[APP] Zhang Bao (Dynasty Warriors)

[pounded]

PLAYER
» Journal: celestialis@dreamwidth.org
» Birthdate/Age: *** ** | Age: **
» Characters Played: N/A

CHARACTER FACTS
» Name: Zhang Bao (Eastern reading, family name first)
» Canon: Dynasty Warriors
» Reference: [ here ]
» Canon Point: During the middle of the Battle of Chencang, Shu Historical Path
» Gender: Male
» Age: early to mid 20's, Koei isn't clear with ages, sadly- but definitely over 18, seeing as he's shown as the older brother in his family and is supposed to be older than his sworn brother, Guan Xing.

Note: I am also apping Cai Wenji who is from the same canon, however, Zhang Bao and her have absolutely no interactions within the game, and the canon point I am picking him from does not involve him interacting with her or even knowing who she is (she only appears in an alternate route and he has no dialogue with her in there either). He's from far ahead of when she shows up in the storyline, and seeing as she's only made appearances in the game's hypothetical diverging path, there would be no reason for her to know or even interact with him at any point.

CHARACTER INTERPRETATION
» Appearance:

Standing at a height of 180cm (around 5'11), Zhang Bao is a fit and nicely muscled young man and still shorter than his father but with a more boyish stature in comparison. He has grey-brown eyes depending on the lighting, and is hair is dark brown and stands spiked up with a bit of shonen hero going on in there, and he wears a fitted half-top with a high chinese collar that show off his frame with fighters' pants- which is likely worn for the ease of movement with all his attacks. Like everyone in the kingdom of Shu, he has shades of green and white in his clothing, and gold adornments and shoulder armor with the face of a dragon that matches his father's. He uses a flail blade as his weapon which he wears on his arm as well when going into battle.

[ visual here ]

» Suitability: N/A
» Orientation:

Likely Heterosexual - Zhang Bao has no shown significant other in the game itself, though he may have been married historically, but the game makes no mention of it nor does anyone speak of it- as usually is the case of some characters in relationships mentioned in camp dialogues. He does, however, profess his love to a female character if they max out their bond with him in the game's dating sim Ambition Mode, and has a unique affection quote for them, and in the case of a male bond, he happily declares a friendly partnership, and allowing them to look out for him as he would for them.

» Personality

Calling him a mother hen would be a bit of an understatement- Zhang Bao is the big brother you never had, or perhaps didn't know you wanted- with his incessant worrying for everyone and his nurturing attitude, he's a lively and kind young man dedicated to keeping those under his wing safe. As the son of the great Zhang Fei, sworn brother of Liu Bei and Guan Yu, he has a rather strong and esteemed legacy to live up to, and he is determined in his own ways to see that he comes through. He prefers to take matters into his own hands where it comes to defending his people, and he strongly believes in the values that his predecessors established for them all. Like all the members of the Shu army, he believes in creating a land of benevolence, a kingdom of peace and security for the weak. In this regard, he is quite dedicated to his cause and following in the footsteps of his father, whose undying loyalty to his sworn brother and Lord, Liu Bei is something he seeks to emulate.

Zhang Bao always has a cheerful and pleasant disposition, with a boyish yet brotherly attitude that makes him appear quite warm and welcoming. In certain camp dialogues, the soldiers are seen talking about how sweet and caring he is and how much he worries about all of them, a stark contrast to his father's more rough and rowdy attitude. Unlike his father, he's also not rude or harsh towards his peers, and the soldiers in the camp remark on it, wondering if despite that, he makes a mean drunk like him- judging from his personality, it's safe to say he'd rather avoid reaching that point. In the game's Ambition Mode, should be be seen around the town, he asks if the player character can't stop themselves from worrying about others all the time- which is something he's more than prone to, himself. However, where it comes to following orders, he is shown as confident and focused, and he doesn't hesitate to pursue the tasks laid out by his superiors and motivating his subordinates to the best of his abilities. He has a good eye for the battlefield and he knows his strengths- and despite his overly coddling attitude at times, he does have a reasonably good sense of understanding where it comes to knowing where his peers fall weak. It's not always accurate, however, his own sense of protectiveness interfering with it, but he tries his best to look out for others more than anything else and hopes to see them improve. He does get a little hot-headed, threatening that his enemies 'don't want to make him angry' which suggests that he may have a bit of a temper when pushed too far- though he seems aware enough of the fact to keep himself in check, and he's never shown as losing control of himself.

