  
ClubFloyd Transcript:
The idea behind ClubFloyd
is that each week at a pre-arranged time, a group of
people meet online to cooperatively play a game of
interactive fiction. |
|
ClubFloyd Transcript:
The idea behind ClubFloyd
is that each week at a pre-arranged time, a group of
people meet online to cooperatively play a game of
interactive fiction. |
|
ToyShop & Floyditorium
|
#ClubFloyd Discussion
|
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| Jacqueline says, "G'morning/afternoon/evening." | ||
| yournamehere exclaims, "Hi, Doctor Nick!" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Are you just saying that so that I will ask, "Dr Who?"" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Oh, Simpsons ref." | ||
| Tale says, "I didn't expect some kind of isquisition." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "No one ever does." | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "And to continue the isquisition, why are you not in the Toyshop, Tale?" | ||
| Jacqueline hollers, "Here in a couple of minutes we'll be starting Choice of Kung Fu, by Alana Joli Abbott! Please join us." | Jacqueline says, "I'd like to wait a couple of minutes (for values of 'a couple' that equal 'at least five') to see if we get some stragglers." | |
| Jacqueline asks (of Dan), "Do you know if Alana is coming?" | ||
| Zach arrives, ready to play with the toys. | Tale says, "Er, I'm not playing, that's why. Sorry." | |
| Jacqueline says, "AW" | ||
| Tale says, "Sunday evening is not a good time for me" | ||
| Zach asks, "What's today's exciting adventure in text?" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Choice of Kung Fu." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "And I guess we should get started, though I suspect it's just you and I, zach." | ||
| Jacqueline exclaims, "But that is enough!" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "load kungfu" | Zach says, "I choose Tai Chi!" | |
Floyd | "Look out!" Floyd | Floyd | The noise of battle is distracting, and it takes you almost too long to Floyd | realize that the warning was shouted to you. An outlaw wearing a blue Floyd | turban is charging toward you, his longspear leveled at your heart. Floyd | What will you do? Floyd | Floyd | A: Stand firm, blocking the spear away at the last moment and slashing Floyd | twin tiger claws across his face. Floyd | B: Pounce toward him at the last moment, springing like a leopard, and Floyd | bring an elbow down on his head. Floyd | C: Dart off to the side, balancing on one leg like a crane before Floyd | delivering a swift kick to his knee. Floyd | D: Weave hypnotically in my stance, and when he strikes, I am no longer Floyd | there; I launch a series of quick, snakelike strikes to the pressure Floyd | points in his exposed rib cage. Floyd | E: Make a series of flashy moves that draw his target toward my right Floyd | side, then move to the left, delivering a reiken strike to the right Floyd | side of his head as he passes by. Floyd | F: Remain still, my hands low at the chi center of my body, and at the Floyd | moment he would hit me, circle his spear away and shift myself away Floyd | from the strike. Floyd | | Jacqueline says, "I like C or D." | |
| yournamehere says, "i'm here, intermittently" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Also, talk about in medias res." | ||
| Zach says, "Hmm. Me too. More so D." | ||
| yournamehere says, "D intrigues me more than C" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Okay." | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "d" | ||
Floyd | > He stumbles when his attack falters, and he clutches one arm to his Floyd | injured side. He looks suddently exhausted, courtesy of the disruption Floyd | in his chi that your knowledge of the mystical Snake technique allowed. Floyd | Floyd | With your opponent deterred, but not out of the fight, how do you Floyd | follow up your attack? Floyd | Floyd | A: Use a palm heel strike under the chin to drive his head backwards, Floyd | tearing down with a tiger claw on his face as he falls. Floyd | B: Drive into him with a series of fast leopard punches down the center Floyd | of his body until he falls to the ground. Floyd | C: Take his leg out from under him with a sweeping straight kick, Floyd | delivering a wing strike to his neck at the same moment, graceful as a Floyd | crane. Floyd | D: With my fingers tight like a snake's head, strike out at his face Floyd | and neck in a complex pattern of several hits that impact on nerve Floyd | points, disabling him. Floyd | E: Feign a low kick to the knee, and when he moves the spear shaft down Floyd | to block, shoot a dragon tooth strike?my fingers separated in a V?into Floyd | his eyes before sweeping him from behind. Floyd | F: His death would be senseless and against the Buddha nature; pivot Floyd | around behind him and lock him in a sleeper hold. Floyd | | Zach says, ""Weave hypnotically in my stance" also sounds like a cool dance." | |
| Jacqueline says, "We're into tearing tiger claws into this guy's face, but it's really not my style." | ||
| yournamehere had to look up "in medias res." I guess that's Latin for being charged at in the first turn ;-) | ||
| Zach says, "Yeah" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "heh. That is one definition, yes." | ||
| vimes arrives, full of neither funk nor fun. | yournamehere says, "those latins had a word for everything. (#simpsons again...all my references are like 17 years old)" | |
| Jacqueline says, "Ach E." | ||
| Zach says, "I'll vote for D again." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "I am good with D." | ||
| yournamehere says, "me too (D)" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "d" | ||
Floyd | > The quick strikes of the Snake style, combined with the knowledge of Floyd | chi, drop him to the ground, unconscious. He'll be feeling that when he Floyd | wakes up. Floyd | Floyd | The outlaws continue toward you and your fellow students, flashes of Floyd | blue catching your eye against the greens and browns of the marsh Floyd | surrounding your path. It is hard to imagine that only moments ago, the Floyd | nine of you were making your way back to the monastery of the Order of Floyd | the Peach Tree, students on the simple assignment of escorting a Floyd | wagonload of supplies home. Floyd | Floyd | The students have mostly remained on the path, where their footing is Floyd | more certain, but the outlaws appear to have little trouble navigating Floyd | the wetlands. While they fight like untrained peasants, numbers are Floyd | definitely on their side. Floyd | Floyd | It's time to get serious. Drawing on the training you received before Floyd | entering the Order of the Peach Tree, you prepare your next attack. How Floyd | will you fight? Floyd | Floyd | A: Draw my sword. This blade was forged by the most expert smiths in Floyd | the Middle Kingdom, designed specifically to be used with the Celestial Floyd | Sword style, taught only to the Imperial Family. Floyd | B: Unhitch the horse from the cart of supplies. He is a mean beast?not Floyd | the fine mare I trained on at my father's estate?but few monks could Floyd | master a horse from as honorable a family as mine. I draw my blade and Floyd | prepare to charge. Floyd | C: Draw on my chi, as well the energy in the world around me. I can Floyd | sense the life energies of my fellow students and the approaching Floyd | outlaws. Floyd | D: Release the bindings that secure my longspear to my back. It is only Floyd | one of the many weapons I have mastered in my wanderings, and it is a Floyd | good choice to keep the outlaws at bay. Floyd | E: Why change? The style my masters at the Order of the Peach Tree are Floyd | teaching me is a superior one, and I am eager to prove the worth of my Floyd | unarmed style in battle. Floyd | | vimes says, "(i have played this game to extinction, so i won't be contributing anything, but i do enjoy watching it)" | |
| inky arrives, full of fun, but no funk. | Jacqueline says, "I like C." | |
| yournamehere says, "C is for chi" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "But I am all into chi and energy and stuff, so." | ||
| Zach says, "OK" | ||
| yournamehere says, "works for me" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "yay" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > Even your fellow students are wary of the Xian style, which utilizes Floyd | what the uninformed consider "magic." But you know to be your power to Floyd | be from the energies of the universe, which are at your beck and call. Floyd | You also know that the perception of your abilities can be used against Floyd | your enemies?and one day, you hope it will inspire your allies. For Floyd | now, the other students shy away from you, except for Lu Jin, your Floyd | primary rival for the place of senior student, who watches you with a Floyd | wary eye. Floyd | Floyd | The battle that follows is hectic; the outlaws have little in the way Floyd | of skill, but they make up for it in passion. They are determined to Floyd | have your supplies, despite the clear skill shown by you and your Floyd | fellow students. Though you are focused on keeping them from trying to Floyd | kill you, you notice as you disable your opponents that they are Floyd | skinny, likely the result of being poorly fed. You also note that a Floyd | number of the outlaws are women. Floyd | Floyd | Does that surprise you? Floyd | Floyd | A: Yes. Fighting is the realm of warriors, and the role of the warrior Floyd | falls to the men. Floyd | B: No. Outlaws have always bucked convention; why bother following Floyd | social rules? Floyd | C: Yes, but it is nice to know that I am not alone in questioning Floyd | traditional roles. Floyd | D: No. I am used to fighting side by side among men and women Floyd | accomplished in the way of battle. Floyd | | yournamehere asks, "choice of backstory here?" | |
| Zach says, "Hmm, I'm never had to choose to be surprised before." | ||
| Jacqueline says (to ynh), "Yeah." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "I am fine with whatever you guys want, but the fact that they're female is less surprising to me than the fact that they clearly need the supplies and we can't just talk to them about it." | ||
| yournamehere says, "that's the thing about surprise...it happens when you least expect it" | ||
| yournamehere says, "(joke)" | ||
| yournamehere says, "'B' is the least unpalatable to me, i think" | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "D?" | ||
| Zach says, "Yeah, I want to pick (E) No, because of the growing wealth disparity in our kingdom." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Since I'm definitely used to fighting with both women and men, or at least I used to be." | ||
| yournamehere says, "i'd be ok with D too" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Z), "EXACTLY" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "d" | ||
Floyd | > You have had a wonderfully open-minded experience in your training. Floyd | Luckily for you, the Order of the Peach Tree feels similarly. Are you a Floyd | man or a woman? Floyd | Floyd | A: I am a man. Floyd | B: I am a woman. Floyd | | Zach says, "D sounds good" | |
| Jacqueline says, "Whoops, sorry there, Zach. I thought you wanted E. :)" | ||
| yournamehere says, "C: I am a collective" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "D: I reject the gender binary." | ||
| yournamehere says, "yay" | ||
| vimes asks, "e: i am jaunty and stylish, really, what else do you need to know?" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "double yay" | ||
| Zach says, "heh" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "B might make the game more interesting, A might make it easier, but I'm just speculating." | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "What do you two think?" | ||
| Gunther arrives, full of neither funk nor fun. | Zach says, "Sure, I haven't been a woman recently." | |
| Jacqueline asks (of ynh), "?" | ||
| vimes says, "o/~ zach (do dooo dooo dooo) you'll be a woman...soon o/~" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "haha" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Neil), "Thanks." | ||
| Zach says, "Oh my" | ||
| vimes says, "(soon, you'll need kung fu)" | ||
| yournamehere says, "B is fine with me" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > What is your given name? Floyd | Floyd | A: Yin. Floyd | B: Meili. Floyd | C: Yan. Floyd | D: None of these is my name. Floyd | | vimes says, "ok, this is the most important choice in the game, just so you know" | |
| Jacqueline says, "haha" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Interesting, because for some reason I would have thought that we'd have chosen our name at a much younger age, or that our parents would have done this for us." | ||
| yournamehere says, "i don't trust D" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "I guess people have just been shouting 'Hey you' all this time." | ||
| Zach says, "D. Our name is the wind, the call of the owl, the roar of the waterfall." | ||
| Zach says, "Or B works too." | ||
| vimes says, "well, you know how it is, you have the name you're born with, the name you're given, the name you choose, and the name a bunch of strangers on the internet controlling your life choose" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "oooooh - I like the wind, the call of the owl, the roar of the waterfall, but I'll go with B." | ||
| yournamehere says, "B ... A and C cancel each other out" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > A name as beautiful as your features. Floyd | Floyd | And what is your family name? Floyd | Floyd | A: Liu. Floyd | B: Wong. Floyd | C: Cao. Floyd | D: None of these is my family name. Floyd | | maga says (to Jacq), "hey there, swoooooooshsssshhh hoooo-hooo rrrrrrggghh" | |
| vimes says (to maga), "yay" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Hee" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Okay, this time I like A." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Meili Liu flows like water." | ||
| vimes says, "just call her hootswish for short" | ||
| yournamehere says, "sure" | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "z?" | ||
| maga says, "hidden wind, noisy owl" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "hoo hoo" | ||
| Zach says, "A sounds good. With C we'd always think people were saying bye to us." | ||
| Zach says (to maga), "heh" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > A fine name. Floyd | Floyd | The bandits are quickly losing their resolve to steal your wagon; they Floyd | still have numbers on their side, but many have fallen, wounded or Floyd | dead, at your feet. You hear the far-off sound of a whistle, and the Floyd | bandits begin to disengage, quickly fading back into the marsh. Though Floyd | you and your fellow students have done a formidable job of holding off Floyd | the bandits, you see that your fellows have taken some injuries as Floyd | well. Floyd | Floyd | What do you do? Floyd | Floyd | A: Retreat back to the monastery, so that my fellow students can have Floyd | their wounds treated immediately. Floyd | B: Question one of the wounded bandits about the attack. Floyd | C: Pursue the bandits into the marsh. Floyd | | Jacqueline says, "I like a B." | |
| * Gunther has joined the channel. | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Oh, hello, Gunther." | ||
| Zach says, "I wish I knew how badly the students were hurt." | ||
| Gunther says, "It is I, Lucy Liu" | ||
| Zach says, "Eh, it builds character." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "No, Meili Liu, her sister." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "I am hoping we won't delay long, but I want to learn about the violence inherent in the system and the growing income disparity in our people." | ||
| yournamehere says, "B seems like the prudent middle way of medium badassery" | ||
| Zach says, "Yeah" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > You pull one of the outlaws to his feet, and in the process realize Floyd | that this scrawny bandit is no more than thirteen. Malnourished and Floyd | weak, it is amazing he is not dead from the beating he received. Floyd | Floyd | A: I feel admiration for his bravery, in spite of his conditions. I Floyd | tell him he fought well. Floyd | B: I feel pity for this boy who has turned to thievery to survive. Floyd | C: I am furious that this urchin attacked us. Floyd | | Jacqueline says, "a" | |
| Gunther says, "I am furious at my LOSER STUDENTS" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "I would prefer to play this game with the title of Choice of Not Being an Asshat." | ||
| yournamehere says, "yes, A. treat the wounded teenage male ego" | ||
| Zach says, "Sure" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > He seems surprised by your praise, and he holds his head high, Floyd | despite his pain. "I must fight well," he says, "because no one else Floyd | will fight for me." He says it almost like a mantra. You ask your Floyd | questions, and the boy gives you answers he appears to believe are Floyd | true: the supplies you carry were targeted because they would be useful Floyd | to the bandits, not because the outlaws wish to offend the Order of the Floyd | Peach Tree. He does not know how many bandits there are, but he says Floyd | that almost all that he knows were farmers, forced out of their homes Floyd | by the foreigners who have been encroaching on the Middle Kingdom. Floyd | Floyd | A: I let the boy and the other wounded bandits go with no intention of Floyd | bringing them to the law. They are people suffering from circumstances Floyd | beyond their control. Floyd | B: I let the boy go and warn him and the other bandits that they must Floyd | cease their crimes against the Empire. I will make sure that their Floyd | banditry is reported to the local magistrate, but will hope they repent Floyd | of their crimes. Floyd | | Jacqueline says, "FOREIGNERS" | |
| Zach says, "Order of the Peach Tree? No wonder they thought we'd be an easy target." | ||
| maga says, "the sequel to this game, Social Justice Ninja, will be out in March" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "We may have to be an asshat yet." | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "Hm. A?" | ||
| yournamehere says, "sure" | ||
| Zach says, "OK" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > A sympathetic decision. Hopefully it will not come back to haunt you. Floyd | Floyd | Lu Jin takes a deep breath, as though deciding whether or not to share Floyd | a thought, before he says, "It wasn't like this before the foreigners Floyd | came. With them eating up resources?and with the Emperor standing by Floyd | while his people starve and lose their land to these invaders?the Floyd | people have no hope." Floyd | Floyd | Lu Jin's openness is surprising, but what he says amounts to treason. Floyd | Questioning the Emperor's will so openly will certainly lead him to Floyd | trouble. Floyd | Floyd | Does that trouble start with you? Floyd | Floyd | A: How dare he question the Emperor! I challenge him immediately. Floyd | B: I agree with Lu Jin, but I respond noncommittally. Just because he Floyd | is asking for trouble by speaking his mind does not mean I will risk my Floyd | neck. Floyd | C: I agree with Lu Jin and am glad to find someone to discuss the Floyd | Empire's problems with. Floyd | D: I do nothing. I am not interested in politics. Floyd | | Gunther says, "B" | |
| Jacqueline says, "I would go with B." | ||
| Gunther says, "wait, no, B is craven" | ||
| Gunther says, "C" | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "I honestly don't care. What do z and ynh want?" | ||
| Zach says, "Hmm, I want to disagree but not because I want to defend the Emperor." | ||
| yournamehere says, "i'll complicate matters by saying A" | ||
| yournamehere says, "i don't like this nativist bent" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Hm. So 2 As, 1 B, and one I don't care so I'll go with A makes for three As. Sorry, Gunther." | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > Lu Jin lets out a bitter chuckle, looking around at your fellow Floyd | students, who watch you anxiously. "Perhaps another time." Floyd | Floyd | His refusal to fight puts you in an awkward position; if he refused to Floyd | defend himself, you could be thrown out of the Order of the Peach Tree Floyd | for attacking a fellow student without provocation. Floyd | Floyd | A: He insulted the Emperor. I cannot delay in seeking retribution. Floyd | B: I wait, but I do not forget. Floyd | | Zach says, "Yeah, and Lu Jin has been hogging all the mediation pillows anyway." | |
| Gunther says (to Jacqueline), "** you have lost face **" | ||
| Zach says, "*meditation" | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "B?" | yournamehere tries to imagine a bitter chuckle | |
| Jacqueline says (to Gunther), "*** democracy has won! ***" | ||
| Gunther says, "not in China." | ||
| yournamehere says, "i'm curious about A, to be honest. more fight scenes! otoh, it might end the game early" | ||
| Gunther says, "A and B are equally faily choices, but now you have no choice but A" | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "No choice but A why?" | ||
| Gunther says, "Face." | ||
| vimes says, "it is your diss-tony." | ||
| maga says, "we're Shaolin, dude, not samurai" | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "You're all into this face stuff today. How will you feel when you get us kicked out of the Order of Peachiness?" | ||
| Gunther says (to maga), "even more important!!" | ||
| vimes says, "(i guess his name is lu jin, not tony)" | ||
| maga says, "meet the buddha, kill the buddha. meet your face, shut your face" | ||
| yournamehere | C: Throw a peach at the guy. | ||
| Jacqueline asks (of z), "?" | ||
| vimes says, ""you know that hole? the one you put peaches in? shut it."" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "yay" | ||
| Gunther says (to vimes), "but it's... oh, my *mouth*" | ||
| vimes says (to gunther), "you can do what you like with your peaches in the privacy of your own home, just leave me out of it" | ||
| Zach says, "Hmm, I wish there was a passive aggressive (C) choice" | ||
| Zach says, "B" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Gunther), "bleh" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "So now we have a stand-off. Two As, two Bs. maga, break the tie" | ||
| Gunther says, "choice of peach-shoving" | ||
| maga says, "B" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > A wise decision. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | As you walk back to the monastery, you take a moment to consider the Floyd | path that has brought you here. As a child, you were told stories of Floyd | the Order of the Peach Tree, a monastery where many great warriors were Floyd | trained. But it was not just the combat skills that enticed you. Every Floyd | hundred years, one member of the Order of the Peach Tree is given the Floyd | honor of consulting the Dragon Sage. That monk may ask a single Floyd | question of the wise dragon. It is only thirty years until the next Floyd | monk of the Order of the Peach Tree is selected, and you are determined Floyd | to be the order's representative to the dragon. Floyd | Floyd | What question drives you toward this goal? Floyd | Floyd | A: I know I have much to learn of combat, but I am convinced that the Floyd | Dragon Sage holds the key to greatness beyond what I can learn from Floyd | mortal teachers. I plan to ask, "How can I become the greatest warrior Floyd | in the world?" Floyd | B: The strife I see in the Middle Kingdom?so recently reiterated by my Floyd | encounter with the bandits?disturbs me greatly. I wish to see balance Floyd | restored to the Middle Kingdom, so that the Emperor is once again in Floyd | alignment with the Heavens. I will ask, "How can the Empire return to Floyd | Heaven's Favor?" Floyd | C: I am more concerned with esoteric knowledge than worldly issues. I Floyd | wish to ask, "What is the first question?" Floyd | D: My question is simple: "Why do kites fly?" Floyd | | Gunther says, "ha ha" | |
| yournamehere says, "30 years...we may be here a while" | ||
| Gunther says, "B" | ||
| maga says (to yournamehere), "Choice of Games games typically extend over a character's whole career" | ||
| yournamehere says, "yeah, B" | ||
| yournamehere says (to maga), "oh ah" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "We have thirty years, and yet some of our questions revolve around things that are happening right now? I think we may change our mind a few times before then." | ||
| Zach says, "B" | ||
| inky says, "man" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "For the record, I want C." | ||
| inky says, "if you ask D you end up inventing the airplane" | ||
| Jacqueline asks (of ynh), "Going with the majority, or making maga break the tie?" | ||
| maga says (to inky), "if we pick A, we learn the Thousand-League Cloud Trapeze and no longer need airplanes" | ||
| Gunther says, "mcp has already said B" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "I'm thinking that if we ask D we're possibly five, or else a grown up too dense to invent anything." | ||
| Gunther says, "er, ynh" | ||
| Jacqueline asks (of Gunther), "Oh, did he?" | ||
| vimes says (to maga), "or you learn mount/dismount as a free action and set up a seris of saddles on posts five feet apart through the entire country" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > You have set your sights high; if anyone would know how to set the Floyd | Emperor back on the path of Heaven, it is the Dragon Sage. Floyd | Floyd | >Chapter One: Bandits in the Woods | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | A few days after the conflict with the outlaws in the marsh, Abbot Bao Floyd | Ho sends for you to meet him beneath the peach tree. The tree itself is Floyd | ancient: you have been told that most peach trees live, at most, fifty Floyd | years, but this one has grown wide around the trunk and gnarled in the Floyd | branches. Despite its age, it continues to produce fruit. Some say that Floyd | this is the peach tree after which the monastery was named, a true Floyd | immortal tree in the breed of trees that represents immortality. Others Floyd | believe it to be a descendant of the original peach tree, the result of Floyd | careful cultivation by the monks who teach you. Floyd | Floyd | What do you think? Floyd | Floyd | A: It must be immortal. Floyd | B: If it is grown from the cuttings of earlier trees, the continuation Floyd | of its line makes it immortal despite its many incarnations. Floyd | C: The tree is clearly not immortal; only the superstitious and Floyd | uneducated would believe so. Floyd | D: I haven't given it much thought. Floyd | E: I don't care. Floyd | | Gunther says (to vimes), "there's a book that has essentially that" | |
| Gunther says, "B" | ||
| yournamehere says, "B i guess" | ||
| maga says, "yeah, B" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "It's not that I'm ignorant or apathetic, it's just that I don't know and I don't care. Also, I am fine with B." | ||
| yournamehere says, "afk...carry on" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > Perhaps you're right. Floyd | Floyd | The peach tree's branches extend over a reflection pool. It is normally Floyd | a very peaceful spot, but now the atmosphere is tense. Abbot Bao stands Floyd | there with Master Shen, the oldest teacher in the monastery, at his Floyd | side, and the two men wear identical expressions of concern. Floyd | Floyd | Just as you arrive, Lu Jin approaches from the other side. He appears Floyd | as surprised to see you as you are to see him. Floyd | Floyd | "Greetings, my senior students," Abbot Bao says in greeting. Floyd | Floyd | Lu Jin bows. "Do you have training for us today, masters?" Floyd | Floyd | Master Shen chuckles. "Always so eager for more, Lu Jin? As I recall, Floyd | at our last bout between the senior students, Liu Meili gave you a very Floyd | fine black eye." Floyd | Floyd | Lu Jin bares his teeth at you in a smile that is neither humble nor Floyd | friendly. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | Zach says, "Oh snap" | |
| Zach pushes the green 'space' button. | ||
Floyd | "Unfortunately, my students, this is no simple matter of training," Floyd | Abbot Bao says. "Or, perhaps it is, but not of our usual devising. You Floyd | told us of your experience with the bandits along the road to the Floyd | Order, and I am afraid it is becoming an all too common experience in Floyd | these interesting times. Too many people of the Middle Kingdom are Floyd | turning to thieving and banditry to make their ends meet, and too many Floyd | honest folk are made to suffer." Floyd | Floyd | Master Shen grunts, and you think you hear him mutter something about a Floyd | distinct lack of honest folk, but it is unclear. Floyd | Floyd | The abbot continues: "Because you have some experience, and because we Floyd | feel it will be a good test of your readiness to fully join the order, Floyd | we have chosen the two of you to lead a group of students to the Floyd | village of Kuei Xian, across the Baijiang Bridge, to solve the trouble Floyd | locals are having with the bandits." Floyd | Floyd | Lu Jin blanches momentarily, but your teachers do not seem to notice. Floyd | Floyd | How do you respond to this mission? Floyd | Floyd | A: It is an honor to be chosen, even if I must share leadership with Lu Floyd | Jin. I agree to set off at once. Floyd | B: I can't wait to try my skills against real opponents again. Floyd | C: Lu Jin's hesitation is an opportunity for me. I volunteer to take Floyd | the team alone. Floyd | D: I am not really interested in this interruption to my training. Floyd | | Jacqueline says, "Oh right, reverse the names." | |
| Gunther says, "clearly C" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Yeah." | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "You cool with C, z?" | ||
| Zach says, "OK" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > Abbot Bao looks surprised, then glances at Lu Jin and recognizes your Floyd | rival's hesitation. Floyd | Floyd | "I feel it would be best to have both of you on this task," he says Floyd | slowly. "If you are uncertain?" Floyd | Floyd | "No," says Lu Jin. "I am ready to do what the Order asks of me." Floyd | Floyd | Both Master Shen and Abbot Bao watch Lu Jin with some concern for Floyd | another moment. Even though you will both be going together, it seems Floyd | you have successfully undermined his position. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | Zach says, "I'm cool as a peach." | |
| Gunther says, "so you down with ABC, eh" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Gunther), "Yeah, you know me." | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | There are actually fewer details than you would have expected for this Floyd | mission. Neither Abbot Bao nor Master Shen knows how many bandits are Floyd | present near Kuei Xian. They do know that the center of activity seems Floyd | to be at Baijiang Bridge, an old stone bridge that remains from the Floyd | years of the Sun Dynasty, when an army marched across it five horses at Floyd | a time, or so legends say. Kuei Xian, which sits in the shadow of a Floyd | huge, turtlelike karst hill in the foothills of the Yellow Mountains, Floyd | is a small village, but with important enough history?and pleasant Floyd | enough weather?that the governor of the province keeps his summer home Floyd | there. Floyd | Floyd | Governor Rong is disinclined to ask the Emperor to help combat the Floyd | problem directly. (You gather from Master Shen's muttered commentary Floyd | that this would make it look as though he cannot solve the problems of Floyd | his own district.) Instead, he has asked the Order of the Peach Tree Floyd | for aid, and given the importance of the trade that flows across the Floyd | Baijiang Bridge, and the order's dedication as protectors of the people Floyd | of the Middle Kingdom, the abbot has agreed. Floyd | Floyd | Of course, should you and Lu Jin fail to quell the problem, more Floyd | important resources than students will have to be expended, either by Floyd | the Order or by the Emperor. This would bring dishonor to everyone: Floyd | you, the order, Governor Rong, and possibly the Emperor himself in the Floyd | face of the foreigners at his court. Floyd | Floyd | Abbot Bao tells you the names of the students he expects to accompany Floyd | you. Several of them were present when the bandits attacked. You are to Floyd | ready your equipment and leave in the morning. Floyd | Floyd | A: I seek out Lu Jin to discuss this mission. Floyd | B: I go to my room to prepare for morning. Floyd | | Jacqueline says, "Probably better speak to him." | |
| Zach says, "Let's remind Lu Jin not to be a jerkface to the villagers." | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "a or b, g?" | ||
| Gunther says, "reading now, was getting a sammich" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Though we already have a majoritay." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "It is quite the text dump. Let us know." | ||
| Gunther says, "A" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > Lu Jin is not entirely thrilled by the prospect of working as a Floyd | co-leader with you?but you're equally unenthusiastic about working with Floyd | him. Still, as Master Shen would say, better to be prepared. Floyd | Floyd | You look over a map of the Baijiang Bridge, and, unsurprisingly, you Floyd | conflict about every possible approach. Floyd | Floyd | Exasperated, Lu Jin finally says, "We may as well just ask them to Floyd | leave, for all the good we're going to do." Floyd | Floyd | A: We could try negotiation. If we can find the leader, maybe we can Floyd | work something out. Floyd | B: What a ridiculous idea. Floyd | | Jacqueline says, "I like the idea." | |
| Gunther says, "A" | ||
| Zach says, "Yeah" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > Lu Jin looks at you suspiciously for suggesting this. Floyd | Floyd | "Maybe we can," he agrees noncommittally. Floyd | Floyd | You discuss tactics for a little while longer, with greater success Floyd | than previously, and you decide to turn in, to make sure you have Floyd | prepared and rested enough for morning. Floyd | Floyd | >The next morning? | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | The Order of the Peach Tree, though farther from the Yellow Mountains Floyd | than Kuei Xian, is nestled among karst mountains that increase as you Floyd | travel west toward the Baijiang River. The road is a well-traveled one, Floyd | a drier route than the road you so recently traversed through the Floyd | wetlands south of the monastery. Despite the traditional sengfu monk Floyd | garb that you and your fellow students wear?the high boots, pants, and Floyd | one-sleeved robe, tied with a sash?which marks you as members of the Floyd | Order, you are given no more notice than the other travelers you Floyd | encounter. There are eighteen of you, total: you and Lu Jin each have a Floyd | team of eight students, for good luck. Each team is nine, a symbol of Floyd | permanence, and of synergy with the heavens. Floyd | Floyd | Does the numerology comfort you? Floyd | Floyd | A: Of course. When embarking upon matters like this, I am glad for any Floyd | numerical advantage. Floyd | B: No. The outcome will be determined by greater skill, not by numbers. Floyd | C: We are all one team, making us eighteen, which is neither lucky nor Floyd | unlucky. We will make our own fate. Floyd | D: More superstitious nonsense. Floyd | E: I hadn't noticed the numbers before. Floyd | | Gunther says, "B or D" | |
| Zach says, "Aw, I think we're going to be friends after all." | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "B?" | ||
| Zach says, "Yeah" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > Hopefully your greater skill will aid you if greater numbers are on Floyd | the side of the bandits. You pass a number of merchants with carts Floyd | drawn by water buffalo, messengers and warriors on horseback, and Floyd | travelers walking along the road with bundles on their backs. It is a Floyd | fine day: the sky is blue, the clouds are wisps, and the summer air is Floyd | thick with the smell of blossoms and ripening rice. As on your last Floyd | trip from the monastery, you are traveling with a horse and cart, full Floyd | of the food and supplies you will need for your journey. Floyd | Floyd | It is up to you and Lu Jin to set the tone for this mission. The trip Floyd | to Kuei Xian takes three days at a steady pace. Floyd | Floyd | A: Three days is fast enough; the situation is urgent, but unlikely to Floyd | get much worse in three days' time. Floyd | B: This mission is urgent, and we have been trained to move quickly. We Floyd | can make the trip in two days. Floyd | | Gunther says, "A" | |
| Jacqueline says, "A" | ||
| Zach says, "I'd say B. I swear I know a short cut." | ||
| Zach says, "But A is OK" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "heh" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > The steady pace also has the benefit of allowing you time to converse Floyd | with your fellow students. How will you use it? Floyd | Floyd | A: Continue planning strategy with Lu Jin. | Gunther says, "B will just leave everyone exhausted" | |
Floyd | B: Stop early at night so I can run the students through training Floyd | drills, keeping our fighting skills fresh. Floyd | C: Consult the stars at night, watching for signs that will make clear Floyd | the most beneficial path. Floyd | D: Focus on the well-being of the students, keeping them entertained Floyd | with other tales of travel. Floyd | | Jacqueline says (to Gunther), "Agreed." | |
| Gunther says, "A" | ||
| Gunther says, "if by with you mean at" | ||
| Zach says, "Yeah" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "heh" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > Lu Jin advocates approaching the bandits to make an attempt at Floyd | negotiation, believing that the bandits can be reasoned with. What is Floyd | your strategy in facing the bandits? Floyd | Floyd | A: Fight them, and show them the power of the Order of the Peach Tree. Floyd | B: Devise a clever plan to stop their raids, but avoid a direct Floyd | conflict. Floyd | C: Attempt to contact their leaders and negotiate some form of peace. Floyd | | Jacqueline asks, "C?" | |
| Gunther says, "c" | ||
| yournamehere says, "gottago" | ||
| yournamehere was hungry for substance, particularly new lemon chiffon substance. | ||
| yournamehere has disconnected. | Zach says, "C" | |
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > You have sympathy for these people forced from their homes, and you Floyd | would like to support them, but given your orders, you cannot do it Floyd | openly. Perhaps you can persuade them to take their business elsewhere Floyd | and find a way to help them against the foreigners in the future. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | Zach says, "Let's just give them some of the freakin' peaches." | |
| Jacqueline says, "Indeed." | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | On the third morning of your journey, the terrain has shifted from Floyd | valley fields to the true foothills of the Yellow Mountains. Forests Floyd | have closed around you, mostly pine, fir, and cedar here, though you Floyd | know there are also bamboo forests near Kuei Xian. You are nearing what Floyd | could be enemy territory, depending on how far out the raiders have Floyd | roamed. Floyd | Floyd | As you walk, you hear a human noise in the distance?it sounds as though Floyd | it might be sobbing, or perhaps low voices. It is too far to tell. Floyd | Floyd | What do you do? Floyd | Floyd | A: Send one of the students to scout ahead to discover the source of Floyd | the noise as we continue toward Kuei Xian. The scout can catch up. Floyd | B: Send one of the students to scout ahead and wait for him to return. Floyd | C: Scout ahead on my own. Floyd | | maga says, "C" | |
| Gunther says, "c" | ||
| maga says, "follow the Star Trek rule: always do your own away missions, because then plot can happen" | ||
| Zach says, "OK" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "heehee" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > You make your way into the woods, moving as quietly and softly as Floyd | though you walk on rice paper. The sound is definitely sobbing, and you Floyd | see a flash of red through the fir trees. A few steps closer and you Floyd | see that a beautiful young woman is kneeling in the fir needles, Floyd | crying. She wears a heavy qipao, a long dress with a high neckline made Floyd | of thick, brocaded fabric. Her hair is woven up into an elaborate Floyd | headpiece, clearly marking her as a member of the aristocracy. Floyd | Floyd | She looks up when she sees you approach, and, were it not for the Floyd | tears, she could be a model for a painting: her narrow face and Floyd | close-set eyes, her thin eyebrows and high cheekbones are the ideal of Floyd | courtly beauty. But there are tears, and her lovely face is contorted Floyd | in pain. Floyd | Floyd | A: I go to help her at once! Floyd | B: This seems highly suspicious to me. I approach, but carefully. Floyd | C: It is helpless women like her that make it so difficult for women Floyd | like me to get respect. Let her figure it out herself. Floyd | | Jacqueline says, "She could be a part. time. model." | |
| maga says, "B" | ||
| Gunther says, "she is clearly the bandit chief" | ||
| maga says, "has nobody ever read Lone Wolf and Cub, c'mon" | ||
| Gunther says, "B" | ||
| maga says, "there's a fancy chain weapon hidden under those flowing robes" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "I have seen Crouching Tiger, so I chose B." | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > As you approach, the woman looks up at you with tear-filled eyes. Floyd | "Oh, kind monk, could you help me?" she calls, her voice as lovely as Floyd | the rest of her appearance. "My foot has become caught in a trap!" Floyd | Floyd | A: I go help her immediately. Floyd | B: This still seems suspicious. I step closer, but do not yet agree to Floyd | help. Floyd | | Gunther says, "also 2000 bandits in the trees" | |
| Gunther says, "more B" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Yeah" | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "Everyone cool with B?" | ||
| Zach says, "Yup" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > "What kind of trap?" you ask. Floyd | Floyd | She grins, though there is real pain on her face, and after the first Floyd | flash of amusement, it turns into a grimace. "A fox trap, I'm afraid." Floyd | Floyd | Behind the woman, seven fox tails flare to life, revealing that this is Floyd | no true woman at all. She is a huli jing, a mischievous fox spirit that Floyd | delights particularly in tormenting monks. Floyd | Floyd | "Why should I help you?" you ask. Floyd | Floyd | She shakes her head. "Why is it always the wise ones who find me in Floyd | such a predicament?" she asks, mostly to herself. "I will make it worth Floyd | your while, monk. I can offer you unimaginable pleasure," she says with Floyd | a coy wink that, upon the slight shift of her body, becomes a wince. "I Floyd | promise that we fox spirits are exceedingly creative." Floyd | Floyd | A: Unimaginable pleasure? Sounds good to me. Floyd | B: I want information about the bandits. Floyd | C: Her favor. It can never hurt to have a spirit on my side. Floyd | | Gunther says, "hrm. B or C" | |
| Jacqueline says, "C." | ||
| maga says, "obviously A is the Choice of Shameful Failure" | ||
| maga says, "so yeah, C" | ||
| Zach says, "C. We just went through a tough break up." | ||
| Gunther says, "unless the pleasure is becoming empress" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > The fox spirit shakes her head. "Wise indeed," she says. "Agreed. You Floyd | have earned my good will by freeing me now." Floyd | Floyd | You open the trap and the huli jing snatches her leg back, as though Floyd | afraid the trap will bite her again. She stands and bows to you. Floyd | Floyd | "My name is Feng," she says. "And I am in your debt. We will meet Floyd | again." Floyd | Floyd | You make your way back to the road and your companions with no further Floyd | trouble. Floyd | Floyd | Baijiang Bridge is a huge, stone structure that spans the width of the Floyd | Baijiang River. From this side, you can see the large black turtle of a Floyd | mountain that rises over Kuei Xian. Now that you are here, it is time Floyd | to put your plan into action. Are you ready to act on your plan? Floyd | Floyd | A: I stand by my first plan. Floyd | B: I want to rethink my options. Floyd | | Jacqueline says, "Well, that's done. I shall tell no one of it, nor reflect on it until the plot time comes to redeem the favor." | |
| Gunther says, "A" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "A" | ||
| Zach says, "B" | ||
| Zach says, "A is fine" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > Despite the fact that the bandits are criminals, they are also your Floyd | countrymen, people who have fallen on hard times due to the incursion Floyd | of foreigners in the Middle Kingdom. Though you may not agree with Floyd | their tactics, you want to help their cause. How will you make contact? Floyd | Floyd | A: Scout the woods in pairs until we find it. Floyd | B: Wait until the bandits make a raid across the Baijiang Bridge and Floyd | follow them back. Floyd | C: Ask around the village and, based on local gossip, intuit the most Floyd | probable location for their camp. Floyd | | maga asks, "do we have stats at this point?" | |
| Jacqueline says, "C seems peaceful but could draw suspicion to us." | ||
| Gunther says, "why is it contradicting itself? I thought we were scouting alone." | ||
| maga says, "(and does Floyd let you check them?)" | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "Oh crap, should I have tried sleepmask on this?" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "I never even thought of that." | ||
| Zach says, "Yeah, I didn't know we had stats." | ||
| maga says, "pretty much all CoG pieces are based on character stats that change according to your choices" | ||
| maga says, "and determine whether your later choices succeed or fail" | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "Oh well. I say we keep going, though I could restart with sleepmask and enter the same choices, but I'm not 100% sure sleepmask would show the stats. Vimes?" | ||
| Gunther says, "we don't have stats in real life" | ||
| Gunther says, "don't be a chicken" | ||
| Gunther says, "(maga)" | ||
| maga says, "fine, C" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Gunther), "Agreed." | ||
| Jacqueline asks (of g&z), "?" | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "C?" | ||
| Zach says, "Without stats we can't know what kind of animal we are." | ||
| Gunther says, "C" | ||
| Zach says, "I'd say A instead of relying on gossip, but C is fine." | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > Someone better at reading people might be able to guess at the right Floyd | direction, but the people of Kuei Xian leave you at a loss. You'll have Floyd | to try another way. How will you make contact? Floyd | Floyd | A: Scout the woods in pairs until we find it. Floyd | B: Wait until the bandits make a raid across the Baijiang Bridge and Floyd | follow them back. Floyd | | Jacqueline says, "Gosh, after all that." | |
| Jacqueline says, "A then." | ||
| Gunther says, "if only we had statrs" | ||
| maga says, "yeah, that seems as if it was a failure from a low Social stat or whatnot" | ||
| Gunther says, "-r" | ||
| Gunther says, "A then" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "BRB - less than 30 seconds." | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > It takes some time, but you manage to discern the location of the Floyd | bandit camp without being noticed. You and your fellow students walk Floyd | into the camp calmly, as though you belong, despite your sengfu Floyd | clothing marking you as monks of the Order of the Peach Tree. The Floyd | bandits, most of whom do seem to come from humble backgrounds, have no Floyd | idea what to do with you. Because you do not appear to be hostile, they Floyd | seem unwilling to confront you. Floyd | Floyd | Finally, a large woman of middle age, her hair wrapped in the same blue Floyd | turban you see throughout the camp, stands in front of your group. Floyd | Floyd | "What is your business?" she asks sternly. You imagine that this is the Floyd | same tone of voice she uses when she suspects her children of having Floyd | gotten into mischief. Floyd | Floyd | "We'd like to speak to your leader," Lu Jin says politely. Floyd | Floyd | The woman looks suspicious, but after a moment, she nods, then beckons Floyd | for you to follow. In the center of the camp?which gives the appearance Floyd | of being a tent city, something quickly dismantled to move?there is a Floyd | large fire, at which sit a number of men and women talking seriously. Floyd | Floyd | "Deng Ping," the woman says loudly, and the tallest of the men, wearing Floyd | clothing slightly better cared for than that of his peers, stands. Floyd | "Order of the Peach Tree to see you." Floyd | Floyd | Deng Ping approaches suspiciously and waits for you to speak. Floyd | Floyd | A: Begin by offering our condolences for the misfortune that brought Floyd | the bandits here. Floyd | B: Get straight to business: explain that we were instructed to oust Floyd | them, but that we'd rather see whether negotiation is possible. Floyd | C: Try to strike some fear into their hearts: we may sympathize with Floyd | their plight, but the next group will not. Floyd | | Gunther says, "...A" | |
| Jacqueline says, "yeah" | ||
| Zach says, "I'd say A, but it might not work if we're bad at social stuffs." | ||
| Zach says, "Might as well try." | ||
| maga says, "A. overpolite diplomacy is totally in-genre" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > Rather than seeing your words as empathy, Deng Ping looks insulted. Floyd | "Do not offer us pity, monk," he spits. "You may as well be in league Floyd | with the laowai, for all that you do to prevent their incursions. Every Floyd | day that passes, their power and influence grows, and it is time for Floyd | someone to stand against them. If that means us, so be it." Floyd | Floyd | There are cheers from among the bandits, and the atmosphere that was Floyd | previously uncertain has taken on a distinct air of hostility. Floyd | Floyd | "I intended no dishonor," you begin, but Deng Ping scoffs. Floyd | Floyd | "Tell your masters?tell the Son of Heaven himself?that we will do Floyd | whatever it takes to rid the laowai from our land." He steps forward, Floyd | aiming a finger at your chest. "Whatever it takes." Floyd | Floyd | A: I cannot refuse a challenge to my honor?and neither can he. Floyd | Challenge him to a fight. Floyd | B: Accept defeat. Clearly he will not listen to me. Floyd | C: Find out what we can offer them to change their minds. Floyd | | Jacqueline says, "C." | |
| Gunther says, "A" | ||
| maga says, "A CHALLENGER APPEARS. A." | ||
| Zach says, "A" | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "WHAT?" | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "SRSLY?" | ||
| Gunther says, "Face!!" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "I thought we were here to negotiate." | ||
| maga says, "this isn't Choice of Diplomatic Options, dude" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "We had a plan, boys." | ||
| Gunther says, "plans never survive enemy contact" | ||
| Gunther says, "he loses, they leave" | ||
| Zach says, "Maybe we will impress them with our honor/fighting." | ||
| maga says, "in-genre, we'll defeat him and he'll be all 'such a technique!' and come around to our way of thinking" | ||
| Jacqueline sighs. | ||
| Gunther says, "democracy is not so great now eh" | ||
| Zach says (to Jacq), "It seems like we're bad at diplomacy." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "I am voicing my formal opposition to this plan, but honoring democracy." | ||
| Jacqueline says (to z), "Agreed, but we only get better with PRACTICE." | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > Clearly Deng Ping will not listen to reason. Instead, you challenge Floyd | him to fight a member of the order, one on one. If he loses, he is Floyd | bound by honor to leave Kuei Xian alone. Floyd | Floyd | In order to avoid losing face among the bandits, Deng Ping accepts your Floyd | challenge. Who will fight for the Order? Floyd | Floyd | A: Me. Floyd | B: Lu Jin. Floyd | | maga says, "when all you have is a Hammer Fist Ascending Moon Technique, every problem looks like a nail" | |
| Gunther says, "see? Face" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to maga), "haha" | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "Well?" | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "Us or him?" | ||
| Gunther says, "A, bviously" | ||
| maga says, "yeah, screw that guy" | ||
| Gunther says, "we're not Dubya" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > Despite your best efforts, Deng Ping is a giant of a man, both strong Floyd | and quick, and though he has little skill, a well-timed hammerstrike to Floyd | your head sets your ears ringing and brings you to your knees. Floyd | Floyd | Your fellow students collect you and load you into the cart with the Floyd | supplies, preparing for the long trip back to the monastery. Floyd | Floyd | Lu Jin, however, tells you of his decision to stay with the bandits. "I Floyd | believe I can help their cause," he explains. "Balance must return to Floyd | the Middle Kingdom." Floyd | Floyd | A: Try to persuade Lu Jin not to go. Floyd | B: Support Lu Jin's choice. Floyd | C: Good riddance. Floyd | | maga says, "whaaaaa" | |
| Jacqueline says, "Nice." | ||
| maga says, "we suck at talking *and* hitting" | ||
| Gunther says, "nuke the site from orbit" | ||
| Jacqueline looks smug. | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "So?" | ||
| Gunther says, "C" | ||
| maga says, "fine, B" | ||
| Gunther says, "B is also ok" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > Perhaps Lu Jin can help restore balance from within the bandit forces Floyd | while you work from inside the Order. Floyd | Floyd | You are sure you will meet each other again. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | As you return to the monastery, morale among the students is at an Floyd | utter low. Not only did one of your number abandon the Order Floyd | completely, but you have nothing to show for your efforts. Floyd | Floyd | Your first real mission on behalf of the Order is a failure. Floyd | Floyd | After you tell Abbot Bao and Master Shen about what has happened, they Floyd | consult the heavens to determine the best course of action. Ultimately, Floyd | the Order does nothing further?and despite your failure, attacks by the Floyd | bandits near Kuei Xian die down for a time. Though this initially seems Floyd | like good news, Governor Rong has heard about the events that Floyd | transpired from his informants?likely village gossips, who may have Floyd | heard it from the bandits themselves. No credit will be given to the Floyd | Order of the Peach Tree for the temporary peace. Floyd | Floyd | Master Shen admits to you that he and the abbot had planned to test you Floyd | to become a full member of the Order had your mission been a success. Floyd | Now, you will have to prove yourself again through humble service and Floyd | continued training before you can become a monk, rather than the senior Floyd | student. Floyd | Floyd | Compared to your dishonor at the hands of the bandits, the wait to test Floyd | is a small setback?but what if it means that you will not be the one Floyd | chosen to consult the Dragon Sage? You will have to work even harder to Floyd | prove that you are worthy before the dragon reappears in the Middle Floyd | Kingdom. Floyd | Floyd | >Chapter Two: The Test | Zach says, "Now Lu Jin is going to become king of the bandits and the Big Bad." | |
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | There are rumors upon rumors of what happens during the final test that Floyd | separates students from monks. You have heard that it involves tracking Floyd | and defeating a wild tiger. Some say that you must face and disperse a Floyd | hungry ghost. Still others say that the true final test is a measure of Floyd | the spirit and the ability of the student to achieve a perfect moment Floyd | of inner peace. Floyd | Floyd | Given the scars you have seen on the fully accepted monks, if the test Floyd | is about finding inner peace, inner peace leaves marks. Floyd | Floyd | Master Shen leads you to the inner temple of the monastery. He walks in Floyd | a relaxed fashion, leaning on his staff, as though he is merely Floyd | observing the growth of the peach tree, not leading you to where your Floyd | fate will be decided. Floyd | Floyd | How are you feeling about this test? Floyd | Floyd | A: I am eager to begin. My training has prepared me well. Floyd | B: I am nervous. I want to do well, but I fear failure. Floyd | C: I am calm. This is a moment, and I exist within it. Floyd | | Gunther says, "Dragon's don't even exist! Let's choose failure at every point henceforth" | |
| Gunther says, "C" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Yeah, C." | ||
| Zach says, "C" | ||
| Gunther says, "oh god, that 's error. I must take my own life" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > Master Shen places one calloused hand on your shoulder, and you feel Floyd | its weight: the old master's strength, his wisdom, and his confidence Floyd | in you all flow through that simple touch. Floyd | Floyd | He stops in front of the huge doors to the inner temple, carved with Floyd | intricate scroll work and the shapes of the five animals: dragon, Floyd | tiger, snake, crane, and leopard. After a short moment of waiting, he Floyd | gestures with his staff for you to push the doors open. As you do, he Floyd | falls into step next to you and you enter the chamber. The inner temple Floyd | is humble: a small chamber with candles lining three of the four walls. Floyd | Above the candles are paintings and sculptures of the spiritual animals Floyd | of kung fu and the immortals. On the far wall, on a raised shelf above Floyd | the flame, is a Buddha statue, one hand resting in his lap, the other Floyd | raised in blessing. Floyd | Floyd | Abbot Bao stands in front of the last candle, lighting it from his own Floyd | small candle. Once the room is lit, he blows his candle out. Floyd | Floyd | "Liu Meili, you have been deemed worthy of the final test to join the Floyd | Order of the Peach Tree," says the abbot as he turns to you. "Do you Floyd | accept this honor, ready to face the challenges before you and take on Floyd | the role of monk?" Floyd | Floyd | A: "I accept." Floyd | B: "I do not feel ready." Floyd | | Zach says, "We don't fear failure but we're obviously not prepared." | |
| Gunther says, "B obvioiusly" | ||
| Gunther says, "-i" | ||
| Gunther says, "(no, A)" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "We could B, but I am down with A." | ||
| maga says, "A" | ||
| Zach says, "A" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > You bow to the masters and they bow to you, though theirs is Floyd | shallower, as befitting a teacher to a student. Floyd | Floyd | "There are three challenges in the test to become a member of the Floyd | Order," Abbot Bao explains. "You must complete two of the three Floyd | successfully. Consider your options wisely, as only one failure can be Floyd | forgiven." Floyd | Floyd | "Part of the test is identifying your weaknesses and being honest about Floyd | your strengths," Master Shen says quietly. "Know yourself, student, and Floyd | you will triumph." Floyd | Floyd | "The three challenges are these," Abbot Bao continues. "The first is Floyd | the Dashanmen, a challenge of your combat skills against the monks of Floyd | the Order. You will enter a dark chamber, and you must cross from one Floyd | side to the other while being attacked." Floyd | Floyd | Master Shen chuckles. "In the old days, we fought to the death. Too Floyd | messy. Now we stop attacking as soon as you are unconscious." Floyd | Floyd | This commentary does not serve to give you confidence. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | Zach says, "Let's hope confidence makes up for a lack of skill." | |
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | "For the second challenge, you must carry an urn filled with hot coals Floyd | from the monastery down to the river. There, you may release the urn Floyd | and bathe your arms in the cold water." Floyd | Floyd | The distance from the monastery to the river is short enough when not Floyd | carrying an urn, but it will certainly feel longer with burning metal Floyd | on your arms. That certainly explains some of the scars you have seen Floyd | on the monks of the Order! Floyd | Floyd | "For the third challenge, you must retrieve the Scroll of Destiny from Floyd | behind Bingdian Waterfall, and learn the lesson it holds," Abbot Bao Floyd | finishes. Floyd | Floyd | "Don't worry," says Master Shen, "it is stored in a waterproof scroll Floyd | case. You'll be able to read it." Floyd | Floyd | Which task would you like to undertake first? Floyd | Floyd | A: I am confident I can fight my way through Dashanmen. Floyd | B: I will carry the urn of coals. Floyd | C: I will retrieve the Scroll of Destiny. Floyd | | Johnny says (to Zach), "I will not quote that out of context." | |
| Gunther says, "B and/or C" | ||
| maga says, "let's go with B" | ||
| dfabulich says, "Hi; I'm taking care of my daughter today while my wife is sick. But I'm at least lurking" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Johnny), "You have been silent, and choose a strategic moment to speak up for your friend." | ||
| dfabulich says, "Alana sends her regrets that she can't make it, and hopes you have a wonderful time" | ||
| maga says, "we are used to suffering by this point" | ||
| Zach says, "C" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "We seem to have multiple votes for B." | ||
| Zach says, "Maybe it'll be a walkthrough for the other tasks." | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > Abbot Bao leads you to the gates of the monastery. The courtyard has Floyd | been cleared of students, and only a handful of monks are here to Floyd | witness the beginning of your challenge. Just inside the gates, a Floyd | brazier is lit, and over it is suspended a large urn, full of burning Floyd | coals. Aligned to the cardinal directions are four animals: to the Floyd | north is the tortoise; south, the phoenix; east, the dragon; and west, Floyd | the tiger. Floyd | Floyd | While the metalwork is beautiful, it mostly looks hot. Floyd | Floyd | You must carry the urn with your forearms from the monastery to the Floyd | river below. How will you face this challenge? Floyd | Floyd | A: I grit my teeth and carry the heavy load through sheer will. Floyd | B: I will not rely on strength alone, but will use the heat to further Floyd | forge my chi. Floyd | | Gunther says, "B" | |
| Zach says, "B" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "We have to believe in B or we are going to focus on the wrong thing." | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > You contemplate the animals on the urn. The phoenix is a creature of Floyd | fire, opposed by the tortoise, a creature of water. The dragon, which Floyd | represents the element of wood, is opposed by the tiger, which Floyd | represents metal. Although you are tempted to focus on the idea that Floyd | the fire has the potential to consume wood and metal, but is opposed by Floyd | water and only lends strength back to its own element, you know that Floyd | there is still a fifth element to consider. Floyd | Floyd | There is void, the element of the center. Your own mind must be empty Floyd | in order for the chi to flow through you, carrying the strength?and Floyd | freedom?necessary to lift the urn. You still your mind, breathe, and Floyd | reach for the urn. Floyd | Floyd | You feel the pain along your forearms, and it is excruciating?but it Floyd | washes over you, just a part of the moment. With each breath, you let Floyd | the moment flow and change, accepting it without worrying over past or Floyd | future, or even holding a thought. Your feet know this path; they have Floyd | walked it hundreds of times on the simple task of fetching water. You Floyd | allow them to carry you. Floyd | Floyd | You breathe. You exist. The moment comes and passes, and another Floyd | follows on its heels. Floyd | Floyd | You reach the river almost before you realize you are there, and you Floyd | calmly lower the urn into the water. It hisses with steam, bathing you Floyd | in hot air as your arms enter the cold stream. You realize that your Floyd | body feels the shock of the contrast, but you only observe this as Floyd | another part of the moment before letting it, too, go. When you return Floyd | to the monastery, you show the monks your new scars to prove that you Floyd | have withstood the challenge. You have passed. What scars do you bear? Floyd | Floyd | A: The dragon and the tiger. Floyd | B: The tortoise and the phoenix. Floyd | | Gunther says, "A" | |
