The Tale of the Gibbon and the Swordsman (Patreon)

It has been a rough two weeks. I've had two family members be hospitalized and have been slammed with freelance deadlines. Though all of this, I was able to get this done for you folks and my home game! I hope you enjoy this short backstory to the Yue Dynasty!

Fans of Asians Represent might notice an easter egg...

- Daniel

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THE END OF THE WARRING SOVEREIGNS 

Long after the Emperor Above parted heaven and earth, the Land of Blades became divided and ravaged by perpetual conflict. The rule of the feeble King Min had eroded so greatly that his dukes and marquesses were able to established their own powerful, independent states. The commands of the court, they waged war amongst themselves. Bringing the Land of Blades into a 200 year period of turmoil. This was the Age of Warring Sovereigns - a time of violent diplomacy.   

Amidst the chaos, a ruthless warrior named Zhao Yang emerged and claimed control of the small state of Ji. Wielding an ancient power known as the Decree of Fire, he led his followers on a ruthless 10 year unification campaign to conquer the Land of Blades. He laid waste to the land and his enemies. In the aftermath of his conquest, proclaimed himself the Flame Emperor and established the Zhao Dynasty.    

THE REIGN OF THE FLAME EMPEROR 

Under the rule of the Flame Emperor, many economic and political reforms were enacted to suppress scholarship and strengthen the military might of the land. As grand fortresses were constructed, scholars who survived the Age of Warring Sovereigns were executed and their libraries were reduced to ash.   The Flame Emperor's expansionist ambitions didn't end with the Land of Blades. He ordered a his forces to conquer the Land of Mist, the home of Shunxia the Great's Empire of the Mist. This campaign ended in a humiliating defeat. With this failure, he once more consolidated his power, enacted isolationist policies, and retreated to his Burning Sanctum - never to venture out beyond his stronghold. 

Despite his great power, even the Flame Emperor's body could not defeat the passage of time. As he grew old, as did his obsession with everlasting life - sending countless doomed voyages out to the fabled Immortal Islands in search of answers. The Land of Blades descended into misrule and suffering as he ruled over the land through violence and fear. But fear of the Flame Emperor soon faded and became fury and revolt.   

As the people suffered and the land fell into ruin, a heroic swordsman of upright moral character named Xing staged a daring rebellion to overthrow the Flame Emperor and end the hardships endured by the people of this land. Knowing that hope and courage would not be enough to free the people from their wicked ruler, Xing sought the help of the legendary Gibbon Marquis, master of Monkey Valley and guardian of the nether world. Using a magical staff crafted from a branch of a plum tree and inlaid with three pieces of carved jade that fell from the moon, Xing was able to perceive the location of the hidden sanctum to plead with the legendary snow-white monkey.  

THE GREAT WAR UNDER HEAVEN 

Wielding a blade known as Zhanlu, the Noble Shadow (gifted from the god of fire Zhurong), Xing and the Gibbon Marquis led a rebellion against the Flame Emperor alongside six famous martial artists.  In what was referred to as the Great War Under Heaven, they vanquished the Flame Emperor and sealed his spirit into a prison in the darkest depths of a river in Monkey Valley - forever weakening the immortal Decree of Fire.  

 At last victorious, Xing established a new dynasty known as Yue and the smoldering land was made anew by the hard work of the people.   

THE REFORGING OF THE LAND 

In a period known as the Reforging of the Land, Xing took on the name Yuchang and established the Yue Dynasty - of which he was crowned King. Under his leadership, the Land of Blades became the forge of heroes and scholars; the home for those with an unbreakable spirit. King Yuchang established a new capital in Old Dragon's Nest, a natural stronghold at the base of Paradise Mountain in the White Valley (North). From his seat of power, he allocated local domains for the Noble Families of Yue that contributed to the Great War Under Heaven. These regions became known as the Vermillion Hills (East), the Azure Lowlands (South), and the Sable Highlands (West).   

To ensure that the Flame Emperor's prison could not be found and to respect the secrecy of the Gibbon Marquis' home, the Staff of Xing was broken into pieces and entrusted to the martial arts masters - who called themselves the Virtuous Confederacy. This alliance of warriors grew into six orthodox martial arts sects representing the most cherished aspects of Yue culture - swordplay (Red Plumb Blossom Sect), spirituality (Mountain Orchid Sect), freedom (Vagabond Sect), medicine (Divine Physician Sect), art (Moon Joy Sect), and scholarship (Radiant Ink Sect).   

Stories of the Flame Emperor and the Staff of Xing would then fade from the annals of history as Yue entered a five century period of prosperity.