cursedsaber

APPLICATION

OOC

NAME: Cat
AGE: 35
CONTACT: chohakkaifan -OR- Discord: ChoHakkaiFan
CHARACTER(S): None.

IC

NAME: Nie Mingjue
AGE: 30-31 (Depending on how time works as his birthday was canonically last month)
CANON: Mo Dao Zu Shi (Novel)
CANON POINT: Post-Death
CRAU: Mingjue was in Reparacijia for a year. I want to keep this CR because I feel that it would leave Mingjue not only more acclimatized to modern technology, a sex-positive society, and the concept of being transmigrated to a new world, but it will also take him from a place where he has already gotten past many the societal and emotional hang-ups which would have otherwise stunted him from progressing easily within a sex-focused RP game. He would also have established character growth with castmates he had shared the game with, and personal character growth by handling more volatile cast member interactions that would have otherwise made development immediately after his canon point far more difficult to approach.
OTHER: N/A I have no drastically uncommon headcanons for Nie Mingjue that divert from what's established in the canon, and I am ready to discuss any topic regarding him that hasn't been brought up directly by canon with my castmates before stating them within a tag.

SUITABILITY: Mingjue well passes the required age requirements, being in his late twenties to early thirties by the time of his canon death. Although in a fictional land heavily influenced by many ancient Chinese cultures and traditions, his canon is rife with darker and more adult topics. From thoroughly described sex scenes to gory and horrifying depictions of war to complex political intrigue, Mo Dao Zu Shi is a novel that has plenty of topics that would make Nie Mingjue suitable for the Golden Peacock. This, combined with his CRAU development from another sex game, makes him more than experienced in handling the situations that may occur.

ABILITIES:
Cultivation- Being the first son of one of the five most renowned clans within the cultivation world, he is a master cultivator with extensive knowledge in martial arts, swordplay, and talisman magic. He is especially skilled with his family's unique cultivation style, which utilizes the slaughter and blood of beasts, using their resentful energy to fuel their sabers. The Nies also have a shared spiritual connection to their sabers that most other sects don't, where they cannot be parted from them for too long. Whatever damage can occur to their saber can also, in turn, be caused to them.


Superhuman Strength- Where many cultivators can train their bodies and spiritual energy together to manipulate their strength, Nie Mingjue manages to take this step tenfold. Advertised as one of the top three most physically powerful characters in the series, he can lift multiple people with one arm, burst through stone walls like it's nothing, and pierce through a human with a single punch. He was able to slaughter multiple people with just a disembodied arm when he was undead in canon. When his body was placed back together, he was known to be the strongest resentful fierce corpse anyone in the series had ever encountered.


Spiritual Manipulation- Like all cultivators, he can manipulate and harness his spiritual energy and project it outwards. He can also control his saber without holding it. He can utilize it to project towards his opponents and fight others without being close. He can also write various magical talismans and arrays, imbuing his qi into them to make them work.


Martial Arts Master- Being the leader of the Qinghe Nie clan, he is the martial master of his sect and teaches and supports his family's cultivation, sword fighting, and military techniques. His expertise is in using his saber, Baxia, which was almost always found at his side.


Sword Flight- If he ever receives his saber back, he can imbue his spiritual energy into it and control it to fly to his will. It can even support his weight so he can surf upon it across great distances.


Steel Skin - Not literally, but Nie Mingjue's flesh is known to be so invulnerable that not even metal blades can normally cut through it. When he was being dismembered after death, the perpetrator had to use an axe as nothing smaller had enough force to pierce his skin.


VICES:
Resentful - Nie Mingjue was a leader infamous for his short temper. This was partly due to the curse of his cultivations style, in which the negative build-up of energy in their saber's spirits would affect their personalities. But it was also due to the many wrongs Mingjue endured throughout his life; which he had to repress to save face due to his position as sect leader. From having to spend years holding his tongue against a fellow sect leader who caused his father's death, to being betrayed by the man who was once his closest friend. Mingjue never lets go of something once he feels someone has been wronged. His resentment for anyone who crossed him was so deep routed that even after death, he became the most ferocious of evil spirits, hunting down those who shared the same family blood relation as his murderer.


