Background:
Long, long ago, there was once a powerful pig demon, now known as Zhu Bajie. Before he joined Wukong and Sanzang on their journey, Zhu Bajie kidnapped the daughter of a village elder and wedded her. Although the demon was eventually subdued and became one of Sanzang’s disciples, the abducted girl bore his child, a freakish pig-human. With time, thanks to Zhu Bajie’s efforts, those physical traits became auspicious and so Bajie’s blood was passed down through time, diminishing with each generation, until it was practically lost.
Fast-forward to the modern day, a magus from London travels to China, during the British rule of Hong Kong, and falls in love with a Chinese woman. Trapped between his identity as a magus and love for the woman, the magus eventually decides to leave, abandoning her in favor of the supernatural world. He did not stay to see the face of his son, so he could never have known that the woman he bedded was a descendent of Zhu Bajie. After centuries, the pig-like physical traits of Bajie’s descendants had thinned to the point that they no longer appeared, but the introduction of western magus blood into the family line created a mutation. For the first time in generations, a child was born with the face of a pig. Terrified that she had birthed a beast, the woman abandoned the child far, far away from civilization. That child would become Zhu Daiji.
Young and defenseless, Daiji was picked up by an old hermit, who found him abandoned in a forest. The hermit sympathized with the child and raised him in the ways of a human, regardless of his beast-like appearance. Through training, Daiji’s mind, soul, and body were shaped into a proper man, learning both the art of temperance and shaman mysticism. Although his upbringing was strict and difficult, Daiji felt compassion and warmth. Yet, whenever a traveler would come to visit the hermit, they would see Daiji and flee in terror. So to, did he understand that he wasn’t wanted by the world.
With time, the old hermit eventually passed away, leaving Daiji alone without companions. On his deathbed, the hermit told him to leave their secluded abode and find people in the world who would understand him. Prior to death, the hermit had told Daiji of how he was found abandoned and theorized that his father was likely one of the western-devils who had invaded their homeland. After the hermit died, Daiji decided to go and find his father in London.
Because of his appearance, he could not use modern-day transportation and had to walk the way there. On his travels, he finally found people who he could call friends, and together they sought out their goals in the land of magecraft.
Characteristics:
Zhu Daiji is a man of both vices and virtues. He is incredibly witty and cynical, exhibiting nonchalant pessimism towards almost every situation. Although he is not extremely eloquent with words, he somehow finds a way to say the right things, often times in simple and straight-forward language. Despite his wit, he is not particularly bright and has trouble following simple trains of thought, at times. When challenged with a problem, his first instinct is to brute force it.
At all times, he is burdened by the will of his flesh. He bears an incredible fondness for good food and pretty women, yet he purposely tries to restrain himself, thanks to his hermit upbringing. If he allowed himself to fall victim to his gluttony and lust, he would be no better than any beast. But he is a human, no matter what he looks like, and will act accordingly. Following these beliefs, he is very strict about acting with manners and respect.
The one thing Daiji appreciates the most are smiles. Not fake ones born from politeness, but genuine happiness. So often he has seen the face of terror from those who see his visage, he has come to take a liking towards those who can still smile alongside him. On his journey, he heads to London not only to find his father but also partially in hopes that one of the powerful mages there can remove him of his pig-like appearance, so that he may walk among society as a normal human being.