Post by missery on Jul 28, 2008 13:44:34 GMT -5
Name: Iroh
Age: 64
Nation: Fire Nation
Bender?: Yes
Physical Appearance:
Iroh is an older man who has a very round appearance to him. His stomach bulging out slightly and appears like nothing, but fat. There is muscle underneath though. He stands at about 5 '6. He appears like the typical older man in his body structure. His arms are thick and not as muscular as they once had been. He is strong none the less. He appears like a weakened old man who has been affected by age. Underneath this fight he does have a bit of muscle. This is evident in his strength. His hair is graying and around the forehead a little passed the middle of his head is completely bald. His hair doesn't reach past his shoulders and is relatively smooth. His beard is the same way except it goes down his chest. His forehead is wrinkled ever so slightly.
His face has a slight oval shape to it. His hair making it appear larger then it is. His eyebrows are very "Full" and a little large. His eyes are sharp, but appear slightly dulled compared to what they used to be. They are almond in shape and aren't usually completely open. His hazel pupils are always visible though. They give off a calming gaze and a very humorous one, but underneath the surface is something completely different. His nose is somewhat large compared to the normal size. His lips are soft and somewhat medium in size. His lips are usually forming a gentle smile.
Clothing/Armor:
Fire Nation Clothing:
Iroh wears a dark almost black shade of red shirt underneath all of his clothing. The collar is made of a light gold colored material, a mixture of silk and cotton. It hugs his neck, but doesn't suffocate him. One layer of the collar flows under the other, held together by a small button. The sleeves end right after the shoulder. The reason for this is that they aren't there to be seen really, just there for the collar. It is made of a very light material to avoid over heating.
Iroh wears a dark, dull Scarlet robe. The material is light as silk and just as embracing. It is a hybrid silk material that is very rare. It moves with his body with ease and doesn't restrict his movements. This scarlet robe has wider sleeves that open up at the ends. This allows him to easily place his hands together with in the sleeves or to hide things with in them. This robe reaches down to right above his ankles hiding his pants completely.
He wears pants made of very light cotton like material. They are a deep colored red probably closer to black then anything else. The pants are long and wide, not baggy, but not hugging his legs. These pants aren't usually visible because of the robe he wears that reaches to his ankles.
Above this he wears black armor. There are several trims of red flowing through it. The chest plate is small, not covering his whole chest. There is a plate around his stomach that goes all the way around to his back. It has padded shoulders that stop at about the end spiking out just a little. The material is light, but it is durable. The armor is most likely a light Zinc metal.
He wears a golden clasp around his hair putting it into a top-knot.
He wears a dark burgundy belt around his waist; it hangs down just a little bit. It is more for show then for functionality.
He wears shoes made of a light silk, but durable. The primary color being black, but there are a few strips of red and gold giving it a very royal appearance.
Weapons:
Iroh uses the true art of fire bending, the art passed down by the great dragons themselves. It has flowing and powerful movements to it. The style appears very graceful, but is very deadly. He no longer relies on hatred or anger, so his fire bending style is very pure and also a lot more focused then most other styles of fire bending.
He is capable of using Blue fire, but he uses red fire primarily. The reason for him primarily using red fire is that he prefers to only use his strongest fire bending when he must. He tends to keep his trump cards till the last minute. Iroh is also capable of breathing fire hence the nickname "Dragon Of The West".
Iroh is one of the select few who can generate lightening, but rarely uses it. He is also able to redirect lightening, something he learned from studying the art of water bending. This is a skill unique to him and any one he teaches.
Iroh is capable of a very defensive style that allows him to turn an enemy’s strength against them. He uses this instead of fire bending to hide the fact he is capable of it when he is trying to keep his identity secret. Other times he uses it because he doesn't wish to harm his opponent. He rarely wishes to cause damage to his opponent, instead he tries to incapacitate them or force them to flee.
Personality:
Iroh appears to be an almost senile old man who isn't very well versed in the world of war. It gives him a laid back, relaxed almost care free appearance. He is far from that though. This is something he does merely to relax and because he doesn't want to show his true potential every moment of time. His love of tea isn't an act though or his love of Pai Sho. Both of which seem like a small little hobby or preferable thing to him, but are actually much more. The Pai Sho being a way to prove that he is a member of the White Lotus Society, and the tea is a relaxing and very loved hobby of his.
Iroh uses humorous dialogues to cope with certain situations wither serous or not. The reason for this is that he understands that no matter what something must be done so there is no point in being completely consumed with worry and fear. He uses his humor to lighten the mood even if it seems awkward and misplaced it is a kind gesture. It is an expression of kindness in his opinion and reserved only for those he truly cares for mainly his nephew Zuko, who doesn't usually interpret it in the way it is meant to be. It's something that Iroh personally dislikes, but he attempts to use his sense of humor to get Zuko to relax and just stop worrying. Very rarely does it work though or at least it doesn't appear to at the best of times.
Even when he isn't acting with in the reputation he has gained he still shows concern for his nephew and those he holds dear. He is very concerned about his nephew's well being and his allies. This is shown in the fact that he left the siege of Ba Sing Se as well as the several occasions he imparts wisdom to his nephew and tries to get him to turn away from the path he is taking. He forms very powerful bonds with those close to him and hurts when he sees them do something they don't wish to do or when they are confused or in pain. He care so deeply for them that he will do anything to help them follow the right path and will become slightly depressed when they decide to take the path he feared they would. He doesn't show this often because he doesn't wish to. He hides his pain for the sake of the other person, but he will hint to how their decision has impacted him and everyone else. Another hint to the fact that the person has strayed from the right path is when he suggest continuously an alternate path or saying it isn't to late to change.
Through it all he has the heart of a hobbyist. He is well versed in music and has a particular liking of the pipa as well as his ability to play the instrument. His love of tea is another hobby that has added to his aloof personality as well his knowledgeable appeal. Being an amateur botanist he takes great pride in being able to name the exact plant used in the making of a tea as well as describing its particular healing properties and flavor. Many find it a strange and slightly irritating thing, but it is one of his best qualities. It is another one of his many tricks that allow him to relax and repress his worries in certain situations. It’s also an easy way to unwind.
