A Song of Jade and Pearl: War for the Crown in Tian Xia

Game Master Thackery Baxter J Thorington

Fifteen years ago.
- No matter how skilled the gardener, a birch will not become a cherry tree. -

"OUT!", barked the teacher, snapping a manicured hand towards the door. "Yes, wise master.", replied the boy, calmly walking out of the door, bowing in a horribly polite way as he left.

The youngest scion of House Yan was, undoubtedly, the most infuriating student Sagacious Li ever had. It wasn't that he was stupid, not at all, and he'd never had a student more interested in medicine. Yes, perhaps he lacked the determination to study his long and glorious family history to the extent his siblings had, and his calm, studious smile was a little obnoxious.

It was his sheer inability (or lack of desire) to accept universal truths. In a way, he was quite the Yan. Respectable to infuriating degree, and able to dissect an argument to its bare bones. It's just that his family had the sense to stop arguing when it would be beneficial for them. Yan Lao simply engaged in arguments he found interesting. And sometimes changed his mind mid-argument to yield to his foe's points. Lady Yan would be very disappointed in Li if Gao failed his exams for the position of Deputy Local Administrator's Assistant, and there was little chance of him getting the position.

Fourteen Years Ago.
- No cook is finer than he who can make a turnip fit for the Emperor. -

The doors of the monastery opened, letting the scorching Quain sun in. A tall man with a stern face looked down at the newcomer, his arms covered in roped muscles joining together as he glanced down. A podgy boy of roughly fifteen, dressed in a fine Po Li-styled robe and sandals, both seemingly worn through time. A flicker of a scowl appeared on the monk's face, as he nodded, ushering the young man in.

In the courtyard, young men and women were practicing katas with great precision. On some sides, Gao glanced with barely concealed amazement as some took steps in the air, carved lingering, glowing symbols with their hands. Being ushered in a small, plainly decorated building, Gao was placed in front of an ancient man, as the tall man poured two cups of tea and stood next to the wall. The old man leaned forwards. "So you wish to learn to fight in the ways of the Heavenly Wave?", asked the old man after a moment, taking a sip of his drink. Gao reached forwards, almost opening his mouth to blurt out an answer, before sitting backwards. "No, wise master.", he said a moment later, prompting a surprised look from the tall monk, and a curious smile from the old one. "I wish to simply learn, and here is where I hoped to start.", he said a moment later.

Two months ago.
- The still water must be tended, lest it rots. -

The piece clacked onto the table. Gao's eyebrows furrowed together, as he threw an appraising look at the master. The same monk who greeted him at the gate a lifetime ago, if with an impressive silvery-gray beard, glanced back. "Does the winding path not endanger the cart, master?", Gao queried on his master's unorthodox strategy, placing his piece in an offensive manner to capitulate on the error. "It does,", replied Master Huaren, placing another piece, "but doesn't a word in the Emperor's ear matter more than a treatise in a winehouse?", he countered, goading the young man's offensive further. Two more rounds, and Gao would win the game. It was rare, but it happened. He nodded, focused on the game. His defenses were weak, true, but so were his master's scattered all across the board. Was perhaps caution the lesson today? Pushing a piece backwards and delaying his victory, he raised an eyebrow, only to just notice his master's defenses using the board to rally into an inpenetrable defense. His leftover pieces would stand no chance of success.

Leaning backwards and dropping a piece of butter into his tea, his master shook a finger. "More can be lost in thought than to a hundred oni, if one fails to act when the Heavens tell him to.", he said. "Interesting times are upon us, young Gao.", he said, crossing his fingers. "A tree can grow for a thousand years, yet it only takes a blink for the lightning to strike it down. The Five Dragons Throne grows colder, and many wish to start a fire." Gao nodded, standing up. "The wise farmer watches for storms on the horizon.", he replied. "Thank you, master. I will set at dawn."

