by Eloy Lasanta ({REL[257][articleGame]54TQC5M3REL} Resources)
A Father's Justice
Yang Yun approached his temporary haven, a rented room at a nearby inn. He felt something was not right as he entered and enhanced his senses on instinct. All was as he had left it, but on his desk was a letter. It bore the mark of his teacher, the Jade Spider.
"Has he found out what I have done?" Yun thought. The note says to appear to the Blood Court in the Forbidden City. Tonight. "Tonight?" Yun glanced outside, the moon was nearly gone; the sun was surely not far behind. He gathered up his important belongings, as well as his Black Jade Dagger, just in case, and made his way to court.
The moon shimmered down upon him as he walked. "He must have found out. My master is very intuitive that way," he thought to himself. The atrocious things he had done to that child the night before. How did he think he could get away with it? He stared down in deep thought as he continued his journey to the Forbidden City, looking at the rats, the birds. Would he see them the next night? Would he still be "alive"?
The gates. Sigh. Yun knew where to go from there, to the Hall of Tradition, where smaller courts were held. "Why didn't I just leave the city? This is stupid. I'm walking into a deathtrap and I know it. Damn honor!" He advanced upon the double doors of the hall. Each with the pictograms of scales and Unicorns, symbols of justice. Yeah, this couldn't be good.
Yun crossed the threshold to the hall, only to find three figures standing behind the main podium. One was definitely the Jade Spider, while the other two Yun had never seen before. But the room was not very well lit, so it was quite hard to tell.
"Do you know why you have been summoned, Yun?" his teacher's voice rang through the empty halls causing shivers down Yun's spine.
"Please forgive my futility, master, but I do not." Yun was determined not to incriminate himself, even if that was cowardly.
"My son, Yun. You killed my son!" The Jade Spider's eyes began glowing red with anger, but quickly dimmed as he caught his composure. This was most unbecoming of a Boneflower so far along his road, but it was well understood under the circumstances. "Ahem. I will not bother asking you strait forward, as I know you are well adept at lying. I know you killed my son and I have ways of proving it." With that statement, he clapped his hands.
The side doors creaked open abruptly, startling Yun. From inside came a creature with beautiful, white dragon scales and a single horn upon its head. It was leashed in a similar fashion as irredeemable chih mei, restricting all but the movement of his head.
The sparkling horn atop it head pointed out toward Yun and glimmered a black glow. "He did it," the beast spoke. The Jade Spider grinned.
"What does this mean, Master?" Yun asked. He had never seen this kind of creature before and was most disturbed by what black lights forebode.
"The zhi tell all. You are judged, my pupil. The black light signifies the guilty, while a blue light would have saved your existence." The other 2 mandarin laughed. One of them clapped his hands again. The white beast was taken back into the side door, it was whimpering as if it were crying for help. Yun heard a loud noise from behind another door.
That door began to open, this time on the opposite side of Yun. "What the hell, Spider! Enough of your games! If you intend to kill me, then do it. But be warned I will go down fighting!" This was also not becoming of a Boneflower, but Yun was not far along his path.
From the door stepped a black, hulking beast with a single horn upon his head. It snorted grey smoke from its nostrils. The horn glowed black well, but appeared less as a horn and more like a long wooden stake upon it head. Yun realized quickly that this beast was not chained at all, and reached for his dagger.
"What a wonderful show this will make." The Jade Spider sat comfortably in his chair with a glass of red wine and chuckled to his self. "Yang Yun, my protégé against a lin. Oh, I must see how this ends up." He smiled.
The lin charged Yun, knocking him onto his back. As it passed over him, Yun stuck its side with his dagger recently infused with yin. It let out a growling yell that cracked the eardrums of all that attended the battle. Yun swiftly stood, wiping blood from his mouth and bracing himself for the next attack. Last time the lin simply knocked him down, but this time he was not so lucky. The lin's horn pierced Yun's heart, leaving him dangling from its head immobilized. The horn began to fracture and break, allowing Yun's body to fall to the ground with a very large horn through his chest. The lin collapsed as well; it would require a full day to regain its horn. The mandarins clapped, the Jade Spider the loudest. Handlers came to assist the beast back into its cage until the next time it was needed.
