Player Name: Mike

Character Name: Shang Tsung

Age: Unknown, looks 35

Fandom: Mortal Kombat

PBs:  Bruce Locke (primary), Hank Harris, Michael Douglas

Education: He received basic schooling in his home village, and eventually became a student of Master Cho, a proficient kung fu master (there is some questionable speculation about whether or not this was a version of Bo Rai Cho). He also learned sorcery and combat techniques from Cho, who also happened to be a master skilled at reading minds. He taught Shang how to look into people's souls, a tactic which he used to win many fights. He was also involved with a young sorceress named Omegis, who shared his obsession with immortality, and who taught him about potions as well as sorcery. And of course he learns anything his foes knew after taking their souls.

Known Likes: He likes power, prestige, having influence over another person's life. He also enjoys the finer things in life; wealth, wine, mansions, women, and many other expensive things.

Known Dislikes: He doesn't tolerate failure. He despises treachery and deceit, even though he has done that as well. Losing is not a happy subject, either.

Fears: He fears death most of all, which is why he went to extremes to stay alive. He's also not a big fan of old age, as he needs to take souls in order to maintain his youth.

Weaknesses: He could be defeated by a foe of equal or superior skill, although he has gotten the upper hand on some occasions. He can be killed in combat, but few have been his equal. However, he seems to have a talent for coming back form death, whether by his design or by another's.

Powers: Very adept at sorcery, able to open to portals to other realms (or to long-distant locations in one realm), can use fireballs, extensive knowledge of rituals and black arts. He has the ability to look into the souls of other people and see their emotions, intentions, and current desires; this comes useful in battle, as it is helpful in anticipating an opponent's attaks. He can also steal souls of defeated enemies, thus gaining their powers and form; but this is also a curse.. if he goes without for too long, he will age, his powers will begin to fade, and he will become as old as he truly is, and die. This would be very bad.

History: Shang Tsung was once from Earth Realm. In fact, he even fought for our side in a Mortal Kombat tournament. It was during this time that he began to lose faith in his master. Shang did not think it was right to learn the powers of sorcery, and yet die like any other man. He knew that Cho had a skill which kept him immortal (stealing a small portion of one's soul).

He had lost the tournament, but had broken a rule.. he had put a spectator in the path of his foe's fireball. Shao Kahn was very displeased. The penalty was death, but the Outworld emperor spared him. He offered him a deal; come to his side, and he would teach Shang what his master would not. The secret to eternal life, which in this case, was stealing souls from victims.

Shang agreed completely. When he and Cho were ambushed by bandits, Shang defeated them, telling one of them that he could also steal. Cho begged him not to do it, as there would be no turning back. Shang went ahead and took his first soul. Continuing to do this would keep him at his young age, thereby ensuring that he lived forever.

He left Cho, keeping company with Omegis. They returned later and poisoned Cho together, then kept him trapped in a cave (of course he would come out a few centuries later). Shang then left Omegis and went to Outworld. He achieved greatness there. In time, he was Kahn's chief sorcerer.

Kahn had invaded realms for eons, every realm he invades became a dead realm known as the Outworld. He was able to take it after winning ten consecutive MK tournaments, as decreed by the Elder Gods. So it was the same for Earth. If Kahn's warriors could win ten tournaments in a row, Earth Realm would be his. They elected Rayden (God of Thunder and Protector of Earth Realm) to guide the mortals.

Shang Tsung won nine times, becoming more powerful with each victory. He had the unholy ability to steal souls from vanquished opponents, which keeps him young. Then he was beaten by the Shaolin monk Kung Lao. For failure, Kahn banished Tsung to the Cobalt Mines of Outworld, under the Shokan region. From there, Shang met Vorpax, another prisoner with a mysterious past (her mother was a queen). They continually tried to kill Kung Lao with devious plots and sending assassins, while trying not to let Kahn know of Tsung's escapes.

In a time when Kahn suspected everyone of betrayal, even his closest allies, he arranged to have them all killed. However, the Elder Gods had then stepped in as a powerless Rayden contacted them. All was restored. Tsung was back in Kahn's favor again. He eventually recruited the Shokan ruler Goro to fight for him in the next Mortal Kombat. Goro won and Shang took the warrior's soul. With this victory, Kahn returned him to his former position of power, where they won nine more tournaments. Until the present era, when Liu Kang defeated him. Kahn restored Shang to life and restored all the sorcerer's powers.

There were several plots by Kahn to take Earth (with or without the tournament), and all of them had failed. Quan Chi, another sorcerer, had approached Shang Tsung with a deal to give him immortality without combat (a door to the heavens where Shang could consume limitless souls). The plan was to resurrect the army of the Dragon King Onaga, who was the first ruler of Outworld. But they had to first eliminate their two greatest threats. They went to Kahn in a false show of allegiance and caught him with a surprise attack, and since he was weakened from the last battle, he was killed.

The second death was more personal for Shang, though. Fighting dirty, he and Quan Chi had both ambushed Liu Kang, but Shang did the killing himself. Then he took his enemy's soul. And it seemed like they were becoming successful, as Shang continued to implant souls into the soldier's bodies, making them eternal and invincible. Unfortunately, Quan Chi was their leader since he possessed the amulet which controlled the souls.

After defeating many of the foes which opposed them, they had to fight Rayden himself. Using their combined forces, they won, and had seemingly killed. And at that point, the alliance had dissolved, as both sorcerers fought for control of the amulet. Despite Tsung's efforts, Quan Chi proved too much for him. When Quan Chi stood alone, a hulking form entered the tomb, and the mummies of the Dragon King's army turned to kneel. In disbelief, Quan Chi looked in shock and in great horror... Onaga, the Dragon King, had returned.

Quan Chi knew what the Dragon King had come for: his amulet. He used his powers against Onaga, but he could not stop him. Even with Tsung, and then Rayden, helping him, they could not stop Onaga. Rayden concentrated his godlike essence into a single blast, which destroyed the palace and everything within, but Onaga was unharmed, and possessed the amulet.

Shang Tsung was believed to have been killed in the blast. It is unknown how he had come back from death, all he knows is that Onaga had finally been defeated during his absence.. it would seem that some time had passed between his death and resurrection.

Current Status: Shang Tsung is currently residing in Miami. He replaced a niteclub owner, one which has very god business and caters occasionally to upper-end clientele. 

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Character Disclaimer: This is an rp. I am not Shang Tsung. Nor am I Bruce Locke, Hank Harris, or Michael Douglas. I am simply borrowing the character and the face for the purposes of entertainment.

Disclaimer for comms: This is an rp based community. No infringement is intended whatsoever. We are not the characters we play. We do not mean any ill intent or malice towards the creators of said characters. We are merely borrowing them for the purposes of entertainment only.