He can be slightly flirtatious with older woman. This in combination with his kind, gentle, and caring nature make is almost impossible to believe him to be the brother of the fire lord and an Ex-General who almost took Ba Sing Se. He is the opposite of most fire benders who are loyal to the fire nation, but that is something he takes pride in. It is also the reason that he is very distant from the fire lord and that there is bad blood between the two. Iroh understands that most people believe him to be a failure because of his inability to take Ba Sing Se, but he believes it wasn't. This is another reason for his odd personality traits. He likes to look on the bright side of things and he always brings of the bright side of the attempt to seize Ba Sing Se. He claims that he wasn't forced back, but retreated for the sake of his soldiers. This proves his caring for his allies as well as his understanding of the greater destruction.
Underneath his complex mask that is a mixture of acting and truth hides a heart of an elderly man who has been through many things in his life. He is very serous and very focused underneath the false appearance he puts fourth. He feels a lot of regret as well as pain from past events, but he masks this with his sense of humor and joyful attitude. He never speaks of it, but he still to this day feels responsible for his son's death. This is the reason he is so protective of Zuko, he is afraid he may lose another person he cares for. Maybe not to death, but to himself. Either way he won't let it happen and continually attempts to make a difference in Zuko's life and show him the better path.
Iroh is very wise even for his older age. He understands many things that most people couldn't. He understands the fine line between good and evil. He also understands that no matter whom the person is there is still a chance for redemption, at least most of the time. There are some he knows are beyond redemption and must be stopped no matter the cost. Something he has learned over the years, watching his brother as well as his niece. To them he appears cold and somewhat uncaring. A very odd personality change for him, but he doesn't waste his energy on being positive around them. Instead he is strictly serous and focused.
He doesn't wish to hurt them though unless he has to. This is easy to tell by his particular style of fighting. Instead of using fire bending to harm or to kill he uses it to disarm his opponents. This means he usually uses his own style which is of grace and fluid motions that allow him to keep an opponent from attacking.
Iroh is very in tune with the world around him. Being able to see the spirit world and also having ventured there before he has a knack for seeing things others can't. He is also very balanced and believes in balance. This is the main reason he is able to use lightening and also a result of his journey to the spirit world.
Iroh is a great strategist who can come up with a plan in a small amount of time. He takes into consideration all the important and minor details when doing so which is why he was such a great general. This is the reason he is still respected and many still refer to him as General Iroh. He can exploit the smallest weakness using it to destroy the greatest structure no matter how close to perfection it is. This is the reason he is so powerful in combat and feared in times of war.
Background:
At a young age Iroh was capable of fire bending. His father took great pride in this and focused on training Iroh and sharpening his skills. This is the main reason that Iroh is so good at fire bending; he was trained in it at a young age. There was one quality his father didn't like though. Iroh had a sense of humor and usually lightened the mood with a joke or did something humorous. This was a habit his father forced him to drop before he was trained in firebending. Iroh stopped this habit, but only in his father's prescience.
He was very good at making friends and was very social. He rarely focused on his studies or his lessons. Instead he focused on music something his father believed to be a waste of time. Something he was constantly punished for. It was never as harsh as it should have been; the reason being that his father had such high hopes for him. Being favored by his father also assisted in the fact that he was never harshly punished. His father didn't keep Iroh from being Social, but sought to limit the time he spent with others. As a result Iroh felt a little distance put between himself and his father. The two differed so much even in his younger years. Iroh continued his close bonds with his friends and his socialite behavior, but he did it in a more appropriate time frame. He never gave up his love for music; instead it became something he enjoyed even more.
Being the crown prince he was of course put into military school once he was old enough. Upon entry he had a knack for the strategy courses and displayed very general like qualities. His father's hopes for him rising every month or so when he displayed a very advanced understanding of a new subject or fire bending technique. He slowly became more studious seeing as how he was forced to do so at first. Slowly it became second nature to him. He excelled at his classes and it was guaranteed that he would pursue a courier in the Military and easily excel at it. That was what his father had wanted. Iroh hadn't intended to pursue such a position; he had originally wanted to become involved in music.
Iroh easily graduated from the military academy and was placed as a general in the army. He only commanded a small force and didn't see much major combat. This didn't last that long though. Upon entry into the army he showed very useful skills that several higher up generals used him for. Usually asking him what they should do in combat or asking him to develop a plan for a certain battle. He was treated with great respect before and after he displayed his military prows. The reason for this because he was the Crown Prince. He became somewhat of a war mentor constantly instructing the generals that out ranked him in how to approach battle situations. Rarely did he take credit for these exploits because he didn't really care for the glory. He was fine with a simple and humble life. A few of his battle plans were sent to his father by a general he had helped most often, General Laise.
Upon hearing this Fire Lord Sozin had Iroh given the rank of high ranking general. Something he didn't particularly care about. He did of course play the part of a grateful son and took the rank with great pride and joy, even if it was an act. He quickly became one of the best Generals in history.
Upon his 21 birthday he had become a very accomplished firebender as well as a general. This was also the time his younger brother was born. He didn't get to know his brother well because of the fact that he was constantly being called upon by the military forces. The few times he did see his brother was short and very limited. He never really got a good impression of his brother.
Through the years he began to notice his brother's odd attitude towards him. He never thought much of it and didn't really notice that his younger brother grew up in his shadow. It is something he regrets not noticing sooner. The time he spent free from the military was usually spent either with his friends or the woman who he had come to like over the years. Thus leaving little time to spend time with his brother, but he had enough time to form a slight rivalry.
During his time before marriage and settling down he visited the Sun Warriors. Upon his arrival he was forced to see a pair of dragons who would decide if he was worthy of the true art of fire bending or not. They decided yes and he learned the true art of fire bending. This is the reason he is capable of using great fire bending powers without using his anger or hatred to fuel them. The reason for this is still unknown even to himself, but it was something that had impacted his life for ever. The reason for it is unknown, but it taught him several things about the world around him.
