Jadeclaw: Once Upon A Time in Zhongguo

[SpiritFox]

Zhongguo; the Middle Kingdom, center of All-Under-Heaven, the mightiest empire in the known world. A land of celestial beauty and divine law, where the affairs of heaven and earth meet. Great bridges of stone span mighty rivers wider than seas, sprawling cities bustle with more people than most kingdoms can boast. Towering mountains wreathed in cloud hide temples grander than the halls and palaces of barbarian kings. Solemn halls in emerald seas, laden vessels upon golden rivers, towering fortresses rooted on silver walls and teeming caravans across saffron waves.

This is Zhongguo. This is the Middle Kingdom. This is home.

The city of Xiang Ping sits on the easternmost edge of the easternmost State of the Middle Kingdom; the State of Yen. The city and its port is the gateway to the Middle Kingdom for Guizi traders from Calabria and Govroya. Here they must pass inspection and gain approval to trade with the rest of the Empire; not a trivial process even at the best of times. The Guizi quarter of Xiang Ping caters to these foreign barbarians, allowing them storage and lodging while they await the proper approvals.

Of course, not all work within the approved channels.

You and your fellows have been summoned to the affluent home of the Countess Tú Bo-jué to assist in a delicate matter regarding some…private dealings with the Guizi.

[Kumiko Yamazaki]

When's char gen? :)

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"She's so many women 

He can't find the one who was his friend 

He's hanging on to half her heart 

He can't have the restless part

So he tells her to hasten down the wind"

- The Late Great, Warren Zevon.

[SpiritFox]

Character creation - Friday or Saturday alright with everyone?

[Hong Joon Ng]

I'm fine with Fri and Sat.

On Thu, Dec 31, 2015 at 12:00 AM, SpiritFox <spirit...@gmail.com> wrote:

Character creation - Friday or Saturday alright with everyone?

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[Hong Joon Ng]

Hey Darren, do you want us to post our character details here or just tell you at our next session?

[Kumiko Yamazaki]

I'm fine with posting stuff here.

Kirara (aka Lady Twilight) will be happy to entertain and amaze with her fabulous skills...

As will her sister. :D - Just ....slightly different skills.

[Darren Loo]

Post would be nice :3

[Hong Joon Ng]

Name: Qian Shizen

Species: Qiling

Career: Doctor and also a Way of Changes practitioner

Personality: Meticulous

Personal Motto: *I'll tell you during the next session hohoho :P*

Goals: Research anaesthesia

Basic background: found as a baby by a herbalist while she's picking herbs. Inspired by her to be a doctor. Hence, quite knowledgeable with herbal medicine. Befriended Ting Guang (Daniel's character) when foster mother treated his injury when he was in State of Yen during one of his "adventures". Learned and mastered acupuncture in Xiang Ping.

*Sorry, not terribly creative. This already took me a while to come up with*

[Ban]

Hey Darren,

I'm thinking of switching from Bounty Hunter to Watchman. The Watchman's skills and gifts more closely match the character concept of the lawman from the courts I have in mind than the Bounty Hunter.

Bounty hunter

Skills: Melee combat, Brawling, Searching

Gifts: Tracking, Shadowing, Resolve

Watchman

Skills: Melee Combat, Observation, Searching

Gifts: LEGAL AUTHORITY, Resolve, Veteran

I'll pick up Shadowing and later Tracking if I switch to watchman anyway. The act of shadowing uses the Observation skill, so a watchman will be better at shadowing a target than a bounty hunter if I have the Shadowing gift. See what I mean?

Is this okay?

[Ban]

Also, observation is used to beat stealth typically, which I expect to be doing a lot as a lawman hunting criminals.

[Kumiko Yamazaki]

But.... My sister and I are RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU!

It won't take long to find us!  I'm a bleedin' Diva!

Diva's don't get stealth!

[Hong Joon Ng]

Kirara, you and your sister, <unpronounceable name>, are criminals?!

[Kumiko Yamazaki]

Diva's don't count as criminals. 

We're something different all together!

