lord, Tong once again resumed his search, meeting a number of interesting individuals as he wandered the land, and getting into a number of even more interesting situations, but it would be with Liu Bei who Tong next found service, seeing within them many of the same qualities he saw in Liu Chong, and it would be under Liu Bei where Tong would finally begin to spread his wings…..

Skills, powers, abilities, & more

The Fledgling Phoenix - Genius Intellect, Master Sorcerer

Tong is known by his title “Fledgling Phoenix”, one of two titles conferred upon the best of the Eight Enigma’s, the other title being held by Zhuge Liang (Crouching Dragon). A title such as Tong’s was not given for show, he received it on account of his genius-level intellect, and his masterful aptitude with magic, intellect and prowess that are only rivaled (within the Eight Enigma’s) by Zhuge Liang’s.

Tong in particular is great at devising complicated chained stratagems and laying traps of all kinds, as well as using binding magics, and sealing magics, though he has a masterful grasp with all manners of strategy and most other forms magic alike (even if he prefers those of the darker nature).

Tong is perhaps best known for his use of elemental magic as well, specifically that of the air / wind element, though that is more the result of him tricking an entity into forming a contract with him than it has to do with his own magical aptitude, though it may have also been another mark of his intelligence, on account of how he pulled it off…

Contract - Invocation of Fengbo

Tong possesses a “contract” with the fallen wind god Fengbo, who’s power Tong can call upon whenever he wishes. The grim markings upon Tong’s face are both a result and proof of this contract, and are the conduits from which the contract functions.

In truth, the “contract” Tong has with Fengbo is one in name only, since the fallen deity was tricked into entering it by a crafty Tong many years ago, ending up bound to Tong’s will as if they were a familiar.

Fengbo themselves may be a fallen god, but their power is still that of a deity, and when Tong calls upon them and has that power shroud his body and soul, he is a right, terrible force of nature that can easily make quick work of foes or perform feats of that no mortal could ever hope to achieve.

When Tong invokes Fengbo’s true power, their spiritual power emerges from the markings on his face, enveloping Tong’s being in a corrupted aura that turns them into a nearly incorporeal, wraith-like figure– a projection of Fengbo’s corrupted form.

Elemental Authority: Air / Wind: One of the chief abilities afforded to Tong when he calls upon Fengbo’s true power, it gives him complete magical control over the element of air, giving him access to a wide breadth of tactics and powerful techniques that otherwise wouldn’t be possible for him to achieve on his own. Even when Tong has not invoked Fengbo’s power, his baser wind / air magic still receives a passive boost to its’ effectiveness.

Immortality (Biological): A passive effect conferred upon Tong through his contract with Fengbo, his lifespan has been extended indefinitely provided he doesn’t sustain a level of physical or magical damage to his heart that’s great enough to kill him.

Enhanced Physiology : While Fengbo’s true power has enveloped him, the basic trait’s Tong possesses (physical strength, speed, agility, durability, etc) are enhanced to superhuman levels. Passively, thanks to the contract, Tong’s basic traits are always somewhat enhanced though, but without the invoking of Fengbo’s true power, they are on the far lower side of superhuman (perhaps peak human at best with certain traits).

Enhanced Regeneration: Passively, Thanks to Tong’s contract with Fengbo, he is afforded an enhanced regenerative factor, being able to heal wounds and restore lost limbs at a nearly instant rate ( with the exception that his heart is less regenerative). However, when Fengbo’s true power is invoked, this regenerative factor becomes null on account of Tong’s body becoming nearly incorporeal (allowing him to simply reform parts of his body at will since it’s all comprised of air anyway, save for his heart).

Supernatural Pain Tolerance: Another passive boon afforded to Tong through his contract with Fengbo, his tolerance for pain is now inhuman. However, when invoking Fengbo’s true power, this pain tolerance, like Tong’s regenerative factor, becomes null on account of his nigh-incorporeal nature, since he can’t feel pain in such a state regardless, unless you nail him in the heart.

Magic Resistance: After invoking Fengbo and their true power, Tong becomes very resistant (though not immune) to magic employed by non-deities, though when faced with magic from a deity or a divine source, this resistance does not apply. Tong is also afforded a lesser version of this resistance in the passive sense, when Fengbo’s true power is not being invoked.

Magical Enhancement: While Fengbo’s true power is flowing through Tong, the power behind other magics Tong employs is increased to great extents. The amount of spells that Tong is able to use is also extended to extreme levels that outstrip even his already great magical reserves many times over.

Affliction Purge: Upon invoking Fengbo’s true power, any afflictions Tong may have incurred prior– poisons, curses, and the like– are purged from his body and soul, provided they aren’t from a divine being or source.

Divine Words: When invoking Fengbo’s true power, Tong becomes capable of performing all spells and rituals at truly instant speed, and at full power to boot.