Upon leaving he informed the fire nation that he slain the last dragon to keep them from going back to the island. He did this in return for them teaching him and also because he thought that the sun warriors and the dragons deserved to be free of any risk that the fire nation might invade their homes and kill the last dragons.
His time around his brother dwindled further when he settled down with his wife Mingzhu. Married at the age of 38. The two were in deep love and were rarely separated unless Iroh had to go into battle or a war meeting. Iroh never really thought much about marriage, it had just happened between the two. They shared several hobbies and a joy of tea.
At the age of 41 Iroh had the great gift of a child by his wife, Mingzhu. After giving birth Mingzhu tragically died. Iroh was deeply pained by her early passing, but it didn't affect the love he had for his son. Instead it increased the joy he had in his son and the love he had for him. He saw Lu Ten as a gift and as the only thing he lived for. This is the reason he was so protective of his son and leery of him joining the army later on.
After his wife's passing Iroh became very absorbed in the types of Tea and his several other hobbies. They reminded him of Mingzhu and just lessened the impact it had on him. He usually did such activities with his son hoping to spark in interest in the. Only a few of those hobbies were enjoyed by both though. He played in an important role in his son’s life and was very close to him. This is why he hadn't wanted his son to join the army when the war began. When he found out about this he had his son transferred to his team,
In the time they had together, they were inseparable. He never let his son out of his site and was very protective. It was hard for Iroh to always be there though. Between being a general and a single father he hardly found the time to rest. He did the best he could for his son, he spoiled him with gifts and only left him in the care of trusted friends. The time he was able to spend with Lu Ten was precious to him and he always remembered them.
The two bounded well together
Upon the beginning of the war he suggested to his son that he leave, maybe stay at the Earth Nation. His son wouldn't take up the offer and refused to listen to his suggestion. Iroh was hurt by his son's stubbornness, but was proud that he was so loyal and proud of his decisions. This didn't keep him from bringing up the suggestion from time to time.
When the siege of Ba Sing Se began Iroh was very worried about his son. Iroh was constantly watching over him and not letting him out of his site not even during battle. Even in his distracted state he was able to hold his own in combat. When the war seemed to finally be over and like they would take over Ba Sing Se something happened that made his dreams and his hopes crumble. He witnessed his son's death, he had tried to save him.....but he couldn't. This effected Iroh so deeply that he became a shell of his old self for sometime. This was the reason he retreated back to the fire nation.
Upon arriving back at the fire nation Iroh slowly let himself go. He stopped training and just skulked for some time. He wasn't even that affected by his father's passing or his brother's seizing of power. If it hadn't been for his son's death Iroh would have challenged his brother for rite of the thrown. He didn't believe his brother was right for the position or deserved it. He knew his brother was greedy and power hungry, so he was afraid he would bring destruction the fire nation. He longed to over throw him, but he couldn't. He couldn't hurt his own brother and he wasn't ready to take over the fire nation. He wanted to do what was best for his people, but he couldn't deal with such power. Iroh took the place of general without a word.
For a short time he left the fire nation to find himself. He traveled from place to place attempting to find spiritual contact. He longed to go to the spirit world to see his son one last time. He spent months trying to find such contact, but finally succeeded. He was thrust into the spirit world not knowing what to expect. He had been forced into it without a moments hesitation, he was slightly afraid. He wasn't afraid for long though. Upon entry he was greeted by his son. He admitted to his son's spirit how guilty he felt for what happened and how he would have traded his life to save Lu Ten. Lu Ten told him it was o.k. and tried to convince Iroh he had nothing to feel guilty of. Iroh said he understood, but in truth he still felt guilty. He would never be free of that guilt. He didn't exit the world after his talk with his son. He hadn't been brought to the spirit world just to see his past son, but to come to terms with Lu Ten's death and to learn balance.
He didn't know how long he was in the spirit world, it seemed like a day. In truth it was only a couple of hours. He wandered the spirit world trying to find a way out of it. After mindlessly wandering for hours he was greeted by a spirit. He couldn't identify this spirit at first, its voice was distorted and it's appearance was to clouded to make out. The spirit appeared to be made out of light itself. The spirit talked to Iroh saying that until he came to terms with his son's death and understood it was destiny at work he wouldn't be allowed to go. Iroh argued with the spirit for a while countering every word about destiny that it breathed. He became frustrated with the spirit and angry. After refusing to speak and leaving he was greeted by a voice he hadn't heard in what seemed like ages. It was the voice...of his wife.
The voice brought tears to his eyes and his heart. He had never felt so happy to hear something before in his life. Upon hearing the voice he felt safe and calm. He turned to her asking her of what must be done. He didn't know why, but when those words were spoken in the voice of his wife he lost all hatred and frustration. He was left with longing, but as well as understanding. The conversation seemed to never end. He was left enlightened about his destiny and the purpose he would serve because of this spirit. This spirit, his wife's spirit should him the balance that needed to be restored and shaped him into the man he was now.
Upon his return home he came across a group of people playing pai sho. He took a great interest in the game and joined in after observing it several times. He lost his first game, but as he learned the pieces he became a force to be reckoned with in this game. During on of these particular matches he was greeted by a proverb which he responded to with a clashing proverb from the fire nation. The man he was playing against lost the game, but was actually happy about it. He offered Iroh a cup of tea and a short discussion. Little did he know that it was actually Fung who he would later call a dear friend. The two had a long discussion about balance and such. Eventually Fung approached Iroh about the White Lotus society. Iroh willingly joined and promised to keep it a secret. He had never planned on becoming the Grand Master, but he eventually did.
During his time as a general he became aware of an ancient society, the White Lotus Society. In secret he joined it and has hidden the fact he is a member.
As the months passed he started to see more and more of his son in Zuko from time to time. He took a great interest in his nephew spending a large amount of time spoiling him. He thought taking Zuko into a war meeting would be a great gift for his favorite nephew, but it turned into something horrible.
Iroh witnessed the fight between his brother and Zuko. He watched the fight until the second he knew that Ozai intended to brand his own child. Iroh looked away unable to handle the sight. He was surprised by the harsh punishment placed upon his nephew and quickly decided to go with his nephew into exile.
