Shinlai Adoption Entry: Zanshin

Wow this is so late I really hope it can still be counted...
several times I considered giving up but I had already gotten so far. things at home have been so busy I just couldn't catch a moment to breathe let alone work.
so this isn't quite what I hoped to do but  I am satisfied enough to post it.

I wanna shout out a HUGE thank you to IrisHime for keeping me motivated and  rooting for me to keep going. I don't think i would have finished without you poking me to keep working.

[•.:~≈ Zanshin   ≈~:.•]

Name: Zanshin Shinku

Pronounced:  Zan- shin  Shin-kuu

Name Meanings: 

- Remaining mind
-  Crimson

Nicknames:   Zen, shard.
Species: Shinlai
Gender:  Male
Age:  64
Birth Season:   Fall
Height:  11.5 ft
Length:   13.8ft
Weight: 5,280 lbs
Body Type:  athletic, long legged.

Family:
-  Sire:    Aston Shinku
-  Dame:  Gaia  Shinku
-  Grandmother: Akegata Shinku
-  Siblings:  None
-  Mate:   None
-  Friends:  Lynndercote Vanelli , Shinsen Vanelli, Skaia Avion.

Allegiance:   Former Darkblood, very confused and conflicted. Agnostic?

Area:  A small town near Norport

Element:   Dark – Nightmare /illusion sub category

Physical Description:

Zan is very fit and strong. He has long legs and a compact body, his fur is thicker around his neck and shoulders. He usually has good posture but he’s been known to slouch and drag himself when tired. He has a short tail and his claws are noticeably longer than average.  His body is covered in dark, warm-grey fur with an off-white underbelly.

Shinlai Classification:

-  Fur Classification:  Short

-  Facial Classification:   Common

The Mask:  Zan’s mask is painted black and silver and made of Fine lightweight driftwood and molded clay. His previous mask was made of soft copper.

Scars:  Zanshin will have/has a large burn scar on the right side of his face.  His eyesight is also somewhat poor in that eye.

Accessories:  Clipped to his mask are three beaded cords; the longest is adorned with a bright red cardinal feather. He also wears a teal blanket clipped around his neck like a scarf.

 

 

Personality:

Positive Traits:  Kindhearted,  empathetic and  very loving. He tries hard to impress people and prove his worth.

 Negative Traits:  gullible, easily persuaded. Passive and distractible, Zan is easily manipulated.

Zanshin is a very kind Shinlai, or at least he tries to be. His inner-war with his element makes him confused and frustrated.  Usually quiet and withdrawn, Zan isn’t one for social events. He hates loud noises and bright lights, as—whether due to a medical condition, or his element— Zan has an almost-constant migraine, which can make him short and snappish. Others may think that he seems rude if he’s asking for quiet, but those close to him  see a much gentler personality.

 

History:

 Born to a devout Daila-following family, Zanshin was expected to gain either light or air as his element, like his parents before him, and a majority of his tight-knit community. However, much to everyone’s disappointment, and probably to their shock, instead Zanshin expressed the element of dark. Happy, supportive, friends and family quickly turned into wary and distrusting strangers.

 The only person Zan felt he could confide in was his grandmother. She had always been very open-minded and kindly, but it was only after Zan was Shunned by the whole village that she revealed herself to be a Shinlai of balance – one between Fire and Dark. She had kept her nature as a dark elemental Shinlai secret, and only knew some basics which she had discovered on her own. But she decided to at least teach him what she knew.

Being fairly young at the time, what Zanshin couldn’t seem to understand was why, if Daila was the one who gave Shinlai their the elements in the first place, being a dark element be an abomination to her? Why would she give unto him an element that she reviled and hated? Was there something he had done wrong?

A tired and elderly Shinlai, His grandmother was greatly strained by using her secret element. Even to teach her grandson the few arts that she knew, was a great burden and the toll eventually lead to the older Shinlai’s death.  She hadn’t told Zan about being ill, because she knew that she didn’t have much time left. She only wanted to teach him what she could before she died.

When she passed, Akegata imparted Zan with the warning that he would need to learn how to control his element before it consumed him. This seemed like a very frightening concept, but he knew that she had confidence in him.

 After His grandmother’s death, the village grew more and more unsettled with Zan’s presence. Some of them even began to suspect that Zan himself might have been the cause of her death. Unable to handle this outrageous lie, he decided to leave.

