#character: zhu yan

[heymeowmao]

玉骨遥 | The Longest Promise E8 ° Am I going to die??

[highsummonermercar]

Favourite Dynasty Warriors Characters

Sun Shang Xiang ❤️ Zhao Yun 💚 Zhen Ji 💙 Ma Chao 💚 Zhu Rong 🤍 Zhou Tai ❤️ Sima Zhao 🩵 Da Qiao ❤️ Diao Chan 🤍 Lianshi ❤️ Zhang He 💙 Ling Tong ❤️ Sima Yi 🩵 Guan Suo 💚 Wei Yan 💚

[i-cast-zone-of-truth]

ALSO i just KNOW my partner ok and Zhao Yuanzhou??? Would be CATNIP to them!!!

[sunshine-dies]

have been working on these bad boys on and off these past like... three months? four? too many, honestly, but they turned out so lovely! making all of my illustration and graphic design homework about the tiny gay people in my head is not a want, it is a need. the teachers will just have to deal with it.

these are my original characters! i was inspired by my obession with SVSSS to create a xianxia (and also danmei) story of my own wayyy back, and then i promptly forgot about them. not anymore though!!!! they are back and alive (for most of the story anyway)!!!! these two are the main characters, Yan Chenxi and Zhu Feng. they are my babies. if you hurt them i will do something unforgivable to you (hide your balls)

[tyiaunia-harris]

Happy Birthday China 🇨🇳 🎁🎂🎈🎉

[homo-trashcanicus]

Zhuo Yichen like:

Hou Minghao, Chen Duling, Tian Jiarui, Cheng Xiao, Lin Ziye, Xu Zhenxuan, Yan An & Lai Weiming for iQIYI’s Fangs of Fortune (formerly The Story of Mystics).

[renshengs]

大梦归离 fangs of fortune names + titles masterpost

brought to you by @mengyan and @renshengs <3

*note: this is only for what we consider as main characters, or recurring side characters! if you need clarification for a character that isn't here, send either of us an ask!

common terminology:

daren 大人 (suffix) — gender-neutral honorific often translated as Mr. or Ms. (e.g. Pei-daren = Ms. Pei)

xiao 小 (prefix) — little (e.g. Xiao-Jiu = Little Jiu)

jie/jiejie 姐姐 (suffix) — older sister (e.g. Wen-jiejie)

ge/gege 哥哥 (suffix) — older brother (e.g. Xiao-Zhuo-ge)

didi 弟弟 (suffix) — younger brother (e.g. Bai Jiu-didi) 

“A-” 阿 (prefix) — added before a single character of someone’s name/address, to indicate affection, familiarity, closeness etc (e.g. A-Heng, A-jie)

“er” 儿 (suffix) — added after a single character of someone’s name & is an affectionate term used by someone (often older) whose relationship to them involves some kind of caregiving; can be romantic or platonic (e.g. Wen Xiao’s foster father calling her Xiao’er)

common mistakes:

referring to someone with only one character—in chinese this is generally considered odd (e.g. Zhuo Yichen as “Zhuo”) and is not recommended unless done in-story (e.g. 蜚 Fei’s name just being Fei).

referring to a character by only their surname (e.g. Pei Sijing as “Pei”). chinese names put surnames before given names. (to call her by just her given name, use “Sijing”.)

referring to a character with a 2-character name by only their given name (e.g. Bai Jiu as “Jiu”). since his given name is only 1 character, it can’t be used on its own. using just the given name generally only works with 3-character names (e.g. Zhao Yuanzhou can be referred to as just “Yuanzhou”).

NOTE 1: calling a character by their given name usually implies closeness and informality. generally it is more common among chinese-speakers to use each other’s full names or their surnames combined with a title.