But..My girl isn't...but I'm not sure how the law looks upon my sister's profession? :D

[Ban]

Gieshas are respectable professions. Prostitutes who pretend to be geishas to please customers however...

[Kumiko Yamazaki]

Name: Kurasawa Kirara aka Lady Twinkle

Species: Zhuque

Career: Sword Dancer - and the greatest Showgirl in Zhongguo

Personality: Diva

Personal Motto: Let me the Starlight in your Dreary Twilight Sky

Goals: Become the most popular entertainer in Yen

            Discover True Love

            More to come             

Basic background: Youngest of twin sisters, Kirara and her sisters are as thick as thieves...well..not that they are thieves...and they're not thick..but well, you get the point.  When their parents died when the sisters were still young, they learned to hone their burgeoning skills in order to make a living in the cold cruel world.

Kirara is kind and caring to all, she loves nothing more than being friends with everyone, as long as everyone remembers she's the centre of attention.  (Don't bother trying to tell her that it's not all about her, she won't believe you)  However despite her Diva complex, she loves people and will defend them and help them so long as they don't hurt her or her sister...

(...or steal her limelight.)

[Hong Joon Ng]

Or a cat pretending to be a geisha...

On Tue, Jan 5, 2016 at 11:06 PM, Ban <mrbun...@gmail.com> wrote:

[Darren Loo]

IRT Dan,

If it works for you, it works for me. 

Also, the civil police are called Yan Wei (As listed in 579 and 580 of the Book of Jade describing the system of laws in Zhongguo). The Yan Wei are enforcers authorized by the magistrates (Ssu-Kuo) to seek out and bring to trial the offender(s) in any civil case brought before the courts. Not the strong arm of the Emperor like the Jinyiwei.

If you would rather be a civil policeman rather than a secret policeman, that works as well. In which case, you can be a native of Yen and the little message you received would simply be part of your flaw, rather than a core mission. Is there some reason the Emperor's left hand has specific reason to send instructions to a civil officer? A past crime they're holding over your head? Or maybe one of a close family member? Or are you an agent within the civil service rather than a roving operative?

If you choose to take Legal Authority, then you will have an inscribed tablet or clothing patch with rank and affiliation. You will also carry a seal denoting your authority - as a Yan Wei, it will be a simple hardwood seal with the inscriptions of the magistrates of Yen. As a Jinyiwei, the seal will be beautifully carved Jade in the shape of a stylized lion given to you with the message. The seal would be an extravagant item and proscribed for anyone except you.

[Darren Loo]

IRT Doug

Given the setting, a pair of Zhuques would be the center of a LOT of attention. Perhaps that is the reason you ended up in such a prestigious assignment as a Sword-Dancer. Who was your sponsor? Or did you inherit your weapons from your surely illustrious parents (who were probably part of the literati - the scholars and counselors - if not actual members of the local court)? Certainly such raw talent in such an awe-inspiring creature such as yourself would have generated a lot of interest.

And what about your sister? Perhaps she followed a darker route, working her wiles amid the swirl of the minor nobility and the literati? A... talented wit and alluring presence fluttering from one infatuated admirer to another? How many lovers and possible connections? Or were they all a blur? How do the two of you coordinate your moves if you do? Does she get you the jobs or do you point out the...persons of interest? Maybe a mix of both? 

[Darren Loo]

IRT Hong Joon

Is there any backstory about how she learnt the Way of Changes? Was it inherited or did an old master take an interest in you? Or maybe you spent years seeking out the knowledge of the Way of Changes. Either way, there has to be a reason you're skilled in a highly specialized art (especially as your day job is a doctor)

[Darren Loo]

It's convenient for the plot that most of you are celestials and the only one who isn't is an officer of sorts. >:3 Good reason for Countess Tú Bo-jué to seek out your assistance.

[Ban]

Yan Wei was my original concept (haha, they get specific mention in the Book of Jade! Why aren't they an available career?), but man are the Jinyiwei tempting. Pragmatically having Local Knowledge State of Yen is much better than Majing. Okay, let me think.