Takumi Akiyama has been practicing his trade for several years in the heart of Po Li’s capital city of Changdo. There are only a few people who know what that trade entails in its entirety though. By day Takumi appears to be a middle-aged human tailor whose deft hands have crafted some of the most beautiful garments currently available on the market. Slowly over the years he has been able to ingratiate himself more and more with the Oracular Council and the nobility of Changdo due to recently finding a sponsor among the nobility. In reality, both things serve to further his other job, as a spy and information broker for the same sponsor who grants him access to the world of those nobles. Few even know that Takumi is in fact a Kitsune, it is not a fact that makes him uncomfortable, merely it is valuable information that he sees no reason to give out for free. He spends much of his time shifted into the social guise that he as adopted over years of practice and work. So much time has been invested in it that he finds that he actually does enjoy his work as a tailor, though he often finds the clients tedious and tiring. But years of hiding have allowed him to always put on a good face when dealing with anyone.

A very secretive person those he trusts are few and far between. He could likely count on a single hand how many people he’d be comfortable around in his true face. He’s grown use to the falsehood that he projects and has found a certain comfort in taking on the role of someone else. But that comfort comes at a cost. He has been well compensated by his noble sponsors thus far and Takumi is far from naïve enough to believe that such a life comes without strings attached. Well with he upcoming Day of Exultation it appears as though those strings are being yanked in. Lady Taishi has contacted him to contract him for a certain job, tied to both his personas. Contact with his noble sponsor has always been shadowy and indirect so even still he is unsure if Lady Taishi is the sponsor or if his sponsor merely traded away his secrets to her for some reason. Either way he is curious about the job and eager to make use of his talents. After all, it never pays to get too comfortable in life, especially not in the political maelstrom that is Changdo.

Takumi Akiyama
Kitsune ranger (dandy) 1/gestalt 1/vigilante (teisatsu) 1 (Pathfinder Player Companion: Spymaster's Handbook 26, Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 4 175, Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Intrigue 9, 41)
LN Medium humanoid (kitsune, shapechanger)
Init +4; Senses low-light vision; Perception +4
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Defense
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AC 18, touch 14, flat-footed 14 (+4 armor, +4 Dex)
hp 11 (1d10+1)
Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +2
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Offense
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Speed 30 ft.
Melee dagger +1 (1d4/19-20) or
. . wakizashi +1 (1d6/18-20) or
. . bite +1 (1d4)
Special Attacks favored enemy (tian xian +2), hidden strike +1d8/+1d4
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 1st; concentration +4)
. . 3/day—dancing lights
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Statistics
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Str 11, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 16
Base Atk +1; CMB +1; CMD 15
Feats Fox Shape, Realistic Likeness[ARG]
Traits deep cover, rising star
Skills Bluff +8, Craft (clothing) +9, Diplomacy +7, Disable Device +8, Disguise +7 (+17 circumstance to fool others with impersonation, +27 to appear as part of polite society while in your social identity), Intimidate +3 (+7 in your Changdo while in your vigilante identity), Knowledge (local) +6, Knowledge (nobility) +6, Perception +4, Sense Motive +5, Stealth +6
Languages Hwan, Minkaian, Senzar, Tien
SQ change shape, dragon empire native, dual identity, gregarious[ARG], rumor empathy +4, social talent (renown[UI]), track +1, vigilante specialization (stalker[UI])
Other Gear chain shirt, dagger, wakizashi[UC], courtier's outfit, masterwork tailoring tools, masterwork thieves' tools, necklace w/ comparment (worth 50 gp), sewing needle, thread (50 ft.), 2 gp, 4 sp, 9 cp
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Special Abilities
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Change Shape (Su) Assume a single human form.
Dragon Empire Native You come from the Dragon Empires in Golarion, and so your starting languages are Tien and Senzar instead of Common and Sylvan.
Dual Identity (Ex) Each identity maintains own alignment, can switch over 1 min. Magical means treat an ID as non existant while not adopted.
Favored Nation (Tian Xian +2) (Ex) +2 to rolls vs. courtiers, officials, nobles, and gentry from Tian Xian.
Fox Shape You can take the form of a specific fox, as beast shape II.
Gregarious (Ex) Successful Diplomacy check causes target to take a –2 penalty vs. further CHA skills for 24 hr.
Hidden Strike +1d8/+1d4 Extra damage vs. unaware/startled foes, less vs. flat-footed/flanked foes.
Low-Light Vision See twice as far as a human in dim light, distinguishing color and detail.
Realistic Likeness Change shape can mimic individuals you've met, gain a +10 bonus to Disguise to impersonate.
Renown +4 (Changdo) (Ex) 1 week action, in chosen community +1 default attitude in social ID, bonus to Intim in vigilante ID.
Rumor Empathy +4 (Ex) Over 8 hr, modify rumor tone one step with a Diplomacy check based on settlement size.
Track +1 Add the listed bonus to Survival checks made to track.

