Wen Ning / Wen Qionglin / The Ghost General (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
deadwenwalking) wrote2020-11-05 09:13 pm
deadwenwalking) wrote2020-11-05 09:13 pm
Entry tags:
app to cinderwoods
⏵OOC
Player Name: Lauren
Age: over 30
Other Characters: no
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laverinth
⏵IC
Character Name: Wen Ning (courtesy name Wen Qionglin)
Canon: The Untamed
Canon point: End of series, discounting the movie.
Age: 32 (estimated. stopped aging around 19.)
Health & Status: Puppet. Not quite fully human, but not dead. Healthy. See abilities section.
Appearance: Pale, dark hair, dark eyes, dark crack-like markings up his neck and down his chest. 5'9". Image.
History: wiki link - changes made to the story in the drama version are listed further down the page
Personality: Something of a weakling from a young age, Wen Ning was content to spend most of his life in his sister's shadow. He is extremely grateful to anyone who's helped either of them and will always go out of his way to repay any debts. He's very subservient, having few ambitions of his own until the end of the series where he finally intends to go off and live a life for himself.
Wen Ning is fiercely sentimental. He doesn't have many earthy possessions, so he doesn't hold onto physical items in memory of others, but he does keep thoughts of his family close to his heart. He loved his little part of the clan very much. When he learned A-Yuan was still alive he was over the moon, though hesitant in his approach. He was disappointed to learn that the boy didn't have many memories of him at first, but it's enough that he remembers any of them at all.
He knows when to keep a secret, but also when something needs to be shared for his friends' sake. For example, he kept the fact that Wei Wuxian had his golden core transferred to Jiang Cheng for years, but when the latter was showing a large amount of animosity toward his adopted brother when they returned to Lotus Pier after fighting off puppets at the Burial Grounds he revealed this secret in order to keep Jiang Cheng from doing something he might come to regret. On the other hand, he has trouble keeping anything from his sister period, and will cave the moment she infers that he might be.
His social skills aren't the best. Early on he was prone to stammering and being hesitant to even talk to dominant-acting people like Wen Chao. If it's not a conversation where his input is explicitly needed he tends to stand back and allow others to do most of the talking.
However, he is very serious when it comes to defending those he cares for. When he fights he's no-nonsense, dealing with the enemy as necessary and easily taking instructions. In a verbal argument he'll hold his own without the usual hesitation. They don't happen often, but he'll stand up for his friends if he's believed they've been wronged or if they need protection.
As a sentient Puppet, he's unique. There is one other in the series but Wen Ning is the only one created from the full power of the Stygian Tiger Amulet. He knows this, and rather than being angry at being brought back from the brink of death into this state he's grateful to Wei Wuxian for allowing him to have more time with his sister and family. Because of this he's extremely loyal to the man.
But he does feel guilt for many of the things he's done while being controlled, even though he couldn't help what happened. He still blames himself for the outcome. While it was not Wei Wuxian but another who actually took control and directed him to kill Jin Ling's father, he accepts punishment for the action as though it had been on purpose.
By the end of the series he's started to come into his own, able to take control of some situations. He doesn't intend to continue following Wei Wuxian and the others, rather he wants to give his family a proper send off and then go on alone. (In the movie he and Lan Sizhui are hunting as a pair without any other assistance.) He's lost the naivete and dependence that might have held him back.
One of Wen Ning's greatest strengths is also a weakness - he's so loyal to his friends and family that it can be used against him. He will, without fault, put them before himself or his own needs - especially the people he feels he owes a debt to. He'll take on their punishments if it'll help them.
Even with all his growth he's a bundle of insecurities that he doesn't address, and one of the main reasons he functioned so well as a puppet/fierce corpse is because of how he'd kept all those negative emotions bottled up and was finally able to release them. It's easier for him to keep resentful energy stored away to be used when necessary.
Fears: There's a part of him that still considers himself a monster, capable of becoming something worse than he is. He mentally settles this fairly easily in the movie, but as I'm ignoring most of that canon and pulling him from before that point anyway it's still an issue that can be addressed. He's not fully human, and part of him fears becoming something worse.