NOTE 2: to call a character by their surname or 1-character given name, you add on a prefix or suffix (e.g. Xiao-Zhuo or Xiao-Chen with Zhuo Yichen, Wen-jiejie or Xiao-jie with Wen Xiao)

NOTE 3: jiejie, gege, didi, (+meimei, what Wen Xiao called E’shou) are not just addresses exclusive to those of blood/familial relation! they can be used to address anyone younger/older than you and also be used in a flirtatious manner (e.g. Wen Xiao’s “Pei-jiejie” is very different from Bai Jiu’s “Pei-jiejie”)!

characters!

name: Zhu Yan | Zhao Yuanzhou [朱厌 | 赵远舟]

abbreviation: ZYZ

nicknames/titles: Great Demon (大妖 -> Da Yao), Stinky Brat (臭小子 -> Chou Xiaozi)

who uses what:

Wen Xiao: Zhao Yuanzhou, Da Yao, Zhu Yan (early on), gege (once)

Zhuo Yichen, Li Lun, some minor characters: Zhao Yuanzhou, Zhu Yan

Pei Sijing: Zhao Yuanzhou, Da Yao

Bai Jiu, Ying Lei: Zhao Yuanzhou

Ying Zhao: Chou Xiaozi

name: Wen Xiao [文潇]

abbreviation: WX

nicknames/titles: Baize Goddess (白泽神女 -> Baize Shennü), Wen Xiao-xiaojie, Wen-daren, Shennü-daren, Wen-jiejie, Xiao-jie, Xiao’er, Archivist Wen (文典藏 -> Wen-diancang)

who uses what:

Zhao Yuanzhou: Wen Xiao, Wen Xiao-xiaojie (early on)

Zhuo Yichen, Pei Sijing: Wen Xiao

Bai Jiu: Wen-jiejie, Xiao-jie

Ying Lei, Ying Zhao, Zhu Yin: Shennü-daren

Fan Ying: Xiao’er

minor characters (often people who aren’t close/are lower in position): Wen-daren, Wen-diancang

name: Zhuo Yichen [卓翼宸]

abbreviation: ZYC

nicknames/titles: Xiao-Zhuo, Xiao-Zhuo-daren, Zhuo Yichen-daren, Xiao-Zhuo-ge, Zhuo-daren, Xiao-Chen, Zhuo Xiao-Chen, Commander Zhuo (卓统领 -> Zhuo-tongling)

who uses what:

Zhao Yuanzhou: Zhuo Yichen, Xiao-Zhuo, Xiao-Zhuo-daren, Zhuo-daren, Zhuo Xiao-Chen (once), Zhuo Yichen-daren (once)

Wen Xiao: Zhuo Yichen, Xiao-Zhuo

Pei Sijing: Zhuo-daren, Xiao-Zhuo (very rarely), Zhuo-tongling

Bai Jiu: Xiao-Zhuo-ge, Xiao-Zhuo-daren, Zhuo-daren (once)

Ying Lei: Xiao-Zhuo-daren

Li Lun: Zhuo Yichen

Zhuo Yixuan (ZYC’s brother): Xiao-Chen

Fan Ying: Zhuo-tongling, Xiao-Zhuo

Tiandu citizens: Zhuo-tongling

minor characters: Zhuo Yichen, Xiao-Zhuo-daren, Zhuo Yichen-daren

name: Pei Sijing [裴思婧]

abbreviation: PSJ

nicknames/titles: Pei-daren, Pei Sijing-daren, Pei-jiejie, A-jie, jiejie, Pei-jie

who uses what:

Zhao Yuanzhou, Zhuo Yichen: Pei Sijing, Pei-daren

Wen Xiao: Pei Sijing (once), Pei-daren, Pei-jiejie, Pei Sijing-daren (once), jiejie (once)

Pei Siheng: A-jie, jiejie (occasionally)

