BASIC DOSSIER FILE
-
Age: [This field appears to have been left blank intentionally.]
Aliases: None known.
Height: 6 fulms, 1 ilm
Weight: 186 ponzes
Hair: Black
Eyes: Purple?
Skin: Cool olive undertone
Beneath the rich green canopies of the Golmore Jungle, a young Rava boy began his coming-of-age trials under the watchful eye of a Wood-warder. The boy was destined to one day take his Warder's place as tradition dictated, to take up bow and spear in order to protect the secluded lives of Viera women.
Whether by misstep or misfortune, the boy found himself alone, separated from his Warder. Would he listen to the forest's familiar calls and return? Should he choose not to, the Green Word dictated that those who stepped outside the bounds of the jungle meant exile. The youth found himself in a quandary.
[He walked]
With each step, the bindings of Vieran tradition unravelled behind him. The jungle eventually thinned, its lush coverings giving way to the open Othardian skies. Eventually, he happened upon Yanxia and her vast, winding rivers.
[A man stood there]
Not a soldier. Not an ascetic monk. Not a bandit. Just a tall Hyur clad in silk robes, his slight greying hair lending to his striking presence. He regarded the Rava boy with bemusement, recognising an opportunity in unlikely form. The well-dressed man beckoned to him.
[Through the gates of the grand manor]
The sprawling grounds of the estate spoke to two generations of wealth--stone lanterns dotting the winding paths, and koi swimming lazily beneath wooden bridges. He'd found himself in the domain of a young patriarch, a cunning merchant in his mid-thirties. The Rava boy was not introduced as a mere guest, but a fledgling whose future was yet unwritten.
Takahiro decided to test the boy's mind. His only son, Kaito, watched from the shadows.
Armed with nothing but a preliminary explanation of the game of mahjong, the Viera was invited to sit at a lacquered table along with the patriarch, his young son, and a trustworthy family retainer.
Round after round, the boy held his own. Five rounds passed in a flurry of tiles, tells, and bluffs. On the sixth round, the Viera emerged victorious. The final round ended with the boy as dealer, East wind prevailing.
Takahiro nodded with approval. He spoke.
"Six rounds. Eastern prevailing wind. How very auspicious."
'Six' in Doman tongue: Liu. The patriarch seemed to be suggesting it to him as a name. Though the Rava's young mind did not know the nuances of the Eastern languages yet, it resonated with him.
In that moment, the Viera chose the name he'd carry for the rest of his days. Hai Liu. No longer of the Golmore. He was a son of Doma from then on.
After that fateful day, Liu's days settled in a rhythm of grueling study. A governess was appointed to the young man to oversee his education. Both a mentor and a motherly figure to Liu, she steeped him in the culture and history of the Far East, ensuring he was well-versed in etiquette and language. Throughout those years, his constant companion was Kaito--brother by circumstance. While Liu was poised and reserved, Kaito was vibrant and often outgoing, his boisterous laughter often echoing through the halls of the Hai estate.
The brothers shared a genuine bond forged through shared lessons, a touch of friendly rivalry, and quiet moments between their official duties.
[A white gohei]
As part of his upbringing, Liu was sent to train for several years at various shrines across Doma and Hingashi as an acolyte. It was a yet another formative experience for Liu--instilling humility and discipline, as well as an appreciation to the spiritual traditions of the Far East.
Only after these years of training did Takahiro pass the mantle of leadership onto his boys. The patriarch, now no longer a man in his prime, had prepared his sons for the greater responsibilities.
