The Rat Minister

Yingzi Shu, The Scavenger of Betrayal

The Rat Minister

City State: None

Meticulous in his shrewdness and charmingly eloquent in his manipulations, the Rat Minister holds no City State under his control.  Instead, the Emperor has given him a simple task, to remain vigilant and hunt down and signs of betrayal or insurrection.  Yingzi Shu is the Emperor’s Scavenger of Betrayal and his spymaster.  The Minister is aware of every City State’s back alleys and hidden tunnels.  It is believed that he has connections in every black market and criminal network that exists.

No one knows for certain what Yingzi Shu looks like.  Some say he is but a title that many people embody when the duty calls for it.  Others say he is a Ghost that possesses bodies as appropriate.  Others believe he is merely a grand master in disguise and secret martial arts.  The truth remains uncertain, save for that Yingzi Shu is real, dangerous, and always listening.

[occ] Choose your top three Ministers and give sample write-ups

Each Zodiac Minister reflects certain qualities and traits.  This list is taken from the wikipedia entry on the Chinese Zodiac and will be used to help inspire concepts for character creation.  Each player will play the role of one of the twelve original Zodiac Ministers.

1. Rat - 鼠 (Yang, 1st Trine, Fixed Element Water): Forthright, tenacious, intense, meticulous, charismatic, sensitive, hardworking, industrious, charming, eloquent, sociable, artistic, shrewd. Can be manipulative, vindictive, self-destructive, mendacious, venal, obstinate, critical, over-ambitious, ruthless, intolerant, scheming.
2. Ox - 牛 (Water buffalo in Vietnam) (Yin, 2nd Trine, Fixed Element Water): Dependable, ambitious, calm, methodical, born leader, patient, hardworking, conventional, steady, modest, logical, resolute, tenacious. Can be stubborn, narrow-minded, materialistic, rigid, demanding.
3. Tiger - 虎 (Yang, 3rd Trine, Fixed Element Wood): Unpredictable, rebellious, colorful, powerful, passionate, daring, impulsive, vigorous, stimulating, sincere, affectionate, humanitarian, generous. Can be restless, reckless, impatient, quick-tempered, obstinate, selfish, aggressive, moody.
4. Rabbit - 兔 (Cat in Vietnam) (Yin, 4th Trine, Fixed Element Wood): Gracious, good friend, kind, sensitive, soft-spoken, amiable, elegant, reserved, cautious, artistic, thorough, tender, self-assured, shy, astute, compassionate, flexible. Can be moody, detached, superficial, self-indulgent, opportunistic, stubborn.
5. Dragon - 龍 (Yang, 1st Trine, Fixed Element Wood): Magnanimous, stately, vigorous, strong, self-assured, proud, noble, direct, dignified, jealous, eccentric, intellectual, fiery, passionate, decisive, pioneering, artistic, generous, loyal. Can be tactless, arrogant, imperious, tyrannical, demanding, intolerant, dogmatic, violent, impetuous, brash.
6. Snake - 蛇 (Yin, 2nd Trine, Fixed Element Fire): Deep thinker, wise, mystic, graceful, soft-spoken, sensual, creative, prudent, shrewd, elegant, cautious, responsible, calm, strong, constant, purposeful. Can be loner, bad communicator, possessive, hedonistic, self-doubting, distrustful, mendacious, suffocating, cold.
7. Horse - 馬 (Yang, 3rd Trine, Fixed Element Fire): Cheerful, popular, quick-witted, changeable, earthy, perceptive, talkative, agile - mentally and physically, magnetic, intelligent, astute, flexible, open-minded. Can be fickle, arrogant, childish, anxious, rude, gullible, stubborn.
8. Sheep or Ram - 羊 (Yin, 4th Trine, Fixed Element Fire): Righteous, sincere, sympathetic, mild-mannered, shy, artistic, creative, gentle, compassionate, understanding, mothering, determined, peaceful, generous, seeks security. Can be moody, indecisive, over-passive, worrier, pessimistic, over-sensitive, complainer, weak-willed.
9. Monkey - 猴 (Yang, 1st Trine, Fixed Element Metal): Inventor, motivator, improviser, quick-witted, inquisitive, flexible, innovative, problem solver, self-assured, sociable, artistic, polite, dignified, competitive, objective, factual, intellectual. Can be egotistical, vain, selfish, reckless, snobbish, deceptive, manipulative, cunning, jealous, suspicious.
10. Rooster - 雞 (Yin, 2nd Trine, Fixed Element Metal): Acute, neat, meticulous, organized, self-assured, decisive, conservative, critical, perfectionist, alert, zealous, practical, scientific, responsible. Can be over zealous and critical, puritanical, egotistical, abrasive, opinionated, given to empty bravado.
11. Dog - 狗 (Yang, 3rd Trine, Fixed Element Metal): Honest, intelligent, straightforward, loyal, sense of justice and fair play, attractive, amicable, unpretentious, sociable, open-minded, idealistic, moralistic, practical, affectionate, sensitive, easy going. Can be cynical, lazy, cold, judgmental, pessimistic, worrier, stubborn, quarrelsome.
12. Pig - 猪 (Wild boar in Japan and Elephant in Northern Thailand) (Yin, 4th Trine, Fixed Element Water): Honest, gallant, sturdy, sociable, peace-loving, patient, loyal, hard-working, trusting, sincere, calm, understanding, thoughtful, scrupulous, passionate, intelligent. Can be naïve, over-reliant, self-indulgent, gullible, fatalistic, materialistic.

Players are to comment below (or email me) their top three choices, and a short write-up for each choice.  
An example write-up can be found below:

The Rat Minister  
Raigô Ajari

子

Meticulous in his shrewdness and charmingly eloquent in his manipulations, the Rat Minister watches over the City of Hidden Splendors, a city based near the water front where illegal goods, blackmarket wares and similar shipments are received.  Though the city's corruption is publicly known, the city maintains a facade of order and peace - one enforced by the Rat Minister who travels the streets as both judge, jury and executioner in his domain.

Dressed in the brown silk that has been embroidered without any markings denoting his position as a Minister, the Rat Minister has always showed loyalty to the Jade Emperor.  Some whisper, though never to his face, that the Rat Minister has seduced the Jade Emperor with access to narcotics and other illegal vices.  While he will never be equally bribe the Emperor with the sheer wealth the Pig Minister's City of Fortune gambling hostels can, his ability to find the rarest and scarcest things makes him an invaluable ally in the Emperor's eye.