Player InfoName: San
OOC Journal:
fanfictionmingOver 18? Yes
Email/IM/Plurk: mingrps@gmail.com
Current characters: N/A
Character InfoName: Dun Xiahou (as he follows Chinese naming conventions, he introduces himself as Xiahou Dun)
Canon: Dynasty Warriors
Age: 29
Canon/AU/CR AU: N/A
Reference: wikia page for the game,
Wikipedia page on the real-life man, and his
Sanguozhi officer biography.
History: Refer to reference links.
Canon Point: After the Battle of Chibi, when Cao Cao is recovering from the massive defeat. Specifically, after this
cutscene.
World Information: Dynasty Warriors (hereby abbreviated as DW) is an adaptation of a Chinese literary classic called Romance of the Three Kingdoms, which itself is a romanticized retelling based on folk tales and Chinese opera of the Three Kingdoms era during the late 2nd century AD China to the later half of 3rd century AD China. The game is not a strict replica of the original novel with creative licenses taken to keep the characters and story interesting but overall there is still strong traditional Chinese influence in the canon.
Setting/BackgroundThe years before the start of the Three Kingdoms were bad ones: natural disasters, plague, and bandit attacks. The common people did not receive any help from the court either; the Emperor lived under the influence of the Ten Eunuchs who only cared for their own well-being and ignored all the cries for help. Any who dared to speak up were imprisoned and/or executed, with the reprisal sometimes even falling on their family and friends. It's not any surprise that people started losing faith in the Han Empire and those who ran it, as honest and competent officials were silenced and stripped of any administrative power. Stories of court corruption and the cowed silence of any remaining good officers ran rapid throughout the land, and it would not be any surprise if Xiahou Dun, having been born in a noble household, would have grown up hearing them.
Eventually, the land was split between three major forces: Shu, Wei and Wu. Each harboured their own dreams for the land and were willing to fight to the death to accomplish them. Wei was at first the powerhouse between the three, but after losing a massive battle at Chibi around 209 AD, Wei became more or less on equal footing with the other two. DW covers the rise and fall of the Three Kingdoms, from 168 AD to 280 AD. Neither of the three kingdoms ever united China: the Wei Kingdom was overthrown by the Jin Dynasty, which then proceeded to trash the other two. But for 112 years, China would see some of its most bloody wars in history before the arrival of a new era of peace.
CultureTraditional Chinese culture had a lot of focus on values like filial piety, loyalty and respect to your elders. Family honour was taken very seriously, and being thrown out from your family was considered a fate worse than death.
Stability in ancient Chinese society was based on the Five Relationshipsm listed according to importance:
1. Ruler-Ruled
2. Parent-Child
3. Teacher-Student
4. Husband-Wife
5. Siblings
The idea is that if everyone in their roles plays them well, then there will be harmony and peace throughout the land. Thus the Ruled must accept being ruled by the Ruler, while the Ruler must be kind and a just leader towards his people. The Student must respect and obey his teacher with no complains, while the Teacher must not only teach, but care and guide his student to be a model pupil. Also, note that the Ruler-Ruled relationship was the most important relationship of them all. In the case that a person was forced to choose between his lord and let's say, his father and/or mother, than according to the Five relationships he is to choose his lord. Another example would be a husband with a teacher; if the teacher calls on him to do something his wife would not want him to do, then his teacher takes precedence and he will do as his teacher asks.
The people of the DayThe three founders of the three separate kingdoms were Liu Bei, Sun Quan and Cao Cao.
Liu Bei: A descendent from an off-shoot branch of the founder of the Han Dynasty, Liu Bei seeks to restore the Han Empire to its formal glory. Of the three men, he is the only one who still has faith in the fallen Emperor. He creates his Kingdom of Shu when the Emperor is forced to abdicate, ending the Han Dynasty.
Sun Quan: The youngest of the three rulers, he rules the South-East part of China near the Changjiang river, an area traditionally falling under the jurisdiction of the Sun family. Between the three of them, he is the only one to declare his Kingdom of Wu (shortly after Liu Bei announces his) not because of noble aspirations, but mainly because he wants to protect his friends, his family, and his family's heritage.
Cao Cao: The most infamous out of the three, Cao Cao (pronounced as "Tsao Tsao", not "Cow Cow") is Xiahou Dun's cousin and lord. A man with a reputation for uprooting tradition and a ruthless determination to see his ambition realised, Cao Cao is willing to do anything to get rid of the chaos in the land, even if it means spreading a little chaos of his own. Of the three he has the least faith in the Emperor, using the Son of Heaven as a puppet in his schemes while faking loyalty.
