by Eloy Lasanta (World of Darkness | World of Darkness: Shanghai | Resources)
Lai She-Yu squatted down and placed a small bag into the hole she had carefully dug into the soil below the willow. Patting down the dirt to cover it she could hear the tree groan and sway in the wind as if in pain. Looking at it know it is hard to remember the last time the garden was alive and in full bloom. Part of what original brought people to this site was its natural beauty. In the past couple of years though there had been fewer and fewer visitors. Despite her best efforts, She-Yu was slowly losing this battle day by day.
There was a sudden rustling sound approaching her from behind and as she glanced over her shoulder she was startled to see Ye Hao-Jie.
"Go home, get some rest."
"But Magistrate Ye, I'm not finished yet tonight." she replied.
"You're exhausted and useless here until you have recovered your strength." Hao-Jie had a way of saying things so that sounded both selfish and selfless. "I'll send for you tomorrow when you are ready to continue."
"Magistrate, I am afraid my alchemy can only treat the symptoms here, not the disease. I'm afraid that this is some dreadful omen we cannot just change or ignore."
"I am aware. I always knew that the corruption and discord the outsiders brought would eventually come to harm us. It seems Chi that feeds our dragon nest has been poisoned and diluted and we can only blame it on the corruption from the region it draws its breath from."
She-Yu took a deep breath. She felt he was criticizing her but knew better than to argue with him. She had always supported tolerance for the strangers and the western world. What hurt her most was her fear that he was right.
***
She-Yu realized as she left the garden just how late it was getting as dusk began to darken. She usually left for home before sunset but had gotten carried away with her work in the gardens. It occurred to her how dangerous it was in this city for a middle aged woman to walk home at night alone but kept faith that her joss would keep her from harms way.
A block from the gardens the streets were still bustling with people on their way home or out for the night and Lai She-Yu seemed to move almost invisibly among the crowd. It was some shock when she accidentally ran into a young woman in jeans and a leather jacket. She-Yu fell back onto the sidewalk and dropped her bag of gardening tools.
"Excuse me lady, sorry about that," said the girl in an informal but seemingly genuine apology as she tried to help She-Yu back onto her feet. "I guess I didn't see you there. Here, let me help you out." The girl bent down and picked up She-Yu's bag and dusted it off. "This is a dangerous part of town, how about I walk with you till you get to your destination?"
Lai She-Yu hesitated for a heartbeat before berating herself for being so untrusting and cynical. "No, I couldn't trouble you, child. I have several more blocks to go." She-Yu reminded herself that to lose faith in the morality of the human spirit would undermine her very existence.
"All the more reason why I should I go." The girl smiled. "Besides, it’s no trouble at all."
She-Yu gave a small smile back and smile back as she took her bag back from the girl and continued on her way with her new escort.
The girl chatted as they walked along, seemingly unaware of how intrusive her questions might seem. "So where are you coming from at this hour? I saw the tools you were carrying, are you a gardener?"
"Yes, I am. For the Yuan Yu Gardens."
"Oh, that old place! Wow. I haven't gone inside that place in years. I heard it hasn't been doing so good lately though."
She-Yu nodded, "There seems to be some disease that's harming the plants. We haven't been able to treat all of it yet and the last few seasons have been poor for growth."
"That hardly seems fair though, does it?"
She-Yu was puzzled by this remark. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, you work so hard and the plants are suffering anyway." The girl shrugged and threw her hands in the air. "And the people around here don't seem to notice or care anymore, either. It's almost as if universe is against you . . ." She snickered and then added, " . . . or has just abandoned and forgotten you."
She-Yu stopped walking for a moment as she felt a strange chill down her spine. She looked at the girl again for a moment and saw something bestial in her eyes. "Who are you?"
The girl looked at She-Yu quizzically for a moment. "They call me Jen."
"No, I mean who you are really." She-Yu said giving the girl a scrutinizing look.
"I'm not against you, lady . . . In fact I want to help you, but you and your people have to work with us here. What you're doing now is just foolish . . . practically suicide. If you have any dignity left you'll make a stand with us. It's almost time, the Age of Sorrow is beginning and He's at his weakest. It's our last chance to make a difference."
"Daitya!" She-Yu said with a hiss as she snatched her bag close to her and backed away from the girl. "I'd rather die!" And with that she began to run away from the girl.
"Suit yourself," Jen called back from the crowd. "I warned you though, and my conscience is clean!"
The hsien have existed since the beginning of time, working as the agents of the August Personage of Jade in the creation of the world and its wondrous splendor. They are the elemental spirits that reside over all aspects of the world, including which direction the river flows, how bright a flame burns and the thickness of a forest. They are the end all be all of everything made of earth, fire, water, wood or metal.
In the Middle Kingdom, they exist in a state of exile. Shunned from their home in the spirit realms, they are forced to live in the bodies of humans; most are also still bound to their original duty under Heaven. Unable to return to their native fatherland, they have attempted to reestablish their past hierarchy on Earth and has succeeded inmost respects and utterly failed in others.
This pecking order of Noble and Commoners, with a system of numerous courts, has been used to rule over the different provinces of power that the Middle Kingdom has been divided into. It has endured since the fall of the Kuei-jin (who they blame for their own fall) and was anticipated to exist for much longer. However, events that are taking place in Shanghai are leading to a reduction in their power and their grasp on the 5th Age.
