Shou Lung (Overview)	Cities	Places of Interest	Monasteries and Temples of the Shou Lung Priesthood	The Spirit of the Shou
Social Customs	Warriors of the Empty Hand	Secret Societies of Shou Lung	Criminal Tongs	Languages
The Celestial Empire	Faiths of Shou Lung	Money and Commerce	History	Receivers of the Dragon: Selected NPCs of the Empire of Shou Lung
Items of Interest	The River Town of Cham Fau +	Kara-Tur	Forgotten Realms	Oriental Adventures

Your guide is the great Dragon Lord Mei Lung
Cheng Shan, the great great grandson of the Immortal
Historian of the Celestial Empire of Heaven. It is Mei
Lung's task to assemble the vast Histories of the
Emperor of Heaven, so that the Celestial One will
know all that has occurred and best be able to judge
the actions of Mankind. Our Great Dragon is over two
thousand years old, and has observed the peoples of
Shou Lung over the span of Empires. He has also travelled
widely to other lands as well, meeting many other
Chroniclers of Events and adding their tales to his own.
He begins:

"I am Mei Lung Chen-Shan-Tien-Kung-Te, sventh
son of Men Lung Chen-Shan-Tien-Kung-Te the Elder
of our Clan, and great-great-grandson of the Immoral
of History, Chih Shih Chen-Shan-Tien-Kung-Te. I am
most humbly the Grand Historian of his Most Powerful
Celestial Majesty. In this Year of the Great Sky Serpent,
in the month of Kao, the first day of Shiang, I set
pen to paper to record the Myriad Things of this Land
of Shou Lung, as requested by my most Honored
Friend, the foreign scholar Elminster, and as commanded
by my Lord as the duty of the two-hundred-twenty-third
Historian of the Celestial Bureaucracy.

As you have requested, and by direction of the
Celestial One, I here have written of the lands of Shou
Lung; of the Great Empire raised in the Name of the
Dragon, adn of the diverse peoples and places within
its far-flung boundaries. You will find in my words a
tale of a land unlike any other--a place of sophistication
and superstition; of kings and commoners; of science
and sorcery. Be forewarned; for it is written i n
the Book of Ti Pa Wang Kuo that:

    There is One Shou only. It is like what it has
    received; proud and full of fire, yet wise and
    cunning. Above all, Shou, like the Dragon, is
    Eternal.

The great Empire of Shou Lung is the largest of the
many lands that make up Kara-Tur. It is a place of
learning, culture and government, with a proud history
that chronicles nearly three thousand years, spanning
the rise and fall of eight great Dynasties and over
seventy Emperors. With its extensive history and stable
governance, the Empire exerts a mighty influence
over its neighbors. It is said that when the Emperor
stamps his foot in the Capital, the earth shakes in
Koryo; such is his power. Shou Lung is also a land of
many complexities; a land wise in the ways of the
world and its sophistications.

CITIES

KARATIN +

KUO MEILAN

The great vast deserted city of Kuo Meilan lies in the center
of the vast Chukei Plateau, in a region stripped
bare of all life. The city, originally named Ten Mor Shou,
was renamed by the Emperor Tan Chin for his
evil consort Meilan.

The city is roughly circular, with four great roads
leading to the four points of the compass, and encircled
by eight great concentric walls. In the center of
the city stands the Palace of the Invincible Sun, a three
story high structure. From its center, there are passageways
that lead to the undercity, and the vast
crypt which encloses the Stone Armies of Shih.

Or so it is said. For very few people have ever visited
Kuo Meilan--it is a cursed placed and haunted by all
manner of ghosts, demons, and monsters. It is said
that any traveller who spends the night in Kuo Meilan
will be dead by morning, and that the pile of white
bones of visitors is high as the Dragon Wall. Even
worse, it is said that the spirits of the evil dead will
take possession of the bodies of those who die there,
to walk the earth in men's flesh, spreading horror in
their paths.

No maps exist of Kuo Meilan, and all accounts of its
design are shrouded in mystery. It is a place of mystery,
groaning deep under the curse of Heaven.

PINGCHOW

Originally a small city in the rice plains adjacent to
the Hungtse, Pingchow became a mecca for dissident
intellectuals and scholars shortly after the capitol was
move to Kuo Te' Lung in 869. It is a circular city
much like Kuo Meilan, ringed with four walls, pierced
with gates to the N. and S. The center of the
city has no great palaces or civic structures, but is
instead a densely packed AREA of tea houses, wine shops,
theatres and meeting houses.

Pingchow is also known as the Scholar's City,
because each year the Imperial Examinations are held
here. Year 'round, the city is jammed with prospective
scholars studying to pass their exams. There are a
great many schools, tutors and examination houses in
the city, catering to the specialized clientele.

PLACES OF INTEREST

CLIFFS OF TANGHAI

A great black basalt cliff overlooking the Hungtse
River near Taitun, the cliffs were inscribed by red
lightning with the words of the Path of Heaven in 440.
The cliffs are considered to be the holiest place in all
of Shou Lung, as they are a living symbol of the existence
of the Celestial Heaven. The inscriptions, one
meter high, are carved along the outer face of the
cliff, and cannot be reached by any way short of flying.

FORTRESS OF KUAI

The Fortress of Kuai is located in the center of the
old Imperial Capitol of Hsi-Feng. It is a massive construction
of stone blocks, each block far too heavy for
any hundred men to lift. Lejend has it that the Second
Emperor Chin of the Ho Dynasty employed a family of
giants from the wilds of Koryo to raise the blocks of
the fortress. At his death, the Emperor had the giants
seal his body within the fortress with a great stone
block. It is said that any man who can lift the block will
find the treasure of the Second Emperor buried with
him, as well as the magic ring he used to control his
unwilling giant servants.

IMPOSSIBLE PALACE OF THE SILVER DOMES

The Impossible Palace of the Silver Domes is a lejendary
palace which appears at random times all over
the Empire. It is most often seen in times of great
strife within Shou Lung. Many parties have attempted
to enter its eight great domed sections, only to disappear
forever.

The Impossible Palace is, as I (Mei Lung) have mentioned
earlier, my home. As a rule, I do not take kindly
to strangers invading my home for any reason, and
have been known to eat most parties of adventurers
who do so. I MOVE the palace magically from time to
time, to avoid this very thing. Most of the time, it is
located at the bottom of a river or in a remote location.

There is one time when the palace is most accessible,
and that is when great danger faces the Empire.
While I am prohibited from directly taking a hand in
the affairs of men, I am allowed to make available
info, weapons or spells to those brave enough
to enter my doors. I deal with each transgressor in a
different way; some, I ask riddles, others I send great
monsters against. Occasionally, as in the case of the
hero Wo Mei, I merely TALK to them, discussing the
classic works and current events, until I have divined
the true nature of the one I am dealing with. Each of
my tests is different.

But be warned. The superior man knows when he
faces certain death. And it is certain death to disturb
my privacy without reason!

THE TEMPLE OF SAIGAI

The Temple of Saigai is located deep within the
mountain forests of Yu'i, near the city of Taichan. The
temple is of great stone blocks and is roughly squared.
Its surfaces are covered with strange inscriptions in
characters unknown to all but wu jen. It's inner walls
are covered with carvings of bizarre creatures who
resemble something halfway between men and beasts.
The temple has been here as long as anyone
can recall, and is described in Tabotan records that go
back as far as 8,000 years.

MONASTERIES AND TEMPLES OF THE SHOU LUNG PRIESTHOOD

The way of the monk is a narrow way, for he must
follow the Path. But no matter how narrow the Path,
it may TAKE many branchings before reaching its destination.
This is they of it among the Shou-ling.

While the priests of the Way are usu. wandering
shukenja (known as dang-ki) or wu jen, aloof in their
mysteries and strong in power, the backbone of faith
is the priesthood of the Shou-ling. These monks and
temple warriors wander the lands doing good, or
gather together in great temples and monasteries.

Each temple is a palce of worship, open to the common people,
and also a place where relics of the
immortals and sages are displayed. Temples are usu.
located within a city of some size. Most are dedicated
to one of the Nine Immortals, although other
sages and deities may also be included jointly in this
dedication. The patron immortal is represented by a
central statue, which is ringed with small naves
where the lesser patrons are depicted. Temples are
staffed with about 20 to 40 priests, as well as being guarded
by a small number of sohei (up to 30), who
protect the temple from desecration and theft.

A monastery incorporates a temple as part of its
design, but also has living quarters for a larger number
of monks and sohei (as many as two or three thousand
at the greatest ones). Monasteries are usu.
located in remote areas, as these orders desire peace
and isolation to better studytheir particular branch
of the Path.

An order of the Shou-ling faith may have many temples
or monasteries, scattered in a number of cities.
Rarely are there two or more temples of the same sect
within the same city--there is too much chance of a
schism eventually splitting the two temples apart.

No matter the order, the life of a monk is much the
same. Members of the order rise one hour before
dawn, going to the central temple to chant and pray to
the patron immortal. At dawn, the monks being the
first of their two kung fu training sessions, this one
concentrating on stretches and exercises. After this
session, they will have breakfast, then MOVE on to
morning activities; chants, meditation, scribe work,
farming or crafts. The midday meal marks the end of
this work, and the start of the afternoon kung fu practices.
These are with weapons, movement exercises (kata),
and sparring between monks (kumite). After
the practice, one of the older monks gives a sermon,
reading texts from the monastery's sutra library.
Following this is a time of meditation.
At dusk there are
the evening prayers, with an hour of meditation afterwards,
and the last meal of the day. This meal is often
a place where younger novices can ask questions of
the masters and discuss the events of the day. At day's
end, the monk returns to his meditation cell to sleep.

TEMPLE CONFLICTS

The myriad of directions along the Path makes for
lively dissension and argument between the priesthoods.
Oftentimes, the many orders of the Shou-ling
have raised up great temple armies of sohei and
monks, to destroy other orders considered to be heretics.
Although the Emperor opposes this, temple battles
continue even today, as rival orders clash on the
streets of the capitol and other places of the Empire.

There are more than two hundred sects, or orders,
all professing to be the True Way to follow the Path of
Enlightenment; only perhaps two dozen are recognized
as "approved" by the Department of Celestial Supervision.
Here then, I present a small sample of the
most outstanding ones, so that you too will be enlightened.

THE STRONG CLAW MONASTERY

The Strong Claw monastery is located near Yen
Ching, in Ma' Yuan Province. It is one of the oldest
monastic orders in the Empire, and it is considered a
great honor to be accepted here, despite the monastery's
relative isolation from the REST of the world. Th e
patron immortal is Fa Kuan, but Chih Shih is also worshipped
here. The life of the monks is a hard one, and
applicants are tested both physically and spiritually
before they are admitted. The order accepts both male
and female novices, although the two sexes live in separate
quarters and must pledge a vow of chastity during their
tenure with the order.

Located on a high, cold plain, the buildings of the
monastery are cave-like, with few windows to prevent
heat from escaping. The walls of the enclave are
high and thick, to keep out the bitter winds and fell
creatures that wander the steppes at night. The land
of Ma' Yuan is well known for its huge beasts, monsters
and spirits, although not as feared as the dead
and cursed plains of Chukei.

During the summer months, the monks of the order
raise sorghum and wheat, <note that sorghum is native to tropical && subtropical regions>
which they store in underground
caves below the monastery buildings. In the
bitter winters, to study the writings of the Path
and to say the One Thousand Chants required in the
teachings of the order. It is said by the monks that
should the cycle of chants be broken, and the full one
thousand not said each day, the world will end in fire.

In all seasons, the monks of the order study the
techniques of bear style kung fu; the style of great
strength and slashing movements favored by the
fierce peoples of the Western Marches. The Strong
Claw Order is famed for its mastery of this technique,
and many have journeyed to the remote monastery to
learn its secrets. The sohei of the order are also famed
for their skill with the tetsubo, or iron club. Both sohei
and monks have served with distinction alongside the
Emperor's Army of the Western Marches, battling the
fierce horse barbarians. The monks particularly
enjoy plucking riders from horseback and wrestling
horses to the ground with their great strength.

Travellers will find a solid welcome here, if not a
great deal of comfort. Straw mats on stone platforms
are the extent of the sleeping arrangements. The fare is
strictly vegetarian, except on feast days, when chicken
or fish are permitted. Visitors to the order are
advised to not interfere too much with the monk's
duties and to follow the teachings of the Path while
they are there!

The current abbot of the monastery is Ta Ping Tsu
(Large Feet), the youngest abbot in the history of the
order. Ta Ping Tsu was selected at the age of 28 by the
previous abbot, as the old Master of the Order lay on
his deathbed. The young abbot is extremely strong,
both physically and spiritually, though perhaps a little
conservative and suspicious of the outside world.

THE ORDER OF SILENCE

This Temple of the Cobra School is of the unapproved
monastic orders--possibly related ot the Temple of
Quiet Sliding in Chu' Yuan. Two centuries ago, the
monk Huo Tseng (Fiery Hate) returned from his travels
to find his large, prosperous merchant clan had
been wiped out by the armies of Prince Shin Ginsen.
Ostensibly, the wealthy Tien Lun family had given aid
to the forces of Prince Shin Lu, but it is more likely
that the avaricious Prince Ginsen killed them so that
he could seize their properties for his war efforts.

