Hǔ Méilín

> "I think I recall him saying he was from that warring empire... Essen, I think? Where all those fancy colourful people are from. He certainly... fits the description of those people to say the least. Thank the gods that he is mostly normal at least - his only kink is his obsession with those flowers he grows! They smell nice, so that's a bonus. Pleasing on the eyes too... the roses, I mean." *- Some random neighbouring Noblewoman.*
>
>

## Hǔ Méilín

"Your life and my roses actually have quite a lot in common - they're in dire need of pruning."

- 虎 玫林 (Meilin's name in traditional script)

## History

UNDER CONSTRUCTION - mainly being raised by his father in horticulture and his mother in subterfuge and assassination. Need to know what Essen is mosty like before continuing this section.

## Appearance

Meilin is a rather average looking male, sitting at about 5'10 with a fair complexion and sandy, orangey hair. His choice in outfit deblies his noble and Essenian nature, and often sticks to blacks and deep, dark jewel tones such as purple and blue for a splash of colour. The embellishments on his clothing further enhances his Essenian lineage and ties to the kingdom.

Regarding his lineage, many are often slow to notice that he is of Infernal nature. His mother's side of the family have for generations had many dealings and truces with Rakshasa and would often utilise themselves as their agents in the material world. Some even became Rakshasas themselves. Due to this, Beastbrood Tieflings were as common as Rakshasas, and Meilin would be one of those cases seen. His sandy, orangey hair is attributed to his familial connection to tigers, and has eyes and skin mottling on his chest that is representative of such. Possessing no horns, fur, or scaley skin, the only obvious telltale sign of his Infernal heritage is the tail he often keeps hidden under his clothing.

When working, Meilin prefers to keep his identity and visage hidden beneath a plain, white porcelain mask with a rose etched onto it's face. His outfits take on a more roguish, albeit still noble, appearance not too dissimilar than what you would see in Tel'alu or other similar cities. His outfits often depict imagery of roses and thorns, with a pin of wrought iron shaped like a rose fastened to the collar being the most iconic detail in the ensemble.

## Personality

Outside of his line of work, Meilin is often heard. Period. He is quite a social and warm individual who likes to please a crowd and get them intellectually and socially engaged. Others are often calmed by his presence due to he himself being a calm and confident individual when put into social situations. While not a major facet of his personality, Meilin is known to crack a joke or two, and can be quite jovial when the situation calls for it.

Usually, he will talk about his obsession with roses and botany in general. This is almost always the case as he hates small talk and dwindling conversations, and knows that not many people truly the detail and work that goes into maintaining plants for pleasure. Naturally, he feels a sense of obligation to share such information (but won't ever share his trade secrets!)

While working he maintains the same personality but keeps it under a more subdued, threatening, and almost sadistic facade. He likes to watch his targets weep and pray in fear for their lives. He's no opposed to entertaining them with whatever bargains they may have, but a job is a job and any promises he makes usually never includes the target walking out alive.

## Loves

Coming from the Empire of Essen, Meilin has what most people would considered exotic tastes. He loves food from his homeland, and endeavours to cook it when he has the moment to spare. Anyone who claims they can cook food from this area is met with heavy scrutiny from Meilin, unless they are able to meet his discerning palate.

On the note of his homeland, Meilin remisces fondly of the land despite the state of war it is in currently. Even though he didn't have the kindest or easiest childhood, he still regards the land as one he will forever call home and hopes to settle back down there once his aspirations are met. He does want to make his family proud, after all.

The biggest love he has is that of the roses he grows on his Villa, and just roses in general. His obsession over the flower is bordering on insanity, but he will reason that not enough people truly admire its effortless beauty and structure. He will integrate roses in whatever ways he can - usually this means that he cooks with rose petals and water, and will make herbal teas and rememdies with any and all parts of the roses he grows.

## Fears

Meilin's biggest fear is being discovered that he is in the fact the agent of death that performs the acts of justice under his Goddess Milani's guidance. While he doesn't do a lot to be inconspicuous (he does, after all, live in a Villa) he prides himself on his planning abilities and ensures his marks are meticulously taken care of. The fear of being found out is less about compromising his identity and more about failing in his plans and not considering the variable that lead to the undesired outcome.

Meilin's love for the roses he cultivates borders on obsession, and perhaps his biggest fear that rivals even being discovered is the destruction of those roses. He has put a lot of time, effort, blood, sweat, and tears into the cultivation of all those roses and he will throw his life away before he lets his lifework go to waste.

## Hobbies

Outside of his interesting in contracted slaughter, Meilin is quite the greenthumb and loves to tend to the various kinds of rose bushes he keeps at this villa. A bit of a collector and connoisseur of all kinds of roses, he hopes to find and cultivate every genus of rose this realm has to offer. If asked how he keeps his roses so fresh and vibrant and healthy, he will point to his choice of fertilisers. While not divulging much on his trade secrets, it seems he's never in short supply of whatever it is he uses.

## Family

When talking of family, Meilin will usually only speak of his mother and father. While his family is quite expansive and large, having lived for many many generations, he truly only cares for his immediate familial circle.

Huá Báifú - Meilin's father and resident horticulturist and botanist of the village. Perhaps due to the meaning of the his, Baifu mainly works with Lotus and Hibiscus flowers, but is happy to work with and tend to any flower that needs his assistance. After marrying Meilin's mother, he has been known to assist in her line of work by synthesising Lotus Root into poison for her and her family to use.

Huá Hǔ Dàiyù - Meilin's mother whose family has had a long history of raising assassins and other agents of subterfuge. It is from his mother where Meilin takes his family name despite his mother having both hers and her husband's family name. Both Meilin and Daiyu's take on the family name are non-standard and are often met with raised eyebrows and sometimes controversy in their homeland. Daiyu is also a Beastbrood Tiefling like her son, but aims to one day become a Rakshasa like other, more prolific, members of the family.

## Friends

None at the current stage. Meilin tends to keep to himself and given he is in a new land, he hasn't had the time or opportunity to make any.

## Enemies

None at the current stage. Nobody has threatened his livelihood enough to warrant such a title.

## Aspirations

While it seems Meilin is devoted and setting his horizons on his line of work, his aspirations don't actually align in that direction. His aspirations are quite simple despite how grand and impossible it may seem at current.

Meilin only wants to be able to use his Villa to grow every kind of rose there is in the world. From those grown in the northern cold to some deep underground in volcanic recesses, Meilin wants to find a way to conveniently and practically grow each and every single one of them in his home. He knows that this will involve some form of magic and, while he can't cast magic himself, is endeavouring to find the kind of magic that will allow him to do so, no matter where he might live in the future.

Only once he has obtained every kind of rose will he then consider his next biggest aspiration - creating a rose all of his own. A breed of rose so rare and exclusive to him that only he and a few select others will know and cherish its beauty.