Despite its cosmopolitan lifestyles and modern appearance, the Little Gods of Shanghai still hold great influence and power in the region. But as local events escalate and the sixth age grows near this could quickly change. The days of the hsien courts of Shanghai are easily numbered and unless swift actions are made, the spirit courts of Shanghai could fall to the undead, or worse. The Shinma of the city will not turn their backs on the city and people that they have sworn to watch over and protect but lately it seems the city has turned its back on them. Without Yugen, the hsien cannot fulfill their function, nor can they defend themselves in what seems to be quickly becoming an all out war between the shen of Shanghai. Desperate times call for desperate measures, and the courts must turn to unexpected alliances.
The Red Mandarin, Lee Kung Xue, has always been the most liberal of hsien rulers. While this does not gain the chu-jung tremendous respect among his equals, it is necessary to maintain a certain balance of power within his realms. He was placed in charge of areas with heavy foreign influence, as well as an unhealthy influx of the Daityas and Waigoren. He allows these beings to go unharmed in his parts of his domain for the purpose of preserving order, not because he actually enjoys their presence. Also, it is important to supplicate the other shen so the war with the Kura Sau may carry on.
In the past, before the arrival of the westerners to the Hunan Province, things were very traditional. The area of Shanghai, little more than a fishing village, was loosely (and sometimes, not at all) ruled by the Kamuii courts. Only a simple treaty between the Li Shen and the Yellow Emperor Court of the Wan Kuei stood in the way of outright warfare between the hsien and the Hungry Dead. The Hirayanu tended mostly to this area, granting the minimal wishes needed for the content people and staying off the Wan Kuei radar.
Shanghai continued to prosper under the protection of the local hirayanu, with a hanumen named Xia Zhong-Fei at the forefront. Because no other hsien sought the position, she assumed control of the area without even a glance from the kamuii. Under her leader, the city became the most fun of all the cities within the province. So much so, that it attracted other hsien to Shanghai through shear word of mouth.
Zhong-Fei paid little attention to the events of the world around the city, which was caught up in the same trance of bliss that had been placed on the city by the expenditure of so much Yugen in a concentrated area. This left the city open during the initial wars that led to its taking. The first wave, gaki, entered the city and fed upon the Golden Chi of the city’s supposed protectors. The second wave, composed of Kin-jin, entered and did the same. Without the assistance of their cousins, the hengeyokai, few hsien would have survived this ordeal.
The overuse of the hirayanu powers led to the death of many and although the occupation of the city was not blamed solely on Xia Zhong-Fei, she did bear most of the guilt. Because of this, the hirayanu were not permitted to utilize their Yugen unless given direct permission from a noble. With the arrival of the Waigoren, it intensified, outlawing any and all Yugen or Glamour expenditures by any commoner. These rules existed until the War of Correspondence, between the kamuii and a combination of both the hirayanu and Kithain (see Changeling Section for more information). Ritual combat ended in favor of the commoners.
Because the Red Mandarin holds his court in Hong Kong, in his stead currently stands Ye Hao-Jie, a seemingly loyal Suijen. The chaos that has occurred in Shanghai over the last century has not gone unnoticed, but the Red Mandarin was quick to make certain deals with the Kuei-jin. Having many powerful Suijen sorcerers at his disposable, he holds control in all of the major port cities in China, including Shanghai. He has kept the balance of power between himself and the Flesh Court, allowing them their free reign as long as his affairs are never compromised. The Kuei-jin’s lucrative shipping businesses are held as ransom, able to be crippled at his simple command. Recent events, however, have jeopardized this agreement that has lasted for hundreds of years.
Most Shinma in Shanghai collect Yugen through answering the prayers of the faithful millions. This is an excellent way to get by from day to day, but large court organizations such as the Yu and Li Shen require larger and more dependable sources of energy, such as a dragon nest. While many shen jealously hide their dragon nests or heavily restrict access to them, the Shinma of the Li Shen confidently allow crowds of mortals to enter and walk around the gardens. It has long been known that their continued reverence of the location is one of the forces that maintains the strength and vitality of the gardens and the dragon nest. Because of this, during off seasons the power of the dragon nest fluctuates as the crowds grow thinner and the weather inclimate. This year, however, the crowds have grown even thinner, and the vitality of the garden seems to be fading. The life energy that feeds the garden is dwindling at a shocking rate and many of the courts of the Shinma are on the verge of panic. Not the most powerful, but important due to its location in Shanghai, the Yu Yuan Garden dragon nest has been drained. In spite of its repeated destruction at the hands of mortal and shen alike, it continued to stand for the hsien’s power and resilience. Yet, some shifts in the Feng Shui of the entire city have drawn the strength from the nest, leaving a mere husk of the power that existed for so long.
Ye Hao-Jie, and the other ministers of the Yu and Li Shen were approached months ago by first a wu of Wan Kuei, followed weeks later by a coven of gaki. Both promised the same thing. A war between the domestic and various foreign vampires seemed inevitable. An alliance with the heavenly spirits, they insisted, would insure victory against their enemies and the spoils of the city could be shared. Ye Hao-Jie, long having distaste for the schemes of the breathless corpses, turned both parties away. "Let them kill each other again. I will not spill blood on request for the damned. And when the victor is left vulnerable, with his resources exhausted, the city will once again follow the will of heaven." Months later it became apparent that the war had gone a different direction than Ye Hao-Jie had expected. It would not be the hungry dead whose resources were exhausted first, as somehow the dragon nest of the hsien was being robbed or deprived of its energies.
In retaliation Ye Hao-Jie organized his own subtle attack. As a magistrate of the Shui Fu he was able to organize many of the Suijen and Water Alchemists among the Wu hsien population of the city. The hsien’s intricate control of the docks has given them access to cargo manifests and names of the anonymous shipping companies that all point back to the Wan Kuei. This allows them to know which ships to sink and which to leave to their own devices.
