Gyokuran

Gyokuran (ギョクラン, Gyokuran), titled Gyokuran of Suzak (朱雀のギョクラン, Suzaku no Gyokuran, Vermillion Bird Gyokuran), is a minor character who appears in Suikoden II. She is one of the four Grand Masters of the Black Dragon Group.

History
Gyokuran was one of the Black Dragon Group's four grand masters and held the title "Gyokuran of Suzak" or "Vermilion Bird Gyokuran." She appeared to be the one orchestrating a lot of Hai Yo's challenges before stepping out of the shadows after Bashok's defeat. Hai Yo's eighth challenger and the first of the four lords to do so, before their duel, she cowardly conspired to steal most of Hai Yo recipes, leaving him unprepared for their scheduled cook-off.

Lest her tactics suggest otherwise, Gyokuran was an extremely talented chef in her own right. The only woman among the four lords of the Black Dragon Clan, she twirls her staff beautifully while preparing meals.

Despite this, Hai Yo would manage to defeat Gyokuran in the resulting challenge. Realizing that she lost the heart of a true chef, she left on a journey of rediscovery, returning the recipes stolen from Hai Yo as well as leaving behind her specialty recipe, Tonkatsu.

Trivia

 * Her title given in Suikoden II (Gyokuran of Suzak) is more properly translated as "Vermilion Bird Gyokuran." The Vermilion Bird is one of the Four Symbols in Chinese constellation groupings and is said to rule over the Southern Heavens. It is described as a red bird that resembles a pheasant with a five-colored plumage and is perpetually covered in flame.