Bai Jiu: Pei-jiejie

Ying Lei: Pei-jie

minor characters: Pei-daren

name: Bai Jiu [白玖] / implied to originally be named Situ Jiu [司徒玖], after his father’s surname, and took the name Bai Jiu after his mother, Bai Yan

abbreviation: BJ

nicknames/titles: Xiao-Jiu, Little White Bunny (小白兔 -> Xiao Baitu), Bai Jiu-didi, Bai-daren, Bai Jiu-daren, Xiao Bai Jiu, Tu’er (Disciple)

who uses what:

all characters: Bai Jiu

Demon Hunting Bureau squad, Zhen Mei, Wen Zongyu: Xiao-Jiu, Tu’er

Zhao Yuanzhou: Xiao Baitu

Wen Xiao, Pei Siheng: Bai Jiu-didi

Bai Yan (Bai Jiu’s mother): Xiao Bai Jiu

minor characters: Bai-daren, Bai Jiu-daren

name: Ying Lei [英磊]

abbreviation: YL

nicknames/titles: Little Mountain God (小山神 -> Xiao-Shanshen), Shanshen, Shanshen-daren, Little Ying Lei, child

who uses what:

all characters: Ying Lei

Zhao Yuanzhou: Xiao-Shanshen, Shanshen (once)

Wen Xiao, Zhuo Yichen: Xiao-Shanshen, Shanshen-daren

Zhu Yin: Little Ying Lei

Ying Zhao: child

name: Li Lun [离仑]

abbreviation: LL

nicknames/titles: daren, Boss (老大 -> Lao Da)

who uses what:

almost all characters: Li Lun

Ao Yin: daren

the pagoda spirit: Boss/Lao Da

name: Pei Siheng [裴思恒]

abbreviation: PSH

nicknames/titles: A-Heng, didi

who uses what:

almost all characters: Pei Siheng

Pei Sijing: A-Heng, didi

[dreamingsnowflake2013]

Well, that's a hell of a character introduction! Zhu Yan, Lord of the Demons, more like Lord of Dramatic Entrances.

I've always thought Neo Hou was wasted on those goody two shoes characters in Dashing Youth and Back from the Brink, Edward Guo really knows how to utilize his talent. The electrifying charisma, the quiet and lazily threatening aura, and the barely concealed limitless power brimming under the surface,... - you can feel all this about the character without him ever showing you any of his abilities.

Asking the Demon Lord for a calling card, this must have been the first time he's been asked this.

This is the answer of a thousand-year-old being right there.

LOL! The guard thinking he's Zhuo Yi Chen's fanboy begging for a meet-and-greet. His smirk at that!

He fixes the delict sign. It looks like the Great Demon has come to restore the Demon Hunting Bureau to its former glory, even though it was (supposedly) him who went on a killing rampage 8 years ago to destroy it. While at the same time, it's the second branch, called Chongwu Camp that has been undermining it ever since.

If I had a cent for each Edward Guo drama where Omid played a lackey of a secret evil organization I would have exactly two cents, but still...

It turns out they also want the hot Demon King, well, who wouldn't?

Get in line right behind me.

[dearmyloveleys]

RE: the absolute fascination (and adoration) I have with the symbolism of Zhu Yan's and Li Lun's weapons, how it reveals their respective characterisations and the discussion of humanity

There are so many aspects that I love about FoF but I still believe how the show represents LiYan's relationship + worldview through their weapons is one of the best uses of visual storytelling and literary/visual devices I have seen in recent years. (long text ahead!)

A Gift and A Curse

Where did their complications start? The exchange of gifts. Why do we gift another presents? For affection. It's so ironically simple, free of malice and at its basis so, so human. For a demon like Li Lun who claims to not understand humans, he reciprocates the moment of kindness Zhu Yan shows him - the rattle to make him happy, and him giving Zhu Yan the umbrella to shelter him from rain.

There is something so beautifully ironic about two great demons eventually using ordinary, human household objects as their weapons. And items given to each other at that. When they first receive them, both the umbrella and rattle are just simple objects with no meaning attached to it, except for the goodwill of friendship. There is no inherent ill-intention and it is pure. Yet.

Li Lun ultimately only understands reciprocation, and not truly the innate kindness and affection which Zhu Yan demonstrates. Zhu Yan gave Li Lun the rattle to have him understand why he finds humans wonderful: Can any of our demonic powers have the ability to make someone happy just like this rattle does for a child? Li Lun gives Zhu Yan the umbrella because Zhu Yan gave him the rattle and made him happy. Li Lun understands the action, and does not grapple with its underlying intentions. He consistently struggles with this throughout the story, especially when actions do not match up with the speaker's reasonings.