Many were happy to see him leave believing him to be a failure, most of these people working under Ozai of course. Those who were enlisted onto Zuko and his crew saw him as a war hero.
Iroh played the part of mentor, father figure, and councilor to Zuko for their uneventful 2 years even if it appeared to do nothing at first. His bond, respect, and care for Zuko grew more and more. He thought of Zuko as a son and protected him from himself as best he could. He constantly tried to get him to leave the path of what Ozai had told Zuko was "redemption". Iroh thought of it as nothing more then a pointless chase that wasn't worth the time. He believed that Zuko should turn away from this path of pain and just leave the fire nation completely. He wasn't going to let Zuko die for the fire nation like his son did....he couldn't. Besides he didn't think the Avatar still lived.
Upon the discovery of the Avatar Iroh doubled his efforts to change Zuko's mind. He secretly wanted the Avatar to succeed in defeating Ozai, but he would not voice this. He attempted to assist Zuko in capturing the Avatar though. The reason being that he wanted Zuko to be happy and also not draw attention to himself.
During there following of the Avatar Iroh showed several moments of what appeared to be stupidity or just irritating ignorance. Like his losing of White Lotus Tile. Zuko believed that he was just forgetful, but in truth he had purposely had them travel in search of it. He wanted to keep Zuko's mind off the Avatar for some time, but at the same time lead him to the Avatar. He hoped that if Zuko failed enough times to capture the Avatar that he would just give up.
Sample RP:
Iroh looked at the Pai Sho board, his eyes focused on his White Lotus Tile.
"No game of Pai Sho can be won without the White Lotus Tile." Iroh said pleasantly as he pressed his finger gentle upon the small board piece.
It was a statement he had said so many times that it was almost like clockwork. Slowly he moved the piece forward his eyes scanning the board as he did so. He looked at each piece, it's location and capabilities. His observant eyes were the reason he had been such a great general and such a great Pai Sho player. His flashed his usual large toothy grin when he realized he had one.
"I think this makes me the winner again." Iroh said with his deep, robust laughter that was his trademark.
He slowly straightened his posture and his smile became some what humble.
"How about four out of five?" Iroh asked with a large grin, he wasn't surprised by his opponents decline. It always went this way.
"Wish it could have been longer, but a good game. Besides everything is best in moderation even Tea. That is if you are capable of limiting the amount you drink, but if you are like me there is no such thing as moderation when it comes to tea." Iroh said with his usual kind chuckle.
Slowly he rose to his feet and brushed off his clothing making sure it was smoothed out. He glanced at Zuko who was leaning against the wall oblivious to the game and agitated by the fact they had failed to defeat the Avatar as of late. He had grown accustom to seeing Zuko in this state, but that didn't mean he liked it any less. Iroh walked slowly to his nephew and thumped him roughly on the shoulder. He left his hand resting on his Nephew's shoulder.
"Why so down Zuko? There is plenty of tea and a lovely game of Pai Sho waiting for you if you wish to play." Iroh said attempting to lighten the mood.
He knew Zuko's answer would be no, which was what he said every time the offer was made. That didn't mean he would stop trying to get Zuko to do so.
"My dear nephew relax, enjoy your time. We have plenty of time before we arrive at Gaoling. Let us enjoy them. You never know how quickly the tides may change and the chance to rest be washed away." Iroh said warmly, throwing one of his many proverbs around in the conversation.
He found that those sayings said more then he could say in a mere sentence or so. That was why he used them so often.
"Very well Zuko....at least enjoy a nice cup of tea with me. You can at least humor an old man that much." Iroh said, this was one suggestion he wouldn't take no for an answer on. They both knew that.
Iroh's eyes focused on Zuko observing any movement he might make. He had learned that he could learn a lot from Zuko's body language. This was something he used very often to his advantage in getting Zuko to relax every so often. Iroh slowly removed his hand from Zuko's shoulder and slowly walked back to the table he had sat at before. He knelt onto the cushion and called a fire soldier over.
"Can you bring us some tea please?" Iroh asked or at least it sounded that way.
It was such a gentle tone that it didn't sound like a demand. Anyone who knew his love for tea would know it was never a question, it was always a demand. Iroh watched the soldier leave the room to retrieve the tea as asked. When he saw him exit the room he beckoned for Zuko to sit with him.
"Zuko come and sit down. You know how relaxing tea can be." Iroh stated knowing that it would be enough to get his nephew to sit down even if it was grudgingly.
Iroh smiled warmly at his nephew when as he sat down.
"That wasn't so hard was it?" Iroh questioned in his usual tone of happiness.
Iroh caught a few words out of Zuko's grumbling, but made no comment on it. He had grown use to Zuko's occasional well actually very usual negative reaction to anything that didn't involve finding the Avatar.
The two sat in silence until the tea was brought to them. Iroh knew not to push his nephew to much when it came to delicate matters like these. If he pushed him to much when it came to relaxing and not thinking of the Avatar he would storm off. If he didn't push hard enough his suggestions would just be ignored. Iroh turned his gaze from his nephew to the cup of tea in front of him. He took in a deep breath taking in the gentle aroma of the gentle Jasmine Tea they had been served.
"Such a delicate smell.....That of tea. So easily over powered, yet so strong if preserved correctly." Iroh said before he wrapped his fingers gently around the cup.
He slowly brought it to his lips and blew into the cup. The temperature of the tea quickly going from scolding hot to the perfect warmth. How he loved to be able to fire bend, it made drinking to so much easier. Slowly he sipped the tea savoring the gentle taste of it. This was one of his favorite things in the world. Just savoring the taste of tea no matter the situation it always calmed him down. Slowly he brought the cup away from his lips and placed it upon the table with a gentle clink.
"The tea is delicious as always, wouldn't you agree?" Iroh asked looking at his nephew.
He watched his nephew hastily drink the tea that had been offered to him.
"You know if you drink it quickly you don't get a chance to taste the tea. Sipping it slowly allows you to taste all of it making it something to savor." Iroh said in his usual tone. He always made this comment to Zuko, but the comment was always ignored.
