[Exalted-China] Scenes 1-3

[Lev Lafayette]

Scene One: In the Court of the Prince of Min
=============================================

Once there was a Golden Age in China, under the rule of the Tang dynasty.
A mighty empire with great armies, but also great trades, and people would
visit from neighbouring lands, pay tribute, and hear the great poets. It
was also the era when Chinese were introduced to enlightenment and the
Noble Path, as elucidated by Gautama Buddha. But as all gold tarnishes,
all empires fall. Powerful jiedushi, the military governers, sought
plunder and power for themselves. Emperor Wuzong, having wasted the
treasury against the Uyghur tribes led a persecution against the
Buddhists, calling them foreign and demeaning the work [1]. Then there was
the rebellion of Huang Chao, who rose in a period of floods and famine.

The imperial government ignored the victims of these natural disasters,
increasing taxes to fund Emperor Yizong's luxurious lifestyle and military
campaigns. Infamously, the rebels slaughtered over one hundred-thousands
wealthy foreigners in Guangzhou - Muslim Arabs, Muslim and Zoroastrian
Persians, Christians, and even Jews. The rebellion was defeated, but the
Empire was exhausted. Zhu Wen, a jiedushi, overthrew the Emperor Ai, and
established the new Liang Empire. But not everyone wanted to be part of
this new Empire, or at least, the new Empire must recognise local power.

Here in Changle, Wang Shenzhi [2], has been declared Prince of Min.
Blessed with a Mandate of Heaven, four great heroes of the Kingdom have be
welcomed to the court who have been Exalted to possess the powers of the
gods themselves. After removing the threat of Minqing Count and his
army the heroes have been summoned before the Prince of Min.

Of the four great heroes, first there was Shí rén, the stone man, a
terracota warrior from the ancient times who has been brought to life for
the purpose of reintroducing the proper rule of Legalism. Then there was
sombre Taoist priest, Hěn ānjìng who it was rumoured to discover and cure
any ailment, and professed to find a cure for death itself. There was also
Qian Die Zhi, a magistrate-monk of heroic wisdom and martial prowess, who
seeks the reunification of China. Finally, there was Xiǎo Yàn Zi, the
peasant girl of notorious reflexes and dexterity, rumoured to make herself
disappear is needed. She spoke of the ned to install a meritocracy in
China.

The Prince is astoundingly frugal compared to many of his contemporaries,
with a simple but functional cloak, and wearing hemp shoes. His court is
nothing spectacular either, small and with but a few tapestries and
ornaments. He even does not require you to grovel in his presence. The
Prince of Min says that heroes like yourselves reflect Tai Yang Gong or
Grandfather Sun. "Whilst each of you reflects one component, there is also
one missing. This scroll has been delivered to us. Ren Yanwen", he beckons
to a priest, "will read it".

The scroll was discovered on in the treasures of the recent raid against
the bandits of the Minqing County. It speaks of a great ambassador monk
who has found the means of reuniting China, found in the Wuyi Mountains
[3], but is trapped in the tomb of the Bandit Spirit who also controls
tombs of some ancient Exalted.

"The Prince asks that you find this ambassador, and return him to this
court", the Priest explains. "It's about ten days journey from Fuzhou to
Wuyi. There are populations centres along the first five days, but then
thins out substantially. You should consider supplies, and appropriate
clothing."

And with that, the heroes are dismissed.

1] Great Anti-Buddhist Persecution
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Anti-Buddhist_Persecution

2] Wang Shenzhi
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wang_Shenzhi

3] Wuyi Mountains
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wuyi_Mountains


Scene Two: Journey to Nanping
=============================

The heroes conferred among themselves on their various needs for the
journey. Some travel rations would be a wise idea. As would be a mule, to
transport various goods. At Nanping, resupplies could be made before the
journey to the mountains. After making a list of desired goods, each of
the heroes looked blankly to each other on who was actually going to pay
for it all. Shí rén said he always received board and lodgings from the
Cult of the First Emperor. The magistrate-monk lived off a pension when it
was required. Xiǎo Yàn Zi simply took what was needed.

It was fortunate that the doctor had some attention to earthly finances.
The mule was named Cǎonímǎ ("Grass Mud Horse"), and Qian decided to give
up his expensive comfortable sandles for a lower-status version. Hěn
showed that his skills were not just limited to the care of humans, but
also to animals when he surprised all his his exceptional knowledge in the
care and feeding of equines.

In Nanping Shí visited his cult who treated the hero with befitting
honour. From talking to the temple staff, he discovered that one of the
cultists, Gǔnshí, had fallen on hard times, and had joined bandits in the
hills. Meanwhile Hěn found a place to stay and purchased cloaks and
rations for the journey, and Qian insisted that the mule receive one as
well. As the others were shopping for mundane items, Xiǎo spotted a seller
of more exotic goods and supposed that the goods displayed must come from
bandit raids, given their variety. Xiǎo made a few discreet inquiries and
soon found themselves in possession of the bandit fence's address.


Scene Three: Stealing from Thieves
==================================

As the others sought their repose, that night Xiǎo sought ingress in the
house of the Bandit fence. The house was guarded of course, but Xiǎo knew
magical powers of persuasion when the spirit of men were weak. "You don't
want to staying out in the cold", she murmured to the guard. "There is an
drinking house down the road, the huangjiu is cheap, the food is warm, the
women are pretty. Nothing ever happens here". As if the thoughts were the
guard's own reasons, he deserted his post and went on his way.

Xiǎo took this opportunity to stealthily enter the building. First past
the spirit screen, then into the courtyard. With family rooms to the left,
family rooms to the right, carefully she trod. She stopped by the altar to
many gods, but left the offerings and gold inlays alone. Onward to the end
of the building, where the ancestral tablets, scrolls, and family wealth
was found. Xiǎo helped herself to several select pieces, but being
illiterate could not read the scrolls. These were left behind in
preference to portable items of value.

Leaving the house, Xiǎo felt pleased with her ill-gotten gains and thought
of the new items she could buy. Then her thoughts turned to the guard
enjoying himself at the drinking house. All of a sudden, a sense of guilt
struck her. The guard would almost certainly lose his job once the robbery
became known and that he had deserted his post. How would he care for his
wife and children? It was all Xiǎo's fault, for she had tricked him to
desert his post and she had robbed his master. She resolved to find the
guard and offer him a new job. Perhaps if she made a donation to the local
orphanage?

Experience
==========

Shí 5 for character background, 4 for first session = 9
Hěn 5 for character background, 4 for first session = 9
Qian 5 for character background, 4 for first session = 9
Xiǎo 5 for character background, 5 for first session = 10


-- 
Lev Lafayette, BA (Hons), GradCertTerAdEd (Murdoch), GradCertPM, MBA (Tech
Mngmnt) (Chifley)
mobile:  0432 255 208
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