Hou Zan

Hou Zan is an aged martial artist from Sana and an important non-player character in Golden Sun: Dark Dawn. He is the mentor of the hot-headed prince of Sana, Ryu Kou.

When Ryu Kou's younger sister, the princess Hou Ju, went to the beastman capital of Belinsk in Morgal, the Morgal king, Volechek, had her captured and held prisoner in his castle. Hou Zan and Ryu Kou attempted to infiltrate Belinsk Castle but were unsuccessful, but they were allowed to escape with ease. The duo make it to the safety of the nomadic village of Te Rya in the glacial midst of the Khiren Mountains, where Matthew's group of Adepts encounter them for the first time - when Ryu Kou thinks of them as enemies, Hou Zan subdues him with a decisive punch to the stomach, and warmly welcomes Matthew's group into the village. Ryu Kou and Hou Zan eventually climb back down into Morgal by scaling the sheer mountain face, while Matthew's group crosses into Morgal through the Teppe Ruins.

After they meet up in Morgal, they make their way down to the Belinsk Ruins where they along with Matthew's group confront Blados and Chalis. After a good fight Ryu-Kou is forced to give up the magma orb and the Luna Tower launches the eclipse. After leaving the party for a while. Matthew finds them both in an outpost with Hou Ju. Where Hou Zan bravely dies defending Hou Ju and Ryu Kou from the monsters.

Quotes

 * In Te Rya:
 * Hou Zan: "My companion was rude. Please forgive him."
 * Ryu Kou: "But what if they're spies?"
 * Hou Zan: (Referring to Tyrell) "This one wears his fiery heart on his sleeve. He is no spy. And we're not in Morgal."
 * Ryu Kou: "True. But even if they aren't spies, they might unwittingly give us away..."
 * Karis: "Excuse me-I gather you've got things to talk about, but can we go into the village?"
 * Hou Zan: "You may enter. / Ryu Kou: "Of course not!"


 * Ryu Kou: "You still have to get past us!" / Hou Zan: "Many apologies, strangers." (Hou Zan punches Ryu Kou in the stomach)


 * Hou Zan: "I've got a good feeling about these folks. If they want to go to Morgal, who are we to say they can't?"


 * Hou Zan: (After Matthew returns Hou Ju's elegant bag to Ryu Kou) "Matthew, I thank you from the bottom of my old heart. You have done more good in this deed than you know."
 * Karis: "I-it was nothing..."
 * Hou Zan: "No, it most certainly was not. And our debt will be repaid."


 * On Talon Peak:
 * Hou Zan: "Young one... Ryu Kou... We don't have to do this."
 * Ryu Kou: "I'm afraid we do. Good-bye, everyone." (Ryu Kou and Hou Zan both leave.)


 * In Belinsk Ruins:
 * Hou Zan: "Please. Allow us to apologize for our recent actions."


 * Hou Zan: (After waking up to see Ryu Kou powered the Alchemy Dynamo) "Ryu Kou, why?"
 * Ryu Kou: "I didn't have a choice..."
 * Hou Zan: (To Arcanus) "This is your fault, monster!"
 * Arcanus: "In what way could this possibly be my fault? Ryu Kou has done this by his own hand."
 * Hou Zan: "Hide behind your excuses, coward. I swear you will pay for what you've done here."
 * Arcanus: "How many times must I demonstrate to you tiresome insects that you can't beat me in battle?"
 * Hou Zan: "At least once more, apparently." ''(Hou Zan rushes forward to attack, but Arcanus disappears using his warping Psynergy.)


 * In Belinsk:
 * Hou Zan: "We are in debt to all of you. I wish it could be otherwise... but farewell."


 * In Iceberg Outpost:
 * Ryu Kou: (With a fatally wounded Hou Zan) "As you can see, Hou Zan is in a bad way."
 * Hou Ju: "He fought off a horde of monsters to protect this place."
 * Hou Zan: "I thought I'd finished them all, but one was only wounded... I let my guard down... But now that Matthew is here, I can finally rest..."
 * Ryu Kou: "Hou Zan, no! You can't die in this forsaken place! I-I won't let you!"
 * Hou Ju: "Yes, hold on long enough for Matthew to take us all back home to Sana, Hou Zan..."
 * Hou Zan: "Ah, that would be a dream... But, alas, one that cannot be..."
 * Ryu Kou: "Hou Zan, no!"
 * Hou Ju: "Don't leave us!"
 * Hou Zan: "Take care of them... Matthew." (Hou Zan passes away.)
 * Ryu Kou: "Hou Zan..."
 * Hou Ju: "No..."


 * Hou Zan: (Spiritual message from beyond the grave) "With my young charges safe at last, I can finally rest without care..."