Guan Yu: Liu Bei's sworn brother and Xiahou Dun's hated but respected rival. Guan Yu was an amazing warrior, nicknamed the "God of War" for his military might. He was also praised for his loyalty to Liu Bei. Cao Cao greatly admired Guan Yu's strength and desired to have him in his army and offered Guan Yu money, titles, and a rare and powerful horse, but in the end Guan Yu gave everything back save for the horse and went back to Liu Bei. He later emerged as one of the greatest threats to Cao Cao's ambition; it was rumoured that Cao Cao nearly wanted to shift his capital city when Guan Yu became the prefect of a border town between Wei and Shu. All of this did not go down well with Dun, who decided to take matters in his own hands and join the battle to slay Guan Yu.
Personality: A man born in a time of great turmoil, Xiahou Dun was known in his time as a man who was righteous but also very short-tempered. He killed a person who insulted his teacher at the age of 14, and later in his military career he often let his impatience and grudges dictate his actions. It is easy to tick him off especially when it comes to his sore spots and while he has better control of his emotions as an adult he will still make his anger known to you, albeit through less drastic measures. When Guan Yu impresses Cao Cao at the battle of Hulao Gate by defeating the dangerous enemy commander Hua Xiong, Xiahou Dun instantly rushes forth to slay an enemy soldier behind Guan Yu. While this may seem like an ally protecting another, his cousin Xiahou Yuan could tell that Dun was angry at Guan Yu merely because Guan Yu had showed him up in front of his cousin. Reminding him of his lost eye is another way of getting on his bad side; he got into a rage when people teased him as "The One-eyed xiahou", and he used to break mirrors whenever they reflected his image.
His grudges are another negative aspect of his personality. Once you've landed on his bad list, he won't stop holding it against you. He nurses a hatred for Guan Yu so fierce that it spans thirty years. His intense dislike of Guan Yu just grew, especially when Guan Yu established himself as a significant threat to Cao Cao's ambition. His last act before his death is to participate in a campaign against his hated rival, and he is so driven to be the one to lay the final blow that he warns his Wu allies to back off or risk being slain in his seemingly mad charge.
On top of his tendency of losing his temper and keeping grudges, he is also arrogant as a result of his physical prowess. He is one of the strongest generals of the Wei army, maybe even the strongest of them all. Unfortunately, his martial skills don't translate to wise decisions. Basic strategy says be careful of fire attacks in long grassy areas, and he's even reminded so by his aides, but Xiahou Dun got cocky and lead his army straight through one such area. It cost him an army and nearly his life when they fell into an enemy fire trap. It is his pride that blinds him, pun intended, and it is his pride that wounds him and causes him to lose his temper. His grudge against Guan Yu started when the latter demonstrated extraordinary fighting ability, rivalling Dun's and maybe even exceeding it.
Dun's also impatient, opting to act now rather than taking the time to think things through properly. He prefers to be at the frontlines where the action is, rather than sticking at the back and watching the battle unfold in front of him, and when Cao Cao managed to capture Jia Xu, a man who had killed Dian Wei and nearly killed Cao Cao through his clever ploys and tricks, Xiahou Dun saw only the instant gratification of having vengeance for his fallen comrade. Cao Cao though recognized the value of Jia Xu's strategies for his ambition and chose to spare Jia Xu instead, on the condition that the slippery strategist proves his worth. When Xiahou Yuan is later killed, Dun only wants to continue on with the battle to avenge the cousin who was like a brother to him. Cao Cao's decision to retreat, while great from a strategic point of view, was not one Dun could stomach.
Overall, his temper, his intense hatred, his arrogance and his rashness is a toxic mix for any army commander. Xiahou Dun is famous for being a great fighter, but unfortunately also for losing many battles due to his flaws dragging him down. However, he is still someone deeply trusted by Cao Cao and respected by all the other Wei officers despite his track record of losses. His chief defining trait is his never-bending loyalty and devotion to his cousin Cao Cao, and his cousin's dream of a united China free of chaos and strife. This loyalty comes partly because they are family, but partly also because he knows his cousin is the only man willing to play the villain in order to accomplish the greater good.
His loyalty and friendship are definitely things that must be earned, and the best way to earn them is to prove it through actions, not words. He is a man who's grown up in a very tense and pessimistic environment. He's seen a lot of inactivity coming from the Imperial Court, a lot of cowardice and blatant abuse of power. He's seen empty promises and men who do nothing and won't say anything because they fear for the lives of themselves and their families. He knows of an Emperor who doesn't care two hoots and who's not strong enough to lead a country. He's not blind to the suffering of the common people; it's a reality that he deals with nearly every single day. He gets tired of hearing people talk the walk, but not walk the talk, promising relief when he knows nothing new is coming, just another day of pointless gesturing and empty promises. He becomes someone who needs action, not just words, because he's seen just too much suffering and too little things actually getting done.