Right now, I'm receiving orders from the Emperor's left hand. That says Jinyiwei, not Yan Wei to me. So let's go with that. Watchman career starts with Legal Authority, so that is completely appropriate anyway. If I reaaaally want local knowledge State of Yen, perhaps it is where I'm based to keep tabs on the state of Yen. From the wiki: "One of the early duties of the Jinyiwei was to help the emperor spy on his subjects." I guess I'm a Jinyiwei stationed within Countess Tú Bo-jué's court to keep tabs on her. Maybe one of my contacts should be the actual ambassador from the Royal Palace, or alternatively I'm actually doubling up as an ambassador (a bit doubtful, not exactly in a Jinyiwei's skillset). 

Let's make it so that I am not summoned by the Countess, unlike the other party members. Rather, while the Countess knows a Jinyiwei is around, she doesn't know (or even better, PRETENDS not to know) that these two Zhuque sisters are my informants. My informants are currently instructed to give me updates on the Countess, the Guizi, and the local crime lords, so naturally whatever dealing the Countess has with them will be reported back to me.

How's that sound? Or is that a little too much? I thought it would make for more interesting drama, the Countess trying to make use of the Royal Palace's resources through intrigue.

[Hong Joon Ng]

Darren, I'm going to take the easy way out by saying that the herbalist sensed something special in Shizen (male character, btw) and taught him Way of Changes. It's not everyday you find a seemingly abandoned baby Qiling (possible plot point here!). Being a herbalist out there in the woods, rather than a doctor in a bustling city (she is that skilled), she has been keeping a low profile and thus almost nobody knows she's a Way of Changes practitioner. (Her name is Yodee :P)

I'm open to changes, of course, as I'm not particularly creative when it comes to such write-up. Now, if you ask me to write an actuarial report...

On Wed, Jan 6, 2016 at 1:18 AM, Darren Loo <spirit...@gmail.com> wrote:

[Kumiko Yamazaki]

Darren...thanks for the questions.  Let me speak to my 'sister' and get back to you on the answers. :)

[Darren Loo]

IRT Daniel

That would work. If you were stationed in Yen for any length of time, the nobility would be aware of your presence. They would be less likely to fear you, however, since familiarity would breed some level of contempt (especially since you're not exactly in their class) especially if your duties have been more in line with keeping an eye on the Guizi than keeping the local nobility in check (a task that would normally fall to the Censorate in times of peace). 

I'll let you make the call - if you're newly arrived in Xiang Ping, then, the meeting with the Countess would be part of a courtesy call. If not, then you will be there on her personal request. But also, if you're a resident, I must ask you to flesh out your background in Xiang Ping a bit more; what was your original duty in Xiang Ping? Are you there to keep an eye on the Guizi or the burgeoning local underworld? And how were you in the execution of your duties? Ruthless? Stoic? Dispassionate? Lax? Were you a velvet glove or an iron fist? 

[Ban]

“Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak.” ― Sun Tzu, The Art of War

I don't think I have an issue Ting Guang (my character) with not being feared by nobles. After all he wants them to think they have the freedom to act as they normally would even he is around haha. The believe they've already buttered him up with drink, wealth and wenches and he's thrown my lot with them. But they are so wrong... that sort of thing. Well, maybe not to that extreme since he hasn't had much practice in the art of deceit. 

The nobles will have to make their own false conclusions rather than try and actively trick them haha.

I'm thinking Ting Guang used to be a Yan Wei who has proven his loyalty to the Royal Palace in a past high profile case and got a 'promotion' to Jinyiwei. Prior duty as a Jinyiwei would most likely be keeping the palace informed of the going ons in Xiang Ping in general, not so much on the execution of potential enemies yet. As a resident of the city who worked in law enforcement, he's had the opportunity to acquaint himself with local informants. Let's say that the instructions he received in the letter was a decision based on intel he himself had accumulated from his informants in the city (*cough* Max's character *cough*). I would imagine he's still getting a feel for his new duty as a Jinyiwei, and for now is mostly passive and just doing the appointed duty of informing the palace and waiting for further instructions. Instructions which seem to have just arrived? I would imagine the letter is further test of Ting Guang's capabilities and judgement before he will be told by the palace he has the go ahead to execute his duties more aggressively.  Nobles will probably interpret his apparent inaction up to now as a sign of weakness.