Returning to his home poor and clanless, Huo
Tseng, a student of the Cobra school of kung fu, gathered
together other homeless men and shared his
knowledge with them. This was the foundation of the
Order of Silence, also known as the Order of the
Cobra, which has survived to this day.

The monks of the order vow never to speak until all
injustice is eradicated from the lands. In the wars
between Shou and T'u Lung, they defended the local
people with incredible ferocity, showing mercy to neither
side. When the generals of the armies tried to crush
the monks, they seemed to slither away into the
wilderness. Finding brute force useless, the nobles of
the Shou attempted to court the order with rich gifts
of land and money. These Huo Tseng used to build a
great monastery to Chan Cheng, although he would
never, to the last, choose a side in a conflict. This is
why the order remains unapproved by the bureaucracy.

Unfortunately, power and hatred have corrupted the
charitable ideals of the Silent Order. While the
monks still protect the common people from the depredations
of the nobles, it has also become a source of
fear throughout the Southern Provinces.

Travellers are welcome at the temple as long as they
accept the arrogant ways of hte monks and do not disturb
the local people. The cobra is considered sacred
to this order, and many roam the grounds of the temple
freely--it is forbidden to kill one, even in self
defense (there is a 60% chance of encountering a
cobra during any given day, but only a 5% chance that
the cobra will attack if encountered; they are very
used to humans). The monks of the order admire dangerous
people, but hold little regard for arms and
armor--one reason they have never developed a sohei
brotherhood within the temple. The fare is excellent
and plentiful, featuring many unusual specialties of
the south, except, of course, cobra.

The current abbot is Kui  Tzu (Sly Words); a small,
slight, quick man; politically agile as well as an outstanding
martial artist. He supports the traditions of
the temple--the many hours of meditation, kung fu
practice, and temple chants and ceremonies. But
menial labor is now done only by novices or hired
labor. The monks sleep in comfortable rooms and
often have personal servants. The vow of silence is
less strictly enforced, and seems to be totally absent
among the higher ranks of the order.

THE ORDER OF THE NIMBLE HUNTER

This temple-based order is located in the Imperial
Capital of Kuo Te' Lung, in Wang Kuo Province. As students
of the cat style of kung fu, monks of this very
civilized order train long and hard to develop quickness
and agility. But they are also trained in the underlying
philosophy of the Path, as well as the literature
and arts of Shou Lung. This makes them clever
debaters, and gives them a depth of religious understanding
uncommon among the Shou-ling priesthood.
The order also has a large number of women in its
ranks, more than any other Shou-ling sect. If it fitting
that Ai Ch'ing is the patrorn immortal of the sect.

Monks of the order are highly prized as advisors,
religious counsellors, and personal bodyguards to the
Court. In fact, the Abbotess Yen Yu (Jade Eyes) was
once bodyguard to the Emperor's mother.

The monastery has been heavily endowed by
wealthy court patrons, and is very beautiful--some
might even say opulent, as the order believes that
great beauty also serves the Path. Travellers and court
patrons are very welcome, particularly for the news
they bring. Food and lodging are most pleasant and
comfortable.

WHITE CRANE TEMPLE

The Order of the White Crane is located in Kirin,
Hungtse Province. The order's abbott, Ch'ang Tui
(Long Legs), maintains the traditions of the White
Crane sect; a conservative tradition based on versatility
and worship of Shu Chia, the patron immortal.
Members of the order are not only skilled in their
devotions and kung fu training, but are also physicians,
herbalists, astrologers, craftsmen and historians.
Equal time is devoted to the study of the Path of
Enlightenment, the White Crane style of kung fu, and
manual labor.

Travellers are gladly offered the same simple sleeping
mat, vegetarian fare and training regime as the
monks of the order. Those staying for any length of
time greater than a week are required to work. The
White Crane style of kung-fu is noted for its grace and
SPEED. It's sohei are masters of two paired weapons;
jitte, sai, butterfly blades and nunchaku.

<make note at 2weapon-use in the DMG, perhaps>

THE ORDER OF THE DRAGON MONASTERY

The largest and best known monastery in Shou
Lung, this order is the home of the dragon form of
kung fu. Each New Year, the monastery hosts a great
martial arts competition, open to all orders within the
Shou-ling priesthood. The current abbott of the order,
Iron Hand, won this competition seven times running,
although this occurred many years ago. He is a solid,
thoughtful man, with piercing eyes and a calm,
friendly demeanor. However, he detests dishonesty
and has an active dislike of the nobility, whom he
views as self-seeking thieves.

The monastery's close location to the Capitol, and its
strong ties to the court have given the order a great
deal of prestige. Dating back to the early Kao Dynasty,
the actual monastery grounds predate the construction
of the city of Kuo Te' Lung, and have grown continuously
over the past centuries. The buildings are of
yellow brick, with red tile roofs, and ramble over the
length of breadth of the order's hilltop properties.
The largest building is a four story temple to the
patron immortals, Chan Cheng and Fa'Kuan.

The life of a monk here is fairly traditional, if lighter
in manual labor and heavier in comforts than more
conservative orders would approve of. Besides providing
teaching for all classes of students, the monks
also maintain farms, copy rare manuscripts, and go
among the people to heal the sick and injured. In wartime,
the sohei and monks of the Dragon Order are
invaluable defenders of the Emperor and serve with
distinction in the Army of the Kingdoms. The sohei
are famed for their use of the naginata and halberd?
many have become members of the Imperial Guard
and serve as both religious teachers and protectors
within the walls of the Imperial Palace.

Because the Order of the Dragon is in the largest
city of Shou Lung, with all manner of hostelries and
sanctuaries, it is unlikely that it will be used by travelers.
In the court, the sohei and monks present will
often (30%) be of this order, and that in any conflict
between sects, they will automatically do what they
feel is correct to protect the person or will of the
Imperial Family. Do not -- repeat -- do not ask a monk
of the Dragon to do something treasonous or seditious.
He will kill you and atone for it later.

The monastery and temple settings offer a wide
variety of possible adventures. Monks may join forces
with imperial soldiers to fight military threats. They
can wander aimlessly across Shou Lung, seeking
enlightenment and incidentally fighting monsters,
evil brigands and corrupt officials.

GOVERNMENT & POLITICS

Great is the Government of Shou. Great in its scope,
grand in its execution, magnificent in its justice and
adaptability.

The citizens of Shou Lung owe their ultimate allegiance
to the Emperor. He is the Son of Heaven, and the
Divine Gate to the Celestial Sphere. The symbol of the
Eternal Empire, he is wise, just and merciful to those
who oppose his commands. Under him, the bureaucracy
and the court exist only as agents of his will.

The Emperor chooses his own successor from those
he deems most suitable; usually the eldest sons of his
__bloodline__, but often a daughter if no son is available.
He may choose to resign his high office and return to
private life, but this is most rare. For behind each
Emperor rests the fate of a dynasty, and in a land
where ancestors are worshipped as near gods, even
the Son of Heaven must honor the traditions and
deeds of those who came before him.

Emperor Kai Tsao Shou Chin
10th level Samurai/Noble
LG human male (with one-quarter hengeyokai blood)

In his middle 50s, the Emperor Kai Tsao Shou Chin
truly lives up to his name of Rebuilder of the Dragon.
He is a tall, powerfully built man, with the stature and
character of his mountain ancestors. Calm, slow to
anger, and thoughtful, he rules with a firm hand over
the mighty Empire, its sprawling bureaucracy, and its
contentious nobles and priests. Under his directives,
the navy and armies have been rebuilt, and there is
peace with Wa and Kozakura. His "Gathering of the
Pearls" has recovered much of what previous weak
Emperors have lost.

Kai Chin faces many obstacles in his reign. Chief
among these is the opposition of the mandarinate to
his policies of reform. The addition of science and
alchemy to the traditional ministries is viewed with
alarm, as are his policies of eliminating corrupt officials
and replacing them with new blood. He has
angered the nobles by refusing to allow new fiefs and
properties to be taken from peasant lands. And the
official Faith of the Empire faces a great schism which
he must somehow heal over in the coming years.

Kai Chins Empress and two concubines have provided
him with a total of eight heirs, including three
fine sons in direct line of succession. His daughters
are both clever and accomplished, sharing the same
great beauty as their mothers. At present, his greatest
family problem has been the recent kidnapping of his
next-to-youngest daughter, and his eldest son?s
enraged reaction upon learning that Princess Mei
Ling was secretly involved in a romantic liaison with
the young prince of T'u Lung.

THE MANDARINATE

The Mandarinate is made up of the upper echelon
of scholars and officials, and includes both court
scholars and the heads of various official ministries of
the bureaucracy. The mandarins are select group,
centered around the court in Kuo Te? Lung and the
neighboring city of Ping Chow. They are considered
to be the embodiment of the ?superior man? of Lao
Chin-Mao; talented, cultured and well educated. The
mandarinate includes:

THE CHANCELLOR

The Chancellor is the right hand of the Emperor,
and is chosen by him at the Son of Heaven's ascension.
It is the Chancellor who must read all of the reports
from the Ministers of the Bureaucracy, deciding what
is worthy of the Emperors direct attention. The Chancellor
controls to a large degree who can and cannot
see the Emperor, manages the Imperial Family?s calendar
of appearances, makes sure that the Emperor?s
directives are followed and his proclamations posted
in all the cities of the Empire, and watches the
Bureaucracy diligently for the first signs of treason,
corruption or subversion.

As one of the most powerful people in the Empire,
the Chancellor faces a great deal of temptation. This is
why many Chancellors of past reigns have found
themselves beheaded for the slightest hint of corruption,
while others have become all but Emperor in
name.

THE CHAMBERLAIN

The Chamberlain of the Imperial Court is responsible
for maintaining the Household of the Imperial
Court. He handles the Palace finances, schedules the
maids, guards and entertainers. He administers to the
needs of the Imperial Family and their various concubines,
courtiers and guests. Under his auspices, banquets
are prepared, state ceremonies arranged, and
gifts delivered. The Chamberlain is also responsible
for tasting the Imperial Family's food for poison,
which is one of the larger drawbacks of the position.
However, this is balanced by the access the Chamberlain
has to the treasury and gifts of State.

THE EMPEROR'S WU JEN

Kao Shan Ten
LG Human male

The Emperor's Wu jen is one of his most important
advisors, for it is he who employs the necessary sorceries
to see the future, spy upon enemies, and turn
away magic threats to the Empire. The Emperor's Wu
Jen is usually, but not always a follower of the Chung
Tao faith, for they are known to be the most powerful
wizards in all Shou Lung.

THE HIGH PRIEST

As High Priest of the official Faith, the Royal Abbott
is responsible for the spiritual concerns of the Royal
Family. It is he who makes sure the proper sacrifices
are observed; that the Imperial Family is devout and
are proper symbols of the Path, and that the Emperor's proclamations do not contend with the writings
of the Path. At least that is the theory. The High Priest
confers the deific name upon the Emperor upon his
death. In all things, he is the spiritual teacher of the
Empire. This in turn gives him great influence over
the temples and monasteries. Many a High Priest has
taken bribes to sway the Emperor. Even upright men
have sometimes proven too zealous in their punishment
of false beliefs.

The current High Priest is Kung Pu Mok. Vain, arrogant
and stubborn, he longs to establish the power of
the Path once and for all. He believes that no earthly
ruler can truly understand the Will of Heaven, and
that the Empire should become a theocracy.
Kung Pu Mok also harbors a not so secret desire for
the Emperor's third daughter, the Princess Pai.
Although she has spurned his advances several times,

he hopes that the Black Chung Tao will help him win
her love. In exchange, he has allowed the Black Ones
to place spies && sorcerors into the Court, disguised
as monks of the Shou-ling Faith.

COURT PAINTER, POET, AND HISTORIAN

Constantly changing as the fashions at Court
change, the Court Painter and Poet serve the will of
the Emperor by composing works of poetry or art
honoring his reign. The Court Historian is appointed
for life, as his task is to chronicle the events of the
Court and the Dynasty. The current post for Court
Poet is vacant since the death of the previous appointee
last year. There is growing sentiment in Court that
the position should be offered to the T'u Lungian minstrel
Tan Nong, author of the popular Romance of the
Three Lords; however, the promotion of a renegade
(anyone from T'u Lung) is a politically divisive issue.