And so recently the Wan Kuei and gaki have both lost several shipments due to freakish storms and weather off the coast near Shanghai. He has no solid evidence as to which party is responsible, but Ye Hao-Jie will hold the sea hostage until reparations are made. Unfortunately, these efforts continuously drain what precious energies the hsien have remaining.
The storms summoned are unlike any that occur naturally and seems to have a mind of its own. Hao-Jie has several Shui Tan masters working around the clock, maneuvering massive typhoons to their targets at a moments notice. The end result, the Hao-Jie hopes, will be the crippled economy of the Five August Courts which will force them to return the power they have stolen. This financial torture is cursed upon the Kuei-jin from the suspicion of the Shui Fu and clues found from the Old City.
Mo King Zhenyu, advocate for the Flesh Court, has had several audiences with Hao-Jie and has gained his friendship along the way. Ye Hao-Jie has toiled with the idea of stopping the raging storms, but has decided they are needed to ensure the survival of the hsien. All the while, the other hsien have noticed something very sinister about the Kuei-jin Mandarin and are attempting to watch him closely. Recently, however, he has been no where to find.
While the Ye Hao-Jie wishes to harm only the Flesh Court and gaki, the storms are affecting many others. There are numerous accidental mortal deaths due to the storm, but these are often considered necessary casualties. The hengeyokai, especially the Same-Bito, find it hard to speak with the spirits of the ocean, as they are constantly busy with the hsien “project”. The only ones they have not affected are the Green Court representatives, who make most of their money and jade with supplying ways around the massive storms. Although, the Shui Fu has brought these factors up to the Ye Hao-Jie, he still persists that it is the correct thing to do, at least for the time being.
For centuries, the hsien have existed in Shanghai and always in the Yu Yuan Gardens. All types of hsien lived there, yet those with affinity to Shui Tan, namely the suijen and heng po, were always the most abundant. There protection from the dangers of the Kuei-jin was supposedly granted by the Flesh Court, yet the Glorious Shield Placement Plan of the Wan Kuei is not the first breach of this contract. There was one wu in particular that caused havoc and destruction wherever they went, much to the hsien’s displeasure.
The Blood Circle wu was a renegade group of Wan Kuei that claimed the Old City as its turf. Each and every resident was constantly watched and harassed by paranoid and maniacal Kuei-jin. August Personage forbid, if you were a non-Chinese person and you decided to enter the sector at night (shen or not). Many of these people were violently attacked in secret, but must times in public as to make an example out of them. The Blood Circle wu was heartless and cruel beyond usual terms, but were the forefront of the Flesh Court’s defense system at the time.
The Shui Fu had no authority to override the Red Mandarin’s deal with the Flesh Court, the hsien just endured. They survived through this, mostly because those that dwelled there were of Chinese descent. The air of the Old City in a constant and aching apprehension, the hsien called for the Flesh Court to put an end to their domination, but was denied audiences on several occasions. They survived only by supplicating the fierce warriors of the Blood Circle with tributes of mortals and feasts of Yin and Yang chi. But even these offerings were not good enough for them and vile Demon People struck down many hsien, drinking the Golden Chi from their veins in exhilaration.
Then one morning, the sun shown bright and illuminated the streets where five rotting corpses lay. The Blood Circle wu had been destroyed by someone, but no one took credit for their Final Deaths. The hsien took this opportunity to fill the streets with celebration, for the masked avengers, yet were constantly weary of things to come. Without the Blood Circle wu, would the Old City once again become vulnerable? Then, the shift in the Feng Shui began and their dragon nest weakened, forcing them to retreat to the Nest of Life and Renewal without a chance to rebuild from the ravages of the past.
Losing the power of the dragon nest, the hsien attempted to remain in Nanshi, yet were faced with one more obstacle. Several of the spirits under their command fled, stating that the Chi in the area became arranged in a way that prompted them to evacuate. Other spirits began turning on their hsien comrades, brutally killing those who worshipped the Little Gods, cutting off the flow of Yugen from the mortals of the area. Soon, with the nature spirits abandoning the area, the air became staler and the trees began to rot. The Shinma were able to sustain them for a small time, but its burden proved too much as the hsien fell short on their reservoirs of Yugen. The Daityas began to enter the area, as they were no longer afraid of the Blood Circle wu’s wrath and began causing havoc throughout the streets. It was time to leave.
Their hengeyokai cousins of the local Beast Court have taken in the several dozen hsien refugees from the Yu Yuan Gardens. This was a deal between Evening Star, Ye Hao-Jie’s second in command, and Black Rain Falls, regent of Emerald Mother’s nest. It is rumored that they fought together against the same enemy when they were younger and remained friendly acquaintances for years, but these have no founding or proof.
Most of those that came to the nest are Shinma, but a few Daityas have also entered the nest and are watched diligently by the kamuii; they wish not to be embarrassed by those disrespectful even to Heaven itself. Something forced the Daitya from the Old City as well, and the kamuii were determined to find out what that was.
After sending several hsien spies into the area, Ye Hao-Jie discovered that the Feng Shui of the area has been severely tampered with. They reported back; the mortals have never been happier, being visited by their ancestors on regular occasions. This was obviously due to the link between the Dark Kingdom of Jade and the Flesh Court. The mortals also all referred to a Hand of Seven Claws which watched over them. No reports of this being showing his or her face, but they are still scouring the area for clues.
