In the Prefecture of Xian Quan (Spring Fountain), Lord Kung Aoshi has fallen ill. He sleeps a dreamless sleep from which none can wake him. His two sons (Gunlang and Huigong) and his men prepare for a quest to retrieve his soul, or at least see it safely to the afterworld.

Meanwhile, those loyal to Aoshi's sons, the buddhist temple, merchant guilds, and the neighboring fiefs are all looking to profit from the situation or shift it in their favor. Should Lord Aoshi pass on, many are angling to see that his heir is favorable to them.

LOCALE

The Prefecture of Spring Fountain, also known as Xian Quan. Your basic Chinese Feudal Society with captains, prefects, and magistrates ruling a large population of peasants, influenced heavily by a strong Taoist faith and the Buddhist temple that frowns on practice of the "Old Religion" that worshipped Old Gods.

SETUP

Your character concept needs to include ties to three of the NP Cs listed below, and it's important that something is at stake in the relationship. Be gutsy, because none of this stuff is so set in stone that it can't be altered a bit.

• If you want your character to be the third son of the noble in charge of running one of the towns, fine.
• If you want to BE that noble with the three sons, in charge of a whole town, that's fine too.
• You want to be the illegitimate son of Master Rui? No problem.
• You want to be Aoshi's only daughter? Cool.
• If you want to be the supposed third son of the noble running Bun Village, who's really the illegitimate son of Master Rui and secretly learning sorcery from Lady Kai Ling, while conducting an affair with Aoshi's only daughter? Now we're getting somewhere.

View the Xian Quan Character Sheets for the P Cs.

NP Cs

(I have more detailed information on everyone listed below -- feel free to ask me for more info on anyone listed.)

Lord Kung Aoshi: the Prefect of Spring Fountain. He is a well-respected member of a powerful warrior Order within the Buddhist temples, but respects and observes several "festival days" that are holdovers from older religions.

• Au Li: Lord Aoshi once saved his life. He is a loyal supporter of the Lord.
• Lady Kai Ling: (open soul) Lord Aoshi’s Sister-in-law. The two are very close, and have probably been in a relationship ever since Aoshi's wife (Kai Ling's sister) died, but they are handling things discreetely, so there has been no scandal.

Commander Feng Shirong of the Crescent Blade: One of Aoshi’s vassal knights (he runs the town of Bei Hu (North Lake)). He is a hard liner who handles the rough stuff for Aoshi. He is loyal to his lord, respected by his peers, and feared by the peasants.

Gunlang Kung: Aoshi’s eldest son and heir to Xian Quan. Well liked by most.

• Etiao: Gunlang’s closest friend. Etiao knows how to make a good time for everybody.
• Danliu: Etiao’s father. A merchant who controls the important dye monopoly.

Ni Rao: A merchant with big city connections. Danliu’s competitor and rival.

The Abbot, Master Ran Fu Tan: has been a spiritual advisor to the Kung family line. Master Ro is strictly Buddhist, and considers Aoshi to be a good warrior and servant to the (thriving) local temple, despite the fact that Aoshi condones (and even participates in) the traditions surrounding the Night of Bitter Scales.

• Sister Jian: A young Buddhist nun, and a major part of reform and improvement in Spring Fountain. She has helped restore churches, feed the homeless, etc. She has a major crush on Gunlang, and he seems to be the only one who has not noticed.

Imperial Magistrate Ratou: Ratou is the new intermidiary recently assigned to this prefecture by the Governor of the Provice to liason with Aoshi. He is young, ambitious, not wholly familiar with the area yet, and has been unpleasantly surprised by the degree of autonomy that Aoshi enjoys in his governance of the Prefecture -- Aoshi uses him in much the same way as he did the retired Magistrate -- as a messenger to the Governor, and nothing else.

Huigong Kung Aoshi’s younger son. More quiet than his older brother.

• Brier A young girl who was taken in as a servant by Huigong when her mother (Huigong’s nanny) died.
• Sir Man Xun (Satisfied Modesty): An old, old man, who was an advisor to Aoshi’s father. He is now retired, living on his own manor, and technically in charge of the town of Men Lan (Blue Gate). He is a friend of Huigong, who is often invited to his home.
• Zhi Wang Swordsmaster and trainer of the militia. He is also Huigong’s personal swordsmanship trainer.

Tianrong Leader of the garrison of Kung Well (the largest town in Spring Fountain).