| Zach says, "I have no idea." | ||
| Gunther says, "dragon is the best symbol in the chinese zodiac" | ||
| maga says, "mrm, I suppose A" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "A, yeah." | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > Which task will you undertake next? Floyd | Floyd | A: I am confident I can fight my way through Dashanmen. Floyd | B: I will retrieve the Scroll of Destiny. Floyd | | Gunther says, "now B" | |
| Jacqueline says, "B" | ||
| maga says, "tortoise-style kung fu never really caught on" | ||
| Jacqueline asks (of maga), "Is that what the kids are calling it these days?" | ||
| Zach says, "B" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > Where the easiest access to the river lies below the monastery, near Floyd | where the dry land becomes marsh, Bingdian Waterfall is on the far side Floyd | of the karst mountain. The trip there is not a long one, but it is Floyd | hard, as there is no path. As you begin your ascent, you find some goat Floyd | paths to travel, delaying the true climb until the waterfall is in Floyd | sight. Floyd | Floyd | You feel the mist of the waterfall before you see it. Despite the warm Floyd | weather, the air takes on a clammy chill?the water here is always Floyd | freezing, nearly ice cold. You rub your hands together and approach the Floyd | waterfall. It cascades down the side of the mountain into a pool of Floyd | unknown depth. It falls from perhaps ten times your own height, and Floyd | somewhere in that length there is a cave or a hole behind it, in which Floyd | lies the Scroll of Destiny. Floyd | Floyd | How will you attempt to find the scroll? Floyd | Floyd | A: Climb the mountain next to the waterfall until I see it. Floyd | B: Use my chi to propel me up the side of the mountain, like a lizard. Floyd | C: Make observations from below to calculate the most likely location Floyd | for the scroll. Floyd | D: Fashion an impromptu spear from the available wood and throw it Floyd | until it hits an indentation. Floyd | | maga says, "B is the most awesome" | |
| Gunther says, "we just upped our chi, so B? Possibly C" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to maga), "hahaha, true." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "I want B just because I want to read the outcome, though I can't imagine doing it for real." | ||
| Zach says, "Yeah, B. We are the lizard-dragon." | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > You gather your chi and make a great leap, getting a long head start Floyd | on your climb. From there, you are able to scramble up the side of the Floyd | mountain by keeping your energy focused, and by borrowing some of the Floyd | grounded nature of the mountain you climb. You can sense from the Floyd | energy of the mountain where the indentation that stores the scroll Floyd | will be, and you dart your hand into the cold water, drawing the scroll Floyd | case out as quickly as if you were pulling a fish from a stream. You Floyd | turn and jump, using your chi to float to the ground. You sit down next Floyd | to the pool, the roar of the waterfall drowning out any other noise, Floyd | and open the scroll case. Inside is what feels like an ancient scroll, Floyd | marked with diagrams that show various techniques you have learned Floyd | while studying at the Order of the Peach Tree. But though there are Floyd | many images to contemplate, most of the scroll is empty. There do not Floyd | seem to be any great secrets contained in the writing here. You do not Floyd | see a hidden final technique explained, nor a clue about how to bring Floyd | balance to the Middle Kingdom. Floyd | Floyd | What do you wish to do? Floyd | Floyd | A: Meditate on the scroll. An answer will come. Floyd | B: Analyze the scroll and puzzle out its meaning. Floyd | | Zach says, "A" | |
| maga says, "yeah, A" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > You sit in contemplation, allowing the ideas to wash over you. But Floyd | despite your intention to sit until you have found wisdom, you soon Floyd | become cold from your proximity to the waterfall. Your limbs grow Floyd | stiff, and rather than thinking about the scroll, you begin to think Floyd | about your bed, a warm meal, and a good stretch. Perhaps finding the Floyd | scroll was the real challenge and you have already accomplished the Floyd | important step of this task. Floyd | Floyd | When you return home to the monastery, however, you realize that the Floyd | scroll itself was definitely the more important piece of the test. Floyd | Abbot Bao is intent on hearing what you have learned, and though you Floyd | stumble over a couple of ideas, your words are clearly unconvincing. Floyd | Abbot Bao shakes his head and turns away, leaving you to contemplate Floyd | your failure. Floyd | Floyd | A: I am confident I can fight my way through Dashanmen. Floyd | | maga says, "aww, peas" | |
| Gunther says, "dammit, I leave for ONE minute" | ||
| Zach asks, "Noo, after our awesome lizard jump?" | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "There is no undo, is there grasshoppers?" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "/undo" | ||
| Floyd asks, "That game over already? It was just getting good. Wanna play another?" | Jacqueline says, "OH SHIT" | |
| Jacqueline asks, "Are you serious, Floyd?" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Give me a second. Everyone get a cup of tea." | ||
| Gunther says, "..." | ||
| Gunther says, "why would you cheat, jacq" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "I have all our choices in the transcript, and guess I will see if sleepmask gives us stats." | ||
| Jacqueline fetches the transcript. | ||
| Zach says, "Tea is indeed required to progress further on the path towards failure^Wenlightenment" | ||
| Jacqueline nods. | ||
| Gunther says, "I'm out of time for now" | ||
| Gunther has had his fill of playing for now, and goes back to the Lounge. | Jacqueline weeps. | |
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "load sleepmask kungfu" | ||
Floyd | > Error: bad interpreter Floyd | Possible terps are: Floyd | glulxe Floyd | bocfel Floyd | git Floyd | nitfol Floyd | cheapglulxe Floyd | olddebugcheapnitfol Floyd | fizmo Floyd | fizmodev Floyd | debugcheapnitfol Floyd | cheaphe Floyd | cheaptads Floyd | debugcheaptads | ||
| Floyd asks, "That game over already? It was just getting good. Wanna play another?" | Jacqueline says, "Okay, well that answered that question, at least." | |
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "load kungfu" | ||
Floyd | "Look out!" Floyd | Floyd | The noise of battle is distracting, and it takes you almost too long to Floyd | realize that the warning was shouted to you. An outlaw wearing a blue Floyd | turban is charging toward you, his longspear leveled at your heart. Floyd | What will you do? Floyd | Floyd | A: Stand firm, blocking the spear away at the last moment and slashing Floyd | twin tiger claws across his face. Floyd | B: Pounce toward him at the last moment, springing like a leopard, and Floyd | bring an elbow down on his head. Floyd | C: Dart off to the side, balancing on one leg like a crane before Floyd | delivering a swift kick to his knee. Floyd | D: Weave hypnotically in my stance, and when he strikes, I am no longer Floyd | there; I launch a series of quick, snakelike strikes to the pressure Floyd | points in his exposed rib cage. Floyd | E: Make a series of flashy moves that draw his target toward my right Floyd | side, then move to the left, delivering a reiken strike to the right Floyd | side of his head as he passes by. Floyd | F: Remain still, my hands low at the chi center of my body, and at the Floyd | moment he would hit me, circle his spear away and shift myself away Floyd | from the strike. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "d" | ||
Floyd | > He stumbles when his attack falters, and he clutches one arm to his Floyd | injured side. He looks suddently exhausted, courtesy of the disruption Floyd | in his chi that your knowledge of the mystical Snake technique allowed. Floyd | Floyd | With your opponent deterred, but not out of the fight, how do you Floyd | follow up your attack? Floyd | Floyd | A: Use a palm heel strike under the chin to drive his head backwards, Floyd | tearing down with a tiger claw on his face as he falls. Floyd | B: Drive into him with a series of fast leopard punches down the center Floyd | of his body until he falls to the ground. Floyd | C: Take his leg out from under him with a sweeping straight kick, Floyd | delivering a wing strike to his neck at the same moment, graceful as a Floyd | crane. Floyd | D: With my fingers tight like a snake's head, strike out at his face Floyd | and neck in a complex pattern of several hits that impact on nerve Floyd | points, disabling him. Floyd | E: Feign a low kick to the knee, and when he moves the spear shaft down Floyd | to block, shoot a dragon tooth strike?my fingers separated in a V?into Floyd | his eyes before sweeping him from behind. Floyd | F: His death would be senseless and against the Buddha nature; pivot Floyd | around behind him and lock him in a sleeper hold. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "d" | ||
Floyd | > The quick strikes of the Snake style, combined with the knowledge of Floyd | chi, drop him to the ground, unconscious. He'll be feeling that when he Floyd | wakes up. Floyd | Floyd | The outlaws continue toward you and your fellow students, flashes of Floyd | blue catching your eye against the greens and browns of the marsh Floyd | surrounding your path. It is hard to imagine that only moments ago, the Floyd | nine of you were making your way back to the monastery of the Order of Floyd | the Peach Tree, students on the simple assignment of escorting a Floyd | wagonload of supplies home. Floyd | Floyd | The students have mostly remained on the path, where their footing is Floyd | more certain, but the outlaws appear to have little trouble navigating Floyd | the wetlands. While they fight like untrained peasants, numbers are Floyd | definitely on their side. Floyd | Floyd | It's time to get serious. Drawing on the training you received before Floyd | entering the Order of the Peach Tree, you prepare your next attack. How Floyd | will you fight? Floyd | Floyd | A: Draw my sword. This blade was forged by the most expert smiths in Floyd | the Middle Kingdom, designed specifically to be used with the Celestial Floyd | Sword style, taught only to the Imperial Family. Floyd | B: Unhitch the horse from the cart of supplies. He is a mean beast?not Floyd | the fine mare I trained on at my father's estate?but few monks could Floyd | master a horse from as honorable a family as mine. I draw my blade and Floyd | prepare to charge. Floyd | C: Draw on my chi, as well the energy in the world around me. I can Floyd | sense the life energies of my fellow students and the approaching Floyd | outlaws. Floyd | D: Release the bindings that secure my longspear to my back. It is only Floyd | one of the many weapons I have mastered in my wanderings, and it is a Floyd | good choice to keep the outlaws at bay. Floyd | E: Why change? The style my masters at the Order of the Peach Tree are Floyd | teaching me is a superior one, and I am eager to prove the worth of my Floyd | unarmed style in battle. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > Even your fellow students are wary of the Xian style, which utilizes Floyd | what the uninformed consider "magic." But you know to be your power to Floyd | be from the energies of the universe, which are at your beck and call. Floyd | You also know that the perception of your abilities can be used against Floyd | your enemies?and one day, you hope it will inspire your allies. For Floyd | now, the other students shy away from you, except for Lu Jin, your Floyd | primary rival for the place of senior student, who watches you with a Floyd | wary eye. Floyd | Floyd | The battle that follows is hectic; the outlaws have little in the way Floyd | of skill, but they make up for it in passion. They are determined to Floyd | have your supplies, despite the clear skill shown by you and your Floyd | fellow students. Though you are focused on keeping them from trying to Floyd | kill you, you notice as you disable your opponents that they are Floyd | skinny, likely the result of being poorly fed. You also note that a Floyd | number of the outlaws are women. Floyd | Floyd | Does that surprise you? Floyd | Floyd | A: Yes. Fighting is the realm of warriors, and the role of the warrior Floyd | falls to the men. Floyd | B: No. Outlaws have always bucked convention; why bother following Floyd | social rules? Floyd | C: Yes, but it is nice to know that I am not alone in questioning Floyd | traditional roles. Floyd | D: No. I am used to fighting side by side among men and women Floyd | accomplished in the way of battle. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "d" | ||
Floyd | > You have had a wonderfully open-minded experience in your training. Floyd | Luckily for you, the Order of the Peach Tree feels similarly. Are you a Floyd | man or a woman? Floyd | Floyd | A: I am a man. Floyd | B: I am a woman. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > What is your given name? Floyd | Floyd | A: Yin. Floyd | B: Meili. Floyd | C: Yan. Floyd | D: None of these is my name. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > A name as beautiful as your features. Floyd | Floyd | And what is your family name? Floyd | Floyd | A: Liu. Floyd | B: Wong. Floyd | C: Cao. Floyd | D: None of these is my family name. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > A fine name. Floyd | Floyd | The bandits are quickly losing their resolve to steal your wagon; they Floyd | still have numbers on their side, but many have fallen, wounded or Floyd | dead, at your feet. You hear the far-off sound of a whistle, and the Floyd | bandits begin to disengage, quickly fading back into the marsh. Though Floyd | you and your fellow students have done a formidable job of holding off Floyd | the bandits, you see that your fellows have taken some injuries as Floyd | well. Floyd | Floyd | What do you do? Floyd | Floyd | A: Retreat back to the monastery, so that my fellow students can have Floyd | their wounds treated immediately. Floyd | B: Question one of the wounded bandits about the attack. Floyd | C: Pursue the bandits into the marsh. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > You pull one of the outlaws to his feet, and in the process realize Floyd | that this scrawny bandit is no more than thirteen. Malnourished and Floyd | weak, it is amazing he is not dead from the beating he received. Floyd | Floyd | A: I feel admiration for his bravery, in spite of his conditions. I Floyd | tell him he fought well. Floyd | B: I feel pity for this boy who has turned to thievery to survive. Floyd | C: I am furious that this urchin attacked us. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > He seems surprised by your praise, and he holds his head high, Floyd | despite his pain. "I must fight well," he says, "because no one else Floyd | will fight for me." He says it almost like a mantra. You ask your Floyd | questions, and the boy gives you answers he appears to believe are Floyd | true: the supplies you carry were targeted because they would be useful Floyd | to the bandits, not because the outlaws wish to offend the Order of the Floyd | Peach Tree. He does not know how many bandits there are, but he says Floyd | that almost all that he knows were farmers, forced out of their homes Floyd | by the foreigners who have been encroaching on the Middle Kingdom. Floyd | Floyd | A: I let the boy and the other wounded bandits go with no intention of Floyd | bringing them to the law. They are people suffering from circumstances Floyd | beyond their control. Floyd | B: I let the boy go and warn him and the other bandits that they must Floyd | cease their crimes against the Empire. I will make sure that their Floyd | banditry is reported to the local magistrate, but will hope they repent Floyd | of their crimes. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > A sympathetic decision. Hopefully it will not come back to haunt you. Floyd | Floyd | Lu Jin takes a deep breath, as though deciding whether or not to share Floyd | a thought, before he says, "It wasn't like this before the foreigners Floyd | came. With them eating up resources?and with the Emperor standing by Floyd | while his people starve and lose their land to these invaders?the Floyd | people have no hope." Floyd | Floyd | Lu Jin's openness is surprising, but what he says amounts to treason. Floyd | Questioning the Emperor's will so openly will certainly lead him to Floyd | trouble. Floyd | Floyd | Does that trouble start with you? Floyd | Floyd | A: How dare he question the Emperor! I challenge him immediately. Floyd | B: I agree with Lu Jin, but I respond noncommittally. Just because he Floyd | is asking for trouble by speaking his mind does not mean I will risk my Floyd | neck. Floyd | C: I agree with Lu Jin and am glad to find someone to discuss the Floyd | Empire's problems with. Floyd | D: I do nothing. I am not interested in politics. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > Lu Jin lets out a bitter chuckle, looking around at your fellow Floyd | students, who watch you anxiously. "Perhaps another time." Floyd | Floyd | His refusal to fight puts you in an awkward position; if he refused to Floyd | defend himself, you could be thrown out of the Order of the Peach Tree Floyd | for attacking a fellow student without provocation. Floyd | Floyd | A: He insulted the Emperor. I cannot delay in seeking retribution. Floyd | B: I wait, but I do not forget. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > A wise decision. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | As you walk back to the monastery, you take a moment to consider the Floyd | path that has brought you here. As a child, you were told stories of Floyd | the Order of the Peach Tree, a monastery where many great warriors were Floyd | trained. But it was not just the combat skills that enticed you. Every Floyd | hundred years, one member of the Order of the Peach Tree is given the Floyd | honor of consulting the Dragon Sage. That monk may ask a single Floyd | question of the wise dragon. It is only thirty years until the next Floyd | monk of the Order of the Peach Tree is selected, and you are determined Floyd | to be the order's representative to the dragon. Floyd | Floyd | What question drives you toward this goal? Floyd | Floyd | A: I know I have much to learn of combat, but I am convinced that the Floyd | Dragon Sage holds the key to greatness beyond what I can learn from Floyd | mortal teachers. I plan to ask, "How can I become the greatest warrior Floyd | in the world?" Floyd | B: The strife I see in the Middle Kingdom?so recently reiterated by my Floyd | encounter with the bandits?disturbs me greatly. I wish to see balance Floyd | restored to the Middle Kingdom, so that the Emperor is once again in Floyd | alignment with the Heavens. I will ask, "How can the Empire return to Floyd | Heaven's Favor?" Floyd | C: I am more concerned with esoteric knowledge than worldly issues. I Floyd | wish to ask, "What is the first question?" Floyd | D: My question is simple: "Why do kites fly?" Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > You have set your sights high; if anyone would know how to set the Floyd | Emperor back on the path of Heaven, it is the Dragon Sage. Floyd | Floyd | >Chapter One: Bandits in the Woods | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | A few days after the conflict with the outlaws in the marsh, Abbot Bao Floyd | Ho sends for you to meet him beneath the peach tree. The tree itself is Floyd | ancient: you have been told that most peach trees live, at most, fifty Floyd | years, but this one has grown wide around the trunk and gnarled in the Floyd | branches. Despite its age, it continues to produce fruit. Some say that Floyd | this is the peach tree after which the monastery was named, a true Floyd | immortal tree in the breed of trees that represents immortality. Others Floyd | believe it to be a descendant of the original peach tree, the result of Floyd | careful cultivation by the monks who teach you. Floyd | Floyd | What do you think? Floyd | Floyd | A: It must be immortal. Floyd | B: If it is grown from the cuttings of earlier trees, the continuation Floyd | of its line makes it immortal despite its many incarnations. Floyd | C: The tree is clearly not immortal; only the superstitious and Floyd | uneducated would believe so. Floyd | D: I haven't given it much thought. Floyd | E: I don't care. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > Perhaps you're right. Floyd | Floyd | The peach tree's branches extend over a reflection pool. It is normally Floyd | a very peaceful spot, but now the atmosphere is tense. Abbot Bao stands Floyd | there with Master Shen, the oldest teacher in the monastery, at his Floyd | side, and the two men wear identical expressions of concern. Floyd | Floyd | Just as you arrive, Lu Jin approaches from the other side. He appears Floyd | as surprised to see you as you are to see him. Floyd | Floyd | "Greetings, my senior students," Abbot Bao says in greeting. Floyd | Floyd | Lu Jin bows. "Do you have training for us today, masters?" Floyd | Floyd | Master Shen chuckles. "Always so eager for more, Lu Jin? As I recall, Floyd | at our last bout between the senior students, Liu Meili gave you a very Floyd | fine black eye." Floyd | Floyd | Lu Jin bares his teeth at you in a smile that is neither humble nor Floyd | friendly. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | "Unfortunately, my students, this is no simple matter of training," Floyd | Abbot Bao says. "Or, perhaps it is, but not of our usual devising. You Floyd | told us of your experience with the bandits along the road to the Floyd | Order, and I am afraid it is becoming an all too common experience in Floyd | these interesting times. Too many people of the Middle Kingdom are Floyd | turning to thieving and banditry to make their ends meet, and too many Floyd | honest folk are made to suffer." Floyd | Floyd | Master Shen grunts, and you think you hear him mutter something about a Floyd | distinct lack of honest folk, but it is unclear. Floyd | Floyd | The abbot continues: "Because you have some experience, and because we Floyd | feel it will be a good test of your readiness to fully join the order, Floyd | we have chosen the two of you to lead a group of students to the Floyd | village of Kuei Xian, across the Baijiang Bridge, to solve the trouble Floyd | locals are having with the bandits." Floyd | Floyd | Lu Jin blanches momentarily, but your teachers do not seem to notice. Floyd | Floyd | How do you respond to this mission? Floyd | Floyd | A: It is an honor to be chosen, even if I must share leadership with Lu Floyd | Jin. I agree to set off at once. Floyd | B: I can't wait to try my skills against real opponents again. Floyd | C: Lu Jin's hesitation is an opportunity for me. I volunteer to take Floyd | the team alone. Floyd | D: I am not really interested in this interruption to my training. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > Abbot Bao looks surprised, then glances at Lu Jin and recognizes your Floyd | rival's hesitation. Floyd | Floyd | "I feel it would be best to have both of you on this task," he says Floyd | slowly. "If you are uncertain?" Floyd | Floyd | "No," says Lu Jin. "I am ready to do what the Order asks of me." Floyd | Floyd | Both Master Shen and Abbot Bao watch Lu Jin with some concern for Floyd | another moment. Even though you will both be going together, it seems Floyd | you have successfully undermined his position. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | There are actually fewer details than you would have expected for this Floyd | mission. Neither Abbot Bao nor Master Shen knows how many bandits are Floyd | present near Kuei Xian. They do know that the center of activity seems Floyd | to be at Baijiang Bridge, an old stone bridge that remains from the Floyd | years of the Sun Dynasty, when an army marched across it five horses at Floyd | a time, or so legends say. Kuei Xian, which sits in the shadow of a Floyd | huge, turtlelike karst hill in the foothills of the Yellow Mountains, Floyd | is a small village, but with important enough history?and pleasant Floyd | enough weather?that the governor of the province keeps his summer home Floyd | there. Floyd | Floyd | Governor Rong is disinclined to ask the Emperor to help combat the Floyd | problem directly. (You gather from Master Shen's muttered commentary Floyd | that this would make it look as though he cannot solve the problems of Floyd | his own district.) Instead, he has asked the Order of the Peach Tree Floyd | for aid, and given the importance of the trade that flows across the Floyd | Baijiang Bridge, and the order's dedication as protectors of the people Floyd | of the Middle Kingdom, the abbot has agreed. Floyd | Floyd | Of course, should you and Lu Jin fail to quell the problem, more Floyd | important resources than students will have to be expended, either by Floyd | the Order or by the Emperor. This would bring dishonor to everyone: Floyd | you, the order, Governor Rong, and possibly the Emperor himself in the Floyd | face of the foreigners at his court. Floyd | Floyd | Abbot Bao tells you the names of the students he expects to accompany Floyd | you. Several of them were present when the bandits attacked. You are to Floyd | ready your equipment and leave in the morning. Floyd | Floyd | A: I seek out Lu Jin to discuss this mission. Floyd | B: I go to my room to prepare for morning. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > Lu Jin is not entirely thrilled by the prospect of working as a Floyd | co-leader with you?but you're equally unenthusiastic about working with Floyd | him. Still, as Master Shen would say, better to be prepared. Floyd | Floyd | You look over a map of the Baijiang Bridge, and, unsurprisingly, you Floyd | conflict about every possible approach. Floyd | Floyd | Exasperated, Lu Jin finally says, "We may as well just ask them to Floyd | leave, for all the good we're going to do." Floyd | Floyd | A: We could try negotiation. If we can find the leader, maybe we can Floyd | work something out. Floyd | B: What a ridiculous idea. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > Lu Jin looks at you suspiciously for suggesting this. Floyd | Floyd | "Maybe we can," he agrees noncommittally. Floyd | Floyd | You discuss tactics for a little while longer, with greater success Floyd | than previously, and you decide to turn in, to make sure you have Floyd | prepared and rested enough for morning. Floyd | Floyd | >The next morning? | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | The Order of the Peach Tree, though farther from the Yellow Mountains Floyd | than Kuei Xian, is nestled among karst mountains that increase as you Floyd | travel west toward the Baijiang River. The road is a well-traveled one, Floyd | a drier route than the road you so recently traversed through the Floyd | wetlands south of the monastery. Despite the traditional sengfu monk Floyd | garb that you and your fellow students wear?the high boots, pants, and Floyd | one-sleeved robe, tied with a sash?which marks you as members of the Floyd | Order, you are given no more notice than the other travelers you Floyd | encounter. There are eighteen of you, total: you and Lu Jin each have a Floyd | team of eight students, for good luck. Each team is nine, a symbol of Floyd | permanence, and of synergy with the heavens. Floyd | Floyd | Does the numerology comfort you? Floyd | Floyd | A: Of course. When embarking upon matters like this, I am glad for any Floyd | numerical advantage. Floyd | B: No. The outcome will be determined by greater skill, not by numbers. Floyd | C: We are all one team, making us eighteen, which is neither lucky nor Floyd | unlucky. We will make our own fate. Floyd | D: More superstitious nonsense. Floyd | E: I hadn't noticed the numbers before. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > Hopefully your greater skill will aid you if greater numbers are on Floyd | the side of the bandits. You pass a number of merchants with carts Floyd | drawn by water buffalo, messengers and warriors on horseback, and Floyd | travelers walking along the road with bundles on their backs. It is a Floyd | fine day: the sky is blue, the clouds are wisps, and the summer air is Floyd | thick with the smell of blossoms and ripening rice. As on your last Floyd | trip from the monastery, you are traveling with a horse and cart, full Floyd | of the food and supplies you will need for your journey. Floyd | Floyd | It is up to you and Lu Jin to set the tone for this mission. The trip Floyd | to Kuei Xian takes three days at a steady pace. Floyd | Floyd | A: Three days is fast enough; the situation is urgent, but unlikely to Floyd | get much worse in three days' time. Floyd | B: This mission is urgent, and we have been trained to move quickly. We Floyd | can make the trip in two days. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > The steady pace also has the benefit of allowing you time to converse Floyd | with your fellow students. How will you use it? Floyd | Floyd | A: Continue planning strategy with Lu Jin. Floyd | B: Stop early at night so I can run the students through training Floyd | drills, keeping our fighting skills fresh. Floyd | C: Consult the stars at night, watching for signs that will make clear Floyd | the most beneficial path. Floyd | D: Focus on the well-being of the students, keeping them entertained Floyd | with other tales of travel. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > Lu Jin advocates approaching the bandits to make an attempt at Floyd | negotiation, believing that the bandits can be reasoned with. What is Floyd | your strategy in facing the bandits? Floyd | Floyd | A: Fight them, and show them the power of the Order of the Peach Tree. Floyd | B: Devise a clever plan to stop their raids, but avoid a direct Floyd | conflict. Floyd | C: Attempt to contact their leaders and negotiate some form of peace. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > You have sympathy for these people forced from their homes, and you Floyd | would like to support them, but given your orders, you cannot do it Floyd | openly. Perhaps you can persuade them to take their business elsewhere Floyd | and find a way to help them against the foreigners in the future. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | On the third morning of your journey, the terrain has shifted from Floyd | valley fields to the true foothills of the Yellow Mountains. Forests Floyd | have closed around you, mostly pine, fir, and cedar here, though you Floyd | know there are also bamboo forests near Kuei Xian. You are nearing what Floyd | could be enemy territory, depending on how far out the raiders have Floyd | roamed. Floyd | Floyd | As you walk, you hear a human noise in the distance?it sounds as though Floyd | it might be sobbing, or perhaps low voices. It is too far to tell. Floyd | Floyd | What do you do? Floyd | Floyd | A: Send one of the students to scout ahead to discover the source of Floyd | the noise as we continue toward Kuei Xian. The scout can catch up. Floyd | B: Send one of the students to scout ahead and wait for him to return. Floyd | C: Scout ahead on my own. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > You make your way into the woods, moving as quietly and softly as Floyd | though you walk on rice paper. The sound is definitely sobbing, and you Floyd | see a flash of red through the fir trees. A few steps closer and you Floyd | see that a beautiful young woman is kneeling in the fir needles, Floyd | crying. She wears a heavy qipao, a long dress with a high neckline made Floyd | of thick, brocaded fabric. Her hair is woven up into an elaborate Floyd | headpiece, clearly marking her as a member of the aristocracy. Floyd | Floyd | She looks up when she sees you approach, and, were it not for the Floyd | tears, she could be a model for a painting: her narrow face and Floyd | close-set eyes, her thin eyebrows and high cheekbones are the ideal of Floyd | courtly beauty. But there are tears, and her lovely face is contorted Floyd | in pain. Floyd | Floyd | A: I go to help her at once! Floyd | B: This seems highly suspicious to me. I approach, but carefully. Floyd | C: It is helpless women like her that make it so difficult for women Floyd | like me to get respect. Let her figure it out herself. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > As you approach, the woman looks up at you with tear-filled eyes. Floyd | "Oh, kind monk, could you help me?" she calls, her voice as lovely as Floyd | the rest of her appearance. "My foot has become caught in a trap!" Floyd | Floyd | A: I go help her immediately. Floyd | B: This still seems suspicious. I step closer, but do not yet agree to Floyd | help. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > "What kind of trap?" you ask. Floyd | Floyd | She grins, though there is real pain on her face, and after the first Floyd | flash of amusement, it turns into a grimace. "A fox trap, I'm afraid." Floyd | Floyd | Behind the woman, seven fox tails flare to life, revealing that this is Floyd | no true woman at all. She is a huli jing, a mischievous fox spirit that Floyd | delights particularly in tormenting monks. Floyd | Floyd | "Why should I help you?" you ask. Floyd | Floyd | She shakes her head. "Why is it always the wise ones who find me in Floyd | such a predicament?" she asks, mostly to herself. "I will make it worth Floyd | your while, monk. I can offer you unimaginable pleasure," she says with Floyd | a coy wink that, upon the slight shift of her body, becomes a wince. "I Floyd | promise that we fox spirits are exceedingly creative." Floyd | Floyd | A: Unimaginable pleasure? Sounds good to me. Floyd | B: I want information about the bandits. Floyd | C: Her favor. It can never hurt to have a spirit on my side. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > The fox spirit shakes her head. "Wise indeed," she says. "Agreed. You Floyd | have earned my good will by freeing me now." Floyd | Floyd | You open the trap and the huli jing snatches her leg back, as though Floyd | afraid the trap will bite her again. She stands and bows to you. Floyd | Floyd | "My name is Feng," she says. "And I am in your debt. We will meet Floyd | again." Floyd | Floyd | You make your way back to the road and your companions with no further Floyd | trouble. Floyd | Floyd | Baijiang Bridge is a huge, stone structure that spans the width of the Floyd | Baijiang River. From this side, you can see the large black turtle of a Floyd | mountain that rises over Kuei Xian. Now that you are here, it is time Floyd | to put your plan into action. Are you ready to act on your plan? Floyd | Floyd | A: I stand by my first plan. Floyd | B: I want to rethink my options. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > Despite the fact that the bandits are criminals, they are also your Floyd | countrymen, people who have fallen on hard times due to the incursion Floyd | of foreigners in the Middle Kingdom. Though you may not agree with Floyd | their tactics, you want to help their cause. How will you make contact? Floyd | Floyd | A: Scout the woods in pairs until we find it. Floyd | B: Wait until the bandits make a raid across the Baijiang Bridge and Floyd | follow them back. Floyd | C: Ask around the village and, based on local gossip, intuit the most Floyd | probable location for their camp. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > Someone better at reading people might be able to guess at the right Floyd | direction, but the people of Kuei Xian leave you at a loss. You'll have Floyd | to try another way. How will you make contact? Floyd | Floyd | A: Scout the woods in pairs until we find it. Floyd | B: Wait until the bandits make a raid across the Baijiang Bridge and Floyd | follow them back. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > It takes some time, but you manage to discern the location of the Floyd | bandit camp without being noticed. You and your fellow students walk Floyd | into the camp calmly, as though you belong, despite your sengfu Floyd | clothing marking you as monks of the Order of the Peach Tree. The Floyd | bandits, most of whom do seem to come from humble backgrounds, have no Floyd | idea what to do with you. Because you do not appear to be hostile, they Floyd | seem unwilling to confront you. Floyd | Floyd | Finally, a large woman of middle age, her hair wrapped in the same blue Floyd | turban you see throughout the camp, stands in front of your group. Floyd | Floyd | "What is your business?" she asks sternly. You imagine that this is the Floyd | same tone of voice she uses when she suspects her children of having Floyd | gotten into mischief. Floyd | Floyd | "We'd like to speak to your leader," Lu Jin says politely. Floyd | Floyd | The woman looks suspicious, but after a moment, she nods, then beckons Floyd | for you to follow. In the center of the camp?which gives the appearance Floyd | of being a tent city, something quickly dismantled to move?there is a Floyd | large fire, at which sit a number of men and women talking seriously. Floyd | Floyd | "Deng Ping," the woman says loudly, and the tallest of the men, wearing Floyd | clothing slightly better cared for than that of his peers, stands. Floyd | "Order of the Peach Tree to see you." Floyd | Floyd | Deng Ping approaches suspiciously and waits for you to speak. Floyd | Floyd | A: Begin by offering our condolences for the misfortune that brought Floyd | the bandits here. Floyd | B: Get straight to business: explain that we were instructed to oust Floyd | them, but that we'd rather see whether negotiation is possible. Floyd | C: Try to strike some fear into their hearts: we may sympathize with Floyd | their plight, but the next group will not. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > Rather than seeing your words as empathy, Deng Ping looks insulted. Floyd | "Do not offer us pity, monk," he spits. "You may as well be in league Floyd | with the laowai, for all that you do to prevent their incursions. Every Floyd | day that passes, their power and influence grows, and it is time for Floyd | someone to stand against them. If that means us, so be it." Floyd | Floyd | There are cheers from among the bandits, and the atmosphere that was Floyd | previously uncertain has taken on a distinct air of hostility. Floyd | Floyd | "I intended no dishonor," you begin, but Deng Ping scoffs. Floyd | Floyd | "Tell your masters?tell the Son of Heaven himself?that we will do Floyd | whatever it takes to rid the laowai from our land." He steps forward, Floyd | aiming a finger at your chest. "Whatever it takes." Floyd | Floyd | A: I cannot refuse a challenge to my honor?and neither can he. Floyd | Challenge him to a fight. Floyd | B: Accept defeat. Clearly he will not listen to me. Floyd | C: Find out what we can offer them to change their minds. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > Clearly Deng Ping will not listen to reason. Instead, you challenge Floyd | him to fight a member of the order, one on one. If he loses, he is Floyd | bound by honor to leave Kuei Xian alone. Floyd | Floyd | In order to avoid losing face among the bandits, Deng Ping accepts your Floyd | challenge. Who will fight for the Order? Floyd | Floyd | A: Me. Floyd | B: Lu Jin. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > Despite your best efforts, Deng Ping is a giant of a man, both strong Floyd | and quick, and though he has little skill, a well-timed hammerstrike to Floyd | your head sets your ears ringing and brings you to your knees. Floyd | Floyd | Your fellow students collect you and load you into the cart with the Floyd | supplies, preparing for the long trip back to the monastery. Floyd | Floyd | Lu Jin, however, tells you of his decision to stay with the bandits. "I Floyd | believe I can help their cause," he explains. "Balance must return to Floyd | the Middle Kingdom." Floyd | Floyd | A: Try to persuade Lu Jin not to go. Floyd | B: Support Lu Jin's choice. Floyd | C: Good riddance. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > Perhaps Lu Jin can help restore balance from within the bandit forces Floyd | while you work from inside the Order. Floyd | Floyd | You are sure you will meet each other again. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | As you return to the monastery, morale among the students is at an Floyd | utter low. Not only did one of your number abandon the Order Floyd | completely, but you have nothing to show for your efforts. Floyd | Floyd | Your first real mission on behalf of the Order is a failure. Floyd | Floyd | After you tell Abbot Bao and Master Shen about what has happened, they Floyd | consult the heavens to determine the best course of action. Ultimately, Floyd | the Order does nothing further?and despite your failure, attacks by the Floyd | bandits near Kuei Xian die down for a time. Though this initially seems Floyd | like good news, Governor Rong has heard about the events that Floyd | transpired from his informants?likely village gossips, who may have Floyd | heard it from the bandits themselves. No credit will be given to the Floyd | Order of the Peach Tree for the temporary peace. Floyd | Floyd | Master Shen admits to you that he and the abbot had planned to test you Floyd | to become a full member of the Order had your mission been a success. Floyd | Now, you will have to prove yourself again through humble service and Floyd | continued training before you can become a monk, rather than the senior Floyd | student. Floyd | Floyd | Compared to your dishonor at the hands of the bandits, the wait to test Floyd | is a small setback?but what if it means that you will not be the one Floyd | chosen to consult the Dragon Sage? You will have to work even harder to Floyd | prove that you are worthy before the dragon reappears in the Middle Floyd | Kingdom. Floyd | Floyd | >Chapter Two: The Test | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | There are rumors upon rumors of what happens during the final test that Floyd | separates students from monks. You have heard that it involves tracking Floyd | and defeating a wild tiger. Some say that you must face and disperse a Floyd | hungry ghost. Still others say that the true final test is a measure of Floyd | the spirit and the ability of the student to achieve a perfect moment Floyd | of inner peace. Floyd | Floyd | Given the scars you have seen on the fully accepted monks, if the test Floyd | is about finding inner peace, inner peace leaves marks. Floyd | Floyd | Master Shen leads you to the inner temple of the monastery. He walks in Floyd | a relaxed fashion, leaning on his staff, as though he is merely Floyd | observing the growth of the peach tree, not leading you to where your Floyd | fate will be decided. Floyd | Floyd | How are you feeling about this test? Floyd | Floyd | A: I am eager to begin. My training has prepared me well. Floyd | B: I am nervous. I want to do well, but I fear failure. Floyd | C: I am calm. This is a moment, and I exist within it. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > Master Shen places one calloused hand on your shoulder, and you feel Floyd | its weight: the old master's strength, his wisdom, and his confidence Floyd | in you all flow through that simple touch. Floyd | Floyd | He stops in front of the huge doors to the inner temple, carved with Floyd | intricate scroll work and the shapes of the five animals: dragon, Floyd | tiger, snake, crane, and leopard. After a short moment of waiting, he Floyd | gestures with his staff for you to push the doors open. As you do, he Floyd | falls into step next to you and you enter the chamber. The inner temple Floyd | is humble: a small chamber with candles lining three of the four walls. Floyd | Above the candles are paintings and sculptures of the spiritual animals Floyd | of kung fu and the immortals. On the far wall, on a raised shelf above Floyd | the flame, is a Buddha statue, one hand resting in his lap, the other Floyd | raised in blessing. Floyd | Floyd | Abbot Bao stands in front of the last candle, lighting it from his own Floyd | small candle. Once the room is lit, he blows his candle out. Floyd | Floyd | "Liu Meili, you have been deemed worthy of the final test to join the Floyd | Order of the Peach Tree," says the abbot as he turns to you. "Do you Floyd | accept this honor, ready to face the challenges before you and take on Floyd | the role of monk?" Floyd | Floyd | A: "I accept." Floyd | B: "I do not feel ready." Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > You bow to the masters and they bow to you, though theirs is Floyd | shallower, as befitting a teacher to a student. Floyd | Floyd | "There are three challenges in the test to become a member of the Floyd | Order," Abbot Bao explains. "You must complete two of the three Floyd | successfully. Consider your options wisely, as only one failure can be Floyd | forgiven." Floyd | Floyd | "Part of the test is identifying your weaknesses and being honest about Floyd | your strengths," Master Shen says quietly. "Know yourself, student, and Floyd | you will triumph." Floyd | Floyd | "The three challenges are these," Abbot Bao continues. "The first is Floyd | the Dashanmen, a challenge of your combat skills against the monks of Floyd | the Order. You will enter a dark chamber, and you must cross from one Floyd | side to the other while being attacked." Floyd | Floyd | Master Shen chuckles. "In the old days, we fought to the death. Too Floyd | messy. Now we stop attacking as soon as you are unconscious." Floyd | Floyd | This commentary does not serve to give you confidence. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | "For the second challenge, you must carry an urn filled with hot coals Floyd | from the monastery down to the river. There, you may release the urn Floyd | and bathe your arms in the cold water." Floyd | Floyd | The distance from the monastery to the river is short enough when not Floyd | carrying an urn, but it will certainly feel longer with burning metal Floyd | on your arms. That certainly explains some of the scars you have seen Floyd | on the monks of the Order! Floyd | Floyd | "For the third challenge, you must retrieve the Scroll of Destiny from Floyd | behind Bingdian Waterfall, and learn the lesson it holds," Abbot Bao Floyd | finishes. Floyd | Floyd | "Don't worry," says Master Shen, "it is stored in a waterproof scroll Floyd | case. You'll be able to read it." Floyd | Floyd | Which task would you like to undertake first? Floyd | Floyd | A: I am confident I can fight my way through Dashanmen. Floyd | B: I will carry the urn of coals. Floyd | C: I will retrieve the Scroll of Destiny. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > Abbot Bao leads you to the gates of the monastery. The courtyard has Floyd | been cleared of students, and only a handful of monks are here to Floyd | witness the beginning of your challenge. Just inside the gates, a Floyd | brazier is lit, and over it is suspended a large urn, full of burning Floyd | coals. Aligned to the cardinal directions are four animals: to the Floyd | north is the tortoise; south, the phoenix; east, the dragon; and west, Floyd | the tiger. Floyd | Floyd | While the metalwork is beautiful, it mostly looks hot. Floyd | Floyd | You must carry the urn with your forearms from the monastery to the Floyd | river below. How will you face this challenge? Floyd | Floyd | A: I grit my teeth and carry the heavy load through sheer will. Floyd | B: I will not rely on strength alone, but will use the heat to further Floyd | forge my chi. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > You contemplate the animals on the urn. The phoenix is a creature of Floyd | fire, opposed by the tortoise, a creature of water. The dragon, which Floyd | represents the element of wood, is opposed by the tiger, which Floyd | represents metal. Although you are tempted to focus on the idea that Floyd | the fire has the potential to consume wood and metal, but is opposed by Floyd | water and only lends strength back to its own element, you know that Floyd | there is still a fifth element to consider. Floyd | Floyd | There is void, the element of the center. Your own mind must be empty Floyd | in order for the chi to flow through you, carrying the strength?and Floyd | freedom?necessary to lift the urn. You still your mind, breathe, and Floyd | reach for the urn. Floyd | Floyd | You feel the pain along your forearms, and it is excruciating?but it Floyd | washes over you, just a part of the moment. With each breath, you let Floyd | the moment flow and change, accepting it without worrying over past or Floyd | future, or even holding a thought. Your feet know this path; they have Floyd | walked it hundreds of times on the simple task of fetching water. You Floyd | allow them to carry you. Floyd | Floyd | You breathe. You exist. The moment comes and passes, and another Floyd | follows on its heels. Floyd | Floyd | You reach the river almost before you realize you are there, and you Floyd | calmly lower the urn into the water. It hisses with steam, bathing you Floyd | in hot air as your arms enter the cold stream. You realize that your Floyd | body feels the shock of the contrast, but you only observe this as Floyd | another part of the moment before letting it, too, go. When you return Floyd | to the monastery, you show the monks your new scars to prove that you Floyd | have withstood the challenge. You have passed. What scars do you bear? Floyd | Floyd | A: The dragon and the tiger. Floyd | B: The tortoise and the phoenix. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > Which task will you undertake next? Floyd | Floyd | A: I am confident I can fight my way through Dashanmen. Floyd | B: I will retrieve the Scroll of Destiny. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > Where the easiest access to the river lies below the monastery, near Floyd | where the dry land becomes marsh, Bingdian Waterfall is on the far side Floyd | of the karst mountain. The trip there is not a long one, but it is Floyd | hard, as there is no path. As you begin your ascent, you find some goat Floyd | paths to travel, delaying the true climb until the waterfall is in Floyd | sight. Floyd | Floyd | You feel the mist of the waterfall before you see it. Despite the warm Floyd | weather, the air takes on a clammy chill?the water here is always Floyd | freezing, nearly ice cold. You rub your hands together and approach the Floyd | waterfall. It cascades down the side of the mountain into a pool of Floyd | unknown depth. It falls from perhaps ten times your own height, and Floyd | somewhere in that length there is a cave or a hole behind it, in which Floyd | lies the Scroll of Destiny. Floyd | Floyd | How will you attempt to find the scroll? Floyd | Floyd | A: Climb the mountain next to the waterfall until I see it. Floyd | B: Use my chi to propel me up the side of the mountain, like a lizard. Floyd | C: Make observations from below to calculate the most likely location Floyd | for the scroll. Floyd | D: Fashion an impromptu spear from the available wood and throw it Floyd | until it hits an indentation. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > You gather your chi and make a great leap, getting a long head start Floyd | on your climb. From there, you are able to scramble up the side of the Floyd | mountain by keeping your energy focused, and by borrowing some of the Floyd | grounded nature of the mountain you climb. You can sense from the Floyd | energy of the mountain where the indentation that stores the scroll Floyd | will be, and you dart your hand into the cold water, drawing the scroll Floyd | case out as quickly as if you were pulling a fish from a stream. You Floyd | turn and jump, using your chi to float to the ground. You sit down next Floyd | to the pool, the roar of the waterfall drowning out any other noise, Floyd | and open the scroll case. Inside is what feels like an ancient scroll, Floyd | marked with diagrams that show various techniques you have learned Floyd | while studying at the Order of the Peach Tree. But though there are Floyd | many images to contemplate, most of the scroll is empty. There do not Floyd | seem to be any great secrets contained in the writing here. You do not Floyd | see a hidden final technique explained, nor a clue about how to bring Floyd | balance to the Middle Kingdom. Floyd | Floyd | What do you wish to do? Floyd | Floyd | A: Meditate on the scroll. An answer will come. Floyd | B: Analyze the scroll and puzzle out its meaning. Floyd | | Jacqueline says, "OKAY" | |
| Jacqueline asks, "So, do we go with what we did, or do we change our choice?" | ||
| Zach says, "It's not cheating; it's time travel!" | ||
| Zach says, "Let's change our choice. We may fail anyway if it's a stat thing." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "I think that after all that work I want to change the choice." | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "Gunther is gone. maga?" | ||
| maga says, "yeah, B" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "B" | ||
Floyd | > You sit with the scroll spread out in front of you, studying the Floyd | detail, identifying the moves. You begin to get stiff from your Floyd | proximity to the cold waterfall, so you get up to stretch, going Floyd | through the movements on the page as they are written. You pause from Floyd | one technique to the next, studying the diagram and noticing how small Floyd | details have changed from when the scroll was written to when your Floyd | teachers shared these techniques. You realize that the closer you get Floyd | to the blank part of the scroll, the closer the techniques are?in their Floyd | details?to what you have learned. Floyd | Floyd | Excited by this discovery, you sit down next to the scroll again. You Floyd | realize that, though the change is only barely discernible, the ink is Floyd | ever so slightly darker toward the blank section. It occurs to you that Floyd | the final technique shown on the scroll is one you have heard a story Floyd | about: one of your teachers, a snake master, changed the way the Floyd | technique was taught to the students in order to give them a lesson on Floyd | pressure points. The strikes he added to the technique are clearly Floyd | marked. Floyd | Floyd | There are no secrets on the scroll, but there is a legacy of detail. Floyd | You consider the techniques you have adjusted in your own studies. What Floyd | will you teach to future students in the Order? How will your art be Floyd | applied to wushu as you make it your own? Floyd | Floyd | You discover that the scroll case has a small compartment that contains Floyd | a brush and a block of dry ink. You take out your bowl?something a monk Floyd | must always carry, you have been told?and add water to the ink. In your Floyd | finest calligraphy, you add a technique to the scroll, allowing it to Floyd | dry before you return it to its secret location behind the waterfall. Floyd | Floyd | When you return to the monastery, Abbot Bao notices the ink smudges in Floyd | your bowl and offers you a smile and a bow. You have passed this test. Floyd | Which task will you undertake next? Floyd | Floyd | A: I am satisfied with my performance on my tasks and conclude the Floyd | test. Floyd | B: I am confident I can fight my way through Dashanmen. Floyd | | maga says, "obviously B" | |
| Jacqueline says, "Phew." | ||
| Zach says, "I wonder why we have a choice." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Yeah, we've passed at this point, might as well keep going." | ||
| Zach says, "Yeah" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "A perfect score might get us chosen for the dragon." | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > With a sweep of his hands, Abbot Bao extinguishes all the flames in Floyd | the room. For an instant, you think the peach tree statue glows with Floyd | reflected light, but then all is dark. Floyd | Floyd | Master Shen's hand tightens on your shoulder, escorting you to the far Floyd | side of the chamber. You can hear the soft sounds of people entering Floyd | the room, though with the quiet treads the monks have practiced, it is Floyd | impossible to tell how many. Certainly more than the sounds you hear Floyd | would indicate. Floyd | Floyd | Finally, Master Shen turns you around. "Remember your training," he Floyd | says, before he, too disappears in the darkness. Floyd | Floyd | You wait, your stance relaxed as you have been taught, until you are Floyd | told to begin?or until the first attack comes. Floyd | Floyd | How will you face this challenge? Floyd | Floyd | A: I have faith in my fighting skills. I face my opponents with Floyd | confidence?they are as blind as I am. Floyd | B: The challenge is to get from one side of the room to the other, but Floyd | the path was never specified. I weave through the room, confusing my Floyd | opponents. Floyd | | Jacqueline says, "hm" | |
| Jacqueline says, "I like either one." | ||
| Zach says, "B because we did that weaving snake dance at the beginning" | ||
| Jacqueline shrugs. "Okay. maga?" | ||
| maga says, "hmm. weaving, I think" | ||
| Zach says, "But, yeah, they both seem good" | ||
| maga says, "the other guys have been in here longer and their pupils have adjusted" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "No, the other guys just entered." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Anyway, B." | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > In your time with the Order of the Peach Tree, you have often been Floyd | complimented on your ability to think outside of the boundaries of the Floyd | exercise. That skill is useful here. You begin by crouching low to the Floyd | ground, and you feel where the strike of your first opponent would have Floyd | been had you remained in place. You strike to a pressure point on the Floyd | back of his leg, collapsing it under him, as you move away from the Floyd | center of the room and through the crowd of opponents. Floyd | Floyd | The monks realize your strategy quickly, so you have to keep shifting Floyd | your pattern of movement. The intention is to be where the strikes are Floyd | not. You get into a low stance and circle walk. You move, changing Floyd | directions and heights of your stance with syncopation so that your Floyd | foes never catch you in a rhythm. You launch a flurry of palm strikes Floyd | as you feel the body of a monk ahead of you. The next monk, however, Floyd | you just evade, moving around him the moment that your earlier foe Floyd | counterstrikes your former position. Floyd | Floyd | It is not easy, but you focus on the strategies you have learned for Floyd | keeping your opponents off balance, leading them into each other and Floyd | falling away from their attacks. Occasionally, a strike catches you, Floyd | but your steps never falter, and you keep moving. You can feel that Floyd | what you are doing borders on what some would call the supernatural Floyd | talents of the monks; you know you are drawing on your own knowledge of Floyd | strategy and the principles of bagua?the eight diagrams that represent Floyd | the nature of the universe. Floyd | Floyd | You can sense how close you are coming to the far side of the room, Floyd | where Abbot Bao awaits. You reach the wall, then circle back into the Floyd | throng, gliding out of the way of the monks turning to attack you. You Floyd | reach out and place your hand on the warm wood of the door. Floyd | Floyd | "Finish," says Abbot Bao. He makes a final attack?a high strike aimed Floyd | at your throat?but you back against the door and push it open, shooting Floyd | yourself backward out of his reach. Light floods the room, dazzling you Floyd | and the monks. As your eyes adjust, you realize that they are all Floyd | bowing to you. Clearly your teachers were correct: you were ready for Floyd | this test, and you have passed. With your successes behind you, you are Floyd | welcomed once again into the inner temple. The candles are all lit, and Floyd | the monks who reside at the monastery offer you their oaths of Floyd | brotherhood. The Order of the Peach Tree is now your family, and you Floyd | are one step closer to getting to ask a question of the Dragon Sage. Floyd | Floyd | >Chapter Three: The Master | inky says, "nice work" | |
| inky says, "this seems to imply it's possible to pass all the tests regardless of your stats" | ||
| maga says, "that seems probable" | ||
| Zach | The monks realize your strategy quickly, so you have to keep shifting | ||
| Zach says, "It's just like fighting the Borg" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Well, we can't see our stats, but it seems that they're not all that great in a couple of areas, and yet we passed." | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | Your first few years as a monk feel little different from your last Floyd | year as a senior student. Though you now have a greater leadership Floyd | role, and an official ranking as a teacher with the students, much Floyd | continues on as it had before. You work at the monastery, taking care Floyd | of the things required of all who live there to maintain the daily Floyd | workings of the Order. You spar with the monks and continue to learn Floyd | the intricacies of wushu. You oversee the newest applicants as they Floyd | prove their worth by accomplishing the most menial chores. You do not Floyd | miss those days from your own apprenticeship. Floyd | Floyd | The seasons change. The peach tree blossoms and bears fruit, then shows Floyd | its naked branches until spring returns. The strength of the Blue Floyd | Scarves Rebellion grows as the foreigners maintain and further develop Floyd | their presence in the Middle Kingdom. Still, the Emperor shows no Floyd | intention of changing their role at his court, or defending the people Floyd | of the Middle Kingdom against the foreigners' encroachment upon lands Floyd | they have farmed for generations. Floyd | Floyd | No further threats call for the attention of the Order of the Peach Floyd | Tree, however, and Abbot Bao has not become involved with the quarrel Floyd | between the rebels and the Emperor on either side. The monks are Floyd | divided in their opinions of the world's events: some strongly support Floyd | the Emperor, others profess that it is not the Order's role to get Floyd | involved in events of the world, and a few mention their concerns for Floyd | the common people without ever fully defying the Son of Heaven. Floyd | Floyd | Do you involve yourself in these conversations? Floyd | Floyd | A: I support the Emperor. He is the Son of Heaven and clearly knows Floyd | what's best for the Empire. Floyd | B: I agree that the Middle Kingdom is out of balance with the Heavens, Floyd | but do not openly question the Emperor. Floyd | C: I am not concerned with such worldly matters when I strive toward Floyd | Enlightenment. Floyd | | maga says, "B" | |
