Michelle "Shifu" Lim

**Michelle Lim**, (**林 米歇尔**) also known as "Shifu" or "Sensei" is a member of the Snake Tong and the Drillmaster for Lim Ga Kuen. A highly skilled martial artist, said to be one of the few who can match and even outclass Fenghuang in terms of technical skill, Michelle has served as an agent in her youth, a veteran of many operations, until she earned the title of head of the Lim family and the Drillmaster of the Forest Fist that her family has practiced and cultivated for centuries. She is considered by many Snakes as their first teacher when it comes to utilizing magic and martial arts, and developing it into a weapon they could rely on.

## Background

Michelle current head of the Lim, one of the oldest families to be part of the Snake Tong. The Lim were not being a proper lineage of magi, the family instead focused on honing their physical capabilities and training other members of the organization in martial arts, whether they were proper magi or not. The family would develop a fighting style that became the primary martial art most, if not all, Shiai-shi recruits first pick up when they join the organization.

Michelle was born to serve the organization, and was expected to die serving the Shiai-shi, an ironbound oath that she took the moment she could talk. She was trained since childhood in Lim Ga Kuen, the fruit of several hundred years of martial tradition, as well as physical combat-oriented magic. She was a fiercely loyal member, dedicated to being a warrior of the Tong, earning spots in Unit 7 and Unit 5 throughout her career as an agent.

It was tradition for the Lim family head to take on the role of head instructor and drillmaster for the Forest Fist Style, and when Michelle was in her late twenties, she assumed her mother's role and became the new "Shifu". For the next twenty years, many members would go through the grueling, yet very effective training regimen that Michelle put them through that emphasized building a system of fighting that fits into the different physical capabilities and personalities of each members. Even members who were mentored by their seniors in their Units were required to train with the Lim for a few years to hone their fighting skills. During this time, Michelle was called Shifu, Shishou, Sensei, and even 'Mistress', by those she trained. She continued to take contracts on the side even as a drillmaster until she married and had children, making her dedicate her time to raising a family as well as training students in the organization. She is considered the first formal teacher of martial arts by many members, and has earned the respect fitting of her alias of "Shifu", the teacher.

## Personality

An iron-willed veteran of many fights, be it duels or large battles. Michelle is the perfect image of a stoic warrior loyal to her lord (In this case, Feng). She has a very high regard of the organization and the martial arts she teaches its members. She despises the idea of letting your emotions control you, especially in the fight. She has seen many allies and enemies fall prey to rage or fear, and makes sure that she herself and her students do not go down that path. Years of martial arts training allowed her to master a state of a clear mind, being free of unnecessary emotions in most situations, although she hasn't shook off the scary expression she wears despite this clear state of mind. Her husband admits that he is still somewhat frightened when he sees the scary look. Despite her cold and strict demeanor, she has a soft spot for her kids, and some of the younger members of the organization. She's a bit of a tiger mom, according to her daughters, at least when it comes to martial arts and speaking Cantonese while in the house. Michelle quoted that "This is the Way of the Lim, we must remember our important traditions." The study of Lim Ga Kuen has also influenced how Michelle views the individual journeys every person, especially her students, follow in their lives. As traditional as she was when it came to teaching the fundamentals, she always encouraged creativity and utilizing the basics she has thought as more of a guide than a strict code to adhere to. As the way of the Forest Fist celebrates adaptability.

Michelle is also quite a dog-person, who tends to have long and one-way conversations with them when no one else is looking. Her hobbies, outside of martial arts, include walking her dogs, playing Go, and singing Karaoke songs from the 80s and 90s. She's got the habit of doing the 'badass crossed arm' pose when she's idling or overseeing students during training.

## Abilities

### Magic

The Lim family were martial artists first, magi second, but they did not disregard magic and continued to incorporate it into their fundamentals. Reinforcement and the flow and control of magical energy are essentials in the Forest Fist and Michelle has total mastery when it comes to precisely reinforcing her body with mana. It's said that a reinforced chop from her hand is enough to level the foundation of a building. She can also reinforce her body at extreme speeds, allowing her to protect herself from extremely fast projectiles or attacks by simply reinforcing the concept of protection in her skin and the concept of support in her bones.

### Martial Arts

A master of the Forest Fist, Michelle has fully honed her mind and body as an extremely versatile weapon. From explosive short-ranged styles of Bajiquan and Arnis, to the elusive Praying Mantis or Shaolin Kung fu, to the high impact nature of Muay Thai, and the control of Jiu Jitsu, Michelle's own Forest of Fists has incorporated so many styles from years of fighting and training, to the point where she can quickly adapt to different opponents based on the appropriate style that gives her the advantage against a foe's own martial arts. While this may leave people thinking she is a jack of all trades but a master of none fail to realize that her true mastery is of Lim Ga Kuen, the system that allows extremely effective integration of different styles into one that a tailored weapon an individual can wield. And while it is true she is not a master in all styles, the skill she uses them with and the ease she can flow from one style to another is a form of mastery in it's self. She truly has earned the title of Drillmaster. The only thing holding her back from easily defeating ancients like Fenghuang in an all-out fight is her limits as a human.