THE NOBILITY

The noble class is the weakest of all the many factions
at Court, a typical lord having far less power
than the average minister. Although each lord has his
own private army, these are kept small by Imperial
decree, and must act in conjunction with the Provincial
Governors when the Empire faces a threat.
The nobility, of course, chafes under these restrictions,
and therefore is a hotbed of dissent and rebellion.
The various noble houses constantly ally and
re-ally to determine the best way of taking power
from the bureaucracy and the priesthood. Plots are
constantly afoot. The Ministry of the Security of the
State is ever vigilant to the perfidy of the noble lords.
THE BEAURACRACY

The bureaucracy controls the day to day operations
of a vast empire spanning nearly two thousand miles
and over thirty million people. It is the single most
powerful force in the Empire, for although the
Emperor's will is law, it is the actions of the bureaucracy
that enforce that law and make it reality.
The bureaucracy was not always this powerful.
From its beginning as a group of court scribes in the Li
Dynasty, it gradually grew as lax nobles delegated
more of their authority to the clerics. It was during
the War of the Nobles (435-440) that the bureaucracy
first came into its own. Embracing the Faith of the
Nine 'Ravelers as its own, the bureaucracy quickly
found ways to play the various noble houses off of
each other by controlling access to the Imperial Person.
Requests were misplaced, decrees re-written,
and records of inheritance lost, as clever clerks and
scribes cut arrogant nobles down a notch. By the late
400s, the power of the nobility-had been broken forever
in a sea of paperwork.

The final form of the bureaucracy was established
during the tenure of Lao Chin-Mao (531-597). Realizing
that a nation the size of the Empire required a
steady hand upon the wheel of state, the sage codified
much of the manners and rules of proper behavior
into his massive Book of Heaven. Among the principles
of the book was the concept of the superior man,
or ch?ao teng te jen. The superior man, in Lao Chin?s

view, understood the ways of Heaven and Tradition.
He did not seek to command, but to lead by example.
Based on Lao Chin's principles, a new class of bureaucrat
arose; a man who was educated, cultured and a
gentleman. These early ?superior men? called themselves
the Mandarinate, and they remain today the
model for superior governance within the Empire.

The bureaucracy is organized into eight great ministries;

Of the eight, State
is the most powerful, covering fifteen separate
departments and having indirect command over the
Ministry of State Security as well. The various ministries
constantly jockey for position in the ever-shifting
government, for no one is entirely safe from falling
into political disfavor. At a single word, the Emperor
may choose to abolish or create a ministry, as Kai Chin
did in establishing the Departments of the "Gathering
of the Pearls" in 2589. This, combined with his widereaching
network of spies and censors, helps the Son
of Heaven maintain ultimate control over his sprawling
empire of bureaucrats.

THE CIVIL SERVICE EXAMINATION

The foundation of the bureaucracy is the Civil Service
Examination. The examination is a way of assuring
that only the most qualified will run the Empire, and
that they will be selected in a fair and equitable way,
by ability, not rank. The concept of the examinations
was first introduced by the Sage Lao Chin-Mao in 581,
and immediately was favored by the mandarinate,
who saw it as a way to break the power of the nobles
even further.

The examinations are held each year in the city of
Ping Chow, eight days after the New Year. The examinations
take place over a ten day period, with several
thousand applicants attending.

Each applicant is enclosed for ten hours in a small
chamber, one of some two thousand covering the vast
Examination Field at the edge of Ping Chow. The
applicants are tested on their knowledge of the classics;
the Book of War, the Book of Heaven, and the Histories.
At the command of the Emperor Kai Chin,
mathematics, physics and science have recently been
added to the examinations, although the mandarinate
opposes this as a breach of tradition.

Applicants must take the examinations. In the past,
Emperors frequently appointed men to posts; this
was simply a matter of the right bribe to the right person,
but recently, the Emperor has cracked down on
this corrupt practice. However, Emperor Kai Chin still
considers the petitions of worthy applicants, no matter
what their birth, and he has detailed a Department
of the Ministry of State to seek out those who have
shown exceptional ability.

The applicant must be of at least 3d level to apply to take the examination.
To pass, a roll below the character's Intelligence score on 1D20 must be made.
Scholars add +2 to Intelligence when making the check.
For every point below your Intelligence, your score places you at a higher starting position within the bureaucracy:
 

Points Below	Position
0-1	Minor Scribe
2	Minor Clerk
3	Department Supervisor
4	In Charge of a Department
5	Magistrate

The player must then roll 1D20 to determine which
Department or Ministry he has been placed with.
    1 Ministry of Faith
    2 Ministry of Magic
    3 Ministry of Sea
    4 Ministry of War
    5 Ministry of State
    6 Ministry of Agriculture
    7 Ministry of Public Works
    8 Dept. of Reclamation
    9 Dept. of State Security
    10 Dept. of Taxation
    11 Dept. of Extinct Beasts
    12 Dept. of Lost Treasures
    13 Dept. of Old Magery
    14 Dept. of Dead Dialects
    15 Dept. of Rediscovery
    16 Dept. of Science
    17 Ministers to the Barbarian Lands
    18 Provincial Governors
    19 Dept. of the Census
    20 Dept. of the Court Scribes

Those who are magistrates are automatically placed
in the Ministry of State and must determine which
province they have been posted to. They may not be
posted to their home province. Roll 1D12 and reroll if
the home province comes up.
    1 Hungtse
    2 Chu' Yuan
    3 Yu' I
    4 Hai Yuan
    5 A r a k i n
    6 Wang Kuo
    7 Ti Erte
    8 Sheng Ti
    9 Wa K'an
    10 Ma' Yuan
    11 Ch'ing Tung
    12 Tien Lun

Kuo Shan and Chukei are never first postings, as
they are considered 'punishments' for failed officials.
Once a character is part of the bureaucracy, his
advancement slows. All but scholars (if used) must
earn an additional 10% more experience points to
attain a new level. All characters (including scholars)
must pass new exams (as explained above) to advance
each rank in the bureaucracy. Advances in rank can
only occur when the character also advances in level.

THE FORBIDDEN CITY

Located in the heart of the Imperial Capitol, the Forbidden
City is truly the Empire's center. Within this
great compound are the Palaces of the Emperor and
his family, the halls of the government, and the great
Hall of Judgement where the Son of Heaven sits upon
the Jade Throne and rules the Empire. It is surrounded
by huge walls nearly three stories high--even the
walls themselves are permeated with passageways
and rooms.

The central Court of the Gate of Heaven can hold
nearly 100 horses, while the vast Court of the Throne
can hold an army of 5,000 men! The Hall of Judgement
can hold 1,000 men upon its vast gold and marble
floor, and from its seven great balconies, it is said
the Emperor can observe the distant mountains of
Tabot. Even the Halls of Government are built upon
this titanic scale, standing four or more stories each,
roofed in red tile and covered with golden carvings
depicting the offices of their respective ministries.
Designed by the Court Architect Sum Ma Ling in
868, the Forbidden City combines the finest elements
of craftsmanship and feng shui. The doors of the Halls
of Government face north and south. There are 30
buildings in the great Concourse of Government, a
propitious number. Each building is a balanced
square, or a rectangle based upon the Golden Mean.
All windows and doors are circular, in the ?moon
gate? style that promotes the greatest harmony. The
entire city is raised above the rest of Kuo Te? Lung on a
man-made plateau, and all windows face either the
Hungtse or the upper Chan Lu-Fenghsintzu River.
The Forbidden City is surrounded by the Imperial
Capitol of Kuo Te' Lung, the Kingdom of the Virtuous
Dragon. Kuo Te' Lung is a series of concentric, walled
squares, with exactly four wards within each square.
The innermost square is the Forbidden City. The next
contains all the other Halls of Government. The next
square contains the homes of the nobility and other
wealthy people. The fourth square contains the marketplaces,
while the fifth contains the inns, wine
shops, theatres and entertainments. The sixth, seventh
and eighth squares contain the living areas of the
common people. The eighth wall is the highest of all,
topped with a guard-wall, and has four great gates
facing in each direction. The gate to the west is never
opened at night.
The Forbidden City is exactly that--forbidden. Only
those of the Emperor's Government may enter its
walls, and even they may not stay past the hour of
dusk. As darkness falls, all but the household guards,
maids and guests of the Emperor must leave the walls
of the city. For an outsider to be caught within is
death, and not a pleasant one.
The Forbidden City is guarded with 1,000 guards,
each a 6th level bushi armed with pike, sword and full
armor. The walls are proof against most sorceries,
and cannot be flown over. A magical screen negates
the effects of flight and levitation spells.

EMBLEMS OF AUTHORITY

The Emblems of Authority are the symbols of the
legitimate ruler of the Empire. They have been handed
down from Emperor to Emperor since the legendary
days of the Nine Travelers, with only one break in
succession (during the ill-omened Black Cycle from
976 to 1025).

There are nine emblems, each a gold and jade sym-
bol mounted on a golden chain. Each represents one
of the nine Gifts of the Path; a crystal and jade ball
with an eternal flame within (Fire); a jade hammer
(The Forge); a golden plow (Agriculture); a jade horse;
a golden wheel; a golden pen (Writing), a jade pen (History),
a golden mask (Poetry & Drama) and a jade and
gold lute (Music). The emblems are actually quite
small?the largest is about the size of a palm. Each
represents one tenth of the Authority of the Emperor;
when gathered together, the remaining 10% is incarnated
in the physical person of the Son of Heaven himself.
In legend, the possession of the Authorities gives the
Emperor the power to call upon Heaven to accomplish
his will. This is treated as a limited wish spell,
with 90% chance success if all nine emblems are
present, and dropping 10% for each one missing. The
wearer must be of good/lawful or neutral/neutral
alignment; all others will instantly be killed by the
wrath of Heaven.

THE JADE THRONE

The Jade Throne is the hereditary seat of the
Emperors of Shou Lung. It is a massive chair, standing
20 feet high, and carved from a single 20 ton block of
jade. Engraved upon its surfaces are tiny scenes from
the reigns of each Emperor--much of the surface still
remains uncarved, awaiting future generations. Leg
end has it that when the Jade Throne is entirely
carved, the Empire will come to an end.

THE PROVINCES OF SHOU LUNG

Before there was an empire, Shou Lung was many
smaller states, waiting to be merged into greatness by
the hand of a single Emperor. Under this great government,
certain standards were established, so that
trade and commerce were regulated, banditry eliminated,
and proper knowledge spread to all corners of
the land. Here then, are facts concerning all provinces
of the Empire.

GOVERNANCE

Each province is defined by the will of the Emperor
as to its boundaries, taxes and responsibilities. In this,
the Emperor's will is maintained by the vigilance of
the bureaucracy, and its agents, the governors of each
province.

Below each governor are the magistrates, in charge
of maintaining the order of each city or village. Most
towns of more than a thousand people have a magistrate;
if the town is smaller, it is under the control of
the magistrate of the nearest large town.

The magistrate is the law of the town. He is responsible
for high and low justice, settling disputes and
maintaining order. He has command of a small group
of bailiffs or guards, whose duty is to patrol the town
and adjacent roads, keeping the peace and arresting
criminals.

IMPERIAL CENSORS

Of course, even in such an enlightened system there
occasionally arise venal and corrupt officials. But,
long ago the Emperor demonstrated his profound
wisdom by establishing the Imperial Censors. This
department (part of the Ministry of State Security)
sends its agents out secretly to all the provinces.
These men investigate reports of corruption, graft,
incompetence and treason. No one, save the Emperor,
is above their suspicion. The censors often pose as
other officials and never reveal their true posts until
they are ready to make an arrest. No one save the
highest officials knows who or how many censors
working for the government. It is not unknown for
the Emperor to secretly appoint censors unknown
even to the Department of Imperial Censors!

CHUKEI

The Land: This area is now a vast wind and
drought-swept plain, with sparse grass and almost no
water. It is said that the Chukei plateau is haunted by
the ghosts from the dead Imperial capital of Kuo
Meilan, who scream eternally in the frozen night.
History: This is the original province in which the
Empire began, originally known as Chu'ta Te (The
Great) Province. For one full Dynasty, the original
Shou Lung Empire flourished here. The land was a
fertile, open plain, in which millet and barley were
grown. But by the end of the Li dynasty, the Nine
Immortals, seeing the decadence of the Court, decimated
the kingdom with drought and fire, forcing the
survivors to flee southward.

The People: The people of Chukei are the tallest of
the Shou, slender, with high cheekbones. They are the
only Shou who commonly have reddish or brown
hair, rather than the usual black--in fact, the term for
a redhaired person is chukien. They are somewhat
wild in temperament, with a cold anger that reflects
their courageous bearing. They are excellent horsemen
and swordsmen.

Cities or Places of Note:

Fukiow is a large mining city on the plateau, near the dead city of Kuo Meilan.
Kangste is the major trade town on the Kuangchiu
Road to Koryo. Chaoyang maintains a border garrison
covering the junction of the Kuangchiu and Spice
Roads. The dead city of Kuo Meilan is on the plain--
little visited, it is the deserted capital of the First King
dom; home of legends, ghosts and myths.

MA'YUAN (PLAIN OF THE HORSE)

The Land: This area is comprised of vast, arid salt
plain. Most of the salt, iron and other metals of the
Empire come from scattered mines in this area. This is
the province of the Great Dragon Wall, which blocks
the barbarian hordes from sweeping into the Empire.
The Kuangchiu Road also passes through this region.
History: Ma' Yuan has always been a place of rugged
adventurers and tough miners. Too cold and barren
to support a large population, it has never been an
important nexus of civilization. The province has
formed one of the first lines of defense against the
barbarians of the Plain of Horses.
The People: The people of this region, the Mai, are
a hardy, stolid and reliable lot; excellent horsemen
and fierce fighters with axe and short sword. They
are physically the largest of the Shou peoples, stand-
ing almost six foot two as an average. Their clothes
are usually rough woolens tipped with furs. The Mai
eat far more millet and wheat than is common in other
parts of the Empire, mostly in the form of noodles
and stuffed buns. They are the only people of the
Shou who regularly eat lamb and mutton. It is said of
the Mai that they are "Stubborn to anger, as unstoppable
as the taifun, and bright before Heaven in their
stupid honesty." Whether this proverb is a compliment
is somewhat unclear.
Cities or Places of Note: Within the province are
the cities of Min Low, a minor trade city on the Spice
Road, once terrorized by the Copper Demon of Tros,
and Yen Ching, a favorite trade city with the northern
barbarians, known for its fine horses and cattle.