They revisited the Yu Yuan Gardens and saw the trees, plants, flowers and earth were back to normal, but reeked with an unnatural Chi – possibly reinfused with the undead Chi of the Kuei-jin. No doubt the Hungry Dead flocked to the area like carrion pigeons on the corpse of a newly dead hitchhiker. The walls have been filled with mortals, wishing to experience its beauty, yet there are Wan Kuei sitting on the past thrones of the kamuii. They suck the breath of these mortals without a thought, but none of them have identified themselves as the Hand of Seven Claws. Needless to say, the Red Mandarin is not happy with this news and neither is the rest of the hsien population. This led to the decision to create the storms. The Kuei-jin have some hand in this defilement of Heaven’s will, no matter how minimal.
Several hsien have stayed behind at the Yu Yuan Gardens, attempting to repair the damage the Kuei-jin have supposedly done to the area. However, they mend the damage during the day, with it only being destroyed as night falls again.
The day the hsien arrived, the entire nest celebrated in a joyous observance of their link as nature’s servants, friends and comrades. For the entirety of the day and night, Khan and hou-chi, Nagah and fu hsi, all feasted together and forgot the problems of the past. In the morning, the ignored ills all came crashing back.
Their past differences began to come to the forefront. Hsien are the rulers of all things elemental and have stalled, even halted, several important hengeyokai Rites and Gifts in the past. In their minds, the hengeyokai use their Gifts very selfishly, seeing them as lesser cousins. They are not as fussy in their affairs as the Little Gods and are much more volatile. The hengeyokai view the hsien as little more than stuck-up spirits with tremendous egos. They have stopped their attempts to crush the Centipede on several occasions and the hengeyokai have been known to hold grudges for decades.
Weeks went by with complete segregation. The hengeyokai stayed within the pleasant walls of the Nest of Life and Renewal, carrying on as usually. Meanwhile, the majority of hsien went to the outskirts of the island, setting up small camps and trenches to survive the harsh conditions of the islands topside. It was not much to withstand, as the hsien’s resilience to outside forces has greatened in the past centuries due to their wars with the shen.
When Ye Hao-Jie pleaded with Black Rain Falls to force reconciliation between the cousins, it was decided that each hengeyokai must share their home with at least one hsien. The hsien were pleased to get out of the unkind weather of the island, yet were hesitant to completely share with the hengeyokai. The Little Gods, however, agreed to this fair and wise decision of the nest Elder. In fact, for weeks after, hsien and hengeyokai relations bettered under this new living arrangement. Each taught new ways to use Chi to the other and introduced new elemental spirits into the nest. New romances even emerged over this time, with the establishment of new love affairs sprung in the air. But it was sure to fail.
Small spats between a pair of nyan sisters and the only two Khan on the island, simply known as the Twins, began a daily happening. The Same-Bito became intolerant of the heng po’s unwillingness to achieve their goals on time. A lovers’ tryst between a Kitsune and hanuman turned almost deadly, as the pranks they played on each other became increasingly dangerous. But despite these issues, the two groups of shen were still required to reside within the same areas, until the hsien’s departure of the island.
A new and energetic interest in the search for the cause of the Yu Yuan Garden’s weakening dragon nest has arisen. The memories of a nest without the hsien fade daily from the hengeyokai and they wish to aid their cousins and themselves. When the dragon nest is restored, the Little Gods will then return to it and the hengeyokai will be left to their own devices. Likewise, this has prompted an even greater turn out for Shinma. While the Daitya do not share in the reclaiming of the Shui Fu’s dragon nest, the rest of the hsien wish to reclaim it and find the guilty parties involved to dish out their own justice. Also, the thought of leaving the Nest of Life and Renewal, however gracious their cousins have been, will be quite the event and will be worthy of another feast.
When the hengeyokai and hsien were amiable with each other, it was unthinkable that that state would degenerate into the violence that followed. However, it was all part of a particular plan of a devious being. A small number of the Shinma within the Nest of Life and Renewal are secretly aligned with a deadly Kura Sau by the name of Nie Tat, who serves the Yama King Rangda and her evil plans. These agents’ job is not only to stall the search for the culprits behind the dragon nest situation, but also to attempt to take over the nest. If they accomplish this, they have been promised a seat by Rangda’s side as she takes the Demon Throne. Will they be found out or will they succeed in taking the Shark’s nest for the hengeyokai? Are they alone in their goals?
Over the past years, each of the Li Shen courts have contended for the approval of the Red Mandarin. And while all of the courts have representation in Hunan, it is clearly Shui Fu, Ministry of Water, which wins the courtly sessions of the Li Shen. This is because of Shanghai’s position as a primarily port city and its access to waterways. No other court can contest the Shui Fu in the manipulation of the earth’s blood and the other courts simple accept this fact. They do not, however, stop vying for power.
The Hou Fu, Ministry of Fire, counts as the second most numerous of the Li Shen influences. No matter how powerful the Shui Fu is in the Hunan Province, the Red Mandarin keeps a healthy population of his own in every one of his domains, as he is chu jung, himself. The mass amount of electricity that flows through Shanghai is surpassed by few cities, making it an easy haven for masters of Hou Tan. They are there to report the goings on in shanghai directly to the Red Mandarin, especially the current events.
As Shanghai advances into the next age of technology, the Tieh Fu, Ministry of Metal, have attempted to move into the city. This is easily done as the massive skyscrapers and construction move into Shanghai daily. However, the metal deposits they once fought to protect, no longer exist as the modern age depletes more and more precious natural resources of the earth. Now the Tieh Fu has little more than the construction equipment to defend. Those stuck at the Nest of Life and Renewal have little to return to when the Feng Shui situation is solved, yet they continue to support their Shui Fu cousins until it is time to compete with them again.