Dissonance in character is an extremely human trait, and the understanding of this is where Zhu Yan and Li Lun’s stories and similarities diverge. Zhu Yan on one hand, understands the complexity of humans and is at terms with it. Li Lun on the other hand, never understands the ability to be complex and paints humanity black. Their gifts are still turned into weapons that will eternally curse them of their once-there closeness, because of each other and their inability to reconcile their ideologies. How they use the umbrella and rattle from here on, represents their differences in their views of humanity.

Double Edged

When watching any fantasy/wuxia/xianxia cdrama, everyone who is written as a fighter usually has an offensive weapon used and made for injuring and killing. But not when it comes to Zhu Yan and Li Lun - they are two individuals who will certainly be masters in weaponry if they wielded a sword or blade. But they don’t.

In the Wilderness, from what we see, none of the demons use weapons. Even Cheng Huang uses an hourglass. Both Li Lun and Zhu Yan do not own any weapons before gifting each other the rattle and umbrella, and these aren’t even supposed to be used as weapons. There is such an underlying innocence to demons that instead of choosing a blade to take as a weapon, they choose these essentially harmless items instead. Though, this innocence ends here. The concept of weapons is a human creation. The concept of making an item specifically just to harm others is an especially human conception. By adopting the identity of weapons onto their gifts, the multifaceted nature of weaponry and thereby humanity seeps into their characters. Weaponry is both ironically and ironically human, and their weapons represent both sides of human nature that Zhu Yan and Li Lun believe in.

A weapon is only causes harm in one's hands if you make command it to. Do you protect or do you do harm with it? I find it so telling and intriguing that Zhu Yan and Li Lun run off in either directions with the purposes of a weapon. Zhuyan has always been fascinated by the human world versus Lilun having apathetic views of the human world, and they reflect this in how they use their weapons.

Zhu Yan uses his umbrella to always shield his team, protect and deflect harm, while the harm he inflicts on others comes from his innate spiritual energy (one word spells). He protects this simple umbrella and preserves its goodness, indirectly making sure to not sully the goodness of humanity. Instead, he chooses to use himself as the offensive weapon. On the other hand, Li Lun turns his rattle into an offensive weapon, changing its tip into a dagger. Before it is destroyed, all his attacks are summoned from strikes against the rattle. He doesn’t care, and humanity is trash, therefore he treats this object of innocence with irreverence and violence.

Though, there still is Li Lun’s favourite question: Is it better to be a demon or human? He chooses human. Which at the very least, is interesting.

Who You Wish To Be

The thematic concern of LiYan's relationship is very much defined by this question they often pose or have been asked by others: Is being a human or a demon better?

On an even deeper level, the juxtaposition between Li Lun's use of the rattle and what he says, being a human is better, is even more encompassing of his character — driven, conflicted obsession. The same way he keeps trying to break Zhuo Yichen and Zhuyan, but manages to maintain somehow civil and emotional conversations with them, his treatment of his rattle but the fact he thinks being human is better, and his one-time statement “maybe the human world is interesting after all” are contradictory. He is never at peace with himself and cannot accept things the way they are. He is very much a child, misguided and believing that things are one-dimensional (all humans are bad, Zhuyan how could you hurt me for them) while things in reality are complex. Even his best intentions, from his line “I, Li Lun, will never run away from things (…)” is innocently one dimensional. He will never be the human he wants to be until he comes to terms with this. And most importantly, it's not even about being human. It's never about titles or names, it's about who he wants to be. Li Lun once again is fixated on surface levels that he doesn't grasp the depth of reality.

"Whether one is a human or demon, it's only a matter of titles. Just be whoever you want to be." - Zhu Yan, Ep 26.

Zhu Yan is the stellar opposite of Li Lun. He doesn’t sully Li Lun’s gift to him and uses it the way Lilun initially gave it to him for: to protect. And his answer to the Demon or Human question as written above is telling of his character, compared to Li Lun's set-in-stone answer. But despite everything, what makes everything so tragic is what started it in the first place: affection. One keeps that affection as a weapon to spread the same to others, while the other keeps and weaponises that affection to regain it all back.