| Zach says, "B" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > You realize that doing nothing only lends strength to the Emperor's Floyd | position, but openly admitting doubt in the Son of Heaven is both Floyd | unwise and dangerous. But if the choice is saying nothing or giving up Floyd | your path to the Dragon Sage and joining the rebellion like Lu Floyd | Jin?well, you know what you will choose. Floyd | Floyd | One day in late summer, the third year after your test, Master Shen Floyd | asks to speak with you beneath the peach tree. When you arrive, the old Floyd | master is dozing off beneath the tree, his staff leaning next to him. Floyd | You approach quietly, but as soon as you are within range of Master Floyd | Shen's staff, it shoots out to tap your ankle, suddenly in his gnarled Floyd | but quick hand. His eyes remain closed. Floyd | Floyd | "This ankle feels like it belongs to Liu Meili," he says with a grin. Floyd | He opens one eye. "Ah, good. If it had been Kai Lo bringing a late Floyd | afternoon snack to the decrepit old man, that would have been an Floyd | embarrassing mistake." Floyd | Floyd | Master Shen pats the ground beside him in a gesture for you to sit. It Floyd | is oddly informal for one who served as your teacher for so long. Floyd | Floyd | "Why did you wish to speak with me, Master?" you ask. Floyd | Floyd | "Maybe I enjoy the company of my young students in my old age," Master Floyd | Shen says gruffly. He taps your foot with the end of his staff. "You Floyd | may be a monk now, but I still concern myself with your education." Floyd | Floyd | How do you respond to this? Floyd | Floyd | A: I am learning much from teaching the students and continuing to spar Floyd | with the monks. Floyd | B: I admit that I fear my own art is stagnating. Floyd | C: I tell him that I miss the challenge of real combat. Floyd | | maga says, "B" | |
| Jacqueline says, "Hm, okay." | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "z?" | ||
| Zach says, "B or C" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > He raps your ankle. "As well you should. There is much more for you Floyd | to learn outside these walls, Liu Meili." Master Shen raises his staff Floyd | and knocks twice on one of the peach tree's branches. Two peaches Floyd | tumble down, and you catch them both, handing one to the old master Floyd | when he reaches for it. He takes a bite of juicy peach, savoring it, Floyd | before continuing. Floyd | Floyd | "It is traditional for members of the Order to spend some time away Floyd | from the monastery after they become monks," he explains. "For some it Floyd | is a time of wandering, living only on the kindness others drop into Floyd | their begging bowls. For others, it is a chance to become embroiled in Floyd | the matters of the Middle Kingdom. Abbot Bao suggested that for you, Floyd | actually, and was planning to send you to Xiaonanhai, but I think that Floyd | perhaps the capital is not the place for you now." Floyd | Floyd | You are surprised that Abbot Bao would think to send you to the capital Floyd | of the Middle Kingdom?and that Master Shen has objected to the abbot's Floyd | plans. Floyd | Floyd | "I think you would gain a greater benefit from studying under an old Floyd | teacher of mine." Floyd | Floyd | "Of yours, Master?" you ask, trying to imagine a teacher of Master Floyd | Shen's that would still be walking, let alone alive. Floyd | Floyd | He raps his staff against your ankle again, clearly guessing your Floyd | thoughts. "I recommend that you seek out Master Zhuge in the Yellow Floyd | Mountains. Zhuge is an old hermit?a true recluse?but crafty as a Floyd | dragon." Floyd | Floyd | >Next | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | In fact, you have heard of Master Zhuge, whom some call the Veiled Floyd | Dragon. Stories say that Master Zhuge has followed the path to Floyd | immortality, though whether this was through alchemy, devout living, or Floyd | the mystical arts of the bedchamber is the subject of much debate. No Floyd | one knows how old he is or the full extent of his abilities, but people Floyd | say he can blow on water to change the direction of its current, heal Floyd | the sick at a distance, and take on the shape of any object. He also Floyd | writes very fine poetry. Floyd | Floyd | "Zhuge lives in the mountains above Kuei Xian," Master Shen continues. Floyd | He pulls a scroll out of his sengfu and hands it to you. It is a map of Floyd | that section of the Yellow Mountains, incredibly detailed. A hermitage Floyd | is marked. Floyd | Floyd | Master Shen stands, slowly, hiding the quick reactions you know he is Floyd | capable of. "I suggest you take a present," he says, and knocks the Floyd | bough of the peach tree with his staff again. A pile of peaches falls Floyd | into your lap. "Go. Learn. I will see you in a few years, if I am still Floyd | around. And if you survive." Floyd | Floyd | What gift will you take with you? Floyd | Floyd | A: Peaches. If Master Shen suggested them, they must be a good idea. Floyd | B: I take a cutting from the peach tree, which will eventually produce Floyd | its own peaches. Floyd | C: I take the time to copy one of the scrolls from the temple library Floyd | before I leave. Floyd | | maga says, "B. If he's actually immortal, he'll get more peaches that way" | |
| Jacqueline asks, "Hm. And harm the ancient tree?" | ||
| inky says, "it'd just be a cutting" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "I know, I know." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Okay." | ||
| Zach says, "B seems the most logical, but I like A more." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Though A AND B would be nice." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "I'm thinking B. Democracy and all, so..." | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > Caring for the peach tree is one of the tasks you have learned as a Floyd | monk. You carefully take a cutting, wrapping the base in a wet cloth to Floyd | prepare it for travel. Then you return to your room to pack your Floyd | remaining things. You leave from the monastery on a beautiful, sunny Floyd | day to begin your journey to the Yellow Mountains. It has been years Floyd | since you traveled this road, and the journey alone is very different Floyd | from one with seventeen companions. By the time you reach Baijiang Floyd | Bridge, the weather has started to turn, and a summer squall hits just Floyd | as you arrive in Kuei Xian. You sit in the tea house for a few hours Floyd | until the skies clear, then begin your ascent into the mountains. Floyd | Floyd | You are hardly out of sight of town when you see a young woman on the Floyd | road ahead of you, pacing and looking quite distraught. She is dressed Floyd | in humble clothes, bedraggled from the recent storm, but despite the Floyd | smudged dirt on her face and the disarray of her hair, it is clear that Floyd | she is beautiful. A heavy pack lies near her by the side of the road. Floyd | She spots you and the worry on her face eases. Floyd | Floyd | "Thank the heavens," she says, then looks down and bows in deference, Floyd | despite the fact that she clearly intends to address you without Floyd | waiting for you?of higher social rank?to speak first. "Honored monk, Floyd | forgive my boldness, but I am in need of aid. I was traveling toward Floyd | Kuei Xian when the storm hit, and my ox startled at the thunder and Floyd | bolted off the road. Could you help me?" Floyd | Floyd | A: I don't have the time or inclination to help a peasant. Floyd | B: I can spare a little time to help a poor woman. Floyd | C: This woman seems very familiar?she reminds me of a certain fox Floyd | spirit I met the last time I traveled this way. Floyd | | maga says, "C" | |
| Zach says, "Foxy lady" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > "Feng?" you say cautiously. Floyd | Floyd | The woman beams. "You remembered me!" Floyd | Floyd | As though you were likely to forget an encounter with a fox spirit. Floyd | Floyd | The huli jing gestures to her pack, letting her seven tails peek out Floyd | from beneath the humble peasant clothing she wears as a disguise. "I Floyd | thought perhaps you might like an additional option to present to Floyd | Master Zhuge. No tricks, I promise." She gives you a wink, then bounds Floyd | off into the woods, changing to her fox form as she goes. When you meet Floyd | with Master Zhuge, will you offer the fox spirit's gift? Floyd | Floyd | A: I will present my original gift to Master Zhuge. Floyd | B: I will present the fox spirit's pack to Master Zhuge. Floyd | C: I will offer both gifts. Floyd | | inky says, "hunh" | |
| inky asks, "it doesn't say what her gift is, I guess?" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Well, she said she'd help us. But she also is tricksy." | ||
| Zach says, "Hmm" | ||
| maga says, "everybody loves extra presents. C." | ||
| Zach says, "Sure." | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > Perhaps that is best. It is dark before you reach the small mountain Floyd | hut where Master Shen's map said it would be. You rap on the door, Floyd | expecting it to open with hospitality, even at this late hour and even Floyd | from a legendary hermit. What you do not expect is for a wizened and Floyd | wiry old woman, white hair dangling in a long braid down her back, to Floyd | open the door with distaste. Floyd | Floyd | "I am not interested in visitors," she snaps. "Fend for yourself in the Floyd | mountains. Consult the stars. Maybe you'll learn something." Floyd | Floyd | A: Explain I am here from the Order of the Peach Tree to see Master Floyd | Zhuge, relying on the Order's reputation to bring goodwill. Floyd | B: Demand that this insolent old woman introduce me to Master Zhuge, Floyd | whom I have traveled so far to see. Floyd | C: Apologize for the late hour and ask for hospitality to be granted to Floyd | a humble monk. Floyd | D: Bow deeply. The way this woman moves, despite her age, reveals her Floyd | skill. I address her: "Master Zhuge." Floyd | | maga says, "unless the present is a satchel bomb, but whatever" | |
| inky says, "hunh, interesting" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "D." | ||
| Zach says, "D but address her as "Master Zhuge's daughter"" | ||
| inky says, "I guess he could be a cross-dresser" | ||
| inky says, "he has to do something to entertain himself when he's all alone in the wilderness" | ||
| maga says, "by the looks of it, the only place where male pronouns got used for Zhuge was in rumours" | ||
| inky says, "fair enough" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "d" | ||
Floyd | > It takes you a bare moment to reconcile the woman before you with the Floyd | legends you have learned about Zhuge the Immortal, the Veiled Dragon. Floyd | But though all the stories you know refer to Zhuge as a man, you can Floyd | sense the gravitas this woman has. Floyd | Floyd | The old woman beams. "It has been at least fifteen years since someone Floyd | identified me so quickly," she says. "Either you are a remarkably Floyd | clever monk, or I am getting less crafty in my old age." She holds the Floyd | door open. "I choose to believe it is the former. Please, come inside." Floyd | The hut is larger on the inside than it appeared on the outside, and Floyd | though it is sparely furnished, it is comfortable. The main room has a Floyd | small hearth; a kettle for tea water is currently suspended over it. Floyd | One wall is filled with racks of scrolls. Another has weapons of all Floyd | sizes and shapes suspended from it. Two paper doors hide additional Floyd | rooms. Floyd | Floyd | Master Zhuge offers you tea. Floyd | Floyd | A: Accept the tea and drink it as Master Zhuge drinks it. Floyd | B: Take the tea cup and contemplate the tea, considering its qualities. Floyd | C: Decline the tea. Floyd | | maga asks, "A. c'mon, what sort of asshole are we?" | |
| Zach says, "A. Sometimes a cup of tea is just a cup of tea." | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > It is hot, but refreshing. Once tea is concluded, you offer the gifts Floyd | to Master Zhuge. She takes what you offer with little expression, and Floyd | you cannot tell whether you have impressed the master or not. Master Floyd | Zhuge asks about your travels and the training you have already had. Floyd | She listens, revealing little with her expression, as you explain your Floyd | background. Floyd | Floyd | "I have decided to accept you, provisionally, as my apprentice," Master Floyd | Zhuge says. "I can teach you any number of things, if you are willing Floyd | to learn them." Floyd | Floyd | What do you hope to learn from Master Zhuge? Floyd | Floyd | A: I want to improve my fighting. Floyd | B: I want to learn the magic the Zhuge of legend is said to practice. Floyd | C: I need to work on my determination. Floyd | D: I am looking forward to studying strategy under the Veiled Dragon, Floyd | who is said to have been responsible for the defeat of three armies at Floyd | Hongcao Pass. Floyd | E: I really want to learn the art of poetry. Floyd | | maga says, "E" | |
| inky says, "ha ha" | ||
| maga says, "(I am sure it is a joke, but still)" | ||
| inky says, "wait, there's no option to learn immortal sexing" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Well, Zhuge does write rather fine poetry." | ||
| maga says, "poetry first, then smoochies" | ||
| Zach asks, "A liberal arts degree is this economy?" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "IRTA immortal sexting." | ||
| Zach says, "s/is/in" | ||
| Zach says, "Haha, me too" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "It did say that the possibly the Zhuge is immortal through the mystical arts of the bedchamber, though I have no idea what that was supposed to imply." | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "So, poetry?" | ||
| Zach says, "Maybe D because we've already practiced strategy. or E." | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "e" | ||
Floyd | > Master Zhuge seems surprised by the request, as very few people have Floyd | ever sought her out as a poetry instructor. Still, she is eager to find Floyd | another person with whom she can share her love of poetry. Floyd | Floyd | But rather than putting your own words together, or even studying the Floyd | words of the masters, Master Zhuge divides your day into two parts: Floyd | practicing calligraphy and meditating in a clearing near the hut. Floyd | Neither of these things feels much like poetry when you begin. Floyd | Floyd | A: I do not understand Master Zhuge's techniques and have taken to Floyd | making up poems in my head without her. Floyd | B: Clearly, the art of calligraphy is poetry's physical expression. The Floyd | words must also appear beautiful. Floyd | C: Sitting in nature is clearly about poetry. Poetry is about Floyd | observation as much as it is about creation. Floyd | | inky says, "poetry might help with our social skills" | |
| Zach says (to inky), "That has not been my experience." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "haha" | ||
| Jacqueline) Zach says, "Roses are red, violets are blue, you are real pretty, and so are me." | ||
| maga says, "A. There once was a dragon called Zhuge / who looked like a dried-up old loogie" | ||
| maga says, "(okay, fine, C)" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to maga), "Okay, yours is better." | ||
| Jacqueline asks (of z), "Okay with C?" | ||
| Zach says, "Hey, rhyming with words is hard!" | ||
| Zach says, "Sure, C" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > Master Zhuge begins to accompany you as you sit in the clearing, and Floyd | as you walk home together, she speaks to you in what you soon recognize Floyd | as extemporaneous verse. As you reply, you find that your words, too, Floyd | are becoming more poetic. One evening as you are practicing Floyd | calligraphy, Master Zhuge returns to the hut from an errand, and you Floyd | realize that she is carrying wine skins. You have never seen Master Floyd | Zhuge drink alcohol?in fact, you have actually seen her ingest little Floyd | other than tea and herbal compounds, which you have heard is one of the Floyd | ways a person may become immortal?so this comes as a surprise. Floyd | Floyd | "Are we having company?" you ask. Floyd | Floyd | "Yes," Master Zhuge says, setting a third chair at the table where you Floyd | drink tea together. "A friend of mine will be staying with us this Floyd | evening, and I suspect he will want plenty to drink while he is here." Floyd | She gestures to the several skins. "You may have some as well, of Floyd | course." Floyd | Floyd | You are curious about her guest, but she says no more, vanishing into Floyd | her room until, hours later, there is a knock on the door of her hut. Floyd | She goes to the door, a far cry from the crotchety old woman who Floyd | answered for you the first night you met her: she has piled her hair Floyd | into an elaborate coif and she wears a beautifully brocaded qipao, Floyd | looking every bit like a noble woman rather than a hermit. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | "Miao!" a man's voice booms when she opens the door, and it sounds Floyd | clear to you that he has already had a bit to drink. "It has been far Floyd | too long!" Floyd | Floyd | "Then you should visit more often, you old fool," Master Zhuge says, Floyd | but her voice is playful, and she ushers her guest inside. Floyd | Floyd | He is a huge man who wears a long robe with wide sleeves, and a tunic Floyd | draped on top of it. A waist-sash surrounds his enormous girth, and a Floyd | scholar's cap crowns his head. He sees you and starts in surprise. "And Floyd | who is this, Miao? A new student?" Floyd | Floyd | "Pai, this is Liu Meili, who is studying poetry with me. Liu Meili, Floyd | allow me to present Li Pai." Floyd | Floyd | The large man bellows a laugh. "A poet! I hope Miao has actually let Floyd | you write something down, young pupil. She is notorious for keeping Floyd | everything in her head." Floyd | Floyd | A: I bow politely to Master Zhuge's guest. Floyd | B: I laugh and admit that I have not yet written any poetry down while Floyd | studying under Master Zhuge, but insist that she is a fine teacher. Floyd | C: I am intimidated by this man and scared stiff at the notion of Floyd | discussing poetry with him. Floyd | D: I bow deeply to the poet. I recognize his name from the legends; he, Floyd | like Master Zhuge, is considered an immortal. Floyd | | maga says, "mrm, B, I think" | |
| Jacqueline asks, "B not D?" | ||
| maga says, "D is a second choice, but I guess this guy is not much for bowing and scraping" | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "Zach?" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Hm, may just go with B since he appears to be away." | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > "You see?" Master Zhuge says, a touch defensively. "Your school is Floyd | not the only one, Pai." "Let us speak of poetry! But first, Miao, tell Floyd | me that you have brought me wine." Floyd | Floyd | "Of course," says Master Zhuge, handing her guest the first of, you Floyd | suspect, many wine skins to be drunk that night. Floyd | Floyd | Li Pai begins to launch into his own poetry, and Master Zhuge responds Floyd | with her own, some that you recognize from the work of hers that you Floyd | have already heard and read, and some that sounds extemporaneous, but Floyd | no less sophisticated. After you have listened to the exchanges for Floyd | some time, it is clear that, in order to participate in this evening, Floyd | you will need to contribute some poetry of your own. Floyd | Floyd | A: I am happy just to be in the presence of two such gifted poets. I Floyd | will let it all sink in. Floyd | B: I am confident that I will be able to create extemporaneous poetry. Floyd | C: I am uncertain about creating my own poetry, but I rely on my memory Floyd | of older poems to add to the conversation. Floyd | | Jacqueline says, "B" | |
| maga says, "yeah, B" | ||
| inky says, "after all this time we spent meditating" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > You add to the conversation slowly at first, using your hours in the Floyd | clearing to call up appropriate imagery to reflect the emotional tone Floyd | of the conversation. And as the poets accept your contributions, your Floyd | confidence grows. Soon, you are spouting poetry as though you have been Floyd | doing it all your life. Floyd | Floyd | Many wine skins later and far after the moon has set, Master Zhuge Floyd | announces that it is time for the evening to come to an end. Your two Floyd | fellow poets wish you a good night, and you dream in verse. Floyd | Floyd | Li Pai stays for several more days before returning to the road, and Floyd | you bask in the poetry of the household. You continue your practice of Floyd | calligraphy and meditation while the poet is at the house?he sleeps the Floyd | majority of the day and does not miss your presence?and spend the Floyd | evenings engaging with the two masters of the art, honing your skill. Floyd | When Li Pai eventually has to leave, he encourages you to write down Floyd | some of your poems, despite Master Zhuge's training. Floyd | Floyd | To your surprise, Master Zhuge agrees. "I think it is time that you Floyd | commit some works to paper," she says after her friend has gone. "But I Floyd | think we can find some time for things other than poetry as well, my Floyd | student, if there are other things you wish to learn." Floyd | Floyd | A: I want to improve my fighting. Floyd | B: I want to learn the magic the Zhuge of legend is said to practice. Floyd | C: I need to work on my determination. Floyd | D: I am looking forward to studying strategy under the Veiled Dragon, Floyd | who is said to have been responsible for the defeat of three armies at Floyd | Hongcao Pass. Floyd | | ||
| arfy arrives, full of fun and funk. | maga says, "(although lack of originality would totally not be a faux pas in this context)" | |
| maga says, "okay, D" | ||
| inky says, "hm" | ||
| inky says, "I guess D is the most likely one to result in the empire being put on the right path" | ||
| Jacqueline exclaims, "But B might lead us to immortality so that if we don't get chosen to ask the dragon our question this time maybe we'd get to next time!" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "But sure, D." | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "d" | ||
Floyd | > You know the history of Hongcao Pass?it was one of your favorite Floyd | stories as a child, and you have studied the different tellings of that Floyd | event at every opportunity. Master Zhuge was on the side of Hong Wei, Floyd | the most capable general among the three armies, who fought on behalf Floyd | of the Imperial Family against a rebelling warlord and the horse-riding Floyd | savages of the western plains. Between General Hong and Master Zhuge, Floyd | the battle was decisive, and Hongcao Pass was named after the general, Floyd | who became a trusted advisor to the Emperor. Floyd | Floyd | The story that Master Zhuge tells you surprises you: Zhuge knew that in Floyd | order for the general's strategy to work, the army would need to double Floyd | the number of drummers sending out the orders to the soldiers. In order Floyd | to meet the army's need, Zhuge recruited a number of young women Floyd | instrumentalists from a nearby village. Though General Hong was unsure Floyd | about using untried women in the role, they were vital to his ruse: he Floyd | needed the drum calls to disorient his enemies and keep the opposing Floyd | armies from learning his location until it was too late for them to Floyd | prevent his attack. Zhuge snuck the women up into the pass into secure Floyd | locations, where their drum calls would echo and multiply, thus adding Floyd | further confusion to General Hong's original plan. Many other details Floyd | played into the battle, of course?including an east wind Master Zhuge Floyd | summoned, which caused the banners of the horse barbarians to flutter Floyd | chaotically in the winding pass and further disorient the enemy?but Floyd | history's record of the numbers is entirely accurate. Floyd | Floyd | As you discuss old battles, day after day, Master Zhuge insists that Floyd | you play go. The board game, played on a grid where stones of opposing Floyd | colors?black and white?are used to attempt to surround their opponent's Floyd | pieces, distracts you from the tales of Master Zhuge's important Floyd | strategic decisions. Floyd | Floyd | Do you question her technique? Floyd | Floyd | A: The distraction is unwelcome. I would rather pore over maps of Floyd | Master Zhuge's campaigns. Floyd | B: The multitasking is difficult, but I suspect it is part of the Floyd | exercise. Floyd | C: I love go! I could play this game all day. Floyd | | inky says, "I was assuming this was a no-magic setting so B was just rumors" | |
| inky says, "hmm" | ||
| inky says, "uh, ok, except apparently she could summon up an east wind" | ||
| maga says, "B" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > Paying attention to both the stories and the strategy of the game, Floyd | retaining both in your head without being distracted, is certainly a Floyd | skill that requires a quick mind. It also has the added benefit of Floyd | causing you to focus more closely on Master Zhuge's reactions and Floyd | expressions. You feel you are beginning to learn how to read her Floyd | emotions more clearly, and your insight into her expressions aids both Floyd | your game and your understanding of her campaign decisions. One Floyd | evening, during which you are comparing two accounts of the campaign Floyd | during the Border War fought between Emperor Da Xiaoten?the grandfather Floyd | of current Emperor Da Gaozu, the Son of Heaven?and the barbarians of Floyd | the western plains, Master Zhuge sets up the go board, as has become Floyd | your custom. This time, however, she sets three chairs around the Floyd | table. Floyd | Floyd | "Are we having company?" you ask. Floyd | Floyd | "In a manner of speaking," Master Zhuge says in her typical cryptic Floyd | fashion. Floyd | Floyd | After arranging the board, Master Zhuge disappears into her room, then Floyd | returns with a silk bag and heads outside. You follow, curious, and Floyd | watch as she withdraws a bundle of small flags and arranges them in a Floyd | circle. She begins to chant in a language that is only vaguely Floyd | familiar?it sounds like a very old dialect of your own language, with a Floyd | very different vocabulary?and, after a few moments, the ghost appears. Floyd | At first he is only a shade, but as Master Zhuge's chanting continues, Floyd | he resolves into a tall man wearing scale armor over a changshan. A red Floyd | cloak is draped over his armor, and his helmet is decorated with an Floyd | equally red feather plume. A well-shaped beard and mustache, flecked Floyd | with gray, surround a mouth that breaks into a smile when he sees your Floyd | master. Floyd | Floyd | "Zhuge Miao," he says, sounding like an echo of a once-booming voice. Floyd | "Has it been long, my friend?" Floyd | Floyd | "Ages," Master Zhuge confirms, taking the ghost's hands in her own. "I Floyd | have a go player to introduce you to while I tell you stories of the Floyd | future." Floyd | Floyd | The man looks at you sharply. Floyd | Floyd | A: I bow, in deference to this old friend of my master's. Floyd | B: I bow, but only slightly. Surely I have greater status than a ghost! Floyd | C: I remain frozen in place, unsure how to greet a ghost. Floyd | D: I bow, recognizing General Hong Wei from his description in the Floyd | legends. Floyd | | inky says, "ha ha" | |
| arfy says, "good morning, everyone" | ||
| maga says, "D" | ||
| Zach says, "Sorry, phone call." | ||
| Zach says, "Hey arfy" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Hi, arfy. We're a couple of hours into a game already, I'm afraid." | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "d" | ||
Floyd | > The general notices the clear respect on your face and returns your Floyd | bow. "I see you have recognized my old friend," Master Zhuge says Floyd | warmly. "Wei, this is Liu Meili, my student. Liu Meili, I present to Floyd | you General Hong Wei." "It is an honor," you say, and your admiration, Floyd | honed by years of studying his feats in combat, is clear. The ghost Floyd | laughs. "We will see what you say after I have defeated you at go!" Floyd | Floyd | Inside, Master Zhuge offers the ghost her usual seat. She begins to Floyd | busy herself around the hut in a way that strikes you as more domestic Floyd | than her typical fashion. Floyd | Floyd | "You may go first," says General Hong. Floyd | Floyd | What is your strategy? Floyd | Floyd | A: I play in silence, focused solely on the game, even though this will Floyd | be construed as rudeness. Floyd | B: I have been training with Master Zhuge to converse and play at the Floyd | same time. I can handle the challenge. Floyd | C: I study General Hong's expressions, trying to draw him into Floyd | storytelling and conversation that will distract him from the game. Floyd | | Zach says, "D." | |
| Jacqueline says, "Wow, I keep mischanneling. Weird." | ||
| arfy says, "no problem. just observing. silly timezones" | ||
| maga says, "C." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "C" | ||
| Zach says, "Yeah, C seems like B but with more strategy" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > You place your first piece, then wait politely for the general, Floyd | who?for the purposes of the evening at least?outranks you, to draw you | Zach says, "We'll be able to see right through him." | |
Floyd | into conversation. Once he begins to talk, you are free to ask Floyd | questions. While you might be inclined to keep him engaged on topics Floyd | from his own life, it is clear from the way he reacts to your questions Floyd | and to comments from Master Zhuge that he is far more interested in Floyd | current events. General Hong is dismayed by the foreign presence in the Floyd | Middle Kingdom?after all, he spent years trying to keep out the Floyd | horse-riding barbarians?but he is scrupulously polite regarding the Floyd | Imperial Family. You tell him of your own campaign?small though it Floyd | was?at Kuei Xian and ask what he would have done. Floyd | Floyd | The puzzle of the bandits?and what he would do to confront both them Floyd | and the foreigners were he the current Imperial General?captivates him Floyd | utterly. So utterly that he does not notice your command of the board, Floyd | or how quickly you are surrounding his pieces. When he eventually Floyd | realizes what has happened, he laughs. Floyd | Floyd | "Miao, your student has distracted me!" he complains good-naturedly. Floyd | Floyd | "Didn't you always tell me that distractions are an inevitable part of Floyd | battle?" she asks, mischief clear in her voice. Floyd | Floyd | "So I did," he answers, finishing the game to his inevitable defeat. Floyd | General Hong remains for conversation after the game, but eventually, Floyd | Master Zhuge returns him to the celestial realms. It is clear that none Floyd | of you really wanted the evening to end. Floyd | Floyd | When Master Zhuge returns with her silk bag, she looks at you, clearly Floyd | pleased. Floyd | Floyd | "I believe we can have company more often," she says. "I also believe Floyd | that you are ready for lessons on an additional topic. What else would Floyd | you like to learn?" Floyd | Floyd | A: I want to improve my fighting. Floyd | B: I want to learn the magic the Zhuge of legend is said to practice. Floyd | C: I need to work on my determination. Floyd | | Jacqueline says (to Zach), "har" | |
| maga says, "okay, A" | ||
| inky says, "nice" | ||
| inky says, "I'm not sure that actually bought us anything, but I guess it's hard to say" | ||
| Zach says, "Hmm, B or C" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "I've been curious about B, but it seems wrong to ask, somehow." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Then again, maybe being bold is part of the path." | ||
| inky says, "we already softened her up some" | ||
| maga says, "c'mon, dudes, this is becoming Choice of Not Kung Fu" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "haha" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "I like a B." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Zach says he might like a B." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "We've been going with majority rule." | ||
| Zach says, "Yeah, B" | ||
| arfy asks, "perhaps a save might be a good thing here?" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "But then that one time we went with majority and it was disastrous, so." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "I don't think we can save, arfy." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "And I'm not trying." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Last time I tried something I crashed the game." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "ChoiceScript doesn't work the same way our other games do, so." | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > You have chosen to learn magic?or, at least, what the superstitious Floyd | would call magic. Master Zhuge explains that it is all a matter of Floyd | understanding the flow of energy through the universe. When she says Floyd | it, of course, it sounds simple. But your new training regimen is Floyd | anything but. You find that magic is much less about action and much Floyd | more about scholarship. Master Zhuge has you studying star charts, Floyd | herbal encyclopedias, and books on anatomy. You imagine you can feel Floyd | your muscles atrophy as you do nothing but read. Floyd | Floyd | Are you frustrated by all this book learning? Floyd | Floyd | A: I am fascinated by everything I am learning, and am eager to learn Floyd | more. Floyd | B: I love what I am learning, but wake before dawn in order to have Floyd | time to go through my forms, so that my body remembers its fighting Floyd | arts. Floyd | C: I am sick of books and wish I were doing something with more action. Floyd | | Jacqueline says, "B" | |
| maga says, "yeah, B" | ||
| inky says, "these games make it so easy to decide to wake up early" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "hee" | ||
| maga says, "you're a monk" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > You sense that Master Zhuge approves of your efforts. One afternoon, Floyd | rather than get out another text on anatomy, she teaches you a form Floyd | from the art of qigong, a style that emphasizes the energy points Floyd | within the body, both for disabling foes and for healing friends. You Floyd | add this to your morning practice. One day, Master Zhuge draws you away Floyd | from the texts she has assigned you to study and takes you on a walk Floyd | through the woods. Though you have been to the stream near her hut Floyd | before, you have never noticed the gazebo to which she takes you. It is Floyd | a rainy day, and the sound of the raindrops falling on the water adds Floyd | volume to the stream's babble and the rustling of wind through the Floyd | trees. Floyd | Floyd | "Today, we spar," she announces. Floyd | Floyd | She moves to the gazebo and sits on one of the benches inside. A figure Floyd | comes out of the woods?a beautiful woman dressed in a thick brocaded Floyd | qipao, who carries an erhu. Floyd | Floyd | After a moment, you recognize the woman as Feng, the huli jing. She Floyd | draws her bow and sits demurely on the ground at the door of the Floyd | gazebo, where she begins to play a haunting melody. Floyd | Floyd | A: I stand in a fighting stance, prepared to spar as Master Zhuge said. Floyd | B: I sit in the gazebo and await further instruction. Floyd | C: I sit in the gazebo and look at Master Zhuge until she meets my Floyd | eyes. Floyd | | maga says, "you've spent decades on being woken up every morning by a more important monk with a whippin' cane" | |
| Zach says, "I want to see where C leads" | ||
| inky says, "I feel like I've seen this specific scene in a movie" | ||
| inky asks, "Hero, maybe?" | ||
| Zach says, "Or wait, I misread that." | ||
| DavidW arrives, ready to play with the toys. | Jacqueline asks, "I'll go with C, sure. Wait, no?" | |
| gjnave arrives, full of neither funk nor fun. | maga says, "sure, C" | |
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > You realize exactly what is happening: Master Zhuge has challenged Floyd | you to a mind-to-mind battle. She locks eyes with you, and you begin. Floyd | You see the scene clearly, everything moving in slow motion, from the Floyd | rain hitting the water of the stream to the strings of the erhu Floyd | vibrating. In your mind, Zhuge stands, her giant bladed spear?her guan Floyd | dao?in her hand, lowered at you. Floyd | Floyd | A: In my mind, I also rise, focusing on the pressure points I have Floyd | learned from the anatomy texts, and strike out open-handed. Floyd | B: I visualize the battle the way I wish it to go, shaping the reality Floyd | of the vision with my will. Floyd | | Zach says, "Oh, I do like it. I thought it was talking about Feng at first." | |
| inky says, "whoah, fancy" | ||
| maga says, "A" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > In the vision, you stand, your body coiled like a snake's, and as Floyd | Master Zhuge approaches you, you step to the side and strike out, Floyd | targeting thirteen different points on her head and neck, determined to Floyd | hit every one of them in a quick series of strikes. Floyd | Floyd | Your blows begin to land, but Master Zhuge, too, is a master of snake Floyd | forms. Her guan dao vanishes and she meets you snake for snake. You Floyd | shift to crane stance, evading her strikes and flying out of the way. Floyd | Floyd | The erhu plays, and your battle becomes a dance. You become so engaged Floyd | in the patterns and movement that you cease to care who will win, Floyd | living in this moment and letting go of worries of the future. You Floyd | strike out, dance back, strike again, parry and counter. And still the Floyd | erhu plays, and the rain glides across the surface of the stream. Floyd | Floyd | Master Zhuge spins away, grants you a broad smile, and bows. You return Floyd | the bow, and discover that you are both still seated in the gazebo. The Floyd | erhu vibrates with the last note of the song. "Well done," says Master Floyd | Zhuge. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | After you have studied with Zhuge Miao for two years, your teacher once Floyd | again asks you to sit with her for tea. "I have decided to go away for Floyd | a time," she announces. "I have been in touch with Master Shen at the Floyd | Order of the Peach Tree, and I understand that you are to remain in the Floyd | Kuei Xian region. I would offer you my humble home," she says with a Floyd | gesture around the room, "but I am afraid it is not quite the same when Floyd | I am not here." Floyd | Floyd | You have noticed strange properties of the building?the way it seems to Floyd | hold more than it should, that furniture seems to move out of Master Floyd | Zhuge's way, that the windows darken against the sun or brighten on Floyd | cloudy days?and are unsurprised that it, like Master Zhuge, is more Floyd | than natural. Floyd | Floyd | "I have arranged for you to have a small house on the edge of Kuei Floyd | Xian," she continues. "It should have enough space for you to continue Floyd | your training, as well as live in comfort. My friend Feng will see to Floyd | it that you have everything that you need." She sees your expression of Floyd | surprise and continues with a smile. "Feng is a huli jing?a fox Floyd | spirit?but she has been my trusted companion for many years. She will Floyd | not take you down the foxhole unless you either wish it or become very, Floyd | very foolish." Floyd | Floyd | Clearly Master Zhuge is unaware of your previous interactions with the Floyd | fox spirit?which, you suppose, is just as well. Floyd | Floyd | Master Zhuge puts her tea cup down, looking older than she has in the Floyd | whole time you have known her. "My student," she says, "the truth is Floyd | that even I will not live forever. You have learned much from me?as Floyd | much as any single one of all the students I have taught in my years as Floyd | a master?and I have decided to make you my heir. If you accept, you Floyd | shall be considered a member of the Zhuge family, and the heir to the Floyd | Zhuge style of kung fu. Will you accept this responsibility?" Floyd | Floyd | A: Yes, of course! It is a great honor. Floyd | B: I do not want that responsibility. I must decline. Floyd | | maga says, "take you down the foxhole, eh" | |
| gjnave waves his arms, rolls a poor lore check, and then disappears - 'oh cra..' | maga says, "and obviously A, yes" | |
| DavidW asks, "I assume this is a ChoiceScript game?" | ||
| inky says, "yeah" | ||
| Zach asks, "Wait, aren't we supposed to saving the kingdom or something?" | ||
| Zach says, "A" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > Master Zhuge smiles. "It is settled then, Zhuge Meili. Use what I Floyd | have taught you wisely, and perhaps, one day, we will meet again." It Floyd | seems that your time of study under Master Zhuge has come to an end, Floyd | but that your years away from the Order continue. Floyd | Floyd | >Chapter Four: Kuei Xian | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | The move from Master Zhuge's hermitage up the mountain to the house on Floyd | the outskirts of Kuei Xian goes smoothly, especially with Feng's help. Floyd | The fox spirit has a knack for making heavy objects?like the racks of Floyd | weapons that Master Zhuge has entrusted to you, or the trunks of Floyd | scrolls from Master Zhuge's library?take up far less space than they Floyd | ought to. Her willingness to put in her own hard labor is surprising, Floyd | given the reputation of huli jing, but considering Master Zhuge's kind Floyd | words about the fox spirit, you take her efforts at face value. Floyd | Floyd | For now. Floyd | Floyd | The house is far larger than the small cottage you expected, and more Floyd | space than you have had to yourself since you first joined the Order of Floyd | the Peach Tree. Built in the traditional courtyard design, it has a Floyd | front wall with an entryway into a large open courtyard, decorated by a Floyd | pair of cherry trees. The house is built in a U around the courtyard; Floyd | opposite the wall is the main section of the house, with a kitchen, a Floyd | study, a dining room, and a bedroom. The two sides, connected to the Floyd | main section of the house by open-air hallways at the corners, are Floyd | large, empty spaces with smooth bamboo flooring. A final L-shaped Floyd | building, which doubles as the wall around two sides of the property, Floyd | appears intended to house a staff of servants. Clearly, this property Floyd | once belonged to someone wealthy enough to live in comfort, though the Floyd | servants' building is in a state of disrepair. Floyd | Floyd | Feng does not take a room for herself, but she does seem to know when Floyd | her help is required, and over the course of a few weeks, you discover Floyd | that you always wake to the smell of a hot breakfast and a scented Floyd | oolong tea. The side halls never seem to gather dust, despite the fact Floyd | that you have little use for so much space. Feng herself rarely Floyd | appears, leaving you to unpack Master Zhuge's weapons and scrolls?and Floyd | continue your studies?in solitude. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | Jacqueline says (to DW), "Yes" | |
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | At the start of the fourth week, Feng makes herself present at Floyd | breakfast, wearing a face and garb that give her the appearance of Floyd | being the fair daughter of some well-to-do merchant or tea house owner. Floyd | Despite her human form, her seven tails wave behind her back. Floyd | Floyd | "I know that Miao was a hermit, but I didn't expect you to follow her Floyd | path that way," the fox spirit complains, almost petulantly. "If you're Floyd | going to be here for a while, you ought to connect with members of the Floyd | community, and invite them to visit before I become utterly bored." Floyd | Floyd | A bored fox spirit does not sound like a positive feature of your new Floyd | home. Floyd | Floyd | A: I am content with solitude. I will hole up in the main section of Floyd | the house and continue my training. Floyd | B: The point of my wandering years is to experience more of the world. Floyd | I will explore the social dynamics of Kuei Xian. Floyd | C: This space is ideal for starting a school to teach others the skills Floyd | I have learned. Floyd | | maga says, "B" | |
| inky says, "we're not old enough to start a school yet" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "All this talk of food is making me hungry, but I will go with B." | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > Feng sighs. "Politics! I was hoping for something a little more Floyd | interesting." She gives you a devilish grin. "Like romance." Floyd | Floyd | The fox spirit seats herself at the table and pours herself a cup of Floyd | tea?the oolong scented with osmanthus flowers that she brews every Floyd | morning. "There are really two scenarios here. One is that you allow me Floyd | to help you shape your social and romantic life, with your consent. The Floyd | other is that I shape it without your permission. I'm a fox spirit. I Floyd | can't help myself. So, shall we do this the friendly way or the Floyd | sure-to-create-chaos way?" Floyd | Floyd | A: I accept Feng's help. At least I will have partial control of the Floyd | chaos. Floyd | B: I can stand up to the chaos of a fox spirit. Let her do her worst. Floyd | | maga says, "also if we do not have mannered tea-parties, how will we get ourselves a proper nemesis" | |
| inky says, "ha ha" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "I am loving this. Good with either one, but probably A." | ||
| maga says, "yeah, A" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > "Let's do this the friendly way," you say, with some resignation. Floyd | Floyd | Feng lets out a gleeful shriek, then hides her smile behind her teacup. Floyd | Floyd | "I've already done some research," she says. "But first I need to know Floyd | about your taste. Give me your hand." Floyd | Floyd | As soon as your hand is enclosed in the fox spirit's nimble fingers, Floyd | the room vanishes, and before your eyes parade images of handsome men Floyd | and beautiful women in all styles of clothing. Though the shapes of Floyd | their faces and forms vary, all of them are almost inhumanly Floyd | attractive. Floyd | Floyd | Which do you find yourself most attracted to? Floyd | Floyd | A: The men. Floyd | B: The women. Floyd | C: Both men and women. Floyd | D: None of them. Floyd | | Jacqueline says, "C, though D might have some crazy result." | |
| inky says, "if you pick D, maybe you can hook up with the fox spirit" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "That would be great." | ||
| maga says, "or else all our years of monking and cold showers have squashed our libido" | ||
| maga says, "but yeah, C" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > You feel a wave of amusement wash over you, almost as though it is Floyd | your own. Feng takes a slow sip from her teacup, hiding her expression, Floyd | then sets it down on the table. Floyd | Floyd | "You may not have noticed the time passing," she says, "but we are Floyd | nearing Qi Xi?the seventh day of the seventh month?and Kuei Xian is Floyd | having a festival in honor of the holiday in a week's time. There will Floyd | be food, dancing, fireworks, and plenty of traveling merchants creating Floyd | a huge marketplace in our normally humble village. It is a perfect time Floyd | to begin a romance. I will make sure that eligible candidates happen to Floyd | run into you at the festival. I've also heard that your former rival, Floyd | Lu Jin, may be visiting Kuei Xian soon, if you'd be interested Floyd | in?reconnecting." Her delivery of the last word is heavily weighted Floyd | with innuendo. Floyd | Floyd | The Qi Xi festival is always one of the most cheerful festivals?and Floyd | Feng is right, it is a time that is ripe for romance. There is an old Floyd | legend about a cowhand who fell in love with a celestial maiden?and she Floyd | returned his love. But the gods frowned on the romance and separated Floyd | the lovers; when they realized how deeply the two felt for each other, Floyd | however, they granted them one day a year, the seventh day of the Floyd | seventh month, that they could be together. Floyd | Floyd | Legends aside, how do you feel about Feng's plan? Floyd | Floyd | A: Feng is right, it is the perfect time to begin a romance. I accept Floyd | her guidance in meeting people at the festival. Floyd | B: I will attend the festival to meet the town leaders. Floyd | C: I will attend the festival in order to recruit students for my Floyd | school. Floyd | D: I am interested in romance, but I confess to Feng that I am already Floyd | interested in someone. Floyd | | Zach says, "Man, I wish we could save and try all the options." | |
| Jacqueline says (to Z), "Yeah." | ||
| inky asks, "a *cowhand*?" | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "oooh D? D being Feng?" | ||
| Zach says, "Oh ho, I hadn't thought about that." | ||
| inky says, "D might let us select from a bunch of NPCs we've met" | ||
| maga says, "A or D" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "d" | ||
Floyd | > Feng looks mischievously intrigued by this development. "I thought I Floyd | would have noticed your having any romantic interest by now, monk," she Floyd | says. "Tell me, who is the lucky person?" Floyd | Floyd | A: I admit my longing for my former rival, Lu Jin. Floyd | B: I confess my interest in Feng herself. Floyd | | maga says, "(srsly though, not Lu Jin)" | |
| Jacqueline says, "So, B." | ||
| Zach says, "Hooray" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > To your surprise, the fox spirit blushes. Floyd | Floyd | "How unexpected," she says, almost to herself. "I admit I find you Floyd | intriguing?certainly more so than other monks that I have met?but I did Floyd | not think a monk would return those feelings." She turns away, as Floyd | though she is unable to meet your eyes. "I want us to be clear. I have Floyd | promised Miao that I will not take you down the foxhole unless you ask Floyd | it, but I promised nothing about the possibility of warming your bed. Floyd | Is that what you wish?" Floyd | Floyd | A: Yes. I cannot deny my attraction to the fox spirit. Floyd | B: I did not actually believe she would accept my advance. Faced with Floyd | the reality of being a fox spirit's lover, I find I cannot actually Floyd | accept. Floyd | | maga says, "also, what about fat poet dude" | |
| inky says, "ha ha" | ||
| maga says, "why does he not get any lovin'" | ||
| arfy has had his fill of playing for now, and goes back to the Lounge. | Jacqueline says, "hahaha" | |
| Jacqueline says, "SO TRUE" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Anyway, stay the course: A." | ||
| maga says, "yeah, no wimping out" | ||
| Zach says, "A" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "A" | ||
Floyd | > Feng is almost inhumanly beautiful, and what she offers holds the Floyd | promise of great pleasure?and, you hope, something more. You move to Floyd | kneel next to her, then reach out to cup her face in your hand before Floyd | you draw her into a deep kiss. She returns it with ardor, and soon, Floyd | breakfast and your conversation have been forgotten. Floyd | Floyd | But hours later, after you have explored each other thoroughly and are Floyd | lying in the bed she promised to warm, she looks at you, draping her Floyd | long hair, now worn loose, across your chest. "I certainly won't Floyd | suggest that you use the festival to find a bedmate," she says Floyd | cheerfully, "but it remains an opportunity to get involved with Kuei Floyd | Xian, or recruit students to teach here if that's what you really want. Floyd | There will be food, and dancing. I think we should attend." Floyd | Floyd | A: I am unconcerned with worldly issues, but am intrigued by the Floyd | festival, and would like to amuse Feng. Floyd | B: I am unconcerned with worldly issues and would rather not attend the Floyd | festival. Floyd | C: I feel I should get involved with the community, and attending the Floyd | festival is a good way to do so. Floyd | | maga says, "A or C" | |
| Jacqueline says, "A" | ||
| Zach says, "I'm sure the community would love to have a spirit-loving magic-poet peach-tree monk." | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "Who wouldn't?" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > Feng seems genuinely pleased with your response. As well as you are Floyd | coming to know the fox spirit, it remains hard to tell when some Floyd | expressions are feigned?but this one strikes you as true. Floyd | Floyd | The evening of the festival arrives. Feng takes your arm and Floyd | accompanies you into Kuei Xian. The center of the village has been Floyd | transformed into an outdoor banquet hall: it looks as though everyone Floyd | in the village has contributed something. Clearly Governor Rong and his Floyd | family have contributed more than most, a fact the governor is not shy Floyd | about making known, based on the way he appears to be holding court. Floyd | Floyd | Paper lanterns have been strung up from the doors of all the nearby Floyd | homes and businesses, and musicians perform in the streets. Already, Floyd | some of the younger villagers have begun dancing. Floyd | Floyd | How do you wish to spend your evening? Floyd | Floyd | A: I want to spend time with Feng. Floyd | B: I wander through the festival until I am ready to return home. Floyd | | maga says, "that's a bit unclear" | |
| Jacqueline asks, "Why are these mutually exclusive?" | ||
| Zach asks, "A. Is this starting to get serious?" | ||
| Zach says, "I guess be implies 'alone'" | ||
| maga says, "I suppose B" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "B seems to be what Feng would want." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "We are with her a lot anyway." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "And she wants us to meet people." | ||
| maga says, "but yeah, the wording means that either option could mean either thing" | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "So.... ?" | ||
| maga says, "B." | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > After so much solitude, it is heartwarming to be surrounded by so Floyd | many joyous people. It is also tiring. Though the food is excellent and Floyd | the dancing is scheduled to go on until dawn, you find yourself ready Floyd | to return home to the quiet of your courtyard and the comfort of your Floyd | bed. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | A week goes by before you begin to receive visitors. One bright Floyd | morning, a young man arrives at your door. When you meet him at the Floyd | gate, he bows. Floyd | Floyd | "Honored Master Zhuge, I seek to become your student." Floyd | Floyd | You have already given some thought about how you will greet Floyd | prospective students. At the Order of the Peach Tree, student spend Floyd | years doing menial labor before they are granted permission to learn Floyd | forms and techniques. In other places, students are left to wait Floyd | outside without food or drink, and only those who survive several days Floyd | without giving up?or fainting?are allowed to be taught. Floyd | Floyd | How do you greet your first prospective student? Floyd | Floyd | A: I make him wait?but only a few hours. Then I set him to work doing Floyd | chores. Floyd | B: I welcome him immediately, ushering him inside and discussing what Floyd | he hopes to learn. Floyd | C: Although it could mean fewer students, I want only the most Floyd | tenacious. I tell him to come back tomorrow and get to work repairing Floyd | the servants' building. Floyd | D: I only want the brightest students. I ask them an impossible riddle. Floyd | | maga says, "hmmm" | |
| inky says, "hmm, that is an interesting one" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "I like a D." | ||
| maga says, "not B. we're not running a beach resort here" | ||
| maga says, "C or D" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "The whole hazing thing is off-putting to me." | ||
| Zach says, "Indeed. I am intrigued by an impossible riddle. That seems zenish." | ||
| inky says, "maybe we should get a reputation as the easy-to-get-into monastery so we have a lot of applicats and can grow up a mighty organization" | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "inky, you keep interjecting, should I be waiting for you to vote?" | ||
| inky says, "nah" | ||
| Jacqueline asks (of inky), "Soon we can build a mega-monastery?" | ||
| inky says, "exactly" | ||
| maga says (to inky), "Way of the Adequate Hedgehog" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "That is worse than hazing." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "f d" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Whoops" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "d" | ||
Floyd | > You pose a difficult riddle, one that will reveal not only critical Floyd | thinking skills but a familiarity with literature and philosophy. The Floyd | prospective student sits to consider it, then leaves. Floyd | Floyd | But he returns the next day, with a friend. Floyd | Floyd | A week and a handful of additional minds later, the first student Floyd | approaches you with an answer, without sharing it with his peers. It is Floyd | correct, and you let him inside the gate. Floyd | Floyd | "Why didn't you share the answer?" you ask. Floyd | Floyd | "How will they learn if they don't figure it out on their own?" he asks Floyd | in return. Floyd | Floyd | It takes time for others to solve the riddle, and many give up. But Floyd | soon you have a group of very clever students who are eager to learn. Floyd | Floyd | Having the cleverest students also serves to keep you on your toes, and Floyd | you have to work to stay one step ahead of them. They drive you to be Floyd | your best in order to teach them to be theirs. Floyd | Floyd | What do you teach at your school? Floyd | Floyd | A: Physical combat. Floyd | B: Magic. Floyd | C: Both physical combat and magic. Floyd | | maga says, "C" | |
| Jacqueline says, "Sure." | ||
| maga says, "it seems as though we haven't specialised enough in either" | ||
| inky says, "it seems like "both" is always the right answer here" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "(Gosh this game has a lot of content. I wonder if all the lines are this long, or if we are just on a really good track.)" | ||
| inky says, "like you can't just learn kung-fu, they always want to make you learn the tea ceremony first" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > Though you believe in balancing body, mind, and spirit, your own Floyd | skills are not as balanced as you would like. The students recognize Floyd | your weaknesses, and though they do not say anything, it is clear that Floyd | they doubt your teaching style. Floyd | Floyd | They do begin to learn, however, and you feel that you have a good Floyd | group of students, with several years of training to look forward to. Floyd | Floyd | After your first year in Kuei Xian, your school has recruited 10 Floyd | students. Though you know you are waiting to be recalled to the Order Floyd | of the Peach Tree, you feel you have made a good start settling into Floyd | your wandering years, and that you are doing your teachers proud. Floyd | Floyd | >Chapter Five: The Challenger | Zach says, "Yeah, let's multiclass 'em" | |
| inky says, "hunh, intersting" | ||
| maga says, "dammit" | ||
| inky says, "I guess we're probably better at magic than at physical whaddyacall" | ||
| Zach says, "Ah, yeah, we didn't learn fighting from Zhuge." | ||
| maga says, "(again, that'd have been a nice point to look at stats)" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "True." | ||
| Jacqueline exclaims, "But we passed that fighting challenge!" | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | One evening in late spring, the bloom of cherry blossoms perfuming the Floyd | air, you watch a pair of your students sparring and you are reminded of Floyd | your days as a young student at the Order of the Peach Tree. It seems Floyd | now many years ago?and, in fact, it has been many years since you were Floyd | last there. Eight years have passed since your training under Master Floyd | Zhuge ended, but still, the Order has not sent for you to return. You Floyd | have kept busy and, in fact, prosperous. Though several of your Floyd | earliest students have left to pursue other training?or have gone on Floyd | their own years of wandering?others have joined your school to take Floyd | their places. Floyd | Floyd | Despite your lack of connections to either the ranking families of the Floyd | Middle Kingdom or the Blue Scarves Rebellion, you have managed to Floyd | attract a number of students who have the core desire of learning the Floyd | martial arts from a master. Given your years of study, you certainly Floyd | have much to teach! Floyd | Floyd | But on a day like today, as your students bow to each other, and then Floyd | to you, your mind is less on their critique than it is on your future. Floyd | The years between now and the appearance of the Dragon Sage are Floyd | shrinking?but in the meantime, you have built a satisfying life for Floyd | yourself. What are your thoughts about the future? Floyd | Floyd | A: I am surprisingly content with this life and question my earlier Floyd | ambitions. Floyd | B: I am concerned that it has taken so long for the Order to remember Floyd | me. Floyd | C: I continue to strive toward becoming the one monk worthy enough to Floyd | consult the Dragon Sage. Floyd | | Zach says (to Jacq), "Only in our mind." | |
| inky says, "hmm" | ||
| maga says, "A" | ||
| inky says, "I guess we're still in the order of the peach tree nominally so we can still get picked" | ||
| Zach says, "C. I still don't understand kites." | ||
| inky says, "ha ha" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "I like C here." | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "Why A, maga?" | ||
| maga says, "seems as though we have a pretty sweet deal here, and also I was never very enthusiastic about the stupid dragon anyway" | ||
| maga says, "p.s. I am totally more of a Daoist than is suitable for a Shaolin monk" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Oh, so not playing the system, just going with your heart. Got it." | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "So, Z, you want to say Z, but only so we can ask the Dragon about kites?" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Also, damn you, inky, I have Steve Miller stuck in my head." | ||
| DavidW says, "I get suspicious of 'content' choices. It invites the author to introduce a random new bit of business or end the story." | ||
| Zach says, "A or C is fine. I think C would be more interesting since we don't seem like the best teacher." | ||
| Zach says, "Though we do have a foxy girlfriend." | ||
| Zach asks, "But are we really in love?" | ||
| inky says, "fox spirits are probably into open relationships" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "snrk" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > You are well suited to being a teacher, and are happy that it has Floyd | taken so long for the Order of the Peach Tree to remember that they can Floyd | one day call you back to the monastery. When that day comes, you will Floyd | face a hard choice of which part of your life to leave behind. Floyd | Floyd | After dismissing your students, you prepare to retire for the evening, Floyd | letting the smell of the cherry blossoms wash over you. As you enter Floyd | the part of the house that remains your private chambers, you settle Floyd | into the routine of your own training. How have you been focusing your Floyd | studies? Floyd | Floyd | A: I study the texts of ancient masters, applying old traditions to the Floyd | new techniques I am working to develop. Floyd | B: I focus on my physical efforts and on my teaching, particularly in Floyd | sparring with my senior students and teaching my lowest level students Floyd | their basics. Floyd | C: I take trips into the mountains in order to challenge myself as a Floyd | survivor in the wilds. Floyd | D: I seek out other teachers of renown, inviting them to lecture at my Floyd | school. Floyd | | ||
| Limax arrives, full of neither funk nor fun. | Zach asks, "Also, since when do monks get to date?" | |
| Limax says, "When they'e making chips" | ||
| maga says, "C." | ||
| inky says, "hmm" | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "B, since we're deficient there?" | ||
| inky says, "maybe it's too late to try to repair our fighting skills, though" | ||