Age: 64
Nation: Fire Nation
Bender?: Yes
Physical Appearance:
Iroh is an older man who has a very round appearance to him. His stomach bulging out slightly and appears like nothing, but fat. There is muscle underneath though. He stands at about 5 '6. He appears like the typical older man in his body structure. His arms are thick and not as muscular as they once had been. He is strong none the less. He appears like a weakened old man who has been affected by age. Underneath this fight he does have a bit of muscle. This is evident in his strength. His hair is graying and around the forehead a little passed the middle of his head is completely bald. His hair doesn't reach past his shoulders and is relatively smooth. His beard is the same way except it goes down his chest. His forehead is wrinkled ever so slightly.
His face has a slight oval shape to it. His hair making it appear larger then it is. His eyebrows are very "Full" and a little large. His eyes are sharp, but appear slightly dulled compared to what they used to be. They are almond in shape and aren't usually completely open. His hazel pupils are always visible though. They give off a calming gaze and a very humorous one, but underneath the surface is something completely different. His nose is somewhat large compared to the normal size. His lips are soft and somewhat medium in size. His lips are usually forming a gentle smile.
Clothing/Armor:
Fire Nation Clothing:
Iroh wears a dark almost black shade of red shirt underneath all of his clothing. The collar is made of a light gold colored material, a mixture of silk and cotton. It hugs his neck, but doesn't suffocate him. One layer of the collar flows under the other, held together by a small button. The sleeves end right after the shoulder. The reason for this is that they aren't there to be seen really, just there for the collar. It is made of a very light material to avoid over heating.
Iroh wears a dark, dull Scarlet robe. The material is light as silk and just as embracing. It is a hybrid silk material that is very rare. It moves with his body with ease and doesn't restrict his movements. This scarlet robe has wider sleeves that open up at the ends. This allows him to easily place his hands together with in the sleeves or to hide things with in them. This robe reaches down to right above his ankles hiding his pants completely.
He wears pants made of very light cotton like material. They are a deep colored red probably closer to black then anything else. The pants are long and wide, not baggy, but not hugging his legs. These pants aren't usually visible because of the robe he wears that reaches to his ankles.
Above this he wears black armor. There are several trims of red flowing through it. The chest plate is small, not covering his whole chest. There is a plate around his stomach that goes all the way around to his back. It has padded shoulders that stop at about the end spiking out just a little. The material is light, but it is durable. The armor is most likely a light Zinc metal.
He wears a golden clasp around his hair putting it into a top-knot.
He wears a dark burgundy belt around his waist; it hangs down just a little bit. It is more for show then for functionality.
He wears shoes made of a light silk, but durable. The primary color being black, but there are a few strips of red and gold giving it a very royal appearance.
Weapons:
Iroh uses the true art of fire bending, the art passed down by the great dragons themselves. It has flowing and powerful movements to it. The style appears very graceful, but is very deadly. He no longer relies on hatred or anger, so his fire bending style is very pure and also a lot more focused then most other styles of fire bending.
He is capable of using Blue fire, but he uses red fire primarily. The reason for him primarily using red fire is that he prefers to only use his strongest fire bending when he must. He tends to keep his trump cards till the last minute. Iroh is also capable of breathing fire hence the nickname "Dragon Of The West".
Iroh is one of the select few who can generate lightening, but rarely uses it. He is also able to redirect lightening, something he learned from studying the art of water bending. This is a skill unique to him and any one he teaches.
Iroh is capable of a very defensive style that allows him to turn an enemy’s strength against them. He uses this instead of fire bending to hide the fact he is capable of it when he is trying to keep his identity secret. Other times he uses it because he doesn't wish to harm his opponent. He rarely wishes to cause damage to his opponent, instead he tries to incapacitate them or force them to flee.
Personality:
Iroh appears to be an almost senile old man who isn't very well versed in the world of war. It gives him a laid back, relaxed almost care free appearance. He is far from that though. This is something he does merely to relax and because he doesn't want to show his true potential every moment of time. His love of tea isn't an act though or his love of Pai Sho. Both of which seem like a small little hobby or preferable thing to him, but are actually much more. The Pai Sho being a way to prove that he is a member of the White Lotus Society, and the tea is a relaxing and very loved hobby of his.
Iroh uses humorous dialogues to cope with certain situations wither serous or not. The reason for this is that he understands that no matter what something must be done so there is no point in being completely consumed with worry and fear. He uses his humor to lighten the mood even if it seems awkward and misplaced it is a kind gesture. It is an expression of kindness in his opinion and reserved only for those he truly cares for mainly his nephew Zuko, who doesn't usually interpret it in the way it is meant to be. It's something that Iroh personally dislikes, but he attempts to use his sense of humor to get Zuko to relax and just stop worrying. Very rarely does it work though or at least it doesn't appear to at the best of times.
Even when he isn't acting with in the reputation he has gained he still shows concern for his nephew and those he holds dear. He is very concerned about his nephew's well being and his allies. This is shown in the fact that he left the siege of Ba Sing Se as well as the several occasions he imparts wisdom to his nephew and tries to get him to turn away from the path he is taking. He forms very powerful bonds with those close to him and hurts when he sees them do something they don't wish to do or when they are confused or in pain. He care so deeply for them that he will do anything to help them follow the right path and will become slightly depressed when they decide to take the path he feared they would. He doesn't show this often because he doesn't wish to. He hides his pain for the sake of the other person, but he will hint to how their decision has impacted him and everyone else. Another hint to the fact that the person has strayed from the right path is when he suggest continuously an alternate path or saying it isn't to late to change.
Through it all he has the heart of a hobbyist. He is well versed in music and has a particular liking of the pipa as well as his ability to play the instrument. His love of tea is another hobby that has added to his aloof personality as well his knowledgeable appeal. Being an amateur botanist he takes great pride in being able to name the exact plant used in the making of a tea as well as describing its particular healing properties and flavor. Many find it a strange and slightly irritating thing, but it is one of his best qualities. It is another one of his many tricks that allow him to relax and repress his worries in certain situations. It’s also an easy way to unwind.