Avatar of Fengbo - Demonic Fenghuang: In exchange for Tong deciding to forego the use of Fengbo’s power directly, he can instead call upon an avatar of the fallen god resembling their true form, a massive demonic fenghuang-like entity that Tong can command to fight his enemies. This avatar’s power is great, and it’s mere presence can cause weaker willed opponents to collapse on the spot, and put others under immense strain, though the longer it is active, the less stable it becomes– if active for too long, it can go berserk, becoming a threat to even Tong himself if he’s not careful.

Weakness - Irregular Contract: Due to Tong’s contract with Fengbo being made under false pretenses and completed without a true cost being paid on Tong’s part, he’s only able to invoke Fengbo’s true power for brief periods of time (usually around twenty or thirty minutes, maybe a little more if he’s using certain techniques), and cannot instantly invoke the power again without causing serious damage to himself.

To further explain, because of Tong not paying for his contract with Fengbo when it was made, his soul takes damage each time he invokes their true power, and while this damage does in a sense heal, sustaining too much of it in a short period of time (i.e, Tong trying to invoke Fengbo’s power multiple times in say, an hour) doesn’t just run the risk of killing him, but it may also allow Fengbo to possess his body and make Tong the one locked inside.

High-Speed Incantations

Tong, like many in the Eight Enigma (besides Guo Jia who possesses a unique variation of this skill), is capable of reciting the incantations for spells of all types at extremely high speeds, allowing him to almost instantly cast spells of all tiers at full power, even those that would otherwise take someone much longer to perform due to long, drawn out incantations. Complicated rituals may still take Tong some time to perform, but he can generally unleash full powered spells at a much quicker rate than most magic users.

Supernatural Expertise

Within the Eight Enigma’s, each member had a specific role, and Tong’s role within the Enigma’s was the study and handling of supernatural entities or supernatural phenomena in general.

It should be noted that every Enigma was used to dealing with supernatural phenomena or beings, Tong wasn’t special in that regard, but in contrast to the others, he, over the years, had amassed encyclopedic knowledge and understanding of his homeland’s supernatural creatures, entities, and occult knowledge, and he was the one the other Enigma’s turned to for guidance or help when faced with such things when troublesome enough. Tong was only assigned to this position, however, after successfully tricking and binding the fallen deity Fengbo to his soul, a feat that truly put his expertise in this area on full display.

Jiǎolì Expert

A form of hand-to-hand combat that involves the use of strikes, throws, joint manipulation, and pressure point attacks. At first glance it resembles wrestling, but this art puts great emphasis on the speed of its user and their ability to locate and disable a foe via the weakest points of their body– in essence it’s not a very honorable way to fight, but it is very effective, and Tong is learned enough in it’s ways to be a threat should a fight end up getting close and personal with him.

EQUIPMENT, AND OTHER NOTES.

Weaponry: Artefacts

Tong employs the use of a wide variety of magical staves as his main form of weaponry, with each stave serving a particular purpose but all of them more or less aiding him in the casting of magic. Tong’s most notable staves are the Great Phoenix, a bladed Artefact which enhances Tong’s air / wind elemental magic, stacking nicely with his boost from Fengbo’s powers (while also just being a decent melee weapon that Tong is expertly competent with), and the Staff of Mirages, an Artefact that enhances the use of illusionary magic, while also affording its user a number of unique illusions to employ against foes.

Visage of the Enigma

The hat and mask Tong is often seen wearing, they were crafted for him by Sima Hui, and each of the Eight Enigma’s was made to wear them for a time. Many Enigma’s did away with these items once they felt it was no longer necessary to hide their identities, but Tong always kept his around, and prefers wearing it when around people he doesn’t yet know-- not to mention that he has enchanted it with a small barrier, giving it some degree of utility.

Tome: The Scripture of Master Lao

During Tong’s travels following Liu Chong’s death, he encountered a bizarre, emerald-eyed mystic who proceeded to put him through a number of even more bizarre trials, and at the end, the man revealed themselves to be Master Lao (known also as Zhuangzi), an immortal, who then bestowed upon Tong a magical tome.

The tome in question takes the form of a scroll that, when unrolled, reveals ancient magical knowledge to it’s user, allowing them the use of many unique spells. The tome speaks of arcane knowledge from a time when Gods still openly walked the land, and is best used when in the hands of someone of ‘pure heart'. Since Tong is not a person of such aforementioned purity, the tome is not as effective as it can be when used by him, but it can still prove to be a valuable tool at times, giving him access to spells and knowledge he would never have access to otherwise, hence why he keeps it around.

Familiars

Outside of the strange situation Tong has going with Fengbo, he also has a number of familiars bound to his will that he can call upon to defend or otherwise aid him whenever he wishes.

Most of his Familiars aren’t particularly notable, being entities that Tong defeated and then bound afterward, but they are dangerous entities nonetheless, and can spell trouble for opponents they are set upon, if those opponents are not careful. The few notable Familiars that Tong does have in his arsenal, however, are truly terrifying, and will stand out from the others.

All in all though, Tong's Familiars can range from grotesque, possessed beasts (bears, tigers, boars), giant insectoid creatures, possessed corpses like Jiangshi, Demonic spirits / creatures in general, or Eldritch creatures that defy normal classification.