Just like how he uses his rattle to relentlessly pursue revenge, Li Lun is so insistent on what should have been, that he doesn't see what can be, and it curses him. Zhu Yan sees the possibilities of everything, wants to protect the good, and it curses him. Perhaps its this inevitability of their separation and also the sliver of hope that they can reconcile, trapped in their shared respective curses, that troubles them deep down.

-

Their weapons symbolise both their ideologies, and serve as physical reminders of their intertwined past. Regardless of how they use their weapons, they use a reminder of the other as defense and offense against the world. A diverged path still has met once before. The sharpest blade is still one crafted from the torment of memory.

On Visual Story-Telling

The use of these unusual objects in c-drama land as weapons is such a stroke of genius on the production team and writers' part. It gives so much more flavour and uniqueness to these characters instead of the usual sword or spear. Such small, precise, details with large implications on characterisation.

[renewedmotionforjudgment]

Huan Zhu Ge Ge (还珠格格), explained

Vox, don’t sue me for using this title.

Background: the other night, I suddenly had the OST stuck in my head. And I amaze my self by able to somehow sing the entire soundtrack?

Anyways, for those who either grew up in mainland China in the 90s or part the Chinese diaspora, Huan Zhu Ge Ge, princess returning pearl, was probably the OG idol historical. It’s adapted from a Qiong Yao novel. Huge hit across Asia. Influenced a whole generation.

Background plot — Xiao Yan Zi is a street orphan who met a girl named Zi Wei. Zi Wei turned out to be the daughter of Qian Long. Xiao Yan Zi accidentally gets mistaken as Zi Wei, takes on the title of princess, and hijinks ensues.

Tagging @huanzhuyulu for additions.

Anyways, this is Xiao Yan Zi

Perky, spunky, not super smart academically, and with a heart of gold. You know that female lead in idol cdramas these days? Xiao Yan Zi was the prototype. But also, she’s hilarious about Chinese proverbs.

This is Zi Wei

The prototype Ruby Lin character. I found Zi Wei rather corny when I was 7, TBH. Angsty back story involving being the unknown illegitimate daughter of the emperor, and then later getting whumped/tortured repeatedly by the empress.

This is the 5th Prince, Yong Qi

The emperor’s favorite son. The guy you thought would be the next emperor until you read anything about history. Smart and earnest. Xiao Yan Zi’s love interest.

(My first ever OTP!)

This is Fu Er Kang

Qian Long’s bodyguard. Zi Wei’s love interest. Done with Xiao Yan Zi and Yong Qi’s nonsense since episode 3 of season 1. He and Zi Wei had a lot of angsty moments that 7 years old me definitely was not into.

This is Jin Suo (on the right)

Zi Wei’s maid and BFF. Doubter of Xiao Yan Zi’s antics. Honestly not sure what personality she has other than “Fan Bing Bing is really pretty!”

This is Qian Long

Huang Ah Ma! The drama is Qian Long’s best publicist. Somehow manage to perv on women and threaten to off his kids, and is jovial enough that you spend your childhood going “what a loving father!”

This is Ling Fei

Yes, the same Ling Fei as Wei Yingluo from Yanxi. Super nice and motherly. The reason why my brain could not compute Ruyi for the longest time.

IN SUMMARY:

(Sorry, Er Tai — I don’t have enough GIF space to introduce you. Ditto, Qing Er. )

[heymeowmao]

大梦归离 | Fangs of Fortune E34 ° Dead demons will turn into stars in the sky. And what about you?

[romchat]

Fangs of Fortune (Ep. 25): Quick thoughts on the visuals

Pretty sure that last scene of Fangs of Fortune's Episode 25 made me feral and has not given me a moment of peace since I saw it (where's the fanfic, y'all???), but it did highlight for me something distinct about Director Guo Jingming's visual storytelling that isn't often discussed: his actor blocking.

Like in My Journey to You, Guo often uses how the actors are positioned in relation to the set and one another to reveal something about their characters, and he then shifts them like pieces on a chess board to signify changes in their mental state and/or relationships. This directing choice really gives his scenes a sense of movement and tension because the characters literally end up in different positions than where they started. We see the change on screen as much as we hear it in the script.