 Zanshin traveled from his little town in search of someone who could teach and guide him. What he found where a couple of Dark Blood recruiters. It was easy enough for the two to convert and persuade him. After all, they promised to teach him how to use his element and that no one would ever mock him again. Zanshin thought for sure that he had found his place, learning to use his element and making new friends.

However, despite all the Dark Blood’s promises, sometimes he would still feel lonely. Whenever Zanshin felt alone, he would sometimes see a shadowy figure which he believed to be his ‘nan’ – this ‘ghost’ would lead him to quiet paces, and he  would talk to it for hours on end. This shadow manifests itself as a comforting friend, even if it is likely just his own creation.

He spent quite a while with the Dark Bloods, being indoctrinated with their ideology. Sometimes things that they said seemed a little off-putting, but it wasn’t until he was asked to hurt someone that he started to feel something was wrong. It came so easily, to cause such terrible nightmares and bring out the most painful memories inside of someone. He started to realize why Dark elementals where so feared and distrusted. It was just so easy for them to do the wrong thing.

He helped to torment spies for information. Probing prisoners for clues was something that he was good at. But he knew that he was starting to lose his himself, as darkness ate away at his mind. He wanted out. He wanted to get away and regain control.

It wasn’t until the march on Talin that he finally found his escape.

During the clash he saw more suffering than he had ever seen before, even in his own nightmares.  A warring of elements, tooth and claw battles to the bitter end. Using his skills of illusion he made doubles of his own image to confuse both friend and foe as he ran frantically, trying to escape the battle.

Despite his skill, he was caught by a fire Shinlai at some point. He didn’t know if it was a darkblood trying to kill him as a traitor, or a Dailian defending their home, but there was no mercy in his attacker.  A great plume of fire was blown right into the eye of his mask, which melted the copper blind to his face, terribly burning and scarring the flesh beneath. The shadow he fondly called nan was able to distract the attacking Shinlai just long enough for Zanshin to create a horrific nightmare and escape.

He was found some days later, covered in dirt and dried blood, by some merchants. They gave him a ride to Norport, where he had the melted mask removed and his face tended to.  He was careful not to talk about himself too much, but he did get some directions as to where he find a good mask maker near town.  He traveled the distance to the mask maker’s lodgings, with only his bandages as a temporary mask, and even though he arrived at near 4am in the pouring rain, the kindly Human and an older fire Shinlai who worked there let him in to stay the night.

Lynn, the Shinlai, and Skaia, the human mask-maker, worked most of the next few days to craft for Zanshin a new mask to his liking. The mask was molded after one of his favorite animals; the shark. He decided to stay In this small village. It was quiet, full of misfits, and the older fire Shinlai had a lot of knowledge to share. Plus there was the great relief that no one seemed too bothered by the dark element. Instead they simply  treated him just as any other Shinlai. Zan was shocked by the lack of instant-judgment and took himself a job as a tanner. He works there still, and has become quite close to Lynn. He has somewhat become a part of their little patchwork family.

He was gifted little rings and beads to decorate his mask, to celebrate his birthday with them.

The only person that Zanshin has been able to talk about his life before is Lynn. The fire Shinlai seems to have a great understanding of his plight, and has been helping him to fight his inner darkness.

Misc:

Likes:  Zanshin Likes to make saddle bags and travel gear, although he hasn’t made a design that he fancies enough to wear himself just yet. It’s an ongoing process. He didn’t know how much he liked working with leather until he came to Lynn’s town.

Favorite
Color –  Teal
Food –  Fish, any, he’s not picky about his fish at all
Place – The waterfall where Lynn and Shinsen swim and meditate.
Weather – overcast, drizzling to moderate rain.
Season – spring.
Memory –  playing with his grandmother’s  knitting wool. She used to let him tie little bows of string onto her horns and fur.

Dislikes:   Loud noises, bright lights, crowded places, and disappointing people.

Least favorite:
Color – pink
Food – nuts and greens
Place – His home town, any big city, Talin.
Weather – Hot and humid
Season –  summer
Memory – losing his grandmother

Interests/Hobbies: 

He loves to collect trinkets and odd ends. Little beads and  shiny things are his favorite.

 
Goals/Ambitions: 
 master his element and  fully clear his mind.

Fears: 
Losing control of his element, death, being caught by Dark Bloods, being caught for his crimes against  those he tormented.

Themes:
-   Monster -  Skillet
-  The munsta – SCNDL – Aero chord remix
-  Pigsty - Bayside

Image © Zukuro@DeviantART.com
©2014
Unauthorized use prohibted!


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Shinlai ©AlanaRoseheart
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