Obsessive - Mingjue has high expectations for himself and everyone he keeps company. He would dedicate every part of his life to his family's cultivation techniques, to the point that it would eventually drive him to his death. He would also constantly hold everyone around him to the highest of moral standards; that when one of his closest confidants broke it, he would keep a constant close and scrutinizing eye upon him to the point of paranoia and madness.


Self-Sacrificing - Due to the overbearing knowledge of the curse that haunts all those who practice saber cultiation, Nie Mingjue has often lived by the idea that he would instead break before he'd ever give into an ideal that he disagrees with. When leading the Sunshot Campaign against the Wen army, Nie Mingjue was unafraid to be on the front lines despite its dangers. He is also more than willing to sacrifice himself instead of any of his men, thinking each of them as important as himself despite his position.

When the curse starts taking its hold upon him, he accepts it for what it is, refusing to put down their family's cultivation technique and instead willing to keep practicing in hopes that understanding the method would make it easier for future generations to find a way around it. Perhaps the best example of his self-sacrificing nature was when he was captured by Wen Ruohan. When one of his men was slayed right in front of him for insulting the Wens, the group of them was asked if anyone else would care to follow the same path, which then Mingjue, despite being tied up and brought to his knees, glared up at the leader of the Wens and insulted him in the same manner.


VIRTUES:
Loyal - Nie Mingjue is faithful to his family, customs, history, and allies. He is willing to go so far as to sacrifice himself if it means he can protect the people, land, and customs that he deems essential. Always willing to stand up for those he thinks deserve it, Mingjue holds all those close to him dearly. His loyalty is so strong that he joins a sworn brotherhood with his two closest friends, Lan Xichen and Jin Guangyao. And when a situation occurred in which he was tempted to break that bond, he only responded that after it was done, he would be happy to slay himself as compensation for such an unjust action. He was also willing to admit that, unlike Jin Guangyao, he would never be able to kill his men and allies, no matter what situation he was placed in. He would much rather fail in his mission than sacrifice those who don't deserve it.


Righteous - Righteousness is Nie Mingjues's keyword. It is the word he eats, breathes, and lives. 'Be Righteous' is his family's motto. In his eyes, a life without walking upon the righteous path is not one worth living. He has a highly black-and-white sense of morality and will do his utmost to show such by living by example. He is quick to promote and praise those he believes work hard and commends those willing to stand up against all odds for what is right. For instance, when Wei Wuxian was held accountable for caring for Wen Refugees after the Sunshot Campain, almost all the cultivation sects favored banishing him. Only one person, MianMian, stood up for him at the conference and quit cultivation entirely when she was bombarded for being an "overemotional woman." Although Mingjue disagreed with her reasoning, he quickly commended her for quitting cultivation and her ties to the sects when everyone insulted her. He respected her ability to stand up for what she believed was right. He even commented out loud that they should all take examples from her ability to speak up for what she thought was right.


Responsible - Being the firstborn son of the Nie Clan, Mingjue grew up with heavy responsibility for his sect as far back as he could recall. But he did not buckle under the pressure, even as he was forced to take responsibility for the whole Qinghe Nie in his early teens. He surpassed it, being considered a renowned leader on par with his father. Mingjue was willing to bear the responsibility of leading his people. He was happy to hold himself accountable for every decision and action he performed for his people on both the war front and during peacetime. He swore by each decision he made with absolute conviction and did not accept any excuse others would make for their actions. Living very much by a "You made this decision, now you live with the repercussions" mindset.

