Yang Chao

Played by Antony in Shadow of the Colossus.

Yang Chao - The Wandering Alchemy Peddler

(name meaning "Surpassing the Sun")

Background

Chao hailed from a small village 120 miles north east of Shuto. As a child, he was very good at identifying different type of herbs. He used this skill to create salves and potions that he sold to the villagers.

At the age of 17, he decided to go to the capital city and make his fortune there. He found that making a fortune in the city is alot harder than he thought. He apprenticed at one of the alchemist guild in Shuto, studying and working to make ends meet. 20 years later, Chao has became a very adept alchemist and chemist. One day, he realized that his talent is bound by the city walls. He then decided that he needed to go outside the city and hone his skill by experimenting with different plants and elements. Because there are alot of small villages strewn across the land, he was able to survive despite having little survival skills.

At the age of 58, Chao decided to return to Shuto and expand the knowledge he has found during his travels by catching up on the latest alchemical technology from the guild.

Origin

The Bearer of the Forbidden Knowledge

Zhen (True) Ru (Knowledge) actually was born in Shuto to a family of a rich merchant. Due to his father's wealth, Ru was able to enroll at a prestigious school, one that was sponsored by the Empire. During his studies, Ru particularly excelled in the field of Alchemy. He had a gift in understanding how elements react to each other and he was also a great potion maker. The Imperial Court took notice of Ru's skill and offered him a position in the Imperial Apothecary, the nirvana of any Alchemist and Chemist.

The Imperial Apothecary has libraries of ancient texts and formulas that are only accessible to its members. The Apothecary was built by the first Emperor of Shuto and has been a secret and integral part of the Empire's arsenal. The Apothecary not only researches potions that cure ailnesses, but also develops weapons and other secrets that the Emperor wishes to be revealed. Currently the Emperor's fascination with immortality has been the Apothecary's number one priority.

After working for the Apothecary for 15 years, Ru rose up to a position in the Inner Circle. This meant that he was one of the top Chemists in the Empire. He mostly lived in the Imperial Palace, and spent most of his time working. The rest of his family still lives wealthily in Shuto. And life was beautiful for Zhen Ru.

One day, the Apothecary received a new specimen from the Emperor. It was rumored to be from the long forgotten race that were thought to be extinct. There is some description of this race in the ancient texts, but most members in the Apothecary were quick to dismiss them as legend. The specimen was only revealed to the members of the Inner Circle, and they were ordered to quickly find out more about this specimen. The reason the Emperor is so interested in the specimen is because the legends in the ancient texts suggest that this specimen could hold great magics and possibly the key to the secret of immortality.

Late one night shortly after the specimen and orders were given to the Inner Circle, Ru remained when all other chemists had left for the night, as he felt he was on to something. It seemed when he exposed the strange piece of gray shell to a power stone and intense heat, its dull gray surface shimmered with an almost pearlescent sheen, and it vibrated slightly. Being ever the over-achiever (overconfident and curious), he could not leave it until the next day and continued to heat the odd pauldron-shaped shell while exposing it to an even greater power stone. The small vibrations increased to tremors which caused the specimen to jump from the work bench. Ru caught the shimmering shaking shell just before it hit the cold stone floor. Expecting his hands to be seared to the bone he flinched, but was surprised to feel only a dull warmth as he gazed at the shell, which then began to melt over his hands like putty. Slightly panicked he exclaimed "no, no!" and the shimmering goo held its descent for a moment before sliming up his arm and resting on his shoulder. Ru grasped at it and pulled away his sleeve, but it was too fast and by the time he clawed at the reforming shell on his shoulder it was rigid and faded gray, as it had been on the work bench. One thing was different. It had adhered to his flesh, and maybe more, perhaps even his bone beneath. The shell was solidly attached. A sharp electrical shock coursed through his spine, and Ru's mind began going through everything in his memory including things that he had thought had forgotten. During the flashback, he saw images from his childhood vividly, interweaved with images of an unknown race living in peace. Finally, he fell on his knees and puked from the shock of this event.

When he regained his composure, Ru knew that he had to get away from the Imperial Palace. Now that the specimen has fused with him, he knows that the Inner Circle will now see him as a experiment subject. As a member of the Inner Circle, he has seen the horrors that occurs daily in the experiment room. Using a cloak to cover the bump on his shoulder, he quickly fled the Palace and went to his parents' estate where he went to his personal laboratory. He quickly concocted a potion of "Eater Water", a dangerous mixture that could eat through substances, even metal. In hope that he could get rid of the parasite that is now living on his left shoulder. He hesitated at first and decided to dilute the mixture a little bit. With a resolute mind and biting onto a piece of wood, he poured a drop of it onto the parasite. His muffled scream reflected only a fraction of Ru's pain. It felt like his body was torn in half. He also saw another flashback where the ancient race were being slaughtered by what looked like elite warriors bearing the Emperor's symbol. Ru quickly grabbed a flask of "Essence of Grace" and quickly chugged it to ease his pain. He also quickly downed "Second Wind", an endurance booster. After downing the two potions, he suddenly felt that something wasn't right. His body is rejecting the potions. He hurled and his body went to shock and he passed out. A couple hours later, when Ru woke up, he saw in the mirror that he has aged greatly. He looked like someone who is nearing their 60th birthday. "This must be a curse and a blessing", he muttered. He realized that his new appearance will help him escape the Inner Circle. After some pondering, he decided to disguise himself as a traveling potion seller. He quickly gathered some potions and gear and packed them. He took one of the family's donkey and started walking out of the estate.