Behind all that confidence and protectiveness, however, he also has a(n even more!) softer side where it comes to his true feelings. If the player manages to raise their bonds with him, he ends up unable to completely express himself and dodges speaking of his own feelings until he manages to work himself up enough to do so. He eventually confesses his love if it's a female officer and opens himself up to the idea of letting someone else protect him for a change as well- which is a big thing seeing as he's always looking to handle everything on his own. Seeing as his nature to protect and defend those weaker than him goes hand in hand with his nature to charge into battle and take everything into his own hands if possible, Zhang Bao reveals himself to be headstrong and determined to make sure no one else has to get their hands dirty so long as he's around, but where it comes to focusing on himself, he ends up showing himself to be unsure about how to handle it all. He can even be somewhat awkward about being corrected, and embarrassed if he can't perform his responsibilities properly- but he doesn't let himself get down, putting in all the effort he can to ensure a successful outcome. He also has a humble disposition when he knows he's gone too far or made a mistake, willing to apologize when it comes down to it and asking for help, as seen in his quotes.

From the very beginning of his introduction, his desire to ensure that his loved ones are kept safe from danger is quite clear- especially in the case of young Guan Xing, his sworn brother and closest companion. While he cherishes their friendship and wishes to see Guan Xing improve in his skills, he can be overprotective and smothering with him, and because of it, he even ends up bickering and brawling with him because he doesn't think he's ready for battle in his eyes. This part of his personality tends to result in him sounding a bit condescending about his care, as seen in the hypothetical path when he addresses his younger sister Xingcai, an able and dedicated warrior gifted in military arts- and asks her if she's scared and would like to stay behind him. However, he is quickly shot down by her own firm response, looking embarrassed when he realizes his folly. His worry, though, is not out of malice, but for the safety of those he loves and cares for, hoping to handle things for them instead of them pushing themselves where they don't need to. His care for Guan Xing also shows itself in many battles where he worries about his friend's actions and if he's taking on more than he can handle- most of the time, Guan Xing does end up needing his help, but as time progresses, he's more than happy to have him watch his back, too. He understands his actions better than anyone and eventually, in the hypothetical path at least- he's willing to let Guan Xing make his mistakes because he's there to show him how to work together, instead of alone like he tries to.

He is also quite sympathetic to those that have been wronged, such as when he notices Jiang Wei being doubted by Wei officers who are completely ignoring his efforts to protect them and accusing him of treachery. He even mentions that were he in Shu, he would be treated better, showing the firm belief he has in their kingdom's values and ways, and is willing to forgive Ma Su who committed a grave error during the Northern Campaign, encouraging Guan Xing's opinion that were it not for him, the enemy may have come at them full force and that he should be rewarded, instead. In this, we see that Zhang Bao is willing to be kind and give those that deserve them the chances they need to prove themselves, and isn't quite so stubborn about things that he doesn't see as harmful to them in any way. He also displays a reasonable amount of observation, most pointedly seen during the Battle of Chencang, when the odds are against them. As the battle progresses, he notices something off in the enemy's movements when they infiltrate the castle, getting a sense of warning which- depending on the actions he takes, result in him being ambushed and mortally wounded if he charges in, and his life being spared if he takes an alternate route that exposes the assailants lying in wait.

Optimistic and hopeful, Zhang Bao strives hard to be the warrior his father and his comrades were before him, and takes his responsibilities very seriously. With an admiration for what is just and right, he's dedicated to doing the right thing and protecting his family and friends and the people of their kingdom. A good friend and caring ally, he shares the dream of his companions to be united under the banner of benevolence, and he'll do anything to achieve that goal no matter what it takes.

SAMPLES

» First Person Sample Choice:

Prompt #1

[ Video ]

[ The device is set down on the bed, though the voice speaking is completely off-screen. A female voice is explaining something to the more clearer sounding male voice though she can't be heard very much, before a groan is heard from him. ]

Come on! You can't seriously mean that I'll be able to talk through this... it looks like a toy!

[ After a moment, the visual seems to be shaky as the device is lifted and held up sideways, upside down and the right way up as his face suddenly comes into view, staring down at it before glancing at someone off-screen. ]

Look, I appreciate your help, but if you're joking around, it's probably a good time to stop. I won't appreciate being made a fool of!

[ He also lifts his free hand to tug around the collar chain that's around his neck absently, making a disgruntled sound before the sounds of footsteps retreating and the door closing can be heard, and he finally groans and the visual shows the device being flopped back onto the bed and a rustling sound following as though things are being picked up. ]

This has to be a lie. The battle couldn't have ended like that- and there's no way they could have moved me to a place like this that easily. I couldn't have been drunk, we haven't had a banquet that big in a while since the campaign began... [ the voice trails off and the gentle sounds of something metallic moving and clicking together can be heard before he finally speaks aloud again. ]

Okay, I've got this. I just have to find the others and hope that the enemy hasn't done something... I have to find Xingcai and Guan Xing... how could I have been so careless? If anything's happened to them...

[ After a moment of talking to himself, the silence carries on as he paces around before he grabs the device again, this time- as per the servant's instruction, he's holding up and staring at, his expression annoyed and worried. ]

If this weird toy really is some way to talk to people, then answer me! I am Zhang Bao, son of Zhang Fei. Tell me how to return to Chencang. There's no way I could have come into a different city in the middle of battle!