SURVEY

▶ I REGULARLY MAKE NEW FRIENDS.
▷ "Nie Mingjue never got close to people, and he rarely bared his heart to them." (Mo Dao Zu Shi Ch.10 Part 2: The Beguiling Boy)
2: Although a social person due to his loud and boisterous disposition, title, and intimidating nature, Nie Mingjue usually has difficulty making new friends. During his developmental years, when most boys were growing up and having fun, Mingjue had already taken on the position of Sect Leader due to his father's early passing. Because of this, he had to grow up fast and learn how to negotiate between cultivation sects rather than find time to fool around. When he does make friends, most of them are experiencing similar difficult positions to which he can relate. He holds these friends closely and as dearly as family, often willing to dedicate his whole self to them.

▶ SEEING OTHER PEOPLE CRY MAKES ME WANT TO CRY TOO.
▷ 3: Nie Mingjue is a surprisingly emotional person, and despite his tough and highfaluting nature, he is a man who isn't afraid to wear his emotions on his sleeve. Because of this, Nie Mingjue is often caught crying far more than most people in the series. This is especially true when those close to him have been hurt or hurt him somehow. His arguments with his brother and Jin Guangyao often lead to shared tears of frustration throughout the series. He cries so consistently that he gives his younger brother Huaisang, canonically known as an emotional mess, a run for his money. He will cry no tears for those he deems guilty or undeserving of them. A very morally black and white person, he only cries for those he feels are righteous and good. One example is when the Wen siblings willingly sacrificed their lives for the series protagonist, Wei Wuxian, deeming that because they initially sided with the wrong groups during the war, they deserved the tragic circumstances when they were put to death.

▶ I OFTEN MAKE A BACKUP PLAN FOR A BACKUP PLAN.
▷ 3: As head of a cultivation sect and a renowned military leader during the Sunshot Campaign, Mingjue often had to plan his tactics before the battle. But he is not one to fixate on them either, as he is willing to adjust as he moves and makes impromptu decisions when events change course.

▶ I USUALLY STAY CALM, EVEN WHEN UNDER A LOT OF PRESSURE.
▷ 3: It changes depending on who he is dealing with. He is willing to bite back his tongue despite wishing to jump into action if it is a societal issue and he is in a position beneath someone in the hierarchy. For example, despite knowing that Wen Ruohan killed his father, he had spent many years working peacefully beside him during sect meetings since he was younger, less experienced, and had less leverage upon the other cultivation sects. But if it is someone in a lesser position of power and he feels slighted by them, then he is quick to act upon his temperament. If asked personally, he would answer 5 without hesitation, not considering that his lack of ability to keep calm led to his spiraling path downwards.

▶ I AM VERY SENTIMENTAL.
▷ 5: This is the man who, despite his initial calm and stoic demeanor, had spent more than half his life dedicated solely to the idea of brutally taking down the man who killed his father. He cherishes his family lineage to the point that he is willing to embrace his clan's history and fighting styles, even to his detriment. All because of his extreme emotional bonds to his family. He is strict with his brother not out of malice but because he worries and cares for him. The reason he lashes out at Jin Guangyao is due to how harshly he feels betrayed by someone he considers so close to him.

▶ EVEN A SMALL MISTAKE CAN CAUSE ME TO DOUBT MY OVERALL ABILITIES AND KNOWLEDGE.
▷ 1: Within the world of Mo dao Zu Shi, one thing that no one can question Nie Mingjue on throughout is his confidence. Every word he says and action he takes, he does with full conviction. He dislikes excuses and believes that if someone makes a decision, they should accept the outcomes. He became so infamously known for his direct nature and lack of rumination that nearly every cultivator who worked under him knew not to explain their actions when scolded, as that would only make Mingjue angrier. Mingjue believes that he does not make mistakes, for every action he took was his own decision, and if the repercussions were negative, he was to accept it. And he believed that everyone else should do much the same.

