Chapter 1 - Brothers in Blood

[Vardaen]

Welcome to the start of the Wang Guo campaign. This kung fu setting takes place in the same world as the other variously run games by the DM Vardaen, including Mahasarpa and Zakhara. As various forces move throughout the world the people of Wang Guo, The Empire, face their own trials and tibulations. The war for Empire has been over for ten years, and Wang Guo has finially begun to truely stabilize into a single empire. However much of that may change as the last seeds for independence still live in hiding in the northern mountains. It is in this world that our heros shall be born, or slain. Welcome everyone to chapter one!

Winter is fast approaching the northern land of Sheng Rui Xue, The Land of Timely Snow. This province of Wang Guo was the last to fall in the war to dominate the Seven Nations and its name is still spoken by many even though it is against Imperial Decree, and the punishment is harsh. Once offically named Tu Qing, the Land of Stone, it lives up to that heritage as most of the region is forboding mountain peaks. Hundreds of small monestaries dot the landscape, and even more villages and towns linger in the hidden vales of this forboading place. That is perhaps what has made it a perfect place for those seeking to escape imperial rule to use as a safe harbor.

Among those hidden in the vales and peaks are the children of the last King of Tu Qing. Scattered to to the winds before the end of the war, the insightful leader Meng Zhiou took the advice of the Master of Fire and scattered his children like so many ashes so they might live. His attempt to save all his children was not a success, for they were strong willed, and proud like their father and would not sit idly by as their father was captured and executed. The oldest son, and second born Meng Li-Yu and the third child and second son Meng Li-Bao attempted to continue the war after thier father's death, but were trapped in a deadly ambush at the base of Broken Sparrow Mountain and refusing to be captured took each other's lives. They were found, their swords piercing one another's heart up to the hilt. Embraced in death they still stood, leaning against one another, dead, but not fallen. After new of this defiance, the Emperor Yun Juman bing Yao (the Glorious Emperor), placed a bounty on the heads of all the hiers of Tu Qing. However the fate of the remaining childern has gone largely unknown, even to one another. However that is about to change.

For the last two weeks two men have traveled the mountains in hopes of finding a single small monestery hidden away among the up coming snow. It all began two week ago on a cold night that would bear a great tragidy for one of them. It was the night the Yin Diao Monastery burned, a night that locals near the place now call the Night of Burning Stone. The soldiers of Wang Guo had arrived to both collect information and seek out a traitor rumored to be visiting there. The monks of Yin Diao were fiercely loyal to the old nation, and while they did not act overtly against the Empire, they did not need to. For their training was in shadows and in silence. Lead by a man known only as Bao Nu (Violent Rage), the soldier's killed those all of theose within, but not without loss, and burned the monastery to the ground with arcane magics that melted the very stone. Only one survied the attack that day unknown to the soliders.

The ashes were still warm when another visitor arrived at the site. The one eyed man came seeking information, but would only find more questions. Sifting through the ashes the one eyed man could see that his hopes of learning from the monks of Yin Diao was now a worthless quest, for the enemies of Tu Qing learned of his coming ahead of time, and struck before he arrived. However one did surive that night, and that young man sat watching from the shadows. Eventually the two confronted one another, one's growing power as a Wu Jen matched the Xiong Shou tactics of the other, and the two refused to fight. It would come out that both sought the same things now - the Children of Meng. However much of that knowledge was now ashes, and only a crude and cryptic piece remained. For before the Xiong Shou master died he imparted both wisdom and a name to his pupil, "Avalanche Covers the Night Monastery" (Xue Beng Zhe Yan Ye), a name that the one eyed man had heard himself.

With no other direction, the two young men traveled from that field of melted stone and began the long trip to seek out Xue Beng Zhe Yan Ye. Tthey found they would survive together much longer than alone. Twice they faced minor threats in the mountains, bandits both times. Men of such low standing in life they they gave their own up far too easily. For the last week they traveled the mountains and now are nearing the end of their trip for in the mist and fog that rings the peak of Flying Spear Point Mountain (Fei Shu Feng Luo), they can see the shimmering of a brass gong.

Display

Welcome to the game Tetnak and WANNA_Bee. The others shall join shortly. This is my Rolling Thunder introduction.