The Di Fu, Ministry of Earth, has actually stays passably consistent with their protection of the earth and its inhabitants. While Shanghai has lost itself to a rash modernization that has stripped the majority of its past superstitions from the Chinese people, it has also created more scientists interested in the arts of archeology and environmentalists. Many of the Di Fu volunteered to stay behind in Shanghai to further their efforts in spite of the loss of the dragon nest.
Sadly, however, the Lin Fu, Ministry of Wood, has all but lost their war against modernization. They have lacked the completion of many plans to halt the destruction of so much of the Asian forests and creatures in the name of feeding and housing the ever growing human population of the Middle Kingdom. This is the court of Li Shen that has worked closest with the hengeyokai, yet even with their combined might, Shanghai is a lost cause in their eyes. They happily left the wicked vile city to the relative peace of the Nest of Life and Renewal.
The location of the Nest of Life and Renewal is deliberately isolated. The hengeyokai has tried repeatedly to stay far from the hustle and bustle of busy, metropolitan Shanghai living. However, this may keep them out of the loop of current events and delay interaction with those in Shanghai. This also was deliberate. The mood of Shanghai lends itself to waiting for word that will no doubt never come. STs, however, are encouraged to move the next closer if need be for their chronicle.
All the hsien commoners who do not show allegiance to a particular court are lumped into the Wu hsien, peasants. Those hirayanu that simply choose to live their lives, granting wishes as heaven commands, also fall under this catchall court. And many of them have known about this Feng Shui situation and care little about it.
For the last few years, all but the Li Shen were prohibited from using the Yu Yuan Gardens for Yugen, which pushed many hirayanu away. So, the Kithain were called in, as the hsien can somehow gain Yugen from their special dwelling in the Shanghai Train Station. The two groups have lived happily together, even sharing in the Shanghai Circus together. When the Wu hsien discovered of the Li Shen’s plan to enact an action treaty with the Kithain, many were shocked that such a document actually existed.
The Wu hsien have a tight organization, working within the law and neighborhoods to protect certain areas and grant as many wishes as possible before the possible Age of Joy. They have decided to assist in the search for the doers of this evil Feng Shui in return for access to the dragon nest they have helped to procure. The Shui Fu has begrudgingly accepted these terms, but is pleased to have more bodies on their side.
The hierarchy of the Yang realms do not stop with the hsien, there are many above them in this chain. The Yang realms are full of numerous spirits who work for the hsien and others that the hsien report their dealings to. In the past, they have been able to work together with these spirits to protect and control the environment and all its inhabitants. However, recent events have reduced this influence.
Many of the spirits that worked closely with the hsien of Shanghai have disappeared, while several others have yet return any of the Li Shen’s summonses. Those spirits that have come to aid the hsien have little to contribute, being lesser spirits and lackeys. This sudden abandonment of the hsien seems slightly orchestrated, possibly by those who are responsible for the Yu Yuan Garden’s now diminished nest.
The Kuei-jin have yet to show themselves as aggressors or claim responsibility for the decline of the Yu Yuan Gardens. Activity among the Mu courts, however, has increased dramatically recently. Could Ye Hao-Jie be wrong, and could the Daitya or loathsome Kura Sau be actually behind this? While the Li Shen are focused on Ye Hao-Jie's plan to cut the Kuei-jin off from the sea, members of the Yu and Wu hsien have started to hit the streets to investigate activity among the Daitya and the rumors of new bakemono in the city. In this state of vulnerability the Shinma must be on guard and vigilant against some of their oldest foes. Any one of them could take advantage of the current situation and make a bad situation even worse.
Daitya are the hsien that have turned their back on the ways of heaven and have laid their own path. As the Little Gods are unduly banished to a world of darkness and apathy, they actually seek to destroy the Wall that separates the Middle Kingdom and the Yang realms. They believe this will let them enter their home world once again and strike down the August Personage of Jade.
The Red Mandarin has given Daitya relatively free reign within the borders of the Hunan Province to avoid costly conflicts. But in the recent months, many have been taken down, due to suspicion of their contributing to the loss of the dragon nest. The conflicts between the Li Shen and Mu courts have risen and there is no turning back. Also, the possible involvement of the Kura Sau does not make the kamuii settle their differences with the Daitya.
The Yellow Lotus has a great deal of influence in Shanghai. This secret society has been watching the chaotic city and has deduced that many of the hsien in power have misused their power, creating a massive typhoon. They must be taken down and dealt with in the appropriate manner. Even the Red Mandarin is not above the judgment of the Yellow Lotus.
The hsien have every reason in the world to abandon Shanghai. The Kuei-jin and Kin-jin have allegedly undertaken a foul plot to wipe their kind out, the hengeyokai despise them behind their backs, the hunters have become impossible to deal with, the wraiths have begun to haunt in mass, and the Yang Courts have little to say about the entire situation. What keeps them fighting? Why do they do it all?
The hsien have a strong sense of duty and loyalty to the land and to Heaven. If they were to leave the land to its devices, not even attempting to protect it, there would be little use for them in this world. Everyone needs a purpose. When you lose your purpose, you might as well not exist. The fight for Shanghai has begun again. This time, however, it is not simply between the Kuei-jin and Kin-jin, but encompasses all the shen together into a mass war that will not turn out well for any side.
Background: Ye Hao-Jie has been the magistrate of Shanghai's Ministry of Water for almost two hundred years and has observed the region’s change and growth with the times. He was born miraculously to a wealthy family who was unable to conceive and had many previous miscarriages. They prayed for a son to carry their family name and were rewarded the following winter.