| maga says (to Zach), "there is a disgusting legend about the Dalai Lama that is apropos here" | ||
| inky says, "and we should work on increasing our other abilities" | ||
| inky says, "D seems mostly beneficial to our students, and C seems mostly beneficial to us" | ||
| Zach says, "I agree with inky. I'd say A or D." | ||
| inky says, "I guess A is also mostly beneficial to us" | ||
| Jacqueline asks (of maga), "You just love finding ways to work that into conversation, don't you?" | ||
| inky says, "B is kind of a mix" | ||
| inky says (to maga), "let's hear it" | ||
| Jacqueline sighs. | ||
| Zach asks, "Da Laid Lama?" | ||
| maga says, "okay, so the Dalai Lama has been trying to instill religious discipline on his senior monks, who all have mistresses and girlfriends" | ||
| maga says, "and then it transpires that the Dalai Lama has also been getting up to hanky-panky, and they come to complain to him about this hypocrisy" | ||
| maga says, "and he says 'It is not for me as it is for others,' and to demonstrate his point, pees over the edge of his many-terraced temple" | ||
| maga says, "the urine streams all the way down the many terraces, then flows uphill and goes, uh, back into the Dalai Lama" | ||
| inky says, "whoah" | ||
| maga says, "thus proving that hanky-panky holds no spiritual dangers for him" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "It's amazing how many opportunities he's found to tell people that story." | ||
| Roger asks, "I can resist no longer -- what the heck are y'all playing?" | ||
| inky asks, "because he can't get women pregnant?" | ||
| inky says, "choice of kung fu" | ||
| DavidW says (to Jacqueline), "I can't really blame him. That's a heck of a story." | ||
| Roger says, "Okay thanks." | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "Anyway, no one likes B, so I'll switch to C. What is everyone else preferring at this point?" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to DW), "Heh" | ||
| maga says, "C" | ||
| DavidW says, "I was very late to this party, but C or D are both good." | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > You view the natural world as your greatest adversary, always giving Floyd | you a greater opponent to overcome. While some monks journey into the Floyd | wilderness in order to learn from the world around them and gain Floyd | insight into the universe, your focus is on competition, on challenging Floyd | yourself to overcome rather than to understand. You have heard the old Floyd | saying that reeds bend in a great wind, while a mighty tree may break, Floyd | but you have always found your stubbornness an asset when you face a Floyd | foe. Each night when you are on your own time, you make plans for your Floyd | next trip as a way to express your training. Floyd | Floyd | The prosperity of your school has given you additional opportunities Floyd | for real training: your reputation has made you the inevitable target Floyd | of challengers, seeking to prove that their style of wushu is superior Floyd | to your own. Some challenges are for sport, with representatives of two Floyd | schools facing off against each other in a friendly bout, usually with Floyd | a determined point system decided on by you and another master. Some Floyd | are a little more brutal than others, with the fight going to first Floyd | blood, a knockout, or a surrender. What is your opinion of these sport Floyd | competitions? Floyd | Floyd | A: My school must prove itself to be the best, and we will always meet Floyd | a challenge to defend our honor. Floyd | B: I am always eager to test my skills?and to have my students test Floyd | their skills?against real challengers. Floyd | C: I look forward to learning from others. Floyd | | DavidW says, "gee, none of those" | |
| inky says, "I'm guessing we won't win most of the physical challenges" | ||
| maga says, "C" | ||
| inky says, "I'm not sure what that suggests we do, though" | ||
| inky says, "maybe -- yeah" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > Each challenge to the school is a chance for you to learn from other Floyd | masters, simply by observing what they have taught their students. You Floyd | have a knack for learning about people by how they express themselves Floyd | while fighting, and the more challenges you encounter, the faster your Floyd | assessments become. Floyd | Floyd | Other challenges are more personal: they specifically challenge you and Floyd | your skills in a one-on-one challenge. An implication comes with these Floyd | challenges: if you cannot defend yourself against the challenger, you Floyd | are not worthy of being an instructor, and the style that you have Floyd | taught your students is weak. You have faced very few of these Floyd | challenges, in part because your reputation is strong enough to make Floyd | others wary of approaching you in battle. The fact that you have easily Floyd | dispatched the three challengers who questioned your honor in this way Floyd | has also kept others from making the same mistake. Floyd | Floyd | As you conclude your evening training, Feng enters your room, wearing Floyd | the guise of a female house servant and carrying a scroll. "A messenger Floyd | arrived for you this afternoon," she says demurely, her humble body Floyd | language reflecting her current role. She holds out the scroll to you. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | Zach says, "A or C" | |
| DavidW says, "These competitions sound like feints, looking for our weak spots, before engaging in a real battle." | ||
| DavidW says, "(Also the chapter is called The Challenger, iirc.)" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to DW), "True." | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | You are unsurprised to see that it is a challenge letter, but you are Floyd | shocked to see that it has been signed by Sun An. A youxia?a wandering Floyd | hero?of great skill, Sun An has the reputation for being a generous Floyd | hero, but also a bit of a hothead. According to the stories, he has Floyd | defended villages plagued by bandits and fought off scores of dangerous Floyd | monsters in an effort to keep the common people safe. But he also seems Floyd | to spend an inordinate amount of time making challenges to schools of Floyd | wushu. Some claim he is a wandering immortal, who seeks to make sure Floyd | that other martial artists deserve their reputations. Others say that Floyd | while he is undeniably a great warrior, his conquests are more Floyd | pride-driven than completed out of any sense of restoring balance. Floyd | Floyd | The text of the letter is quite short: Sun An writes, using every Floyd | courtesy of language, that your reputation as a teacher has encouraged Floyd | him to seek you out and test your skills. He intends to meet you in Floyd | single combat to give you the opportunity to prove your worth, and he Floyd | is prepared to sign a waiver of death?an official government document Floyd | that removes any legal repercussions should a challenge match end in Floyd | death?if that is the style of match you desire. Floyd | Floyd | Sun An is staying at the Plum Blossom tea house, where he eagerly Floyd | awaits your reply. Floyd | Floyd | How do you respond? Floyd | Floyd | A: Bah! He will fall like all my other challengers have fallen. Floyd | B: I reply, inviting Sun An to the school to discuss our match and Floyd | extend my generosity to a fellow warrior. Floyd | | inky says, "obviously B will let us scope him out" | |
| DavidW says, ". o O ( Sun, a hot head? )" | ||
| maga says, "yeah, B" | ||
| inky says, "it would be interesting to see the graph of what percentage of players make each choice in this game" | ||
| inky says (to DavidW), "ha ha" | ||
| Zach says, "Yeah" | ||
| inky says, "like I bet there are a bunch of choices like this, where 90% of the players make a given choice" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > His challenge letter is scrupulously polite, and you see no reason Floyd | not to respond in kind. Floyd | Floyd | In the morning, bright and early as per your invitation, Sun An arrives Floyd | at the gate. Watching his approach from one of the windows in the Floyd | servants' building, you see that he is a tall, wiry man, his whiplike Floyd | body made of corded muscle. A long scar stretches from his left eyebrow Floyd | to his chin, which gives the warrior a menacing appearance. He wears a Floyd | loose tangzhuang?lightweight pants and a jacket designed for ease of Floyd | movement?and across his back, a pair of shuang dao, identical Floyd | single-edged sabers. He walks with confidence and wears a perpetually Floyd | unimpressed expression on his face. Floyd | Floyd | How do you greet him? Floyd | Floyd | A: Like any who approach my school, he must wait patiently until I Floyd | decide to answer the door. Floyd | B: I send students to greet Sun An at the door and have him brought Floyd | through the school to my dining room, where I will receive him. Floyd | C: I meet Sun An at the gate myself, to greet him as an equal. Floyd | | Jacqueline says (to inky), "I wonder if the Choice Of site keeps track of those stats." | |
| Jacqueline asks, "C?" | ||
| maga says, "sure, C" | ||
| inky says, "we should make him answer a riddle first, that'll teach him" | ||
| DavidW says, "yeah, the game is looking for a chance for Sun to take offense." | ||
| Zach says, "OK" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > You greet the tall warrior at the gate and bow to him as you would to Floyd | another teacher, or a fellow member of the Order of the Peach Tree. He Floyd | bows in return. Floyd | Floyd | "Welcome to my school," you say. "I am glad you could make the time to Floyd | meet with me to discuss the terms of your challenge." Floyd | Floyd | "Thank you for your hospitality," he returns, falling into step with Floyd | you as you begin to cross the courtyard to the main building. "I have Floyd | heard much about you as both an instructor and a warrior. I am eager to Floyd | see if you live up to your reputation." Floyd | Floyd | As you pass the cherry trees, you see two of your lower level students Floyd | discussing a move in one of their forms. They are debating on a Floyd | particular strike that follows a 180 degree turn in the sequence, and Floyd | it is unlikely that they will resolve the issue on their own, as both Floyd | are arguing the case for an incorrect strike. Do you stop to help them? Floyd | Floyd | A: It would be rude to leave my guest. I remember the students to Floyd | discuss it with them later. Floyd | B: Any of my senior student can resolve this debate. I will leave it to Floyd | them. Floyd | C: I stop briefly to tell them the proper strike and let them get on Floyd | with their practice. Floyd | D: I stop to talk to my students, giving them the proper instruction Floyd | and moving through the form with them to make sure they have it. Floyd | | DavidW says, "oh, yes, this seems like a nice no-win situation." | |
| Jacqueline says, "Really, E, getting them there through conversation without telling them the answer would be best, but I like D of these." | ||
| maga says, "fine, we may as well get a teaching moment out of it. D." | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "Do I have a third for D?" | ||
| DavidW says, "D is fine." | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "d" | ||
Floyd | > "Excuse me a moment," you say to Sun An, leaving him with a bow. Your Floyd | students stop their conversation as you approach, and they quickly fall Floyd | into rank behind you, starting the form at the beginning. As you move Floyd | through the form with your students, all three of you moving in synch, Floyd | you see that Sun An is watching you raptly. Floyd | Floyd | The form concludes, and you turn to your students to make sure they Floyd | have no further questions. Both bow to you, looking slightly Floyd | embarrassed to have been caught uncertain of their work, but grateful Floyd | that you stopped to go over it with them. You return their bows with a Floyd | shallow one of your own, then walk to join Sun An, who is still Floyd | standing in the center of the courtyard. Floyd | Floyd | "Thank you for waiting," you say. Floyd | Floyd | "I enjoyed the chance to watch you work," Sun An says, returning your Floyd | bow. He grins at you, and you are not entirely certain whether it is Floyd | intended as friendly or fierce. "It gives me an advantage for our Floyd | coming battle." Floyd | Floyd | How do you respond? Floyd | Floyd | A: I laugh it off. Watching me teach a low level form is not likely to Floyd | give him insight into my higher level skills. Floyd | B: I tell him he is welcome to the advantage. I would not wish for him Floyd | to enter our competition unprepared. Floyd | C: I suggest that, as an honorable man, he might like to even the odds Floyd | by demonstrating a form of his own. Floyd | | inky says, "ha ha" | |
| Zach says, "(D) Surprise weaving snake attack!" | ||
| inky says, "I can't tell if B is an insult or not" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "B seems snarky." | ||
| maga says, "yeah, let's go with C" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "In life, I would do A." | ||
| Zach says, "C" | ||
| DavidW says, "yeah C" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Hm, we have three Cs." | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > "You have a reputation as a man of honor," you say. "Perhaps you Floyd | would be willing to even that advantage by showing me one of your Floyd | forms?" Floyd | Floyd | Sun An laughs. "Never let it be said that I am a man of dishonor," he Floyd | says cheerfully. He moves to the open space you and your students have Floyd | vacated and begins to move. Floyd | Floyd | The form is a blocking system, involving almost no footwork, but Floyd | focusing on an elaborate pattern of blocks, strikes, and Floyd | counterstrikes. As your opponent begins to move, your students stop Floyd | their own activities throughout the courtyard and join you in watching. Floyd | In truth, Sun An moves beautifully, and his form is a pleasure to Floyd | watch: the rhythm to his movement is syncopated, and his strikes are Floyd | quick, but he never ceases to flow from one shape to the next. When he Floyd | concludes, he bows, and you and your students bow back to him in Floyd | appreciation. Floyd | Floyd | He rejoins you, and you begin to lead him toward the open door to your Floyd | dining room. "A snake blocking system, I assume?" Floyd | Floyd | Sun An grins, and though his scar continues to give him an air of Floyd | menace, he seems genuinely happy with your comment. "It is called Plum Floyd | Tree," he says, "and yes, it is snake. Most people assume crane." Floyd | Floyd | Given his body type and his air of arrogant confidence, you are not Floyd | surprised. "Syncopation with slow flowing movements punctuated by quick Floyd | strikes?" you say in summary. "It could only be snake. You performed it Floyd | well, but again, based on your reputation, I am hardly surprised." You Floyd | gesture through the open door. "Will you join me for tea?" Floyd | Floyd | >Next | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | The two of you take a moment to breathe in the aroma of your tea and Floyd | appreciate its flavor before moving on to a discussion. You make small Floyd | talk, asking after Sun An's travels prior to reaching Kuei Xian. He, in Floyd | turn, asks about your school, politely inquiring about the number of Floyd | students you teach and the length of time you have been teaching. It is Floyd | much more like the conversation you would expect between two youxia Floyd | meeting in a tea house than the conversation between the master of a Floyd | school and a challenger questioning that master's skill. Floyd | Floyd | After a while, the discussion turns to business, and you determine the Floyd | boundaries of your competition. Once you have worked out the details, Floyd | Sun An rises, thanking you again for your hospitality. You will see him Floyd | in three days. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | Jacqueline asks, "So, did we sign one of those things that says it's okay to kill us?" | |
| Jacqueline says, "The text is rather vague on that issue." | ||
| DavidW says, "yeah" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "I am guessing we did." | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | The challenge will take place at a fighting tower, which you and your Floyd | students constructed five years ago for training exercises, not far Floyd | from your home and just outside of town, on the edge of a bamboo Floyd | forest. The tower is built like scaffolding?there is a flat surface at Floyd | the top, about sixty feet in the air, but no ropes around the outside Floyd | to keep opponents from falling to the ground. Though the scaffolding is Floyd | easy to climb, two lines of tall posts also spiral around the tower and Floyd | serve as more challenging steps to reach the top. You have had your Floyd | students spar on the posts as well, chasing each other up and down to Floyd | practice maintaining their balance during a fight. Floyd | Floyd | You also keep a cache of weapons in a trap door accessible from the top Floyd | of the platform for easy access while your students are training. This Floyd | will enable you to pick and choose your own gear as you see fit during Floyd | the competition. Floyd | Floyd | A contest like this one requires witnesses, and you have requested the Floyd | presence of a magistrate in order to keep things official. To your Floyd | surprise, Governor Rong himself has volunteered to preside over the Floyd | event. Additional witnesses have been invited, and you would not be Floyd | surprised if some large part of the population of Kuei Xian?and perhaps Floyd | members of the Blue Scarves Rebellion?arrive to watch the combat. Floyd | Floyd | What terms have you decided on? Floyd | Floyd | A: We will fight to unconsciousness or disabling; I am prepared to sign Floyd | a death waiver. Floyd | B: We will fight to surrender, but no death waivers will be required. Floyd | C: We will fight using the point system devised by the Imperial Floyd | swordmaster. Floyd | | DavidW says, "Hopefully it's not to the death." | |
| DavidW says, "oh, here's that point." | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "Whatcha guys wanna do?" | ||
| maga says, "B" | ||
| DavidW says, "I hope a death isn't inevitable. If we die, our story ends. If Sun dies, waiver or not, we're likely gonna draw more trouble towards us." | ||
| Jacqueline asks (of DW), "B?" | ||
| DavidW says, "yeah, I think it has to be B." | ||
| inky says, "plus if we somehow win, it would be better if he's still alive so he can help us out later in the story" | ||
| DavidW says (to inky), "yes, please" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Okay, B." | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > Though you have heard the expression "Death before dishonor," you do Floyd | not see the logic in depriving the world of the knowledge a skilled Floyd | martial artist can acquire. Your death, or the death of Sun An, would Floyd | be a loss of knowledge and skill, and you see no need to take the Floyd | challenge that far. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | On the morning of the fight, all of your students accompany you to the Floyd | training tower. There are few clouds, and the temperature is perfect Floyd | for the late spring. Conditions could not be better for a Floyd | challenge?unless, of course, they could somehow favor you rather than Floyd | being equally good for your opponent. Floyd | Floyd | Feng walks alongside the group, today wearing the guise of a male Floyd | doctor, glasses perched on the bridge of his nose and acupuncture kit Floyd | clutched in his arms. Hopefully you will not need Feng's expertise, but Floyd | it is good to know he is there. Floyd | Floyd | As you expected, there is a large turnout from the village. Governor Floyd | Rong has brought several bureaucrats to attend and take notes. Floyd | Floyd | Feng squeezes your hand for luck as you move toward the tables where Floyd | Governor Rong and his attendees are waiting. Floyd | Floyd | Sun An stands at the first pole, contemplating the height of your Floyd | fighting field. He towers over the villagers, his whiplike body naked Floyd | to the waist, except for the shuang dao?the dual sabers?he wears Floyd | strapped to his back. Despite the scar that runs down his cheek, many Floyd | of the female villagers seem quite taken with his appearance, and you Floyd | notice money changing hands as people bet whether you or your Floyd | challenger will win the day. Floyd | Floyd | What do you do? Floyd | Floyd | A: I approach Sun An and bow so that the match begins with honor. Floyd | B: I race to the top. I am eager to get the competition underway. Floyd | C: I acknowledge the crowd, encouraging their cheers. Floyd | | DavidW says, "A" | |
| maga says, "A, duh" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "I like B, but A makes sense." | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > Sun An returns your bow. "Any statement before we begin, monk?" he Floyd | asks. He seems eager for the fight ahead, and no worry marks his Floyd | expression. Either he has already dismissed you as a challenge, or he Floyd | has no fear of losing. Floyd | Floyd | A: I say that my fists will do my talking for me. Floyd | B: I wish him a good fight. Floyd | C: I express a hope that after the challenge, Sun An may stay on at the Floyd | school for a while, either to share his own knowledge or to learn what Floyd | I can share. Floyd | D: I race to the top?I have nothing left to say. Floyd | | inky says, "ha ha" | |
| maga says, "C" | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "C? B?" | ||
| DavidW says, "I'm thinking B. C seems too much to hope for." | ||
| Zach says, "C then sucker punch." | ||
| maga says, "C then hwacha" | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "Anybody deeply against me typing C?" | ||
| Jacqueline counts to ten. | ||
| DavidW says, "I'm not against C. I just don't think it will do any good." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Nine one-thousand... ten." | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > The tall warrior seems genuinely surprised at what might, in normal Floyd | circumstances, be a peace offering. But you are clearly not backing Floyd | down from the challenge, and he looks at you with new respect. Floyd | Floyd | "If you win," he says slowly, "I will seriously consider your offer." Floyd | Floyd | "Then I had better win," you say lightly. Floyd | Floyd | Sun An bows, then mounts the first post in his spiral. Floyd | Floyd | How do you get to the top of the tower? Floyd | Floyd | A: I run up the posts, using my chi to allow me to remain grounded, Floyd | even when I am in the air. Floyd | B: I use my chi to bounce off a few of the posts and fly to the top. Floyd | C: I quickly climb up the scaffolding, hurrying to beat Sun An to the Floyd | top. Floyd | D: I climb the scaffolding slowly, using a razor-thin wire to weave Floyd | traps subtly along the way. Floyd | | Jacqueline says, "aie D" | |
| maga says, "A" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Not C, D is a little scary but I'm not opposed, most open to A or B." | ||
| Limax says, "That's different" | ||
| DavidW asks, "I don't know our skills well enough to pick. Are we high on chi and low on muscle?" | ||
| inky says, "yes" | ||
| inky says, "we think" | ||
| DavidW says, "ah, then we shouldn't squander muscle with C." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "I like A, I think." | ||
| DavidW says, "Hope Sun doesn't call out a splinter attack." | ||
| DavidW says, "sure, A." | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > You race up the posts, maintaining your balance with no trouble at Floyd | all. You reach the top to the roaring sound of the crowd, appreciating Floyd | your smooth ascent. Floyd | Floyd | Sun An appears a moment later, leaping from the final post and onto the Floyd | platform atop the tower. Floyd | Floyd | You face Sun An across the platform, and the tall warrior draws his Floyd | shuang dao, spinning them with what is clearly intended as an Floyd | intimidating flourish. It is flashy, but rather than intimidate you, it Floyd | shows you more of Sun An's movement style. The weapons are bladed only Floyd | on one side, but it is clear from the speed and confidence with which Floyd | he wields them that he can easily target the bladed side as he chooses. Floyd | Your best options would be to get in too close for his swords to be Floyd | effective, to choose a weapon that gives you a longer reach than his, Floyd | or to keep moving around behind him. All of the shuang dao techniques Floyd | you have seen rely on forward, side, or over the head striking; given Floyd | his greater height, the last poses little threat for you. Floyd | Floyd | A: I select a guan dao from the weapons cache, choosing to keep him at Floyd | greater distance. Floyd | B: I will fight with daggers?two long knives and several throwing darts Floyd | to give me long and short options. Floyd | C: I select the whip chain I carried with me from the school, which Floyd | allows me both long- and close-range options. Floyd | | maga says, "C" | |
| Jacqueline says, "Diversification is a good thing, sure." | ||
| DavidW says, "I so dislike combat. I think I'll go wash a few dishes during this bit." | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "Anybody against C?" | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "Other than DW?" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Oooookay then." | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > You unwrap the whip chain from around your shoulder and present it. Floyd | While it is still above your head, Sun An charges, trying to get inside Floyd | your distance range before you can attack. You snap the whip chain at Floyd | him, the red silk flag at its end fluttering toward the sparking silver Floyd | of his swords. He bats the whip chain out of the way, and you make a Floyd | quick pull, tangling his sword and pulling him off balance. As he gets Floyd | close enough to strike with his free sword, you leap forward and Floyd | side-kick to his other arm, sending his second sword off target as Floyd | well. Sun An continues past you and you free your whip chain as your Floyd | opponent spins his swords around him in a clearing move, giving you Floyd | both some space to consider what you will do next. Floyd | Floyd | What is your goal as you meet in combat this time? Floyd | Floyd | A: The faster the fight is over, the better. I am confident that I am Floyd | the better fighter and seek to disable Sun An quickly. Floyd | B: I feel that I should learn more about his style to target his Floyd | weaknesses. I fight defensively. Floyd | C: I want to keep Sun An at the edge of the platform and cause him to Floyd | lose his balance. Floyd | | inky says, "I don't reallt get how a whip-chain is effective at close range, but it says it is, so" | |
| Zach says, "I gotta leave for now." | ||
| maga says, "B is more our style, I think" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "True. But the longer we stay in the better a chance there is to lose." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Though acting too quickly might prove similarly unwise." | ||
| Zach would never entertain deep thoughts or travel to distant lands in the company of a long-nosed proboscis monkey. None of them would. | ||
| Zach has disconnected. | inky says, "well, I don't think we're the better fighter, so that seems to argue against A" | |
| Jacqueline says, "mmkay" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > Sun An takes your defensive posture for hesitation, and his moves Floyd | become flashier as his confidence increases. You can tell that his Floyd | greatest weakness is his arrogance, and that despite this flaw, his Floyd | confidence is well earned. Floyd | Floyd | And by watching him, you are certain that, with his fighting skills Floyd | alone, he is better than you are. You will have to outwit him, Floyd | overwhelm him with your chi, or simply outlast him in order to win. Or Floyd | you must find a way to concede that he is the winner without losing Floyd | face entirely. Floyd | Floyd | A: I want to keep Sun An at the edge of the platform and cause him to Floyd | lose his balance. Floyd | B: I continue on the defensive, determined to outlast him. When he Floyd | tires, he will become sloppy, and I will make my move. Floyd | C: I meet his eyes, drawing him into a fight of the minds; the rest of Floyd | the battle will play out without further injury to our bodies and allow Floyd | for an honorable surrender. Floyd | | Jacqueline says, "C" | |
| inky says, "hmm" | ||
| inky says, "C is basically conceding, I think" | ||
| inky says, "not that that is necessarily bad" | ||
| maga says, "it sounds like it might be, but it isn't clear, again" | ||
| maga says, "if it isn't, it's our best option" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "I was thinking it meant WE would outwit HIM" | ||
| Limax says, "I like B, but that's just me" | ||
| inky says, "A was an option earlier -- I'm not sure if that means it's a bad option now" | ||
| maga says, "fine, let's try C" | ||
| DavidW says, "I wonder if C is a trap for us, if he was hoping we'd do that." | ||
| maga says, "just so we know what it meant" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Hm, but you guys seem pretty down on C." | ||
| Jacqueline says (to DW), "Also, I thought you were either covering your eyes or doing dishes..." | ||
| DavidW says, "I've curious about C, actually. It's probably our best move." | ||
| DavidW says (to Jacqueline), "I am doing dishes." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Hm, okay. C..." | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > There is a long tradition of mind-battles, in which both opponents Floyd | see clearly what would happen if they were to meet in combat. As Sun An Floyd | looks at you, the two of you lock gazes, and soon, you see the combat, Floyd | as real as if you were both still engaged. He is the better fighter, Floyd | but you continue on in the mind battle, revealing secrets of your Floyd | style, enticing him with movements you believe he has never seen. You Floyd | have stopped trying to win, and started attempting to persuade him that Floyd | combat is not the only measure of your worthiness. The mind battle Floyd | draws to a conclusion, Sun An's swords hesitating as they rest, crossed Floyd | on your throat. You can almost feel the coolness of their metal against Floyd | your skin, despite the fact that neither you nor he has moved atop the Floyd | platform for several minutes. Finally, after an almost agonizingly long Floyd | time, he removes his swords from your neck. Floyd | Floyd | "You have an interesting concept of what it means to win," he says, Floyd | sheathing his swords behind his back. And then you are both back atop Floyd | the platform, where Sun An has indeed put his swords away. Floyd | Floyd | "I concede this contest!" Sun An shouts for the whole of the audience Floyd | to hear. "Zhuge Meili is a worthy teacher and upholds the reputation of Floyd | the Order of the Peach Tree and the school in Kuei Xian." He moves to Floyd | kneel before you. "Zhuge Meili, I surrender to you. Accept me as a Floyd | student." Floyd | Floyd | A: Now that his guard is down, I attack. Floyd | B: I graciously accept Sun An as a student. Floyd | C: I announce Sun An as my peer. Floyd | | DavidW says, "goodness" | |
| inky says, "ha ha" | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "Damn. A? Seriously?" | ||
| inky says, "ok, that was pretty cunning" | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "Why is that even in there?" | ||
| maga says, "B" | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "B not C?" | ||
| DavidW asks, "Would C be seen as an insult somehow?" | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "Would it?" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "I was thinking B would." | ||
| DavidW says, "well, yeah, I was thinking that B was potentially insulting, even though he explicitly asks for that." | ||
| DavidW says, "I'm not versed on these subtle nuances." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "True." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Okay, B." | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > Sun An rises and bows to you, and the audience below cheers. Floyd | Floyd | Several hours later, over a meal you share with Sun An, you again Floyd | reiterate your invitation for him to become your student. "That is a Floyd | very generous offer," he says, "but I'm afraid staying in one place is Floyd | not in my nature. I wish you well, Zhuge Meili." After a meal, brought Floyd | to you by a demure Feng wearing the form of a serving girl, Sun An Floyd | departs, looking spry despite his injuries. Floyd | Floyd | "Is he an immortal?" you ask Feng. Floyd | Floyd | The fox spirit just scoffs and busies herself clearing the table. You Floyd | are pleased that you have managed to prove yourself?and, hopefully, Floyd | ward off any future challengers for some time to come. Floyd | Floyd | >Chapter Six: Return to the Order | Jacqueline says, "Oho - Return to the Order." | |
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | The leaves have fallen from the cherry trees in your courtyard, and the Floyd | chill in the air announces the approach of winter. More than a year has Floyd | passed since your battle with Sun An, and you find your thoughts Floyd | frequently returning to the Order of the Peach Tree. Floyd | Floyd | Perhaps it is a premonition. Floyd | Floyd | On a chilly afternoon, Feng, wearing the shape of a single-tailed Floyd | fox?warmer, she says, than her human guises?enters your room with a Floyd | scroll in her mouth. She drops it on the floor and gives you a fox's Floyd | smile, tongue lolling out from between her teeth. Floyd | Floyd | Despite some lingering saliva and the bite-marks creasing the sealing Floyd | wax, it is clear from the symbol pressed into the seal that this is a Floyd | letter from the Order. It may well contain your summons to return to Floyd | the monastery. Floyd | Floyd | A: I am in no hurry to open the letter. Floyd | B: I am eager to read news from the monastery, and to return if called. Floyd | C: I hesitate for a moment before opening the letter. Floyd | | maga says, "C" | |
| Jacqueline says, "C" | ||
| Limax says, "I like C" | ||
| DavidW says, "agreed. C." | ||
| DavidW says, "Smell for poison or check for traps." | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > Odds are good that once you open the letter, life as you know it will Floyd | change again. You take a moment to appreciate what you have learned Floyd | over the past decade before cracking open the seal. Floyd | Floyd | The letter reads: Floyd | Floyd | "To my student, Zhuge Meili, Floyd | Floyd | "All at the Order hope this message finds you well. I send my apologies Floyd | for waiting so long to call for your return. Things have been unsettled Floyd | here, and I was hoping that matters could be better resolved before Floyd | adding additional voices?and tempers?to the mix. Sadly, the situation Floyd | has only become worse in recent days, and I find myself calling all of Floyd | our wandering monks to return to the monastery, to face what may be the Floyd | largest challenge the Order has ever encountered. Floyd | Floyd | "As you are aware, the foreign presence in the Middle Kingdom has grown Floyd | over the last twenty years. The Order has always followed the lead of Floyd | the Son of Heaven in our actions with the foreigners and maintained an Floyd | aloof stance toward these worldly affairs. But the world has come to Floyd | our door, and we can ignore the foreign presence no longer. A small Floyd | army of the foreigners is gathering to the east, setting up camp Floyd | between the monastery and Xiaonanhai. Though we have sent word to the Floyd | Emperor of the growing force on our doorstep, we cannot be sure that Floyd | any of our messengers have made it past the army. Though they have not Floyd | yet delivered terms, it is clear that if we do not surrender our Floyd | resources?and possibly the monastery itself?they will attack. Floyd | Floyd | "You are called upon to return to the Order immediately, with any Floyd | resources that will aid our plight. I maintain hope that this can be Floyd | resolved peacefully, or that help will arrive from the Son of Heaven, Floyd | but we must be prepared for things to go otherwise. Floyd | Floyd | "Abbot Bao" Floyd | Floyd | >Next | maga says, "omg it's on now" | |
| Jacqueline says, "omg indeed" | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | The abbot's letter is sobering; if the foreigners do attack the Floyd | monastery, it will be their first prominent target beyond the villages Floyd | they have already claimed. Such a display will make it clear that they Floyd | do not intend to assimilate to the Middle Kingdom, but forge their own Floyd | society in spite of the Emperor and his laws. Floyd | Floyd | A: This outcome is unsurprising, based on the previous behavior of the Floyd | foreigners. The Order should have been better prepared. Floyd | B: Surely if the foreigners were so great a threat, the Emperor would Floyd | intervene. Like Abbot Bao, I hope for a peaceful resolution. Floyd | C: The Emperor has been too lax in dealing with the foreign threat, but Floyd | perhaps a peaceful solution can be found. Floyd | D: The Order must dig in and defend the monastery, whether or not it Floyd | comes to fighting. Floyd | | Jacqueline says, "What about our old 'friend'" | |
| DavidW says, "oh, he" | ||
| maga says, "hrm" | ||
| DavidW says, "he" | ||
| gjnave arrives, full of fun, but no funk. | maga says, "C" | |
| DavidW says, "he'll swoop down from the sky when he's most needed" | ||
| DavidW says, "(why is the apostrophe so darned closed to the enter key anyway?)" | ||
| DavidW says, "C or D" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c\" | ||
Floyd | > The Emperor has certainly not delivered clear boundaries for the Floyd | foreigners, given the way they have treated the people of the Middle Floyd | Kingdom whose lands they have taken. If the Emperor is not willing to Floyd | make that clear, perhaps the Order can draw some of those lines and Floyd | defend all of the Middle Kingdom through negotiation. Floyd | Floyd | How will you return to the Order? Floyd | Floyd | A: I gather my students together and ask them who will come to fight on Floyd | behalf of the Order. Floyd | B: I do not wish to put anyone else in danger; I will travel to the Floyd | monastery alone. Floyd | C: I have no interest in returning to the monastery. My life is here Floyd | now; the Order can fend for itself. Floyd | | DavidW says, "A" | |
| maga says, "yeah, A" | ||
| inky says, "hunh, no "order all the students to come with you, like it or not"" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "C! C! Oh, okay, just kidding." | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > You call all of your students together and explain the situation. Floyd | Though some of them wear fear in their expressions, others meet your Floyd | news with determination to prove their worth. Floyd | Floyd | You tell everyone to pack what they wish to take with them, and that Floyd | you will be leaving in the morning. But as dawn comes, you see that Floyd | many of your students have not gathered. It appears their fear is Floyd | stronger than their loyalty, and you will be bringing a much smaller Floyd | force with you to the monastery. Feng, in her guise as a human servant, Floyd | gives each student a small package filled with warm buns. The fox Floyd | spirit will be staying in Kuei Xian. Floyd | Floyd | From here, she will keep your affairs in order; once the matter with Floyd | the foreigners has been resolved, you can decide what will happen with Floyd | the courtyard house and the life you have built in Kuei Xian. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | Jacqueline says, "I'm going to miss her." | |
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | You and your company start traveling east toward the monastery. It is a Floyd | three-day journey directly to the Order of the Peach Tree, which gives Floyd | you some time to decide which actions you will take, or which course of Floyd | action you will advise, when you arrive. As you are traveling, you Floyd | encounter a few messengers and merchants heading toward Kuei Xian; they Floyd | are able to provide you with updated news since the delivery of your Floyd | letter. Floyd | Floyd | The foreign army is led by a man named George Gower, who is supposedly Floyd | a fearsome warrior, though the rumors vary as to his origin. Some say Floyd | he was an outlaw before he came to the Middle Kingdom, while others Floyd | swear that he is a representative of a foreign government. Still others Floyd | call him an explorer who landed on the Middle Kingdom's shores and Floyd | paved the way for more foreign settlers to arrive. Floyd | Floyd | Gower's forces have moved in on the monastery, making it difficult for Floyd | anyone to travel to or from the Order of the Peach Tree. Based on what Floyd | you are told, someone who knows the terrain as well as you once Floyd | did?and, hopefully, still do?should be able to find a path around their Floyd | location. Floyd | Floyd | How will you approach the army? Floyd | Floyd | A: We will avoid the army and go straight to the monastery. Floyd | B: I want to get firsthand information about the foreigners. We will Floyd | scout their army before going to the monastery. Floyd | C: I want to meet Gower for myself. We will make contact with the army Floyd | in the open. Floyd | | ||
| gjnave waves his arms, rolls a poor lore check, and then disappears - 'oh cra..' | Jacqueline says, "Well, B is part of what won us our last match." | |
| maga says, "yeah, B" | ||
| DavidW says, "we certainly can't mindmeld with an entire army. But one informant at a time, yes." | ||
| maga says, "dammit, I've had Above the Clouds earwormed for this whole game" | ||
| DavidW says, "yes, B please" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > You make your way down to the outskirts of the foreign camp. You time Floyd | your arrival to the hills below the monastery so that you can see the Floyd | foreign army as dusk is falling. You and your company keep off of the Floyd | road and travel through the bamboo forest that lies in the hills Floyd | beneath the home of the Order. Gower's army looks nothing like the Floyd | organized Imperial Army?instead, they are dressed in a variety of Floyd | foreign clothing, with nothing resembling a uniform. There is very Floyd | little that resembles armor, but then, you do not wear armor, either. Floyd | What is distressing about their encampment is that you see a number of Floyd | cannons and hand cannons?supplies that are commonly used by the Floyd | Imperial Army, though of a different style. Floyd | Floyd | The Order of the Peach Tree, with their reliance on the physical and Floyd | spiritual arts of battle, has nothing like cannons at the monastery. Floyd | Floyd | From within the shadows, you can see that the size of the army has not Floyd | been exaggerated. Probably five hundred men are here; though that is a Floyd | small force compared to the Imperial Army, the monks and students that Floyd | live at the monastery would be facing odds of five to one. Even with Floyd | the support you bring, the odds are bleak. One outright fight could be Floyd | disastrous if the men are skilled at combat, especially given their Floyd | likelihood of bringing those explosive weapons into play. Floyd | Floyd | A: I have seen what I want to see. From here we can cut over to the Floyd | path that leads to the monastery without being noticed. Floyd | B: I want to sabotage their camp. Floyd | C: I am concerned about those cannons. I want to seek out Gower to Floyd | negotiate. Floyd | | Limax asks, "Souds like maybe Gower is a bit disorganized?" | |
| Jacqueline asks, "Hm, do you mean open to sabotage?" | ||
| maga says, "( [LINK] )" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "I was thinking C, but that really didn't work for us elsewhere in this game." | ||
| Limax says, "C seems like a good choice... I don't think sabotage would work" | ||
| maga says, "mmm, sabotage" | ||
| DavidW asks, "hm. Are we even authorized to negotiate for the Order? And with what?" | ||
| maga says, "B" | ||
| DavidW says, "I'm also dubious about sabotage." | ||
| inky asks, "yeah, shouldn't we check in with the dudes at home before doing anything else?" | ||
| DavidW says, "although perhaps our chi lets us do tricks that I can't quite visualize yet." | ||
| Jacqueline asks (of inky), "So are you saying A?" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "We seem to be all over the palce, opinion-wise." | ||
| DavidW says, "Maybe we can make all their gunpowder inert with our magic." | ||
| DavidW says (to Jacqueline), "sorry. None of these options is obviously a good one." | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "Okay, folks, I'm seeing too big a spread. Sound off with your vote: A, B, or C?" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "A" | ||
| DavidW says, "I suppose we can try to mindmojo Gower, assuming we can even reach him, but I don't count our chances of success to be high. But sabotage is also very risky, and to do neither means we'll be overwhelmed with cannons anyway." | ||
| maga says, "nobody likes B, so A" | ||
| DavidW says, "I dislike A the most." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Why? I mean, it sounds like we now have a majority for A, but I'm curious." | ||
| DavidW says, "I think I want C." | ||
| maga says, "I agree that negotiating on the monastery's behalf is weird" | ||
| maga says, "and if nobody wants sabotage, then we should link up with our main force" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "That is why I am now for A as well - make sure we have a united front." | ||
| DavidW says, "well, like I said, I dislike all these choices. They all have seeds of disaster." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "True enough on that." | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > Your location is reasonably close to the monastery path, and you are Floyd | able to parallel it from inside the bamboo forest until you are out of Floyd | range of both the army and Gower's scouts. You reach the gates of the Floyd | monastery without further complications. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | Your arrival at the monastery is greeted with cheers from the monks who Floyd | remember you. Among the students, there are whispers?clearly, you've Floyd | been spoken about by your old teachers, you hope with compliments Floyd | rather than as an example of what not to do under their instruction. Floyd | Floyd | But it is Abbot Bao who is most relieved by your presence. The abbot Floyd | has aged in the decade you have been away, and the current situation Floyd | weighs heavily on him. He calls you into the Inner Temple to share what Floyd | you have learned. When you tell him of your journey and what you have Floyd | learned of the foreign army, he greets your news with a blank Floyd | expression, taking it all in without judgment. Floyd | Floyd | "You have been in the world, my student," he says slowly, "and I have Floyd | been here in the temple for far too long. I fear this decision is Floyd | beyond be, and I ask your advice. How do you think we should deal with Floyd | these foreigners?" Floyd | Floyd | How do you think the monks should face the foreigners? Floyd | Floyd | A: We should negotiate with the foreigners. Floyd | B: The monastery is well fortified. We can defend it against an Floyd | outright attack and withstand a siege. Floyd | C: I will challenge a champion from the foreign army in single combat. Floyd | D: I will call the forces of nature against the foreign army. Floyd | E: We will create a ruse, making the monastery look better fortified Floyd | and populated than it is. Floyd | F: I will defer to another of Abbot Bao's advisors and abide by that Floyd | decision. Floyd | | Limax asks, "Hm... bug?" | |
| Limax says, "Oh" | ||
| maga says, "okay, with cannons in play B is silly" | ||
| Limax asks, "What about D or F?" | ||
| maga says, "and they're unlikely to accept C" | ||
| Limax says, "Or even E... although I dont' know that would work" | ||
| maga says, "it'd be nice to at least find out why they're here" | ||
| maga says, "that'd give us useful information about how to defeat them, even if negotiations don't work" | ||
| maga says, "so I think A" | ||
| DavidW says, "Bet they don't believe in chi at all and intend to wipe out such unholy pagan nonsense from the map." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "D would be awesome if we could do that, but A seems prudent to at least try." | ||
| DavidW says, "yeah, A has a better chance now, with the monastery's backing." | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > You are sure that the foreigners can be made to see reason, and Abbot Floyd | Bao allows you to take the lead. Along with a few of your followers, Floyd | you travel down to the camp. The perimeter guards see you coming and Floyd | greet you in their foreign tongue, probably calling for you to halt. Floyd | Floyd | "Greetings," you say, holding your hands open in a position you hope Floyd | they will view as peaceful. "I am Zhuge Meili, a monk of the Order of Floyd | the Peach Tree. I am hoping to converse with George Gower." The guards Floyd | escort you to a large tent in the middle of the encampment. One steps Floyd | inside and holds a conversation in the foreign tongue; after a moment, Floyd | he returns and ushers you inside. Within, the walls are illuminated by Floyd | glass lanterns, and a bespectacled man with a mop of gray hair tied Floyd | into a tail at his neck stands in greeting. Floyd | Floyd | "I am George Gower," he says, his accent clear and his mastery of your Floyd | language evident. "I understand you requested a meeting?" Floyd | Floyd | "I am Zhuge Meili," you say. "I have come to discuss the matter of the Floyd | monastery above us." Floyd | Floyd | The pale man grins, and you begin to suspect that the gray in his hair Floyd | is affected?he looks as though he must be in his early thirties at Floyd | best. "Ah, I am glad to hear it," he says. "It's been such trouble Floyd | getting you people to converse openly about anything. There's always Floyd | some matter of tea to be shared, or vague references to spirits and Floyd | ancestors and other bothersome things. Always happy to meet someone Floyd | with a straightforward perspective." Floyd | Floyd | A: I explain the monks are interested in a peaceful outcome to this Floyd | situation and wish to negotiate. Floyd | B: I lie and say that the Emperor is sending troops to make sure the Floyd | matter resolves quickly. Floyd | C: I explain that the monks do not intend to leave the monastery, and a Floyd | siege will end badly for his men. Floyd | D: I lie about the number of warriors available to the Order, claiming Floyd | that we are ready for an attack. Floyd | E: I believe we are at an impasse. He can offer his surrender, or he Floyd | will face the Order in battle. Floyd | | inky says, "I wonder what we have to negotiate with" | |
| maga says, "let's hear what the terms of A might be" | ||
| DavidW says (to inky), "yeah, me too" | ||
| DavidW says, "yes, politeness first" | ||
| DavidW says, "I vote A" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > "And reasonable too!" Gower crows. "I knew I liked you the moment you Floyd | walked in. Would you like a cigar?" He holds up a sweet but noxious Floyd | smelling tube of wrapped herbs, and you shake your head. "No, no, none Floyd | of you seem to. A pity, really, but you'll learn. Well, then, to Floyd | business. We're quite interested in the location your monks have taken Floyd | up on that mountain. Quite defensible, by all appearances, but close to Floyd | a major trade route. Seems like an excellent place to camp an army. And Floyd | your people don't seem to be doing much with it aside from jumping Floyd | about at each other, occasionally using sticks, as far as I can tell. Floyd | Looks a bit silly to an outsider, I have to say. Could really do that Floyd | sort of thing anywhere." Floyd | Floyd | A: I cannot stand the condescending tone this barbarian is using. Floyd | Negotiating will get us nowhere. Floyd | B: I explain that the monks are teachers, scholars, and warriors, well Floyd | respected in the Middle Kingdom for their knowledge. Floyd | C: I question his desire to have an army. Does he expect to challenge Floyd | the Emperor? Floyd | | Limax says, "Ugh. I don't think I like any of these choices" | |
| maga says, "let's go to C" | ||
| maga says, "this dude is not up for learning about our rich and vibrant culture" | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "C?" | ||
| inky says, "ha ha" | ||
| DavidW says, "sure C" | ||
| Limax asks, "SUre... why not?" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > Gower has the good grace to look sheepish. "Heavens, no!" he Floyd | protests, but you see the insincerity behind his statement. "I intend Floyd | to raise my men to protect the good of the Middle Kingdom. There are a Floyd | number of outside interests not nearly so benevolent as me and mine. Floyd | When one of them comes to threaten the well-being of this land, surely Floyd | your emperor will be glad of an ally." Floyd | Floyd | If he has convinced himself of this lie, there is really no sense in Floyd | negotiating along this line any further. You'll have to try a different Floyd | tactic. Floyd | Floyd | A: I lie and say that the Emperor is sending troops to make sure the Floyd | matter resolves quickly. Floyd | B: I explain that the monks do not intend to leave the monastery, and a Floyd | siege will end badly for his men. Floyd | C: I lie about the number of warriors available to the Order, claiming Floyd | that we are ready for an attack. Floyd | D: I believe we are at an impasse. He can offer his surrender, or he Floyd | will face the Order in battle. Floyd | | Jacqueline says, "meh" | |
| maga says, "okay, C" | ||
| DavidW says, "but... cannons" | ||
| maga says, "well, we're going to be fighting him one way or another" | ||
| Limax asks, "What's wrong with B?" | ||
| DavidW says, "I like B." | ||
| DavidW says, "It's at least honest." | ||
| maga says, "honesty is not good policy in warfare" | ||
| DavidW says, "I know." | ||
| DavidW says, "I should go wash more dishes, I guess." | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "inky?" | ||
| inky says, "oh, I don't really think it matters" | ||
| inky says, "like I assume if we lie he won't believe us" | ||
| DavidW says, "I was hoping for a mindmojo option, but none is offered." | ||
| inky says, "and if we tell him we're not going to leave he'll say he's got cannons" | ||
| DavidW says (to inky), "Seems likely he has his own spies and info sources, yeah." | ||
| maga asks, "well?" | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "B?" | ||
| inky says, "sure" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "In reading people's remarks, that's what I get." | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "You good, maga?" | ||
| maga says, "eh, if that's what people want" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "heh" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > Gower begins to smile, then looks at your face and sees how earnest Floyd | you are. "You're quite serious," he says, and you hear a note of Floyd | astonishment in his voice. He studies you for a little longer, then Floyd | runs a hand over his grayed hair, and you begin to suspect that it's a Floyd | wig, some sort of affectation with no purpose that you can see. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | But instead of speaking, he takes a swig out of a metal flask; the Floyd | liquid smells a bit like rice wine, but stronger, with an acrid odor Floyd | that threatens to burn your nostrils on a whiff. He mutters a foreign Floyd | word in a tone that makes you guess it was a curse. "All right then, Floyd | Zhuge Meili. Here's how you can prove to me that your monks are the Floyd | knowledgeable warriors you claim they are. We'll each choose a champion Floyd | who represents the best of our fighters with the best of our weaponry. Floyd | If you?or the warrior of your choosing?can best who I select, then I Floyd | will acknowledge we have something to learn." He tries for a smile, but Floyd | doesn't quite manage. "We've a long tradition of this sort of thing Floyd | where I come from." Floyd | Floyd | "So do we," you assure him, before he can launch into further Floyd | explanation. Floyd | Floyd | "If my champion wins," he says, "then you'll agree to vacate the Floyd | property." Floyd | Floyd | This seems a lot to agree to without the permission of Abbot Bao. "A Floyd | reasonable suggestion," you say. "I will confer with the abbot and send Floyd | a message confirming the terms." Floyd | Floyd | "I'll expect word by tomorrow morning," Gower says, rising. You stand, Floyd | and he thrusts a hand at you; you realize just in time that he means it Floyd | as a sign of agreement, not an attack. You meet his hand and shake it Floyd | as you rise from your own seat. Floyd | Floyd | When you arrive at the monastery, you explain to Abbot Bao what has Floyd | transpired, and though he is concerned about the possible outcome, he Floyd | is eager to resolve the conflict without massive casualties on either Floyd | side. Given your role in the negotiation, it does not surprise you when Floyd | Abbot Bao selects you as the Order's champion. To make a point, you Floyd | have decided to face their champion empty handed. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | Limax says, "Hm" | |
| maga says, "argh dammit" | ||
| maga says, "what about our superior strategy learned from go-playing ghosts" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "haha - you realize just in time." | ||
| inky says, "ha ha oops" | ||
| DavidW asks, "I think I must've missed something. Go-playing ghosts?" | ||
| Limax says (to maga), "Hee hee" | ||
| Limax says (to DavidW), "I'm assuming it's a reference to Hikaru No Go" | ||
| maga says, "no, there was a literal go-playing ghost earlier in the story" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to DW), "Yeah, that was awhile ago. We played go with a long-deceased military commander." | ||
| DavidW says, "ah. Well, I think I'll go brew tea for the victors of the upcoming battle." | ||
| Limax says, "Ha" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "So, yeah. Instead of taking a knife to a gun fight, we're taking our fists to a gun fight. This seems like perhaps not the best move, but I AM SURE IT WILL WORK OUT JUST FINE" | ||
| DavidW says, "(which better be us)" | ||
| maga pushes the green 'space' button. | ||
Floyd | You walk confidently down the path as the time of your meeting Floyd | approaches. Many of the monks follow you, as much to witness the battle Floyd | as to provide you with support should the foreigners prove Floyd | dishonorable. Just before the camp of the foreigners, a space has been Floyd | cleared, and a young man wearing a cutlass and wielding a hand cannon Floyd | stands next to George Gower himself. Floyd | Floyd | "Greetings, Zhuge Meili," Gower says cheerfully. "This is Erasmus Floyd | Fontaine. He'll be your opponent today." Floyd | Floyd | Fontaine looks up at you from his hand cannon and you see clear hatred Floyd | in his eyes. This man means to kill you, regardless of any agreement Floyd | you might be able to reach with Gower. Floyd | Floyd | "Should your man die, I expect you to continue to honor our agreement," Floyd | you shout out, so that everyone can hear. Floyd | Floyd | Fontaine snorts. Floyd | Floyd | "Of course!" Gower says, waving away your concerns as though they are Floyd | unmerited, and as though you have not just called his honor into Floyd | question. "We've agreed to the terms, monk. Shall we get on with it?" Floyd | Floyd | >Next | Limax asks, "Always bring a gun to a knife fight?" | |
| Jacqueline exclaims, "Oho - ol' Erasmus Fontaine!" | ||
| Limax asks, "Also from earlier in the story?" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "No." | ||
| maga pushes the green 'space' button. | ||
Floyd | Without waiting for you to agree, Fontaine lifts the hand cannon and Floyd | shoots. Floyd | Floyd | A: I dodge beneath the shot, closing so that his weapon becomes Floyd | useless. Floyd | B: I use my chi to leap over his shot and attack him from above. Floyd | C: I fade slightly to the side, allowing the bullet to graze my Floyd | shoulder, before closing the distance. Floyd | | Jacqueline says, "Just someone with a good steampunk name." | |
| Limax says, "Ah" | ||
| Limax says, "I like C" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to maga), "Will you quit doing that? I'm tying to mock here, and your space bar pushes keep throwing off my timing." | ||
| maga asks, "hmm. B?" | ||
| maga says, "C is okay too" | ||
| Limax says, "Ah, being mocking takes timing" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "I like B." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Chi has been our friend throughout." | ||
| Limax says, "B seems like wire fu to me, but okay" | ||
| maga says, "remember what genre we're in" | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "wire fu?" | ||
| maga says (to Jacq), "the sorts of martial arts you can only do with the aid of a wire and harness" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Oh, ah." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "I still like B." | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "Final answers from maga and Limax?" | ||
| maga says, "yeah, B" | ||
| Limax says, "I guess B is okay" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > You leap faster than the bullet fires, feeling it pass below you as Floyd | you descend on your opponent. He raises his hand cannon at you in the Floyd | air, but you are already on him, using your higher vantage point to Floyd | execute Parting the Clouds?which rakes twice across his face before Floyd | piercing the pressure point called the village rain, the notch right Floyd | between the clavicles, with an Immortal Man strike. The strike drives Floyd | him downward as your full body weight presses on top of him, and as he Floyd | hits the ground, you feel your fingers crush his windpipe. The Floyd | foreigners, who had begun to cheer when Fontaine shot, fall deadly Floyd | silent. But Gower simply nods at you. "It seems I have underestimated Floyd | you," he says. "We will abide by our agreement." He says something in Floyd | the foreign tongue and you tense?but immediately, the foreigners turn Floyd | away, heading back into their camp. Within hours, they have started a Floyd | retreat, leaving the Order of the Peach Tree to once again decide its Floyd | own fate. Floyd | Floyd | You are hailed as the hero of the hour, and it is clear your prestige Floyd | has grown among the members of the Order. For your own sake, you are Floyd | glad of the success you had in defending the monastery, and are Floyd | relieved that another challenge is behind you. Floyd | Floyd | >Chapter Seven: The Imperial Challenge | inky says, "hunh" | |
| inky says, "suprised that worked" | ||
| inky says, "I guess we are high-chi dudes" | ||
| dfabulich says, "This is an awkward time to bring it up, but you can see your stats in this game by typing "stats"" | ||
| Limax says, "Huh. I've learned Immortal Man" | ||
| Limax says, "It's a very precise strike" | ||
| mwmiller arrives, ready to play with the toys. | dfabulich said, scrolling through the transcript. | |
| inky says (to Floyd), "stats" | ||
Floyd | java.text.AttributedString@15b7986: 73%
Floyd | java.text.AttributedString@87816d: 56%
Floyd | java.text.AttributedString@422ede: 98%
Floyd | java.text.AttributedString@112f614: 61%
Floyd | java.text.AttributedString@1d9dc39: 87%
Floyd | java.text.AttributedString@93dcd: 68%
Floyd | java.text.AttributedString@b89838: 62%
Floyd | 65% java.text.AttributedString@111a3ac vs. 35%
Floyd | java.text.AttributedString@110b053
Floyd | Name Zhuge Meili
Floyd | Style Zhuge
Floyd | Question How can the Empire return to Heaven's Favor?