He can be slightly flirtatious with older woman. This in combination with his kind, gentle, and caring nature make is almost impossible to believe him to be the brother of the fire lord and an Ex-General who almost took Ba Sing Se. He is the opposite of most fire benders who are loyal to the fire nation, but that is something he takes pride in. It is also the reason that he is very distant from the fire lord and that there is bad blood between the two. Iroh understands that most people believe him to be a failure because of his inability to take Ba Sing Se, but he believes it wasn't. This is another reason for his odd personality traits. He likes to look on the bright side of things and he always brings of the bright side of the attempt to seize Ba Sing Se. He claims that he wasn't forced back, but retreated for the sake of his soldiers. This proves his caring for his allies as well as his understanding of the greater destruction.
Underneath his complex mask that is a mixture of acting and truth hides a heart of an elderly man who has been through many things in his life. He is very serous and very focused underneath the false appearance he puts fourth. He feels a lot of regret as well as pain from past events, but he masks this with his sense of humor and joyful attitude. He never speaks of it, but he still to this day feels responsible for his son's death. This is the reason he is so protective of Zuko, he is afraid he may lose another person he cares for. Maybe not to death, but to himself. Either way he won't let it happen and continually attempts to make a difference in Zuko's life and show him the better path.
Iroh is very wise even for his older age. He understands many things that most people couldn't. He understands the fine line between good and evil. He also understands that no matter whom the person is there is still a chance for redemption, at least most of the time. There are some he knows are beyond redemption and must be stopped no matter the cost. Something he has learned over the years, watching his brother as well as his niece. To them he appears cold and somewhat uncaring. A very odd personality change for him, but he doesn't waste his energy on being positive around them. Instead he is strictly serous and focused.
He doesn't wish to hurt them though unless he has to. This is easy to tell by his particular style of fighting. Instead of using fire bending to harm or to kill he uses it to disarm his opponents. This means he usually uses his own style which is of grace and fluid motions that allow him to keep an opponent from attacking.
Iroh is very in tune with the world around him. Being able to see the spirit world and also having ventured there before he has a knack for seeing things others can't. He is also very balanced and believes in balance. This is the main reason he is able to use lightening and also a result of his journey to the spirit world.
Iroh is a great strategist who can come up with a plan in a small amount of time. He takes into consideration all the important and minor details when doing so which is why he was such a great general. This is the reason he is still respected and many still refer to him as General Iroh. He can exploit the smallest weakness using it to destroy the greatest structure no matter how close to perfection it is. This is the reason he is so powerful in combat and feared in times of war.
Background:
At a young age Iroh was capable of fire bending. His father took great pride in this and focused on training Iroh and sharpening his skills. This is the main reason that Iroh is so good at fire bending; he was trained in it at a young age. There was one quality his father didn't like though. Iroh had a sense of humor and usually lightened the mood with a joke or did something humorous. This was a habit his father forced him to drop before he was trained in firebending. Iroh stopped this habit, but only in his father's prescience.
He was very good at making friends and was very social. He rarely focused on his studies or his lessons. Instead he focused on music something his father believed to be a waste of time. Something he was constantly punished for. It was never as harsh as it should have been; the reason being that his father had such high hopes for him. Being favored by his father also assisted in the fact that he was never harshly punished. His father didn't keep Iroh from being Social, but sought to limit the time he spent with others. As a result Iroh felt a little distance put between himself and his father. The two differed so much even in his younger years. Iroh continued his close bonds with his friends and his socialite behavior, but he did it in a more appropriate time frame. He never gave up his love for music; instead it became something he enjoyed even more.
Being the crown prince he was of course put into military school once he was old enough. Upon entry he had a knack for the strategy courses and displayed very general like qualities. His father's hopes for him rising every month or so when he displayed a very advanced understanding of a new subject or fire bending technique. He slowly became more studious seeing as how he was forced to do so at first. Slowly it became second nature to him. He excelled at his classes and it was guaranteed that he would pursue a courier in the Military and easily excel at it. That was what his father had wanted. Iroh hadn't intended to pursue such a position; he had originally wanted to become involved in music.
Iroh easily graduated from the military academy and was placed as a general in the army. He only commanded a small force and didn't see much major combat. This didn't last that long though. Upon entry into the army he showed very useful skills that several higher up generals used him for. Usually asking him what they should do in combat or asking him to develop a plan for a certain battle. He was treated with great respect before and after he displayed his military prows. The reason for this because he was the Crown Prince. He became somewhat of a war mentor constantly instructing the generals that out ranked him in how to approach battle situations. Rarely did he take credit for these exploits because he didn't really care for the glory. He was fine with a simple and humble life. A few of his battle plans were sent to his father by a general he had helped most often, General Laise.
Upon hearing this Fire Lord Sozin had Iroh given the rank of high ranking general. Something he didn't particularly care about. He did of course play the part of a grateful son and took the rank with great pride and joy, even if it was an act. He quickly became one of the best Generals in history.
Upon his 21 birthday he had become a very accomplished firebender as well as a general. This was also the time his younger brother was born. He didn't get to know his brother well because of the fact that he was constantly being called upon by the military forces. The few times he did see his brother was short and very limited. He never really got a good impression of his brother.
Through the years he began to notice his brother's odd attitude towards him. He never thought much of it and didn't really notice that his younger brother grew up in his shadow. It is something he regrets not noticing sooner. The time he spent free from the military was usually spent either with his friends or the woman who he had come to like over the years. Thus leaving little time to spend time with his brother, but he had enough time to form a slight rivalry.
During his time before marriage and settling down he visited the Sun Warriors. Upon his arrival he was forced to see a pair of dragons who would decide if he was worthy of the true art of fire bending or not. They decided yes and he learned the true art of fire bending. This is the reason he is capable of using great fire bending powers without using his anger or hatred to fuel them. The reason for this is still unknown even to himself, but it was something that had impacted his life for ever. The reason for it is unknown, but it taught him several things about the world around him.
