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You begin to search the room and find that the books on the shelves are military treatises and the scrolls are military orders detailing troop movements in the dying days of Lung Wa.
The giant map of the region that became Shokuro is highly detailed. Someone with a steady hand carefully marked several remote locations in various mountain ranges. The border of the map is an intricate depiction of the Dragon Empires zodiac.
The papers on the desk are a series of one-sided correspondences in Tien from an adjutant of the last Lung Wa emperor to a General Chiang Zhen. The adjutant thanks General Zhen for his visit to a recent military summit at a place called the Summer Palace. Though these letters are putatively written on behalf of the emperor, their tone is familiar, even intimate, and hints at a close relationship between the adjutant and the general.
The Summer Palace is a near-legendary palace believed to have been lost when the empire fell. Details about the sunsets viewed between mountain peaks and constellations seen from the Summer Palace provide hints as to the lost Summer Palace’s location.
As you continue to search the room you note, on the desk is a fine calligraphy. You also find gold ring worth and loose coins from the Lung Wa era in the desk drawers. While against the desk rest a naginata in a ornately detailed scabbard.
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Wha'? Huh? Slaine starts up from his dazed state and notes that he's alone. Durn it! I checked out for a spell. Gotta keep me head in th' ol' game here.
With that, Slaine trots into the room where everyone is looking around. Seeing a bunch of writing and maps, he shrugs, I was never much good with my letters 'r figuring'. Kin we jus' take that there map back to th' Tian gal? Mehbe there's some''thin of more interest hidden in the walls 'r shelves?
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Deciding that all of this would certainly be of historical interest to Mai Chun you begin gathering your findings, the books alone weigh 200 pounds in total. In the end you decide you can probably take the map with you and attempt to carefully remove it, although it is delicate it suffers only a few small tears, still you don't lose any important information. No spirits leap from the sword and you find it's a naginata of masterwork quality.
With your new found load you return to Ashima with the books, map, and letters in tow. Mai Chun is overjoyed upon your return.
This is more than I could have hoped for you to find, very well done indeed Pathfinders. Please stay and make yourselves comfortable while I go over the adjutant’s letters.
But first she unrolls the large map across her table and her eyes go wide with realization, she traces the identified sites.
The location of the Summer Palace has been lost since the fall of Imperial Lung Wa; the treasures it contains are unknown but likely
significant. I don't think we can pinpoint the Summer Palace’s exact location for this map, but we may have a few clues here.
Tapping her fingernail on the map, she muses,
The moon, with joy enough to tear the heavens,
Sinks to the horizon, and suddenly,
The Spring has grown old.
She grins widely and asks, Who wants to make history?
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Mai Chun immerses herself in the new finds late into the night, occasionally making some comments or cracking wide smiles. At some point you all drift off to sleep. When you awake there is no sign of Mai Chun, she left a note 'be back soon'. After a few days, a young Tian man delivers you three letters. He explains that they are from Mai Chun.
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Xiwu, the fortified capital city of Lingshen, a powerful Successor State in Tian Xia which values the arts of the sword and the ink brush in nearly equal measures.
While Lingshen’s armies and warriors fight for honor, its bureaucrats and poets uphold the traditions of Lung Wa and defend Lingshen’s claim as spiritual inheritor of the fallen empire. The calligraphy schools known as The Nine Inkwells educate the kingdom’s noble-born children and serve as a training ground in art and intrigue.
The greatest of these calligraphy schools is the School of Affinities. This facility houses a small number of the highest ranked students.
The journey to Xiwu is short and uneventful. You find the School of Affinities stands on the southern side of Xiwu, overlooking the Golden River. The school is a compound of several freestanding buildings surrounded by a stone wall. A small fountain bubbles in the space between buildings.
The sliding walls of most buildings are open, allowing light to reach rows of students kneeling at their desks. Teachers walk between the desks, occasionally pausing to check work before continuing with their calligraphy lessons.
