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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Davies" data-source="post: 8398826" data-attributes="member: 30538">Lǐ Zǔwén<img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/My-First-Gallery/i-qq6TcFC/0/2fcd1731/S/oldmaster-S.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />Born in the year before the island of Taiwan stopped being a province of the Republic of China and became its entire body, there's some question as to whether the individual who goes by the name Lǐ Zǔwén was really born to that name. He will calmly agree that his name is only different by a single character from that of the legendary Lǐ Shǔwén, while just as calmly disclaiming any familial connection to him. There are many branches of the Li family, after all. Suggesting that he adopted the name to suggest that connection will get a laugh, and the suggestion that he would have gone for a reference to the man's most famous art name ("God Spear Li") if he were going to do that.Regardless, Lǐ Zǔwén grew up in the years of Taiwan's economic miracle. He hasn't ever really talked about those years, beyond a comment that he once worked in Keelung harbor as a young man. At some point, when he was around sixteen, he discovered the practice of the martial arts -- specifically Taijiquan, the internal art sometimes better known as tai chi. He became a fanatical practitioner, and his studies led him to develop some advanced techniques long before his masters thought he was ready. This resulted in some conflicts, and eventually led him to leave his home for the United States in 1974.Settling in Philadelphia, he set out to pass on the lessons that he'd learned. However, Lǐ's insistence that his students had to learn the traditional 108 movements of the form made it less popular than the simplified 37 movement version that another Taiwanese immigrant had developed sometime before. Still, he had enough success to keep him afloat, and if he sometimes felt frustrated at his students' lack of enthusiasm, he kept it to himself.And then he found his disciple. Late in 1982, sixteen year old Leon Yung was ambushed by a group of Python-associated gang members who weren't inclined to accept his refusal of their invitation to join them. As fate would have it, this conflict happened to take place outside of the apartment where Lǐ was visiting one of his students, and the young master decided to come to the younger man's assistance. Impressed by what he saw, Leon showed up to study at the academy the next day, and proved to have a genuine talent for the art.Leon would go on to become a hand-to-hand combat instructor for JSOT, and later perform the same work for Argus, as well. Lǐ remained a part of his life throughout all of this, and an avuncular figure to his three sons as well. Tragically, Leon was killed during Zane's coup in 2006 and his widow responded to this by cutting Lǐ out of her life and that of her family in the aftermath. Shattered by his own grief for the loss of a man he'd loved like a son, Lǐ closed his school and retreated from the world for several years.In 2015, he was finally moved to visit one of his old students while she was in the hospital, and he happened to be seen easing her pain by one of the doctors, who wanted to learn how to perform this technique. Lǐ told him that this was part of an entire body of lore that he would have to learn, not some magic trick, but Dr. George Robinson managed to impress him, just as Leon had before him. Teaching again revitalized the now elderly martial artist, as did reconnecting with Leon's now grown sons. The fact that he has passed on his teaching to worthy pupils makes him feel content that he has accomplished something with his life, and so he is more willing to take chances with that life than he might have in the past.Lǐ Zǔwén isn't really certain what he boon he'll ask if he overcomes the great difficulties that lie before him and wins through to the end of this tournament. The smart thing to do, probably, would be to ask the alien ruler of Bhutan to leave Earth and never return, but that would also lead to a fair amount of chaos. Well, he will face that challenge when he must, and do so with a calm heart and a steady hand. He suspects that he will have to hit quite a few people more than once in the process, though.Lǐ Zǔwén - PL 9Abilities:STR 1 | STA 0 | AGL 3 | DEX 2 | FGT 10 | INT 4 | AWE 3 | PRE 3Powers:Qi Sense: Senses 6 (danger sense; accurate acute ranged detect life) - 6 pointsQi Techniques: Array (12 points)<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Flurry of Blows: Selective Burst Area Damage 4 - 1 point</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Nerve Strike: Cumulative Affliction 6 (Resisted by Fortitude; Dazed, Stunned, Paralyzed) - 12 points</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Pain Ease: Energizing Healing 6, Temporary - 1 point</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Vitality Boost: Enhanced Stamina 2; Enhanced Strength 4</li> </ul>Style Analysis: Perception Range Cumulative Affliction 9 (Resisted by Will; Vulnerable, Defenseless), Conditions Limited to Own Attacks, Limited Degree, Insidious, Quirk (one who notices the effect can resist with Deception instead of Will), Subtle - 19 pointsAdvantages:Agile Feint, Assessment, Defensive Attack, Defensive Roll 2, Evasion 2, Improved Defense, Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative, Improved Trip, Languages 3 (English, French, Hokkien others, [Mandarin is native]), Move-by Action, Precise Attack (close/concealment), Skill Mastery (Treatment), Trance, Uncanny Dodge.Skills:Acrobatics 5 (+8), Athletics 5 (+6), Close Combat: Unarmed 2 (+12), Expertise: Philosophy 9 (+13), Expertise: Streetwise 7 (+11), Insight 8 (+11), Intimidation 4 (+7), Perception 6 (+9), Treatment 8 (+12).Offense:Initiative +7Unarmed +12 (Close Damage 5/1)Nerve Strike +12 (Close Fortitude 6)Flurry -- (Burst Area Damage 4)Style Analysis -- (Perception Range Will 9)Defense:Dodge 9, Parry 11, Fortitude 5/3, Toughness 7/5/2/0, Will 11Totals:Abilities 56 + Powers 41 + Advantages 19 + Skills 26 = Defenses 20 = 161 pointsOffensive PL: 9Defensive PL: 9Resistance PL: 8Skill PL: 8Complications:Enlightenment--Motivation. Elderly.Note: In his physical prime, during the 70s and 80s, he had STR 2 and STA 2, but two ranks less in all INT, AWE and PRE-based skills. His Qi Techniques array had a 6 point reserve, with powers like those of George Robinson, and his Style Analysis power was only a rank 6 Affliction.</blockquote>

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