Ting Guang has "Resourceful" as his personality, with emphasis on the quotation marks (I couldn't think of the less polite descriptions of his personality, haha). Motto is "The end justifies the means." I think that and the company he keeps speaks volumes about his way of carrying out his duties.

[Meow God]

i've just read up a little on the courtesan of ancient china. apparently not at all in the class of cheap or common prostitutes ,  Jinui, and please refrain from thinking so. apprently geisha culture spawn from china later through the years during the time japan were heavily influenced by china. These courtesans known as Yueji, are specialized entertainers since the confucian era n they evolved through time.  They are trained to be the perfect 'female'. in the art of performing, poetry, dance and caligraphy and also some ways of the bed. though not all sell their body but majority did. the very famous ones were sort after for their beauty n talents and some even ended up in the emperor's court as his concubines or even empresses.  

A lot of the Courtesan during later years especially the song dynasty hailed from nobility fallen from grace, family of wealth but parents died or business went bankrupt or daughters of scholars with tragic past and etc. due to their up bringing to be a lady and teachings in the ways of literacy they would be seen as something to sort after.***if you watch those Hongkong series or movies there're always some really famous courtesan at a brothel that could pick her client n washed with presents.***

so in another word courtesans should not be mistaken for prostitutes as during the ancient time they are not. 

to darren : it heavily depends on how you would view them in the capital city of Yen and the country and court. as this is jadeclaw n not china. please do let me know what are their standing the the ways of the society in Zhonguo. are they being treated like cheap hos or there are some respect for being an artist/entertainer. if they are thought of as low class hos and spit upon or always gets mishandled by ppl i might need to rethink how to approach this character or to alter it a little 

here are some examples of famous courtesan without major tragedy :D

Yu Xuanji was born in Chang'an, the capital of the Tang Dynasty (618-907). From a very young age, Yu was tutored by her father to recite poetry and write articles. Yu was forced to marry an official named Li Yi and act as his concubine, or less wife. Their relationship degenerated to the point where Li jilted Yu and she became a courtesan.

Yu Xuanji is considered to be the most famous female poet during the Tang Dynasty. A volume of her poetry was published during her lifetime.

****

Du Qiuniang, from a humble family in the Tang Dynasty, was beautiful and well-versed in music and dancing. She was also good at poetry. Du was a well-known for her singing in the southern areas surrounding the Yangtze River.

As one of the concubines of the Emperor Hsien-tsung, Du Qiuniang also assisted the emperor in handling political affairs. She went back to her hometown after Emperor Hsien-tsung died.

[Meow God]

Aimomo Kurosawa. Zhuque

skills: presence, supernatural, weather sense.
gifts: wings, flight, true leader
career: bawd
skills: deceit, gossip, negotiation
gifts: corousing, seduction, streetwise

starting gifts: Ally, Ally: Gang of Irregulars, Etiquette

personality: devious
Motto: The flow of a strong River is inevitable, but it can be tamed and be directed willingly by the soft touch of one's ingenuity.

Aimomo tends to hold herself with  great sense of pride in the ways of a proper lady. She is fair of feather with a tint of lilac accented with highlights of red. As for attire she usually tends to wear Silk dresses of good quality that is the latest fashion for a respectable Lady.

Being the eldest of the twin, Aimomo took up the role of a caretaker and also function as the manager for Kirara. She helps in managing Kirara's schedule & fees of her performances. Entertainment business is actually their side earnings for Aimomo since usually the traveling, costumes and ect only break even or the profit too insignificant to contribute to their great well of wealth due to Kirara being a stinky baboon's ass spendrift of a diva.

To the sisters information is their best commodity. With their brillance in fishing out information from everyone makes them a pair of most sort after information brokers in the land of Yen(That is if they know of them). They usually don't sell directly to their customers and usually goes through 3rd party broker to keep their identities a secret. Not all brokers knows their identities neither. They only share it with their most trusted buyers & brokers.