Lady Nulong Widower. Wife of one of Lord Aoshi’s old allies, she’s here to decide who gets to marry her daughter, Aimei. This marriage will give political clout to Nulong’s rule (until her son, now 5, is old enough to take control), and simultaneously link Xian Quan to her land’s greater resources.

• Aimei Young woman of 17 years of age. Aimei is attractive, and has lived under her mother’s thumb her entire life.

RULERSHIP

• Ruler: Lord Aoshi of the Fountain, Prefect and Protector of Spring Fountain
• Population: 1750 adults, and about as many children.
• Settlements: Bei Hu (North Lake), Men Lan (Blue Gate), Kung Well, Qi Shan (Seven Mountains), and numerous lesser villages.

Spring Fountain includes four vassal holdings: Bun Village to the south, Bei Hu (North Lake), Men Lan (Blue Gate) to west, and Qi Shan (Seven Mountains) to the north. Bei Hu (North Lake) is ruled by Shi Rong of the Crescent Sword, Men Lan (Blue Gate) is ruled by the elderly Man Xun. The two remaining noble overseers can be created by me, if necessary, but if one of the P Cs is a noble or a petty noble, one of these lesser holdings may belong to them.

RELIGION

The country of which Xian Quan is a part is ruled by an emperor, closely allied to the Buddhist Temples -- the larger organized religion in this part of the Empire. It's a big, heirarchical religion, allied closely-but-cautiously with the Emperor.

In this version of mythic China, we have basicly three separate, semi-connected belief systems. The common folk frequently follow all at once: the Buddhist temples, the Taoist (and here I'm using the term fantastically rather than historically) reverence of ancestors, and the general "gods of heaven," "spirits of the world" serviced by travelling priests and wise men.

In principle, the three are separate, in practice the commoners mix them however they wish. To this day, they offer propitiatory worship (i.e., "here's a sacrifice - please stay away") to Ruiban of the Slithering Dark, who was banished in mythic times, but who is said to still hide in the crevices of the world, brooding and vengeful. Should the peasants ever stop their practice, they believe the realm would again be invaded by fiendish Snake Things.

The Snake Queen and her son Ruiban -- propitiated during the Night of Bitter Scales -- might be ancient earth spirits, belonging in equal parts to the myths of the gods of heaven (variably as monsters and an alternative pantheon of sorts) and taoist beliefs (as "ancestors of the earth", abstract god creatures). As far as the sophisticated temple buddhists are concerned, the spirits in question are demons, as are all spirits; the fictional buddhists of this setting consider all spirits either part of the cycle of reincarnation or outside it (the latter being possible only for the evil spirits and the buddha)

POLITICS

Lord Aoshi has managed to stay remarkably independent of his superiors. His liege lord is technically the Governor of the province that his Prefecture is a part of, but in practice Xian Quan is largely autonomous: most matters between Aoshi and the Governor are handled through an intermediary, a Magistrate appointed by the Provicial Governor (see Ratou, above).

The Prefect owns the fruits and hunting rights of all Spring Fountain as long as he can muster twenty-five foot soldiers, according to ancient custom (it is a small Prefecture). The Prefecture tithes wine, dressed venison, and several dozen bolts of it's finest dyed cloth during the year as well.

Obviously, neighboring powers, the Temples, and the mercantile community will all have a stake in the outcome of Xian Quan’s rulership. Once the news gets out, expect these groups to act for someone who benefits them, or against someone who is counter to their goals. The neighboring fiefs may make border incursions, appeal to higher political powers for the right to take Spring Fountain under their "protectorship", or annex it completely.

TOWNS

Kung Well

• Lord Aoshi’s personal demesne, centered around the town of the same name. It is the focus of the military, spiritual, and economic might of the fief.
• Army: 3 captains, 7 sergeants, 38 foot soldiers.

Bun Village

• Adult Population: 180.
• Army: 1 captain, 4 foot soldiers.

Bei Hu (North Lake)

• Ruler: Shi Rong of the Crescent Sword.
• Adult Population: 380.
• Army: 1 noble(Shi Rong), 2 sergeants, 14 foot soldiers.

Men Lan (Blue Gate)

• Ruler: Man Xun.
• Adult Population: 320.
• Army: 1 Noble(Man Xun), 3 sergeants, 10 foot soldiers.

Qi Shan (Seven Mountains)

• Adult Population: 150.
• Army: 1 noble, 2 foot soldiers.

Xian Quan Main Page