You realize that these students are all from noble families, and that for each student, there is at least one armed bodyguard standing nearby.
The school employs several guards who patrol the grounds, keeping an eye out for trouble. These guards wear blue and black sashes.
Before you have a chance to look around the school, a young scholar in yellow robes approaches and greets you warmly. A scarred bodyguard stands near the young man.
Greeting! I am Jianghong! He say excitedly. From the look of you, you are visitors from afar, no doubt come to tour our famous school?
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Well, from what I got from th' Exchange, this here Zee-Woo place don't feel that the pen is mightier than the sword. They likes 'em both. The writin' school trains the uppity-ups of high society, but teaches honor. Sounds like they abide th' law, Abadar be praised. Them fellers over yonder wearin' the blue 'n black sashes is the guards. We kin keep an eye on them. Anyone else got any idears? How 'bout you big-brain? He says, squinting over at Lucky.
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Oh yes we have come to tour this fine establishment! We are particularly interested in historical silks. I am Archibald Antonidos! You have no doubt heard of me from my works, You are excited to have me, you have no doubt heard of my works. Conjuration 101, Breeding and Training Greensting Scorpions, The Clever Caster, and Sonnets From a Broken Heart. Perhaps you could even copy a few of magnificent works.
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Archibald, nice to meet you, well that seems impressive, although I gotta admit I haven't heard of them. But then again I don't get to copy magical texts, it seems like I'm always stuck on door duty, but you know a couple did sound kind of familiar. Who have you brought with you Archy, can I all you Archy? The kid is clearly full of energy, bouncing around as he addresses you. His bodyguard is the exact opposite standing stoic and still.
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Yeah, yeah there are a couple maps on display in the hall. Most of them are the master work of previous heads of the school, but there are some from other places also. Of course, there are weapons, too. We’ll end our tour there. Many of the pieces are valuable, but none are very interesting, really. He opines.
Let me give you the grand tour! He exaggerates.
Okay we have classrooms here to the right. 1. This classroom
building is filled with teachers, students, and bodyguards with their sliding paper walls open to admit light.
He turns to the left and you notice a 2. large fountain stands in the center of the school on a raised dais. Of course this is our lovely fountain the pools are suppose to represent elaborate inkstones.
Across from the fountain we have the 3. guesthouse it contains a dining room and three private rooms. It is reserved for guests of the
school. Like prospective students or visiting merchants, you know.
As you can see the grounds are nicely maintained. They tell me to make sure to mention that, I guess well to do nobles find that important. You notice the grounds consist of several gravel paths and well-tended hedges. These hedges are thick and about 4 feet high.
More classrooms. 4,5.
Now the 7. groundkeeper's hut is over there. Surrounding these
buildings, off the main courtyard are other classrooms, dormitories, and supply buildings. So a stone wall surrounds the entire school there are three gates, it's very safe. He motions to the guard during the day the gates are open and the school guards patrol the grounds. At night, the gates are closed and the guards stand upon the walls, watching the surrounding city for trouble. But really it's pretty boring around here.[/b] You can tell this tour is usually given to prospective students and there families.
He stops in front of another building 6., Now this is the Main Hall and Offices. This two-story building has a high hall on the ground floor and teacher’s offices on the upper floor.
Bringing you inside you find that the hall contains several treasures on display, including weapons and examples of exquisite calligraphy.
One of these pieces is an ornate map on orange silk, which appears to be the map you are seeking. Unlike many of the other art objects, the map is not secured behind glass.
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I ask while walking around, Why is the fountain called inkstones? Is that a local reference or am I not understanding something?
I comment closer to the tours finish, What a nice school. Well maintained and looked after. Definitely seems secure. Do you have a lot of trouble with the locals that it would require such security? Or are there important people here? The governors son or the like? Or expensive artwork or weaponry?
My, this is a beautifully drawn map. Do you know its history? I'm sure on your tours people always comment on it.
to look at the map on silk more closely.