Floyd |
Floyd | Your relationships: java.text.AttributedString@723d7c: 45%
Floyd | java.text.AttributedString@22c95b: 83%
Floyd | java.text.AttributedString@1d1acd3: 89%
Floyd | java.text.AttributedString@a981ca: 70%
Floyd | java.text.AttributedString@8814e9: Feng
Floyd | java.text.AttributedString@1503a3: 5
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | >OK
| dfabulich facepalms. | |
| Jacqueline says, "whoa" | ||
| dfabulich says, "I just broke this recently." | ||
| Limax says, "Owie" | ||
| inky says, "well, we've got a 98% in something" | ||
| dfabulich says, "status 73%" | ||
| dfabulich says, "fighting 56%" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "meh" | ||
| dfabulich says, "magic 98%" | ||
| mwmiller says, "Well, at least our java.text.AttributedStrings are all shipshape and our camels are suitably capsy." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "woo" | ||
| dfabulich says, "tenacity 61%" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "huh" | ||
| dfabulich says, "cleverness 87%" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "sweet" | ||
| dfabulich says, "enlightened 68%" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "meh" | ||
| dfabulich says, "honor 62%" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "huh" | ||
| maga says, "foxbangingness 100%" | ||
| dfabulich says, "I think it's saying 65% Tianxia vs. 35% Laowei (though I could have those backwards)" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to maga), "rowr" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "I was wondering about that 35%" | ||
| Limax asks, "Are we going for 100% in everything?" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Limax), "Probably not." | ||
| dfabulich says, "Lu Jin 45%" | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "As in, how much Lu Jin likes us?" | ||
| maga says (to Limax), "that is pretty much sure to be impossible" | ||
| inky says, "apparently tianxia vs laowei is about empire vs foreignness or something" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "See, I have to second what Gunther said earlier: we don't get to see our stats in life, we just live it." | ||
| dfabulich says, "uh, I'm a bit confused by the last bit." | ||
| Limax says, "I would think so... but I thought the question needed to be asked" | ||
| DavidW says, "ok, tea is brewing" | ||
| dfabulich says, "the characters to have relationships with are Lu Jin, Feng, Zhuge Liang, and Sun An" | ||
| dfabulich says, "so, uh, some of those in some order or other :-)" | ||
| says, "I'll fix this for the next time I upload a game to Floyd! :-p" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "So." | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | You leap faster than the bullet fires, feeling it pass below you as you Floyd | descend on your opponent. He raises his hand cannon at you in the air, Floyd | but you are already on him, using your higher vantage point to execute Floyd | Parting the Clouds?which rakes twice across his face before piercing Floyd | the pressure point called the village rain, the notch right between the Floyd | clavicles, with an Immortal Man strike. The strike drives him downward Floyd | as your full body weight presses on top of him, and as he hits the Floyd | ground, you feel your fingers crush his windpipe. The foreigners, who Floyd | had begun to cheer when Fontaine shot, fall deadly silent. But Gower Floyd | simply nods at you. "It seems I have underestimated you," he says. "We Floyd | will abide by our agreement." He says something in the foreign tongue Floyd | and you tense?but immediately, the foreigners turn away, heading back Floyd | into their camp. Within hours, they have started a retreat, leaving the Floyd | Order of the Peach Tree to once again decide its own fate. Floyd | Floyd | You are hailed as the hero of the hour, and it is clear your prestige Floyd | has grown among the members of the Order. For your own sake, you are Floyd | glad of the success you had in defending the monastery, and are Floyd | relieved that another challenge is behind you. Floyd | Floyd | >Chapter Seven: The Imperial Challenge | Limax asks (of dfabulich), "Were you writing in a foreign language again?" | |
| dfabulich says, "You can see the stat screen at [LINK] (click Show Stats)" | ||
| McMartin says, "'laowei' is a word for foreigners that is nominally respectful but can be used as an epithet with the right intonation, IIRC." | ||
| dfabulich says, "To be clear, I'm not the author of this game. This one was 100% written by Alana Joli Abbott" | ||
| Limax says, "Aha" | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | After the conflict between the Order of the Peach Tree and the Floyd | foreigners at the monastery, events seem to pass quickly. News of the Floyd | foreigners is hard to avoid: more of their ships are landing in the Floyd | fishing villages they took over to establish their own port. While Floyd | their numbers increase, they are also making a clear attempt to Floyd | insinuate themselves further into the Imperial Court. George Gower has Floyd | taken up residence in Xiaonanhai, and the rumor is that he calls on the Floyd | Emperor every day, trying to mold a space for himself as an Imperial Floyd | advisor. Floyd | Floyd | Or, some whisper, as the man who will try to steal the Emperor's Floyd | throne. Floyd | Floyd | But though tensions are high, the violence has slowed. The Blue Scarves Floyd | Rebellion has continued with raids, hassling the foreigners at every Floyd | opportunity, but there have been no large-scale battles. It is though Floyd | everyone is holding their breath. Floyd | Floyd | What do you think the foreigners will do next? Floyd | Floyd | A: I am still not concerned with worldly affairs. At this point, if I Floyd | weren't also seeking to detach myself from emotional reactions, I'd be Floyd | annoyed with everyone pointing them out to me. Floyd | B: Clearly, there is a reason behind their change in tactics. I analyze Floyd | their locations to determine what outcome they may seek. Floyd | C: They are saving their resources for a large fight. I make discreet Floyd | inquiries into their weapon stores and the supply chain between Gower Floyd | and his men. Floyd | | dfabulich says, "If you're seeing funny characters on your screen (especially ?s) it's probably a text encoding problem. This game uses unicode emdashes and ellipses." | |
| Limax says, "I was going to question about an immortal man strike to the windpipe. That's usually reserved for eyes or another place like that" | ||
| dfabulich continues getting caught up on the transcript. | ||
| Limax says (to dfabulich), "I never turned unicode on for tf in PuTTY" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "haha - I love A." | ||
| Jacqueline | At this point, if I weren't also seeking to detach myself from emotional reactions, I'd be annoyed with everyone pointing them out to me. | ||
| Jacqueline says, "The encoding issues are Floyd, not your client or your personal settings. Vimes is aware." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "So, B." | ||
| maga says, "B" | ||
| DavidW says, "I like B. There's a beauty to that one." | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > You acquire a large map and start marking the rumored locations of Floyd | the foreigners on it. They are densest at the shoreline, but while more Floyd | are landing there, there is a trend from the shore northward, toward Floyd | the capital, skirting the marshes when possible. It makes perfect sense Floyd | now why the foreigners wanted control of the monastery: its location is Floyd | directly in the path of the settlements the foreigners have been making Floyd | over the past twenty years. Floyd | Floyd | But the presence of George Gower at the capital makes you suspect that Floyd | he is not planning to lead an army against the Emperor. If anything, Floyd | you see wisdom in the rumors that he hopes to gain power through Floyd | influencing the Emperor, rather than replacing him. Given how the Floyd | foreigners have treated the people they've displaced, Gower having the Floyd | Imperial ear could be disastrous for the Middle Kingdom. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | Limax says, "Sure" | |
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | You get a clue into Gower's plans the spring after the attack on the Floyd | monastery. It arrives in the form of a summons: sealed with blue wax Floyd | impressed with the shape of a rampant lion, the bleached white paper is Floyd | so stiff it crackles when it opens. The letter reads: Floyd | Floyd | "To Zhuge Meili: Floyd | Floyd | "Based on the reputation of your skill and honor, you have been Floyd | selected to compete in a fighting exhibition for the entertainment of Floyd | the glorious Emperor. The fight, which will take place in an arena now Floyd | being constructed just south of the Imperial capital, will feature two Floyd | warriors of my native country on horseback, wielding the weapons of our Floyd | lands. You will fight alongside a captured rebel and traitor to the Floyd | Middle Kingdom, Lu Jin, who will be released from the Imperial dungeons Floyd | for the event. The outcome of the combat will settle a wager between Floyd | myself and the Emperor as to which nation boasts superior fighters. Floyd | Floyd | "As a reward, the winners will be granted lands and a title by the Floyd | crown, and, should it be relevant, receive a pardon for crimes against Floyd | the Empire. More, however, the winners will have the prestige of having Floyd | defended their country's honor. Floyd | Floyd | "An Imperial guard will be sent to accompany you. Floyd | Floyd | "Cheers, Floyd | Floyd | "George Gower" Floyd | Floyd | It looks as though you will be unable to simply decline participating Floyd | in this competition. How do you react to this summons? Floyd | Floyd | A: Lu Jin, a prisoner? Of course we will fight?and win?to insure his Floyd | freedom! Floyd | B: This is our moment to prove the foreigners are unworthy. We will Floyd | fight for the honor of the Middle Kingdom! Floyd | C: This is sure to be a farce, with the game board aligned against us, Floyd | but we will triumph regardless?by whatever means necessary. Floyd | D: I have no interest in fighting in this competition. I will escape Floyd | before the supposed honor guard arrives. Floyd | | inky says, "you get a clue to his plans when he sends you a letter telling you about his plans" | |
| Jacqueline says, "LU JIN" | ||
| Limax asks, "Isn't he our student?" | ||
| Limax says (to inky), "Ha ha" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to inky), "yay" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Limax), "No, an old rival." | ||
| maga says, "C" | ||
| Limax asks (of Jacqueline), "The one we were fighting when I first came in, right?" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Okay, well, it's easy enough to *say* C." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "cee" | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "See?" | ||
| Limax says, "Que" | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "Can I get a third on C?" | ||
| DavidW says, "sure, C" | ||
| Limax says, "Si" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > Gower wouldn't have planned a simple competition without being sure Floyd | that the odds were in his favor. He expects to win more than an Floyd | event?he is using this as one more step to gain the Emperor's ear. The Floyd | mere fact that he is having wagers with the Son of Heaven is Floyd | unbelievably presumptuous. Floyd | Floyd | Whatever it takes to prove that the foreigners are unworthy, you will Floyd | make sure it is done. The following week, a group of Imperial soldiers, Floyd | led by Commander Rong Jue, the son of Governor Rong, arrives to collect Floyd | you. The procession has all the trappings of an honor guard, but from Floyd | the way they watch you, you know that?like you?they consider you a Floyd | prisoner. As you travel to the capital, how do you pass the time? Floyd | Floyd | A: I talk to Rong Jue, hoping to find out more about what is happening Floyd | in the capital. Floyd | B: I tell stories and jokes, trying to set the soldiers at ease. Floyd | C: I cast an oracle bone to determine whether the Imperial Challenge Floyd | will have good results. Floyd | D: I say nothing to anyone. Traveling in silence will be my rebellion Floyd | against Gower for forcing me into his contest. Floyd | | Limax says, "D seems like a Jet Li thing" | |
| maga says, "A" | ||
| DavidW says, "A or C" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "It makes for a boring movie, but then, we just stood around and stared at that other dude on top of a tower in front of everyone, so." | ||
| DavidW says, "I always like getting more info." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Yeah." | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > The commander does his best to fill you in on the details of Floyd | Xiaonanhai life. You can tell that he is trying to give a fair account Floyd | of the foreign presence in the capital city, but you suspect that he Floyd | has no fond feelings for George Gower or the foreigner's position at Floyd | court. If Rong Jue's feelings are representative, you may have other Floyd | allies inside the Imperial city. Floyd | Floyd | In addition, Rong Jue informs you of how the contest is to work: you Floyd | and Lu Jin will face a pair of foreigners wearing what Gower calls Floyd | "courtly" armor?which Rong explains means outdated armor designed to Floyd | stand against hand-to-hand combat but not hand cannons. The exhibition Floyd | will start on horseback and resolve on the ground, as long as one Floyd | member of each team is alive. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | Limax exclaims, "I'm off to take a walk wiht my daughter. Have fun!" | |
| Limax walks slowly out of the room and into the sunset. | Jacqueline says, "Hopefully we will go all Jen Yu on these mofos and steal their guns and hold them at handcannonpoint." | |
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | No matter how many times you have been to Xiaonanhai, it never ceases Floyd | to take your breath away at first sight. As you crest the last hill Floyd | between you and the capital, the walled city stretches out in front of Floyd | you, fading into mist, so that it appears that the city itself extends Floyd | forever. A river runs through the center of the city, and one wall of Floyd | the palace rubs against it like a cat against a friendly hand. The Floyd | palace itself towers above the rest of the city, its golden calligraphy Floyd | catching stray bits of light that float in through the mist, making it Floyd | seem as though the whole building sparkles. Floyd | Floyd | Xiaonanhai is the center of the Middle Kingdom, its heart and its Floyd | breath. It is a testament to the working of humans, and proof that Floyd | human hands can create something lasting. It also buzzes like a hive of Floyd | angry bees; anyone within its walls must be wary that they are not Floyd | stung by criminals and bureaucrats alike. Floyd | Floyd | The soldiers are eager to get you to the palace, given that you have Floyd | arrived the day before the competition, but you persuade them to stop Floyd | by Tai Thong, a pastry shop you remember fondly from the last time you Floyd | were in Xiaonanhai. The proprietors treat all their customers like Floyd | family, and the atmosphere gives a sense that, through pastries, one Floyd | can achieve both peace and prosperity. You make a small purchase, Floyd | setting a pork bun aside for Lu Jin, as Rong Jue thinks Lu Jin will be Floyd | released into the custody of the Imperial soldiers as soon as you Floyd | arrive at the palace. Floyd | Floyd | Instead, however, you are escorted to a guest room in the palace, Floyd | attended to by servants, all with the intent of making you comfortable Floyd | while you wait for hours for further news. All of you ignore the fact Floyd | that soldiers are stationed outside your door. Finally, after night has Floyd | fallen, a thin and damp Lu Jin is ushered into your room. They have Floyd | clearly just bathed him, in order to look presentable, you assume, for Floyd | your competition. Floyd | Floyd | A: I go to Lu Jin's side immediately to make sure he is unharmed. Floyd | B: We don't know who might be watching. I gesture to the table in the Floyd | guest chamber and offer Lu Jin a pork bun. Floyd | C: I nod to Lu Jin and wish him a good night. Floyd | | DavidW says, "I'm kinda amazed how many combats are in this story, but I suppose I shouldn't be considering the Kung Fu focus." | |
| Zach arrives, full of neither funk nor fun. | maga says, "B" | |
| Jacqueline says, "So, I have had my eye on that pork bun and if he doesn't eat it, I will." | ||
| DavidW says, "yeah, pork bun time" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "So yeah, B." | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > Lu Jin joins you at the table and accepts the pork bun, not wasting Floyd | any time eating it. "So," he says finally, "I suppose you have a plan Floyd | to defeat the foreigners. I hope you'll consider my ideas as well." Floyd | Floyd | You agree to listen to Lu Jin's suggestions, though as he has been Floyd | incarcerated for months, it appears, you wonder how he could have Floyd | anything useful to add. As you sit together, Lu Jin gives you all the Floyd | information about the competition he has been able to glean. The two Floyd | foreign competitors are masters of an old sport combat style called Floyd | jousting that is rarely practiced in Gower's home country except for Floyd | entertainment. They will be wearing thick plates of armor and carrying Floyd | shields, using long lances to try to unhorse or kill you in a direct Floyd | charge. You will be provided with ji, spear-tipped halberds that have Floyd | crescent blades around a sword-breaker on either side of the haft. Floyd | Floyd | "Their armor is an advantage on horseback, but we'll move much faster Floyd | than they will on the ground," Lu Jin theorizes. "And they'll have Floyd | limited visibility due to their helmets?we should be able to stay in Floyd | their blind spots, again if we can bring them to the ground. The hard Floyd | part about the armor is that it offers very few openings: their eyes Floyd | and at the softer armor covering their joints?which is still heavy Floyd | enough to deflect a blade." Floyd | Floyd | Your brain begins working around these issues. "We'll need to figure Floyd | out their other disadvantages," you say, almost to yourself. Floyd | Floyd | "Or you could ask for help," says a familiar voice. The only remaining Floyd | palace servant steps forward, and you instantly recognize Feng, despite Floyd | the fox spirit's new disguise. Lu Jin looks at you in confusion, but Floyd | you just nod for him to listen. "I can offer you these," Feng says, Floyd | rolling two small vials out onto the palm of her hand. "Poison enough Floyd | to coat one blade each." Floyd | Floyd | Lu Jin begins to reach for the poison. Floyd | Floyd | A: Feng has never led me astray before. This is a clever plan, even if Floyd | it is dishonorable, and I am confident we can execute it without Floyd | notice. Floyd | B: Feng is a fox spirit?my companion or not, tempting monks into Floyd | dishonor is in her nature. No good will come of taking up her offer. Floyd | C: If we were caught using poison, we would be shown as dishonorable Floyd | opponents. We cannot risk that loss of face, so we cannot accept the Floyd | poison. Floyd | D: We will not stoop to such a dishonorable tactic! Floyd | | inky says, "ha ha" | |
| maga says, "sounds like the feller needs a good feed" | ||
| Zach says, "Poison?!" | ||
| maga says, "hm. C, I think" | ||
| DavidW says, "We did, earlier, decide to win at any cost, which probably enabled this tactic." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Curious." | ||
| DavidW says, "When we opened the letter." | ||
| maga says, "well, winning with poison would probably be a defeat, politically speaking" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "FINE." | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "So, C?" | ||
| DavidW says, "sure, C." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "I guess since no one has said 'no,' you all meant to say 'yes.'" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > "We cannot do this," you say firmly. "If we were to be caught, the Floyd | consequences not only to us, but to the reputation of the Middle Floyd | Kingdom, would be disastrous." Floyd | Floyd | "Then let's not get caught," Lu Jin says excitedly. "We need this sort Floyd | of advantage, Zhuge Meili." Floyd | Floyd | You look at both Feng and Lu Jin, giving them your best teacher stare. Floyd | "No," you say, "we don't. We can use the sword breakers on the ji to Floyd | open their armor like peeling off a can if it comes down to it. But Floyd | this?someone will find out eventually. And everything we're seeking to Floyd | prove?that we are better fighters than the foreigners, that the Middle Floyd | Kingdom has greater honor?will be completely undone." Floyd | Floyd | Lu Jin weighs your words, then turns away. "May your confidence be Floyd | merited," he says bitterly. You say goodbye to Feng, and both you and Floyd | Lu Jin agree to turn in for the night. As you are falling asleep, you Floyd | think you hear voices, but you put it off to being the palace servants Floyd | going about their work. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | DavidW asks, "oh, they're gonna do it anyway, huh?" | |
| Jacqueline says, "No, I don't think so." | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | The next morning, you and Lu Jin are escorted by no fewer than twenty Floyd | armed Imperial soldiers, including Rong Jue, to a field north of the Floyd | city wall. There are raised stands of seating, crafted, you suspect, Floyd | from bamboo, and a pavilion is on a raised dais overlooking an oblong Floyd | arena. The whole thing looks very odd to you, and Gower's work is Floyd | evident in everything from the pennant flag decorations to the strange Floyd | rope, suspended at chest height, that divides the arena. Two riders, Floyd | completely covered in steel armor, stand next to two horses at the far Floyd | end of the arena; you and Lu Jin are escorted to two waiting horses and Floyd | a weapons rack at the other side. Floyd | Floyd | Now that the moment is upon you, how will you prepare for this Floyd | competition to begin? Floyd | Floyd | A: Select a weapon from the rack. Floyd | B: Greet our opponents so that the combat begins with honor. Floyd | C: Examine the horses to make sure they are in good condition. Floyd | D: I am ready for battle! Floyd | | maga says, "C" | |
| Jacqueline says, "Hm, okay." | ||
| DavidW says, "yeah, C is good" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > You look over the horses and check their equipment to make sure that Floyd | nothing has been tampered with. Sure enough, you see that the tie Floyd | securing the saddle on one of the horses has been sliced, and that the Floyd | other has a burr in its bridle. Floyd | Floyd | You call for Rong Jue, who comes over immediately. "Is there a Floyd | problem?" Floyd | Floyd | When you explain, Rong Jue's face goes dark. But before he can say Floyd | anything, you suggest, "Could you bring us two fresh horses?" Floyd | Floyd | He nods shortly. "I will see that two stallions are brought from the Floyd | army stables," he says, and you can hear the anger in his voice. "You Floyd | will not be taken advantage of." Floyd | Floyd | A short time later, the commander returns with two new mounts, and they Floyd | are glorious ones, far better than the pair here originally. You and Lu Floyd | Jin bow to Rong Jue, and he returns the bow, saying nothing further Floyd | about the incident. Floyd | Floyd | Do you make any further preparations? Floyd | Floyd | A: Select a weapon from the rack. Floyd | B: Greet our opponents so that the combat begins with honor. Floyd | C: I am ready for battle! Floyd | | maga says, "A" | |
| DavidW says, "yeah, we'll want a weapon" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Agreed - do I have a thi- okay." | ||
| DavidW says, "(bah)" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > There are several ji to choose from, as well as a half-dozen Floyd | straight-edged jian and a pair of hook swords. Lu Jin takes the hook Floyd | swords and flourishes them for a moment before nodding and hooking them Floyd | into his belt. You choose a ji that is almost as weighty as one of Floyd | Master Zhuge's guan dao and a jian that ends in a red tassel, which Floyd | should catch your opponent's eyes as a distraction should the combat Floyd | move to the ground. Floyd | Floyd | Do you make any additional preparations? Floyd | Floyd | A: Greet our opponents so that the combat begins with honor. Floyd | B: I am ready for battle! Floyd | | Jacqueline asks, "A?" | |
| Jacqueline says, "Seems like, given everything, A." | ||
| DavidW says, "Tricky." | ||
| maga says, "yeah, A" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > You do not know the traditions of the foreigners for occasions like Floyd | this, but you see no reason for your fight to begin without honor. You Floyd | strike out across the field until Lu Jin grabs you by the wrist. Floyd | Floyd | "What are you doing?" he hisses. Floyd | Floyd | "Greeting our opponents," you say. "They may not wish to follow our Floyd | customs, but we should represent the Middle Kingdom by beginning this Floyd | fight with honor." Lu Jin sneers. "They are not worthy of such respect. Floyd | Go on your own if you wish." Floyd | Floyd | You leave Lu Jin behind without further argument, walking to the other Floyd | side of the arena and bowing in greeting to your opponents. The two Floyd | armored fighters lift the visors of their helmets, and you see the Floyd | light-skinned faces of two men younger than you are, but clearly Floyd | skilled fighters or they would not be here. Floyd | Floyd | One of them asks the other a confused question, which the second Floyd | answers with a smile. "Hello to you, too," he says to you, his accent Floyd | quite competent for a foreigner. "Lovely day for a battle to the death, Floyd | isn't it?" Floyd | Floyd | You smile politely. "Perhaps it will not come to that," you say Floyd | serenely, imagining Abbot Bao's voice behind your words. "We look Floyd | forward to seeing your skills on display and hope for an honorable Floyd | competition." Floyd | Floyd | The warrior looks slightly embarrassed. "Yes, well, we look forward to Floyd | seeing your skills, too," he says clumsily. "Honor and all that." Floyd | Floyd | The first warrior asks for a translation, and the two of them rattle Floyd | back and forth for a minute, with the first warrior soon looking as Floyd | sheepish as the second. "Nice to meet you," he says, haltingly, with a Floyd | big smile. You bow again and return to your side of the field. Floyd | Floyd | The encounter seems rather suspicious, but you think that by crossing Floyd | the field to greet them, you have inspired some real respect from your Floyd | opponents, which can only work to your advantage. Floyd | Floyd | Do you make any additional preparations? Floyd | Floyd | A: I am ready for battle! Floyd | | DavidW says, "okay, I guess. This might've been one time that a snub would've been better." | |
| maga exclaims, "and we're off!" | ||
| Jacqueline exclaims, "Gosh, I just can't figure out which one to pick!" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > You look at Lu Jin, who nods in readiness, and the two of you bow to Floyd | each other. Floyd | Floyd | "We will win," Lu Jin says confidently. You wonder whether he is Floyd | reassuring himself or you. Floyd | Floyd | You tell Rong Jue that you are ready, and he gestures to one of the Floyd | other soldiers. Suddenly, a drum call fills the arena, and you and Lu Floyd | Jin, on horseback, are escorted to the dais. The two foreigners, also Floyd | riding their horses, stop next to you, and the four of you wait as the Floyd | Emperor's silk-enclosed litter is run up to the dais by his guards. Floyd | They stop and lower the Emperor to the ground, where he watches from Floyd | behind the thin curtains. Floyd | Floyd | George Gower and several members of the Imperial bureaucracy take their Floyd | seats near the Emperor's litter. As everyone is settled, one of the Floyd | magistrates calls out, "Let the Imperial Challenge begin!" Floyd | Floyd | The stands, full now of spectators, erupt in cheers. The foreign Floyd | horsemen ride quickly back to their end of the arena. Rong Jue, who is Floyd | providing your escort, hisses instructions to you. Floyd | Floyd | "The foreigners will ride the center of the field?they call it the Floyd | pitch?with their lances," he says. "They are steel tipped and meant to Floyd | kill. But they are accustomed to continuing on the pass, reaching the Floyd | end, and turning around again, based on the practices I have watched. Floyd | You're on the first pass?Lu Jin's second." Floyd | Floyd | He pulls away as you reach the end of the field. "Good luck!" Floyd | Floyd | What strategy do you use to face the foreigners? Floyd | Floyd | A: I am confident I can fight on horseback. Floyd | B: I want to fight on the ground, and will aim to unhorse the rider. Floyd | C: I can take a mounted fighter from the ground. I will get off the Floyd | horse at the pass and attack unmounted. Floyd | | maga says, "not quite sure about the real difference between B and C" | |
| maga says, "but we haven't really ever fought on horseback, so A seems dodgy" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "One is aiming to unhorse him, the other not. I think we should unhorse them." | ||
| DavidW says, "C means we're abandoning our horse immediately, I think." | ||
| DavidW asks, "I think B is our best option, but geez, has our character done anything like this before ever?" | ||
| inky says, "it seems unlikely!" | ||
| maga says, "okay, B" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > You charge down the lane, keeping to your assigned side of the silly Floyd | rope divider. You can see your opponent's strategy: he is seated firmly Floyd | in his saddle, weight forward, his lance balanced across the horse's Floyd | neck so that his shield faces you. His attack is based on momentum, and Floyd | clearly his customary rules expect you to stay where he will hit you. Floyd | Floyd | But one of the first rules of combat you learned was that if you are in Floyd | a place where someone wants to hit you, don't be there. Move somewhere Floyd | else and disrupt their offense to gain the advantage. Floyd | Floyd | How do you plan to unhorse your foe? Floyd | Floyd | A: I stand on the saddle and use my chi to leap onto his horse, Floyd | dragging him to the ground. Floyd | B: I command my horse to leap across the rope and swing my ji to attack Floyd | on his unshielded side. Floyd | C: My horse is stronger than I am; I speak to it in comforting words, Floyd | letting it dart out of the way before it rears to kick my foe from his Floyd | saddle. Floyd | | Jacqueline asks, "Wait, we're still on a horse??" | |
| DavidW says, "yes" | ||
| maga says, "A" | ||
| DavidW says, "C was getting off. B was staying on." | ||
| maga says, "chi is our friend" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "B said 'I want to fight on the ground, and will aim to unhorse the rider.'" | ||
| DavidW says, "I'm fond of C, but I'll agree with A if that's what others want." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "That did not sound to me like staying on a horse (the whole 'on the ground' bit), but whatever, we're here now." | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > You secure your ji across your back to leave both of your hands free. Floyd | As your opponent bears down on you, you crouch in the saddle, then you Floyd | spring over his lance and tackle him. Your combined weight and the Floyd | change in momentum send both of you toppling from the back of his Floyd | horse. You land on top of him, allowing your full weight to crash into Floyd | him before you roll off and spring to your feet. He clambers after you, Floyd | moving faster than you'd have expected given the awkward weight of the Floyd | armor, though still far slower than you. He draws his sword. Floyd | Floyd | Lu Jin's horse flies past yours, and you realize he is headed into his Floyd | own part of the combat. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | Now that you and your foe are both on the ground, how do you attack? Floyd | Floyd | A: I will outlast him. That armor is heavy, and I can dance around him Floyd | all day. Floyd | B: I will make it look like I am giving him openings, leading him to Floyd | overextend and throw himself off balance. Floyd | C: I will disarm him?whether that means his weapon or his arm. Floyd | | Jacqueline says, "A or B, likely A." | |
| maga says, "I like B, I think" | ||
| DavidW says, "any of these are reasonable." | ||
| maga says, "A is a good option too, but more reliant on our own physical endurance" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "hm, okay. B." | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > Part of the art is knowing when to fade and knowing when to Floyd | strike?and knowing when to combine those two elements to launch a Floyd | surprise attack. You keep drawing your opponent into your range, Floyd | deflecting his blows and keeping him off balance. Eventually, he Floyd | overextends himself, and his lunge sends him stumbling forward. You Floyd | strike him on the back of his helmet as he falls, and when you check Floyd | him to receive his surrender, you find that he is sleeping Floyd | peacefully?though he will likely have quite the headache in the Floyd | morning. Floyd | Floyd | Across the field, Lu Jin and his opponent are still locked in battle. Floyd | You hurry across the field to join them. Floyd | Floyd | By the time you reach Lu Jin, both Lu Jin and his opponent are on the Floyd | ground, locked in a sword fight. The foreign warrior is relying on his Floyd | armor to protect him from Lu Jin's blows, and for the most part, this Floyd | strategy works, with Lu Jin's hook swords skittering off the steel. But Floyd | his strikes are slow, and Lu Jin, though wounded, is dancing out of the Floyd | way of his strikes. When Lu Jin sees you approach, however, his Floyd | strategy changes. He darts around behind the armored warrior and hooks Floyd | both of the warrior's arms in his hook swords. Floyd | Floyd | "Now!" Lu Jin yells at you. Floyd | Floyd | A: I am tough enough that I can deliver a knockout blow from beneath Floyd | the helmet, despite the armor between me and my foe's chin. Floyd | B: I deliver a piercing blow with the jian's tip through the hole in Floyd | the helmet, killing him. Floyd | C: I gather my chi and throw the energy at him with a shout, Floyd | momentarily paralyzing him. Floyd | | DavidW says, "I'm worried about overconfidence. There's bound to be a feature of this combat we've overlooked." | |
| maga says, "C seems clearly our best choice" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "I like C as well." | ||
| DavidW says, "ok." | ||
| DavidW says, "Hate what Lu Jin will likely do, though." | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "Oh?" | ||
| DavidW says, "I think Lu Jin will act with dishonor." | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > You can't resist the chance to make one final flashy move in this Floyd | combat; you gather chi from the earth beneath you, cradling it in front Floyd | of you until you hear a gasp from the spectators, indicating that they Floyd | can see your chi ball as well. You thrust it at the armored fighter, Floyd | and as the shock of the energy hits him, he collapses to the ground. Floyd | You and Lu Jin stand together, both of your foes out of the fight, and Floyd | as one, you face the dais and give a deep bow in the direction of the Floyd | Emperor. The spectators cheer wildly in the stands, and the drums beat Floyd | in a roll so constant that it sounds like a thunderstorm. The Floyd | magistrate announces you as the winners and Imperial Champions, proving Floyd | the fighters of the Middle Kingdom are superior. You and Lu Jin are Floyd | once again escorted back to the Imperial palace, this time as heroes. Floyd | Floyd | But when you reach the palace, another group of soldiers are waiting Floyd | for you. Rong Jue looks at them in confusion, but a soldier whose Floyd | insignia shows a higher rank demands to take Lu Jin into custody. Floyd | Floyd | "By the Emperor's command, Lu Jin won his freedom,"Rong Jue says Floyd | cautiously. Floyd | Floyd | The ranking officer shakes his head. "That was before it was discovered Floyd | that the rebel coated his blade with poison," he accuses, and Lu Jin Floyd | pales. He draws your jian from its sheath and you prepare to stop him Floyd | from attacking the guards. But he does not lash out at them?instead, he Floyd | stabs himself through the stomach, a deep wound that will bring about Floyd | his death. Floyd | Floyd | "I die a free man," he says. Floyd | Floyd | "And an Imperial Champion," you say kindly. Your old rival's eyes Floyd | flutter closed one last time, and his blood cascades like liquid ruby Floyd | down the palace steps. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | Jacqueline says, "You... sort of called it, David." | |
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | Two days later, you are summoned before the Emperor. Though you are Floyd | required to remain several steps back from the throne, the Emperor Floyd | shows you his face, and bestows one of his rare smiles upon you. Floyd | Floyd | "Congratulations, my Imperial Champion," he says. "You have shown the Floyd | Middle Kingdom that we have much to be proud of." Floyd | Floyd | He does not mention Lu Jin's tragic fate. Floyd | Floyd | "You are welcome in my Court," he says. "Let it be known throughout the Floyd | Middle Kingdom that you are the empire's hero." Floyd | Floyd | The subsequent awards you receive of land and wealth to match your new Floyd | status are almost secondary to that proclamation. Floyd | Floyd | >Chapter Eight: The Dragon Sage | DavidW says, "Sorry." | |
| Jacqueline says, "No, no, don't apologize." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Oooh Dragon Sage." | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | You have learned, in all your years as a student, as a monk, and as a Floyd | teacher that life contains surprises. Sometimes the thing that you most Floyd | wanted is the thing most likely to set you back on the path to your Floyd | goals. Sometimes those goals must be set aside to fully live the life Floyd | in front of you. There are moments when you must simply be, existing in Floyd | a time and space that will never again occur. Other times, you must Floyd | act, fulfilling the role that has been placed before you. These are the Floyd | thoughts that enter your mind as you travel with a group of the monks Floyd | of the Order of the Peach Tree to Xiaxue Mountain. Floyd | Floyd | More than twenty years have passed since you first became a monk, and Floyd | the Order is celebrating the hundredth year: the day when the Dragon Floyd | Sage descends to the top of Xiaxue Mountain is almost here. You are Floyd | among the candidates to be chosen to greet the Dragon and ask a Floyd | question. Floyd | Floyd | A: I may be eligible, but I am happy with my life. I would rather Floyd | someone else ask the Sage a question than risk a life-changing event. Floyd | B: I am still concerned about issues of this world, and know that the Floyd | Dragon Sage will have the answers I crave. Floyd | C: I have led a good life, but I am ready to leave everything behind if Floyd | that is what the Dragon Sage requires. Floyd | | DavidW asks, "For Davids-come-lately, what's the deal with the oooh Dragon Sage?" | |
| inky says, "back at the beginning it said we wanted to be the one selected to get to ask the dragon sage a question" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "It is the ultimate goal of the game, or at least at one point it seems as if it's supposed to be." | ||
| inky says, "we said our goal was to ask how to return the empire to the correct path or something" | ||
| inky says, "although there was also a strong contingent interested in asking how kites fly" | ||
| DavidW asks (of inky), "oh. Not the meaning of life, the universe, and everything?" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "But, perhaps predictably, things have changed a bunch since then." | ||
| Jacqueline says (to DW), "Well, no, sort of like that, actually." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "A seems lame." | ||
| maga says, "I kind of want to go with A, honestly, but yeah, B sounds more narratively suitable" | ||
| Zach says, "Let's ask him, "Are you *really* the Dragon Sage?"" | ||
| DavidW says, "oh, I want C. Roll dem dice." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Well, A may be more zenlike." | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Zach), "I thought you wanted to ask him about kites." | ||
| DavidW says, "(except, C will likely mean we get named the next Dungeon Master -- er, next Dragon Sage)" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "ooh - good point." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "We'd finally get some freakin' solitude." | ||
| inky says, "ha ha" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "So now I want C." | ||
| Zach says (to Jacq), "After gaining much wisdom, I've realized there are some mysteries best left unsolved." | ||
| DavidW says, "As long as we can still party with fox chick." | ||
| Jacqueline smiles at Zach. | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "So, anyone against C?" | ||
| Jacqueline counts to ten... | ||
| Zach says, "C works" | ||
| maga says, "enh fine" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > Whatever happens next, you are prepared to face it. As you learned Floyd | from Master Shen so long ago, do not worry over the past or fear the Floyd | future: exist in the moment. If you are the one chosen to question the Floyd | Dragon Sage, you will do the Order proud. And thankfully, you came to Floyd | terms with your eligibility just in time. Abbot Bao, who has traveled Floyd | with the group of monks, draws you aside. Floyd | Floyd | "Zhuge Meili, you have proven yourself to be honorable, and you have Floyd | gained the respect of the Middle Kingdom. The Order has chosen you to Floyd | represent us in speaking to the Dragon Sage. Will you accept this task Floyd | on our behalf?" Floyd | Floyd | You bow solemnly, as the occasion requires. "Yes," you say, and are Floyd | pleased with the clarity of your voice in this important moment. Floyd | Floyd | Abbot Bao returns your bow. Then he surprises you by clapping you on Floyd | both shoulders and looking at you with tears at the corners of his Floyd | eyes. Floyd | Floyd | "You have made me proud, my student," he says. Floyd | Floyd | Emotion threatens to overwhelm you as well, but instead you heft your Floyd | climbing gear on your shoulder, squeeze the old abbot's hand, and begin Floyd | your climb up the mountain. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | DavidW says, "aw, Abbot smoochies not get" | |
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | Though monks have been climbing Xiaxue for centuries, the path is a Floyd | difficult one. You think back to something Master Zhuge once told you Floyd | about mountain climbing?that it is important to think only of the next Floyd | step, and that soon you will reach the top?and it makes you smile. You Floyd | wonder now where the Veiled Dragon may be, and whether she is still Floyd | writing poetry. Floyd | Floyd | You think for a moment that you see a flash of red?like the tail of a Floyd | fox?against the mountain snow, but when you look, it is gone. Floyd | Floyd | The way is cold, and the air is thin, but you go at a steady pace, and Floyd | the activity keeps your body warm. You reach a large cave near the Floyd | peak, which provides you with shelter against the wind, just as you see Floyd | a thin shape spiraling down from the Heavens. Though the sky is covered Floyd | in clouds, every once in a while, light catches off the yellow scales Floyd | of the Dragon Sage, who grows larger with every heartbeat. The dragon's Floyd | head is like a camel; its legs end in paws like a tiger's, with each Floyd | toe capped in an eagle's claw. As it comes closer, you see its belly is Floyd | like a clam, its neck is like a snake, and on its head are cow's ears, Floyd | deer's horns, and demon eyes. The Dragon Sage descends, and its scales Floyd | remind you of those of a carp, catching the glimmer of sunlight through Floyd | the clouds as a fish's scales gleam beneath the water's surface. You Floyd | had heard all of these qualities before?scholars have catalogued dragon Floyd | bodies down to the number of scales?but seeing the combination in Floyd | person is breathtaking. Floyd | Floyd | As the Dragon Sage lands next to you, you find yourself holding your Floyd | breath in awe. The dragon chuckles. "Greetings, monk," it says, in a Floyd | voice that sounds like the rumble of thunder. You can feel it vibrate Floyd | in your chest. "The time has come for you to ask me a question." Floyd | Floyd | The moment has come. Long ago, you chose a question, but many years Floyd | have passed, and you have grown and changed. With what you now know Floyd | about the world and what you know about yourself, what question will Floyd | you ask? Floyd | Floyd | A: How can I become the greatest warrior in the world? Floyd | B: How can the Empire return to Heaven's Favor? Floyd | C: What is the first question? Floyd | D: Why do kites fly? Floyd | | maga says, "B or C" | |
| Zach says, "@emits the Dragon Sage says, "Kites fly pretty well."" | ||
| DavidW says, "I don't know what C means and A is horrid." | ||
| DavidW says, "I vote B." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Yay that kites are a question, but I like B or C." | ||
| DavidW asks, "But what does C mean?" | ||
| DavidW asks, "Does it mean what did Adam first ask of God or what?" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "It's a koan of some sort." | ||
| Zach says, "Personally I want to know the answer to C, but B seems like it would help the most people." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "And I am sure it probably has nothing to do with Adam." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "So, I'm okay with B because I'll just then replay the game and chose C on my own (or here, if people want)." | ||
| DavidW says, "well, you know what I mean. I have trouble interpreting what the question even refers to." | ||
| maga says, "yes, that is the point" | ||
| Zach says, "I'm going to vote C. We can figure out B on our own." | ||
| DavidW says (to maga), "That sounds exactly like what the Dragon Sage would say in answer to C." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "That's the point of a koan. I'm inclined to go with B here for David, and then I'll replay through for C." | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > The Dragon Sage's laugh shakes snow from the cave's roof, and sends Floyd | it tumbling down outside the door. "Little monk," it chortles, "you Floyd | have already returned the Middle Kingdom to the favor of Heaven! With Floyd | every choice you have made, you have restored that balance. You have Floyd | regained tianxia." Floyd | Floyd | The word the Dragon Sage uses?under heaven?means the entire world; you Floyd | believe the Dragon Sage means that the world, in both physical and Floyd | metaphysical aspects, has aligned to once again be a single entity. Floyd | Floyd | "But balance can always be tipped, and thus your job is far from over, Floyd | little monk." The Dragon Sage places one of its huge tiger paws on your Floyd | shoulder, and you feel each of the four eagle talons as they gently Floyd | rest on your skin. "You are already the Imperial Champion, giving you a Floyd | voice in the Imperial Court. What role best suits your future?" Floyd | Floyd | A: A respected scholar, whom even the Emperor seeks for advice. Floyd | B: An Imperial advisor, whom the Emperor uses as primary counsel. Floyd | C: A general in the Imperial Army, whom the Emperor relies upon for Floyd | matters of state. Floyd | D: A leader in the Order of the Peach Tree?who will build firmer ties Floyd | to the Emperor. Floyd | E: The Emperor. This dynasty nearly brought the Middle Kingdom to ruin; Floyd | I will return us to glory. Floyd | | Jacqueline asks, "E is presumptuous. B?" | |
| Zach says, "A or B" | ||
| maga says, "I am okay with A, B or D" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > The Dragon Sage nods, then breathes on you. You feel the divine Floyd | energy wash over you, filling you with confidence and, you quickly Floyd | realize, a sharper intellect and a greater insight. You realize that Floyd | the Dragon Sage wants the Heavens and the Middle Kingdom to be aligned, Floyd | and in asking this question and choosing this role, you are fulfilling Floyd | its wishes as well. "The path before you will be a dangerous one," the Floyd | Dragon Sage warns. "The Imperial Court is difficult to navigate even at Floyd | the best of times. But your cleverness and your intuition will guide Floyd | you, and the Emperor will come to rely on your judgment." Floyd | Floyd | You quickly realize the weight of this gift. You will be under the Floyd | scrutiny of the most powerful members of the Imperial Court, and many Floyd | will be looking for a way to remove you from the equation. It will not Floyd | be an easy path, but you are prepared to walk it without fear. Floyd | Floyd | You bow deeply to the Dragon Sage, pressing your forehead to the Floyd | ground, and when you rise, the dragon is already flying back into the Floyd | heavens. But as you watch the sun glint off those carplike scales, you Floyd | are filled with confidence. There will be balance, and you will serve Floyd | as the conduit. And as you descend the mountain, you feel as though Floyd | your place in tianxia?all the world under heaven?is exactly where it Floyd | should be. Floyd | Floyd | The Dragon Sage has returned to the Heavens. Floyd | Floyd | If you had it to do all over again, what question would you ask? Floyd | Floyd | A: Play again. Floyd | B: Play more games like this. Floyd | C: Share this game with friends. Floyd | | maga says, "well, that impressed me the most of any CoG output since Broadsides" | |
| DavidW says, "D. Have fish sticks first, then the kung pao." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "So, for those curious, I plan to play again using the same choices up to the point of the question, then go with C." | ||
| Jacqueline says (to maga), "Yes." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "I'm kinda hoping you'll map it." | ||
| dfabulich says, "I don't want to choose favorites, but this is one of my favorites. :-)" | ||
| DavidW says, "I only caught the tail end of this game, but it does seem a very good one." | ||
| Zach says, "Yeah, that was a great game." | ||
| dfabulich says, "Mapping this game seems, uh, challenging." | ||
| maga says, "yeah, I still plan to do Broadsides or Dragon at some point, but this might be more of a challenge" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "I guess, given stats, it'd be pretty hard to map." | ||
| DavidW says, "hm. Sun didn't return to the narrative, I noticed. I wonder if he does in other branches of the story." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "I am taking a 3 minute or so break, then doing a quick playthrough to the end." | ||
| Zach says (to Jacqueline), "Thanks" | ||
| maga says, "I think I should do some washing-up and similar responsible things instead" | ||
| maga says, "tempting as it is to play through as Mr. Iron Hand" | ||
| mwmiller goes home. | Jacqueline asks, "What is the sound of one iron hand clapping?" | |
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > "Look out!" Floyd | Floyd | The noise of battle is distracting, and it takes you almost too long to Floyd | realize that the warning was shouted to you. An outlaw wearing a blue Floyd | turban is charging toward you, his longspear leveled at your heart. Floyd | What will you do? Floyd | Floyd | A: Stand firm, blocking the spear away at the last moment and slashing Floyd | twin tiger claws across his face. Floyd | B: Pounce toward him at the last moment, springing like a leopard, and Floyd | bring an elbow down on his head. Floyd | C: Dart off to the side, balancing on one leg like a crane before Floyd | delivering a swift kick to his knee. Floyd | D: Weave hypnotically in my stance, and when he strikes, I am no longer Floyd | there; I launch a series of quick, snakelike strikes to the pressure Floyd | points in his exposed rib cage. Floyd | E: Make a series of flashy moves that draw his target toward my right Floyd | side, then move to the left, delivering a reiken strike to the right Floyd | side of his head as he passes by. Floyd | F: Remain still, my hands low at the chi center of my body, and at the Floyd | moment he would hit me, circle his spear away and shift myself away Floyd | from the strike. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "d" | ||
Floyd | > He stumbles when his attack falters, and he clutches one arm to his Floyd | injured side. He looks suddently exhausted, courtesy of the disruption Floyd | in his chi that your knowledge of the mystical Snake technique allowed. Floyd | Floyd | With your opponent deterred, but not out of the fight, how do you Floyd | follow up your attack? Floyd | Floyd | A: Use a palm heel strike under the chin to drive his head backwards, Floyd | tearing down with a tiger claw on his face as he falls. Floyd | B: Drive into him with a series of fast leopard punches down the center Floyd | of his body until he falls to the ground. Floyd | C: Take his leg out from under him with a sweeping straight kick, Floyd | delivering a wing strike to his neck at the same moment, graceful as a Floyd | crane. Floyd | D: With my fingers tight like a snake's head, strike out at his face Floyd | and neck in a complex pattern of several hits that impact on nerve Floyd | points, disabling him. Floyd | E: Feign a low kick to the knee, and when he moves the spear shaft down Floyd | to block, shoot a dragon tooth strike?my fingers separated in a V?into Floyd | his eyes before sweeping him from behind. Floyd | F: His death would be senseless and against the Buddha nature; pivot Floyd | around behind him and lock him in a sleeper hold. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "d" | ||
Floyd | > The quick strikes of the Snake style, combined with the knowledge of Floyd | chi, drop him to the ground, unconscious. He'll be feeling that when he Floyd | wakes up. Floyd | Floyd | The outlaws continue toward you and your fellow students, flashes of Floyd | blue catching your eye against the greens and browns of the marsh Floyd | surrounding your path. It is hard to imagine that only moments ago, the Floyd | nine of you were making your way back to the monastery of the Order of Floyd | the Peach Tree, students on the simple assignment of escorting a Floyd | wagonload of supplies home. Floyd | Floyd | The students have mostly remained on the path, where their footing is Floyd | more certain, but the outlaws appear to have little trouble navigating Floyd | the wetlands. While they fight like untrained peasants, numbers are Floyd | definitely on their side. Floyd | Floyd | It's time to get serious. Drawing on the training you received before Floyd | entering the Order of the Peach Tree, you prepare your next attack. How Floyd | will you fight? Floyd | Floyd | A: Draw my sword. This blade was forged by the most expert smiths in Floyd | the Middle Kingdom, designed specifically to be used with the Celestial Floyd | Sword style, taught only to the Imperial Family. Floyd | B: Unhitch the horse from the cart of supplies. He is a mean beast?not Floyd | the fine mare I trained on at my father's estate?but few monks could Floyd | master a horse from as honorable a family as mine. I draw my blade and Floyd | prepare to charge. Floyd | C: Draw on my chi, as well the energy in the world around me. I can Floyd | sense the life energies of my fellow students and the approaching Floyd | outlaws. Floyd | D: Release the bindings that secure my longspear to my back. It is only Floyd | one of the many weapons I have mastered in my wanderings, and it is a Floyd | good choice to keep the outlaws at bay. Floyd | E: Why change? The style my masters at the Order of the Peach Tree are Floyd | teaching me is a superior one, and I am eager to prove the worth of my Floyd | unarmed style in battle. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > Even your fellow students are wary of the Xian style, which utilizes Floyd | what the uninformed consider "magic." But you know to be your power to Floyd | be from the energies of the universe, which are at your beck and call. Floyd | You also know that the perception of your abilities can be used against Floyd | your enemies?and one day, you hope it will inspire your allies. For Floyd | now, the other students shy away from you, except for Lu Jin, your Floyd | primary rival for the place of senior student, who watches you with a Floyd | wary eye. Floyd | Floyd | The battle that follows is hectic; the outlaws have little in the way Floyd | of skill, but they make up for it in passion. They are determined to Floyd | have your supplies, despite the clear skill shown by you and your Floyd | fellow students. Though you are focused on keeping them from trying to Floyd | kill you, you notice as you disable your opponents that they are Floyd | skinny, likely the result of being poorly fed. You also note that a Floyd | number of the outlaws are women. Floyd | Floyd | Does that surprise you? Floyd | Floyd | A: Yes. Fighting is the realm of warriors, and the role of the warrior Floyd | falls to the men. Floyd | B: No. Outlaws have always bucked convention; why bother following Floyd | social rules? Floyd | C: Yes, but it is nice to know that I am not alone in questioning Floyd | traditional roles. Floyd | D: No. I am used to fighting side by side among men and women Floyd | accomplished in the way of battle. Floyd | | inky says, "the bandits didn't make much of an appearance later on either" | |
| Zach says, "I wonder if that would have changed if we had dealt with them differently." | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "d" | ||