Some agents of good work out in the light. Not Kuro Nisshoku. Her talents weren't the sort that honourable samurai or noble guardians showed. Hers were darker and more twisted than that. She walked a path of darkness, perhaps lingering on the fringes of what was good in the process, but it was all with a simple goal in mind: to do what those righteous, honourable sorts were never all that willing to do. Someone had to.

Kuro was born impoverished, to a very poor pair of Kitsune struggling to get by running a small noodle shop. The reality of life at the bottom of society was brutal and unforgiving, and from an early age Kuro had to resort to crime to make sure her family had enough money to eat. There was little upward movement or help for the people at the bottom, and those who did flourish there did so by oppressing and hurting the people around them. Criminals and gangs who took and took and took, abusing and bullying people, doing things that were not necessary or even in their best nature, simply to hurt. Learning how to survive didn't only mean stealing enough to see another day, but to avoid running afoul of bigger, badder criminals.

Chen Ho was the biggest, baddest of criminals in her neighborhood. A cruel man who had declared himself to be the king of thieves, and he demanded a weekly tax from the neighborhood. Refusal meant his agents would bang on doors and kick them in, and in lieu of accepting a shakily-clutched bag of coins, would simply take someone's belongings, happily taking far, far more than the tithe was worth for the sake of lining their own pockets. Fighting against it was hopeless; Chen's power only made him more attractive to thieves in the area, who increasingly began to work for him in exchange for his "protection", and the more thugs he got, the more that thieves who didn't fall in with him found themselves beaten and left in the streets.

It was the poorest part of Chango, and the guard cared little for what happened. Maybe they'd been paid not to care. Whatever it was, the years only made it harder for Kuro and her family, as they found themselves paying weekly to Chen. Kuro had been press ganged into joining up with Chen Ho under threat of violence upon both her and her family, and so only a teen, Kuro began to work for the cruel human, hating every second of it. He would mock her race, and his men would often pull on her tail to further taunt and humiliate her. But it gave her skills. Gave her talents and abilities that quickly took her far beyond the rabble of a pickpocket or even a street thug. She could afford a proper blade, and put herself to work at mastering it. Sneaking and deceiving came naturally to her, and soon she found herself within Chen's truster inner circle. She was almost a woman by then, having spent years working for a man she hated and learning how to perform the duties he expected of her, all while she waited and watched carefully, biding the time before she was able to strike.

For all of her cunning and her sneaking, Kuro's truest talent lay in her excellence with a blade. She stayed her hand as much as possible, in stark contrast to many of the others she ran with, but when she showed mercy, it was respected. If she insisted someone could go, anyone who objected would have to duel her to prove otherwise, and though she never cut down any of the other criminals in such duels, humiliation was hardly beneath her. She would soundly defeat them, leave them face-down in the mud, and make some wry remark about how she had meant what she said. Even those above her learned she wasn't to be trifled with. The more she honed her talents, the more she found they worked well together, and she began to tap into martial disciplines that were far more advanced and complicated than a common street tough could have ever handled. But Kuro was no common anything.

Growing in parallel to Kuro's abilities was Chen's criminal empre, as he began to push out into other parts of the city, and Kuro quickly became onf his lieutenants, charged with tasks that involved sneaking into local government buildings to burn records or listening in on conversations. She didn't have the harshness to command the lower thugs, refused to beat or berate the men, but she could perform so well in any other capacity that Chen nonetheless kept her close. He was a cruel man, but he was not a foolish man, and demanding more of her would only earn her ire. He may have been a bit more of a fool than he thought though; for Kuro had resented him all these years, and the secret she wore close to her heart, so well that he couldn't see his star spy was never truly on his side, was that she had ever intention of one day driving her blade into his heart.

