Tan Xue

Summary
A smith of considerable skill who with no backing raised her skills to the point she could create Mortal Grade Iron. Having raised herself to a respected position she was brought back down by the actions of her family. After meeting Rugrat she would go to Alva Dungeon where she would eventually head the Smithing Department at the academy and later head of the Vuzgal Academy.

History
Although starting off with no resources Tan Xue developed her smithing skills to help support her family. However despite gaining considerable renown within Kaeju city her family spent all the money and ruined her position within the city. Despite this Tan Xue had considerable love for her brother Tan Yan at the least, even if those feeling were not reciprocated.

A young girl called Julilah would regularly come round Tan Xue's smithy to request that she be trained to be a blacksmith. Tan Xue repeatedly rejected the young woman as she herself had been deeply affected by her past that left her jaded and not wanting to see the same happen to Julilah.

Tan Xue one day met a man who entered her smithy to be trained in the method of creating Mortal Grade Iron and payed her 50 gold for it. Tan Xue's initial opinion of man known as Rugrat was that of a play boy, however this opinion was quickly changed after questioning him to gain a grasp of his knowledge and then his practical skills as a smith. Tan Xue having agreed to train Rugrat and allowed him to use her magic forge for three of his refined Mortal Grade Iron ingots. This Rugrat later turned out to be worth 45 gold with each ingot worth 15 gold a piece.

Tan Xue had in her past became indebted to a man known as Black Eye who was known for his criminal activities and although she could easily pay him the money back, Tan Xue knew that as long as she was in debt to Black Eye he would not attacking her. However if she attempted to escape his grasp he could take extreme measures to keep her within his power.

However having met Rugrat and hearing stories of his travels, Tan Xue's desire for expanding her horizons grew and her fear of leaving the city for the unknown shrank. Eventually one day when Black Eye came and demanded she make a sword for one of his group of thugs, the thug in question turned out to be her brother Tan Yan. Angered by Black Eyes high handed attitude and disappointed in her brothers presence with him Tan Xue handed Black Eyes a storage ring with the money she owed thus ending their debt and no longer under his thumb.

Angered by no longer having such a talented smith as Tan Xue under his control Black Eyes had his thugs beat her. Tan Xue's brother taking the lead, breaking Tan Xue's heart. At this time Julilah arrived at the smithy and Black Eyes had his men grab her. About to use a loophole to allow Black Eyes to carry out a murder without the city being made aware of it Rugrat returned from an auction. Rugrat immediately took in the scene and killed Tan Yan without hesitation and the proceeded to eliminate the other thugs.

As this was occurring Tan Xue passed out and when she came to she found Black Eyes and his men dead. Seeing her brother among the dead Tan Xue remembered what he had just done to her and about to do to Julilah and got over his death. Tan Xue had no more time to take anything in as Rugrat and Erik informed them they would have to leave as the city guard would soon be alerted to the deaths and arrive soon. Tan Xue and Julilah were taken (man handled) to the Ten Realms Token. Rugrat had gathered her smithy into storage rings and handed them to her along with a letter and instructions on where to go to find a safe place to go on The First Realm and aid if they want it.

Upon arriving in Chang Lu in The First Realm Tan Xue and Julilah went as directed to the Wild Reaches Trading Post at the Beast Mountains. There they went to the Bloody Ram inn where they met a man called Niemm. Also meeting with Niemm like they were was a woman called Qin Silaz. Niemm informed them that in the following morning they would be leaving the trading outpost together and arranged a room for them, however Tan Xue had developed a suspicious nature and arranged for Julilah and herself to star elsewhere.

In the morning the party left the town where they found they were being followed by Qins over protective brother Yui Silaz. With Yui in tow (captured with what to do with him being left to someone else) the group met up with others outside the trading post and proceeded on Panthers to Alva Dungeon.

Upon arriving at Alva Dungeon Tan Xue and the others met the Alva Dungeon council, during the meeting where they were being given background on the Dungeon and what it had to offer Taran arrived and requested that Tan Xue teach him the method of forming Mortal Grade Iron. Tan Xue touched by his sincerity (or thrown off by it) agreed and also became a teacher of smithing at the academy.