Floyd | > You have had a wonderfully open-minded experience in your training. Floyd | Luckily for you, the Order of the Peach Tree feels similarly. Are you a Floyd | man or a woman? Floyd | Floyd | A: I am a man. Floyd | B: I am a woman. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > What is your given name? Floyd | Floyd | A: Yin. Floyd | B: Meili. Floyd | C: Yan. Floyd | D: None of these is my name. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > A name as beautiful as your features. Floyd | Floyd | And what is your family name? Floyd | Floyd | A: Liu. Floyd | B: Wong. Floyd | C: Cao. Floyd | D: None of these is my family name. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > A fine name. Floyd | Floyd | The bandits are quickly losing their resolve to steal your wagon; they Floyd | still have numbers on their side, but many have fallen, wounded or Floyd | dead, at your feet. You hear the far-off sound of a whistle, and the Floyd | bandits begin to disengage, quickly fading back into the marsh. Though Floyd | you and your fellow students have done a formidable job of holding off Floyd | the bandits, you see that your fellows have taken some injuries as Floyd | well. Floyd | Floyd | What do you do? Floyd | Floyd | A: Retreat back to the monastery, so that my fellow students can have Floyd | their wounds treated immediately. Floyd | B: Question one of the wounded bandits about the attack. Floyd | C: Pursue the bandits into the marsh. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > You pull one of the outlaws to his feet, and in the process realize Floyd | that this scrawny bandit is no more than thirteen. Malnourished and Floyd | weak, it is amazing he is not dead from the beating he received. Floyd | Floyd | A: I feel admiration for his bravery, in spite of his conditions. I Floyd | tell him he fought well. Floyd | B: I feel pity for this boy who has turned to thievery to survive. Floyd | C: I am furious that this urchin attacked us. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > He seems surprised by your praise, and he holds his head high, Floyd | despite his pain. "I must fight well," he says, "because no one else Floyd | will fight for me." He says it almost like a mantra. You ask your Floyd | questions, and the boy gives you answers he appears to believe are Floyd | true: the supplies you carry were targeted because they would be useful Floyd | to the bandits, not because the outlaws wish to offend the Order of the Floyd | Peach Tree. He does not know how many bandits there are, but he says Floyd | that almost all that he knows were farmers, forced out of their homes Floyd | by the foreigners who have been encroaching on the Middle Kingdom. Floyd | Floyd | A: I let the boy and the other wounded bandits go with no intention of Floyd | bringing them to the law. They are people suffering from circumstances Floyd | beyond their control. Floyd | B: I let the boy go and warn him and the other bandits that they must Floyd | cease their crimes against the Empire. I will make sure that their Floyd | banditry is reported to the local magistrate, but will hope they repent Floyd | of their crimes. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > A sympathetic decision. Hopefully it will not come back to haunt you. Floyd | Floyd | Lu Jin takes a deep breath, as though deciding whether or not to share Floyd | a thought, before he says, "It wasn't like this before the foreigners Floyd | came. With them eating up resources?and with the Emperor standing by Floyd | while his people starve and lose their land to these invaders?the Floyd | people have no hope." Floyd | Floyd | Lu Jin's openness is surprising, but what he says amounts to treason. Floyd | Questioning the Emperor's will so openly will certainly lead him to Floyd | trouble. Floyd | Floyd | Does that trouble start with you? Floyd | Floyd | A: How dare he question the Emperor! I challenge him immediately. Floyd | B: I agree with Lu Jin, but I respond noncommittally. Just because he Floyd | is asking for trouble by speaking his mind does not mean I will risk my Floyd | neck. Floyd | C: I agree with Lu Jin and am glad to find someone to discuss the Floyd | Empire's problems with. Floyd | D: I do nothing. I am not interested in politics. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > Lu Jin lets out a bitter chuckle, looking around at your fellow Floyd | students, who watch you anxiously. "Perhaps another time." Floyd | Floyd | His refusal to fight puts you in an awkward position; if he refused to Floyd | defend himself, you could be thrown out of the Order of the Peach Tree Floyd | for attacking a fellow student without provocation. Floyd | Floyd | A: He insulted the Emperor. I cannot delay in seeking retribution. Floyd | B: I wait, but I do not forget. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > A wise decision. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | As you walk back to the monastery, you take a moment to consider the Floyd | path that has brought you here. As a child, you were told stories of Floyd | the Order of the Peach Tree, a monastery where many great warriors were Floyd | trained. But it was not just the combat skills that enticed you. Every Floyd | hundred years, one member of the Order of the Peach Tree is given the Floyd | honor of consulting the Dragon Sage. That monk may ask a single Floyd | question of the wise dragon. It is only thirty years until the next Floyd | monk of the Order of the Peach Tree is selected, and you are determined Floyd | to be the order's representative to the dragon. Floyd | Floyd | What question drives you toward this goal? Floyd | Floyd | A: I know I have much to learn of combat, but I am convinced that the Floyd | Dragon Sage holds the key to greatness beyond what I can learn from Floyd | mortal teachers. I plan to ask, "How can I become the greatest warrior Floyd | in the world?" Floyd | B: The strife I see in the Middle Kingdom?so recently reiterated by my Floyd | encounter with the bandits?disturbs me greatly. I wish to see balance Floyd | restored to the Middle Kingdom, so that the Emperor is once again in Floyd | alignment with the Heavens. I will ask, "How can the Empire return to Floyd | Heaven's Favor?" Floyd | C: I am more concerned with esoteric knowledge than worldly issues. I Floyd | wish to ask, "What is the first question?" Floyd | D: My question is simple: "Why do kites fly?" Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > You have set your sights high; if anyone would know how to set the Floyd | Emperor back on the path of Heaven, it is the Dragon Sage. Floyd | Floyd | >Chapter One: Bandits in the Woods | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | A few days after the conflict with the outlaws in the marsh, Abbot Bao Floyd | Ho sends for you to meet him beneath the peach tree. The tree itself is Floyd | ancient: you have been told that most peach trees live, at most, fifty Floyd | years, but this one has grown wide around the trunk and gnarled in the Floyd | branches. Despite its age, it continues to produce fruit. Some say that Floyd | this is the peach tree after which the monastery was named, a true Floyd | immortal tree in the breed of trees that represents immortality. Others Floyd | believe it to be a descendant of the original peach tree, the result of Floyd | careful cultivation by the monks who teach you. Floyd | Floyd | What do you think? Floyd | Floyd | A: It must be immortal. Floyd | B: If it is grown from the cuttings of earlier trees, the continuation Floyd | of its line makes it immortal despite its many incarnations. Floyd | C: The tree is clearly not immortal; only the superstitious and Floyd | uneducated would believe so. Floyd | D: I haven't given it much thought. Floyd | E: I don't care. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > Perhaps you're right. Floyd | Floyd | The peach tree's branches extend over a reflection pool. It is normally Floyd | a very peaceful spot, but now the atmosphere is tense. Abbot Bao stands Floyd | there with Master Shen, the oldest teacher in the monastery, at his Floyd | side, and the two men wear identical expressions of concern. Floyd | Floyd | Just as you arrive, Lu Jin approaches from the other side. He appears Floyd | as surprised to see you as you are to see him. Floyd | Floyd | "Greetings, my senior students," Abbot Bao says in greeting. Floyd | Floyd | Lu Jin bows. "Do you have training for us today, masters?" Floyd | Floyd | Master Shen chuckles. "Always so eager for more, Lu Jin? As I recall, Floyd | at our last bout between the senior students, Liu Meili gave you a very Floyd | fine black eye." Floyd | Floyd | Lu Jin bares his teeth at you in a smile that is neither humble nor Floyd | friendly. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | "Unfortunately, my students, this is no simple matter of training," Floyd | Abbot Bao says. "Or, perhaps it is, but not of our usual devising. You Floyd | told us of your experience with the bandits along the road to the Floyd | Order, and I am afraid it is becoming an all too common experience in Floyd | these interesting times. Too many people of the Middle Kingdom are Floyd | turning to thieving and banditry to make their ends meet, and too many Floyd | honest folk are made to suffer." Floyd | Floyd | Master Shen grunts, and you think you hear him mutter something about a Floyd | distinct lack of honest folk, but it is unclear. Floyd | Floyd | The abbot continues: "Because you have some experience, and because we Floyd | feel it will be a good test of your readiness to fully join the order, Floyd | we have chosen the two of you to lead a group of students to the Floyd | village of Kuei Xian, across the Baijiang Bridge, to solve the trouble Floyd | locals are having with the bandits." Floyd | Floyd | Lu Jin blanches momentarily, but your teachers do not seem to notice. Floyd | Floyd | How do you respond to this mission? Floyd | Floyd | A: It is an honor to be chosen, even if I must share leadership with Lu Floyd | Jin. I agree to set off at once. Floyd | B: I can't wait to try my skills against real opponents again. Floyd | C: Lu Jin's hesitation is an opportunity for me. I volunteer to take Floyd | the team alone. Floyd | D: I am not really interested in this interruption to my training. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > Abbot Bao looks surprised, then glances at Lu Jin and recognizes your Floyd | rival's hesitation. Floyd | Floyd | "I feel it would be best to have both of you on this task," he says Floyd | slowly. "If you are uncertain?" Floyd | Floyd | "No," says Lu Jin. "I am ready to do what the Order asks of me." Floyd | Floyd | Both Master Shen and Abbot Bao watch Lu Jin with some concern for Floyd | another moment. Even though you will both be going together, it seems Floyd | you have successfully undermined his position. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | There are actually fewer details than you would have expected for this Floyd | mission. Neither Abbot Bao nor Master Shen knows how many bandits are Floyd | present near Kuei Xian. They do know that the center of activity seems Floyd | to be at Baijiang Bridge, an old stone bridge that remains from the Floyd | years of the Sun Dynasty, when an army marched across it five horses at Floyd | a time, or so legends say. Kuei Xian, which sits in the shadow of a Floyd | huge, turtlelike karst hill in the foothills of the Yellow Mountains, Floyd | is a small village, but with important enough history?and pleasant Floyd | enough weather?that the governor of the province keeps his summer home Floyd | there. Floyd | Floyd | Governor Rong is disinclined to ask the Emperor to help combat the Floyd | problem directly. (You gather from Master Shen's muttered commentary Floyd | that this would make it look as though he cannot solve the problems of Floyd | his own district.) Instead, he has asked the Order of the Peach Tree Floyd | for aid, and given the importance of the trade that flows across the Floyd | Baijiang Bridge, and the order's dedication as protectors of the people Floyd | of the Middle Kingdom, the abbot has agreed. Floyd | Floyd | Of course, should you and Lu Jin fail to quell the problem, more Floyd | important resources than students will have to be expended, either by Floyd | the Order or by the Emperor. This would bring dishonor to everyone: Floyd | you, the order, Governor Rong, and possibly the Emperor himself in the Floyd | face of the foreigners at his court. Floyd | Floyd | Abbot Bao tells you the names of the students he expects to accompany Floyd | you. Several of them were present when the bandits attacked. You are to Floyd | ready your equipment and leave in the morning. Floyd | Floyd | A: I seek out Lu Jin to discuss this mission. Floyd | B: I go to my room to prepare for morning. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > Lu Jin is not entirely thrilled by the prospect of working as a Floyd | co-leader with you?but you're equally unenthusiastic about working with Floyd | him. Still, as Master Shen would say, better to be prepared. Floyd | Floyd | You look over a map of the Baijiang Bridge, and, unsurprisingly, you Floyd | conflict about every possible approach. Floyd | Floyd | Exasperated, Lu Jin finally says, "We may as well just ask them to Floyd | leave, for all the good we're going to do." Floyd | Floyd | A: We could try negotiation. If we can find the leader, maybe we can Floyd | work something out. Floyd | B: What a ridiculous idea. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > Lu Jin looks at you suspiciously for suggesting this. Floyd | Floyd | "Maybe we can," he agrees noncommittally. Floyd | Floyd | You discuss tactics for a little while longer, with greater success Floyd | than previously, and you decide to turn in, to make sure you have Floyd | prepared and rested enough for morning. Floyd | Floyd | >The next morning? | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | The Order of the Peach Tree, though farther from the Yellow Mountains Floyd | than Kuei Xian, is nestled among karst mountains that increase as you Floyd | travel west toward the Baijiang River. The road is a well-traveled one, Floyd | a drier route than the road you so recently traversed through the Floyd | wetlands south of the monastery. Despite the traditional sengfu monk Floyd | garb that you and your fellow students wear?the high boots, pants, and Floyd | one-sleeved robe, tied with a sash?which marks you as members of the Floyd | Order, you are given no more notice than the other travelers you Floyd | encounter. There are eighteen of you, total: you and Lu Jin each have a Floyd | team of eight students, for good luck. Each team is nine, a symbol of Floyd | permanence, and of synergy with the heavens. Floyd | Floyd | Does the numerology comfort you? Floyd | Floyd | A: Of course. When embarking upon matters like this, I am glad for any Floyd | numerical advantage. Floyd | B: No. The outcome will be determined by greater skill, not by numbers. Floyd | C: We are all one team, making us eighteen, which is neither lucky nor Floyd | unlucky. We will make our own fate. Floyd | D: More superstitious nonsense. Floyd | E: I hadn't noticed the numbers before. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > Hopefully your greater skill will aid you if greater numbers are on Floyd | the side of the bandits. You pass a number of merchants with carts Floyd | drawn by water buffalo, messengers and warriors on horseback, and Floyd | travelers walking along the road with bundles on their backs. It is a Floyd | fine day: the sky is blue, the clouds are wisps, and the summer air is Floyd | thick with the smell of blossoms and ripening rice. As on your last Floyd | trip from the monastery, you are traveling with a horse and cart, full Floyd | of the food and supplies you will need for your journey. Floyd | Floyd | It is up to you and Lu Jin to set the tone for this mission. The trip Floyd | to Kuei Xian takes three days at a steady pace. Floyd | Floyd | A: Three days is fast enough; the situation is urgent, but unlikely to Floyd | get much worse in three days' time. Floyd | B: This mission is urgent, and we have been trained to move quickly. We Floyd | can make the trip in two days. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > The steady pace also has the benefit of allowing you time to converse Floyd | with your fellow students. How will you use it? Floyd | Floyd | A: Continue planning strategy with Lu Jin. Floyd | B: Stop early at night so I can run the students through training Floyd | drills, keeping our fighting skills fresh. Floyd | C: Consult the stars at night, watching for signs that will make clear Floyd | the most beneficial path. Floyd | D: Focus on the well-being of the students, keeping them entertained Floyd | with other tales of travel. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > Lu Jin advocates approaching the bandits to make an attempt at Floyd | negotiation, believing that the bandits can be reasoned with. What is Floyd | your strategy in facing the bandits? Floyd | Floyd | A: Fight them, and show them the power of the Order of the Peach Tree. Floyd | B: Devise a clever plan to stop their raids, but avoid a direct Floyd | conflict. Floyd | C: Attempt to contact their leaders and negotiate some form of peace. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > You have sympathy for these people forced from their homes, and you Floyd | would like to support them, but given your orders, you cannot do it Floyd | openly. Perhaps you can persuade them to take their business elsewhere Floyd | and find a way to help them against the foreigners in the future. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | On the third morning of your journey, the terrain has shifted from Floyd | valley fields to the true foothills of the Yellow Mountains. Forests Floyd | have closed around you, mostly pine, fir, and cedar here, though you Floyd | know there are also bamboo forests near Kuei Xian. You are nearing what Floyd | could be enemy territory, depending on how far out the raiders have Floyd | roamed. Floyd | Floyd | As you walk, you hear a human noise in the distance?it sounds as though Floyd | it might be sobbing, or perhaps low voices. It is too far to tell. Floyd | Floyd | What do you do? Floyd | Floyd | A: Send one of the students to scout ahead to discover the source of Floyd | the noise as we continue toward Kuei Xian. The scout can catch up. Floyd | B: Send one of the students to scout ahead and wait for him to return. Floyd | C: Scout ahead on my own. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > You make your way into the woods, moving as quietly and softly as Floyd | though you walk on rice paper. The sound is definitely sobbing, and you Floyd | see a flash of red through the fir trees. A few steps closer and you Floyd | see that a beautiful young woman is kneeling in the fir needles, Floyd | crying. She wears a heavy qipao, a long dress with a high neckline made Floyd | of thick, brocaded fabric. Her hair is woven up into an elaborate Floyd | headpiece, clearly marking her as a member of the aristocracy. Floyd | Floyd | She looks up when she sees you approach, and, were it not for the Floyd | tears, she could be a model for a painting: her narrow face and Floyd | close-set eyes, her thin eyebrows and high cheekbones are the ideal of Floyd | courtly beauty. But there are tears, and her lovely face is contorted Floyd | in pain. Floyd | Floyd | A: I go to help her at once! Floyd | B: This seems highly suspicious to me. I approach, but carefully. Floyd | C: It is helpless women like her that make it so difficult for women Floyd | like me to get respect. Let her figure it out herself. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > As you approach, the woman looks up at you with tear-filled eyes. Floyd | "Oh, kind monk, could you help me?" she calls, her voice as lovely as Floyd | the rest of her appearance. "My foot has become caught in a trap!" Floyd | Floyd | A: I go help her immediately. Floyd | B: This still seems suspicious. I step closer, but do not yet agree to Floyd | help. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > "What kind of trap?" you ask. Floyd | Floyd | She grins, though there is real pain on her face, and after the first Floyd | flash of amusement, it turns into a grimace. "A fox trap, I'm afraid." Floyd | Floyd | Behind the woman, seven fox tails flare to life, revealing that this is Floyd | no true woman at all. She is a huli jing, a mischievous fox spirit that Floyd | delights particularly in tormenting monks. Floyd | Floyd | "Why should I help you?" you ask. Floyd | Floyd | She shakes her head. "Why is it always the wise ones who find me in Floyd | such a predicament?" she asks, mostly to herself. "I will make it worth Floyd | your while, monk. I can offer you unimaginable pleasure," she says with Floyd | a coy wink that, upon the slight shift of her body, becomes a wince. "I Floyd | promise that we fox spirits are exceedingly creative." Floyd | Floyd | A: Unimaginable pleasure? Sounds good to me. Floyd | B: I want information about the bandits. Floyd | C: Her favor. It can never hurt to have a spirit on my side. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > The fox spirit shakes her head. "Wise indeed," she says. "Agreed. You Floyd | have earned my good will by freeing me now." Floyd | Floyd | You open the trap and the huli jing snatches her leg back, as though Floyd | afraid the trap will bite her again. She stands and bows to you. Floyd | Floyd | "My name is Feng," she says. "And I am in your debt. We will meet Floyd | again." Floyd | Floyd | You make your way back to the road and your companions with no further Floyd | trouble. Floyd | Floyd | Baijiang Bridge is a huge, stone structure that spans the width of the Floyd | Baijiang River. From this side, you can see the large black turtle of a Floyd | mountain that rises over Kuei Xian. Now that you are here, it is time Floyd | to put your plan into action. Are you ready to act on your plan? Floyd | Floyd | A: I stand by my first plan. Floyd | B: I want to rethink my options. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > Despite the fact that the bandits are criminals, they are also your Floyd | countrymen, people who have fallen on hard times due to the incursion Floyd | of foreigners in the Middle Kingdom. Though you may not agree with Floyd | their tactics, you want to help their cause. How will you make contact? Floyd | Floyd | A: Scout the woods in pairs until we find it. Floyd | B: Wait until the bandits make a raid across the Baijiang Bridge and Floyd | follow them back. Floyd | C: Ask around the village and, based on local gossip, intuit the most Floyd | probable location for their camp. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > Someone better at reading people might be able to guess at the right Floyd | direction, but the people of Kuei Xian leave you at a loss. You'll have Floyd | to try another way. How will you make contact? Floyd | Floyd | A: Scout the woods in pairs until we find it. Floyd | B: Wait until the bandits make a raid across the Baijiang Bridge and Floyd | follow them back. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > It takes some time, but you manage to discern the location of the Floyd | bandit camp without being noticed. You and your fellow students walk Floyd | into the camp calmly, as though you belong, despite your sengfu Floyd | clothing marking you as monks of the Order of the Peach Tree. The Floyd | bandits, most of whom do seem to come from humble backgrounds, have no Floyd | idea what to do with you. Because you do not appear to be hostile, they Floyd | seem unwilling to confront you. Floyd | Floyd | Finally, a large woman of middle age, her hair wrapped in the same blue Floyd | turban you see throughout the camp, stands in front of your group. Floyd | Floyd | "What is your business?" she asks sternly. You imagine that this is the Floyd | same tone of voice she uses when she suspects her children of having Floyd | gotten into mischief. Floyd | Floyd | "We'd like to speak to your leader," Lu Jin says politely. Floyd | Floyd | The woman looks suspicious, but after a moment, she nods, then beckons Floyd | for you to follow. In the center of the camp?which gives the appearance Floyd | of being a tent city, something quickly dismantled to move?there is a Floyd | large fire, at which sit a number of men and women talking seriously. Floyd | Floyd | "Deng Ping," the woman says loudly, and the tallest of the men, wearing Floyd | clothing slightly better cared for than that of his peers, stands. Floyd | "Order of the Peach Tree to see you." Floyd | Floyd | Deng Ping approaches suspiciously and waits for you to speak. Floyd | Floyd | A: Begin by offering our condolences for the misfortune that brought Floyd | the bandits here. Floyd | B: Get straight to business: explain that we were instructed to oust Floyd | them, but that we'd rather see whether negotiation is possible. Floyd | C: Try to strike some fear into their hearts: we may sympathize with Floyd | their plight, but the next group will not. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > Rather than seeing your words as empathy, Deng Ping looks insulted. Floyd | "Do not offer us pity, monk," he spits. "You may as well be in league Floyd | with the laowai, for all that you do to prevent their incursions. Every Floyd | day that passes, their power and influence grows, and it is time for Floyd | someone to stand against them. If that means us, so be it." Floyd | Floyd | There are cheers from among the bandits, and the atmosphere that was Floyd | previously uncertain has taken on a distinct air of hostility. Floyd | Floyd | "I intended no dishonor," you begin, but Deng Ping scoffs. Floyd | Floyd | "Tell your masters?tell the Son of Heaven himself?that we will do Floyd | whatever it takes to rid the laowai from our land." He steps forward, Floyd | aiming a finger at your chest. "Whatever it takes." Floyd | Floyd | A: I cannot refuse a challenge to my honor?and neither can he. Floyd | Challenge him to a fight. Floyd | B: Accept defeat. Clearly he will not listen to me. Floyd | C: Find out what we can offer them to change their minds. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > Clearly Deng Ping will not listen to reason. Instead, you challenge Floyd | him to fight a member of the order, one on one. If he loses, he is Floyd | bound by honor to leave Kuei Xian alone. Floyd | Floyd | In order to avoid losing face among the bandits, Deng Ping accepts your Floyd | challenge. Who will fight for the Order? Floyd | Floyd | A: Me. Floyd | B: Lu Jin. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > Despite your best efforts, Deng Ping is a giant of a man, both strong Floyd | and quick, and though he has little skill, a well-timed hammerstrike to Floyd | your head sets your ears ringing and brings you to your knees. Floyd | Floyd | Your fellow students collect you and load you into the cart with the Floyd | supplies, preparing for the long trip back to the monastery. Floyd | Floyd | Lu Jin, however, tells you of his decision to stay with the bandits. "I Floyd | believe I can help their cause," he explains. "Balance must return to Floyd | the Middle Kingdom." Floyd | Floyd | A: Try to persuade Lu Jin not to go. Floyd | B: Support Lu Jin's choice. Floyd | C: Good riddance. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > Perhaps Lu Jin can help restore balance from within the bandit forces Floyd | while you work from inside the Order. Floyd | Floyd | You are sure you will meet each other again. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | As you return to the monastery, morale among the students is at an Floyd | utter low. Not only did one of your number abandon the Order Floyd | completely, but you have nothing to show for your efforts. Floyd | Floyd | Your first real mission on behalf of the Order is a failure. Floyd | Floyd | After you tell Abbot Bao and Master Shen about what has happened, they Floyd | consult the heavens to determine the best course of action. Ultimately, Floyd | the Order does nothing further?and despite your failure, attacks by the Floyd | bandits near Kuei Xian die down for a time. Though this initially seems Floyd | like good news, Governor Rong has heard about the events that Floyd | transpired from his informants?likely village gossips, who may have Floyd | heard it from the bandits themselves. No credit will be given to the Floyd | Order of the Peach Tree for the temporary peace. Floyd | Floyd | Master Shen admits to you that he and the abbot had planned to test you Floyd | to become a full member of the Order had your mission been a success. Floyd | Now, you will have to prove yourself again through humble service and Floyd | continued training before you can become a monk, rather than the senior Floyd | student. Floyd | Floyd | Compared to your dishonor at the hands of the bandits, the wait to test Floyd | is a small setback?but what if it means that you will not be the one Floyd | chosen to consult the Dragon Sage? You will have to work even harder to Floyd | prove that you are worthy before the dragon reappears in the Middle Floyd | Kingdom. Floyd | Floyd | >Chapter Two: The Test | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | There are rumors upon rumors of what happens during the final test that Floyd | separates students from monks. You have heard that it involves tracking Floyd | and defeating a wild tiger. Some say that you must face and disperse a Floyd | hungry ghost. Still others say that the true final test is a measure of Floyd | the spirit and the ability of the student to achieve a perfect moment Floyd | of inner peace. Floyd | Floyd | Given the scars you have seen on the fully accepted monks, if the test Floyd | is about finding inner peace, inner peace leaves marks. Floyd | Floyd | Master Shen leads you to the inner temple of the monastery. He walks in Floyd | a relaxed fashion, leaning on his staff, as though he is merely Floyd | observing the growth of the peach tree, not leading you to where your Floyd | fate will be decided. Floyd | Floyd | How are you feeling about this test? Floyd | Floyd | A: I am eager to begin. My training has prepared me well. Floyd | B: I am nervous. I want to do well, but I fear failure. Floyd | C: I am calm. This is a moment, and I exist within it. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > Master Shen places one calloused hand on your shoulder, and you feel Floyd | its weight: the old master's strength, his wisdom, and his confidence Floyd | in you all flow through that simple touch. Floyd | Floyd | He stops in front of the huge doors to the inner temple, carved with Floyd | intricate scroll work and the shapes of the five animals: dragon, Floyd | tiger, snake, crane, and leopard. After a short moment of waiting, he Floyd | gestures with his staff for you to push the doors open. As you do, he Floyd | falls into step next to you and you enter the chamber. The inner temple Floyd | is humble: a small chamber with candles lining three of the four walls. Floyd | Above the candles are paintings and sculptures of the spiritual animals Floyd | of kung fu and the immortals. On the far wall, on a raised shelf above Floyd | the flame, is a Buddha statue, one hand resting in his lap, the other Floyd | raised in blessing. Floyd | Floyd | Abbot Bao stands in front of the last candle, lighting it from his own Floyd | small candle. Once the room is lit, he blows his candle out. Floyd | Floyd | "Liu Meili, you have been deemed worthy of the final test to join the Floyd | Order of the Peach Tree," says the abbot as he turns to you. "Do you Floyd | accept this honor, ready to face the challenges before you and take on Floyd | the role of monk?" Floyd | Floyd | A: "I accept." Floyd | B: "I do not feel ready." Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > You bow to the masters and they bow to you, though theirs is Floyd | shallower, as befitting a teacher to a student. Floyd | Floyd | "There are three challenges in the test to become a member of the Floyd | Order," Abbot Bao explains. "You must complete two of the three Floyd | successfully. Consider your options wisely, as only one failure can be Floyd | forgiven." Floyd | Floyd | "Part of the test is identifying your weaknesses and being honest about Floyd | your strengths," Master Shen says quietly. "Know yourself, student, and Floyd | you will triumph." Floyd | Floyd | "The three challenges are these," Abbot Bao continues. "The first is Floyd | the Dashanmen, a challenge of your combat skills against the monks of Floyd | the Order. You will enter a dark chamber, and you must cross from one Floyd | side to the other while being attacked." Floyd | Floyd | Master Shen chuckles. "In the old days, we fought to the death. Too Floyd | messy. Now we stop attacking as soon as you are unconscious." Floyd | Floyd | This commentary does not serve to give you confidence. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | "For the second challenge, you must carry an urn filled with hot coals Floyd | from the monastery down to the river. There, you may release the urn Floyd | and bathe your arms in the cold water." Floyd | Floyd | The distance from the monastery to the river is short enough when not Floyd | carrying an urn, but it will certainly feel longer with burning metal Floyd | on your arms. That certainly explains some of the scars you have seen Floyd | on the monks of the Order! Floyd | Floyd | "For the third challenge, you must retrieve the Scroll of Destiny from Floyd | behind Bingdian Waterfall, and learn the lesson it holds," Abbot Bao Floyd | finishes. Floyd | Floyd | "Don't worry," says Master Shen, "it is stored in a waterproof scroll Floyd | case. You'll be able to read it." Floyd | Floyd | Which task would you like to undertake first? Floyd | Floyd | A: I am confident I can fight my way through Dashanmen. Floyd | B: I will carry the urn of coals. Floyd | C: I will retrieve the Scroll of Destiny. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > Abbot Bao leads you to the gates of the monastery. The courtyard has Floyd | been cleared of students, and only a handful of monks are here to Floyd | witness the beginning of your challenge. Just inside the gates, a Floyd | brazier is lit, and over it is suspended a large urn, full of burning Floyd | coals. Aligned to the cardinal directions are four animals: to the Floyd | north is the tortoise; south, the phoenix; east, the dragon; and west, Floyd | the tiger. Floyd | Floyd | While the metalwork is beautiful, it mostly looks hot. Floyd | Floyd | You must carry the urn with your forearms from the monastery to the Floyd | river below. How will you face this challenge? Floyd | Floyd | A: I grit my teeth and carry the heavy load through sheer will. Floyd | B: I will not rely on strength alone, but will use the heat to further Floyd | forge my chi. Floyd | | inky says, "I wonder if it's possible to get a success against the bandits" | |
| Jacqueline asks, "You mean that bit I just redid?" | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "Or later?" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > You contemplate the animals on the urn. The phoenix is a creature of Floyd | fire, opposed by the tortoise, a creature of water. The dragon, which Floyd | represents the element of wood, is opposed by the tiger, which Floyd | represents metal. Although you are tempted to focus on the idea that Floyd | the fire has the potential to consume wood and metal, but is opposed by Floyd | water and only lends strength back to its own element, you know that Floyd | there is still a fifth element to consider. Floyd | Floyd | There is void, the element of the center. Your own mind must be empty Floyd | in order for the chi to flow through you, carrying the strength?and Floyd | freedom?necessary to lift the urn. You still your mind, breathe, and Floyd | reach for the urn. Floyd | Floyd | You feel the pain along your forearms, and it is excruciating?but it Floyd | washes over you, just a part of the moment. With each breath, you let Floyd | the moment flow and change, accepting it without worrying over past or Floyd | future, or even holding a thought. Your feet know this path; they have Floyd | walked it hundreds of times on the simple task of fetching water. You Floyd | allow them to carry you. Floyd | Floyd | You breathe. You exist. The moment comes and passes, and another Floyd | follows on its heels. Floyd | Floyd | You reach the river almost before you realize you are there, and you Floyd | calmly lower the urn into the water. It hisses with steam, bathing you Floyd | in hot air as your arms enter the cold stream. You realize that your Floyd | body feels the shock of the contrast, but you only observe this as Floyd | another part of the moment before letting it, too, go. When you return Floyd | to the monastery, you show the monks your new scars to prove that you Floyd | have withstood the challenge. You have passed. What scars do you bear? Floyd | Floyd | A: The dragon and the tiger. Floyd | B: The tortoise and the phoenix. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > Which task will you undertake next? Floyd | Floyd | A: I am confident I can fight my way through Dashanmen. Floyd | B: I will retrieve the Scroll of Destiny. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > Where the easiest access to the river lies below the monastery, near Floyd | where the dry land becomes marsh, Bingdian Waterfall is on the far side Floyd | of the karst mountain. The trip there is not a long one, but it is Floyd | hard, as there is no path. As you begin your ascent, you find some goat Floyd | paths to travel, delaying the true climb until the waterfall is in Floyd | sight. Floyd | Floyd | You feel the mist of the waterfall before you see it. Despite the warm Floyd | weather, the air takes on a clammy chill?the water here is always Floyd | freezing, nearly ice cold. You rub your hands together and approach the Floyd | waterfall. It cascades down the side of the mountain into a pool of Floyd | unknown depth. It falls from perhaps ten times your own height, and Floyd | somewhere in that length there is a cave or a hole behind it, in which Floyd | lies the Scroll of Destiny. Floyd | Floyd | How will you attempt to find the scroll? Floyd | Floyd | A: Climb the mountain next to the waterfall until I see it. Floyd | B: Use my chi to propel me up the side of the mountain, like a lizard. Floyd | C: Make observations from below to calculate the most likely location Floyd | for the scroll. Floyd | D: Fashion an impromptu spear from the available wood and throw it Floyd | until it hits an indentation. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > You gather your chi and make a great leap, getting a long head start Floyd | on your climb. From there, you are able to scramble up the side of the Floyd | mountain by keeping your energy focused, and by borrowing some of the Floyd | grounded nature of the mountain you climb. You can sense from the Floyd | energy of the mountain where the indentation that stores the scroll Floyd | will be, and you dart your hand into the cold water, drawing the scroll Floyd | case out as quickly as if you were pulling a fish from a stream. You Floyd | turn and jump, using your chi to float to the ground. You sit down next Floyd | to the pool, the roar of the waterfall drowning out any other noise, Floyd | and open the scroll case. Inside is what feels like an ancient scroll, Floyd | marked with diagrams that show various techniques you have learned Floyd | while studying at the Order of the Peach Tree. But though there are Floyd | many images to contemplate, most of the scroll is empty. There do not Floyd | seem to be any great secrets contained in the writing here. You do not Floyd | see a hidden final technique explained, nor a clue about how to bring Floyd | balance to the Middle Kingdom. Floyd | Floyd | What do you wish to do? Floyd | Floyd | A: Meditate on the scroll. An answer will come. Floyd | B: Analyze the scroll and puzzle out its meaning. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > You sit with the scroll spread out in front of you, studying the Floyd | detail, identifying the moves. You begin to get stiff from your Floyd | proximity to the cold waterfall, so you get up to stretch, going Floyd | through the movements on the page as they are written. You pause from Floyd | one technique to the next, studying the diagram and noticing how small Floyd | details have changed from when the scroll was written to when your Floyd | teachers shared these techniques. You realize that the closer you get Floyd | to the blank part of the scroll, the closer the techniques are?in their Floyd | details?to what you have learned. Floyd | Floyd | Excited by this discovery, you sit down next to the scroll again. You Floyd | realize that, though the change is only barely discernible, the ink is Floyd | ever so slightly darker toward the blank section. It occurs to you that Floyd | the final technique shown on the scroll is one you have heard a story Floyd | about: one of your teachers, a snake master, changed the way the Floyd | technique was taught to the students in order to give them a lesson on Floyd | pressure points. The strikes he added to the technique are clearly Floyd | marked. Floyd | Floyd | There are no secrets on the scroll, but there is a legacy of detail. Floyd | You consider the techniques you have adjusted in your own studies. What Floyd | will you teach to future students in the Order? How will your art be Floyd | applied to wushu as you make it your own? Floyd | Floyd | You discover that the scroll case has a small compartment that contains Floyd | a brush and a block of dry ink. You take out your bowl?something a monk Floyd | must always carry, you have been told?and add water to the ink. In your Floyd | finest calligraphy, you add a technique to the scroll, allowing it to Floyd | dry before you return it to its secret location behind the waterfall. Floyd | Floyd | When you return to the monastery, Abbot Bao notices the ink smudges in Floyd | your bowl and offers you a smile and a bow. You have passed this test. Floyd | Which task will you undertake next? Floyd | Floyd | A: I am satisfied with my performance on my tasks and conclude the Floyd | test. Floyd | B: I am confident I can fight my way through Dashanmen. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > With a sweep of his hands, Abbot Bao extinguishes all the flames in Floyd | the room. For an instant, you think the peach tree statue glows with Floyd | reflected light, but then all is dark. Floyd | Floyd | Master Shen's hand tightens on your shoulder, escorting you to the far Floyd | side of the chamber. You can hear the soft sounds of people entering Floyd | the room, though with the quiet treads the monks have practiced, it is Floyd | impossible to tell how many. Certainly more than the sounds you hear Floyd | would indicate. Floyd | Floyd | Finally, Master Shen turns you around. "Remember your training," he Floyd | says, before he, too disappears in the darkness. Floyd | Floyd | You wait, your stance relaxed as you have been taught, until you are Floyd | told to begin?or until the first attack comes. Floyd | Floyd | How will you face this challenge? Floyd | Floyd | A: I have faith in my fighting skills. I face my opponents with Floyd | confidence?they are as blind as I am. Floyd | B: The challenge is to get from one side of the room to the other, but Floyd | the path was never specified. I weave through the room, confusing my Floyd | opponents. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > In your time with the Order of the Peach Tree, you have often been Floyd | complimented on your ability to think outside of the boundaries of the Floyd | exercise. That skill is useful here. You begin by crouching low to the Floyd | ground, and you feel where the strike of your first opponent would have Floyd | been had you remained in place. You strike to a pressure point on the Floyd | back of his leg, collapsing it under him, as you move away from the Floyd | center of the room and through the crowd of opponents. Floyd | Floyd | The monks realize your strategy quickly, so you have to keep shifting Floyd | your pattern of movement. The intention is to be where the strikes are Floyd | not. You get into a low stance and circle walk. You move, changing Floyd | directions and heights of your stance with syncopation so that your Floyd | foes never catch you in a rhythm. You launch a flurry of palm strikes Floyd | as you feel the body of a monk ahead of you. The next monk, however, Floyd | you just evade, moving around him the moment that your earlier foe Floyd | counterstrikes your former position. Floyd | Floyd | It is not easy, but you focus on the strategies you have learned for Floyd | keeping your opponents off balance, leading them into each other and Floyd | falling away from their attacks. Occasionally, a strike catches you, Floyd | but your steps never falter, and you keep moving. You can feel that Floyd | what you are doing borders on what some would call the supernatural Floyd | talents of the monks; you know you are drawing on your own knowledge of Floyd | strategy and the principles of bagua?the eight diagrams that represent Floyd | the nature of the universe. Floyd | Floyd | You can sense how close you are coming to the far side of the room, Floyd | where Abbot Bao awaits. You reach the wall, then circle back into the Floyd | throng, gliding out of the way of the monks turning to attack you. You Floyd | reach out and place your hand on the warm wood of the door. Floyd | Floyd | "Finish," says Abbot Bao. He makes a final attack?a high strike aimed Floyd | at your throat?but you back against the door and push it open, shooting Floyd | yourself backward out of his reach. Light floods the room, dazzling you Floyd | and the monks. As your eyes adjust, you realize that they are all Floyd | bowing to you. Clearly your teachers were correct: you were ready for Floyd | this test, and you have passed. With your successes behind you, you are Floyd | welcomed once again into the inner temple. The candles are all lit, and Floyd | the monks who reside at the monastery offer you their oaths of Floyd | brotherhood. The Order of the Peach Tree is now your family, and you Floyd | are one step closer to getting to ask a question of the Dragon Sage. Floyd | Floyd | >Chapter Three: The Master | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | Your first few years as a monk feel little different from your last Floyd | year as a senior student. Though you now have a greater leadership Floyd | role, and an official ranking as a teacher with the students, much Floyd | continues on as it had before. You work at the monastery, taking care Floyd | of the things required of all who live there to maintain the daily Floyd | workings of the Order. You spar with the monks and continue to learn Floyd | the intricacies of wushu. You oversee the newest applicants as they Floyd | prove their worth by accomplishing the most menial chores. You do not Floyd | miss those days from your own apprenticeship. Floyd | Floyd | The seasons change. The peach tree blossoms and bears fruit, then shows Floyd | its naked branches until spring returns. The strength of the Blue Floyd | Scarves Rebellion grows as the foreigners maintain and further develop Floyd | their presence in the Middle Kingdom. Still, the Emperor shows no Floyd | intention of changing their role at his court, or defending the people Floyd | of the Middle Kingdom against the foreigners' encroachment upon lands Floyd | they have farmed for generations. Floyd | Floyd | No further threats call for the attention of the Order of the Peach Floyd | Tree, however, and Abbot Bao has not become involved with the quarrel Floyd | between the rebels and the Emperor on either side. The monks are Floyd | divided in their opinions of the world's events: some strongly support Floyd | the Emperor, others profess that it is not the Order's role to get Floyd | involved in events of the world, and a few mention their concerns for Floyd | the common people without ever fully defying the Son of Heaven. Floyd | Floyd | Do you involve yourself in these conversations? Floyd | Floyd | A: I support the Emperor. He is the Son of Heaven and clearly knows Floyd | what's best for the Empire. Floyd | B: I agree that the Middle Kingdom is out of balance with the Heavens, Floyd | but do not openly question the Emperor. Floyd | C: I am not concerned with such worldly matters when I strive toward Floyd | Enlightenment. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > You realize that doing nothing only lends strength to the Emperor's Floyd | position, but openly admitting doubt in the Son of Heaven is both Floyd | unwise and dangerous. But if the choice is saying nothing or giving up Floyd | your path to the Dragon Sage and joining the rebellion like Lu Floyd | Jin?well, you know what you will choose. Floyd | Floyd | One day in late summer, the third year after your test, Master Shen Floyd | asks to speak with you beneath the peach tree. When you arrive, the old Floyd | master is dozing off beneath the tree, his staff leaning next to him. Floyd | You approach quietly, but as soon as you are within range of Master Floyd | Shen's staff, it shoots out to tap your ankle, suddenly in his gnarled Floyd | but quick hand. His eyes remain closed. Floyd | Floyd | "This ankle feels like it belongs to Liu Meili," he says with a grin. Floyd | He opens one eye. "Ah, good. If it had been Kai Lo bringing a late Floyd | afternoon snack to the decrepit old man, that would have been an Floyd | embarrassing mistake." Floyd | Floyd | Master Shen pats the ground beside him in a gesture for you to sit. It Floyd | is oddly informal for one who served as your teacher for so long. Floyd | Floyd | "Why did you wish to speak with me, Master?" you ask. Floyd | Floyd | "Maybe I enjoy the company of my young students in my old age," Master Floyd | Shen says gruffly. He taps your foot with the end of his staff. "You Floyd | may be a monk now, but I still concern myself with your education." Floyd | Floyd | How do you respond to this? Floyd | Floyd | A: I am learning much from teaching the students and continuing to spar Floyd | with the monks. Floyd | B: I admit that I fear my own art is stagnating. Floyd | C: I tell him that I miss the challenge of real combat. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > He raps your ankle. "As well you should. There is much more for you Floyd | to learn outside these walls, Liu Meili." Master Shen raises his staff Floyd | and knocks twice on one of the peach tree's branches. Two peaches Floyd | tumble down, and you catch them both, handing one to the old master Floyd | when he reaches for it. He takes a bite of juicy peach, savoring it, Floyd | before continuing. Floyd | Floyd | "It is traditional for members of the Order to spend some time away Floyd | from the monastery after they become monks," he explains. "For some it Floyd | is a time of wandering, living only on the kindness others drop into Floyd | their begging bowls. For others, it is a chance to become embroiled in Floyd | the matters of the Middle Kingdom. Abbot Bao suggested that for you, Floyd | actually, and was planning to send you to Xiaonanhai, but I think that Floyd | perhaps the capital is not the place for you now." Floyd | Floyd | You are surprised that Abbot Bao would think to send you to the capital Floyd | of the Middle Kingdom?and that Master Shen has objected to the abbot's Floyd | plans. Floyd | Floyd | "I think you would gain a greater benefit from studying under an old Floyd | teacher of mine." Floyd | Floyd | "Of yours, Master?" you ask, trying to imagine a teacher of Master Floyd | Shen's that would still be walking, let alone alive. Floyd | Floyd | He raps his staff against your ankle again, clearly guessing your Floyd | thoughts. "I recommend that you seek out Master Zhuge in the Yellow Floyd | Mountains. Zhuge is an old hermit?a true recluse?but crafty as a Floyd | dragon." Floyd | Floyd | >Next | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | In fact, you have heard of Master Zhuge, whom some call the Veiled Floyd | Dragon. Stories say that Master Zhuge has followed the path to Floyd | immortality, though whether this was through alchemy, devout living, or Floyd | the mystical arts of the bedchamber is the subject of much debate. No Floyd | one knows how old he is or the full extent of his abilities, but people Floyd | say he can blow on water to change the direction of its current, heal Floyd | the sick at a distance, and take on the shape of any object. He also Floyd | writes very fine poetry. Floyd | Floyd | "Zhuge lives in the mountains above Kuei Xian," Master Shen continues. Floyd | He pulls a scroll out of his sengfu and hands it to you. It is a map of Floyd | that section of the Yellow Mountains, incredibly detailed. A hermitage Floyd | is marked. Floyd | Floyd | Master Shen stands, slowly, hiding the quick reactions you know he is Floyd | capable of. "I suggest you take a present," he says, and knocks the Floyd | bough of the peach tree with his staff again. A pile of peaches falls Floyd | into your lap. "Go. Learn. I will see you in a few years, if I am still Floyd | around. And if you survive." Floyd | Floyd | What gift will you take with you? Floyd | Floyd | A: Peaches. If Master Shen suggested them, they must be a good idea. Floyd | B: I take a cutting from the peach tree, which will eventually produce Floyd | its own peaches. Floyd | C: I take the time to copy one of the scrolls from the temple library Floyd | before I leave. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > Caring for the peach tree is one of the tasks you have learned as a Floyd | monk. You carefully take a cutting, wrapping the base in a wet cloth to Floyd | prepare it for travel. Then you return to your room to pack your Floyd | remaining things. You leave from the monastery on a beautiful, sunny Floyd | day to begin your journey to the Yellow Mountains. It has been years Floyd | since you traveled this road, and the journey alone is very different Floyd | from one with seventeen companions. By the time you reach Baijiang Floyd | Bridge, the weather has started to turn, and a summer squall hits just Floyd | as you arrive in Kuei Xian. You sit in the tea house for a few hours Floyd | until the skies clear, then begin your ascent into the mountains. Floyd | Floyd | You are hardly out of sight of town when you see a young woman on the Floyd | road ahead of you, pacing and looking quite distraught. She is dressed Floyd | in humble clothes, bedraggled from the recent storm, but despite the Floyd | smudged dirt on her face and the disarray of her hair, it is clear that Floyd | she is beautiful. A heavy pack lies near her by the side of the road. Floyd | She spots you and the worry on her face eases. Floyd | Floyd | "Thank the heavens," she says, then looks down and bows in deference, Floyd | despite the fact that she clearly intends to address you without Floyd | waiting for you?of higher social rank?to speak first. "Honored monk, Floyd | forgive my boldness, but I am in need of aid. I was traveling toward Floyd | Kuei Xian when the storm hit, and my ox startled at the thunder and Floyd | bolted off the road. Could you help me?" Floyd | Floyd | A: I don't have the time or inclination to help a peasant. Floyd | B: I can spare a little time to help a poor woman. Floyd | C: This woman seems very familiar?she reminds me of a certain fox Floyd | spirit I met the last time I traveled this way. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > "Bolted, you say?" you respond. You can see some deep tracks in the Floyd | mud where an ox might have charged off the road and into the woods. The Floyd | trees are not terribly dense, but the terrain is uneven, and you could Floyd | see how a woman without your training might be concerned about bandits Floyd | or worse?particularly given the problems Kuei Xian has had in the past. Floyd | Floyd | "I'm afraid so," she answers. "I did start to go after him." She Floyd | gestures down to her mud-caked boots and skirt. "My pack was too heavy Floyd | to let me navigate the mud, and I didn't want to go too far into the Floyd | woods. I wish I could be of use!" Suddenly, her face brightens. "I Floyd | know! If you went after my ox, I could watch your pack for you. That Floyd | way you wouldn't be weighed down!" Floyd | Floyd | A: What a thoughtful suggestion. I could manage the pack, but it would Floyd | be kind to make her feel useful. Floyd | B: It's kind?if a little suspicious?of her to offer, but I can manage Floyd | my pack AND hers. Floyd | C: Ah ha! She is a bandit! I want nothing more to do with this woman. Floyd | | Jacqueline says, "NOOOOOOOOO" | |
| Jacqueline says, "I typo'd" | ||
| Jacqueline asks, "Or is it... typoed?" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "crappity crap crap" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "restart" | ||
| Floyd asks, "That game over already? It was just getting good. Wanna play another?" | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "load kungfu" | ||
Floyd | > "Look out!" Floyd | Floyd | The noise of battle is distracting, and it takes you almost too long to Floyd | realize that the warning was shouted to you. An outlaw wearing a blue Floyd | turban is charging toward you, his longspear leveled at your heart. Floyd | What will you do? Floyd | Floyd | A: Stand firm, blocking the spear away at the last moment and slashing Floyd | twin tiger claws across his face. Floyd | B: Pounce toward him at the last moment, springing like a leopard, and Floyd | bring an elbow down on his head. Floyd | C: Dart off to the side, balancing on one leg like a crane before Floyd | delivering a swift kick to his knee. Floyd | D: Weave hypnotically in my stance, and when he strikes, I am no longer Floyd | there; I launch a series of quick, snakelike strikes to the pressure Floyd | points in his exposed rib cage. Floyd | E: Make a series of flashy moves that draw his target toward my right Floyd | side, then move to the left, delivering a reiken strike to the right Floyd | side of his head as he passes by. Floyd | F: Remain still, my hands low at the chi center of my body, and at the Floyd | moment he would hit me, circle his spear away and shift myself away Floyd | from the strike. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "d" | ||
Floyd | > He stumbles when his attack falters, and he clutches one arm to his Floyd | injured side. He looks suddently exhausted, courtesy of the disruption Floyd | in his chi that your knowledge of the mystical Snake technique allowed. Floyd | Floyd | With your opponent deterred, but not out of the fight, how do you Floyd | follow up your attack? Floyd | Floyd | A: Use a palm heel strike under the chin to drive his head backwards, Floyd | tearing down with a tiger claw on his face as he falls. Floyd | B: Drive into him with a series of fast leopard punches down the center Floyd | of his body until he falls to the ground. Floyd | C: Take his leg out from under him with a sweeping straight kick, Floyd | delivering a wing strike to his neck at the same moment, graceful as a Floyd | crane. Floyd | D: With my fingers tight like a snake's head, strike out at his face Floyd | and neck in a complex pattern of several hits that impact on nerve Floyd | points, disabling him. Floyd | E: Feign a low kick to the knee, and when he moves the spear shaft down Floyd | to block, shoot a dragon tooth strike?my fingers separated in a V?into Floyd | his eyes before sweeping him from behind. Floyd | F: His death would be senseless and against the Buddha nature; pivot Floyd | around behind him and lock him in a sleeper hold. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "d" | ||
Floyd | > The quick strikes of the Snake style, combined with the knowledge of Floyd | chi, drop him to the ground, unconscious. He'll be feeling that when he Floyd | wakes up. Floyd | Floyd | The outlaws continue toward you and your fellow students, flashes of Floyd | blue catching your eye against the greens and browns of the marsh Floyd | surrounding your path. It is hard to imagine that only moments ago, the Floyd | nine of you were making your way back to the monastery of the Order of Floyd | the Peach Tree, students on the simple assignment of escorting a Floyd | wagonload of supplies home. Floyd | Floyd | The students have mostly remained on the path, where their footing is Floyd | more certain, but the outlaws appear to have little trouble navigating Floyd | the wetlands. While they fight like untrained peasants, numbers are Floyd | definitely on their side. Floyd | Floyd | It's time to get serious. Drawing on the training you received before Floyd | entering the Order of the Peach Tree, you prepare your next attack. How Floyd | will you fight? Floyd | Floyd | A: Draw my sword. This blade was forged by the most expert smiths in Floyd | the Middle Kingdom, designed specifically to be used with the Celestial Floyd | Sword style, taught only to the Imperial Family. Floyd | B: Unhitch the horse from the cart of supplies. He is a mean beast?not Floyd | the fine mare I trained on at my father's estate?but few monks could Floyd | master a horse from as honorable a family as mine. I draw my blade and Floyd | prepare to charge. Floyd | C: Draw on my chi, as well the energy in the world around me. I can Floyd | sense the life energies of my fellow students and the approaching Floyd | outlaws. Floyd | D: Release the bindings that secure my longspear to my back. It is only Floyd | one of the many weapons I have mastered in my wanderings, and it is a Floyd | good choice to keep the outlaws at bay. Floyd | E: Why change? The style my masters at the Order of the Peach Tree are Floyd | teaching me is a superior one, and I am eager to prove the worth of my Floyd | unarmed style in battle. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > Even your fellow students are wary of the Xian style, which utilizes Floyd | what the uninformed consider "magic." But you know to be your power to Floyd | be from the energies of the universe, which are at your beck and call. Floyd | You also know that the perception of your abilities can be used against Floyd | your enemies?and one day, you hope it will inspire your allies. For Floyd | now, the other students shy away from you, except for Lu Jin, your Floyd | primary rival for the place of senior student, who watches you with a Floyd | wary eye. Floyd | Floyd | The battle that follows is hectic; the outlaws have little in the way Floyd | of skill, but they make up for it in passion. They are determined to Floyd | have your supplies, despite the clear skill shown by you and your Floyd | fellow students. Though you are focused on keeping them from trying to Floyd | kill you, you notice as you disable your opponents that they are Floyd | skinny, likely the result of being poorly fed. You also note that a Floyd | number of the outlaws are women. Floyd | Floyd | Does that surprise you? Floyd | Floyd | A: Yes. Fighting is the realm of warriors, and the role of the warrior Floyd | falls to the men. Floyd | B: No. Outlaws have always bucked convention; why bother following Floyd | social rules? Floyd | C: Yes, but it is nice to know that I am not alone in questioning Floyd | traditional roles. Floyd | D: No. I am used to fighting side by side among men and women Floyd | accomplished in the way of battle. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "d" | ||