It was on her seventeenth birthday, days after she had burned evidence that led to the technicality release of a dozen of Chen's men, that she struck. Chen had taken the incidence as reason to throw a party, celebrating Kuro for both her abilities, and her 'transition into womanhood'. The thought made her shiver, but she saw the opportunity, plying Chen with more drinks and leaning on his arm all night, a sweet and blushing picture of puppy love for a powerful man. He presented her with a birthday gift: an absolutely beautiful wakizashi. She had taken up the art of using such a blade in the course of his work, and to buy her affections, he had spared no expense rewarding her. It was beautiful, and Kuro was taken by the gesture. An hour later, before she had to make love to the hateful man, that very same gift had been driven into his chest.

When they found her covered in blood, sobbing as she clung to the dead crime lord and screamed for help, she explained that an assassin had broken into the room and used the very gift blade he'd just given Kuro to kill him. She didn't know if it would actually work, but they all believed her, as she cried about how she'd loved him and she was finally going to be his. It seemed too good to be true, and yet she had fooled everyone, and she spent the night being consoled. She had done it. It had taken years, but she had killed him, and perhaps more importantly, killed him before he could make her his.

Chen was a ruthless and cunning man who had all the right skills necessary to make people fear him. None of the men directly under him did. Some were brutes, some were needlessly cruel to the point of self-destruction, some were simply idiots. They splintered off and fought each other, but without Chen around their positions were weaker and skirmishes only further reduced their numbers as individual groups. There were a few outliers who did hold enough acumen to begin to make decent gangs for themselves, but the two who had much chance at succeeding were killed in the night by "someone", while the third perished in a street skirmish.

With her neighborhood spared, Kuro hadn't really solved anything. She knew that fact before the sun rose. There would still be crime, still be poverty, still be a need to make something of a world that didn't care. There were few opportunities out there for people. She'd swiped a fat bag of platinum coins from Chen's safe that would help her family for quite some time to come if they were smart with the money, but that was only her family; what of the people who still needed help? Kuro felt like she had to do something for them.

She also needed a day job. Swearing she had given up her life of crime due to her heartbreak, Kuro needed to find some way to put herself out there with a 'real job', and athletics felt a natural choice. Running was something she already did well, and she was dexterous enough to show off what she could do on a public stage, proving she had a devoted, disciplined day job to keep her occupied with. She began to pursue running by day, seeming like a normal girl with incredible athletic ability, but when the night called, she could slip on a mask and dole out a bit of justice. Not in any major gestures or any sort of masked vigilante capacity; simply keeping the most dangerous of her neighborhood from being able to hurt people, stealing back family heirlooms taken by loan sharks, occasionally rescuiong girls kidnapped into prostitution. Whatever it took to protect people. Kuro was not going to be selfish about her gifts and her abilities. They needed to be shared.

It became harder and harder to balance her priorities as she actually found that she was really good at running. She'd already known she could run, but to do it in a competitive and professional athletic setting proved an altogether different kind of issue; she placed first in her very first competition, and then in her second. And her third. Po Li placed great value on athletes and celebrated them, and so Kuro, for all of her talent, found herself in a prominent position in the city, celebrated for her running ability. Whether for distance, for speed, or with hurdles in the way, Kuro was able to succeed. The teary-eyed story she told of a young girl coming up from poverty, who 'had to run fast so she could survive', began to win the hearts of athletics fans in the city, and soon enough, she found herself a minor celebrity of sorts.

Due to her Minkaian and Kitsune heritages, she found particular connections in those segments of society in Chango. There were not grand numbers of Minkai expatriates in the city, but those who were saw Kuro as 'theirs', as did the Kitsunes. However, for her inspiring story and her incredible ability, she was loved by many, regardless of race or heritage, and so Kuro found herself a life away from the crime and the pain. Her family moved into a slightly better neighborhood thanks to the prize money she could make. She would advertise her family's restaurant when possible, which only helped bring more business to them and allow them to move the store into a somewhat better neighborhood as well. She took the chance to be more worldly, and to begin traveling as competitions took place in other parts of Po Li. She began to learn languages and pick up information about her surroundings, seeing it all as the helpful means of further expanding her view of the world.