▶ I AM MORE INCLINED TO FOLLOW MY HEAD THAN MY HEART.
▷ 4: Nie Mingjue is impulsive but never makes a final decision without considering the repercussions. He was astute in his observation skills and had a penchant for planning, stubbornness, and experience leading armies. He acted in revenge against Wen Ruohan, for the death of his father, only when the sect leader made enemies of every other cultivation sect and war was inevitable. He advocated for the remaining refugee Wens Clan members to die off, knowing they'd become vengeful in the future if they were allowed to live. He harshly trained his brother to lead the Nie sect before he died, worrying that the spoiled young man would be unprepared. He saw through Jin Guangyao's treachery. He had concluded that Wen Ruohan killed his father when his father's saber breaking was meant to look like an accident. Mingjue was blunt and socially stunted but tried to reason on what would work best.

▶ I AM PRONE TO WORRYING THAT THINGS WILL TAKE A TURN FOR THE WORSE.
▷ 5: He would personally state that he was a realist if asked, but Nie Minguue is 100% the pessimistic sort. Perhaps it was because of his father's death that he started to think in such ways. After witnessing his father's grave injuries firsthand, it seems Mingjue has come to a subconscious acceptance that it is something that inevitably will happen to him as well. It is why he trained Huaisang to inherit the position of Sect Leader eventually. Although not stated directly in canon, it is assumed by many that he is doing such because he knows that he will not survive long enough to pass down the position to any children with the path he chose. He doesn't believe that things will take a turn for the worse-- He knows that they will, and so he prepares for what he deems to be the inevitable so that those after him at least have a better chance.

▶ I ENJOY WATCHING PEOPLE ARGUE.
▷ 1: Nie Mingjue is not fond of petty conflicts. If he had a choice, he would prefer to avoid them altogether. If it weren't for the unfortunate circumstances surrounding his father, he would have done his best to stay away from any verbal conflicts. It is evident in the canon that he is not interested in the conversations that take place during the sect conferences. He seems to have little patience for the back-and-forth semantics of such discussions. Perhaps his stubbornness plays a role in his attitude as well. Once he makes up his mind on a subject, he refuses to budge, and he does not argue about it with others. As a result, he often gets his way simply because he will not give the opposing party any leniency.

▶ I TEND TO AVOID DRAWING ATTENTION TO MYSELF.
▷ 1: Nie Mingjue is canonically the tallest, broadest, most intimidating person within the cultivation realms. Every action he takes is with little subtlety, and he is boisterous and loud by nature when he talks. All of his statements are direct, and he wears his emotions on his sleeve. Simply being who he is, with his abilities and his position, made it impossible not to get attention since the day he was born. These days, he is used to it and does not see a point in hiding himself in any way.

▶ I OFTEN DO THINGS AT THE LAST POSSIBLE MOMENT.
▷ 1: Having led the frontlines of Hejian during the Sunshot Campaign, Mingjue had to spend just as much time thinking of things tactfully as he did impromptu. He always led his men with a battle plan in mind and was so good at fortifying the front lines and using divisionary tactics that he was one of the few sects that could not only hold back the Wen army but also defeat them. Knowing as much as he did about the inevitable outcome of every Nie Leader, he planned well in advance what he needed to do to ensure his clan would survive even after his eventual passing. Although spontaneous when he needs to be, Mingjue will always be someone to go into something with a strategized plan first.

▶ I FIND IT EASY TO EMPATHIZE WITH A PERSON WHOSE EXPERIENCES ARE VERY DIFFERENT FROM MINE.
▷ 3 This one is a very big it depends. While Mingjue quickly shows compassion for those who live less lavish lives than him, he also has no sympathy for those who must do cruel things, even if it's between life and death. He is one of the few cultivators who seems to look at people without care for title, birthright, or position but instead judges a person solely by their actions and how they live their life. When he first met Jin Guangyao, he saw the young cultivator as someone who worked hard and learned well, even when circumstances were so rough that no one else would. So, when many people put Jin Guangyao down due to his birthright, Mingjue quickly disregarded it and promoted Jin Guangyao to the position of envoy. But the day he saw Jin Guangyao kill one of the Jin sect captains, his direct superior, he was just as quick to throw it all away no matter what tearful response or reasoning Jin Guangyao gave him.