At the beginning of the scene, we see Li Lun looming over Zhou Yichen, reveling in the latter's apparent defeat over being harassed for being a demon.

Even though Li Lun eventually kneels down, it is menacing and just as much a power move as when he was standing up.

But we instantly feel the switch in the flow of power within the conversation when the distance between the two actors gets smaller. It's like Li Lun is both compelled and repulsed by Yichen's defense of humans and his criticism of Li Lun's indiscriminate violence towards them.

So we know that Li Lun has lost control of the situation when he stands up again and leg kabedons Yichen, pinning him roughly against the wall. Unlike earlier in the conversation, he now has to resort to brute strength to repress Yichen, and we see that realization on Li Lun's anguished face.

SIDE NOTE: That little grunt and exhale of air from Yichen at that move? Sorry, my mind wandered. Moving on...

Up until this point, Yichen has been relatively calm, but when Li Lun goes too far by calling him a coward like Zhu Yan (big mistake to insult his man!), Yichen demonstrates his power and blasts him away from into the water.

Not only is Yichen now looming over Li Lun, they're literally not on the same level, the latter isolated and cast in darkness. His resentment and crimes have sunk him to such a level that Yichen can only see him as pitiful.

Li Lun's switch to Bai Jiu's form in the background as Yichen walks away reinforces this. As a child actor, Lester Lin is significantly smaller than Yan An, so the use of his body makes Li Lun look even weaker.

SIDE NOTE: What a devastating use of rack focus from Li Lun to Yichen, showing how his manipulation won't work on Yichen no matter how painful it must feel to see Xiao Jiu. The shallow depth of field weakens Li Lun's image (and therefore power) even further.

Finally, I love how this scene ends with Yichen walking past Li Lun who remains immobile in the water but eventually drags himself in the other direction. It's the perfect bookend to the start of the scene. Yichen moves beyond that barrier (Li Lun's body), looking forward into the future despite the challenges he will face, while Li Lun's stays behind, most likely choosing an even more self-destructive end to his tragic story.

God, I love this director even when his writing drives me up a wall.

[alipeeps]

I need to ramble incoherently about Fangs of Fortune.

Not only is it - as expected - visually beautiful and atmospheric... it's got such a *dreamlike* quality to it, it really does feel like a proper fantasy. Like... this is set not in "ancient china but with gods ands/or superpowers" like wuxia/xinxia dramas but in an entirely fantasy fictional world. Everything has a slow, dreamlike quality to it, like time passes differently here.

And the otherworldly characters genuinely feel otherworldly and inhuman. Hou Minghao's Zhu Yan in particular.

Even the way the characters look - both human and demon - is stylised and dreamlike (and often filmed to be slightly blurry as if they are not quite real/quite there).

And the styling of the characters is just 👌. I must admit I often find Chen Duling's look a bit unlikeable (although this could just be me projecting because ugh I hated her character(s) so much in Till the End of the Moon 😂). Like... she's pretty and all but I can find her expressions a bit smug and aloof. But the way she is filmed in this has worked wonders.. she even looks different and seems softer and her expressions more genuine. I was initially impressed that I didn't straight up hate her character, as I often do with her roles, but by just a couple of episodes in I genuinely like her character!

I just... I can't even put it into words properly but watching this drama just transports me into this fantasy world in such an immersive way and I never want to leave...