But still, Kuro kept going back to the slum. She kept close in contact with her neighbors and her friends, always tyring to learn of what was happening and to eke out some information about the goings on. She could then take that information and apply it to her nightly activities, making sure that people remained as safe and as free as she could. There were a lot of problems in Changdo that needed solving, and the more she began to see the rest of the city, she more she realized it wasn't only her little slum that had such problems. The entire political structure and stability of Changdo felt like it hung by on a thread. There was a lot that needed to be solved in this city, and she didn't feel like she could do it alone. Frustrated, she kept to her little corner of the city a bit longer, hoping that something might happen that could set into motion the action she found herself lingering around so impatiently for.

Kuro is a product of the poorest and most helpless corners of Changdo, and she wears it proudly, albeit with an edge of bitterness. She had to learn to be tough on the streets, had to learn cunning and smarts that she often wishes hadn't been necessary. Although she believes herself a fundamentally good person whose acts are in the name of a higher cause and justice, she is also a scoundrel sneaking in the shadows, leaping out only to strike when needed before slinking back under the cover of darkness. In her eyes, it needs to be done; the lowlives and the scum of the world are all too happy to play dirty and hide in the shadows, why should the "good" not do the same?

Which is not an excuse to break the law and flaunt chaos. Kuro believes there is something to be said for the law, but it doesn't always work and isn't always the solution people need. What Kuro does, she does by necessity; she was faced with a life of crime, and she could have either continued to hurt people, or kill the one man who held it all together. She chose murder, the greatest and most brutal of all crimes, for the greater good. It is what her eye is set on, what she will do anything to work toward. She may not have the means to do so now, but if one day she could put her blade behind the promise of a better Chandgo, she wouldn't hesitate for a moment. It means the chance a young Kitsune girl in the slums might not have to be forced into crime to survive.

Her choices do weigh heavy upon her because of it though. She knows it's all for a good cause, but the hard things are hard for a reason, and slumping into bed sore and with bloodstained clothing crumpled in the corner is not always an easy thing to deal with. But that's a sign she's on the right track, she supposes; if she felt so okay with what she was doing then perhaps she wouldn't have been so good a soul after all.

Over the dark, morally complicated underbelly of her secret life is a girl who has risen up from the lowest rung of society and is grateful every day for her family's security. Being at the bottom has given her an appreciation for life that lets her carry on with a genuine smile most days, feeling less stressed and more secure without the oppressive shadows of fear and the need for crime hanging over her head. With the wind of celebrity at her back, she tries her best to be a friendly and warm presence when out in public whether someone knows her or not; if she is to be a cultural hero, then she had best set a good example. And what better to hide behind as a cover than the smiling feel-good story of a star athlete?

After so long not being able to trust people and living lies to get closer to Chen, Kuro values loyalty, honesty, and friendship wherever she can find it. Kindness was one something she only received from her parents, and so she takes as well as she can to being friendly and kind to others, hoping for kindness in return. Playfulness, something she could never show as a teen, breaks through now as a young woman who can finally know what fun feels like, and who craves it.

But living lies has also given a certain duplicitous quality to Kuro. She is more than capable of spinning lies and weaving disguises to feign being something she isn't. It's a talent 'sthat served her well, and which she could just as easily apply in other areas of her life if given the direction to. She has no problem being something she isn't or lying to further her purposes; if anything, it's her greatest strength.

Politics are over Kuro's head, at least for the moment. She has spent too long toiling in the slums to care about the deepest of specifics, but she understands the situation, and she craves change. Change that can bring Po Li into better days and improve society. A good idea and a willing ruler with a kind heart is all she needs. Someone who she can put her blade behind, who she feels cares about making things better. It's something the Oracular Council, so obsessed with finding a reincarnation to bother solving the city themselves, clearly do not.