Thus, it's not surprising that he sees Cao Cao as the man to eventually unite the land and end the fighting. Liu Bei's dream of a land of benevolence means nothing to Dun so long as Liu Bei lacks the guts to make this dream a reality; for Dun, Liu Bei is just a dreamer with a nice dream, but dreams don't help put food on the table or clothe a man. Sun Quan is just out for friends and family, and thus not worthy to support. In the end, only Cao Cao, with his vision for a land where people were judged based on pure merit alone and the steel determination to actually make this happen. Cao Cao is willing to kill, lie, slander, cheat and steal if it will bring him one step closer to his goal; Xiahou Dun knows that in the warring times he lives in this is what's needed to step up to the plate and quell the chaos. Cao Cao is a man who will stop at nothing for his dream; he is a man of action and a vision that stretches far beyond what most others would see. Liu Bei may want a land of benevolence, but between that land and the current situation lies a path of blood and deceit, one that Liu Bei is not willing to walk but Cao Cao is. Cao Cao is the only leader Xiahou Dun knows who actually does things and does not let tradition or sentimental feelings get in the way, and thus he believes that only his lord will be able to bring about the age of peace and prosperity the land desires.
And if there's something anything positive someone can say about Dun, is that he's loyal. Because Cao Cao proves himself as an extraordinary man, Xiahou Dun pledges his loyalty to him, even above his own loyalty to the Han Emperor. Although this is against the Five Relationships, Dun doesn't care because in his opinion Cao Cao deserves nothing less than his unflinching support. As a servant to his lord Dun is willing to die for the sake of Cao Cao's vision and commit atrocities, like slaughtering innocent peasants who are preventing the Wei army from capturing Liu Bei, or flooding the farmer's fields in hopes of flushing an enemy out. Although he may disagree with his cousin's decisions, in the end he will always listen and obey his orders. Once you have his support and trust, he will go all out for you. It's no surprise with his hasty and easily angered temperement that any insult, harm and/or threat to those he respects and care for are dealt with harshly. Even when he was young he was known for being extremely violent. He kills a man who insults his teacher at the tender age of 14; it may seem like overkill, but Dun has been taught from young to respect his teacher, and with how loyal he can get to those he respects it's not surprising that he take slights very seriously.
Xiahou Dun is also fiercely protective of his family. He cares deeply for his two cousins and took their deaths very badly. When Xiahou Yuan was killed, he was very disappointed when Cao Cao refused to pursue vengeance, and when it was Cao Cao's turn to pass on Dun followed him in just a few months time. When Cao Cao's family was in danger, Xiahou Dun rushed out from his post to rescue them although it would cost him the city in turn. The strong emphasis on familial ties in Chinese culture binds Dun to his cousin and lord in a bond that's nigh impossible to break. Even when he cannot understand his cousin and even when his cousin seemingly betrays him by refusing to avenge Xiahou Yuan's death, he reaffirms his loyalty for his cousin because he has faith in his cousin to always come true in the end.
He extends his loyalty and friendship to others who have proven themselves a loyal follower of Cao Cao, but Dun isn't a man who likes to show his feelings too much. As such, he tends to cover up his true feelings with gruff words, pretending that he doesn't care about them and that he only values them as extra soldiers in the army. But the truth is that like his negative emotions, he takes his positive ones to the extreme. He will stick by your side forever and will never abandon you. The truth is that he's a lonely person who can't really make friends due to his prickly nature and his bad temper. It's difficult for him to be honest about how he feels towards his friends; there is no canon explanation for why, but a potential explanation again would be that his pride, his bad social skills and poor choice of words make it difficult for him to communicate with others. Again, he is somewhere who prefers action over words; he lets his actions explain who he is and how he feels about things, rather than telling people outright. The only person he is ever truly honest with is Cao Cao and Xiahou Yuan, and they are the two people that he cares about the most. It takes time, patience and understanding to get close to him, but once you are you will find that he can be extremely caring and over-protective friend. He even says to female officers that have earned his Friendship lines: "I cannot bear to leave your side."
