Min Yue Yan

[Yue Yan]

History : Yue Yan was born eighteen years ago in a remote village in Tokuno. Being the daughter of a Bannerman had many advantages. While her father governed the province in which she lived, she played happily with her brother and sister, as well as being taught the Common Tongue and to read and write.

Upon the early death of her father, the thirteen year old Yue Yan and her family travelled by foot to the capital city, carrying with them the body of the dead father for burial. Left with no income and no home they visited an uncle who offered refuge, on the sole condition that Yue Yan marry his deformed and simple headed son, a task he had spent many years trying to achieve. Knowing it was the only way her family would survive, Yue Yan agreed.

It was not to be however, a few short days after moving to the capital, Yue Yan noticed a poster calling all men of importance to send any daughters of a certain age to the Imperial Palace for 'The Selection'. Knowing deep in her heart that being selected would mean wealth and happiness once more for her family, Yue Yan stole what little money the family had left, bought the most expensive gown she could afford and headed to the palace.

Her efforts and instincts served her well and she was selected from the thousands of girls present to be one of the seven wives of the New Emperor, a mere child himself. She was a concubine of the 4th rank, which meant that she was not high ranking enough to be a threat to the new Empress or the three main concubines, yet she was too high ranking to bother with those below her. Now selected, she was forbidden to leave the Palace and no male who was not a eunuch was allowed to see her, dressed or otherwise.

Left to her own devices, Yue Yan, now called Lady Min, Keeper of Destiny, threw herself deep into studies, she perfected her knowledge of the common tongue as much as was possible while taking lessons in art, calligraphy, dancing and, although forbidden for females, she secretly sought lessons in the martial arts.

Graced with a figure that was gaining tone and definition from her training and dancing, Lady Min began to capture the eye of the Emperor, as well as his wife and main concubines. Although untouched by men and left alone by the women, she knew deep inside that her days were now numbered, there were many ways for an Imperial Female to cure herself of a rival. Dressed as an Imperial Assassin and with what little martial skills she learned, she slipped into an entourage heading for the Lands her father told stories of. Trammel. Once there she was forced to cut the throat of the watchman whilst the rest of company slept and slipped out into the night, with blood on her hands and a heavy heart, the now eighteen year old Lady Min became Yue Yan once more and went in search of her own destiny ...

Appearance : When not in uniform Yue Yan wears expensive gowns of fbrightly coloured Tokunese silk embroidered with mythical beasts and exotic flowers in gold and silver threads. Her waist length hair is ornately braided and scented with oils and waters made from plant and flower extracts. She wears her make-up in a style not often seen, traditional Tokunese. Her face and neck are powdered to slightly lighter colour than her actual tone, her slightly slanted eyes are lined in heavy khol and her top lip is stained a blood red, with a single dot in the middle of her lower lip. On the inner left wrist is a tattoo of a Dragon, the sign of the Title she once bore and rank she once held.

When in uniform Yue Yan wears no make-up at all. Her hair is held back in a three stemmed scalp pleat which is looped so that the ends are tucked back into the fastner. She doesn't wear her scented oils, knowing the dangers of being smelled by the enemy. Her armour is well fitted and well oiled, although she sometimes seems rather uncomforable in her boots.