He's afraid of hurting the ones he loves - because he already has. He fears losing control and killing someone he shouldn't, like what happened with Jin Zixuan. He doesn't fear Wei Wuxian controlling him, because he doesn't blame him for that incident. He can blame the ones really responsible but he will always feel as though it's mostly his fault.
Powers & Abilities:
conscious puppet: In the original book, Wen Ning was a "fierce corpse" - or a zombie who retained the ability to think for themself. Due to censorship of anything involving necromancy in mainland China, this was changed so that he's now a "puppet" instead. It's kind of this weird not-quite-human state that isn't entirely explained in the series so I have to wrangle together some rules the best I can. He still breathes and bleeds like a normal person, but he can't cry (because this was an awkward carry-over from the book). He can eat, but it seems like he probably doesn't need to eat or sleep as much as the average person. I have it so that he still needs to at some point or he will get worn out.
As a puppet, he's far stronger than a regular human, and able to endure more pain. He's been shown to be able to lift large, very heavy objects with his bare hands and he's also easily punched a hole through someone's ribcage with his fist. Typically the extra strength requires building up resentful/demonic energy and letting the temper he usually keeps hidden away come to the surface. He can be controlled and directed by Wei Wuxian's music and the Stygian Tiger Amulet. Even while not fully conscious he's been described as difficult to control by anyone else and he did not respond to Xue Yang's attempts to do so.
He's not invincible. He can still be cut, stabbed, punched, you name it, like any other person. He can be killed. Despite his resistance to control from others that doesn't mean it's impossible - especially if the controller is able to mimic Wei Wuxian's techniques. This is what happened (at least in the drama) during the ambush that led to Jin Zixuan's death.
Magic-wise, he's also considered something of a demonic entity, meaning that wards and talismans meant to protect against evil spirits will also make things uncomfortable for him.
cultivation: Before Wen Ning became a puppet he was a cultivator, someone who "cultivates" spiritual energy into a golden core that can then be used to power various abilities. Unfortunately we don't get to see many of those abilities in action, but he does originally carry a sword like all other cultivators. We don't see him flying on said sword, but we can assume he can by the way his sister doesn't panic for him at first when they need to get on their swords to avoid a creature in the lake in earlier episodes. He can "fly" short distances on his own, which we see him do many times after being changed. He can also wield Wei Wuxian's sword once it's been unsheathed for him without being worn out, meaning he can provide the energy needed to sustain its use. We can therefore assume that the core remains in him, even if he's not a particularly strong user of cultivator abilities on their own and instead relies on the strength given to him as a puppet. Basic skills aren't beyond him. Cultivators can also heal themselves at a faster rate by focusing their spiritual energy.
In the drama he's not shown to ever use his own sword again, but in the movie follow-up he's able to control a set of chains, moving them around in a sort of telekinetic fashion. I'm not pulling him from the movie as I don't think it's a good representation of his character, but I do believe in the potential development of his abilities and like to leave that open as a possibility. It comes with further improvement of his own mental strength.
Proper use of cultivation requires dedication and focus. Many cultivators don't reach a high enough level, even after developing a golden core, to use some of the more powerful techniques. Failing to keep one's energies properly balanced and maintained can result in qi deviation and ultimately the death of the user. A cultivator can also only create one golden core in their lifetime, and if that is destroyed they'll never be able to make another and therefore never use any spiritual techniques ever again.
In addition, many techniques require an item, like a sword or an instrument, to focus their energies through.
spiritual susceptibility: This isn't much of a power so much as it's a separate weakness that sometimes proves useful. Wen Ning is missing a portion of his soul on account of that incident as a child and this makes him more open to spiritual influence. It also makes it easier for him to feel when certain powerful objects or beings are nearby. It's not a hugely reliable ability, but he has on occasion been asked if he senses anything. (Because of the change in his backstory, this ability only pertains to the drama version of this character.)
Being too open to spiritual energies is already not that great of an issue to have. He's an easy target for possession, and actually was possessed by the spirit of Nie Mingjue's saber for a time at the end of the drama.