As a member of the high class, Hao-Jie received the best education and was groomed to be a successful scholar and bureaucrat. During much of his adolescence, however, Hao-Jie had a strange feeling that he was different and his suspicions were confirmed when a small group of priests, sent by the Li Fu, visited him at his school to explain the circumstances of his conception and to return him to the Ministries. Ye lived a double life from that moment on. He climbed the ladder of both the mortal government and the Shui Fu until he had considerable influence in both. However he has long been disturbed by the lack of order and control that he has in Shanghai. He is a strong supporter of stricter laws and sanctions for the city and region.
In the past he had support from the Yu courts and the other Li ministries to help enforce his policies, but as western influence has come and warped Shanghai, his control over the area seems to have weakened and the Red Mandarin seems less receptive to his needs. In the past century he has witnessed the coming of the Kithain, rebellion from the hirayanu, the rise of Communism and the spread of the Daitya; the decline of Shanghai into a twisted city of sin. Ye is almost unsurprised by the dying dragon nest in Yu Yuan gardens and sees this as the Red Mandarin's final chance at intervening and keeping Hao-Jie's loyalty and respect.
Description: As a man, Hao-Jie is tall, thin and wiry, appearing to be only in his late thirties with a narrow face and soft beard. His skin is very pale and has a strange, almost sickly, light blue tone to it. He dresses in the old traditional male mandarin gown, mostly in black and dark colors. In his Wani form Hao-Jie's skin becomes bright and sparkling with reflective scales of blue and green and his hair and beard become dark green and lengthen. When he becomes angered his eyes flash like thunder clouds and his gown flutters about him like the wind and waves in a violent storm.
Roleplaying Hints: You know corruption when you see it and you think you know how to deal with it. What infuriates you is the fact that the other magistrates and the Red Mandarin have not given any attention or support to a situation that has been growing out of control for some time. You are very patient but will not tolerate disobedience or sloth. You always know how to phrase requests so that they sound like honorable obligations.
Home: Currently, the Nest of Life and Renewal
Secrets: If the Red Mandarins plans are unsuccessful then Ye Hao-Jie is planning on using his status in the Shui Fu and Yu courts to claim Shanghai as its own Yu province and him as the new Mandarin. If Hao-Jie succeeds, he will no longer have to pay the Red Mandarin his feudal share and will be able to govern as he sees fit. He also has his eyes on the marine dragon nest of the hengeyokai.
Also, the Kuei-jin Mo King Zhenyu has yet to betray his trust, yet he suspects his involvement in the current situation. Any evidence that points in that direction will be the downfall of Mo King Zhenyu by Hao-Jie’s hands
Influence: Hao-Jie has considerable influence in the Shui Fu, the Ministry of Water. He uses this influence to organize the hsien in the area and manipulate natural forces like the weather and tides to either promote or disrupt trade. With the change-over to communism, Hao-Jie lost most of his influence in local politics and used the event to disappear from mortal attention. He has some sway among the Kuan-Yu but recent decades have brought some alienation between him and the Red Mandarin.
Court: Li Shen/Yu, Legacies: (Yin) Fatalist/ (Yang) Regent, Kun Shou (Seeming): hsien-tsu, Kwannon-jin (Kith): Suijen
Stats: Physical: Strength 3, Dexterity 4, Stamina 5, Social: Charisma 3, Manipulation 5, Appearance 2, Mental: Perception 3, Intelligence 4, Wits 3
Abilities: Talents: Alertness 3, Athletics 4, Dodge 3, Expression 2, Intimidation 3, Intuition 1, Leadership 3, Shentao 2, Subterfuge 4, Skills: Crafts 4, Etiquette 4, Martial Arts 3 (Soft), Meditation 3, Stealth 2, Survival 2, Knowledges: Classics 3, Divination 4, Investigation 2, Law 3, Linguistics 3, Lore: Kithain 2, Lore: Kuei-jin 1, Medicine 4, Occult 3, Politics 3
Wu Tans: Shui Tu (Water Alchemy) 5, Di Tan (Earth Alchemy), Lin Tan (Wood Alchemy) 3, Nei Tan (Internal Alchemy) 3, Elemental Affinity: Water
Backgrounds: Contacts 3, dragon nest 2, Jade Talisman 4, Remembrance 3, Resources 4, Retinue 3, Title 5
Tao: 4, Yin 8, Yang 5, Yugen 13, Willpower: 7
Background: Not much is known about Ming before he came to Shanghai ten years ago. He holds high station in the Yu Kuan and serves as an attaché from the Red Mandarin. Ming is a gifted warrior, but also a capable leader in the world of espionage. Ming keeps a portfolio on many of the prominent mortals and shen in the city and uses them to help Ye Hao-Jie in keeping everyone in line. He speaks rarely in public or court, except for the most urgent whispers between Hao-Jie or one of his lieutenants. Even though he possesses a volatile temper like every chu-jung, Ming keeps his emotions well hidden and under complete control at all times. Through his network of contacts, spies, and informants, Ming and his agents are quick to discover and punish most shen who transgress on Yu court laws.
Description: In Hotei form Ming dresses in a modern but formal style, usually wearing either a red jacket or turtle neck. He is in good shape and appears to be in his late twenties. He keeps his straight hair short and his face rarely shows any sign of emotion beyond his burning eyes. In Wani form, Ming hides much of his lower face and neck behind a white veil and his hair seems to have a burning blue nimbus rising above it.
Roleplaying Hints: You are a master at controlling information. That's why you rarely speak. You only tell people what you want them to believe and you know how to make them believe what you tell them. Don't show emotions as they cannot be trusted and may betray you. You are not afraid to dirty your hands if it benefits the cause you believe in and as long as you understand how it works into your plans.