And although Xiahou Dun is arrogant, he displays deep respect for his two cousins, Cao Cao and Xiahou Yuan. He also respects the other Wei generals as comrades who are all fighting for his cousin's dream. And it will raise his ire if anyone dares to look down or disregard those he respects eg. he feels that Guan Yu does not fully appreciate what Cao Cao has done for Guan Yu. His respect though is not saved only for those on his side. He actually does respect Guan Yu, although his pride would not let him admit it to Guan Yu face-to-face until he kills his rival and has a private moment, finally spilling out how much he hated Guan Yu for getting in the way of Cao Cao's dream but respected him as an equal in bravery and loyalty.
Dun is also extremely brave. Although his "charge-in first, talk later" approach to battles is heavily critisized, it takes bravery and confidence to be able to lead an army straight into the frontlines. He does not fear death by the sword and is willing to face down any warrior, even those as reputable and feared as Guan Yu, if it will mean the accomplishment of Cao Cao's ambition for the land.
Lastly, for all his rough talk and ways, Dun does care about the plight of the common people. He actually makes a better administrator than a general, helping the farmers of his area plough the land and build dams. He is very frugal and frequently distributes the spoils of war with his soldiers and the villagers. Again, talk is cheap; he'd rather do something to help those who can't help themselves, rather than make empty promises to better their lives.
Abilities, Weaknesses, and Power Limitations:Xiahou Dun is stronger, faster and tougher than the average man. He is literally a one-man army, capable of taking out a thousand troops by himself (The Japanese title of DW, Shin Sangoku Musou, translates to "Invincible of the Three Kingdoms", a reference to the allure of the game; taking on a whole bunch of troops by yourself). For the purpose of this game though, he will be powered down; while no longer able to take on a thousand troops at one go, he will still be a better fighter than most of his peers. For an idea of how this translates to real life fights, this
clip is a pretty close representation especially the segment from 5:05 to 6:12.
All DW characters have a certain ability called "Musou". It basically activates a brief string (no more than 5 seconds) of powerful attacks and also grants the user immortality for the brief time he/she uses the "Musou" attacks. In the case of this game, Dun will only be able to use a total of three "Musou" attacks each day, and one extra "Musou" attack in the event that he is critically injured. After each "Musou" attack, he will have to rebuild his "Musou" until it's ready for use again. "Musou" needs to be build up over time, either through attacking enemies or being damaged themselves. "Musou" builds up automatically as well when characters are nearing death. While "Musou" attacks are powerful though, they are not game-breaking. They can be blocked and avoided, although characters who block against "Musou" attacks will be knocked back slightly. And in the case of this game, Dun can only slightly dent the ship's hull if he uses all three of his "Musou" attacks on the hull.
Lastly Dun is proficient in different types of weaponry. However, his speciality is with his podao and his sword. He's a decent rider as well.
As for weaknesses, he has a blind side on his left side. While he has trained himself to be able to fight while protecting this blind side, he still lacks depth perception and as such finds firing long range weapons, like arrows and guns, difficult. Dun can also still be damaged the same way a human being can be damaged. It's more of his stubborn persistence and determination that keeps him going, even when he got his eye plucked out, but even he cannot withstand a bullet barrage. However, his biggest weakness is his temper and arrogance. When he gets angry and emotional he rarely stops to think and charges in head-first, relying more on brute strength and intimidation to win his battles. His blows get stronger, but also more erratic and it's easier to trick him into leaving an opening for a counter-attack, or to lure him into traps.
Inventory: 1. His podao.
2. His Chinese Armour + eyepatch, as noted in his appearance.
3. His sword (secondary weapon).
Appearance: Here.
Alternate Universe InfoN/A
SamplesLog Sample: Sample 1,
Sample 2,
Sample 3, and
sample from a TFLN memeNetwork Sample:[
It's not that Dun doesn't know how to use the Omni-tool. It's just his pride prevents him from admitting that he needs to use the contraption. However, after a few days stuck on Omega he's come to realise that he's going to need help with a few things. It's irritating, to say the least, but if he has to stay here, then he's going to need to learn how.]
Alright, listen up. The name's Xiahou Dun. I need some...assistance [
the word leaves a bitter taste on his mouth, but it has to be said] with a few things. You can contact me on this tool, but I'd prefer a meeting in-person. I'm not looking for much; I can handle the hard work, but I'm specifically looking for information, particularly about this place. I don't have much to offer either, but I'm willing to bargain a price for your services.
[
A normal enough request, but Dun's voice switches to a low growl as he issues a warning to the community.]
And if discover that you are trying to cheat me, I will personally see to it that your miserable hide is skinned and displayed outside my abode. I do not tolerate charlatans and liars, so think twice if you're looking for a fool to swindle.
[
And with that, he switches off the feed.]