Floyd | > You have had a wonderfully open-minded experience in your training. Floyd | Luckily for you, the Order of the Peach Tree feels similarly. Are you a Floyd | man or a woman? Floyd | Floyd | A: I am a man. Floyd | B: I am a woman. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > What is your given name? Floyd | Floyd | A: Yin. Floyd | B: Meili. Floyd | C: Yan. Floyd | D: None of these is my name. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > A name as beautiful as your features. Floyd | Floyd | And what is your family name? Floyd | Floyd | A: Liu. Floyd | B: Wong. Floyd | C: Cao. Floyd | D: None of these is my family name. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > A fine name. Floyd | Floyd | The bandits are quickly losing their resolve to steal your wagon; they Floyd | still have numbers on their side, but many have fallen, wounded or Floyd | dead, at your feet. You hear the far-off sound of a whistle, and the Floyd | bandits begin to disengage, quickly fading back into the marsh. Though Floyd | you and your fellow students have done a formidable job of holding off Floyd | the bandits, you see that your fellows have taken some injuries as Floyd | well. Floyd | Floyd | What do you do? Floyd | Floyd | A: Retreat back to the monastery, so that my fellow students can have Floyd | their wounds treated immediately. Floyd | B: Question one of the wounded bandits about the attack. Floyd | C: Pursue the bandits into the marsh. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > You pull one of the outlaws to his feet, and in the process realize Floyd | that this scrawny bandit is no more than thirteen. Malnourished and Floyd | weak, it is amazing he is not dead from the beating he received. Floyd | Floyd | A: I feel admiration for his bravery, in spite of his conditions. I Floyd | tell him he fought well. Floyd | B: I feel pity for this boy who has turned to thievery to survive. Floyd | C: I am furious that this urchin attacked us. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > He seems surprised by your praise, and he holds his head high, Floyd | despite his pain. "I must fight well," he says, "because no one else Floyd | will fight for me." He says it almost like a mantra. You ask your Floyd | questions, and the boy gives you answers he appears to believe are Floyd | true: the supplies you carry were targeted because they would be useful Floyd | to the bandits, not because the outlaws wish to offend the Order of the Floyd | Peach Tree. He does not know how many bandits there are, but he says Floyd | that almost all that he knows were farmers, forced out of their homes Floyd | by the foreigners who have been encroaching on the Middle Kingdom. Floyd | Floyd | A: I let the boy and the other wounded bandits go with no intention of Floyd | bringing them to the law. They are people suffering from circumstances Floyd | beyond their control. Floyd | B: I let the boy go and warn him and the other bandits that they must Floyd | cease their crimes against the Empire. I will make sure that their Floyd | banditry is reported to the local magistrate, but will hope they repent Floyd | of their crimes. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > A sympathetic decision. Hopefully it will not come back to haunt you. Floyd | Floyd | Lu Jin takes a deep breath, as though deciding whether or not to share Floyd | a thought, before he says, "It wasn't like this before the foreigners Floyd | came. With them eating up resources?and with the Emperor standing by Floyd | while his people starve and lose their land to these invaders?the Floyd | people have no hope." Floyd | Floyd | Lu Jin's openness is surprising, but what he says amounts to treason. Floyd | Questioning the Emperor's will so openly will certainly lead him to Floyd | trouble. Floyd | Floyd | Does that trouble start with you? Floyd | Floyd | A: How dare he question the Emperor! I challenge him immediately. Floyd | B: I agree with Lu Jin, but I respond noncommittally. Just because he Floyd | is asking for trouble by speaking his mind does not mean I will risk my Floyd | neck. Floyd | C: I agree with Lu Jin and am glad to find someone to discuss the Floyd | Empire's problems with. Floyd | D: I do nothing. I am not interested in politics. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > Lu Jin lets out a bitter chuckle, looking around at your fellow Floyd | students, who watch you anxiously. "Perhaps another time." Floyd | Floyd | His refusal to fight puts you in an awkward position; if he refused to Floyd | defend himself, you could be thrown out of the Order of the Peach Tree Floyd | for attacking a fellow student without provocation. Floyd | Floyd | A: He insulted the Emperor. I cannot delay in seeking retribution. Floyd | B: I wait, but I do not forget. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > A wise decision. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | As you walk back to the monastery, you take a moment to consider the Floyd | path that has brought you here. As a child, you were told stories of Floyd | the Order of the Peach Tree, a monastery where many great warriors were Floyd | trained. But it was not just the combat skills that enticed you. Every Floyd | hundred years, one member of the Order of the Peach Tree is given the Floyd | honor of consulting the Dragon Sage. That monk may ask a single Floyd | question of the wise dragon. It is only thirty years until the next Floyd | monk of the Order of the Peach Tree is selected, and you are determined Floyd | to be the order's representative to the dragon. Floyd | Floyd | What question drives you toward this goal? Floyd | Floyd | A: I know I have much to learn of combat, but I am convinced that the Floyd | Dragon Sage holds the key to greatness beyond what I can learn from Floyd | mortal teachers. I plan to ask, "How can I become the greatest warrior Floyd | in the world?" Floyd | B: The strife I see in the Middle Kingdom?so recently reiterated by my Floyd | encounter with the bandits?disturbs me greatly. I wish to see balance Floyd | restored to the Middle Kingdom, so that the Emperor is once again in Floyd | alignment with the Heavens. I will ask, "How can the Empire return to Floyd | Heaven's Favor?" Floyd | C: I am more concerned with esoteric knowledge than worldly issues. I Floyd | wish to ask, "What is the first question?" Floyd | D: My question is simple: "Why do kites fly?" Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > You have set your sights high; if anyone would know how to set the Floyd | Emperor back on the path of Heaven, it is the Dragon Sage. Floyd | Floyd | >Chapter One: Bandits in the Woods | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | A few days after the conflict with the outlaws in the marsh, Abbot Bao Floyd | Ho sends for you to meet him beneath the peach tree. The tree itself is Floyd | ancient: you have been told that most peach trees live, at most, fifty Floyd | years, but this one has grown wide around the trunk and gnarled in the Floyd | branches. Despite its age, it continues to produce fruit. Some say that Floyd | this is the peach tree after which the monastery was named, a true Floyd | immortal tree in the breed of trees that represents immortality. Others Floyd | believe it to be a descendant of the original peach tree, the result of Floyd | careful cultivation by the monks who teach you. Floyd | Floyd | What do you think? Floyd | Floyd | A: It must be immortal. Floyd | B: If it is grown from the cuttings of earlier trees, the continuation Floyd | of its line makes it immortal despite its many incarnations. Floyd | C: The tree is clearly not immortal; only the superstitious and Floyd | uneducated would believe so. Floyd | D: I haven't given it much thought. Floyd | E: I don't care. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > Perhaps you're right. Floyd | Floyd | The peach tree's branches extend over a reflection pool. It is normally Floyd | a very peaceful spot, but now the atmosphere is tense. Abbot Bao stands Floyd | there with Master Shen, the oldest teacher in the monastery, at his Floyd | side, and the two men wear identical expressions of concern. Floyd | Floyd | Just as you arrive, Lu Jin approaches from the other side. He appears Floyd | as surprised to see you as you are to see him. Floyd | Floyd | "Greetings, my senior students," Abbot Bao says in greeting. Floyd | Floyd | Lu Jin bows. "Do you have training for us today, masters?" Floyd | Floyd | Master Shen chuckles. "Always so eager for more, Lu Jin? As I recall, Floyd | at our last bout between the senior students, Liu Meili gave you a very Floyd | fine black eye." Floyd | Floyd | Lu Jin bares his teeth at you in a smile that is neither humble nor Floyd | friendly. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | "Unfortunately, my students, this is no simple matter of training," Floyd | Abbot Bao says. "Or, perhaps it is, but not of our usual devising. You Floyd | told us of your experience with the bandits along the road to the Floyd | Order, and I am afraid it is becoming an all too common experience in Floyd | these interesting times. Too many people of the Middle Kingdom are Floyd | turning to thieving and banditry to make their ends meet, and too many Floyd | honest folk are made to suffer." Floyd | Floyd | Master Shen grunts, and you think you hear him mutter something about a Floyd | distinct lack of honest folk, but it is unclear. Floyd | Floyd | The abbot continues: "Because you have some experience, and because we Floyd | feel it will be a good test of your readiness to fully join the order, Floyd | we have chosen the two of you to lead a group of students to the Floyd | village of Kuei Xian, across the Baijiang Bridge, to solve the trouble Floyd | locals are having with the bandits." Floyd | Floyd | Lu Jin blanches momentarily, but your teachers do not seem to notice. Floyd | Floyd | How do you respond to this mission? Floyd | Floyd | A: It is an honor to be chosen, even if I must share leadership with Lu Floyd | Jin. I agree to set off at once. Floyd | B: I can't wait to try my skills against real opponents again. Floyd | C: Lu Jin's hesitation is an opportunity for me. I volunteer to take Floyd | the team alone. Floyd | D: I am not really interested in this interruption to my training. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > Abbot Bao looks surprised, then glances at Lu Jin and recognizes your Floyd | rival's hesitation. Floyd | Floyd | "I feel it would be best to have both of you on this task," he says Floyd | slowly. "If you are uncertain?" Floyd | Floyd | "No," says Lu Jin. "I am ready to do what the Order asks of me." Floyd | Floyd | Both Master Shen and Abbot Bao watch Lu Jin with some concern for Floyd | another moment. Even though you will both be going together, it seems Floyd | you have successfully undermined his position. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | There are actually fewer details than you would have expected for this Floyd | mission. Neither Abbot Bao nor Master Shen knows how many bandits are Floyd | present near Kuei Xian. They do know that the center of activity seems Floyd | to be at Baijiang Bridge, an old stone bridge that remains from the Floyd | years of the Sun Dynasty, when an army marched across it five horses at Floyd | a time, or so legends say. Kuei Xian, which sits in the shadow of a Floyd | huge, turtlelike karst hill in the foothills of the Yellow Mountains, Floyd | is a small village, but with important enough history?and pleasant Floyd | enough weather?that the governor of the province keeps his summer home Floyd | there. Floyd | Floyd | Governor Rong is disinclined to ask the Emperor to help combat the Floyd | problem directly. (You gather from Master Shen's muttered commentary Floyd | that this would make it look as though he cannot solve the problems of Floyd | his own district.) Instead, he has asked the Order of the Peach Tree Floyd | for aid, and given the importance of the trade that flows across the Floyd | Baijiang Bridge, and the order's dedication as protectors of the people Floyd | of the Middle Kingdom, the abbot has agreed. Floyd | Floyd | Of course, should you and Lu Jin fail to quell the problem, more Floyd | important resources than students will have to be expended, either by Floyd | the Order or by the Emperor. This would bring dishonor to everyone: Floyd | you, the order, Governor Rong, and possibly the Emperor himself in the Floyd | face of the foreigners at his court. Floyd | Floyd | Abbot Bao tells you the names of the students he expects to accompany Floyd | you. Several of them were present when the bandits attacked. You are to Floyd | ready your equipment and leave in the morning. Floyd | Floyd | A: I seek out Lu Jin to discuss this mission. Floyd | B: I go to my room to prepare for morning. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > Lu Jin is not entirely thrilled by the prospect of working as a Floyd | co-leader with you?but you're equally unenthusiastic about working with Floyd | him. Still, as Master Shen would say, better to be prepared. Floyd | Floyd | You look over a map of the Baijiang Bridge, and, unsurprisingly, you Floyd | conflict about every possible approach. Floyd | Floyd | Exasperated, Lu Jin finally says, "We may as well just ask them to Floyd | leave, for all the good we're going to do." Floyd | Floyd | A: We could try negotiation. If we can find the leader, maybe we can Floyd | work something out. Floyd | B: What a ridiculous idea. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > Lu Jin looks at you suspiciously for suggesting this. Floyd | Floyd | "Maybe we can," he agrees noncommittally. Floyd | Floyd | You discuss tactics for a little while longer, with greater success Floyd | than previously, and you decide to turn in, to make sure you have Floyd | prepared and rested enough for morning. Floyd | Floyd | >The next morning? | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | The Order of the Peach Tree, though farther from the Yellow Mountains Floyd | than Kuei Xian, is nestled among karst mountains that increase as you Floyd | travel west toward the Baijiang River. The road is a well-traveled one, Floyd | a drier route than the road you so recently traversed through the Floyd | wetlands south of the monastery. Despite the traditional sengfu monk Floyd | garb that you and your fellow students wear?the high boots, pants, and Floyd | one-sleeved robe, tied with a sash?which marks you as members of the Floyd | Order, you are given no more notice than the other travelers you Floyd | encounter. There are eighteen of you, total: you and Lu Jin each have a Floyd | team of eight students, for good luck. Each team is nine, a symbol of Floyd | permanence, and of synergy with the heavens. Floyd | Floyd | Does the numerology comfort you? Floyd | Floyd | A: Of course. When embarking upon matters like this, I am glad for any Floyd | numerical advantage. Floyd | B: No. The outcome will be determined by greater skill, not by numbers. Floyd | C: We are all one team, making us eighteen, which is neither lucky nor Floyd | unlucky. We will make our own fate. Floyd | D: More superstitious nonsense. Floyd | E: I hadn't noticed the numbers before. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > Hopefully your greater skill will aid you if greater numbers are on Floyd | the side of the bandits. You pass a number of merchants with carts Floyd | drawn by water buffalo, messengers and warriors on horseback, and Floyd | travelers walking along the road with bundles on their backs. It is a Floyd | fine day: the sky is blue, the clouds are wisps, and the summer air is Floyd | thick with the smell of blossoms and ripening rice. As on your last Floyd | trip from the monastery, you are traveling with a horse and cart, full Floyd | of the food and supplies you will need for your journey. Floyd | Floyd | It is up to you and Lu Jin to set the tone for this mission. The trip Floyd | to Kuei Xian takes three days at a steady pace. Floyd | Floyd | A: Three days is fast enough; the situation is urgent, but unlikely to Floyd | get much worse in three days' time. Floyd | B: This mission is urgent, and we have been trained to move quickly. We Floyd | can make the trip in two days. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > The steady pace also has the benefit of allowing you time to converse Floyd | with your fellow students. How will you use it? Floyd | Floyd | A: Continue planning strategy with Lu Jin. Floyd | B: Stop early at night so I can run the students through training Floyd | drills, keeping our fighting skills fresh. Floyd | C: Consult the stars at night, watching for signs that will make clear Floyd | the most beneficial path. Floyd | D: Focus on the well-being of the students, keeping them entertained Floyd | with other tales of travel. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > Lu Jin advocates approaching the bandits to make an attempt at Floyd | negotiation, believing that the bandits can be reasoned with. What is Floyd | your strategy in facing the bandits? Floyd | Floyd | A: Fight them, and show them the power of the Order of the Peach Tree. Floyd | B: Devise a clever plan to stop their raids, but avoid a direct Floyd | conflict. Floyd | C: Attempt to contact their leaders and negotiate some form of peace. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > You have sympathy for these people forced from their homes, and you Floyd | would like to support them, but given your orders, you cannot do it Floyd | openly. Perhaps you can persuade them to take their business elsewhere Floyd | and find a way to help them against the foreigners in the future. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | On the third morning of your journey, the terrain has shifted from Floyd | valley fields to the true foothills of the Yellow Mountains. Forests Floyd | have closed around you, mostly pine, fir, and cedar here, though you Floyd | know there are also bamboo forests near Kuei Xian. You are nearing what Floyd | could be enemy territory, depending on how far out the raiders have Floyd | roamed. Floyd | Floyd | As you walk, you hear a human noise in the distance?it sounds as though Floyd | it might be sobbing, or perhaps low voices. It is too far to tell. Floyd | Floyd | What do you do? Floyd | Floyd | A: Send one of the students to scout ahead to discover the source of Floyd | the noise as we continue toward Kuei Xian. The scout can catch up. Floyd | B: Send one of the students to scout ahead and wait for him to return. Floyd | C: Scout ahead on my own. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > You make your way into the woods, moving as quietly and softly as Floyd | though you walk on rice paper. The sound is definitely sobbing, and you Floyd | see a flash of red through the fir trees. A few steps closer and you Floyd | see that a beautiful young woman is kneeling in the fir needles, Floyd | crying. She wears a heavy qipao, a long dress with a high neckline made Floyd | of thick, brocaded fabric. Her hair is woven up into an elaborate Floyd | headpiece, clearly marking her as a member of the aristocracy. Floyd | Floyd | She looks up when she sees you approach, and, were it not for the Floyd | tears, she could be a model for a painting: her narrow face and Floyd | close-set eyes, her thin eyebrows and high cheekbones are the ideal of Floyd | courtly beauty. But there are tears, and her lovely face is contorted Floyd | in pain. Floyd | Floyd | A: I go to help her at once! Floyd | B: This seems highly suspicious to me. I approach, but carefully. Floyd | C: It is helpless women like her that make it so difficult for women Floyd | like me to get respect. Let her figure it out herself. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > As you approach, the woman looks up at you with tear-filled eyes. Floyd | "Oh, kind monk, could you help me?" she calls, her voice as lovely as Floyd | the rest of her appearance. "My foot has become caught in a trap!" Floyd | Floyd | A: I go help her immediately. Floyd | B: This still seems suspicious. I step closer, but do not yet agree to Floyd | help. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > "What kind of trap?" you ask. Floyd | Floyd | She grins, though there is real pain on her face, and after the first Floyd | flash of amusement, it turns into a grimace. "A fox trap, I'm afraid." Floyd | Floyd | Behind the woman, seven fox tails flare to life, revealing that this is Floyd | no true woman at all. She is a huli jing, a mischievous fox spirit that Floyd | delights particularly in tormenting monks. Floyd | Floyd | "Why should I help you?" you ask. Floyd | Floyd | She shakes her head. "Why is it always the wise ones who find me in Floyd | such a predicament?" she asks, mostly to herself. "I will make it worth Floyd | your while, monk. I can offer you unimaginable pleasure," she says with Floyd | a coy wink that, upon the slight shift of her body, becomes a wince. "I Floyd | promise that we fox spirits are exceedingly creative." Floyd | Floyd | A: Unimaginable pleasure? Sounds good to me. Floyd | B: I want information about the bandits. Floyd | C: Her favor. It can never hurt to have a spirit on my side. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > The fox spirit shakes her head. "Wise indeed," she says. "Agreed. You Floyd | have earned my good will by freeing me now." Floyd | Floyd | You open the trap and the huli jing snatches her leg back, as though Floyd | afraid the trap will bite her again. She stands and bows to you. Floyd | Floyd | "My name is Feng," she says. "And I am in your debt. We will meet Floyd | again." Floyd | Floyd | You make your way back to the road and your companions with no further Floyd | trouble. Floyd | Floyd | Baijiang Bridge is a huge, stone structure that spans the width of the Floyd | Baijiang River. From this side, you can see the large black turtle of a Floyd | mountain that rises over Kuei Xian. Now that you are here, it is time Floyd | to put your plan into action. Are you ready to act on your plan? Floyd | Floyd | A: I stand by my first plan. Floyd | B: I want to rethink my options. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > Despite the fact that the bandits are criminals, they are also your Floyd | countrymen, people who have fallen on hard times due to the incursion Floyd | of foreigners in the Middle Kingdom. Though you may not agree with Floyd | their tactics, you want to help their cause. How will you make contact? Floyd | Floyd | A: Scout the woods in pairs until we find it. Floyd | B: Wait until the bandits make a raid across the Baijiang Bridge and Floyd | follow them back. Floyd | C: Ask around the village and, based on local gossip, intuit the most Floyd | probable location for their camp. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > Someone better at reading people might be able to guess at the right Floyd | direction, but the people of Kuei Xian leave you at a loss. You'll have Floyd | to try another way. How will you make contact? Floyd | Floyd | A: Scout the woods in pairs until we find it. Floyd | B: Wait until the bandits make a raid across the Baijiang Bridge and Floyd | follow them back. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > It takes some time, but you manage to discern the location of the Floyd | bandit camp without being noticed. You and your fellow students walk Floyd | into the camp calmly, as though you belong, despite your sengfu Floyd | clothing marking you as monks of the Order of the Peach Tree. The Floyd | bandits, most of whom do seem to come from humble backgrounds, have no Floyd | idea what to do with you. Because you do not appear to be hostile, they Floyd | seem unwilling to confront you. Floyd | Floyd | Finally, a large woman of middle age, her hair wrapped in the same blue Floyd | turban you see throughout the camp, stands in front of your group. Floyd | Floyd | "What is your business?" she asks sternly. You imagine that this is the Floyd | same tone of voice she uses when she suspects her children of having Floyd | gotten into mischief. Floyd | Floyd | "We'd like to speak to your leader," Lu Jin says politely. Floyd | Floyd | The woman looks suspicious, but after a moment, she nods, then beckons Floyd | for you to follow. In the center of the camp?which gives the appearance Floyd | of being a tent city, something quickly dismantled to move?there is a Floyd | large fire, at which sit a number of men and women talking seriously. Floyd | Floyd | "Deng Ping," the woman says loudly, and the tallest of the men, wearing Floyd | clothing slightly better cared for than that of his peers, stands. Floyd | "Order of the Peach Tree to see you." Floyd | Floyd | Deng Ping approaches suspiciously and waits for you to speak. Floyd | Floyd | A: Begin by offering our condolences for the misfortune that brought Floyd | the bandits here. Floyd | B: Get straight to business: explain that we were instructed to oust Floyd | them, but that we'd rather see whether negotiation is possible. Floyd | C: Try to strike some fear into their hearts: we may sympathize with Floyd | their plight, but the next group will not. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > Rather than seeing your words as empathy, Deng Ping looks insulted. Floyd | "Do not offer us pity, monk," he spits. "You may as well be in league Floyd | with the laowai, for all that you do to prevent their incursions. Every Floyd | day that passes, their power and influence grows, and it is time for Floyd | someone to stand against them. If that means us, so be it." Floyd | Floyd | There are cheers from among the bandits, and the atmosphere that was Floyd | previously uncertain has taken on a distinct air of hostility. Floyd | Floyd | "I intended no dishonor," you begin, but Deng Ping scoffs. Floyd | Floyd | "Tell your masters?tell the Son of Heaven himself?that we will do Floyd | whatever it takes to rid the laowai from our land." He steps forward, Floyd | aiming a finger at your chest. "Whatever it takes." Floyd | Floyd | A: I cannot refuse a challenge to my honor?and neither can he. Floyd | Challenge him to a fight. Floyd | B: Accept defeat. Clearly he will not listen to me. Floyd | C: Find out what we can offer them to change their minds. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > Clearly Deng Ping will not listen to reason. Instead, you challenge Floyd | him to fight a member of the order, one on one. If he loses, he is Floyd | bound by honor to leave Kuei Xian alone. Floyd | Floyd | In order to avoid losing face among the bandits, Deng Ping accepts your Floyd | challenge. Who will fight for the Order? Floyd | Floyd | A: Me. Floyd | B: Lu Jin. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > Despite your best efforts, Deng Ping is a giant of a man, both strong Floyd | and quick, and though he has little skill, a well-timed hammerstrike to Floyd | your head sets your ears ringing and brings you to your knees. Floyd | Floyd | Your fellow students collect you and load you into the cart with the Floyd | supplies, preparing for the long trip back to the monastery. Floyd | Floyd | Lu Jin, however, tells you of his decision to stay with the bandits. "I Floyd | believe I can help their cause," he explains. "Balance must return to Floyd | the Middle Kingdom." Floyd | Floyd | A: Try to persuade Lu Jin not to go. Floyd | B: Support Lu Jin's choice. Floyd | C: Good riddance. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > Perhaps Lu Jin can help restore balance from within the bandit forces Floyd | while you work from inside the Order. Floyd | Floyd | You are sure you will meet each other again. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | As you return to the monastery, morale among the students is at an Floyd | utter low. Not only did one of your number abandon the Order Floyd | completely, but you have nothing to show for your efforts. Floyd | Floyd | Your first real mission on behalf of the Order is a failure. Floyd | Floyd | After you tell Abbot Bao and Master Shen about what has happened, they Floyd | consult the heavens to determine the best course of action. Ultimately, Floyd | the Order does nothing further?and despite your failure, attacks by the Floyd | bandits near Kuei Xian die down for a time. Though this initially seems Floyd | like good news, Governor Rong has heard about the events that Floyd | transpired from his informants?likely village gossips, who may have Floyd | heard it from the bandits themselves. No credit will be given to the Floyd | Order of the Peach Tree for the temporary peace. Floyd | Floyd | Master Shen admits to you that he and the abbot had planned to test you Floyd | to become a full member of the Order had your mission been a success. Floyd | Now, you will have to prove yourself again through humble service and Floyd | continued training before you can become a monk, rather than the senior Floyd | student. Floyd | Floyd | Compared to your dishonor at the hands of the bandits, the wait to test Floyd | is a small setback?but what if it means that you will not be the one Floyd | chosen to consult the Dragon Sage? You will have to work even harder to Floyd | prove that you are worthy before the dragon reappears in the Middle Floyd | Kingdom. Floyd | Floyd | >Chapter Two: The Test | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | There are rumors upon rumors of what happens during the final test that Floyd | separates students from monks. You have heard that it involves tracking Floyd | and defeating a wild tiger. Some say that you must face and disperse a Floyd | hungry ghost. Still others say that the true final test is a measure of Floyd | the spirit and the ability of the student to achieve a perfect moment Floyd | of inner peace. Floyd | Floyd | Given the scars you have seen on the fully accepted monks, if the test Floyd | is about finding inner peace, inner peace leaves marks. Floyd | Floyd | Master Shen leads you to the inner temple of the monastery. He walks in Floyd | a relaxed fashion, leaning on his staff, as though he is merely Floyd | observing the growth of the peach tree, not leading you to where your Floyd | fate will be decided. Floyd | Floyd | How are you feeling about this test? Floyd | Floyd | A: I am eager to begin. My training has prepared me well. Floyd | B: I am nervous. I want to do well, but I fear failure. Floyd | C: I am calm. This is a moment, and I exist within it. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > Master Shen places one calloused hand on your shoulder, and you feel Floyd | its weight: the old master's strength, his wisdom, and his confidence Floyd | in you all flow through that simple touch. Floyd | Floyd | He stops in front of the huge doors to the inner temple, carved with Floyd | intricate scroll work and the shapes of the five animals: dragon, Floyd | tiger, snake, crane, and leopard. After a short moment of waiting, he Floyd | gestures with his staff for you to push the doors open. As you do, he Floyd | falls into step next to you and you enter the chamber. The inner temple Floyd | is humble: a small chamber with candles lining three of the four walls. Floyd | Above the candles are paintings and sculptures of the spiritual animals Floyd | of kung fu and the immortals. On the far wall, on a raised shelf above Floyd | the flame, is a Buddha statue, one hand resting in his lap, the other Floyd | raised in blessing. Floyd | Floyd | Abbot Bao stands in front of the last candle, lighting it from his own Floyd | small candle. Once the room is lit, he blows his candle out. Floyd | Floyd | "Liu Meili, you have been deemed worthy of the final test to join the Floyd | Order of the Peach Tree," says the abbot as he turns to you. "Do you Floyd | accept this honor, ready to face the challenges before you and take on Floyd | the role of monk?" Floyd | Floyd | A: "I accept." Floyd | B: "I do not feel ready." Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > You bow to the masters and they bow to you, though theirs is Floyd | shallower, as befitting a teacher to a student. Floyd | Floyd | "There are three challenges in the test to become a member of the Floyd | Order," Abbot Bao explains. "You must complete two of the three Floyd | successfully. Consider your options wisely, as only one failure can be Floyd | forgiven." Floyd | Floyd | "Part of the test is identifying your weaknesses and being honest about Floyd | your strengths," Master Shen says quietly. "Know yourself, student, and Floyd | you will triumph." Floyd | Floyd | "The three challenges are these," Abbot Bao continues. "The first is Floyd | the Dashanmen, a challenge of your combat skills against the monks of Floyd | the Order. You will enter a dark chamber, and you must cross from one Floyd | side to the other while being attacked." Floyd | Floyd | Master Shen chuckles. "In the old days, we fought to the death. Too Floyd | messy. Now we stop attacking as soon as you are unconscious." Floyd | Floyd | This commentary does not serve to give you confidence. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | "For the second challenge, you must carry an urn filled with hot coals Floyd | from the monastery down to the river. There, you may release the urn Floyd | and bathe your arms in the cold water." Floyd | Floyd | The distance from the monastery to the river is short enough when not Floyd | carrying an urn, but it will certainly feel longer with burning metal Floyd | on your arms. That certainly explains some of the scars you have seen Floyd | on the monks of the Order! Floyd | Floyd | "For the third challenge, you must retrieve the Scroll of Destiny from Floyd | behind Bingdian Waterfall, and learn the lesson it holds," Abbot Bao Floyd | finishes. Floyd | Floyd | "Don't worry," says Master Shen, "it is stored in a waterproof scroll Floyd | case. You'll be able to read it." Floyd | Floyd | Which task would you like to undertake first? Floyd | Floyd | A: I am confident I can fight my way through Dashanmen. Floyd | B: I will carry the urn of coals. Floyd | C: I will retrieve the Scroll of Destiny. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > Abbot Bao leads you to the gates of the monastery. The courtyard has Floyd | been cleared of students, and only a handful of monks are here to Floyd | witness the beginning of your challenge. Just inside the gates, a Floyd | brazier is lit, and over it is suspended a large urn, full of burning Floyd | coals. Aligned to the cardinal directions are four animals: to the Floyd | north is the tortoise; south, the phoenix; east, the dragon; and west, Floyd | the tiger. Floyd | Floyd | While the metalwork is beautiful, it mostly looks hot. Floyd | Floyd | You must carry the urn with your forearms from the monastery to the Floyd | river below. How will you face this challenge? Floyd | Floyd | A: I grit my teeth and carry the heavy load through sheer will. Floyd | B: I will not rely on strength alone, but will use the heat to further Floyd | forge my chi. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > You contemplate the animals on the urn. The phoenix is a creature of Floyd | fire, opposed by the tortoise, a creature of water. The dragon, which Floyd | represents the element of wood, is opposed by the tiger, which Floyd | represents metal. Although you are tempted to focus on the idea that Floyd | the fire has the potential to consume wood and metal, but is opposed by Floyd | water and only lends strength back to its own element, you know that Floyd | there is still a fifth element to consider. Floyd | Floyd | There is void, the element of the center. Your own mind must be empty Floyd | in order for the chi to flow through you, carrying the strength?and Floyd | freedom?necessary to lift the urn. You still your mind, breathe, and Floyd | reach for the urn. Floyd | Floyd | You feel the pain along your forearms, and it is excruciating?but it Floyd | washes over you, just a part of the moment. With each breath, you let Floyd | the moment flow and change, accepting it without worrying over past or Floyd | future, or even holding a thought. Your feet know this path; they have Floyd | walked it hundreds of times on the simple task of fetching water. You Floyd | allow them to carry you. Floyd | Floyd | You breathe. You exist. The moment comes and passes, and another Floyd | follows on its heels. Floyd | Floyd | You reach the river almost before you realize you are there, and you Floyd | calmly lower the urn into the water. It hisses with steam, bathing you Floyd | in hot air as your arms enter the cold stream. You realize that your Floyd | body feels the shock of the contrast, but you only observe this as Floyd | another part of the moment before letting it, too, go. When you return Floyd | to the monastery, you show the monks your new scars to prove that you Floyd | have withstood the challenge. You have passed. What scars do you bear? Floyd | Floyd | A: The dragon and the tiger. Floyd | B: The tortoise and the phoenix. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > Which task will you undertake next? Floyd | Floyd | A: I am confident I can fight my way through Dashanmen. Floyd | B: I will retrieve the Scroll of Destiny. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > Where the easiest access to the river lies below the monastery, near Floyd | where the dry land becomes marsh, Bingdian Waterfall is on the far side Floyd | of the karst mountain. The trip there is not a long one, but it is Floyd | hard, as there is no path. As you begin your ascent, you find some goat Floyd | paths to travel, delaying the true climb until the waterfall is in Floyd | sight. Floyd | Floyd | You feel the mist of the waterfall before you see it. Despite the warm Floyd | weather, the air takes on a clammy chill?the water here is always Floyd | freezing, nearly ice cold. You rub your hands together and approach the Floyd | waterfall. It cascades down the side of the mountain into a pool of Floyd | unknown depth. It falls from perhaps ten times your own height, and Floyd | somewhere in that length there is a cave or a hole behind it, in which Floyd | lies the Scroll of Destiny. Floyd | Floyd | How will you attempt to find the scroll? Floyd | Floyd | A: Climb the mountain next to the waterfall until I see it. Floyd | B: Use my chi to propel me up the side of the mountain, like a lizard. Floyd | C: Make observations from below to calculate the most likely location Floyd | for the scroll. Floyd | D: Fashion an impromptu spear from the available wood and throw it Floyd | until it hits an indentation. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > You gather your chi and make a great leap, getting a long head start Floyd | on your climb. From there, you are able to scramble up the side of the Floyd | mountain by keeping your energy focused, and by borrowing some of the Floyd | grounded nature of the mountain you climb. You can sense from the Floyd | energy of the mountain where the indentation that stores the scroll Floyd | will be, and you dart your hand into the cold water, drawing the scroll Floyd | case out as quickly as if you were pulling a fish from a stream. You Floyd | turn and jump, using your chi to float to the ground. You sit down next Floyd | to the pool, the roar of the waterfall drowning out any other noise, Floyd | and open the scroll case. Inside is what feels like an ancient scroll, Floyd | marked with diagrams that show various techniques you have learned Floyd | while studying at the Order of the Peach Tree. But though there are Floyd | many images to contemplate, most of the scroll is empty. There do not Floyd | seem to be any great secrets contained in the writing here. You do not Floyd | see a hidden final technique explained, nor a clue about how to bring Floyd | balance to the Middle Kingdom. Floyd | Floyd | What do you wish to do? Floyd | Floyd | A: Meditate on the scroll. An answer will come. Floyd | B: Analyze the scroll and puzzle out its meaning. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > You sit with the scroll spread out in front of you, studying the Floyd | detail, identifying the moves. You begin to get stiff from your Floyd | proximity to the cold waterfall, so you get up to stretch, going Floyd | through the movements on the page as they are written. You pause from Floyd | one technique to the next, studying the diagram and noticing how small Floyd | details have changed from when the scroll was written to when your Floyd | teachers shared these techniques. You realize that the closer you get Floyd | to the blank part of the scroll, the closer the techniques are?in their Floyd | details?to what you have learned. Floyd | Floyd | Excited by this discovery, you sit down next to the scroll again. You Floyd | realize that, though the change is only barely discernible, the ink is Floyd | ever so slightly darker toward the blank section. It occurs to you that Floyd | the final technique shown on the scroll is one you have heard a story Floyd | about: one of your teachers, a snake master, changed the way the Floyd | technique was taught to the students in order to give them a lesson on Floyd | pressure points. The strikes he added to the technique are clearly Floyd | marked. Floyd | Floyd | There are no secrets on the scroll, but there is a legacy of detail. Floyd | You consider the techniques you have adjusted in your own studies. What Floyd | will you teach to future students in the Order? How will your art be Floyd | applied to wushu as you make it your own? Floyd | Floyd | You discover that the scroll case has a small compartment that contains Floyd | a brush and a block of dry ink. You take out your bowl?something a monk Floyd | must always carry, you have been told?and add water to the ink. In your Floyd | finest calligraphy, you add a technique to the scroll, allowing it to Floyd | dry before you return it to its secret location behind the waterfall. Floyd | Floyd | When you return to the monastery, Abbot Bao notices the ink smudges in Floyd | your bowl and offers you a smile and a bow. You have passed this test. Floyd | Which task will you undertake next? Floyd | Floyd | A: I am satisfied with my performance on my tasks and conclude the Floyd | test. Floyd | B: I am confident I can fight my way through Dashanmen. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > With a sweep of his hands, Abbot Bao extinguishes all the flames in Floyd | the room. For an instant, you think the peach tree statue glows with Floyd | reflected light, but then all is dark. Floyd | Floyd | Master Shen's hand tightens on your shoulder, escorting you to the far Floyd | side of the chamber. You can hear the soft sounds of people entering Floyd | the room, though with the quiet treads the monks have practiced, it is Floyd | impossible to tell how many. Certainly more than the sounds you hear Floyd | would indicate. Floyd | Floyd | Finally, Master Shen turns you around. "Remember your training," he Floyd | says, before he, too disappears in the darkness. Floyd | Floyd | You wait, your stance relaxed as you have been taught, until you are Floyd | told to begin?or until the first attack comes. Floyd | Floyd | How will you face this challenge? Floyd | Floyd | A: I have faith in my fighting skills. I face my opponents with Floyd | confidence?they are as blind as I am. Floyd | B: The challenge is to get from one side of the room to the other, but Floyd | the path was never specified. I weave through the room, confusing my Floyd | opponents. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > In your time with the Order of the Peach Tree, you have often been Floyd | complimented on your ability to think outside of the boundaries of the Floyd | exercise. That skill is useful here. You begin by crouching low to the Floyd | ground, and you feel where the strike of your first opponent would have Floyd | been had you remained in place. You strike to a pressure point on the Floyd | back of his leg, collapsing it under him, as you move away from the Floyd | center of the room and through the crowd of opponents. Floyd | Floyd | The monks realize your strategy quickly, so you have to keep shifting Floyd | your pattern of movement. The intention is to be where the strikes are Floyd | not. You get into a low stance and circle walk. You move, changing Floyd | directions and heights of your stance with syncopation so that your Floyd | foes never catch you in a rhythm. You launch a flurry of palm strikes Floyd | as you feel the body of a monk ahead of you. The next monk, however, Floyd | you just evade, moving around him the moment that your earlier foe Floyd | counterstrikes your former position. Floyd | Floyd | It is not easy, but you focus on the strategies you have learned for Floyd | keeping your opponents off balance, leading them into each other and Floyd | falling away from their attacks. Occasionally, a strike catches you, Floyd | but your steps never falter, and you keep moving. You can feel that Floyd | what you are doing borders on what some would call the supernatural Floyd | talents of the monks; you know you are drawing on your own knowledge of Floyd | strategy and the principles of bagua?the eight diagrams that represent Floyd | the nature of the universe. Floyd | Floyd | You can sense how close you are coming to the far side of the room, Floyd | where Abbot Bao awaits. You reach the wall, then circle back into the Floyd | throng, gliding out of the way of the monks turning to attack you. You Floyd | reach out and place your hand on the warm wood of the door. Floyd | Floyd | "Finish," says Abbot Bao. He makes a final attack?a high strike aimed Floyd | at your throat?but you back against the door and push it open, shooting Floyd | yourself backward out of his reach. Light floods the room, dazzling you Floyd | and the monks. As your eyes adjust, you realize that they are all Floyd | bowing to you. Clearly your teachers were correct: you were ready for Floyd | this test, and you have passed. With your successes behind you, you are Floyd | welcomed once again into the inner temple. The candles are all lit, and Floyd | the monks who reside at the monastery offer you their oaths of Floyd | brotherhood. The Order of the Peach Tree is now your family, and you Floyd | are one step closer to getting to ask a question of the Dragon Sage. Floyd | Floyd | >Chapter Three: The Master | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | Your first few years as a monk feel little different from your last Floyd | year as a senior student. Though you now have a greater leadership Floyd | role, and an official ranking as a teacher with the students, much Floyd | continues on as it had before. You work at the monastery, taking care Floyd | of the things required of all who live there to maintain the daily Floyd | workings of the Order. You spar with the monks and continue to learn Floyd | the intricacies of wushu. You oversee the newest applicants as they Floyd | prove their worth by accomplishing the most menial chores. You do not Floyd | miss those days from your own apprenticeship. Floyd | Floyd | The seasons change. The peach tree blossoms and bears fruit, then shows Floyd | its naked branches until spring returns. The strength of the Blue Floyd | Scarves Rebellion grows as the foreigners maintain and further develop Floyd | their presence in the Middle Kingdom. Still, the Emperor shows no Floyd | intention of changing their role at his court, or defending the people Floyd | of the Middle Kingdom against the foreigners' encroachment upon lands Floyd | they have farmed for generations. Floyd | Floyd | No further threats call for the attention of the Order of the Peach Floyd | Tree, however, and Abbot Bao has not become involved with the quarrel Floyd | between the rebels and the Emperor on either side. The monks are Floyd | divided in their opinions of the world's events: some strongly support Floyd | the Emperor, others profess that it is not the Order's role to get Floyd | involved in events of the world, and a few mention their concerns for Floyd | the common people without ever fully defying the Son of Heaven. Floyd | Floyd | Do you involve yourself in these conversations? Floyd | Floyd | A: I support the Emperor. He is the Son of Heaven and clearly knows Floyd | what's best for the Empire. Floyd | B: I agree that the Middle Kingdom is out of balance with the Heavens, Floyd | but do not openly question the Emperor. Floyd | C: I am not concerned with such worldly matters when I strive toward Floyd | Enlightenment. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > You realize that doing nothing only lends strength to the Emperor's Floyd | position, but openly admitting doubt in the Son of Heaven is both Floyd | unwise and dangerous. But if the choice is saying nothing or giving up Floyd | your path to the Dragon Sage and joining the rebellion like Lu Floyd | Jin?well, you know what you will choose. Floyd | Floyd | One day in late summer, the third year after your test, Master Shen Floyd | asks to speak with you beneath the peach tree. When you arrive, the old Floyd | master is dozing off beneath the tree, his staff leaning next to him. Floyd | You approach quietly, but as soon as you are within range of Master Floyd | Shen's staff, it shoots out to tap your ankle, suddenly in his gnarled Floyd | but quick hand. His eyes remain closed. Floyd | Floyd | "This ankle feels like it belongs to Liu Meili," he says with a grin. Floyd | He opens one eye. "Ah, good. If it had been Kai Lo bringing a late Floyd | afternoon snack to the decrepit old man, that would have been an Floyd | embarrassing mistake." Floyd | Floyd | Master Shen pats the ground beside him in a gesture for you to sit. It Floyd | is oddly informal for one who served as your teacher for so long. Floyd | Floyd | "Why did you wish to speak with me, Master?" you ask. Floyd | Floyd | "Maybe I enjoy the company of my young students in my old age," Master Floyd | Shen says gruffly. He taps your foot with the end of his staff. "You Floyd | may be a monk now, but I still concern myself with your education." Floyd | Floyd | How do you respond to this? Floyd | Floyd | A: I am learning much from teaching the students and continuing to spar Floyd | with the monks. Floyd | B: I admit that I fear my own art is stagnating. Floyd | C: I tell him that I miss the challenge of real combat. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > He raps your ankle. "As well you should. There is much more for you Floyd | to learn outside these walls, Liu Meili." Master Shen raises his staff Floyd | and knocks twice on one of the peach tree's branches. Two peaches Floyd | tumble down, and you catch them both, handing one to the old master Floyd | when he reaches for it. He takes a bite of juicy peach, savoring it, Floyd | before continuing. Floyd | Floyd | "It is traditional for members of the Order to spend some time away Floyd | from the monastery after they become monks," he explains. "For some it Floyd | is a time of wandering, living only on the kindness others drop into Floyd | their begging bowls. For others, it is a chance to become embroiled in Floyd | the matters of the Middle Kingdom. Abbot Bao suggested that for you, Floyd | actually, and was planning to send you to Xiaonanhai, but I think that Floyd | perhaps the capital is not the place for you now." Floyd | Floyd | You are surprised that Abbot Bao would think to send you to the capital Floyd | of the Middle Kingdom?and that Master Shen has objected to the abbot's Floyd | plans. Floyd | Floyd | "I think you would gain a greater benefit from studying under an old Floyd | teacher of mine." Floyd | Floyd | "Of yours, Master?" you ask, trying to imagine a teacher of Master Floyd | Shen's that would still be walking, let alone alive. Floyd | Floyd | He raps his staff against your ankle again, clearly guessing your Floyd | thoughts. "I recommend that you seek out Master Zhuge in the Yellow Floyd | Mountains. Zhuge is an old hermit?a true recluse?but crafty as a Floyd | dragon." Floyd | Floyd | >Next | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | In fact, you have heard of Master Zhuge, whom some call the Veiled Floyd | Dragon. Stories say that Master Zhuge has followed the path to Floyd | immortality, though whether this was through alchemy, devout living, or Floyd | the mystical arts of the bedchamber is the subject of much debate. No Floyd | one knows how old he is or the full extent of his abilities, but people Floyd | say he can blow on water to change the direction of its current, heal Floyd | the sick at a distance, and take on the shape of any object. He also Floyd | writes very fine poetry. Floyd | Floyd | "Zhuge lives in the mountains above Kuei Xian," Master Shen continues. Floyd | He pulls a scroll out of his sengfu and hands it to you. It is a map of Floyd | that section of the Yellow Mountains, incredibly detailed. A hermitage Floyd | is marked. Floyd | Floyd | Master Shen stands, slowly, hiding the quick reactions you know he is Floyd | capable of. "I suggest you take a present," he says, and knocks the Floyd | bough of the peach tree with his staff again. A pile of peaches falls Floyd | into your lap. "Go. Learn. I will see you in a few years, if I am still Floyd | around. And if you survive." Floyd | Floyd | What gift will you take with you? Floyd | Floyd | A: Peaches. If Master Shen suggested them, they must be a good idea. Floyd | B: I take a cutting from the peach tree, which will eventually produce Floyd | its own peaches. Floyd | C: I take the time to copy one of the scrolls from the temple library Floyd | before I leave. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > Caring for the peach tree is one of the tasks you have learned as a Floyd | monk. You carefully take a cutting, wrapping the base in a wet cloth to Floyd | prepare it for travel. Then you return to your room to pack your Floyd | remaining things. You leave from the monastery on a beautiful, sunny Floyd | day to begin your journey to the Yellow Mountains. It has been years Floyd | since you traveled this road, and the journey alone is very different Floyd | from one with seventeen companions. By the time you reach Baijiang Floyd | Bridge, the weather has started to turn, and a summer squall hits just Floyd | as you arrive in Kuei Xian. You sit in the tea house for a few hours Floyd | until the skies clear, then begin your ascent into the mountains. Floyd | Floyd | You are hardly out of sight of town when you see a young woman on the Floyd | road ahead of you, pacing and looking quite distraught. She is dressed Floyd | in humble clothes, bedraggled from the recent storm, but despite the Floyd | smudged dirt on her face and the disarray of her hair, it is clear that Floyd | she is beautiful. A heavy pack lies near her by the side of the road. Floyd | She spots you and the worry on her face eases. Floyd | Floyd | "Thank the heavens," she says, then looks down and bows in deference, Floyd | despite the fact that she clearly intends to address you without Floyd | waiting for you?of higher social rank?to speak first. "Honored monk, Floyd | forgive my boldness, but I am in need of aid. I was traveling toward Floyd | Kuei Xian when the storm hit, and my ox startled at the thunder and Floyd | bolted off the road. Could you help me?" Floyd | Floyd | A: I don't have the time or inclination to help a peasant. Floyd | B: I can spare a little time to help a poor woman. Floyd | C: This woman seems very familiar?she reminds me of a certain fox Floyd | spirit I met the last time I traveled this way. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > "Feng?" you say cautiously. Floyd | Floyd | The woman beams. "You remembered me!" Floyd | Floyd | As though you were likely to forget an encounter with a fox spirit. Floyd | Floyd | The huli jing gestures to her pack, letting her seven tails peek out Floyd | from beneath the humble peasant clothing she wears as a disguise. "I Floyd | thought perhaps you might like an additional option to present to Floyd | Master Zhuge. No tricks, I promise." She gives you a wink, then bounds Floyd | off into the woods, changing to her fox form as she goes. When you meet Floyd | with Master Zhuge, will you offer the fox spirit's gift? Floyd | Floyd | A: I will present my original gift to Master Zhuge. Floyd | B: I will present the fox spirit's pack to Master Zhuge. Floyd | C: I will offer both gifts. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > Perhaps that is best. It is dark before you reach the small mountain Floyd | hut where Master Shen's map said it would be. You rap on the door, Floyd | expecting it to open with hospitality, even at this late hour and even Floyd | from a legendary hermit. What you do not expect is for a wizened and Floyd | wiry old woman, white hair dangling in a long braid down her back, to Floyd | open the door with distaste. Floyd | Floyd | "I am not interested in visitors," she snaps. "Fend for yourself in the Floyd | mountains. Consult the stars. Maybe you'll learn something." Floyd | Floyd | A: Explain I am here from the Order of the Peach Tree to see Master Floyd | Zhuge, relying on the Order's reputation to bring goodwill. Floyd | B: Demand that this insolent old woman introduce me to Master Zhuge, Floyd | whom I have traveled so far to see. Floyd | C: Apologize for the late hour and ask for hospitality to be granted to Floyd | a humble monk. Floyd | D: Bow deeply. The way this woman moves, despite her age, reveals her Floyd | skill. I address her: "Master Zhuge." Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "d" | ||
Floyd | > It takes you a bare moment to reconcile the woman before you with the Floyd | legends you have learned about Zhuge the Immortal, the Veiled Dragon. Floyd | But though all the stories you know refer to Zhuge as a man, you can Floyd | sense the gravitas this woman has. Floyd | Floyd | The old woman beams. "It has been at least fifteen years since someone Floyd | identified me so quickly," she says. "Either you are a remarkably Floyd | clever monk, or I am getting less crafty in my old age." She holds the Floyd | door open. "I choose to believe it is the former. Please, come inside." Floyd | The hut is larger on the inside than it appeared on the outside, and Floyd | though it is sparely furnished, it is comfortable. The main room has a Floyd | small hearth; a kettle for tea water is currently suspended over it. Floyd | One wall is filled with racks of scrolls. Another has weapons of all Floyd | sizes and shapes suspended from it. Two paper doors hide additional Floyd | rooms. Floyd | Floyd | Master Zhuge offers you tea. Floyd | Floyd | A: Accept the tea and drink it as Master Zhuge drinks it. Floyd | B: Take the tea cup and contemplate the tea, considering its qualities. Floyd | C: Decline the tea. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > It is hot, but refreshing. Once tea is concluded, you offer the gifts Floyd | to Master Zhuge. She takes what you offer with little expression, and Floyd | you cannot tell whether you have impressed the master or not. Master Floyd | Zhuge asks about your travels and the training you have already had. Floyd | She listens, revealing little with her expression, as you explain your Floyd | background. Floyd | Floyd | "I have decided to accept you, provisionally, as my apprentice," Master Floyd | Zhuge says. "I can teach you any number of things, if you are willing Floyd | to learn them." Floyd | Floyd | What do you hope to learn from Master Zhuge? Floyd | Floyd | A: I want to improve my fighting. Floyd | B: I want to learn the magic the Zhuge of legend is said to practice. Floyd | C: I need to work on my determination. Floyd | D: I am looking forward to studying strategy under the Veiled Dragon, Floyd | who is said to have been responsible for the defeat of three armies at Floyd | Hongcao Pass. Floyd | E: I really want to learn the art of poetry. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "e" | ||
Floyd | > Master Zhuge seems surprised by the request, as very few people have Floyd | ever sought her out as a poetry instructor. Still, she is eager to find Floyd | another person with whom she can share her love of poetry. Floyd | Floyd | But rather than putting your own words together, or even studying the Floyd | words of the masters, Master Zhuge divides your day into two parts: Floyd | practicing calligraphy and meditating in a clearing near the hut. Floyd | Neither of these things feels much like poetry when you begin. Floyd | Floyd | A: I do not understand Master Zhuge's techniques and have taken to Floyd | making up poems in my head without her. Floyd | B: Clearly, the art of calligraphy is poetry's physical expression. The Floyd | words must also appear beautiful. Floyd | C: Sitting in nature is clearly about poetry. Poetry is about Floyd | observation as much as it is about creation. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > Master Zhuge begins to accompany you as you sit in the clearing, and Floyd | as you walk home together, she speaks to you in what you soon recognize Floyd | as extemporaneous verse. As you reply, you find that your words, too, Floyd | are becoming more poetic. One evening as you are practicing Floyd | calligraphy, Master Zhuge returns to the hut from an errand, and you Floyd | realize that she is carrying wine skins. You have never seen Master Floyd | Zhuge drink alcohol?in fact, you have actually seen her ingest little Floyd | other than tea and herbal compounds, which you have heard is one of the Floyd | ways a person may become immortal?so this comes as a surprise. Floyd | Floyd | "Are we having company?" you ask. Floyd | Floyd | "Yes," Master Zhuge says, setting a third chair at the table where you Floyd | drink tea together. "A friend of mine will be staying with us this Floyd | evening, and I suspect he will want plenty to drink while he is here." Floyd | She gestures to the several skins. "You may have some as well, of Floyd | course." Floyd | Floyd | You are curious about her guest, but she says no more, vanishing into Floyd | her room until, hours later, there is a knock on the door of her hut. Floyd | She goes to the door, a far cry from the crotchety old woman who Floyd | answered for you the first night you met her: she has piled her hair Floyd | into an elaborate coif and she wears a beautifully brocaded qipao, Floyd | looking every bit like a noble woman rather than a hermit. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | "Miao!" a man's voice booms when she opens the door, and it sounds Floyd | clear to you that he has already had a bit to drink. "It has been far Floyd | too long!" Floyd | Floyd | "Then you should visit more often, you old fool," Master Zhuge says, Floyd | but her voice is playful, and she ushers her guest inside. Floyd | Floyd | He is a huge man who wears a long robe with wide sleeves, and a tunic Floyd | draped on top of it. A waist-sash surrounds his enormous girth, and a Floyd | scholar's cap crowns his head. He sees you and starts in surprise. "And Floyd | who is this, Miao? A new student?" Floyd | Floyd | "Pai, this is Liu Meili, who is studying poetry with me. Liu Meili, Floyd | allow me to present Li Pai." Floyd | Floyd | The large man bellows a laugh. "A poet! I hope Miao has actually let Floyd | you write something down, young pupil. She is notorious for keeping Floyd | everything in her head." Floyd | Floyd | A: I bow politely to Master Zhuge's guest. Floyd | B: I laugh and admit that I have not yet written any poetry down while Floyd | studying under Master Zhuge, but insist that she is a fine teacher. Floyd | C: I am intimidated by this man and scared stiff at the notion of Floyd | discussing poetry with him. Floyd | D: I bow deeply to the poet. I recognize his name from the legends; he, Floyd | like Master Zhuge, is considered an immortal. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > "You see?" Master Zhuge says, a touch defensively. "Your school is Floyd | not the only one, Pai." "Let us speak of poetry! But first, Miao, tell Floyd | me that you have brought me wine." Floyd | Floyd | "Of course," says Master Zhuge, handing her guest the first of, you Floyd | suspect, many wine skins to be drunk that night. Floyd | Floyd | Li Pai begins to launch into his own poetry, and Master Zhuge responds Floyd | with her own, some that you recognize from the work of hers that you Floyd | have already heard and read, and some that sounds extemporaneous, but Floyd | no less sophisticated. After you have listened to the exchanges for Floyd | some time, it is clear that, in order to participate in this evening, Floyd | you will need to contribute some poetry of your own. Floyd | Floyd | A: I am happy just to be in the presence of two such gifted poets. I Floyd | will let it all sink in. Floyd | B: I am confident that I will be able to create extemporaneous poetry. Floyd | C: I am uncertain about creating my own poetry, but I rely on my memory Floyd | of older poems to add to the conversation. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > You add to the conversation slowly at first, using your hours in the Floyd | clearing to call up appropriate imagery to reflect the emotional tone Floyd | of the conversation. And as the poets accept your contributions, your Floyd | confidence grows. Soon, you are spouting poetry as though you have been Floyd | doing it all your life. Floyd | Floyd | Many wine skins later and far after the moon has set, Master Zhuge Floyd | announces that it is time for the evening to come to an end. Your two Floyd | fellow poets wish you a good night, and you dream in verse. Floyd | Floyd | Li Pai stays for several more days before returning to the road, and Floyd | you bask in the poetry of the household. You continue your practice of Floyd | calligraphy and meditation while the poet is at the house?he sleeps the Floyd | majority of the day and does not miss your presence?and spend the Floyd | evenings engaging with the two masters of the art, honing your skill. Floyd | When Li Pai eventually has to leave, he encourages you to write down Floyd | some of your poems, despite Master Zhuge's training. Floyd | Floyd | To your surprise, Master Zhuge agrees. "I think it is time that you Floyd | commit some works to paper," she says after her friend has gone. "But I Floyd | think we can find some time for things other than poetry as well, my Floyd | student, if there are other things you wish to learn." Floyd | Floyd | A: I want to improve my fighting. Floyd | B: I want to learn the magic the Zhuge of legend is said to practice. Floyd | C: I need to work on my determination. Floyd | D: I am looking forward to studying strategy under the Veiled Dragon, Floyd | who is said to have been responsible for the defeat of three armies at Floyd | Hongcao Pass. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "d" | ||