The sun was nearly risen, it was time to sleep. But before the Jade Spider left, he opened up the window that Yun laid underneath. "I will miss you, my student. Almost as much as I will miss my son."
Expressions from Ancient Times
Mortal archeological parties in Vietnam have discovered a great deal. They found ancient oracles bones, ancient writing tablets made from the shells and other large pieces of bone from animals and, sometimes, people. These are believed to be from a great deal of time ago. They have compiled, as cynical mortals, information that proved that the ancient writing that depicts Unicorns is actually of small gazelle called Sao-la. From a side view, these creatures look as if they have only one horn, when they actually have two. These mortals have concluded that the animal must have immigrated to the north wears it is indigenous now. Yeah, right. They have such fragile minds. Why do they not believe the true history of the Unicorn? Why do they not believe the legends?
Ancient Chinese legends tell of Emperor Shun, the last of five great heroes who ruled before the first recorded dynasty. He was a legendary monarch and creator of the Chinese morality systems. His faithful advisor, Gao Yao was the owner of female goat with a single horn upon its head. It would use this horn to butt those who were guilty of sins against heaven. This is all that mortal historians have on these beasts.
Scholars of the Bone Court, however, have dug up lost bone oracles that, by their estimation, date back to the same time period. These oracles suggest that there were, in fact, two Unicorns, a female and a male, a yin and a yang, zhi and a lin. This is very different from what the mortals have found. As a matter of fact there is no mention of the lin in mortal writing until the Spring and Autumn period. Confucius wrote, 1) "In the Spring of the year 481 B.C.E. they hunted in the West and caught a lin." 2)"Sacrificed in the first year of the Reign of Hunting. Caught a one-horned animal which looked like a deer. Therefore an official suggested that Heaven bestowed on you a one-horned animal which is the lin." 3)"Who did it come for?" 4)"Heaven must want me dead" Again, mortals have gotten it wrong. They even suggest that the zhi and lin are the same animal, given different names by different people. The ancient bodhisattvas and mandarins know the truth and soon you will too.
The following excerpts, thought to be from before 2200 BCE, are from the translation of the bone journals of Gao Yao (many written upon the bones of dragons). No exact dates of their inscribing have yet been established (not even how far apart the entries were written), so they are simply listed as entry numbers in the most legible order. Notes from Heidi Yu, the translator, have been inserted as well, which are indicated by brackets.
Entry 1 - The Meeting
Today, messengers from Heaven arrived to deliver their package [it appears that Yao knew the Hsien were bringing a gift, but not what it was]. I watched from my tower as the Little Gods walked through the city. Even my most indigent mortals [Each Wan Xian, as Yao has always been suspected of being, viewed mortals as servants and well as charges.] graced their presence with sacrifices of their finest crops and herds. In their fashion, they refused them all. I progress toward them, a Suijen and 2 maidens, to receive their parcel, but it did not seem that they carried anything. [There is a section missing, which was their walk to Yao's chamber]
"Your gift is not one to be had," she said. "It is to aid and guide all Wan Xian [the translation for the phrase Wan Xian is very close to that of Minister, so it is not exact], but not to be owned." She stood to the side and, at that moment a, a flash of light filled the room. The most beautifully crafted creature stood before. Its white fur was a pure as clean bones [bodies of the dead were left outside the city gates to be eaten by wild animals. If the bones weren't picked clean, it is believed the dead person's soul was unclean as well, which reflects very badly on their families. This is still practiced today, in some of the more barbaric sections of Asia] and its onyx horn was quite glorious. "This is a zhi. It exhibits all aspects of yin: female, passive, frail.
A dark light filled the room the next instant. Another beast stood before me now; a larger, more muscular version of the zhi. It donned black fur and a vast horn obviously made for war. "This is the zhi's companion, the lin. It exhibits aspects of yang: male, aggressive, massive."