CH'ING TUNG

The Land: Ching Tung reaches from the edge of
the salt plain, moving south through sloping grasslands
into the fertile valley between the Hungtse and
Ch'ing Tung Rivers. Following the Hungtse River
northwest, the Silver Road runs through Tabot and
eventually into the Forgotten Realms, although
unknown hazards make this a perilous journey. It is
along this basin that most of the village and river traffic
moves south into Wang Kuo province, seat of the
Imperial Throne.
History: During the Li dynasty, the creation of the
Dragon Wall made this region safe from the incursions
of the horse barbarians. With its fertile river
basin, many stands of trees, and available grazing
area, Ch'ing lung became home to many farming
clans, particularly the Ch'ing, who had suffered much
oppression under the rule of the Hai Dynasty.
The People: The largest ethnic group outside of
the people of Wan Kuo, the Ch?ing are characterized
by others as being clannish, pushy, and adventurous
to a fault; This doesn't bother them at all, as they consider
Ch'ing Tung to be the center of the universe.
They are more "night owls" than most Shou, fond of
staying up late to drink in the wine shops and talk
about all manner of current events. They are fond of
experimenting with new foods (although they loathe
lamb and mutton), often mixing tropical fruits and
meats from the southlands into their favorite dishes
(one of the favorite Ch'ing dishes is hot and spicy
stewed snake with pineapple).
Cities or Places of Note: Shou'Kuan, a major city
sits astride the Ningtang Road from Yenching. Taitung
is a major river city at the southern end of the First
Emperor's Canal. Shangtou, a small backwater farming
town has achieved fame for its fine tea and rice. Of
special interest are the River Cities. These are located
along the heavily journeyed Hungtse River basin, and
are well known to all Shou citizens. They include:
Mi'Shan, a small northern river city noted for its
waterfalls and great Chung Tao shrine to Kwan Ying;
To'Ming, a trade city and home of the Emperor?s Summer
Palace; and Cham Fau (detailed in this volume), a
prosperous river town, home of the White Tiger Monastery,
and the martial arts school of Master Wang Ho.

SHENG TI

The Land: Sheng Ti is mostly rolling hills, with terraces
used for extensive rice farming. There are many
deep caverns and small, thick forests, teeming with all
types of creatures, good and ill. Sheng Ti is well
known to be the home of many hengeyokai clans.
History: When the original inhabitants of the First
Kingdom were driven south, they entered this area as
exhausted refugees. The natives taught the survivors
the techniques of rice farming, moving the Empire
into an entirely new basis for food production (up to
this time, the main food had been millet). Over the
centuries, the two groups assimilated, though not
without bloodshed. In time, this became the seat of
the reborn Empire.
The People: The people of Sheng Ti are small,
snubnosed, and extremely fastidious. This delicacy
reflects in many aspects of the Sheng culture, producing
fine poets, jade sculpture and elaborate ceremonies.
The province is also famed for its beautiful
women. Fine boned, elegant and decorative, the
Sheng courtesan is the subject of much lyric song and
poetry.
There are also a large number of spirit folk and hengeyokai
living in this verdant, wooded area, and it is
rumored that the Sheng owe much of their elegant
and diminutive stature to the influence of these peoples.
Indeed, the cities of Sheng Ti are among the few
in the empire where fox folk and other hengeyokai
citizens walk about openly, even in their bipedal
forms.
Cities or Places of Note: On the coast is Lo'Shan,
a moderate sized seaport city with trade to Wa and
Kozakura. Further inland is Hsi-Feng, the site of the
second Imperial capital, noted for the Fortress of
Kuai, a huge stone castle rumored to have been raised
by giants.

WA K'AN (THE LAND THAT VIEWS WA)

The Land: The land rises from the borders of
Sheng Ti, finally reaching the sea in a series of towering
white bluffs. The coast is broken by many deep
inlets and coves, good for fishing and gathering
pearls. On clear days, the locals like to claim that they
can see the blue-black misty outlines of distant Wa.
History: In the migration from the north, many of
the displaced tribes and minor kingdoms found their
way to the coast. Here they settled, retaining their old
allegiances. Soon the many petty nobles began to war
among themselves for land and position. There were
several divisions in this time and the conflicts spread.
Wa K'an became a buffer state between noble clans of
the Empire. Over the years Wa K'an grew as a refuge
for people caught between the conflict--with its long
(and secret) military ties to Wa, it was able to maintain
its neutrality for many centuries.
The People: The people of Wa K'an are known as
the Waka, and are in stature much like the Ti (something
they bitterly protest whenever possible). They
are a mixture of the poetry of the Sheng and the hardheadedness
of the Ti; moody and fond of strong drink.
The Waka are mostly fishermen who ply the sheltered
coves and inlets of their rocky land, scraping out a
modest living.
Cities or Places of Note: Hsiang, a small seaport
town is noteworthy for its fine fish. It is also a favorite
refuge of Wa nobles fleeing oppression.

TI ERTE (THE SECOND PROVINCE)

The Land: Hilly and rolling, with deep valleys and
terraced fields. As one approaches the coastline, the
country becomes more rocky and strewn with dense
belts of fog.
History: By the time of the Second Dynasty, the
many nobles of the region had fallen to squabbling
among themselves for power and position. Eventually,
these conflicts erupted into a series of bloody
feuds. Ti Erte was the site of many terrible battles and
wars; in fact, it is believed to be haunted by the
ghostly spectre of Pin Mo Nom, the dreaded "Headtaker" of legend.
The People: The Ti are a shrewd, insular people,
famed among the other peoples of Shou for their
monumental cheapness. They are hardheaded, practical,
and drive hard bargains. In stature, they are of
average height, with deep set eyes and longish hair;
fond of wearing heavy embroidered robes and tall,
conical hats. The Ti comprise most of the money
changers and lenders within the Empire.
Cities or Places of Note: Liaopei, a large city
across the river from the old capital of Hsi-Feng is
known for its fine food (very hot), and colorful history
of warfare with Sheng Ti province. Tsingtao is famed
for its beer and wine, which are exported to the other
provinces.

HUNGSTE

The Land: The province of Hungtse borders part
of the upper Hungtse river and its tributary the Chan
Lu. It is a lush, fertile area near the river, rising eastward
to open plains and eventually rolling hills overlooking
the sea. A great deal of rice and tea are grown
here, as well as much of the silk produced in the
Empire.
History: Hungtse was settled early in the Ho
Dynasty, as lords from feuding Ti Erte and Sheng Ti
provinces fled to the south. Without their armies, the
nobility eventually were swallowed up in the farming
communities, turning to more peaceful pursuits. In
the later Hai Dynasty, merchants from the south
imported silkworms to the region, starting an industry
which is unmatched for size or profitability anywhere
in Kara-Tur. In 631, shortly after the "Sharing
of Meals", the Imperial Capital was moved from Hsi-
Feng (the Little Phoenix) to Hai Sheng (now re-named
Kirin), where it remained until the Ivory Plague decimated
it in 859.
The People: The Hungtse are known to be talkative,
hot tempered, and easily excited. On the whole,
they are a pleasant group, although an old Sheng
proverb unkindly says, "If Earth mirrors Heaven in all
things, then the Hungtse mirror the Celestial One's
chickens; always chattering!" A wide menu of rice,
fish, chicken, duck and shrimp has given the Hungtse
materials for a truly fabulous cuisine; their cooks are
famed far and wide, and are usually found in the best
houses of the Empire. It was the Hungtse who invented
the tiny fried dumplings known as potstickers, a
current Imperial rage.
Cities or Places of Note: Kirin, originally named
Hai Sheng, the third Imperial capital, was renamed
for the huge kirin who visited the city during the
years of the Ivory Plague, saving the populace from
certain death. Citizens still believe the city has special
protection from the Celestial Emperor. There are also
numerous small cities and villages. Typical of these is
Linshung; a minor farming town in the great To Chan
(fertile) Valley.

WANG KUO (THE PROVINCE OF THE KINGDOM)

The Land: This is the current location of the Imperial
City, Kuo Te' Lung. It is in the center of a fertile
river crescent between the Chan Lu tributary and the
Hungtse. The area is well drained and crisscrossed by
numerous canals and waterways. Much of the Imperial
City is constructed on the ruins of an earlier capital
burned down in 2050.
History: Although this region has always been
heavily populated, it did not come into its own until
869, after the Ivory Plague decimated the Imperial
City of Hai Sheng. Ordered to leave by the kirin, the
survivors of the Imperial family fled the area, moving
to a small city at a juncture of the upper Hungtse. This
they named the new capital. With this exodus came an
incredible influx of culture and trade, centering
around the new Imperial Capital and the upland city
of Ping Chow (a major cultural center famed for its
arts, theatres and salons). In 2050, a great fire swept
the capital, but it was rebuilt upon the ashes of the old
site.
The People: The people of Wang are the largest
group of Shou Lung, their densely packed cities making
up nearly 40 percent of the overall population.
They are known for being unfailingly polite, cultured,
intelligent and sophisticated -- on the surface. It is the
Wang who have set the styles of dress throughout the
Empire; published the most important writings and
produced the most famous plays. Of medium height
and stature, they are fond of wearing the tight
cheosong or the high collared mandarin's coat, usually
in tasteful, but heavily embroidered silks. "Her
skin is as smooth as a Wang's speech," is a common saying
within Shou Lung, reflecting their reputation for
mannered conversation and elegance.
Cities or Places of Note: Kuo Te' Lung is the capital
City of the Empire of Shou Lung. Nearby is Ping
Chow, a major trade nexus, and the "cultural center"
of the Empire.

HAI YUAN (THE MARITIME PROVINCE)

The Land: Moving southwest from the upper
Hungtse, the land turns from river basin to dense jungle
and swamp, ending in a brackish tidal area at the
sea. The many inlets, coves and heavy foliage make
this area nearly impossible to farm, but provide excellent
cover for pirates, smugglers and other brigands,
who still inhabit this area today.

History: These lands were originally known as the
Karatin Provinces, and indeed, the capital city of the
province is still named Karatin. However, at the the
time of the Great Pirate Lords, this region was mostly
swamp and jungle. By the command of the first
Emperor Chin of the Hai Dynasty, the region around
the city of Karatin was drained and diked, making it
into a fertile basin. In honor of this achievement, the
province was named Hai Yuan (the Maritime Provinces).

The People: The Hai are an adventurous race, but
also arrogant, stubborn, and loud in bearing. They
are also the most self assured of all the Shou, and
seem to flaunt it with their incredible audacity. A Hai
will attempt almost any feat, simply because he
believes that as a superior man, he will obviously succeed.
They are sea traders and occasional pirates,
whose houses are built on stilts to protect them from
floods, and whose ships are the fleetest of all the
Empire. They rarely eat meat, preferring fish, and
have learned the dishes of sushi and sashimi (two
types of raw fish, one with pickled rice) from the
Kozakurans. As a counterpart to the ethereally beautiful
women of Sheng Ti, the Hai are said to produce
the handsomest men in all the Empire.
And they know it.

Cities or Places of Note: Karatin, the largest city,
is claimed by the Hai to be the home of the legendary
Sea Lords of Karatin. Also on the coast is Taoshin, a
large seaport city with trade to the east. Above the
drained ground is Keelung, a high plateau city famed
for its tea and extremely fine silks. Shansin, a heavily
fortified city, sits on the T'u Lung border as does Meoling.
Both are known for plots and intrigues. In the
ruins and almost lost is Shou Yang, a deserted jungle
city, once terrorized by the Black Leopard Cultists.

KAO SHAN (PROVINCE OF THE MOUNTAINS)

The Land: Kao Shan is a land of towering peaks,
broken by deep valleys filled with rich farm land.
Great waterfalls thunder through the passes, dropping
nearly a thousand feet in some places. There are
many misty passes often snowed over in winter, leading
through the mountains to distant Tabot.
History: Traditionally a frontier province, Kao
Shan was settled by Tabotans, seeking new farm land
to the east, and exiled ministers and nobility from the
Imperial capital. It is still considered to be an unpopular
posting, even today, and to be sent there is usually
a punishment reserved for officials who are
highhanded or corrupt.
The People: They are viewed by the rest of Shou
as rude, uncultured mountain men; good fighters
with the bow, but otherwise unsophisticated. Honest
to a fault, the tall, roughhewn Kao thinks nothing of
telling a haughty mandarin what he thinks of him,
punctuating his opinion with a blow or two. The Kao
are the only people of Shou to eat bear and tiger, and
claim that they eat dragon when they can get it-a
sure boast in my opinion. They are excellent woodcarvers
and tellers of folk tales.
Cities or Places of Note: Kai Shan, a now independent
city seized by the criminal Tsui Tong in 985 is known widely as a place of vice,
corruption and shady dealings.
 