Inventory: Wen Ning has only his clothing. He had no weapons on him when he departed at the end of the series.
Samples: cinderwoods TDM thread, penance thread
Other: n/a
Player Name: Lauren
Age: over 30
Other Characters: no
Contact Method:
⏵IC
Character Name: Wen Ning (courtesy name Wen Qionglin)
Canon: The Untamed
Canon point: End of series, discounting the movie.
Age: 32 (estimated. stopped aging around 19.)
Health & Status: Puppet. Not quite fully human, but not dead. Healthy. See abilities section.
Appearance: Pale, dark hair, dark eyes, dark crack-like markings up his neck and down his chest. 5'9". Image.
History: wiki link - changes made to the story in the drama version are listed further down the page
Personality: Something of a weakling from a young age, Wen Ning was content to spend most of his life in his sister's shadow. He is extremely grateful to anyone who's helped either of them and will always go out of his way to repay any debts. He's very subservient, having few ambitions of his own until the end of the series where he finally intends to go off and live a life for himself.
Wen Ning is fiercely sentimental. He doesn't have many earthy possessions, so he doesn't hold onto physical items in memory of others, but he does keep thoughts of his family close to his heart. He loved his little part of the clan very much. When he learned A-Yuan was still alive he was over the moon, though hesitant in his approach. He was disappointed to learn that the boy didn't have many memories of him at first, but it's enough that he remembers any of them at all.
He knows when to keep a secret, but also when something needs to be shared for his friends' sake. For example, he kept the fact that Wei Wuxian had his golden core transferred to Jiang Cheng for years, but when the latter was showing a large amount of animosity toward his adopted brother when they returned to Lotus Pier after fighting off puppets at the Burial Grounds he revealed this secret in order to keep Jiang Cheng from doing something he might come to regret. On the other hand, he has trouble keeping anything from his sister period, and will cave the moment she infers that he might be.
His social skills aren't the best. Early on he was prone to stammering and being hesitant to even talk to dominant-acting people like Wen Chao. If it's not a conversation where his input is explicitly needed he tends to stand back and allow others to do most of the talking.
However, he is very serious when it comes to defending those he cares for. When he fights he's no-nonsense, dealing with the enemy as necessary and easily taking instructions. In a verbal argument he'll hold his own without the usual hesitation. They don't happen often, but he'll stand up for his friends if he's believed they've been wronged or if they need protection.
As a sentient Puppet, he's unique. There is one other in the series but Wen Ning is the only one created from the full power of the Stygian Tiger Amulet. He knows this, and rather than being angry at being brought back from the brink of death into this state he's grateful to Wei Wuxian for allowing him to have more time with his sister and family. Because of this he's extremely loyal to the man.
But he does feel guilt for many of the things he's done while being controlled, even though he couldn't help what happened. He still blames himself for the outcome. While it was not Wei Wuxian but another who actually took control and directed him to kill Jin Ling's father, he accepts punishment for the action as though it had been on purpose.
By the end of the series he's started to come into his own, able to take control of some situations. He doesn't intend to continue following Wei Wuxian and the others, rather he wants to give his family a proper send off and then go on alone. (In the movie he and Lan Sizhui are hunting as a pair without any other assistance.) He's lost the naivete and dependence that might have held him back.
One of Wen Ning's greatest strengths is also a weakness - he's so loyal to his friends and family that it can be used against him. He will, without fault, put them before himself or his own needs - especially the people he feels he owes a debt to. He'll take on their punishments if it'll help them.
Even with all his growth he's a bundle of insecurities that he doesn't address, and one of the main reasons he functioned so well as a puppet/fierce corpse is because of how he'd kept all those negative emotions bottled up and was finally able to release them. It's easier for him to keep resentful energy stored away to be used when necessary.
Fears: There's a part of him that still considers himself a monster, capable of becoming something worse than he is. He mentally settles this fairly easily in the movie, but as I'm ignoring most of that canon and pulling him from before that point anyway it's still an issue that can be addressed. He's not fully human, and part of him fears becoming something worse.