I explained to them that I didn't really understand what I was supposed to do with them. She replied, "Ask them." Could it be that these creatures were given speech, the ultimate gift from Heaven?
Entry 2 - Its first words
[It is assumed that this entry came after several days of trying to communicate with the Unicorns.] I approached the female again. She at least seemed to understand what I was saying half the time, but still would never respond with speech. I screeched at the lin with frustration from its lack of speech. It nostrils began to exude this grey smoke. The female then turned to her counterpart and said, very calmly, "He is not guilty." The lin backed down.
I do not know why she decided to speak now of all times. It seemed as if they were able to communicate with but a thought. Did she say it aloud for my sake? [Another unknown lapse of time]. "Yes, I did" the female said, while I feed them. I asked if the male spoke, she shook her head. "It is not his way." I asked what they were and why they were here. She first politely apologized for not speaking earlier and responded. [zhi do not like to speak before someone who is not worthy to hear their words]
"I am a judge. I am a beacon. I am a healer. I am justice. The wicked fill your roads and forests, and I am here to help heal the land." I asked about the lin. "He is my slayer. He is my companion. He is my perfect counterpart. He acts and does what I cannot."
Entry 3 - Their Lives
[Very little is found in the way of court documents and proceedings or the exact way they lived when not in the courts. But a few quotes from officials and, of course, Yao have been found and placed together for reference.]
"You are quite just, Lady Yin", proclaimed the emperor. [it is believed that Lady Yin was another name for Yao's zhi]
I saw the emperor's delicate concubine riding the zhi, a truly beautiful site. [only a delicate person and only women were allowed to ride the female, as she was quite frail.]
"They are truly heavenly and, so, are perfect." [Stated by the General of the Emperor's army. Though to have been stated about the lin, but included the zhi out of respect.]
"I saw its horn. I saw it impale my mother. Why is Heaven so cruel?" The boy said. He sobbed and was lost without his parent, and so he was adopted by Emperor Shun. [This passage is included to state that every action, even the most just, does have it consequences.]
Entry 4 - The Emperor's Anger
Today at court, mortal farmer was accused to eating the fruit from the Emperor's alchemy tree. The man pleaded no, no, no. But Shun did not let go of his tendentious ideas. The Unicorns were asked to oversee the hearing. I looked into the man's soul and saw that he was not guilty, but I dare not say it to the Emperor.
"He is not guilty as you say, Emperor Shun." The female said with such conviction. Shun raised his hand and asked for silence and respect. And for the zhi's head. [Fighting, both physical and verbal, commence.] I begged for the female's life. "No. She has become wicked and must be destroyed." When he was struck from behind by the lin's titanic horn through his chest, I cried out. I was forced to put down my love, the zhi, and kill my best friend, the lin. I cried for them as well.
Tonight, I will cry no more. [This is the last entry found from Yao's bone oracles. It is thought that he performed ritual suicide. It is debated on whether he did so because he allowed harm to come to his emperor or because he had to personally kill his Unicorns.]
Beginnings & Endings
Before the fall of the Wan Xian, they ruled openly and watched over the mortals of the Middle Kingdom. They had no fear of the sun at this time and so were scared of nothing, short of the Yama Kings themselves, if that. Many, who later became the Resplendent Cranes & Devil-Tigers after the fall, righted wrongs, avenged the innocent and punished the wicked. But this was too big a job to do themselves. Even with the power to move mountains, they just had too large a herd to watch over. So, they were given assistance. The zhi & lin, twin Unicorns (Not the traditional western-style Unicorns, but single-horned, goat-ox beasts from spirit worlds beyond comprehension), who symbolized yin & yang, were given as gifts from the Kamuii to those worthy Wan Xian who exhibited the correct righteousness of their station.
The zhi were used as divining rods of sorts. They had the uncanny ability to detect when someone was innocent or guilty of sins against heaven, its mandates or the Wan Xian. The zhi had the ability to speak as well, given by heaven, which allowed it to ask the right questions and discern whether truth coated the accused words. The older court systems of China utilized this ability to deal with problems quickly and in an efficient manner.