YU'I (PROVINCE OF FRIENDSHIP)

The Land: High mountain peaks, shrouded in ever
present mists, the province of Yu' I is rocky and cold.
Snow frequently falls; at the higher passes near Tabot,
there is deep snow all year long. Farming is rare, and
then only on high terraces and mountainsides. The Yu
raise goats--the only province to do so commonly.
History: Important only as a military pass into
Tabot and the West, Yu' I was known for many years
as a place of strong but friendly people. In later dynasties,
overbearing taxes and garrisons of border troops
caused this warm welcome to sour, ending in an
abortive rebellion in 1771. While the rebellion was
crushed, the 16th Emperor Chin showed great
enlightenment by withdrawing most of his troops and
allowing the people of Yu' I a greater amount of self-determination
in the years after.
The People: The Yu are much like the Kao in
nature, being descended from the same stock. They
wear heavier clothing, and are more touchy about
their independence--it is very easy to provoke a Yu to
a duel.
Cities or Places of Note: Taichan, a small, heavily
defended garrison town, has maintained a fierce independence
from the bureaucracy for the last 20 years.
The Temple of Saigai, a massive place of worship built
by unknown peoples over 8,000 years ago, still dominates
the icy High Pass. It has been long deserted. The
entire pass is believed the den of some evil horror.
 

CHU' YUAN (THE BAMBOO PLAINS)

The Land: Chu' Yuan is dense and endless jungle of
bamboo, thick underbrush, and poisonous creatures.
The heat is oppressive, the air muggy and thick. There
are standing pools of water everywhere, filled with
mosquitos and leeches. The people of Chu' Yuan are
hunters and woodsmen, as farming is nearly impossible.
History: The bamboo plains have traditionally
been a place of mystery and danger, shunned by most
Shou, who only go there to cut the rich timber or trap
rare animals. Until the great battles of Shin Lu and
Shin Ginsen in 2315, Chu' Yuan was of no military
importance to the Empire--now, as a major border
with T'u Lung, it supports several garrisons of troops,
although these seldom venture far from their secure
bases.
The People: The Chu are a suspicious, insular lot,
as befits a people who have had generations of warring
Shou and T'u trampling their homes underfoot.
Small, thin, fond of wearing light clothing and hats,
they are the masters of the jungle ambush. They are
the only Shou other than the mandarins to commonly
wear mustaches. The Chu are said to have amassed
great fortunes among their clans; money made in the
sale of the rare woods, animals and herbs which can
only be found in their jungles; They are also known
Empire wide for their food--which features parrot,
monkey, snake and other unusual game--all of it
served with throat-searing, eye-watering hot sauces.
Cities or Places of Note: Yentai, a central city, is
located at the edge of the Hungtse Valley, where goods
from Tabot are often traded. Taitun, a central river
crossing at the lower Hungste, is frequented by merchants
buying rare herbs and medicines. Travelers
claim the food there is especially fiery. Chu Ting, a
craftsman's city in the edge of the Great Forests of
Chu' Yuan, is the source of fine mahogany furniture.
Ping Tung is the site of the Temple of the Shingten,
while Sentai houses the monastery of the White
Snake. Li' Ping is a major garrison town on the great
Tungpu Road to the Southlands.
 

TIEN LUN (THE PLAINS OF DISPUTE)

The Land: The land is ravaged by years of war; in
some areas, nothing grows, not even grass. Great
stones of cities lie piled atop each other, and through
the center of the land runs the Shattered Road of Kow
Tang, its huge paved stones split and torn as by an
earthquake. Expect no help here, nor sanctuary; this
land is forsaken.
History: Site of most of the major battles of the T'u Lung/Shou Lung conflict.
Tien Lun is the site of the Shattered Road and the Battle of the Crimson Wheat (2315).
Since this time, it has been the scene of several
other great skirmishes, including the Betrayal of the
CaHong-Chwi Garrison (2318), the Conflict of the Silver
Clouds (2335), and the Battle of the Hammer
(2413). Tien Lun is only tenuously part of the Empire
and the Emperor must go to great effort just to keep it
that way.
The People: The Tien are descended from the
Wang, and as such have the same smooth skin, clear
eyes and medium stature. But at this juncture, the
resemblance ends. Ravaged by years of war, the Tien
have become hostile, violent and sadistic; fond of cruel
tricks and sharp knives. They can no longer be
trusted by any of the Shou peoples, and they repay
this distrust with a xenophobic hatred that borders
on the maniacal. It is said, "The Tien makes a fell partner,
a dangerous companion, and an untrustworthy
lover. He is even worse as your enemy."
Cities or Places of Note: Central to it all is Chowthou,
a half-ruined and battered city in the middle of
the Shou-T'u Lung conflicts. Constantly captured and
recaptured through the last 200 years, it has been
partially reduced to rubble.
 

ARAKIN

The Land: Rough and rugged mountains, descending
gradually into rolling foothills as you approach
Chu' Yuan and the bamboo jungles.
History: Arakin is considered to be a backwater
province of little importance, other than its boundaries
with the East. It's major historical note is an
appearance of the Impossible Palace in 413, which
people are still talking about.
The People: The Arakien are also fierce mountain
men, much like their neighbors of Kao Shan.
Cities or Places of Note: The only site of significance
is Sei Kung, capital of the province and the site
of an appearance by the Impossible Palace.

THE SPIRIT OF THE SHOU

The people of the Empire may be the most practical
of all the Lands. They are certainly the most cosmopolitan,
being heirs to a culture spanning some 26 centuries.
In art, music, classic literature and
government, the citizen of Shou Lung walks the Earth
in absolute surety that he is part of the greatest civilization
ever to grace Heaven. And why should he
doubt it?
Was not the Empire already a thousand years old
when the first Kozakuran barbarian thought to dress
himself in skins? Are not the great books of the Sages
the very model upon which all other writings in lesser
kingdoms are based? Surely the unlearned savages of
Koryo have never devised such an elegant language of
written characters, and it is well known that the men
of Wa dine upon raw fish rather than the Ten Thousand
Delicacies served at any inn of the Empire. Are
then, the people of Shou Lung to be blamed for a
touch of self-satisfaction? Of course not.
In science, the Shou have created wonders; their
books are printed with movable type; they make the
sky blaze with rockets and firecrackers, and they fly <cf. gliders, d124>
through the air as do birds. In government, they are
without comparison, administering to many diverse
peoples fairly and with honor. This enlightened government
they have, on occasion, spread to other peoples
of Kara-Tur, and while some may have had
objection (I am reminded of the vociferous commentary
of a young monkI met once while journeying
through Tabot), on the whole, few can doubt the
splendor and justice of their far-flung Empire.

THE STATURE OF THE SHOU

There are many races within the Empire, but chief
among these are the races of men. The men of Shou
Lung stand apart from those of the barbarian lands,
in being taller, fairer, and of more pleasing stature to
the eye. They are a mixture of the many peoples conquered
by the Empire, and in this way have become a
vital and muscular hybrid of unyielding vitality. From
their northern ancestors, they gain the long dark hair
which their women love to pile high upon their heads
and afix with decorated pins. This same blood shows
in the the long mustaches and beards affected by the
mandarins. From the south, they have learned the
way of weaving bright silks, to make robes and garments
of quality unmatched anywhere else in the
lands.
Also within the Empire are those whom we call nonmen.
Though, by the will of the Son of Heaven, they
are denied a place within the government, they are
welcomed within the Empire, where they face less of
the prejudices and distrust found in other lands.

THE HONOR OF THE SHOU

The Shou are a very honorable race of mankind.
They have great pride in their ancestors, their Emperor,
and their own good names. These, they will defend
with all their power, for to lose face is to lose everything.
But it is in the protection of this honor that the Shou

citizen differs from other denizens of Kara-Tur; for
example, the haughty samurai of Wa and Kozakura.
And this is most important to consider when dealing
with the Shou people. Where the samurai must walk
about with hand to sword hilt, ready to wipe an insult
out in blood, the Shou is more subtle. Not all insults
must be settled by blood; in fact, it is sometimes preferable
to avoid bloodshed, as this will bring out the
magistrate and his guard. Being condemned for murder
is an even greater stain upon the family honor.
He prefers to give insult or avenge it in more indirect
ways; by ruining a reputation; by bringing a great
estate to bondage; by assassination, or by publicly
beating his opponent senseless in the street with his
superior kung fu. What is most important to the Shou
is the honor of the family clan, not himself. Insult a
Shou and you have merely angered him. Insult his
parents and you have incurred the vengeance of his
entire clan. Harm his children or siblings, and no
force in the Celestial Heaven will save you from his
wrath. Such is the power of family in this land.
It?s important to remember the subtle differences of
the Shou character. Unlike a Kozakuran, a Shou citizen
who blusters, bullies or brags is considered a buffoon,
and loses tremendous face. In a culture of such
great antiquity and civilization, its more important to
be cool and sophisticated?even if you are a peasant.
(When playing a Shou character remember to always
reach for an insult before reaching for your sword.)

THE CLAN

The center of the Shou world is the clan. The clan is
a tightly woven family, including grandparents, married
children, grandchildren, servants and even
beasts. At the top of the clan hierarchy is the Clan
Head, who is always the eldest male of the family,
although occasionally a grandfather will abdicate his
leadership in favor of a young son (of 30 or 40) who
has shown proper devotion and promise.
The power of the Clan Head is absolute. He may
choose who is to marry, and to whom; where the-fortunes
of the family are to be spent; and who is to
inherit and when. To question his will is to risk being
cast out of the clan. To a Shou, this is the ultimate fear,
for without a clan, a man has no one to call upon for
help, no honor to shield him, and no good name with
which to win a living or a bride. Who will take care of
him when he is old? Who will speak for him when his
good name is slandered? It is well known that those
who lose their clan will soon set out upon the road of
brigandage and dishonor, for without the clan, what
is there to live for?
The Clan Head is responsible to his family as well,
He must provide food and shelter for them, and cause
no dishonor to the family name. When business with
merchants or the government must be done, he must
do it. If the government chooses to punish a clan
member, the Head, or Tai-tai, must shield the offender
from the Emperor?s wrath, even taking the punishment
himself. He must find proper husbands and
wives for his children, find them worthy occupations
and even support them if they are unable to find
work.

A dutiful member of the clan must show respect in
all ways to his Clan Head. He will call him Honored
Father, Sir, or Master. When he goes abroad to make
his fortune in the capital, he sends money back to the
clan. The clan determines what work he will pursue,
unless they have no specific directions. Even the
choice of wife or husband must be approved by his
Clan Head. But for this, the clan member has the security
of knowing that, no matter where he goes, he will
have people to stand for him, and the family honor
and wealth to fall back upon. For all but the most
adventurous, this is more than enough.
In addition to those of the living, the clan encompasses
the dead as well. Members of the clan who
have achieved great things during their lives are
remembered and honored. Their deeds are often spoken
of in the family histories, and sacrifices to their
memories made every festival or feast day. Children
are often given the names of a great clan member of
the past, in hopes that the child will one day live up
the honor of his ancestor.
DM?s should use the clan to their advantage whenever
possible. A Clan Head can direct a player character
to perform certain tasks, or take certain jobs. He
may send the character to seek his fortune in strange
new cities and lands. Clan emergencies may call the
player character from his normal duties; an insult to
the clan?s honor may force him to take the strongest
action.
 