Upon leaving he informed the fire nation that he slain the last dragon to keep them from going back to the island. He did this in return for them teaching him and also because he thought that the sun warriors and the dragons deserved to be free of any risk that the fire nation might invade their homes and kill the last dragons.
His time around his brother dwindled further when he settled down with his wife Mingzhu. Married at the age of 38. The two were in deep love and were rarely separated unless Iroh had to go into battle or a war meeting. Iroh never really thought much about marriage, it had just happened between the two. They shared several hobbies and a joy of tea.
At the age of 41 Iroh had the great gift of a child by his wife, Mingzhu. After giving birth Mingzhu tragically died. Iroh was deeply pained by her early passing, but it didn't affect the love he had for his son. Instead it increased the joy he had in his son and the love he had for him. He saw Lu Ten as a gift and as the only thing he lived for. This is the reason he was so protective of his son and leery of him joining the army later on.
After his wife's passing Iroh became very absorbed in the types of Tea and his several other hobbies. They reminded him of Mingzhu and just lessened the impact it had on him. He usually did such activities with his son hoping to spark in interest in the. Only a few of those hobbies were enjoyed by both though. He played in an important role in his son’s life and was very close to him. This is why he hadn't wanted his son to join the army when the war began. When he found out about this he had his son transferred to his team,
In the time they had together, they were inseparable. He never let his son out of his site and was very protective. It was hard for Iroh to always be there though. Between being a general and a single father he hardly found the time to rest. He did the best he could for his son, he spoiled him with gifts and only left him in the care of trusted friends. The time he was able to spend with Lu Ten was precious to him and he always remembered them.
The two bounded well together
Upon the beginning of the war he suggested to his son that he leave, maybe stay at the Earth Nation. His son wouldn't take up the offer and refused to listen to his suggestion. Iroh was hurt by his son's stubbornness, but was proud that he was so loyal and proud of his decisions. This didn't keep him from bringing up the suggestion from time to time.
When the siege of Ba Sing Se began Iroh was very worried about his son. Iroh was constantly watching over him and not letting him out of his site not even during battle. Even in his distracted state he was able to hold his own in combat. When the war seemed to finally be over and like they would take over Ba Sing Se something happened that made his dreams and his hopes crumble. He witnessed his son's death, he had tried to save him.....but he couldn't. This effected Iroh so deeply that he became a shell of his old self for sometime. This was the reason he retreated back to the fire nation.
Upon arriving back at the fire nation Iroh slowly let himself go. He stopped training and just skulked for some time. He wasn't even that affected by his father's passing or his brother's seizing of power. If it hadn't been for his son's death Iroh would have challenged his brother for rite of the thrown. He didn't believe his brother was right for the position or deserved it. He knew his brother was greedy and power hungry, so he was afraid he would bring destruction the fire nation. He longed to over throw him, but he couldn't. He couldn't hurt his own brother and he wasn't ready to take over the fire nation. He wanted to do what was best for his people, but he couldn't deal with such power. Iroh took the place of general without a word.
For a short time he left the fire nation to find himself. He traveled from place to place attempting to find spiritual contact. He longed to go to the spirit world to see his son one last time. He spent months trying to find such contact, but finally succeeded. He was thrust into the spirit world not knowing what to expect. He had been forced into it without a moments hesitation, he was slightly afraid. He wasn't afraid for long though. Upon entry he was greeted by his son. He admitted to his son's spirit how guilty he felt for what happened and how he would have traded his life to save Lu Ten. Lu Ten told him it was o.k. and tried to convince Iroh he had nothing to feel guilty of. Iroh said he understood, but in truth he still felt guilty. He would never be free of that guilt. He didn't exit the world after his talk with his son. He hadn't been brought to the spirit world just to see his past son, but to come to terms with Lu Ten's death and to learn balance.
He didn't know how long he was in the spirit world, it seemed like a day. In truth it was only a couple of hours. He wandered the spirit world trying to find a way out of it. After mindlessly wandering for hours he was greeted by a spirit. He couldn't identify this spirit at first, its voice was distorted and it's appearance was to clouded to make out. The spirit appeared to be made out of light itself. The spirit talked to Iroh saying that until he came to terms with his son's death and understood it was destiny at work he wouldn't be allowed to go. Iroh argued with the spirit for a while countering every word about destiny that it breathed. He became frustrated with the spirit and angry. After refusing to speak and leaving he was greeted by a voice he hadn't heard in what seemed like ages. It was the voice...of his wife.
The voice brought tears to his eyes and his heart. He had never felt so happy to hear something before in his life. Upon hearing the voice he felt safe and calm. He turned to her asking her of what must be done. He didn't know why, but when those words were spoken in the voice of his wife he lost all hatred and frustration. He was left with longing, but as well as understanding. The conversation seemed to never end. He was left enlightened about his destiny and the purpose he would serve because of this spirit. This spirit, his wife's spirit should him the balance that needed to be restored and shaped him into the man he was now.
Upon his return home he came across a group of people playing pai sho. He took a great interest in the game and joined in after observing it several times. He lost his first game, but as he learned the pieces he became a force to be reckoned with in this game. During on of these particular matches he was greeted by a proverb which he responded to with a clashing proverb from the fire nation. The man he was playing against lost the game, but was actually happy about it. He offered Iroh a cup of tea and a short discussion. Little did he know that it was actually Fung who he would later call a dear friend. The two had a long discussion about balance and such. Eventually Fung approached Iroh about the White Lotus society. Iroh willingly joined and promised to keep it a secret. He had never planned on becoming the Grand Master, but he eventually did.
During his time as a general he became aware of an ancient society, the White Lotus Society. In secret he joined it and has hidden the fact he is a member.
As the months passed he started to see more and more of his son in Zuko from time to time. He took a great interest in his nephew spending a large amount of time spoiling him. He thought taking Zuko into a war meeting would be a great gift for his favorite nephew, but it turned into something horrible.
Iroh witnessed the fight between his brother and Zuko. He watched the fight until the second he knew that Ozai intended to brand his own child. Iroh looked away unable to handle the sight. He was surprised by the harsh punishment placed upon his nephew and quickly decided to go with his nephew into exile.