Through Kirara's love of helping those in need and Aimomo's ingenuity in recruiting, they now have a gang of irregulars that assist and contribute to their library of gossips and tradeable information.

Aimomo's ally is their god father Yin Long Sen"Concealed Dragon Deity". No one knows his realname perhaps other than his own mother and the twin's parents. He is a business man, and a reputable information & smuggled goods broker. He runs a reputable tea house as a front(if courtesan is part of Aimomo's CV then it'll be a brothel) by the name of Kueh Huah Loh 葵花楼 "Sunflower floors(in mandarin the literal multiple storey floors meant Shop/house or business building. eg wine floors, tea floors). He is mentor to the twins.

character developement-
To achieve Aimomo's "perfect lady" stature, I would like to get the following list of gifts before moving on to attain the immortal mage dream.

1. performance - Zheng,
2. Literacy,
3. Literacy - Poetry,
4. Craft - caligraphy,
5. Heraldry,
6. History
7. Bribery
8. Haggling
9. Insiders-
10. Increase trait - Career
11. Increase trait - mind
12. ledged emain
combat:
1. melee guile,
2. Danger sense
3. Increase traits - Speed
4. fan combat
5. low profile
6. Spring loaded strike*
7. Spring loaded concealment*
8. Spring loaded mastery*
8. Resolve
9. Resolve - shield soak
10. counter tactics*

* may or may not take

Immortal Sage gifts... maybe

[SpiritFox]

Going for a high class courtesan works based on what you posted earlier - sorry I hadn't had time to get to that.

So... a Godfather for a godfather? He won't be in great favor with the authorities...

Your gang of irregulars - fellow courtesans, runners, pimps, matchmakers... as a brothel/tea house worker, your potential circle is huge. Just want to ask - do you want your irregulars to be people working for and with you, or are you open to them being your own circle of admirers and sometimes-lovers? 

Maybe Doug can take a +1 Flaw to have the association with your mutual godfather as well instead of needing the gift. This will reflect how your Godfather's connections might come back to haunt the two of you (you already have the gift as a keystone). You could take a similar Flaw to have deeper connections with your irregulars... perhaps one of your admirers is a little obsessive about you - or is a connection that could easily backfire on your character having gotten into the wrong person's pants.

[Kumiko Yamazaki]

More than happy to take the flaw.  >.>

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[Meow God]

oh I was just thinking a godfather, good friend of the parents. but either one is okay with us.

Some background story. The parents could be part of a guild of information brokers and spies, or at least the mother was through the tall tales of great exploits and adventure told by Yin. He never mention much about their father though. Yin still seemed to hold a grudge against the man even after all these years.

Aimomo can't truely recall much about her father neither. Their parents died when they were only 4 years old. All Aimomo could remember was the sweet scent of sandalwood, jasmine, sweet orange and ylang ylang whenever her father carries her for a stroll along their garden.

by the way what are the flaws you mentioned? as for their regulars, it can hail from any group deemed suitable.

[SpiritFox]

For you, I'm proposing a love connection or infatuation. Possibly an official of some kind, perhaps a mandarin or crime boss, maybe a merchant prince or well-known scholar. It need not be a two way relationship - possibly someone with an unhealthy infatuation with you and who might make your party's life difficult at the worst possible moment :P

[Meow God]

I don't mind :)

[Hong Joon Ng]

Darren, I read up the 5 caste of Zhongguo as well as the 5 cast/class structure of ancient and medieval China. I'm not sure where does a doctor/physician fit in. Is it together with the craftmen in the Gong caste?

[SpiritFox]

See all of you at 8pm later :)

I'll try to grab something on the way so I can go straight up.

IRT Hong Joon

I'd slot you in as a Literati - as a Doctor, you're a learned and knowledgeable professional; and a Changes practitioner to boot. I think Aimomo is the most nebulous right now but it sounds merchant.