THE WAY OF WORK

All men must work, for this is the Will of Heaven.
But to each, his task, his pleasure, and his skill.
In Shou Lung, there are, or course, many jobs and
careers, just as in other lands. But I will speak a
moment upon these specific Ways of Work, for each
has its own unique ?Shou-ness," which will serve to
illuminate how things differ in the Empire.
Peasants: Unlike the peasant of Kozakura, the
peasant of Shou Lung is considered a farmer, not a
serf. The land he farms has been owned by his family
for generations, handed down from father to eldest
son. He may choose to leave the land; to enter politics,
the priesthood, or even become a merchant. He sells
his crop freely in the markets, planting what and
where he wishes, and giving only what the bureaucracy
demands as its taxes.
No powerful noble holds power of life and death
over the farmer of Shou Lung. Instead, he is judged
fairly by the magistrate of his village, appointed from
afar by a wise and just bureaucracy He raises many
sons and daughters to till the land, and within his family
clan, his word is law. Unlike the serf of Wa, he is
content, because he is free.
Merchants: Merchants in Shou Lung are not the
despised class that they are in Kozakura and Wa.
Here, there are no haughty samurai to scoff at those
who make their living from selling the work of others.
Indeed, the merchant of Shou Lung is more than a
mere shopkeeper. He is a physician, healing the aches
and pains of the people with accupressure. He is an
innkeeper, who gives the weary traveler a place of
rest and fine food. He is an herbalist, who, with his

staff of apprentices, grinds powders and mixes
potions for internal ills and magics. In short, the merchant
is the backbone of Shou society, for he provides
services necessary to both the highest and lowest of
rank.
In most cases, the merchant class also provides the
majority of educated young men for the ever expanding
bureaucracy. This is because most farmer?s sons
cannot spare the long hours of study required in
order to pass the Civil Service Examinations; they
must instead tend beasts and till fields from sunup to
sundown. Within the nobility, few young gentlemen
have the desire to study for a position lower than they
were born into. It is only in the merchant class that
the happy coincidence of upward mobility and leisure
time come together. It is rare indeed that a merchant?s
family does not have one son studying for his exams,
supported by his entire clan, for if he is successful, the
entire family will prosper with him.
Officials: There are many levels of officials, ranging
from province governors with armies of assistants
to lowly tax clerks in backwater villages. Any native of
the Empire can win himself a post in the bureaucracy
by passing the complex and difficult Civil Service
Examination with a high enough score. Foreigners
and those favored by the Court may also be appointed
to official posts, although this is far rarer. Only nonhumans
are excepted from holding public office.
As an official, the young scholar will report to one of
the many ministries established by the Emperor,
working diligently until he is promoted. If he is skilled
and competent, he may soon find himself the magistrate
in charge of a minor village or garrison--not his
own home village (this is forbidden by the Emperor, as
it encourages insurrection && corruption among
officials), but possibly one very much like it. With
greater experience, he may one day become a governor,
and rule an entire province in the Emperor's
name. His goal to eventually become head of his own
ministry, able to make decisions and govern an entire
aspect of the Empire as directed by the Son of Heaven.
An official is far from all powerful. Above, below
and to either side of him, he will find competitors and
limits; his hope is to eventually rise to a high enough
position to free himself of most obstacles to his power.
Even as the director of a powerful ministry; a member
of the mandarinate itself, he may still face punishment
and dismissal should his actions or the actions of
his underlings anger the Emperor. But the rewards, in
money, power and honor, are well worth the risk.
Priests and Monks: There are two main faiths in
Shou Lung; The Path of Enlightenment, which
espouses a written code of beliefs and actions, handed
down from Heaven by the Celestial Emperor, and the
Way, a religion of nature and metaphysics which
denies that true faith can be taught in books. Priests of
the Path (Shou-ling Tao), live together in huge temples
and monasteries. Here they study teachings concerning
the nature of the Path, as well as martial and healing
arts, reading and writing. These monks can be
easily recognized by their flowing red robes and shaven
heads. While most are removed from the world,
choosing to turn away from riches, fame and romantic
companionship, this varies from order to order.
Priests of the Way (Chung Hsiang Tao) are solitary
souls, who travel the lands seeking knowledge
through nature. Chung Tao priests are considered to
be more wizards than clerics, for the deeper mysteries
of their faith give them sorcerous control over
the forces of the material world (these men are actually
wu jen). Although in theory, the Way is a truly
neutral faith, in reality there are two alignments of
Ch?eng Tao priests?those of the Dark Way (using their
powers for personal gain) and those of the Light Way
(using their powers for the good of others).
Priests and monks are honored and respected by
the people of Shou Lung; for their wisdom and knowledge,
as well as their command of the martial and
mystical arts. It is also common for officials and
nobles to retire from public life as they grow old, to
take up the robes of a priest. For as it is written; ?If
one cannot aspire to become an official of Earth, it is
just as well to become an official of Heaven."
The Warriors: The warrior of Shou is not the samurai.
Yet, do not think that, because he does not walk
with the swaggering bravado of the northern barbarians,
that he does not draw sword at the slightest imagined
insult, that he is not a fighter of consequence.
Remember that it took a typhoon and a hidden reef to
stop the great fleets of the Emperor Wo Hai Chin, and
that even then the lands of Wa were fairly taken.
The warrior of Shou is a civilized man in the most
sophisticated land under Heaven. He will not draw
sword without just cause, for he knows that under
the magistrate?s law, all are as one. Unlike the samurai,
he can be tried for the death of a farmer, and the
knowledge of Imperial justice stays his hand.
But in warfare, he is supreme. With his many
weapons ?long horse spears, the butterfly sword, the
axe and the bow?or with his kung fu and nunchaku,
he is fearless and feared. His comrades have held the
horse barbarians from our borders, and have kept the
barbarians over the Celestial Seas in their place.
Whether from the hovel of the peasant or the house
of a lord, the warrior of Shou is honored and respected
indeed.

Classes in Shou Lung are similar to those commonly
used in other parts of Kara-Tur. However, certain
classes are named differently, and others are not
native to the Empire.
 
 

OA	Shou Lung Equivalent
Bushi	Chanshi or Warrior
Monk	Monk
Shukenja	Dang-ki
Sohei	No-Sheng or Temple Guardian
Wu jen	Wujen
Yakuza	Tong Shu (secret society member)
Samurai	Knight or Noble
Kensai	Master or Chujen
Ninja	Vagabond, although most ninja come from outside the Empire.

Lao Chin-Mao (531-597)

The most influential scholar in all Shou history is
the sage Lao Chin-Mao. His four volume work, the
Book of Heaven, is a guide of behavior and morals for
all proper Shou. A wizened, snappish old man, who
wore old-fashioned robes and a conical hat, Lao Chin-
Mao became Court Advisor to the Eleventh Emperor
Chin of the Ho Dynasty. He used his influence to shape
the rapidly expanding bureaucracy along his princi
ples, culminating in the creation of the Mandarinate, a
upper class of scholars and gentlemen who are the
intellectual elite of Shou Lung.

Feng Shui

Social Customs
Clothing

While much of the clothing worn in the lands of
Shou Lung is similar to clothing elsewhere in Kara-
Tur, there are several garments that are so typically
?Shou? as to warrant special attention. One of these is
the maitung, a tunic favored by scholars and officials.
Floor length and buttoned to the neck with a high col-
lar, it is usually crafted from subdued silks and woolens.

The cheosong is a narrow, tight silk woman?s dress,
common in the high court and more cosmopolitan cit-
ies. The skirt is very long, reaching almost to the floor,
and has a slit running up either side, often to the hip.
The bodice is very tight and buttoned with a high col-
lar. Often, the dress is embroidered with gold or silk
thread, depicting mythical beasts and legends which
wrap around the body from chest to hem. The
cheosong is not commonly found elsewhere in Kara-
Tur, as it is considered far too revealing for a proper
woman to wear in public. It is especially popular with
sing-song girls and other female entertainers.

Older women wear a less revealing version of the
cheosong,
called the cheo-sam. It is more like a loose
embroidered robe of floor length, with enormous
sleeves and a high collar.

Unlike the short pants and tunic of the Northern
lands, the samfu is a long sleeved, pajama-like outfit
While commonly made of cotton, silk is used in the
homes of the wealthy. In colder climes, such as Ma?
Yuan Province, it is quilted and worn with high fur
boots. The samfu is worn by all classes of people in
Shou Lung, and serves as bedclothes, day wear and
formal wear, depending on the richness of the fabric
and the complexity of decoration. Occasionally, a
small embroidered cap is also worn with it.

The waitao is a great heavy coat, with enormous
sleeves, favored by soldiers, bailiffs and other military
men. It is usually quilted and thus serves as some protection
from sword cuts. The sleeves are excellent for
carrying hidden weapons. On rare occasions, it may
be embroidered. A variation of this is the hai-waitao,
or ceremonial robes worn at court by magistrates and
nobles. These robes retain the huge sleeves and floor
length hems, but are heavily embroidered and
trimmed with pearls, gems and rich furs. In most
court situations, the hai-waitao is the dress of choice,

allowing freedom of movement, limited protection
against an assassins dagger, and allowing the wearer
to easily conceal weapons and secret things within its
sleeves. It is also worn with a small embroidered cap.
It is common for families to keep huge chests of
clothes, passing the most treasured down through the
Clan. Shou clothing is known to be extremely durable,
even at its most fancy. The many layered kimonos of
Wa and Kozakura have not taken well to the Imperial
Realms, because they are considered too flimsy for
daily wear.
 

Sing-Song and Flower Girls

The Shou Lung equivalent of the geisha, the singsong
or flower girl is an entertainer and singer. She
usually performs in inns or wine shops for the entertainment
of travelers. Unlike the geisha, the sing-song
girl is not highly trained, nor is she the member of a
geisha house. Instead, she is most often an ambitious
young girl who wishes to secure a good marriage, and
has decided that this is the best way to meet unattached
men. Famous sing-song girls have become the concubines
of Emperors, or have gone on to raise great
Festival houses frequented by powerful court officials.

Trigrams

The Trigrams are one of the aspects of Chung Tao
magic that permeates all levels of Shou culture. An
ancient means of divination, they were, according to
legend, divined by the sage Hsin Fu Chan from patterns
in the back of a great sleeping lizard. From this
inauspicious beginning, the Trigrams were developed
into the sophisticated form used today, in which a
handful of broken and unbroken chopsticks are
thrown into a circle, and six selected from the top.
The resulting series of broken and unbroken lines are
then compared to a matching trigram in the Book of
Change to determine the meaning. There are two
parts to the meaning. The first is the name of the Trigram,
such as Love, Anger or Fellowship. There is also
an explanation of the Trigram as well.
(To throw the Trigrams, roll 1D6 for each of two Trigrams.
Add the total of both rolls. Consult the table
below to determine outcome. The Trigrams should be
used like the shukenja spell Fate, but can be used by
any character class. The outcomes are deliberately
vague, allowing the DM to apply the general statement
to his adventure as he sees fit.)

The Book of Change

D	Symbol:	Meaning
2	Destruction:	Forces are at hand to unmake your fortunes. Use great care.
3	Fellowship:	You will meet or find allies in your cause.
4	Simplicity:	The best course is that which does the least.
5	Discipline:	You must resist the impulse to give up. Strive harder to succeed.
6	Patience:	Do not begin unprepared. Wait for the right time.
7	Love:	Strong passions call you. Turn to one who shares your feelings.
8	Mountain:	Stand fast in your principles. Do not yield at this time.
9	Sea:	Always shifting. Be untouchable, make your position flexible, adaptable.
10	Anger:	The Fire leaps within you. Use this force to your purpose, but do not let it destroy your judgement. Do not be consumed by hate.
11	Fear:	Indecision tears at you. Turn away or stand and face the fear
12	Creation:	Great forces may be used to your benefit.

2 Destruction: Forces are at hand to unmake your
fortunes. Use great care.
3 Fellowship: You will meet or find allies in your
cause.
4 Simplicity: The best course is that which does the
least.
5 Discipline: You must resist the impulse to give up.
Strive harder to succeed.
6 Patience: Do not begin unprepared. Wait for the
right time.

7 Love: Strong passions call you. Turn to one who
shares your feelings.
8 Mountain: Stand fast in your principles. Do not
yield at this time.
9 Sea: Always shifting. Be untouchable, make your
position flexible, adaptable.
10 Anger: The Fire leaps within you. Use this force
to your purpose, but do not let it destroy your
judgement. Do not be consumed by hate.
11 Fear: Indecision tears at you. Turn away or stand
and face the fear
12 Creation: Great forces may be used to your benefit.

Warriors of the Empty Hand

Better a clean fight and an honorable death, than to
run in fear and lose face.

Most Honored Elminster,
It is said that the Shou love to fight, and this is true.
But as you will discover when you journey to the
Empire, the way in which they fight is unusual to any
gajin, or to any samurai from Kozakura or Wa.

The Shou Way of Combat

The Shou are not known for the quality of their
sword makers. They have not yet mastered the ?thousand
fold? techniques of the swordmasters of Wa and
Kozakura, which make swords unnaturally strong.
Therefore, Shou blades tend to be heavier and not as
sharp. This lack of fine blades has tended to damp
their enthusiasm for the sword as the chief weapon of
combat, although they are known for the creation of
several interesting variations on the sword, such as
butterfly blades.
Therefore, the Shou are not, for obvious reasons,
devotees of the sword duel. This is not to say that they
refrain from war?indeed, warfare is seen as a just
and honorable way to settle disputes and conquer
new territory. Many a man will speak proudly of his
service in the Emperor?s armies, fighting the horse
barbarians and the unwashed Kozakuran scum to the
West. Soldiers and warriors are highly respected for
their professionalism and bravery.
And this may be the point?professionalism. Rarely,
if ever, will one encounter a Shou version of a kensai
or ronin, wandering the land with sword in hand. The
Shou consider this sort of single-minded devotion to
mayhem with the same view as you of the Realms
would view a madman rampaging about with an axe.
In the Shou viewpoint, the time to draw swords is
when a proper war has been declared, the boundaries
are known, and all are agreed upon how to divide the
loot when the fighting ends. Duels in vengeance for
lost honor are considered foolish at best. Why should
one cause so much pain and disharmony over saving
face, when it would be easier to either have the
offender put to death by the local magistrate, or quietly
poisoned by a hired sing-song girl? Everyone will
assume you arranged his death, and that he was a fool
to have opposed you. In this way, you will have saved
face.
One should not mistake this calm and rational view-

point to be cowardice. The Shou love to fight. But
unlike the combats of Wa or Kozakura, which are usually
to the death, the Shou prefer to beat their enemies
senseless using the one skill they excel in above
all others; the fighting style of unarmed combat, or
kung fu.