The lin were the executioners. They were somehow linked to their zhi counterpart and would destroy the guilty being that the zhi branded with its horn. They were not only great tools to use in court, but the brutality of the lin proved influential in many battles against the forces of Yomi.
During the Age of Legends, a time of great heroic battle against the Yama Kings, the Wan Xian began their flagitious downward spiral into damnation. At the expense of truth and justice, the Unicorns were used less and less, as the rulers declared themselves judge, jury and executioner. The zhi were locked away, used only to heal the warriors who came back from corrupt wars. The lin were chained and made into unceasing combat monsters, used not for avenging the innocent, but to gain land, power & riches for their Wan Xian master.
The Wan Xian made deals with Yomi, but needed sacrifices. The hearts, blood and horns of the zhi and lin were their desire. Why the Yama Kings desired them so is still unknown to Kuei-jin modern scholars. The Wan Xian were evil now. They slaughtered their courtly attendants (the zhi, easier than the lin), draining them totally of chi and blood and leaving their bodies to be devoured by wild animals. The heart and horn were never eaten. After the lives of 1000 Unicorns were taken, the August Personage of Jade passed his judgment on the Wan Xian, leaving them as the Wan Kuei. Their deaths were not the sole reason, but contributed greatly to his decision. The zhi and lin attempted to return to the spirit worlds but seemed to be locked on earth in a similar fashion of the Hsien.
The Unicorns continued to be hunted by Wan Kuei and mortal alike to be used sacrifices. Many were taken to compounds where they were kept until butchered for the sake of power. Renegade Hsien parties raided Wan Xian strongholds seeking to free their imprisoned kindred spirits. A separate realm in the Dreaming was created for their cousins. Many were saved in this manner, but an equal number were not. These Wars of the Unicorn are well documented in Hsien ledgers, never to be forgotten.
The influx of Unicorns has been increasing slowly over the past 20 years. Only about 15 pairs of China's Unicorns have come back to the Middle Kingdom, but more are coming. It will be interesting to see how the modern, cynical mortals will take them. One pair is known to be possessed by the Blood Court of Beijing, forced to work in their corrupted courts. Another pair has traveled to Tokyo, Japan and lives on the grounds of the Imperial Palace under the constant care of Hakari, Tokyo's Ancestor, and is known to be pregnant. Another is known to be somewhere in eastern Asia. The others are said to be wandering the Middle Kingdom in search of true justice, if that does exist any more.
Portraying the Myths
Descriptions
Both the zhi and lin appear as a combination goat-dragon creature, the zhi thin and frail and the lin large and muscular. The zhi, who are always female, has multi-colored fur, bright white scales and dark blue eyes. The color white has always been the color of immortality and purity. Their horn, which extends about a foot and a half, is white at the base, crimson at the tip and the middle portion is onyx. These three colors are the symbols of royalty and justice in China. The lin, who are always male, are much larger, think buffalo, have black scales and much larger horns, extending 4 to 5 feet in some cases. The color black symbolizing judgment is fit for their purpose.
When mating, the zhi gestates for 2 years before giving birth and always gives birth to twins. Many Unicorns do not get the chance to breed anymore, which saddens many of the nature spirits. By the age of 5, the Unicorns are fully grown, but cannot mate until they are 5 decades old. When they pick a mate, they are together for life and are soul-linked. If one dies, the other will slowly whither away within the next year.
Roleplaying Hints
The zhi and lin have their duties handed down to them by heaven. They know what they must do and, with the aid of the Hsien and Beast Courts, they are attempting to regain their place under the skies. Remember, the zhi and lin have just recently (the past 20 years or so) began to reemerge from their sanctuary in the Dreaming.
Some have returned to their duty to the Kuei-jin (by choice or not). Acting in their courts, like the old days, as a way to help them regain their lost status. They are useful tools to enlightenment. Others have decided that the Kuei-jin are the enemy and that they must be destroyed. More than one lin has been destroyed by the local shih for massacring too many hungry dead. The zhi are more careful now about how they plan their revenge.