Kuro Nisshoku
Female Kitsune Unchained Rogue (Kitsune Trickster, Hidden Blade) 1/Fighter (Two-Weapon Warrior) 1
Chaotic Good Medium Humanoid (Kitsune, Shapechanger)
Init +6; Perception +6
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DEFENSE
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AC 16, touch 14, flatfooted 12 ( +4 Dex +2 Armor)
HP 11 (1d10 + 1 Con)
Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +1
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OFFENSE
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Speed 30 ft.
Melee
-1 Wakizashi +5 (1d6+1, 18-20/x2, P/S)
-2 Wakizashi +3 (1d6+1, 18-20/x2, P/S)
-Bite +5 (1d4+1)
-Bite as a secondary weapon +0 (1d4+1)
-Dagger +5 (1d4+1, 19-20/x2, P/S)
-2 Daggers +3 (1d6+1, 19-20/x2, P/S)
-Sap +5 (1d6+1, x2, B, nonlethal)
Ranged
-Longbow +5 (1d8, x3, B or P depending on arrow used)
Maneuvers readied: Leaping Dragon, Dimensional Strike, Inner Sense
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STATISTICS
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XP
Str 12, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 16, Wis 12, Cha 10
Base Attack +1; CMB 2; CMD 16
Feats: Fox Shape, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Wakizashi), Weapon Finesse, Two-Weapon Fighting, Quick Draw
Traits: Athletic Champion (Climb and Perception), Reactionary
Favoured Class: Rogue (1 skill point)
Skills: Background points are Sleight of Hand (1) and Linguistics (1)
Acrobatics +10
Bluff +7
Climb +6
Diplomacy +7
Disable Device +8
Disguise +7
Escape Artist +8
Knowledge (Local) +7
Linguistics +7
Perception +6
Sense Motive +7
Sleight of Hand +8
Stealth +8
Swim +5
Languages: Tien, Sylvan, Minkaian, Senzar, Dtang, Hwan
Equipment: 2 Wakizashi, 2 Daggers, Longbow, 20 Common Arrows, 20 Blunt Arrows, Leather Armor, Traveler's Outfit, 2 Spring-Loaded Wrist Sheaths, Thieves' Tools, Glass Cutter, 10 sheets of Glue Paper, Thieves' Tools, 2 Smoke Pellets, Fint And Steel, Caltrops
Other Notes: Unlisted items from her Rogue's Kit are kept at home, daggers are loaded into her wrist sheaths
Current encumberance: 41 lbs
Money: 21 gp
Carrying capacity: 43, 44–86, 87–130
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SPECIAL ABILITIES
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-Core Rogue Abilities-
Finesse Training
Sneak Attack 1d6

-Kitsune Trickster Abilities-
Kitsune's Guile: Kuro adds her Intelligence modifier to Bluff, Diplomacy, Disguise, and Sense Motive checks.

-Hidden Blade Abilities-
Maneuvers: Disciplines available are Mithral Current, Thrashing Dragon, Veiled Moon, Tempest Gale
Thrashing Dragon Maneuvers: Inner Sphere Stance, Leaping Dragon
Veiled Moon Maneuvers: Dimensional Strike, Inner Sense
Hidden Weapons: Gain Quick Draw as a bonus feat, and drawing hidden weapons is a free action rather than a movie action.
Portable Hole Specialist: Can retrieve items from extradimensional spaces as a move action regardless of how full or unorganizedd the bag is.
Gambits: Coward's Gambit, Flanker's Gambit

-Fighter Abilities-
Feat Factory (Two-Weapon Fighting at 1)

-Kitsune Abilities-
Alternate Racial Traits: Keen Kitsune in exchange for standard ability score modifiers, Superior Shapeshifter for Kitsune Magic
Change Shape: Human form and fox form

-Thrashing Dragon-
Inner Sphere Stance: Swift action, stance, while wielding two weapons, gain +2 dodge bonus to AC and +2 morale bonus on Will saves. Increases by +1 at 6, 12, and 18.
Leaping Dragon: Swift action, make an Acrobatics check to jump, gain a +10 competence bonus, and treat as if a running start

-Veiled Moon-
Dimensional Strike: Standard action, melee/ranged attack. Causes foe to be flat-footed to this attack.
Inner Sense: Immediate action, +2 insight bonus to a single saving throw

-Gambits-
Coward's Gambit: Against a flat-footed or opponent Kuro is flanking: Allies gain bonus on damage rolls equal to initiation modifier for one round
Flanker's Gambit: Against an opponent adjacent to an ally: Kuro is considered flanking until the end of her next turn, even if she is no longer in a position that would allow flanking.