[Kumiko Yamazaki]

Ban...Could I request a lift again? ^^; 

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[Hong Joon Ng]

Doug, Daniel said ok :)

[Poh Tun Kai]

How'd it go yesterday?

[Kumiko Yamazaki]

I was 'needling' prisoners about their looks. o.o

On Tue, Jan 12, 2016 at 11:34 AM, Poh Tun Kai <ptik...@gmail.com> wrote:

How'd it go yesterday?

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[Darren Loo]

The party has been asked by the Countess Tú Bo-jué to help resolve a succession dispute between two factions of a triad that has been making profits from shipping Zhonggese emigres out of the Empire to foreign shores in Calabria. The Countess would prefer that one or the other of the competing claimants be installed to ensure a clean succession without leaving a power vacuum - contrary to Ting Guang's (Daniel) secret orders from the court which was to find and execute BOTH taikos.

The matter was somewhat resolved, however, by the appearance of the enigmatic Minister Lü, and his assurances that "these matters have been considered by others "of higher station", and he should carry out his orders." Further gossip by the sisters indicated that the triad leader (whose disappearance in Calabria almost a year ago sparked the crisis) has returned and is likely working with (or being controlled by) the Minister. 

All that remained to be resolved was locating the two targets. A masterful interrogation by Kirara yielded the general location. A "spring celebration" orchestrated by the sisters provided cover and a distraction for Ting Guang and Qian Shizen (Hong Joon) to make discrete inquiries with the authorities and among the Guizi merchants who appear to be working with one of the taikos. A quick bit of official arm twisting yielded the locations of the two targets and a new partner in the form of the Jakoba agent in Xian Ping, Daan van Helsing. 

[SpiritFox]

Sorry guys - game on Monday cancelled - Dad's going under the knife on Tues, so I'm heading back over the weekend until Tuesday. 

[Hong Joon Ng]

Oh, hope it's nothing serious. Hope everything goes smoothly for your dad.

On Fri, Jan 15, 2016 at 1:06 AM, SpiritFox <spirit...@gmail.com> wrote:

Sorry guys - game on Monday cancelled - Dad's going under the knife on Tues, so I'm heading back over the weekend until Tuesday. 

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[Meow God]

best of wishes. hope he gets well soon!!

On Fri, Jan 15, 2016 at 1:06 AM, SpiritFox <spirit...@gmail.com> wrote:

Sorry guys - game on Monday cancelled - Dad's going under the knife on Tues, so I'm heading back over the weekend until Tuesday. 

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[Kumiko Yamazaki]

Brave Heart, my dear friend. :(

On Fri, Jan 15, 2016 at 1:06 AM, SpiritFox <spirit...@gmail.com> wrote:

Sorry guys - game on Monday cancelled - Dad's going under the knife on Tues, so I'm heading back over the weekend until Tuesday. 

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[Ban]

Hope it goes well

[Poh Tun Kai]

Darren, how did it go?

[SpiritFox]

Alright everyone - just some updates.

My dad's operation went well. A bit of a panic on Sunday morning because he took some Heart Attack medication after a false alarm and landed himself in the ER. He's on a strict diet and blood thinners for the forseeable future to prevent a clot forming around the stents, but otherwise he's even livelier than before.

On to the game - I'd like to see if we can start earlier on Monday since it's a public holiday. Not sure what time you want to start - as early as 4pm or just an hour earlier? Doug, what say you? I know Kai is interested in running a quick Night Witches session for me and Doug, so let me know who is ok with an earlier start time? (For that matter if you'd like to come early and play Night Witches first or something...)

[Kumiko Yamazaki]

I'm here all day so.... I don't mind :D

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[Ban]

4pm should be okay

[Hong Joon Ng]

4pm is ok

[Poh Tun Kai]

If you all want to do an earlier game that works too. Or maybe we can do a short Night Witches bit and you can watch Darren and Doug embarrass themselves. ;)

[fellowhoodlum]

All I can suggest is https://youtu.be/-z2SEVeezWs

Sent from ProtonMail, encrypted email based in Switzerland.