The Masters of Kung Fu

The Shou are known as the best martial artists in all
of Kara-Tur. They are the inventors of the science of
unarmed combat, and have devised literally thousands
of styles (each style may have its own name, but
the overall concept itself is, of course, known as kung
fu, or the Way of the Open Hand). Each town has at
least two or three teaching halls, or dojos, where students
come to master techniques and skills. In addition,
every Shou-ling sect has its own martial arts
school and each disciple is rigorously trained in these
skills. I have taken time to speak of these schools in
greater detail in my descriptions of the Monasteries of
Shou Lung.
The masters of the open hand art fight often. There
are contests between rival schools, in which students
champion their particular style of kung fu. There are
often conflicts between warring Orders of the Shouling
faith, where the weapons of the body are the only
weapons used. As most people of Shou Lung know at
least a little martial arts, it is a common way to settle
disputes and vendettas-two merchant clans may
meet and battle each other in the streets, or two local
tongs may have kung fu skirmishes to decide the control
of a particular city. There are also many commercial
contests, where fight promoters or wealthy
nobles will put up a rich purse and invite all interested
fighters to compete. Occasionally, the local magistrates
will get into the act, arranging kung fu exhibitions
or grudge matches to settle a dispute between
two feuding clans.
The Shou also excel in the construction and use of
martial arts weapons?most of the most bizarre weapons
you will encounter in traveling the length of Kara-
Tur have originated here in Shou Lung. Man catchers,
sectional staves and rods, lajatang, nunchaku, sai,
sang kauw?these are the weapons of the average
Shou warrior, rather than swords and bows. Many of
these weapons are nearly unknown outside of the
many temples and dojos of the Empire, yet are the
subject of almost every Shou tale of combat.
The way of kung fu permeates almost every level of
Imperial Society, and Shou peoples are all familiar
with at least one martial art (although not always very
well). There are even specialized styles for women,
children and old people (such as tai chi chuan, a flowing
dance movement style). When creating native
Shou characters, it is quite fitting to give them at least
one level of proficiency in martial arts to reflect this
cultural bias.
When Dungeon Mastering combat in a Shou Lung
setting, it is useful to think of the difference between
a Japanese samurai movie (with its grunts, bellows,
challenges and swordplay), and a Chinese kung fu film
(with showy displays of kicks, punches, and bizarre
weapons). Conflicts between rival temples, martial

arts schools and martial arts masters are very common
in Shou Lung, and many adventures can revolve
around themes common to this genre.

The Iron Hand School

The master of the Iron Hand School is Ling Li Te
Hsin (Sharp Mind), a well-known cartographer
employed by the Ministry of Public Works in Kuo Te'
Shou. The school is run within Ling Li Te Hsin?s large
family compound, where he lives with his mother,
wife, three sons, two daughters-in-law and assorted
grandchildren, not to mention three to nine students
at any one time.
Only students who have already demonstrated
extraordinary (at least 4th level) potential in another
kung fu style are considered for Ling Li?s dojo. Begin
ning students act as servants to the family, learning
diligence, discipline and humility. As they progress,
they graduate to being treated as Clan members.
The Iron Hand School teaches that to make the body
ready for combat, it must be made as hard as iron.
Students repeatedly plunge their hands into heated
bowls of gravel to toughen their fingers. Hand and
arm strikes are practiced against great iron statues.
The floor of the dojo itself is of iron plates, to harden
the body against falling. (An Iron Hand student is
capable of the techniques of Iron Fist, as described in
Oriental Adventures, page 104.)
The final test of an Iron Hand student is the Iron
Combat, in which he must singlehandedly defeat the
three Iron Spirits who are the guardians of the
School. These iron armored Oni fight with great metal
clubs, and have killed many a student who faced
them.
Ling Li is very strict about his students avoiding
combat unless provoked. In his school, martial arts
are taught as a way of personal betterment, and combat
is a last resort. However, students of the Iron Hand
are not afraid of combat, and often compete in fighting
tournaments. The Iron Hand school is considered
to be one of the best in the Empire, and the list of
applicants is long.

The Five Stars School

The Five Stars School is located in the city of Ping
Chow, in Wang Kuo province. The school studies the
art of Five Stars kung fu, a style with five types of
movement? speed, leaping, missile deflection, and
feinting. (These are described on page 103 of Oriental
Adventures.) The Five Stars techniques are quite
favored by young women, as they give the student
immense attacking power without requiring great
strength.
Masters of the Five Stars school are skilled at hand
strike attacks, but not in the usual sense. Instead, they
are taught to use great speed and make blurring
attacks, landing many blows instead of one. At the
highest level of mastery (16th), Seven Stars students
are able to actually slow time, doubling their already
astounding number of attacks!
The dojo itself is located in the back of a bathhouse
in central Ping Chow. It?s master, Lin Kwan Shu, is a
slender woman with startling blue eyes, obviously the

heritage of gajin ancestry. To enter the school, the
applicant must be brought to the master by another
student of at least 10th level. Master Kwan then
judges the fitness of the applicant and decides if he or
she may enter the school.
The final test of a Five Star student is deceptively
simple; students are asked to pluck a shiny blue stone
from the Master?s open palm.
Most fail.

The Northern Fist School

The Northern Fist School concentrates on the ability
to kill or stun an opponent using the weaknesses of
his own body. Students study the accupressure points
of the body and learn to ?read? the ki of their opponents.
When mastery is accomplished, the student
may utilize any of the vital area attacks (as described
in Oriental Adventures, page 104), including the
feared Distance Death technique known only by the
masters of the school.
The Northern Fist School is unique in that it will
only accept young children as students. The novices
are trained not only in the techniques of the school,
but in the life philosophy as well. Northern Fist School
teachings state that the purpose of the school is to
train protectors of the common people. Should the
Empire collapse, the Students of the Fist will rise in
every town and village, to uphold law and defend the
Path of Heaven.
To graduate from the Northern Fist School, the student
must pass two tests. The first is the Test of the
Great Masters. In this test, the student enters the Hall
of the Masters, to find statues of each of the masters
of the Northern School arrayed to either side of him.
One master comes to life before him?it is never
known which one?and the student must defeat him.
The fight is to the death (supposedly).
The second test is that of the Inner Soul. In this test,
the student is confronted with a simple choice; a moral
decision of life. He must make the correct choice as
he sees it. His choice will reveal his inner nature to the
Master of the School, who will then judge him fit to to
become a Master of the Northern Fist School. If the
student fails, he may still graduate, but he will not
become a Master and learn the Distance Death techniques.

The Southern Star School

The Southern Star School believes that ki is as dangerous
as a physical action. Therefore, students of
this school practice attacks of speed and precision.
Each strike requires that the student concentrate his
ki as a single point, just beyond the point of impact.
After years of practice, the student becomes capable
of delivering devastating attacks without actually
touching his opponent at all (achievable at 10th level,
this is equivalent to Concentrated Push as listed in Oriental
Adventures, page 104).
The school is located deep in the woods, in a deserted
Chung Tao temple outside the city of Liao Pei. The
Master Liu (Willow), is a slight, quiet man with flowing
white hair. His modest manner and dress conceal a
potent will. Those who seek him for training must
first pass the Test of No Wind, in which the applicant
must extinguish a single candle, using only his will.
Those who fail are sent away again. Mysteriously,
they can no longer remember where the school is or
that it even exists.
The final test of a Southern Star student is to strike
at the surface of the great bronze bell hanging in the
center of the Hall of Testing. The bell weighs at least
two tons, and is suspended from an iron chain, yet the
student must move it without actually touching the
surface. If the student is worthy, his ki alone should
be able to make the bell swing. A powerful student
will be able to make the bell actually ring.
It is noteworthy that on the far side of the temple
lies another great bronze bell, split into two halves by
the ki of Master Willow.

Secret Societies of Shou Lung

In good times, the bureaucracy is not corrupt, and
the Emperor is just and merciful. But there are many
times when this is not the case. In these times, the
secret societies, or tongs, arise.
Secret societies are everywhere in Shou Lung?not
unusual in a land where the government is strictly
controlled and secret agents of the Ministry of State
Security are everywhere. The tong is the common
man?s best way of causing change in the highly stratified
society of the Empire. There are secret societies
on the streets of a Karatin river slum, and secret societies
in the chambers of the Imperial Palace. It is even
rumored that the Emperor has brought members of
the dread Kuo-tan Tong from his home province of
Kao Shan to serve as his special agents from time to
time.
The secret society member can be many things,
depending on the nature of his society. He may be a
protector of the weak, fighting valiantly to defeat corrupt
officials or right a great wrong. He may be a brigand
or a criminal, who spins a web of terror and fear
over the night-time city. In all cases, he is a creature of
the underworld, who uses a vast lattice of connections,
spies, and enforcers to accomplish the society?s
aims. The secret society member dares not come into
the open; his objectives will surely cause his death or
imprisonment.
The secret society recruits young men and women
of all ranks. The prospective recruit is often
approached by close friends or family members. They
carefully sound out his interests and political beliefs.
Eventually, the recruit is invited to meet directly with
members of the tong, where he is sized up for potential.
If he? measures up, he is invited to join the tong
directly. If he accepts, he undergoes a process of initiation,
in which he swears allegiance in blood, learns
the secret code words and rituals of the society, and is
assigned his first mission on behalf of the society. If he
turns the offer down, he is usually killed, for the tong
cannot risk being exposed by an outsider.
The secret society may encompass several thousand
members, such as the immense Tsui Tong of Kao Shan
Province. Or it may be a few a dozen people. Most
societies are arranged in groups of three people. Only

one of these three knows the name of his superior
within the tong. In turn, one other member of his
superior?s group knows who they take their orders
from. In this way, secrecy is maintained.
There are two common types of secret societies;
political and criminal.

Political Secret Societies

Political tongs exist to accomplish some type of goal.
Often times, this may be a simple as overthrowing a
corrupt or evil official. At other times, the goal may be
more complex; a secret society might be formed to
influence the mandarinate to pass certain laws.
Political tongs differ from criminal tongs in that
they are not interested in money. They are less likely
to engage in murder or extortion, unless it is a means
to accomplishing a specific end. They are usually
smaller than criminal societies, and recruit their
ranks mostly from the mandarinate, the court, and
the bureaucracy. Political tongs most closely resemble
revolutionary parties, and only become large when
they are about to revolt or overthrow the opposition.

The Society of the Purple Lotus

Formed during the reign of the previous Emperor,
the Purple Lotus Society was originally founded as a
group of outstanding poets and calligraphers, mostly
the sons and daughters of the noble class. The seventh
Emperor Chin, being more cultured and aesthetic
than strong, favored the arts and the company of
graceful, beautiful people. New members of the society
are chosen annually, at the New Year, based on submitted
samples of calligraphy or poetry. A ritualistic
initiation includes the burning of money, artwork and
rare items.
Society members once had constant access to the
Emperor at any time, but the new Emperor Kai Chin is
less impressed with the society, and considers them a
dangerous nuisance. Their secret goal is to reestablish
the power of the noble class, particularly by undermining
the authority of the bureaucracy. Their languid
appearance and manner are extremely
deceptive, as they are not above assassination, blackmail
and kidnapping to accomplish these means. They
are particularly fond of poison.
Members are recognized by wearing violet scarves
or violet lotus blossoms.

The Society of the Kuo-Tan

In the centuries following the ascendancy of the
infamous Tsui Tong, the original founders became disgusted
with the tong?s criminal behavior. They left the
Tsui and established the rival Kuo-tan secret society.
One of the most powerful current members of the
Kuo-tan is the maternal grandfather of the current
Emperor Kai Chin, and the tong has operated out of
his family holdings since 2560.
The Kuo-tan is devoted to the secret support of the
Empire by any means, whether legal or not. As a
secret ally of the Emperor, they have his tacit authority
to investigate corruption, evil and vice in court or
abroad. When a young noble plots to raise an army
against the Empire, it is the Kuo-tan who arrange his

disappearance. When a corrupt official steals from
the poor, the Kuo-tan secretly empty his treasure
houses and redistribute the wealth to its true owners.
The Kuo-tan are feared by a great many people, of all
ranks of life, but especially by the Tsui Tong, with
whom they have waged a bitter war for generations.

The Seventy-Two Society

The name has no connection to the purpose of the
society, but was chosen by a powerful feng-shui master
as well-omened. The organization is located in Wa
K?an and in fact is openly recognized in the city of
Hsiang under its guise of a wealthy merchant?s club.
It?s intent is to overthrow Imperial rule in Wa K?an,
and make the province independent. This tong is
quite strongly backed by the government of Wa, who
see the Seventy Two Society as an excellent way to
infiltrate spies into the Empire.
The society is recognized by its symbol of three
black marks across the back of the left hand.