Many were happy to see him leave believing him to be a failure, most of these people working under Ozai of course. Those who were enlisted onto Zuko and his crew saw him as a war hero.
Iroh played the part of mentor, father figure, and councilor to Zuko for their uneventful 2 years even if it appeared to do nothing at first. His bond, respect, and care for Zuko grew more and more. He thought of Zuko as a son and protected him from himself as best he could. He constantly tried to get him to leave the path of what Ozai had told Zuko was "redemption". Iroh thought of it as nothing more then a pointless chase that wasn't worth the time. He believed that Zuko should turn away from this path of pain and just leave the fire nation completely. He wasn't going to let Zuko die for the fire nation like his son did....he couldn't. Besides he didn't think the Avatar still lived.
Upon the discovery of the Avatar Iroh doubled his efforts to change Zuko's mind. He secretly wanted the Avatar to succeed in defeating Ozai, but he would not voice this. He attempted to assist Zuko in capturing the Avatar though. The reason being that he wanted Zuko to be happy and also not draw attention to himself.
During there following of the Avatar Iroh showed several moments of what appeared to be stupidity or just irritating ignorance. Like his losing of White Lotus Tile. Zuko believed that he was just forgetful, but in truth he had purposely had them travel in search of it. He wanted to keep Zuko's mind off the Avatar for some time, but at the same time lead him to the Avatar. He hoped that if Zuko failed enough times to capture the Avatar that he would just give up.
Sample RP:
Iroh looked at the Pai Sho board, his eyes focused on his White Lotus Tile.
"No game of Pai Sho can be won without the White Lotus Tile." Iroh said pleasantly as he pressed his finger gentle upon the small board piece.
It was a statement he had said so many times that it was almost like clockwork. Slowly he moved the piece forward his eyes scanning the board as he did so. He looked at each piece, it's location and capabilities. His observant eyes were the reason he had been such a great general and such a great Pai Sho player. His flashed his usual large toothy grin when he realized he had one.
"I think this makes me the winner again." Iroh said with his deep, robust laughter that was his trademark.
He slowly straightened his posture and his smile became some what humble.
"How about four out of five?" Iroh asked with a large grin, he wasn't surprised by his opponents decline. It always went this way.
"Wish it could have been longer, but a good game. Besides everything is best in moderation even Tea. That is if you are capable of limiting the amount you drink, but if you are like me there is no such thing as moderation when it comes to tea." Iroh said with his usual kind chuckle.
Slowly he rose to his feet and brushed off his clothing making sure it was smoothed out. He glanced at Zuko who was leaning against the wall oblivious to the game and agitated by the fact they had failed to defeat the Avatar as of late. He had grown accustom to seeing Zuko in this state, but that didn't mean he liked it any less. Iroh walked slowly to his nephew and thumped him roughly on the shoulder. He left his hand resting on his Nephew's shoulder.
"Why so down Zuko? There is plenty of tea and a lovely game of Pai Sho waiting for you if you wish to play." Iroh said attempting to lighten the mood.
He knew Zuko's answer would be no, which was what he said every time the offer was made. That didn't mean he would stop trying to get Zuko to do so.
"My dear nephew relax, enjoy your time. We have plenty of time before we arrive at Gaoling. Let us enjoy them. You never know how quickly the tides may change and the chance to rest be washed away." Iroh said warmly, throwing one of his many proverbs around in the conversation.
He found that those sayings said more then he could say in a mere sentence or so. That was why he used them so often.
"Very well Zuko....at least enjoy a nice cup of tea with me. You can at least humor an old man that much." Iroh said, this was one suggestion he wouldn't take no for an answer on. They both knew that.
Iroh's eyes focused on Zuko observing any movement he might make. He had learned that he could learn a lot from Zuko's body language. This was something he used very often to his advantage in getting Zuko to relax every so often. Iroh slowly removed his hand from Zuko's shoulder and slowly walked back to the table he had sat at before. He knelt onto the cushion and called a fire soldier over.
"Can you bring us some tea please?" Iroh asked or at least it sounded that way.
It was such a gentle tone that it didn't sound like a demand. Anyone who knew his love for tea would know it was never a question, it was always a demand. Iroh watched the soldier leave the room to retrieve the tea as asked. When he saw him exit the room he beckoned for Zuko to sit with him.
"Zuko come and sit down. You know how relaxing tea can be." Iroh stated knowing that it would be enough to get his nephew to sit down even if it was grudgingly.
Iroh smiled warmly at his nephew when as he sat down.
"That wasn't so hard was it?" Iroh questioned in his usual tone of happiness.
Iroh caught a few words out of Zuko's grumbling, but made no comment on it. He had grown use to Zuko's occasional well actually very usual negative reaction to anything that didn't involve finding the Avatar.
The two sat in silence until the tea was brought to them. Iroh knew not to push his nephew to much when it came to delicate matters like these. If he pushed him to much when it came to relaxing and not thinking of the Avatar he would storm off. If he didn't push hard enough his suggestions would just be ignored. Iroh turned his gaze from his nephew to the cup of tea in front of him. He took in a deep breath taking in the gentle aroma of the gentle Jasmine Tea they had been served.
"Such a delicate smell.....That of tea. So easily over powered, yet so strong if preserved correctly." Iroh said before he wrapped his fingers gently around the cup.
He slowly brought it to his lips and blew into the cup. The temperature of the tea quickly going from scolding hot to the perfect warmth. How he loved to be able to fire bend, it made drinking to so much easier. Slowly he sipped the tea savoring the gentle taste of it. This was one of his favorite things in the world. Just savoring the taste of tea no matter the situation it always calmed him down. Slowly he brought the cup away from his lips and placed it upon the table with a gentle clink.
"The tea is delicious as always, wouldn't you agree?" Iroh asked looking at his nephew.
He watched his nephew hastily drink the tea that had been offered to him.
"You know if you drink it quickly you don't get a chance to taste the tea. Sipping it slowly allows you to taste all of it making it something to savor." Iroh said in his usual tone. He always made this comment to Zuko, but the comment was always ignored.