[minsarasarahair]

I do love the princess-like fan user stereotype characters in Danmei

This is only based on what I know/read so far so I'll definitely miss other characters, okay? From right to left > From goodest boys to someone morally questionable

Shi Qingxuan (Tian Guan Ci Fu) - Supporting character, Wind God, Younger Brother, Genderfluid, Righteous, Sheltered

Yan Zhengming (Liu Yao) - Gong, Spoiled, Peacock, Cultivator with great potential but Lazy, Dashixiong/Eldest Disciple, Sect Leader

Shi Qingxuan (SVSSS) - Shou, Transmigrator, Peak Lord, Look cold outside but panicking in his mind, Anti, Stallion novel reader, Use humor as he face horror situation, Obsessed in a fictional character, Teacher

Xie Jinglan (Du Zhu You Bing) - Gong, Scholar, Governor, Schemer, Tsundere, Bookworm, Clean freak, Neglected, Can martial arts

Shen Zechuan (Qiang Jin Jiu) - Shou, Schemer, Cunning, Avenger, Prince, Emperor, Wrongly Accused, Very Pretty, Can Be Ruthless, Look like he can't fight but actually know martial arts and can use swords, Wife

Nie Huaisang (Mo Dao Zu Shi) - Supporting character, Avenger, Schemer, Artist, Sect Leader, Younger Brother, Cunning, Pretends he don't know anything or a coward but actually know a lot

Lou Zhu (You Yao) - Gong, Transmigrator, Merchant, Landlord, Emperor's henchman, Rich, Schemer, Cunning, Drunkard, Has a carefree lazy facade but actually intimidating, Don't know any martial arts, Yearner

Wen Kexing (Tian Ya Ke) - Gong, Schemer, Mostly use his fan in Word of Honor Cdrama but I believe TYK Wen Kexing is all-around who can use different weapons even if he probably prefer barehands so some of TYK official arts illustrated him using fan, Malewife, Avenger, Cannibal, Leader of Exiled Murderers, Former Brothel Regular Costumer

[morweneledhwen]

Okay, so. I tried a thing. It's a first one for me.

Not just the fandom, but writing a fic in English from scratch. This was a most educational experience.

Characters:

Zhao Yuanzhou | Zhu Yan & Li Lun

Summary:

Zhu Yan learns how to speak, finds a companion, chooses a name for himself and cultivates some basic emotions.

– Not necessarily in that order.

[mtkay13]

(and way more TYK designs below!)

Here it is! My personal designs of the (mostly) full TYK cast! What I mainly learned from this: TYK has a lot more characters than expected, haha.

My idea was mainly to get a clearer image, for myself, of all the people appearing or being mentioned in the book (and btw, a big chunk of the characters above died before the story even started and don't even get a line, but, you know...). One of my guidelines was, everyone has to look interesting, has to look like the main character of their own story. TYK is pretty much a story about side characters... so if noone is a main character, everyone is, no? (...does that even work? lol) Some of these designs were inspired by SHL, because it being the first one I saw, it of course left an impression in my mind. The rest is essentially taken from the few descriptions we get in the book, and my own imagination (plus some help from pinterest for the clothing). Rong Changqing is 100% inspired from @tbgkaru-woh depiction of him.

One noteworthy thing: the giant dog is too big. I thought it was supposed to be the size of a big horse, but it's actually the size of a pony... woops. Now, additionally:

The protags families! Wen Ruyu and Gu Miaomiao had to look heroic because that's pretty much what their characters are about. The traditional Wuxia story heroes that marked the legend. Conversely, the Zhou family has to be as plain and normal as possible, haha. ZZS says, in QY, that he's often called "Zhou San" (=Zhou three), which means he's the third child in his family. Since I like the idea of him being the youngest, I only gave him an older brother (who will inherit the position of head of the family and thus justify ZZS being able to leave for a shady remote sect) and an older sister. And as another bonus:

Hehehe. So these are... let's say, the men in ZZS' life, before WKX.

- Jiuxiao, of course, because I'm convinced ZZS had feelings for him

- Huang Xu, an OC developed with Bichen (son of a HLZ supporter, whose family ZZS infiltrated for a while --as Su Yan-- to try and sway them towards HLY's cause ((Su Yan's "Yan" is the same "Yan" as in Zhen Yan, just as a little nod to SHL))) - Zhu Ai, a magistrate OC, developed with Moose and Bichen, who's deeply infatuated with ZZS --only knowing him as that one guy who handles imperial guard watch tours and trains guards--

-and one guard I just like to imagine having a crush on him too. I started working on some guy from WKX's childhood too, but I feel like WKX's past is such a huge can of worms, I'll save all of that for later, haha.