Home: Ming keeps a patterned but complex schedule for changing safe houses throughout the city and area as he makes his weekly rounds and contacts. He regularly stays at the Nest of Life and Renewal, sharing any information that has been discovered with Hao-Jie.
Secrets: Everyone knows that the Red Mandarin sent you. What they don't know are his motivations behind it. You are here to report back on everyone, including Ye Hao-Jie. Should the Red Mandarin feel that any shen has trespassed on his boundaries, Ming will gladly perform his heavenly duties as executioner. Don't even ask about the alleged connections to Yellow Lotus.
Influence: Ming's influence is largely unseen and unfelt until something threatens the hsien of the city. He has enough information on certain respected individuals to cause considerable sway in local government and media figures.
Court: Yu, Legacies: Riddler (Yin)/Squire (Yang), Kun Shou (Seeming): hsien-jin, Kwannon-jin (Kith): Chu jung
Stats: Physical: Strength 3, Dexterity 4, Stamina 3, Social: Charisma 2, Manipulation 4, Appearance 2, Mental: Perception 3, Intelligence 4, Wits 4
Abilities: Talents: Alertness 3, Athletics 2, Brawl 2, Dodge 2, Empathy 2, Intimidation 1, Leadership 2, Shentao 4, Streetwise 3, Subterfuge 4, Skills: Acrobatics 3, Drive 2, Etiquette 1, Firearms 3, Martial Arts 4 (hard), Stealth 3, Survival 3, Knowledges: Classics 4, Computer 3, Investigation 3, Law 2, Occult 3, Politics 3
Alchemy: Hou Tan 4, Tieh Tan 3, Nei Tan 2, Elemental Affinity: Fire
Backgrounds: Allies 4, Contacts 5, Influence 3, Remembrance 3, Title 3
Tao: 3, Yin 5, Yang 6, Yugen 11, Willpower: 8
Background: Lai She-Yu has spent her last seven life times in the city of Shanghai. Unlike many Fu Hsi, she remembers them all pretty well. You'd think that after all these years she might grow tired of the place, but each day it seems to bring something new to her. Lai She-Yu took her current host as a young single woman who had been visiting Shanghai for a week, looking for a job. The woman met with an unfortunate accident with a delivery truck and was in the hospital for several days. Her friends and family back home couldn't understand why she still insisted on staying in Shanghai after that. They imagine she must be happy there as she has kept little contact with them since moving there.
Lai She-Yu is now in the dusk of her life and does not use her powers to hide it. Shanghai and its people are very important to her and it is her hope that she can help preserve it even through these dark times. She slaves at Yu Yuan Gardens night and day hoping to push off what seems like the inevitable for just a little longer.
Description: Lai She-Yu stands only about five feet tall and usually has a very unthreatening posture and manner. Her face has wrinkles around her eyes and mouth from smiling and her skin is callused from a lifetime of work. She seems to have retained some of her youthful beauty despite this. She usually dresses in a humble looking green cotton blouse and pants. In Wani form her skin grows thicker until forms rough scales and she takes on the appearance of a snake although her brown eyes betray a gentle spirit.
Roleplaying Hints: You will never give up because you are not defeated until you can no longer fight. While you are not an aggressive person, this philosophy extends to everything you do. There are many ways to stand up for what you believe in; violence should only be the last of them. You get by each day with the hope that you've made a difference and maybe done some good.
Home: A small apartment several blocks from Yu Yuan Gardens.
Court: Wu hsien, Legacies: Fatalist (Yin)/Paladin (Yang), Kun Shou (Seeming): hsien-jin, Kwannon-jin (Kith): Fu Hsi
Stats: Physical: Strength 2, Dexterity 2, Stamina 3, Social: Charisma 2, Manipulation 2, Appearance 3, Mental: Perception 4, Intelligence 3, Wits 3
Abilities: Talents: Alertness 2, Brawl 1, Dodge 2, Empathy 4, Expression 2, Intuition 2, Shentao 2, Skills: Crafts 2, Etiquette 3, Meditation 2, Performance 1, Survival 4, Knowledges: Divination 2, Enigmas 2, Investigation 3, Linguistics 1, Medicine 3, Occult 2, Science 4
Wu Tans: Lin Tan (Wood Alchemy) 5, Di Tan (Earth Alchemy) 3, Nei Tan (Internal Alchemy) 1, Elemental Affinity: Wood
Backgrounds: Allies 2, Jade Talisman 1, Pakua 4, Resources 1
Tao: 2, Yin 3, Yang 6, Yugen 9, Willpower: 7
Background: This chu-ih-yu is known throughout the Middle Kingdom as a legendary warrior of the Kura Sau and Daitya. Not only this, but he has fought back the forces of Yomi more than once as a Kuan-Yu, a hsien demon killer. He has foregone any human comfort or “real life”, in the name of serving Heaven and the Li Shen, and was raised to one of the Red Mandarin’s best Generals.
His disgrace came with his defeat at the Yu Yuan Gardens at the hands of a Waigoren, Soliad Thoraxian. This outsider, called a Sidhe by his followers, held such great power in such a small form and was underestimated by Fang-Chou. He was vanquished in an honorable duel that lost the Shui Fu much of its power that it held over the Kithain and the hirayanu alike. He had shamed himself before his masters.
Now, with the recent weakening of the hsien dragon nest, he has made it his sole duty to solve this mystery and restore the nest, once again proving himself to the Red Mandarin and to himself. He is relentless in his search and will crush any foe that comes in his way.