The Society of the Jade Empress

Appearing harmless enough at first, the Jade
Empress Tong is made up of nobles from Hai Yuan,
whose donations provide for the upkeep of the magnificent
Temple of the Jade Empress. It is said, of
course, that her intercession with the Sea Lords
allowed her husband to become the first Emperor of
the Hai Dynasty.
The society secretly plans to place a Hai pretender
on the throne. To accomplish this, of course, will
require the murder of the entire Imperial Family-a
plan requiring many years of preparation. The Jade
Empress Tong has allied with highly placed monastic
orders within Hai Yuan, allowing them to field an
army of some strength. As for now, their efforts are
most concentrated in eliminating the lower levels of
opposition within the bureaucracy.

The Many-Hued Peacock Society

One of the oldest of all secret societies is the Many
Hued Peacock Society. This group has been in existence
for approximately 500 years. The society has its
base in the nobles and is dedicated to the overthrow
or undermining of the bureaucracy (and thus the
Emperor). Not surprisingly, the Emperor considers
them criminals and has gone to great efforts to eradicate
them.
The society is ruled by the Inner Council, a group of
men and women who direct the actions and make
long-range plans for the group. They are notorious
for the great extent of their operations, taking a long
view that may last 100 years or more. This is greatly
aided by the fact that all the members of the Inner
Council are 100 years or older and at least three date
from the founding of the society. It is only through
magical devices, spells and mental control that they
have retained their youthful appearances of 60 or 70
years old. In addition, this extreme effort to deny
death has contributed to their great wisdom and perception.
Were it not for their role and desires to bring
down the Empire, these men and women would be
hailed as great wise men.

Curiously, in its pursuit of its goals, the Many-Hued
Peacock Society has been indirectly and directly
responsible for saving the Empire from destruction
more than once. In its struggles against the Emperor,
the society has often foiled the plans of the Gorath, a
shadowy and mysterious creature who rules the Royal
Vagabonds. Ostensibly serving the Emperor, this
creature actually takes its commands from a greater
power in the Celestial Bureaucracy ? for remember,
Shou Lung is a mirror of all things in Heaven. There
are intrigues on the Red Earth and there are intrigues
in the Heavens. By foiling the Gorath, the society has
actually prevented machinations against the structure
of the Empire itself.

The Royal Vagabonds

Not properly a secret society, the Royal Vagabonds
are a secret clan in the service of the Empire. All members
of the clan are ninja (called vagabonds in Shou
Lung). Not an official part of the government, the vagabonds
still report to the Minister of State Security
and the Chief Imperial Censor. Their task is to carry
out those missions the Emperor desires ? a feared
enforcement arm of his secret police network. Few
know the identities of fellow members and no one
outside the clan can positively identify a vagabond.
This uncertainty works to their advantage, since it
spreads fear and suspicion among the enemies of the
Emperor. The only positive means of identification is a
magical sigil borne on the chest of each man. When
the appropriate phrase is uttered, this sigil (normally
invisible) glows brightly.
The leader of the clan is known only as The Old
Man, although she is neither old nor male. From her
headquarters somewhere in the Forbidden City, she
directs the activities of the clan. She is aided by a creature
called the Gorath of uncertain and unknown origin,
but of known power and strength. Unknown to
everyone, this creature secretly serves the Undersecretary
of the Minister of War in the Celestial Bureaucracy,
a being who has designs on the post of the
Celestial Emperor.

Criminal Tongs

The original criminal secret societies have their
roots in the infamous Tsui Tong of the Black Cycle.
Unlike the political secret societies, these tongs are
devoted to a reign of murder, crime and terror.
Besides their many illegal activities, the criminal
tongs are not above hiring themselves out as enforcers,
working for corrupt officials and ambitious warlords.
Their weapons are muscle, kung fu weapons,
poison, arson and murder. Each criminal tong has its
own ch?eng po, or enforcer section, heavily armed
and willing to face even the magistrate?s own guard.
Each tong is commanded by a Dragon Lord. The
Dragon Lord directs the activities of five Tiger Generals,
each in charge of a ch?eng po of ten or more
men. Women are equally represented in tong leadership,
and are known as Dragon Ladies and Tigress
Generals.
Unlike the yakuza of Kozakura, whom they somewhat

somewhat
resemble, the tongs of Shou Lung do not wear
identifying tatoos. Instead, each society has its own
symbol?a color, a pin, a hair style or a piece of
clothing?which serves to mark a member. The wide
number of symbols makes it extremely hard for the
authorities to uncover the criminal tongs and their
work. The tongs also use complex hand-signals and
code words to communicate, making it nearly impossible
for an outsider to penetrate their organizations.
Most criminal tongs operate under some type of
legitimate front; a charitable organization, an orphanage,
or a neighborhood business. Like the yakuza, the
tongs often divide the city into wards, one to each of
the five Tiger Generals. Within the ward, the Tiger
General and his ch?eng po are the law. They look after
their own neighborhoods, aiding those in trouble
with the magistrate?s guard, bribing officials, running
gambling and wine houses, and killing any invaders to
their territory.

The Tsui Tong

One of the most powerful and infamous secret societies
of all time, the Tsui Tong are the literal masters
of the city of Kai Shan, and control much of the surrounding
province of Kao Shan as well. A powerful
criminal organization with over 3,000 members, the
Tsui began as a secret society dedicated to overthrowing
a corrupt overlord. In this, they were aided by the
hero Wo Mei. But in later years, the Tsui became corrupt
themselves, engaging in robbery, murder, extortion
and terror.
The Tsui have an information network unequalled
even by the Ministry?s Secret Police. Within their
stronghold, the Black Rock Fortress of Kume, located
in the central city of Kai Shan, they have amassed
great records of events, people and places. Part of this
fuels their ever-expanding blackmail and extortion
business, but the Tsui are also information brokers,
selling secrets to the highest bidder. It was to the Tsui
that the one-day Emperor Wo Mei went, to locate the
Impossible Palace and recover the Silver Flower
Sword of Tan Ming.
The Tsui are also a powerful political force. Often,
the bureaucracy has called upon the Tsui for information
or to control rebellion in the frontier provinces.
In turn, they have demanded and received a number
of concessions. No Imperial troops are quartered in
the city of Kai Shan; there is no magistrate or guard,
and the Tsui run the city pretty much as they like.
Within the province, they are free to conduct their
gambling operations as they wish, opposed only by
the Kuo-tan secret society. Recently, this freedom has
been curtailed by the Emperor Kai Chin and his Kuotan
allies, leading to speculation that the Tsui may
soon strike back at the Jade Throne itself.
The Tsui are recognized by the symbol of a black
handprint on the face, or a black scarf knotted
around the neck. The scarf is also used as a strangler?s
weapon, a common Tsui method of assassination.

Languages

There is one main tongue in the Empire, and this is

called Kao te Shou, or High Shou. While each province
has its own dialects of this language, all are close
enough to each other to allow clear conversation.
The writing of the Empire is in the 24 characters of
Shou Chiang, the basis for written communications
throughout Shou Lung. The characters have been
refined and developed for thousands of years, and
many nations have adapted loose variations on these.
Shou Chiang is written from top to bottom, left to
right. The numeric system of Shou Chiang is simple,
and easily transferred to the abacus, a common
counting tool in the Empire.
The Shou may well be the most literate and educated
people under Heaven, for education is highly
valued among them. Monks of the Shou-ling and
Chung Tao faiths walk the land, teaching the 24 characters
and the classics to any who are interested. The
bureaucracy has established schools of learning, hoping
to foster new scholars to pass the examinations
and enter its ranks. Almost every townsman can read,
and not a few of the farmers as well. The highest compliment
one can bestow upon a Shou of any rank is to
call him po hsueh te shen shih, or ?a learned gentleman.
? And most have earned this honor indeed!

The Celestial Empire

The Celestial Emperor

It is written that the Earth is the Mirror of Heaven in
all things. It is therefore correct that if we Shou have
an Emperor, court and officials, it must be this way in
the Celestial Empire as well. And so it is. The Empire
of Heaven includes both all of the Sky and all of the
Land, organized under the government of the all powerful
and wise Celestial One. Even the Emperors of
the Earth below are merely his subjects, while all the
myriad immortals, demigods, spirits, dragons and
powers of the Earth serve as his officials.
Each Officer of the Empire of Heaven is responsible
to the will of the Celestial One. They receive and carry
out his orders, punish the wicked, reward the good,
and file reports yearly of their activities. As Heaven is
a mirror of Earth, these officials are usually loyal and
trustworthy, but it is not unheard of for a corrupt, disobedient
or incompetent official to turn up now and
again. But with the all-seeing eye of the Celestial One
upon them, even these rogues can be stripped of their
power and position and sent packing off to the Underworld.
Ruling from his throne in the Center of All Heaven,
the Celestial One charts the path of What Has Been
and Will Be. There is only one Celestial Emperor, and
he has ruled since the beginning of the Great Cycle.
His appearance is that of a tall, aristocratic lord,
dressed in shimmering robes of many colors, and
wearing the high crown of the Emperors of Shou
Lung. His eyes glow white with the Inner fires of Karma,
and his visage is stern, yet compassionate. In his
right hand, he holds a mighty rod of intricately
worked silver, called Kun P?ing Shen p?an, the word
for justice. In his left, he holds a golden chalice, filled
with the Essence of Life, and known as Lien Min, or

Compassion.
The Celestial Emperor is the architect of the Path,
and it is his will that both Heaven and Earth mirror
each other in achieving perfection. For this reason, he
sent the Nine Immortals among men to teach by example.
It is also why he caused red lightning to inscribe
his will in the granite of the Hungtse, so that men
would be reminded throughout time.
At the start of each New Year, the Celestial One calls
his Great Court of Heaven before the Jade Throne, to
hear the reports of each of his subjects. Whether
great or low, each of his Million Officials tells of his
deeds and duties of the year before. Misdeeds are also
reported, for the all seeing eyes of the Celestial
Emperor know even the hidden things. Upon each
report, the Center of Heaven passes his judgement,
rewarding the good and punishing the wicked as he
deems fit. As it is written in the Book of Heaven:
If a land is ruled with justice, righteousness
becomes the shield of the ruler. Appeal your
case then to Heaven, for this is the font of all justice.

The Nine Immortals

At the beginning of the world, the Celestial Emperor
decided to make the Will of Heaven clear to all by
sending emissaries to the lands below, each to teach
one aspect of the True Path. These emissaries were
the first emperors of Shou Lung, and are known by
legend as the Nine Immortals. While there are many,
many lesser immortals throughout the lands of Shou
Lung, these are the ones most often meant when the
immortals are called upon. The Nine Immortals stand
at the side of the Celestial One?s throne, ready at all
times to do his bidding. They have been there
throughout the Great Cycle, and will still be there
when the worlds end and pass into fire.
In the Celestial Bureaucracy, the Immortals are the
agents of the Celestial Emperor?s will. At his command,
they administer and direct all other of the
lesser immortals in their appointed tasks. Each of the
Nine Immortals is responsible for one aspect of the
Path, as reflected in his or her title. According to their
responsibilities, they can be called upon to reward the
just and punish the wicked. The Nine Immortals represent
the nine cardinal virtues of the Path; Scholarship,
Respect for Tradition, Honor, Compassion, Love,
Fidelity, Karma, Artistry, and Courage. As immortals,
they may take any form they wish, but are commonly
seen in two aspects? that of men or women as given
in each?s description, and that of Nine Great Dragons
which hold up the world and move all things by their
thoughts. As the Celestial One sent these Nine Immortals
into the lands of men, this is why the lands they
went into are known as Shou Lung, or Receiver of the
Dragon.
The Shou people constantly call upon the immortals,
not really expecting them to appear but mostly
for the good ?luck? such calling brings to an endeavour
But it is ill fortune indeed to call upon the immortals
? aid when evil or mischief is planned, for that is
when they will most certainly come to mete out their
stern justice!

Here then, are the names and aspects of the Nine
Immortal Ones.

Kwan Ying
(pronounced: koo-wann ying)
Compassionate Kwan Ying
Goddess of Compassion, Mercy and Joy

Chan Cheng
(pronounced: chan ching)
Mighty Lord of Heroes
God of war, the martial arts, combat and bravery

Ch?en Hsiang
(pronounced: chee-enn hoo-sang)
Inspiration of Poets, God of poetry, music and literature

Chih Shih
(pronounced: chee shee)
Lord of the Sages, God of History, Lore and Tradition

Nung Chiang
(pronounced: nung chee-ang)
Teacher of the Plow; Master of the Red Earth; God of
Agriculture and Fertility

Ai Ch?ing
(pronounced: eye chee-ing)
Mistress of Love and Fidelity, Goddess of Love and
Marriage

Fa Kuan
(pronounced: faah koo-wann)
One Who Walks in Righteousness; The Lawgiver; God
of Justice

Hsing Yong
(pronounced: hiss-ing yoong)
The Lucky One; Most Fortunate One; God of Fortune
and Prosperity

Shu Chia
(pronounced: shoo chi-ah)
Hands of Shu Chia; Hands of the Master; God of Artificers
and the Arts

The Lesser Immortals

The servants and assistants of the Nine Immortals,
the Lesser Immortals are descended from sages who
have been particularly holy in their lives. As a reward,
the Celestial One has granted them the boon of
immortality and limited godlike powers. The Lesser
Immortals each have specific tasks that they perform
in Heaven and upon the Red Earth, and are directed in
these by the appropriate Greater Immortals.