Special Note: the lin are more prone to instinctual behavior than the zhi, especially when it comes to the "his" zhi being harmed. The lin never forget a branded soul or any one that attacks a zhi. There are Kuei-jin, centuries old, that fear for their un-lives every time they leave their havens. Will there be a lin waiting around the corner?
Traits
(For simplicity's sake, the first number represents the zhi's value and the second is the lin's. If only one number is written, then it stands for both of them. Also, for those that do not have the "Bygone Bestiary" I will include a brief explanation of what each power of the Unicorns do.)
Attributes: Strength 3/6, Dexterity 5/4, Stamina 2/6 (Armor), Charisma 4/1, Manipulation 3/1, Appearance 4/2, Perception 3/4, Intelligence 4/1, Wits 2/3
Abilities: Alertness 3, Animal Speech 4/1, Athletics 1/4, Awareness 3, Beast Lore 2, Brawl (used for horn attacks) 2/4, Cosmology 3/2, Dodge 4/3, Empathy 3/1, Enigmas 4/0, Intimidation 1/4, Intuition 3, Occult 3/0, Stealth 3/1, Survival 4, Tracking 2/4
Elements: zhi - Water (graceful sensualist), lin - Fire (fiery rebel)
Yin: 3/4, Yang: 7/6
Willpower: 6/7
Health Levels: zhi - OKx2, -1x3, -2x2, -3, -5, Incapacitated, lin - same, except has OKx3
Attacks: Trample for 5/6 dice, gore for 7/8 dice, bite for 4/5 dice, horn for Strength+2 Aggravated damage
Powers: Acute Senses (2), Allies Background (1), Arcane Background (2), Armor, Bond Sharing (6), Extra Speed (10/7), Hazardous Breath (lin only), Healing Lick (zhi only), Horn of Truth (zhi only), Horn Shift (lin only), Human Speech (zhi only), Immunity - Fire (lin only), Information Font (zhi only), Mystic Shield (4), Nightsight, Regenerate, Soul-Sense, Death-Sense, Spirit Travel (15), Spirit Vision
Kuei-jin Relations
The Resplendent Cranes, who lead the Wan Kuei in tradition and the old laws, has invited the Unicorns to return to their sacred duty, the courts. Jian Zhang, a Crane and Mandarin of the Jade Courts, has encountered a pair and, after long debates with the zhi, made peace with them. So there is at least one pair of Unicorns that does not hold a grudge against the hungry dead. These Unicorns were received well in Changan, and left to meet the leader of the Five August Courts of the Quincunx, but disappeared soon after. Li Chiang, the ancestor of the Blood Court, has refuted their arrival.
Original Kuei-jin Rites
Level 3 Rite - Mark of the zhi
Through abusive treatment of their Unicorn judges, the Kuei-jin speedily exhausted the zhi. They realized they had only a year before the court's lin would also die, and concocted a rite in which to imitate the zhi's ability to brand a victim's soul. The ritualist must spend 1 point of Yin and Yang and roll Wits+Rituals (difficulty of the target's willpower). If successful, any lin the victim comes in contact with will attempt to destroy him. The more corrupted of the Kuei-jin used it to brand even the innocent, but actual guilt doesn't matter after this rite is performed. This rite was quite abundant during the 3rd & 4th Age (perfect for Blood and Silk chronicles), but become almost forgotten in the 5th Age.
Original Magic Artifacts
Level 2 Artifact - Black Jade Dagger
These daggers are intensely carved to create a fine blade. It is made of black jade, which if infused with 1 Yin chi, can inflict aggravated damage to opponents. The story of Yang Yun has spread wide throughout the Middle Kingdom and had to their creation in mass. The version of the story that the salesmen pitch, is the one where the dagger is the only thing that saves his life from the lin.