[Vardaen]

Within Avalanche Covers the Night Monastery two young men have lived and grown up for past decade. The monks that run the monastery are both kind and harsh, for they demand much from those that live here, including themselves. Yet they are not without compasion and their good works help the nearby village that has grown up around the monastery and in turn supplies trade with the monks. It is a circlular relationship and the village and monastery have slowly become one and the same over the years. However today the monks seem unexplainably on edge. Many of those that normally are in the village at this hour are home tending to other things. Many more than normal are out in the training yard with sai, bo and lian practicing. Among those out in the yard, are two young friends, both who have finished their chores and are free until evening supper now. Both children came to this place from elsewhere, and both have had atleast passing thoughts of what its like outside these walls. However they know all too well dangers of the mountains, for a year past, while out gathering winter herbs the men enountered a terror of the peaks - a yeti. The massive beast nearly ripped the men in two, but their quick wits and growing training saved them as they tricked the yeti and send it tumbling to its death into a rocky ravine far below. Since that day their bond of friendship has grown stronger.

Display

Welcome Geist and Aramil to the game.

[AramilWindwalker]

Chao, a tall, lean, tan man with scruffy hair and rugged complexion stands in the courtyard near his friend, one of the few he has here, along with the closest thing to family he has ever known. He carries an ornate Wo Dao, a weapon left with him on the monastery steps when he was found there. Upon beginning his training as a guard of the monastery, he was presented custody of the blade. He has finished his chores, and is practicing his Shou Chuang by watching the leaves fall from a tree, leaping forward, drawing his blade and slicing it cleanly in two, leaping back and sheathing his blade all in one swift action. He is not perfect at it yet, but has trained intensively to become a master of the art eventually.

[TetNak]

Gazing upon the world through a single eye are those that have served the kings of Tu Qing for seven generations. Lu Zhou's lone eye cannot do the same until the Wu Jen can find the rightful heir, or at a single heir, of Tu Qing's throne. That eye peers across through the dense fog and heavy winds, staring upon the brass gong.

Lu Zhou is a man of impressive stature, standing as if a giant compared to most others, and especially those without the hard lineage of Tu Qing. But even to those native to the '˜Land of Stone' he is extremely tall. His build is only average, as he does not meet the standards of many of those that have worked in the mountainous mines for their entire lives and have followed the professions of their father's and their father's. In the wind his long black beard wavers, hanging to his chest but sprouting wildly about as the hair does on top of his head. Obviously his most distinctive feature is his left eye, sewn shut twelve years ago, and if one were to look closely they might even see the sew lines made all those years ago.

Though he carries a walking staff, one that is almost as tall as he, he cannot be said as a simple intellectual. For upon his waist there rests a scabbard, and a jian (sword) within, and fit upon his lower back is a broken down gong jian (shortbow) and quiver. The hemp armor he wears is frayed in several areas from impact, but the craftsmanship keeps it from being damaged in any significant since. And though his clothing is rather mundane, he wears a red cape the flaps behind him '¦

'œMay our search end today,' he says, leaning upon his staff as he stops before the gong.

[WANNA_bee]

Dressed in simple clothing he's gathered from the local villages instead of the trademark clothes of someone of his monestary, the Xiong Shou beside the one-eyed man, is what can be called smaller in respect of his companion. A man of few words, Wu Ming (Nameless), enjoys the breeze of the high mountains, as he stares at the endless sky and deep valleys which inclines the feeling of total freedom. The man has growed some dirty beard that matches with his short-cut hair through the weeks spent in the mountains.

Lived in a monestary all his life, Wu Ming can't refuse he likes the feeling of freedom, but an acrid sadness still fills his heart for being forced to leave all he ever cared for. Always a person of logic, he washes off his thoughts with the discipline of his harsh training, after gripping an item hanging down his neck like an amulet one last time, the only thing that his master gave him before he died.

But it is not the only item he carries on himself. His Chang Jian, which his one-eyed companion has never seen him use it before, rests in its sheath on his back, as well as a Gong Jian and a quiver. A trustful Duan Jian in its scabbard is on his waist, where he can quickly draw it, and various small, star-like shurikens adorn his front tunic.

Wu Ming comes to a halt at Lu Zhou's request, and states, "We must be close..."