[ When there's no answer, he sighs and pushes the device away, tucking it into his belt as his voice sounds muffled and distant- ]

Figures that wouldn't work...

[ And it's swung around for a bit longer with the screen dark against his pants legs, before it thankfully, finally shuts off. ]

[ End Video ]

» Third Person Sample Choice:

Prompt #3

He hadn't quite believed it to be true when he began his stay here. Honestly, who would believe something that crazy? While he'd initially believed that those of the Wei army had done something underhanded- used some kind of drug to disorient them during their battle, or perhaps ambushed them to knock them out... it wouldn't have explained all of this. Being in a completely different world, to begin with A world where each invention itself, the construction and the natives, were nothing like anyone he knew at home? The fact that somehow, he managed to understand them all without any difficulty?

He might not have been as smart as Master Xu Shu, or the Chancellor, but he most certainly wasn't that much of a fool to completely disregard everything he had been warned about on his first day here. The press of the collar now inching so tightly against his skin was giving him far too much proof of the fact that it wasn't some kind of hoax- and it would be far too elaborate for their enemy and as he was quickly beginning to learn, too much for even their own people to think up. And that in itself was the most fearful part of it all.

If what everyone said was true, if these cursed collars truly would not remove themselves, then he knew he was being left with no other choice. It was either doing this, or letting himself lose something precious to him, more precious than his own life- and it was saying something when his memories valued more than the very life that beat in his chest. He couldn't afford to lose that, the only thing that was keeping him from despairing- knowing that, even without him, Guan Xing, Xingcai, everyone he cared for, would still fulfill the dream of Lord Liu Bei. He may no longer have had the will to live himself after the loss of his own sworn brothers, but that didn't change the destiny they'd all chosen for themselves.

And it was to create that land of benevolence, of the future that would bring everyone together and unite them under the light of harmony.

Ah, it felt a little foolish, but at the same time, it was a thought so positive, so hopeful, that even with the recent losses they'd experienced, he felt that they wouldn't fail any more. Even now, in a place like this, lacking everyone that he held dear, it felt like some kind of reprieve to know that they weren't the ones suffering this, and that wherever they were, they were safer than having their dignity challenged this way.

Though knowing the horrors of what people could do to their prisoners during war didn't exactly make that the best of his thoughts, but he wouldn't let it hold him down. No, he had to believe that they'd fought against all odds, that they'd gained the victory they'd been looking for, and they'd all made it through. It was something to keep his own head held high, even if the collar was making it all too difficult to do so, and he slapped his palms against his cheeks to let out a breath of air before he finally got to his feet.

This goddess, or supposed one... all she wanted was their submission, but if this was the kind of worship she expected, why did she have to force it out of them? Why couldn't it be an act of love and devotion, something chosen by the people themselves? It felt degrading to even think of the act without some consideration behind it, but at the same time... he wasn't so immature as to think that that was all that was required to get through it. He was old enough to understand that, but he wasn't like Guan Suo, whose sweet tongue could draw him so many women without any effort. The thought of him and the innocent Guan children brought yet another smile to his face... he could barely picture them committing to an act without some feeling behind it. Especially Guan Xing... the relief that his young companion, who he had promised to make his sworn brother at the end of the battle of Chencang, was not here to endure this. Though he imagined he wouldn't have any trouble getting himself a pretty young woman, seeing how handsome he was... perhaps he ought to be more thankful his sister, promised to Lord Liu Shan, wasn't here instead. The thought of anyone touching her without her desire made his blood burn and he clenched his fist, trying to force down the rising tension that came from the very thought. If she did... if Guan Xing, or anyone from their kingdom did... how would he be able to protect them?

Not like this... Zhang Bao's fingers touched the collar that was continually pressing against his throat now as a taunt, before he shook his head. No- if it was to preserve the memories of his late father, of his friends and the people that trusted him to watch their backs, he couldn't refuse. He had to continue and he had to ensure that he survived this. So it was this kind of worship this so-called goddess required? He'd do it, but he'd do it with his own will, and own memories, and he was going to find some way to make sure no one else would have to be in his place.

Even though he realised that it might be a futile thought, considering the number of people that had come here before him and had to endure the same enough to warn him about it, but that didn't mean he couldn't try. He'd have to do it- and he looked up ahead of him to the path that he'd been told he'd find the pleasure quarters, and steeled himself for it.

"If this is how it's going to be, Atia, then I won't let you win! You can do what you please with me, but you won't have them!"

The words spoken aloud were to assure him more than anything else, that one day, he would make sure this goddess paid for those who would suffer here. And perhaps that thought was what would carry him through this, and the hope that those he loved wouldn't have to go through the same.