Description: Fang-Chou appears as a middle aged, muscular man. He wears long black hair, slicked back into a ponytail and wears only loose clothing, always loose enough to carry his sword. In his wani form, he appears the same, except with silver metal skin. He is a bane to hengeyokai, another reason he was not invited to the Nest of Life and Renewal.
Roleplaying Hints: You are heartless and are interested only in the continuance of the Li Shen’s power in Shanghai. You are a wanderer by choice, seeking out those that would seek to destroy the foundation the kamuii have worked hard to build.
Home: none.
Secrets: He has despised the Kithain for many years, ever since his defeat at the hands of their late king. Few know it, but he is responsible for the many deaths of Kithain who are unfortunate enough to cross his paths as he seeks the answers to the Feng Shui situation.
Influence: Fang-Chou is well known and feared. Those who choose to approach him, better have a good reason. He must also have a good reason before even considering approaching someone else for aid.
Court: Li Shen/Yu, Legacies: (Yin) Rake/ (Yang) Hermit, Kun Shou (Seeming): hsien-jin, Kwannon-jin (Kith): Chu-ih-yu
Stats: Physical: Strength 3, Dexterity 5, Stamina 4, Social: Charisma 1, Manipulation 2, Appearance 2, Mental: Perception 5, Intelligence 3, Wits 4
Abilities: Talents: Alertness 4, Athletics 3, Dodge 2, Intimidation 4, Leadership 1, Shentao 3, Skills: Crafts 1, Etiquette 2, Mediation 4, Melee 5 (sword), Security 2, Stealth 3, Survival 2, Knowledges: Classics 3, Computer 1, Divination 2, Enigmas 2, Investigation 2, Lore: Kithain 4, Occult 3
Wu Tans: Tieh Tan (Metal Alchemy) 4, Shui Tan (Water Alchemy) 4, Nei Tan (Internal Alchemy) 3, Di Tan (Earth Alchemy) 3, Elemental Affinity: Metal
Backgrounds: Jade Talisman 3, Pakua 4, Remembrance 5
Tao: 4, Yin 7, Yang 6, Yugen 12, Willpower: 9
Background: The last thing Ricky remembered was the look on Jen's face as he glanced over his shoulder and lost control of the motorcycle. Jen knows that now, because she was there in more ways than one. Before the accident Jen was the right-hand woman of Ricky "the Mongoose", the leader of one of the wildest tongs in Shanghai. Because of her gender and rumors about her relationship with Ricky, Jen worked hard to prove her merit and earn the respect of the tong. She made it a point to always take the dangerous and riskiest jobs for the tong. This wasn't hard to do since Ricky was always taking risks but it eventually caught up with the both of them. Ricky was killed instantly, and Jen was taken away in critical condition by an ambulance. She wasn't expected to survive, but the next morning the hospital nurse discovered her missing from her bed.
Jen returned that night as a Daitya, one of the fallen hsien messengers who still rebel against their banishment from Heaven. She returned to her tong to take the place of Ricky as the new "Mongoose." Since the accident and Ricky's death her fellow gang members have noticed that Jen has gotten much more aggressive and bitter and she seems to have adopted many of Ricky's mannerisms and beliefs though with a thankfully less self-destructive attitude.
Description: Jen tries to look and carry herself like she's in her twenties but is actually in her late teens. She has a certain unpolished beauty and with a pouty expression and startling intense eyes. Jen usually dresses in a simple T-shirt and jeans and a leather jacket Ricky gave her the week before he died. In Wani form, Jen's body is covered in light brown and white fur and her mouth turns into the fang filled snarl of a tanuki badger.
Roleplaying Hints: You won't let anyone underestimate you. You may look like a small girl but you make sure everyone knows you've got everything it takes to lead a gang and enough rage to beat a man within an inch of his life. You have a definite problem with authority and wouldn't mind bringing down a few institutions if it brings you one step closer to replacing the rulers of Heaven.
Home: Jen has taken to sleeping in Ricky's old cot in a garage used by their tong.
Secrets: Ricky was your previous host and it is your greatest regret that your actions hurt Jen. You secretly loved her and now are dedicated to fulfilling both Jen and Ricky's dreams by continuing Jen's existence. You also have caught the smell of Yomi among the Rattlesnake Coffin Triad and have decided to investigate alone since you don't want to endanger your friends.
Influence: Jen is the unchallenged leader of the Mongoose Tong. Jen knows almost every inch of Shanghai and having adopted Ricky's title, her name is respected among the other gangs of Shanghai.
Court: Daitya, Naobi, Legacies: Ringleader (Yin)/Beast (Yin), Kun Shou (Seeming): hsien-jin, Kwannon-jin (Kith): Tanuki
Stats: Physical: Strength 3, Dexterity 3, Stamina 4, Social: Charisma 3, Manipulation 2, Appearance 3, Mental: Perception 4, Intelligence 3, Wits 4
Abilities: Talents: Alertness 2, Athletics 1, Brawl 2, Intimidation 3, Leadership 3, Shentao 2, Streetwise 4 (Gangs), Skills: Drive 3, Firearms 2, Martial Arts 2 (Hard), Melee 2, Stealth 1, Knowledges: Investigation 1, Law 1, Medicine 2, Occult 1
Alchemy: Tieh Tan 3, Hou Tan 2, Equilibrium 2, Elemental Affinity: Metal
Backgrounds: Contacts 2, Influence 3 (Underworld), Pakua 2, Remembrance 2, Retinue 4 (Gang)
Yin 5, Yang 3, Tao: 0, Willpower: 6