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After seeing the map that they are looking for, Slaine begins to fidget. He first takes a look at the map.
to inspect the map for ease of removal. If it looks like a fairly simply grab and go, he says:
Gee, kid, that were a nice tour, but I got to relieve meself som'thin' awful. Don' wait fer me. You all go on an' I'll catch up wit ye after I's done me bidness.
To try and convince Jianghong that he actually needs the toilet and that he doesn't want to just stay behind to take the map.
To hide in the Main Hall and grab the map when the coast is clear.
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At the fountain, An inkstone is a stone mortar we use for the grinding and holding our ink. This fountain is made to look like some, see? Jianghong points out how the parts of the fountain resemble the mortars they use.
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Closer to the tours finish, No trouble, seldom anyway, boring if you ask me. But yeah governor's sons, noble brats, and conceded sons of wealthy merchants. Guess they can't be too safe, my Dad included. He glances back at the scarred bodyguard, who doesn't even flinch.
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Wu-Tang and Slaine both notice the map is likely a copy as the silk is not particularly old and the brushwork is a modern style.
Jianghong responds to Wu-Tang's comments about the map, That’s good, but it’s not as good as the original. The teachers sometimes copy the art on display here as practice, as with this map. I presume the original would be in an office upstairs. But yeah even the copy is very impressive, isn't it. He stares at the map and ponders it a few moments.
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Oh, yeah no problem, there's a water closet, behind this building if you need to go.
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In a attempt to cause a distraction Archy has the idea for a guest lecture.
My kind friend do you think your fellow students and teachers would be interested in a lecture about the points of writing original literature? I think it would be quite splendid. Or possibly discuss a book deal with someone! I am just so overjoyed to be at such a magnificent school!
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Wu-tang finds the grounds well maintained, but there are many shrubberies nearby, setting a fire shouldn't be hard, what might be more difficult setting a fire undetected.
Jianghong gets a wounded look on his face as Diluvious makes his declaration, and then Archibald makes his offer.
Oh, I, um don't know, maybe they would. Let me go ask the Head Master about it. You can wait right here with Zheng The young man replies.
The bodyguard gives an incredulous look but Jianghong is off in a flash. Leaving you with the scarred henchmen. As Slaine wanders to the fringes ready to make his move when the time is right.
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Several staff members and instructors rush down the stairs as the call of 'FIRE' rings out. Wu-Tang, Diluvious and Archibald help people out of the building. Meanwhile, Slaine moves up the stairs, crossing paths with a couple of the fleeing staff, who seem less interested in why he is headed upstairs, than getting themselves downstairs.
Once upstairs, Slaine sees 6 offices. 3 with open doors, 2 with closed doors, and then catches a glimpse of someone dash into the 3rd open door and quickly close it behind them.
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Archibald, would you want to keep a lookout and Diluvious and I will run up stairs and help make sure the building is empty? I wink a lot at Diluvious and Archibald as I'm saying this in case any locals are still in earshot. Then two of us could run up and try and help if needed or look ostensibly for stragglers but really for the map. Any one with a better idea can speak up. :)
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Dil! Woo-dang!! Git this here door open. I can't budge her and I'm thinkin that varmint in there is gittin the map wrapped up. I tried ter knock her down, but I ain't got th strength.
Slaine readies his musket and prepares to rush in, SWAT style, once someone kicks the door down. He's planning on threatening the person in the room as if the person is stealing it (and who's to say that they aren't!!)
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Diluvious is equal to the challenge, his kick sends the door flying open!
The inside of this office is cluttered with calligraphy samples, brushes, and inkstones across every flat surface except a low table in the center of the room. The window on the other side of the room is open, and a shadow moves across the sill with a flutter of orange silk.
Rushing to the window, you catch a glimpse of your guide, Jianghong, sneaking away with the map in tow.
Archibald
Diluvious
Slaine
Wu-Tang