[Geist]

Chen-Wei isn't tall, nor is he small, but he does seem to be quite thin for his size. The forward half of his head is shaven. The remaining half is unshaven and his hair is drawn back into a long braid. Before his intense and demanding training here at the monastery, Chen-Wei had already been trained to use the pair of nunchaku tucked neatly under his dai (belt). Inside the folds of his dai are biao, or throwing stars.

He stands watching his friend Chao as he attempts to sever falling leaves.
Today is a day much like any other for young Chen-Wei. He and his friend Chao have just completed their chores and now each of them takes turns sharing what they have learned. Chen-Wei had just shown Chao that he could now tumble while twirling his nunchaku defensively... this time he does so without actually hitting his ankles repeatedly.

When the boys first met, there was a spark of competitiveness between them. As it is with most young boys who have not yet grown out of their primal natures. However, both boys soon came to realize that, as the monks of the Avalanche Covers the Night monastery were relentlessly demanding, they needed to find a better way to perform their chores in order that they might actually get to enjoy an evening meal before going to sleep at night. They began to work together.

From morning, to afternoon, to evening, if there was a chore to be done, both Chen-Wei and Chao would do it. When the monks told Chao to wash dishes, Chen-Wei would dry them. When Chen-Wei was told to wax the floors of the temple, Chao would buff them. Now, several years later, long after their shared work plan had drawn them closer, something has finally occurred to them: The monks must have orchestrated the whole thing!

They realized that the monks had been giving each of them duties which were too much to ask any one small boy, or young man, to accomplish. They also reflected on how none of the monks had ever pulled them apart once they began to work together. How odd that seemed now, but at the time, they were too busy working to stay ahead of the tasks, that they never had time to think about such things. All this time they had thought that they were so terribly clever for having outwitted the monks and yet now they knew that it was the monks who were truly the most clever.

"These are the beginnings of humility." Chen-Wei absently contemplates out loud.

[AramilWindwalker]

"Humility? what makes you say that?'

Chao sheathes his Wo Dao and takes a seat next to Chen-wei, but shortly after, he lies back into the grass and stares at the purple and orange clouds colored by the beginnings of the setting sun.

[Vardaen]

** Lu Zhou and Wu Ming stand at least a mile below the Monastery looking up into the fog that wraps around it high in the mountain peak. A set of stone stairs becomes visible as the wind shifts, and the two spy the way that will take them up to the top. Already the air is starting to get thin here, and those that live and work higher up must have great training to ignore the altitude fatigue. There is little other choise and the two begin to climb the stairs one at a time. They climb in silence for a while, for there is no one to make any noise other then them should they desire to speak. The stone is unforgiving and about half way up their begin to feel the effects of the mountain climb and their long trip catching up with them.


** Chao and Chen-wei finish their training for the day and stand together chatting. They have no other buisness to attend to now, having worked together so well as they always have in the past. One of the monks approaches, he is only slightly older than the two, and has at times be an honorable advisary in the training square. "Have you heard? Two strangers have begun the climb." He flashes a smile unbefitting him and moves to head out of the training yard, and though the complex out to the mountain bridge where the best view down to the stairs is.

[AramilWindwalker]

"Shall we?"

he says this to Chen-wei as he gets up and begins walking too.

[Geist]

Chao's first question to Chen-Wei is left unanswered, as one of the monks approaches and enlightens the two friends as to the goings-on outside the gates. Certainly this is an occaision, as it is not often that the monks bother to inform others of happenings outside; Nor do they give themselves up to uncharacteristic smiles... unless, of course, they are plotting something.

"Sure. Let's go see what the brothers intend for us to see. Besides, it's seldom that anyone, other than one of the brotherhood, attempts the climb. This will be something to see!"

Chen-Wei rises to his feet and considers how many more years he'll have to train before he is allowed to leave. It is often quite pastoral here and life has become endurable with Chao's help, but his life calls to him. His past calls to him and with it, his family. His sister calls to him. And all of these calls come from outside the walls of the Avalanche Covers the Night monastery.
He would have stood up to the monks and left years ago, but the brothers had first taught him to recognize his own weaknesses. Then they taught him diligence so he could overcome them. And finally, patience, because the road to perfection is a long one.

Now, Chen-Wei walks over to the gate with Chao and some of the other brothers.