Level 4 Artifact - Horn Charm of the zhi
The zhi has always been known for its healing abilities and many Kuei-jin coveted them. By stealing the horn of a zhi, they were able to steal their healing magics away for their use. While wearing the tip of the horn from a zhi, the Kuei-jin any chi spent for the purpose of healing heals double the amount as normal. 1 chi to heal 2 bashing or lethal, 3 to heal 1 aggravated at a time or 5 chi for 2 health levels (that includes the normal WP expenditure).
Level 5 Artifact - Horn Blade of the lin
The Kuei-jin have also found ways to steal the power of a lin's massive horn. By cutting it's horn at the base and forging it in a cauldron of its own blood, the Kuei-jin now wield a weapon with every bit as much power as the beast it self. By spending 1 yin or yang chi, the blade can be attuned to impale the appropriately aspected targets. The sword deals the normal Strength+2, but the damage is aggravated. When holding the weapon, the Kuei-jin cannot fall prey to Wave Soul, but suffer a +1 difficulty to Fire Soul checks.
Hengeyokai Relations
The Xiong Ren (Ferocious People) have started actively campaigning for the protection of the Unicorns. Iron Seed, the Zhong Lung (Were-Dragon) leader of the Beast Courts of the Emerald Mother in eastern Asia, has spoken with a pair that lives within her area of rule. They choose to help in the fights against the Kuei-jin, for possession of the ancient caerns, in exchange for protection. Many Nagah dislike the new "judges" and have advocated for their murder on several occasions. Iron Seed has ignored these requests, but may not be able to for long.
zhi & lin as Totems
True, the Changing Breeds have a Unicorn Totem already and STs are welcome to use those rules instead. But the Eastern Changers do not revere the same Unicorn as their western counterparts and this is fact. So I offer up these new Pack Totems for Hengeyokai of the Best Courts.
zhi (Totem of Wisdom)
Background Cost: 6
The totem of the zhi is that of purity, healing and justice. The Emerald Mother's plan for the zhi was interrupted by the cursed Kuei-jin and it is the duty of the Shape Changers to aid them and save them extinction.
Traits: The zhi guides her children with the hand of love and fairness. The difficulty of all rolls involving empathy, healing, justice and protection are reduced by 1. All Gifts involving healing receive an additional 3 dice. Each pack member gains 2 points of Wisdom Renown. They also gain the additional ability of lie detection. By spending a single Gnosis and making a roll of Perception+Subterfuge (difficulty 6) the character will be able to tell if the target is lying for 10 minutes per success.
Ban: The zhi desires her children to respect Heaven's Mandate. They are to avenge the innocent, right the wrongs and make sure all guilty are given justice.
lin (Totem of War)
Background Cost: 6
The zhi's male counterpart is the embodiment of yang energies. It is the slayer of the guilty, but also is the totem of lovers. If ever the zhi is in harms way, the lin is the first to step up and defend her.
Traits: The lin is quite the simple creature. Each pack member gains 1 die to all martial actions (combat, leadership, etc.) and 1 point of Glory Renown. Also, each member may call upon 2 points of rage and 1 temporary willpower per story.
Ban: the lin's desire is to protect the weak (as long as it doesn't aid the Centipede in any way), even if it leads to his own death.
Hsien Relations
Both the Unicorns and Hsien feel a connection. They are both ambassadors and servants of Heaven and serve a purpose. They are kindred spirits, cousins, and comrades. The zhi & lin owe much to their "family", as they saved them from the wicked clutches of the Wan Kuei. But their connection is not just because they serve the same master, but they are linked magically as well.
Wu Tan: No Alchemy of the Hsien may affect a lin, though it may affect the zhi. Also, being in the presence of either Unicorn is considered a Fortune (1 automatic success when casting magic).
Horn of Truth: No Hsien may be branded by the zhi's horn.
Conclusion
The Unicorn is an important part of Asian myth. Why they were never addressed in the KoE books is understandable (space and all), so I decided to create them. They are a mix of my imagination and ancient myths. I hope everyone enjoys them. Once again, email me and tell me what you think.article