▶ I BECOME BORED OR LOSE INTEREST WHEN THE DISCUSSION GETS HIGHLY THEORETICAL.
▷ 2 Mingjue, although not a fan of watching others bicker, is a big fan of going into his reasoning, especially if it allows him to further drive his perspective into someone in an attempt to lecture them on morality. In the end, he is "that guy". He is the one to constantly argue back semantics and push aside anyone else's nuance to boast about why his reasoning is correct. Ultimately, it drives both his stubbornness and his competitive side, making it nearly impossible for him not to keep driving his point in a conversation, no matter how theoretical it becomes.

▶ I RARELY FEEL INSECURE.
▷ 4 As stated above, Mingjue is used to receiving attention throughout his life. Because of this, where many in the Jianghu are cautious about how others perceive them, Nie Mingjue seems to care very little. It helps that, due to his physically imposing nature, being ranked the 7th most attractive cultivator in the realms by the public, being skilled with his cultivation abilities, and his high status in society, Mingjue had very little reason in his life to have to feel insecure about himself. Perhaps the only way he does is when he is approached with the concept of his own quickly deteriorating lifespan, in which he will immediately stiffen up and either ignore the topic entirely, brush it off, or become outright aggressive and aggravated over it.

▶ I AM STILL BOTHERED BY MISTAKES I MADE A LONG TIME AGO.
▷ 5 Mingjue is the type that, after his demise, finds himself constantly questioning if there were better ways he could have gone about his decisions. Had he spoiled his brother too much when he was younger? Should he have been harder on him with his training? Should he have been outright and spoken to him about their family's troubled history and lineage? Should he not have tried to keep looking for a cure after he started showing symptoms? Should he have disagreed with Xichen's idea to try meditation and calming to ease the spread of the disease? Should he have never given Jin Guangyao that recommendation to go to Lanling Jin? Should he never have taken Jin Guangyao in to begin with? There were so many things that he had done wrong in hindsight that although he accepts the outcome, he often mulls over the repercussions such outcomes had on others. For as much as Mingjue is willing to throw away his livelihood, he hates the idea that people he cares about are left worse off because of his actions.

SUIT REQUESTS:
Clubs- I think clubs would be an exciting decision as Mingjue usually has a hard time with the more nuanced greyer way of thinking that many people seem to experience, especially in a land as volatile and corruption-ridden as the Golden Peacock. It would be interesting to have him gain insight into the emotions of others. It would also be interesting to break down his psychological reasoning, considering his stubborn-minded nature and unwavering resolve. To slowly widen the small cracks that already exist as they were. As someone constantly reserved by his sense of morality, it would also be fun to give him an easier way to behave impulsively and without restraint to the strict code he holds himself by.

Hearts- The second choice I would have for Mingjue would be hearts. As he usually has a hard time separating his emotions from his mind, it would be nice to see him find ways to stop mulling and thinking over things as much as he had in the previous game. I would like to see him act more upon his feelings, especially as his lover from the prior game is also in this one. Seeing as he's a bit pessimistic, I think it would also be interesting to see how he would behave with a sudden dose of extremely positive feelings implemented onto him. An awkward man outside of professional and wartime settings, it would be fun to see him get dragged out of his shell and suddenly find a craving to have others around him far more often.

RANK REQUESTS: I am open for just about any rank! Either lower or higher on the spectrum, I can think of plenty of interesting ways it would affect not only his character but the characters of those he will be interacting with in the game! Being of noble birth, it would be interesting to see him get a higher rank only to see many people he knows being treated with a lower status. On the opposite side of things, it would be an interesting twist to watch him grow into a perspective where he is suddenly the pauper after spending his entire life being the prince!

SAMPLES:

Sample 1 (The treads with Huaisang and Shang Qinghua especially!)


Sample 2 (Here the one with Jin Guangyao is a long one but a good one!)


Sample 3