He's afraid of hurting the ones he loves - because he already has. He fears losing control and killing someone he shouldn't, like what happened with Jin Zixuan. He doesn't fear Wei Wuxian controlling him, because he doesn't blame him for that incident. He can blame the ones really responsible but he will always feel as though it's mostly his fault.
Powers & Abilities:
conscious puppet: In the original book, Wen Ning was a "fierce corpse" - or a zombie who retained the ability to think for themself. Due to censorship of anything involving necromancy in mainland China, this was changed so that he's now a "puppet" instead. It's kind of this weird not-quite-human state that isn't entirely explained in the series so I have to wrangle together some rules the best I can. He still breathes and bleeds like a normal person, but he can't cry (because this was an awkward carry-over from the book). He can eat, but it seems like he probably doesn't need to eat or sleep as much as the average person. I have it so that he still needs to at some point or he will get worn out.
As a puppet, he's far stronger than a regular human, and able to endure more pain. He's been shown to be able to lift large, very heavy objects with his bare hands and he's also easily punched a hole through someone's ribcage with his fist. Typically the extra strength requires building up resentful/demonic energy and letting the temper he usually keeps hidden away come to the surface. He can be controlled and directed by Wei Wuxian's music and the Stygian Tiger Amulet. Even while not fully conscious he's been described as difficult to control by anyone else and he did not respond to Xue Yang's attempts to do so.
He's not invincible. He can still be cut, stabbed, punched, you name it, like any other person. He can be killed. Despite his resistance to control from others that doesn't mean it's impossible - especially if the controller is able to mimic Wei Wuxian's techniques. This is what happened (at least in the drama) during the ambush that led to Jin Zixuan's death.
Magic-wise, he's also considered something of a demonic entity, meaning that wards and talismans meant to protect against evil spirits will also make things uncomfortable for him.
cultivation: Before Wen Ning became a puppet he was a cultivator, someone who "cultivates" spiritual energy into a golden core that can then be used to power various abilities. Unfortunately we don't get to see many of those abilities in action, but he does originally carry a sword like all other cultivators. We don't see him flying on said sword, but we can assume he can by the way his sister doesn't panic for him at first when they need to get on their swords to avoid a creature in the lake in earlier episodes. He can "fly" short distances on his own, which we see him do many times after being changed. He can also wield Wei Wuxian's sword once it's been unsheathed for him without being worn out, meaning he can provide the energy needed to sustain its use. We can therefore assume that the core remains in him, even if he's not a particularly strong user of cultivator abilities on their own and instead relies on the strength given to him as a puppet. Basic skills aren't beyond him. Cultivators can also heal themselves at a faster rate by focusing their spiritual energy.
In the drama he's not shown to ever use his own sword again, but in the movie follow-up he's able to control a set of chains, moving them around in a sort of telekinetic fashion. I'm not pulling him from the movie as I don't think it's a good representation of his character, but I do believe in the potential development of his abilities and like to leave that open as a possibility. It comes with further improvement of his own mental strength.
Proper use of cultivation requires dedication and focus. Many cultivators don't reach a high enough level, even after developing a golden core, to use some of the more powerful techniques. Failing to keep one's energies properly balanced and maintained can result in qi deviation and ultimately the death of the user. A cultivator can also only create one golden core in their lifetime, and if that is destroyed they'll never be able to make another and therefore never use any spiritual techniques ever again.
In addition, many techniques require an item, like a sword or an instrument, to focus their energies through.
spiritual susceptibility: This isn't much of a power so much as it's a separate weakness that sometimes proves useful. Wen Ning is missing a portion of his soul on account of that incident as a child and this makes him more open to spiritual influence. It also makes it easier for him to feel when certain powerful objects or beings are nearby. It's not a hugely reliable ability, but he has on occasion been asked if he senses anything. (Because of the change in his backstory, this ability only pertains to the drama version of this character.)
Being too open to spiritual energies is already not that great of an issue to have. He's an easy target for possession, and actually was possessed by the spirit of Nie Mingjue's saber for a time at the end of the drama.
Inventory: Wen Ning has only his clothing. He had no weapons on him when he departed at the end of the series.
Samples: cinderwoods TDM thread, penance thread
Other: n/a