Shadows of Shen Zhou:Ascending Tai

Ascending Tai

Ascending Tai is a handsome young man of 17 and likely the newest resident of Inauspicious Calligraphy in particular and the City in general. His garb is plain and looks like something you might see in a period piece. He wears a jian at his waist, often concealed with a cloth covering.

He is polite if approached, but mostly keeps to himself when he wanders the district and surrounding areas, which he does often. He is very curious about things that most people take for granted, but generally develops an understanding of anything unfamiliar relatively quickly. He reacts very poorly to the injustices of the world, and will take action to correct them. The first act that brought him to the attention of most of the residents of Inauspicious Calligraphy was when he single-handedly defeated a local gang that had pushed an old man out of their way and into the street.

If asked, he will tell you that he comes from a small village in the country but was taken in as a small boy by his Sifu, who educated him and taught him how to cultivate his Chi. His Master is in the City on business, and asked Tai to in the district for his return.

In reality, Tai is the only disciple of Fallen Xue, former Grandmaster of the Falling Wren Society before its a annihilation at the hands of the Ministry of Righteous Progress over a century ago. They saw Xue, well-known for his stance on how the unrighteous rulers of the world should be dealt with, as a threat to the current government. They struck when the society gathered in celebration of Xue's, then known as Zheng Xue, promotion to Grand Master. They were very thorough, and of all the leadership only Xue is known to have survived. Some handful of lesser members escaped with their lives, scattering to the four directions in order to keep them. In this way the philosophical teachings of the Falling Wren have survived to this day, albeit in a fractured form, but the society itself is no more.

As for Fallen Xue, he withdrew from the world and was forgotten for a time, but every decade or so he would emerge and correct an injustice. Over a decade ago he infiltrated the Forbidden city and attempted to slay the Unrighteous Emperor. Though he failed, his actions incensed the Ministry of Righteous Progress, and they have been actively seeking his death ever since.

They nearly succeeded two years ago after having discovered his mountain stronghold and burning it to the ground. Tai and his Sifu have been on the run ever since, never sure if they have eluded the Ministry's reach. Their reasons for being in the city are twofold, though only one reason is known to Tai. The first reason is that the City is one of the last places they'd expect to find them, at least this is what Tai has been told. The other, and more important, reason they have come is as a test of Tai's character: Having be raised to follow the teachings of the Falling Wren Society, he has never been exposed to the harsh reality of modern times. A powerful Predictionist, Xue has determined that the City is the key to determining Tai's destiny. If he can stay on the correct path even when faced with the "corruption" of his surroundings, Tai will have proven himself worthy of orchestrating the rebirth of the Fallen Wren Society. If he falls to temptation, Xue will start again with another pupil, and the story of Ascending Tai will come to a rather abrupt end.

Name: Ascending Tai

Rank/Archetype: Fourth Rank Warrior

Origin: Student

Passion: Obsession

Region:

Immediate Goal: Understand life in the City and teach by example the Way of Three Kings.

Future Goal: Strike down the Unrighteous Emperor and return the land of Shen Zhou to the path of Excellence.

ATTRIBUTES & SKILLS

(Note: All Skills have +1 die to their rating unless otherwise noted.)

MIGHT (Jade/Wood Chi) 4

• Athletics 3

• Fight 1

• Hardiness 3 (Regaining Chi 1)

SPEED (Crimson/Fire Chi) 5

• Initiative 3

• Dodge 4 (Projectiles 1)

• Melee 4 (Swords 1)

PRESENCE (Gold/Earth Chi) 2

• Confidence 2

• Grace 2

GENIUS (White/Metal Chi) 5

• Learning 3

• Tactics 2 (Personal Combat 1)

WU WEI (Silver/Water Chi) 1

• Awareness 1

• Senses 1

PROTECTION

• Chi Aura - 2

• River - [ ] [ ] [XX] [XX] [XX]

• Health Points per Level - 17

Kung Fu Styles

• Lightfoot 3 (Common Any Chi: Surefoot 1, Run Like a Deer 2, Headlong Flying Leap 3).

• Cloud Mastery 2 (Common Jade Chi: Phantom of the Clouds 1, Moon Covered by Clouds 2).

• Dragon Saber 3 (Common Crimson Chi: Flash of Steel 1, Dragon Speed 2, Submission to the Earth 3).

• Three Kings 4 (Uncommon White: Left-Right Ren Stroke 1, Long Arm of Righteousness 2, Harmony-of-Principles 3, Glowing Cloud of Heaven 4).

Advantages-

• Mentor 5 (Fallen Xue)
• Good Looks (Quality)
• Lore: Confucianism
• Lore: The Falling Wren Society.

Disadvantages-

• Hunted 4 (Ministry of Righteous Progress)
• Onerous Obligation (Fallen Xue)

Equipment-

• Light Armor (-5)
• Punch Or Kick (Speed +15, Strike +0, Damage -5)
• Jian (Speed +5, Attack +10, Defense +10, Damage +5).

Treasures –

• None

Joss

• Xia: 11
• Corrupt:0

Deeds

• Xia: 1
• Kuan: 1
• Zhong:0
• Yi: 0
• Ba: 1

Destiny

• Spent: 65
• Free: 7