Yugu
The rogue Nakai Yugu joined the Dark Heroes after they had entered The Eastern Provinces searching for new members. Yugu was a Songkram warrior whose older brother was slain by the first generation of Archangel's Heroes during their journey through the Sangmyung Valley. For years, he harboured resentment towards the Archangel's Heroes, seeing them as villains rather than saviors. When the Dark Mage Zak found Yugu during the Dark Heroes' own tour through the Eastern Provinces, Yugu quickly abandoned his post and dedication to the Songkram in favour of pursuing vengeance.
Yugu wielded a kwamud djinnblade axe, which he acquired in secret (from a black market weaponsmith) after being first presented with the opportunity to join the Dark Heroes.
Yugu's appearance was striking, with his skin densely coated with tattoos. From a distance, Yugu appeared to have unnatural black skin. The tattoos he bore were repetitive Pisaka prayers and blessings, a niche Isutan tradition that was thought to grant unnatural strength to an individual^1.
Biography #
Zenkashi Yugu was born into a Nakai family where he was raised, alongside his brother Lishi. Lishi and Yugu were both raised in the sword-school of Gong alongside the other most prestigious nakai prospects. They graduated and became nakai of note, both serving in the biyuan of nakai masters.
While stationed in Du Dô, Lishi encountered the Archangel's Heroes while they were travelling through The Eastern Provinces in search for more members. The local Songkram authorities had their attention drawn to the band of travelers and questioned them on their intentions. The presence of 3 Phovezilans in the team raised a lot of suspicions.
Songkram Suspicion
With Sir Ladodon and Sir Archoth being unabashedly up front with their ties to the Righteous Order, the Grandmaster of Du Dô had a fear that they had arrived on some sort of clandestine mission to uproot the Songkram after they had overthrown the allies of the Order--the Ganpoumi Fi who had been loyal to the Angels.
Elementum Kazakk was a Phovezilan national who served in its military (the Elementum Order), which was also a major concern. While the Songkram believed he may have been a spy, they couldn't explain why he was so open with his identity. Regardless, they viewed him with great suspicion.
Eventually, the Archangel's Heroes were apprehended by the Songkram, with the three Phovezilans being sentenced to death. The heroes had no options but to fight their way to safety, fending off the nakai and Khatkir sent to arrest them in the dead of night.
Lishi was among the nakai there, and was killed during the fight. When the news got to Yugu, he was distraught and overcome with hatred and vengeance. For years, Yugu continued to serve the Songkram as a nakai, but he became wrathful and hateful in his work. He quickly developed a reputation for his brutal methods and violent inclinations. Yugu's spirit became rotten as he only allowed his grudge to fester. Hearing the accomplishments of the Archangel's Heroes after The Battle of Nokkville only made Yugu more furious, especially as their fame and reputation across Hohm grew. Yugu began to dream of facing the Archangel's Heroes himself one day, and prepared himself for that confrontation. He sought out every boon that he could think of--training harder, acquiring pisaka prayer tattoos, and imbibing all manner of strange herbal concoctions that Isutan apothecaries promised would make him stronger.
Once the Archangel's Heroes vanished, Yugu had no peace. His deepest desire was to enact vengeance himself, and knowing that he'd never be able to satiate his wrath made him all the more angry. But the rise of a new generation of Archangel's Heroes gave him new hope, especially when he encountered the traveling Dark Mage Zak and his entourage of Dark Heroes. While he couldn't get revenge on the Archangel's Heroes who had slain his brother, he was promised the opportunity to kill their legacy.
Seduced by Zak's promises of vengeance, Yugu abandoned his post and went out to acquire a final boon in preparation for his long-awaited fight--a kwamud djinnblade, typically illegal for anyone but the Grand Lord to wield. But Yugu's loyalties to the Songkram were shattered and replaced with the burning desire to cut open every last member of the Archangel's Heroes.