Floyd | > You know the history of Hongcao Pass?it was one of your favorite Floyd | stories as a child, and you have studied the different tellings of that Floyd | event at every opportunity. Master Zhuge was on the side of Hong Wei, Floyd | the most capable general among the three armies, who fought on behalf Floyd | of the Imperial Family against a rebelling warlord and the horse-riding Floyd | savages of the western plains. Between General Hong and Master Zhuge, Floyd | the battle was decisive, and Hongcao Pass was named after the general, Floyd | who became a trusted advisor to the Emperor. Floyd | Floyd | The story that Master Zhuge tells you surprises you: Zhuge knew that in Floyd | order for the general's strategy to work, the army would need to double Floyd | the number of drummers sending out the orders to the soldiers. In order Floyd | to meet the army's need, Zhuge recruited a number of young women Floyd | instrumentalists from a nearby village. Though General Hong was unsure Floyd | about using untried women in the role, they were vital to his ruse: he Floyd | needed the drum calls to disorient his enemies and keep the opposing Floyd | armies from learning his location until it was too late for them to Floyd | prevent his attack. Zhuge snuck the women up into the pass into secure Floyd | locations, where their drum calls would echo and multiply, thus adding Floyd | further confusion to General Hong's original plan. Many other details Floyd | played into the battle, of course?including an east wind Master Zhuge Floyd | summoned, which caused the banners of the horse barbarians to flutter Floyd | chaotically in the winding pass and further disorient the enemy?but Floyd | history's record of the numbers is entirely accurate. Floyd | Floyd | As you discuss old battles, day after day, Master Zhuge insists that Floyd | you play go. The board game, played on a grid where stones of opposing Floyd | colors?black and white?are used to attempt to surround their opponent's Floyd | pieces, distracts you from the tales of Master Zhuge's important Floyd | strategic decisions. Floyd | Floyd | Do you question her technique? Floyd | Floyd | A: The distraction is unwelcome. I would rather pore over maps of Floyd | Master Zhuge's campaigns. Floyd | B: The multitasking is difficult, but I suspect it is part of the Floyd | exercise. Floyd | C: I love go! I could play this game all day. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > Paying attention to both the stories and the strategy of the game, Floyd | retaining both in your head without being distracted, is certainly a Floyd | skill that requires a quick mind. It also has the added benefit of Floyd | causing you to focus more closely on Master Zhuge's reactions and Floyd | expressions. You feel you are beginning to learn how to read her Floyd | emotions more clearly, and your insight into her expressions aids both Floyd | your game and your understanding of her campaign decisions. One Floyd | evening, during which you are comparing two accounts of the campaign Floyd | during the Border War fought between Emperor Da Xiaoten?the grandfather Floyd | of current Emperor Da Gaozu, the Son of Heaven?and the barbarians of Floyd | the western plains, Master Zhuge sets up the go board, as has become Floyd | your custom. This time, however, she sets three chairs around the Floyd | table. Floyd | Floyd | "Are we having company?" you ask. Floyd | Floyd | "In a manner of speaking," Master Zhuge says in her typical cryptic Floyd | fashion. Floyd | Floyd | After arranging the board, Master Zhuge disappears into her room, then Floyd | returns with a silk bag and heads outside. You follow, curious, and Floyd | watch as she withdraws a bundle of small flags and arranges them in a Floyd | circle. She begins to chant in a language that is only vaguely Floyd | familiar?it sounds like a very old dialect of your own language, with a Floyd | very different vocabulary?and, after a few moments, the ghost appears. Floyd | At first he is only a shade, but as Master Zhuge's chanting continues, Floyd | he resolves into a tall man wearing scale armor over a changshan. A red Floyd | cloak is draped over his armor, and his helmet is decorated with an Floyd | equally red feather plume. A well-shaped beard and mustache, flecked Floyd | with gray, surround a mouth that breaks into a smile when he sees your Floyd | master. Floyd | Floyd | "Zhuge Miao," he says, sounding like an echo of a once-booming voice. Floyd | "Has it been long, my friend?" Floyd | Floyd | "Ages," Master Zhuge confirms, taking the ghost's hands in her own. "I Floyd | have a go player to introduce you to while I tell you stories of the Floyd | future." Floyd | Floyd | The man looks at you sharply. Floyd | Floyd | A: I bow, in deference to this old friend of my master's. Floyd | B: I bow, but only slightly. Surely I have greater status than a ghost! Floyd | C: I remain frozen in place, unsure how to greet a ghost. Floyd | D: I bow, recognizing General Hong Wei from his description in the Floyd | legends. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "d" | ||
Floyd | > The general notices the clear respect on your face and returns your Floyd | bow. "I see you have recognized my old friend," Master Zhuge says Floyd | warmly. "Wei, this is Liu Meili, my student. Liu Meili, I present to Floyd | you General Hong Wei." "It is an honor," you say, and your admiration, Floyd | honed by years of studying his feats in combat, is clear. The ghost Floyd | laughs. "We will see what you say after I have defeated you at go!" Floyd | Floyd | Inside, Master Zhuge offers the ghost her usual seat. She begins to Floyd | busy herself around the hut in a way that strikes you as more domestic Floyd | than her typical fashion. Floyd | Floyd | "You may go first," says General Hong. Floyd | Floyd | What is your strategy? Floyd | Floyd | A: I play in silence, focused solely on the game, even though this will Floyd | be construed as rudeness. Floyd | B: I have been training with Master Zhuge to converse and play at the Floyd | same time. I can handle the challenge. Floyd | C: I study General Hong's expressions, trying to draw him into Floyd | storytelling and conversation that will distract him from the game. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > You place your first piece, then wait politely for the general, Floyd | who?for the purposes of the evening at least?outranks you, to draw you Floyd | into conversation. Once he begins to talk, you are free to ask Floyd | questions. While you might be inclined to keep him engaged on topics Floyd | from his own life, it is clear from the way he reacts to your questions Floyd | and to comments from Master Zhuge that he is far more interested in Floyd | current events. General Hong is dismayed by the foreign presence in the Floyd | Middle Kingdom?after all, he spent years trying to keep out the Floyd | horse-riding barbarians?but he is scrupulously polite regarding the Floyd | Imperial Family. You tell him of your own campaign?small though it Floyd | was?at Kuei Xian and ask what he would have done. Floyd | Floyd | The puzzle of the bandits?and what he would do to confront both them Floyd | and the foreigners were he the current Imperial General?captivates him Floyd | utterly. So utterly that he does not notice your command of the board, Floyd | or how quickly you are surrounding his pieces. When he eventually Floyd | realizes what has happened, he laughs. Floyd | Floyd | "Miao, your student has distracted me!" he complains good-naturedly. Floyd | Floyd | "Didn't you always tell me that distractions are an inevitable part of Floyd | battle?" she asks, mischief clear in her voice. Floyd | Floyd | "So I did," he answers, finishing the game to his inevitable defeat. Floyd | General Hong remains for conversation after the game, but eventually, Floyd | Master Zhuge returns him to the celestial realms. It is clear that none Floyd | of you really wanted the evening to end. Floyd | Floyd | When Master Zhuge returns with her silk bag, she looks at you, clearly Floyd | pleased. Floyd | Floyd | "I believe we can have company more often," she says. "I also believe Floyd | that you are ready for lessons on an additional topic. What else would Floyd | you like to learn?" Floyd | Floyd | A: I want to improve my fighting. Floyd | B: I want to learn the magic the Zhuge of legend is said to practice. Floyd | C: I need to work on my determination. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > You have chosen to learn magic?or, at least, what the superstitious Floyd | would call magic. Master Zhuge explains that it is all a matter of Floyd | understanding the flow of energy through the universe. When she says Floyd | it, of course, it sounds simple. But your new training regimen is Floyd | anything but. You find that magic is much less about action and much Floyd | more about scholarship. Master Zhuge has you studying star charts, Floyd | herbal encyclopedias, and books on anatomy. You imagine you can feel Floyd | your muscles atrophy as you do nothing but read. Floyd | Floyd | Are you frustrated by all this book learning? Floyd | Floyd | A: I am fascinated by everything I am learning, and am eager to learn Floyd | more. Floyd | B: I love what I am learning, but wake before dawn in order to have Floyd | time to go through my forms, so that my body remembers its fighting Floyd | arts. Floyd | C: I am sick of books and wish I were doing something with more action. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > You sense that Master Zhuge approves of your efforts. One afternoon, Floyd | rather than get out another text on anatomy, she teaches you a form Floyd | from the art of qigong, a style that emphasizes the energy points Floyd | within the body, both for disabling foes and for healing friends. You Floyd | add this to your morning practice. One day, Master Zhuge draws you away Floyd | from the texts she has assigned you to study and takes you on a walk Floyd | through the woods. Though you have been to the stream near her hut Floyd | before, you have never noticed the gazebo to which she takes you. It is Floyd | a rainy day, and the sound of the raindrops falling on the water adds Floyd | volume to the stream's babble and the rustling of wind through the Floyd | trees. Floyd | Floyd | "Today, we spar," she announces. Floyd | Floyd | She moves to the gazebo and sits on one of the benches inside. A figure Floyd | comes out of the woods?a beautiful woman dressed in a thick brocaded Floyd | qipao, who carries an erhu. Floyd | Floyd | After a moment, you recognize the woman as Feng, the huli jing. She Floyd | draws her bow and sits demurely on the ground at the door of the Floyd | gazebo, where she begins to play a haunting melody. Floyd | Floyd | A: I stand in a fighting stance, prepared to spar as Master Zhuge said. Floyd | B: I sit in the gazebo and await further instruction. Floyd | C: I sit in the gazebo and look at Master Zhuge until she meets my Floyd | eyes. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > You realize exactly what is happening: Master Zhuge has challenged Floyd | you to a mind-to-mind battle. She locks eyes with you, and you begin. Floyd | You see the scene clearly, everything moving in slow motion, from the Floyd | rain hitting the water of the stream to the strings of the erhu Floyd | vibrating. In your mind, Zhuge stands, her giant bladed spear?her guan Floyd | dao?in her hand, lowered at you. Floyd | Floyd | A: In my mind, I also rise, focusing on the pressure points I have Floyd | learned from the anatomy texts, and strike out open-handed. Floyd | B: I visualize the battle the way I wish it to go, shaping the reality Floyd | of the vision with my will. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > In the vision, you stand, your body coiled like a snake's, and as Floyd | Master Zhuge approaches you, you step to the side and strike out, Floyd | targeting thirteen different points on her head and neck, determined to Floyd | hit every one of them in a quick series of strikes. Floyd | Floyd | Your blows begin to land, but Master Zhuge, too, is a master of snake Floyd | forms. Her guan dao vanishes and she meets you snake for snake. You Floyd | shift to crane stance, evading her strikes and flying out of the way. Floyd | Floyd | The erhu plays, and your battle becomes a dance. You become so engaged Floyd | in the patterns and movement that you cease to care who will win, Floyd | living in this moment and letting go of worries of the future. You Floyd | strike out, dance back, strike again, parry and counter. And still the Floyd | erhu plays, and the rain glides across the surface of the stream. Floyd | Floyd | Master Zhuge spins away, grants you a broad smile, and bows. You return Floyd | the bow, and discover that you are both still seated in the gazebo. The Floyd | erhu vibrates with the last note of the song. "Well done," says Master Floyd | Zhuge. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | After you have studied with Zhuge Miao for two years, your teacher once Floyd | again asks you to sit with her for tea. "I have decided to go away for Floyd | a time," she announces. "I have been in touch with Master Shen at the Floyd | Order of the Peach Tree, and I understand that you are to remain in the Floyd | Kuei Xian region. I would offer you my humble home," she says with a Floyd | gesture around the room, "but I am afraid it is not quite the same when Floyd | I am not here." Floyd | Floyd | You have noticed strange properties of the building?the way it seems to Floyd | hold more than it should, that furniture seems to move out of Master Floyd | Zhuge's way, that the windows darken against the sun or brighten on Floyd | cloudy days?and are unsurprised that it, like Master Zhuge, is more Floyd | than natural. Floyd | Floyd | "I have arranged for you to have a small house on the edge of Kuei Floyd | Xian," she continues. "It should have enough space for you to continue Floyd | your training, as well as live in comfort. My friend Feng will see to Floyd | it that you have everything that you need." She sees your expression of Floyd | surprise and continues with a smile. "Feng is a huli jing?a fox Floyd | spirit?but she has been my trusted companion for many years. She will Floyd | not take you down the foxhole unless you either wish it or become very, Floyd | very foolish." Floyd | Floyd | Clearly Master Zhuge is unaware of your previous interactions with the Floyd | fox spirit?which, you suppose, is just as well. Floyd | Floyd | Master Zhuge puts her tea cup down, looking older than she has in the Floyd | whole time you have known her. "My student," she says, "the truth is Floyd | that even I will not live forever. You have learned much from me?as Floyd | much as any single one of all the students I have taught in my years as Floyd | a master?and I have decided to make you my heir. If you accept, you Floyd | shall be considered a member of the Zhuge family, and the heir to the Floyd | Zhuge style of kung fu. Will you accept this responsibility?" Floyd | Floyd | A: Yes, of course! It is a great honor. Floyd | B: I do not want that responsibility. I must decline. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > Master Zhuge smiles. "It is settled then, Zhuge Meili. Use what I Floyd | have taught you wisely, and perhaps, one day, we will meet again." It Floyd | seems that your time of study under Master Zhuge has come to an end, Floyd | but that your years away from the Order continue. Floyd | Floyd | >Chapter Four: Kuei Xian | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | The move from Master Zhuge's hermitage up the mountain to the house on Floyd | the outskirts of Kuei Xian goes smoothly, especially with Feng's help. Floyd | The fox spirit has a knack for making heavy objects?like the racks of Floyd | weapons that Master Zhuge has entrusted to you, or the trunks of Floyd | scrolls from Master Zhuge's library?take up far less space than they Floyd | ought to. Her willingness to put in her own hard labor is surprising, Floyd | given the reputation of huli jing, but considering Master Zhuge's kind Floyd | words about the fox spirit, you take her efforts at face value. Floyd | Floyd | For now. Floyd | Floyd | The house is far larger than the small cottage you expected, and more Floyd | space than you have had to yourself since you first joined the Order of Floyd | the Peach Tree. Built in the traditional courtyard design, it has a Floyd | front wall with an entryway into a large open courtyard, decorated by a Floyd | pair of cherry trees. The house is built in a U around the courtyard; Floyd | opposite the wall is the main section of the house, with a kitchen, a Floyd | study, a dining room, and a bedroom. The two sides, connected to the Floyd | main section of the house by open-air hallways at the corners, are Floyd | large, empty spaces with smooth bamboo flooring. A final L-shaped Floyd | building, which doubles as the wall around two sides of the property, Floyd | appears intended to house a staff of servants. Clearly, this property Floyd | once belonged to someone wealthy enough to live in comfort, though the Floyd | servants' building is in a state of disrepair. Floyd | Floyd | Feng does not take a room for herself, but she does seem to know when Floyd | her help is required, and over the course of a few weeks, you discover Floyd | that you always wake to the smell of a hot breakfast and a scented Floyd | oolong tea. The side halls never seem to gather dust, despite the fact Floyd | that you have little use for so much space. Feng herself rarely Floyd | appears, leaving you to unpack Master Zhuge's weapons and scrolls?and Floyd | continue your studies?in solitude. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | At the start of the fourth week, Feng makes herself present at Floyd | breakfast, wearing a face and garb that give her the appearance of Floyd | being the fair daughter of some well-to-do merchant or tea house owner. Floyd | Despite her human form, her seven tails wave behind her back. Floyd | Floyd | "I know that Miao was a hermit, but I didn't expect you to follow her Floyd | path that way," the fox spirit complains, almost petulantly. "If you're Floyd | going to be here for a while, you ought to connect with members of the Floyd | community, and invite them to visit before I become utterly bored." Floyd | Floyd | A bored fox spirit does not sound like a positive feature of your new Floyd | home. Floyd | Floyd | A: I am content with solitude. I will hole up in the main section of Floyd | the house and continue my training. Floyd | B: The point of my wandering years is to experience more of the world. Floyd | I will explore the social dynamics of Kuei Xian. Floyd | C: This space is ideal for starting a school to teach others the skills Floyd | I have learned. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > Feng sighs. "Politics! I was hoping for something a little more Floyd | interesting." She gives you a devilish grin. "Like romance." Floyd | Floyd | The fox spirit seats herself at the table and pours herself a cup of Floyd | tea?the oolong scented with osmanthus flowers that she brews every Floyd | morning. "There are really two scenarios here. One is that you allow me Floyd | to help you shape your social and romantic life, with your consent. The Floyd | other is that I shape it without your permission. I'm a fox spirit. I Floyd | can't help myself. So, shall we do this the friendly way or the Floyd | sure-to-create-chaos way?" Floyd | Floyd | A: I accept Feng's help. At least I will have partial control of the Floyd | chaos. Floyd | B: I can stand up to the chaos of a fox spirit. Let her do her worst. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > "Let's do this the friendly way," you say, with some resignation. Floyd | Floyd | Feng lets out a gleeful shriek, then hides her smile behind her teacup. Floyd | Floyd | "I've already done some research," she says. "But first I need to know Floyd | about your taste. Give me your hand." Floyd | Floyd | As soon as your hand is enclosed in the fox spirit's nimble fingers, Floyd | the room vanishes, and before your eyes parade images of handsome men Floyd | and beautiful women in all styles of clothing. Though the shapes of Floyd | their faces and forms vary, all of them are almost inhumanly Floyd | attractive. Floyd | Floyd | Which do you find yourself most attracted to? Floyd | Floyd | A: The men. Floyd | B: The women. Floyd | C: Both men and women. Floyd | D: None of them. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > You feel a wave of amusement wash over you, almost as though it is Floyd | your own. Feng takes a slow sip from her teacup, hiding her expression, Floyd | then sets it down on the table. Floyd | Floyd | "You may not have noticed the time passing," she says, "but we are Floyd | nearing Qi Xi?the seventh day of the seventh month?and Kuei Xian is Floyd | having a festival in honor of the holiday in a week's time. There will Floyd | be food, dancing, fireworks, and plenty of traveling merchants creating Floyd | a huge marketplace in our normally humble village. It is a perfect time Floyd | to begin a romance. I will make sure that eligible candidates happen to Floyd | run into you at the festival. I've also heard that your former rival, Floyd | Lu Jin, may be visiting Kuei Xian soon, if you'd be interested Floyd | in?reconnecting." Her delivery of the last word is heavily weighted Floyd | with innuendo. Floyd | Floyd | The Qi Xi festival is always one of the most cheerful festivals?and Floyd | Feng is right, it is a time that is ripe for romance. There is an old Floyd | legend about a cowhand who fell in love with a celestial maiden?and she Floyd | returned his love. But the gods frowned on the romance and separated Floyd | the lovers; when they realized how deeply the two felt for each other, Floyd | however, they granted them one day a year, the seventh day of the Floyd | seventh month, that they could be together. Floyd | Floyd | Legends aside, how do you feel about Feng's plan? Floyd | Floyd | A: Feng is right, it is the perfect time to begin a romance. I accept Floyd | her guidance in meeting people at the festival. Floyd | B: I will attend the festival to meet the town leaders. Floyd | C: I will attend the festival in order to recruit students for my Floyd | school. Floyd | D: I am interested in romance, but I confess to Feng that I am already Floyd | interested in someone. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "d" | ||
Floyd | > Feng looks mischievously intrigued by this development. "I thought I Floyd | would have noticed your having any romantic interest by now, monk," she Floyd | says. "Tell me, who is the lucky person?" Floyd | Floyd | A: I admit my longing for my former rival, Lu Jin. Floyd | B: I confess my interest in Feng herself. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > To your surprise, the fox spirit blushes. Floyd | Floyd | "How unexpected," she says, almost to herself. "I admit I find you Floyd | intriguing?certainly more so than other monks that I have met?but I did Floyd | not think a monk would return those feelings." She turns away, as Floyd | though she is unable to meet your eyes. "I want us to be clear. I have Floyd | promised Miao that I will not take you down the foxhole unless you ask Floyd | it, but I promised nothing about the possibility of warming your bed. Floyd | Is that what you wish?" Floyd | Floyd | A: Yes. I cannot deny my attraction to the fox spirit. Floyd | B: I did not actually believe she would accept my advance. Faced with Floyd | the reality of being a fox spirit's lover, I find I cannot actually Floyd | accept. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > Feng is almost inhumanly beautiful, and what she offers holds the Floyd | promise of great pleasure?and, you hope, something more. You move to Floyd | kneel next to her, then reach out to cup her face in your hand before Floyd | you draw her into a deep kiss. She returns it with ardor, and soon, Floyd | breakfast and your conversation have been forgotten. Floyd | Floyd | But hours later, after you have explored each other thoroughly and are Floyd | lying in the bed she promised to warm, she looks at you, draping her Floyd | long hair, now worn loose, across your chest. "I certainly won't Floyd | suggest that you use the festival to find a bedmate," she says Floyd | cheerfully, "but it remains an opportunity to get involved with Kuei Floyd | Xian, or recruit students to teach here if that's what you really want. Floyd | There will be food, and dancing. I think we should attend." Floyd | Floyd | A: I am unconcerned with worldly issues, but am intrigued by the Floyd | festival, and would like to amuse Feng. Floyd | B: I am unconcerned with worldly issues and would rather not attend the Floyd | festival. Floyd | C: I feel I should get involved with the community, and attending the Floyd | festival is a good way to do so. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > Feng seems genuinely pleased with your response. As well as you are Floyd | coming to know the fox spirit, it remains hard to tell when some Floyd | expressions are feigned?but this one strikes you as true. Floyd | Floyd | The evening of the festival arrives. Feng takes your arm and Floyd | accompanies you into Kuei Xian. The center of the village has been Floyd | transformed into an outdoor banquet hall: it looks as though everyone Floyd | in the village has contributed something. Clearly Governor Rong and his Floyd | family have contributed more than most, a fact the governor is not shy Floyd | about making known, based on the way he appears to be holding court. Floyd | Floyd | Paper lanterns have been strung up from the doors of all the nearby Floyd | homes and businesses, and musicians perform in the streets. Already, Floyd | some of the younger villagers have begun dancing. Floyd | Floyd | How do you wish to spend your evening? Floyd | Floyd | A: I want to spend time with Feng. Floyd | B: I wander through the festival until I am ready to return home. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > After so much solitude, it is heartwarming to be surrounded by so Floyd | many joyous people. It is also tiring. Though the food is excellent and Floyd | the dancing is scheduled to go on until dawn, you find yourself ready Floyd | to return home to the quiet of your courtyard and the comfort of your Floyd | bed. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | A week goes by before you begin to receive visitors. One bright Floyd | morning, a young man arrives at your door. When you meet him at the Floyd | gate, he bows. Floyd | Floyd | "Honored Master Zhuge, I seek to become your student." Floyd | Floyd | You have already given some thought about how you will greet Floyd | prospective students. At the Order of the Peach Tree, student spend Floyd | years doing menial labor before they are granted permission to learn Floyd | forms and techniques. In other places, students are left to wait Floyd | outside without food or drink, and only those who survive several days Floyd | without giving up?or fainting?are allowed to be taught. Floyd | Floyd | How do you greet your first prospective student? Floyd | Floyd | A: I make him wait?but only a few hours. Then I set him to work doing Floyd | chores. Floyd | B: I welcome him immediately, ushering him inside and discussing what Floyd | he hopes to learn. Floyd | C: Although it could mean fewer students, I want only the most Floyd | tenacious. I tell him to come back tomorrow and get to work repairing Floyd | the servants' building. Floyd | D: I only want the brightest students. I ask them an impossible riddle. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "d" | ||
Floyd | > You pose a difficult riddle, one that will reveal not only critical Floyd | thinking skills but a familiarity with literature and philosophy. The Floyd | prospective student sits to consider it, then leaves. Floyd | Floyd | But he returns the next day, with a friend. Floyd | Floyd | A week and a handful of additional minds later, the first student Floyd | approaches you with an answer, without sharing it with his peers. It is Floyd | correct, and you let him inside the gate. Floyd | Floyd | "Why didn't you share the answer?" you ask. Floyd | Floyd | "How will they learn if they don't figure it out on their own?" he asks Floyd | in return. Floyd | Floyd | It takes time for others to solve the riddle, and many give up. But Floyd | soon you have a group of very clever students who are eager to learn. Floyd | Floyd | Having the cleverest students also serves to keep you on your toes, and Floyd | you have to work to stay one step ahead of them. They drive you to be Floyd | your best in order to teach them to be theirs. Floyd | Floyd | What do you teach at your school? Floyd | Floyd | A: Physical combat. Floyd | B: Magic. Floyd | C: Both physical combat and magic. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > Though you believe in balancing body, mind, and spirit, your own Floyd | skills are not as balanced as you would like. The students recognize Floyd | your weaknesses, and though they do not say anything, it is clear that Floyd | they doubt your teaching style. Floyd | Floyd | They do begin to learn, however, and you feel that you have a good Floyd | group of students, with several years of training to look forward to. Floyd | Floyd | After your first year in Kuei Xian, your school has recruited 10 Floyd | students. Though you know you are waiting to be recalled to the Order Floyd | of the Peach Tree, you feel you have made a good start settling into Floyd | your wandering years, and that you are doing your teachers proud. Floyd | Floyd | >Chapter Five: The Challenger | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | One evening in late spring, the bloom of cherry blossoms perfuming the Floyd | air, you watch a pair of your students sparring and you are reminded of Floyd | your days as a young student at the Order of the Peach Tree. It seems Floyd | now many years ago?and, in fact, it has been many years since you were Floyd | last there. Eight years have passed since your training under Master Floyd | Zhuge ended, but still, the Order has not sent for you to return. You Floyd | have kept busy and, in fact, prosperous. Though several of your Floyd | earliest students have left to pursue other training?or have gone on Floyd | their own years of wandering?others have joined your school to take Floyd | their places. Floyd | Floyd | Despite your lack of connections to either the ranking families of the Floyd | Middle Kingdom or the Blue Scarves Rebellion, you have managed to Floyd | attract a number of students who have the core desire of learning the Floyd | martial arts from a master. Given your years of study, you certainly Floyd | have much to teach! Floyd | Floyd | But on a day like today, as your students bow to each other, and then Floyd | to you, your mind is less on their critique than it is on your future. Floyd | The years between now and the appearance of the Dragon Sage are Floyd | shrinking?but in the meantime, you have built a satisfying life for Floyd | yourself. What are your thoughts about the future? Floyd | Floyd | A: I am surprisingly content with this life and question my earlier Floyd | ambitions. Floyd | B: I am concerned that it has taken so long for the Order to remember Floyd | me. Floyd | C: I continue to strive toward becoming the one monk worthy enough to Floyd | consult the Dragon Sage. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > You are well suited to being a teacher, and are happy that it has Floyd | taken so long for the Order of the Peach Tree to remember that they can Floyd | one day call you back to the monastery. When that day comes, you will Floyd | face a hard choice of which part of your life to leave behind. Floyd | Floyd | After dismissing your students, you prepare to retire for the evening, Floyd | letting the smell of the cherry blossoms wash over you. As you enter Floyd | the part of the house that remains your private chambers, you settle Floyd | into the routine of your own training. How have you been focusing your Floyd | studies? Floyd | Floyd | A: I study the texts of ancient masters, applying old traditions to the Floyd | new techniques I am working to develop. Floyd | B: I focus on my physical efforts and on my teaching, particularly in Floyd | sparring with my senior students and teaching my lowest level students Floyd | their basics. Floyd | C: I take trips into the mountains in order to challenge myself as a Floyd | survivor in the wilds. Floyd | D: I seek out other teachers of renown, inviting them to lecture at my Floyd | school. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > You view the natural world as your greatest adversary, always giving Floyd | you a greater opponent to overcome. While some monks journey into the Floyd | wilderness in order to learn from the world around them and gain Floyd | insight into the universe, your focus is on competition, on challenging Floyd | yourself to overcome rather than to understand. You have heard the old Floyd | saying that reeds bend in a great wind, while a mighty tree may break, Floyd | but you have always found your stubbornness an asset when you face a Floyd | foe. Each night when you are on your own time, you make plans for your Floyd | next trip as a way to express your training. Floyd | Floyd | The prosperity of your school has given you additional opportunities Floyd | for real training: your reputation has made you the inevitable target Floyd | of challengers, seeking to prove that their style of wushu is superior Floyd | to your own. Some challenges are for sport, with representatives of two Floyd | schools facing off against each other in a friendly bout, usually with Floyd | a determined point system decided on by you and another master. Some Floyd | are a little more brutal than others, with the fight going to first Floyd | blood, a knockout, or a surrender. What is your opinion of these sport Floyd | competitions? Floyd | Floyd | A: My school must prove itself to be the best, and we will always meet Floyd | a challenge to defend our honor. Floyd | B: I am always eager to test my skills?and to have my students test Floyd | their skills?against real challengers. Floyd | C: I look forward to learning from others. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > Each challenge to the school is a chance for you to learn from other Floyd | masters, simply by observing what they have taught their students. You Floyd | have a knack for learning about people by how they express themselves Floyd | while fighting, and the more challenges you encounter, the faster your Floyd | assessments become. Floyd | Floyd | Other challenges are more personal: they specifically challenge you and Floyd | your skills in a one-on-one challenge. An implication comes with these Floyd | challenges: if you cannot defend yourself against the challenger, you Floyd | are not worthy of being an instructor, and the style that you have Floyd | taught your students is weak. You have faced very few of these Floyd | challenges, in part because your reputation is strong enough to make Floyd | others wary of approaching you in battle. The fact that you have easily Floyd | dispatched the three challengers who questioned your honor in this way Floyd | has also kept others from making the same mistake. Floyd | Floyd | As you conclude your evening training, Feng enters your room, wearing Floyd | the guise of a female house servant and carrying a scroll. "A messenger Floyd | arrived for you this afternoon," she says demurely, her humble body Floyd | language reflecting her current role. She holds out the scroll to you. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | You are unsurprised to see that it is a challenge letter, but you are Floyd | shocked to see that it has been signed by Sun An. A youxia?a wandering Floyd | hero?of great skill, Sun An has the reputation for being a generous Floyd | hero, but also a bit of a hothead. According to the stories, he has Floyd | defended villages plagued by bandits and fought off scores of dangerous Floyd | monsters in an effort to keep the common people safe. But he also seems Floyd | to spend an inordinate amount of time making challenges to schools of Floyd | wushu. Some claim he is a wandering immortal, who seeks to make sure Floyd | that other martial artists deserve their reputations. Others say that Floyd | while he is undeniably a great warrior, his conquests are more Floyd | pride-driven than completed out of any sense of restoring balance. Floyd | Floyd | The text of the letter is quite short: Sun An writes, using every Floyd | courtesy of language, that your reputation as a teacher has encouraged Floyd | him to seek you out and test your skills. He intends to meet you in Floyd | single combat to give you the opportunity to prove your worth, and he Floyd | is prepared to sign a waiver of death?an official government document Floyd | that removes any legal repercussions should a challenge match end in Floyd | death?if that is the style of match you desire. Floyd | Floyd | Sun An is staying at the Plum Blossom tea house, where he eagerly Floyd | awaits your reply. Floyd | Floyd | How do you respond? Floyd | Floyd | A: Bah! He will fall like all my other challengers have fallen. Floyd | B: I reply, inviting Sun An to the school to discuss our match and Floyd | extend my generosity to a fellow warrior. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > His challenge letter is scrupulously polite, and you see no reason Floyd | not to respond in kind. Floyd | Floyd | In the morning, bright and early as per your invitation, Sun An arrives Floyd | at the gate. Watching his approach from one of the windows in the Floyd | servants' building, you see that he is a tall, wiry man, his whiplike Floyd | body made of corded muscle. A long scar stretches from his left eyebrow Floyd | to his chin, which gives the warrior a menacing appearance. He wears a Floyd | loose tangzhuang?lightweight pants and a jacket designed for ease of Floyd | movement?and across his back, a pair of shuang dao, identical Floyd | single-edged sabers. He walks with confidence and wears a perpetually Floyd | unimpressed expression on his face. Floyd | Floyd | How do you greet him? Floyd | Floyd | A: Like any who approach my school, he must wait patiently until I Floyd | decide to answer the door. Floyd | B: I send students to greet Sun An at the door and have him brought Floyd | through the school to my dining room, where I will receive him. Floyd | C: I meet Sun An at the gate myself, to greet him as an equal. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > You greet the tall warrior at the gate and bow to him as you would to Floyd | another teacher, or a fellow member of the Order of the Peach Tree. He Floyd | bows in return. Floyd | Floyd | "Welcome to my school," you say. "I am glad you could make the time to Floyd | meet with me to discuss the terms of your challenge." Floyd | Floyd | "Thank you for your hospitality," he returns, falling into step with Floyd | you as you begin to cross the courtyard to the main building. "I have Floyd | heard much about you as both an instructor and a warrior. I am eager to Floyd | see if you live up to your reputation." Floyd | Floyd | As you pass the cherry trees, you see two of your lower level students Floyd | discussing a move in one of their forms. They are debating on a Floyd | particular strike that follows a 180 degree turn in the sequence, and Floyd | it is unlikely that they will resolve the issue on their own, as both Floyd | are arguing the case for an incorrect strike. Do you stop to help them? Floyd | Floyd | A: It would be rude to leave my guest. I remember the students to Floyd | discuss it with them later. Floyd | B: Any of my senior student can resolve this debate. I will leave it to Floyd | them. Floyd | C: I stop briefly to tell them the proper strike and let them get on Floyd | with their practice. Floyd | D: I stop to talk to my students, giving them the proper instruction Floyd | and moving through the form with them to make sure they have it. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "d" | ||
Floyd | > "Excuse me a moment," you say to Sun An, leaving him with a bow. Your Floyd | students stop their conversation as you approach, and they quickly fall Floyd | into rank behind you, starting the form at the beginning. As you move Floyd | through the form with your students, all three of you moving in synch, Floyd | you see that Sun An is watching you raptly. Floyd | Floyd | The form concludes, and you turn to your students to make sure they Floyd | have no further questions. Both bow to you, looking slightly Floyd | embarrassed to have been caught uncertain of their work, but grateful Floyd | that you stopped to go over it with them. You return their bows with a Floyd | shallow one of your own, then walk to join Sun An, who is still Floyd | standing in the center of the courtyard. Floyd | Floyd | "Thank you for waiting," you say. Floyd | Floyd | "I enjoyed the chance to watch you work," Sun An says, returning your Floyd | bow. He grins at you, and you are not entirely certain whether it is Floyd | intended as friendly or fierce. "It gives me an advantage for our Floyd | coming battle." Floyd | Floyd | How do you respond? Floyd | Floyd | A: I laugh it off. Watching me teach a low level form is not likely to Floyd | give him insight into my higher level skills. Floyd | B: I tell him he is welcome to the advantage. I would not wish for him Floyd | to enter our competition unprepared. Floyd | C: I suggest that, as an honorable man, he might like to even the odds Floyd | by demonstrating a form of his own. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > "You have a reputation as a man of honor," you say. "Perhaps you Floyd | would be willing to even that advantage by showing me one of your Floyd | forms?" Floyd | Floyd | Sun An laughs. "Never let it be said that I am a man of dishonor," he Floyd | says cheerfully. He moves to the open space you and your students have Floyd | vacated and begins to move. Floyd | Floyd | The form is a blocking system, involving almost no footwork, but Floyd | focusing on an elaborate pattern of blocks, strikes, and Floyd | counterstrikes. As your opponent begins to move, your students stop Floyd | their own activities throughout the courtyard and join you in watching. Floyd | In truth, Sun An moves beautifully, and his form is a pleasure to Floyd | watch: the rhythm to his movement is syncopated, and his strikes are Floyd | quick, but he never ceases to flow from one shape to the next. When he Floyd | concludes, he bows, and you and your students bow back to him in Floyd | appreciation. Floyd | Floyd | He rejoins you, and you begin to lead him toward the open door to your Floyd | dining room. "A snake blocking system, I assume?" Floyd | Floyd | Sun An grins, and though his scar continues to give him an air of Floyd | menace, he seems genuinely happy with your comment. "It is called Plum Floyd | Tree," he says, "and yes, it is snake. Most people assume crane." Floyd | Floyd | Given his body type and his air of arrogant confidence, you are not Floyd | surprised. "Syncopation with slow flowing movements punctuated by quick Floyd | strikes?" you say in summary. "It could only be snake. You performed it Floyd | well, but again, based on your reputation, I am hardly surprised." You Floyd | gesture through the open door. "Will you join me for tea?" Floyd | Floyd | >Next | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | The two of you take a moment to breathe in the aroma of your tea and Floyd | appreciate its flavor before moving on to a discussion. You make small Floyd | talk, asking after Sun An's travels prior to reaching Kuei Xian. He, in Floyd | turn, asks about your school, politely inquiring about the number of Floyd | students you teach and the length of time you have been teaching. It is Floyd | much more like the conversation you would expect between two youxia Floyd | meeting in a tea house than the conversation between the master of a Floyd | school and a challenger questioning that master's skill. Floyd | Floyd | After a while, the discussion turns to business, and you determine the Floyd | boundaries of your competition. Once you have worked out the details, Floyd | Sun An rises, thanking you again for your hospitality. You will see him Floyd | in three days. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | The challenge will take place at a fighting tower, which you and your Floyd | students constructed five years ago for training exercises, not far Floyd | from your home and just outside of town, on the edge of a bamboo Floyd | forest. The tower is built like scaffolding?there is a flat surface at Floyd | the top, about sixty feet in the air, but no ropes around the outside Floyd | to keep opponents from falling to the ground. Though the scaffolding is Floyd | easy to climb, two lines of tall posts also spiral around the tower and Floyd | serve as more challenging steps to reach the top. You have had your Floyd | students spar on the posts as well, chasing each other up and down to Floyd | practice maintaining their balance during a fight. Floyd | Floyd | You also keep a cache of weapons in a trap door accessible from the top Floyd | of the platform for easy access while your students are training. This Floyd | will enable you to pick and choose your own gear as you see fit during Floyd | the competition. Floyd | Floyd | A contest like this one requires witnesses, and you have requested the Floyd | presence of a magistrate in order to keep things official. To your Floyd | surprise, Governor Rong himself has volunteered to preside over the Floyd | event. Additional witnesses have been invited, and you would not be Floyd | surprised if some large part of the population of Kuei Xian?and perhaps Floyd | members of the Blue Scarves Rebellion?arrive to watch the combat. Floyd | Floyd | What terms have you decided on? Floyd | Floyd | A: We will fight to unconsciousness or disabling; I am prepared to sign Floyd | a death waiver. Floyd | B: We will fight to surrender, but no death waivers will be required. Floyd | C: We will fight using the point system devised by the Imperial Floyd | swordmaster. Floyd | | maga asks, "what have you done differently?" | |
| maga says, "(glancing at scrollback, it all looks very similar)" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Nothing yet." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "I'm trying to get to the point where I can ask what is the sound of one iron hand clapping." | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > Though you have heard the expression "Death before dishonor," you do Floyd | not see the logic in depriving the world of the knowledge a skilled Floyd | martial artist can acquire. Your death, or the death of Sun An, would Floyd | be a loss of knowledge and skill, and you see no need to take the Floyd | challenge that far. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | On the morning of the fight, all of your students accompany you to the Floyd | training tower. There are few clouds, and the temperature is perfect Floyd | for the late spring. Conditions could not be better for a Floyd | challenge?unless, of course, they could somehow favor you rather than Floyd | being equally good for your opponent. Floyd | Floyd | Feng walks alongside the group, today wearing the guise of a male Floyd | doctor, glasses perched on the bridge of his nose and acupuncture kit Floyd | clutched in his arms. Hopefully you will not need Feng's expertise, but Floyd | it is good to know he is there. Floyd | Floyd | As you expected, there is a large turnout from the village. Governor Floyd | Rong has brought several bureaucrats to attend and take notes. Floyd | Floyd | Feng squeezes your hand for luck as you move toward the tables where Floyd | Governor Rong and his attendees are waiting. Floyd | Floyd | Sun An stands at the first pole, contemplating the height of your Floyd | fighting field. He towers over the villagers, his whiplike body naked Floyd | to the waist, except for the shuang dao?the dual sabers?he wears Floyd | strapped to his back. Despite the scar that runs down his cheek, many Floyd | of the female villagers seem quite taken with his appearance, and you Floyd | notice money changing hands as people bet whether you or your Floyd | challenger will win the day. Floyd | Floyd | What do you do? Floyd | Floyd | A: I approach Sun An and bow so that the match begins with honor. Floyd | B: I race to the top. I am eager to get the competition underway. Floyd | C: I acknowledge the crowd, encouraging their cheers. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > Sun An returns your bow. "Any statement before we begin, monk?" he Floyd | asks. He seems eager for the fight ahead, and no worry marks his Floyd | expression. Either he has already dismissed you as a challenge, or he Floyd | has no fear of losing. Floyd | Floyd | A: I say that my fists will do my talking for me. Floyd | B: I wish him a good fight. Floyd | C: I express a hope that after the challenge, Sun An may stay on at the Floyd | school for a while, either to share his own knowledge or to learn what Floyd | I can share. Floyd | D: I race to the top?I have nothing left to say. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > The tall warrior seems genuinely surprised at what might, in normal Floyd | circumstances, be a peace offering. But you are clearly not backing Floyd | down from the challenge, and he looks at you with new respect. Floyd | Floyd | "If you win," he says slowly, "I will seriously consider your offer." Floyd | Floyd | "Then I had better win," you say lightly. Floyd | Floyd | Sun An bows, then mounts the first post in his spiral. Floyd | Floyd | How do you get to the top of the tower? Floyd | Floyd | A: I run up the posts, using my chi to allow me to remain grounded, Floyd | even when I am in the air. Floyd | B: I use my chi to bounce off a few of the posts and fly to the top. Floyd | C: I quickly climb up the scaffolding, hurrying to beat Sun An to the Floyd | top. Floyd | D: I climb the scaffolding slowly, using a razor-thin wire to weave Floyd | traps subtly along the way. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > You race up the posts, maintaining your balance with no trouble at Floyd | all. You reach the top to the roaring sound of the crowd, appreciating Floyd | your smooth ascent. Floyd | Floyd | Sun An appears a moment later, leaping from the final post and onto the Floyd | platform atop the tower. Floyd | Floyd | You face Sun An across the platform, and the tall warrior draws his Floyd | shuang dao, spinning them with what is clearly intended as an Floyd | intimidating flourish. It is flashy, but rather than intimidate you, it Floyd | shows you more of Sun An's movement style. The weapons are bladed only Floyd | on one side, but it is clear from the speed and confidence with which Floyd | he wields them that he can easily target the bladed side as he chooses. Floyd | Your best options would be to get in too close for his swords to be Floyd | effective, to choose a weapon that gives you a longer reach than his, Floyd | or to keep moving around behind him. All of the shuang dao techniques Floyd | you have seen rely on forward, side, or over the head striking; given Floyd | his greater height, the last poses little threat for you. Floyd | Floyd | A: I select a guan dao from the weapons cache, choosing to keep him at Floyd | greater distance. Floyd | B: I will fight with daggers?two long knives and several throwing darts Floyd | to give me long and short options. Floyd | C: I select the whip chain I carried with me from the school, which Floyd | allows me both long- and close-range options. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > You unwrap the whip chain from around your shoulder and present it. Floyd | While it is still above your head, Sun An charges, trying to get inside Floyd | your distance range before you can attack. You snap the whip chain at Floyd | him, the red silk flag at its end fluttering toward the sparking silver Floyd | of his swords. He bats the whip chain out of the way, and you make a Floyd | quick pull, tangling his sword and pulling him off balance. As he gets Floyd | close enough to strike with his free sword, you leap forward and Floyd | side-kick to his other arm, sending his second sword off target as Floyd | well. Sun An continues past you and you free your whip chain as your Floyd | opponent spins his swords around him in a clearing move, giving you Floyd | both some space to consider what you will do next. Floyd | Floyd | What is your goal as you meet in combat this time? Floyd | Floyd | A: The faster the fight is over, the better. I am confident that I am Floyd | the better fighter and seek to disable Sun An quickly. Floyd | B: I feel that I should learn more about his style to target his Floyd | weaknesses. I fight defensively. Floyd | C: I want to keep Sun An at the edge of the platform and cause him to Floyd | lose his balance. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > Sun An takes your defensive posture for hesitation, and his moves Floyd | become flashier as his confidence increases. You can tell that his Floyd | greatest weakness is his arrogance, and that despite this flaw, his Floyd | confidence is well earned. Floyd | Floyd | And by watching him, you are certain that, with his fighting skills Floyd | alone, he is better than you are. You will have to outwit him, Floyd | overwhelm him with your chi, or simply outlast him in order to win. Or Floyd | you must find a way to concede that he is the winner without losing Floyd | face entirely. Floyd | Floyd | A: I want to keep Sun An at the edge of the platform and cause him to Floyd | lose his balance. Floyd | B: I continue on the defensive, determined to outlast him. When he Floyd | tires, he will become sloppy, and I will make my move. Floyd | C: I meet his eyes, drawing him into a fight of the minds; the rest of Floyd | the battle will play out without further injury to our bodies and allow Floyd | for an honorable surrender. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > There is a long tradition of mind-battles, in which both opponents Floyd | see clearly what would happen if they were to meet in combat. As Sun An Floyd | looks at you, the two of you lock gazes, and soon, you see the combat, Floyd | as real as if you were both still engaged. He is the better fighter, Floyd | but you continue on in the mind battle, revealing secrets of your Floyd | style, enticing him with movements you believe he has never seen. You Floyd | have stopped trying to win, and started attempting to persuade him that Floyd | combat is not the only measure of your worthiness. The mind battle Floyd | draws to a conclusion, Sun An's swords hesitating as they rest, crossed Floyd | on your throat. You can almost feel the coolness of their metal against Floyd | your skin, despite the fact that neither you nor he has moved atop the Floyd | platform for several minutes. Finally, after an almost agonizingly long Floyd | time, he removes his swords from your neck. Floyd | Floyd | "You have an interesting concept of what it means to win," he says, Floyd | sheathing his swords behind his back. And then you are both back atop Floyd | the platform, where Sun An has indeed put his swords away. Floyd | Floyd | "I concede this contest!" Sun An shouts for the whole of the audience Floyd | to hear. "Zhuge Meili is a worthy teacher and upholds the reputation of Floyd | the Order of the Peach Tree and the school in Kuei Xian." He moves to Floyd | kneel before you. "Zhuge Meili, I surrender to you. Accept me as a Floyd | student." Floyd | Floyd | A: Now that his guard is down, I attack. Floyd | B: I graciously accept Sun An as a student. Floyd | C: I announce Sun An as my peer. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > Sun An rises and bows to you, and the audience below cheers. Floyd | Floyd | Several hours later, over a meal you share with Sun An, you again Floyd | reiterate your invitation for him to become your student. "That is a Floyd | very generous offer," he says, "but I'm afraid staying in one place is Floyd | not in my nature. I wish you well, Zhuge Meili." After a meal, brought Floyd | to you by a demure Feng wearing the form of a serving girl, Sun An Floyd | departs, looking spry despite his injuries. Floyd | Floyd | "Is he an immortal?" you ask Feng. Floyd | Floyd | The fox spirit just scoffs and busies herself clearing the table. You Floyd | are pleased that you have managed to prove yourself?and, hopefully, Floyd | ward off any future challengers for some time to come. Floyd | Floyd | >Chapter Six: Return to the Order | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | The leaves have fallen from the cherry trees in your courtyard, and the Floyd | chill in the air announces the approach of winter. More than a year has Floyd | passed since your battle with Sun An, and you find your thoughts Floyd | frequently returning to the Order of the Peach Tree. Floyd | Floyd | Perhaps it is a premonition. Floyd | Floyd | On a chilly afternoon, Feng, wearing the shape of a single-tailed Floyd | fox?warmer, she says, than her human guises?enters your room with a Floyd | scroll in her mouth. She drops it on the floor and gives you a fox's Floyd | smile, tongue lolling out from between her teeth. Floyd | Floyd | Despite some lingering saliva and the bite-marks creasing the sealing Floyd | wax, it is clear from the symbol pressed into the seal that this is a Floyd | letter from the Order. It may well contain your summons to return to Floyd | the monastery. Floyd | Floyd | A: I am in no hurry to open the letter. Floyd | B: I am eager to read news from the monastery, and to return if called. Floyd | C: I hesitate for a moment before opening the letter. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > Odds are good that once you open the letter, life as you know it will Floyd | change again. You take a moment to appreciate what you have learned Floyd | over the past decade before cracking open the seal. Floyd | Floyd | The letter reads: Floyd | Floyd | "To my student, Zhuge Meili, Floyd | Floyd | "All at the Order hope this message finds you well. I send my apologies Floyd | for waiting so long to call for your return. Things have been unsettled Floyd | here, and I was hoping that matters could be better resolved before Floyd | adding additional voices?and tempers?to the mix. Sadly, the situation Floyd | has only become worse in recent days, and I find myself calling all of Floyd | our wandering monks to return to the monastery, to face what may be the Floyd | largest challenge the Order has ever encountered. Floyd | Floyd | "As you are aware, the foreign presence in the Middle Kingdom has grown Floyd | over the last twenty years. The Order has always followed the lead of Floyd | the Son of Heaven in our actions with the foreigners and maintained an Floyd | aloof stance toward these worldly affairs. But the world has come to Floyd | our door, and we can ignore the foreign presence no longer. A small Floyd | army of the foreigners is gathering to the east, setting up camp Floyd | between the monastery and Xiaonanhai. Though we have sent word to the Floyd | Emperor of the growing force on our doorstep, we cannot be sure that Floyd | any of our messengers have made it past the army. Though they have not Floyd | yet delivered terms, it is clear that if we do not surrender our Floyd | resources?and possibly the monastery itself?they will attack. Floyd | Floyd | "You are called upon to return to the Order immediately, with any Floyd | resources that will aid our plight. I maintain hope that this can be Floyd | resolved peacefully, or that help will arrive from the Son of Heaven, Floyd | but we must be prepared for things to go otherwise. Floyd | Floyd | "Abbot Bao" Floyd | Floyd | >Next | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | The abbot's letter is sobering; if the foreigners do attack the Floyd | monastery, it will be their first prominent target beyond the villages Floyd | they have already claimed. Such a display will make it clear that they Floyd | do not intend to assimilate to the Middle Kingdom, but forge their own Floyd | society in spite of the Emperor and his laws. Floyd | Floyd | A: This outcome is unsurprising, based on the previous behavior of the Floyd | foreigners. The Order should have been better prepared. Floyd | B: Surely if the foreigners were so great a threat, the Emperor would Floyd | intervene. Like Abbot Bao, I hope for a peaceful resolution. Floyd | C: The Emperor has been too lax in dealing with the foreign threat, but Floyd | perhaps a peaceful solution can be found. Floyd | D: The Order must dig in and defend the monastery, whether or not it Floyd | comes to fighting. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > The Emperor has certainly not delivered clear boundaries for the Floyd | foreigners, given the way they have treated the people of the Middle Floyd | Kingdom whose lands they have taken. If the Emperor is not willing to Floyd | make that clear, perhaps the Order can draw some of those lines and Floyd | defend all of the Middle Kingdom through negotiation. Floyd | Floyd | How will you return to the Order? Floyd | Floyd | A: I gather my students together and ask them who will come to fight on Floyd | behalf of the Order. Floyd | B: I do not wish to put anyone else in danger; I will travel to the Floyd | monastery alone. Floyd | C: I have no interest in returning to the monastery. My life is here Floyd | now; the Order can fend for itself. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > You call all of your students together and explain the situation. Floyd | Though some of them wear fear in their expressions, others meet your Floyd | news with determination to prove their worth. Floyd | Floyd | You tell everyone to pack what they wish to take with them, and that Floyd | you will be leaving in the morning. But as dawn comes, you see that Floyd | many of your students have not gathered. It appears their fear is Floyd | stronger than their loyalty, and you will be bringing a much smaller Floyd | force with you to the monastery. Feng, in her guise as a human servant, Floyd | gives each student a small package filled with warm buns. The fox Floyd | spirit will be staying in Kuei Xian. Floyd | Floyd | From here, she will keep your affairs in order; once the matter with Floyd | the foreigners has been resolved, you can decide what will happen with Floyd | the courtyard house and the life you have built in Kuei Xian. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | You and your company start traveling east toward the monastery. It is a Floyd | three-day journey directly to the Order of the Peach Tree, which gives Floyd | you some time to decide which actions you will take, or which course of Floyd | action you will advise, when you arrive. As you are traveling, you Floyd | encounter a few messengers and merchants heading toward Kuei Xian; they Floyd | are able to provide you with updated news since the delivery of your Floyd | letter. Floyd | Floyd | The foreign army is led by a man named George Gower, who is supposedly Floyd | a fearsome warrior, though the rumors vary as to his origin. Some say Floyd | he was an outlaw before he came to the Middle Kingdom, while others Floyd | swear that he is a representative of a foreign government. Still others Floyd | call him an explorer who landed on the Middle Kingdom's shores and Floyd | paved the way for more foreign settlers to arrive. Floyd | Floyd | Gower's forces have moved in on the monastery, making it difficult for Floyd | anyone to travel to or from the Order of the Peach Tree. Based on what Floyd | you are told, someone who knows the terrain as well as you once Floyd | did?and, hopefully, still do?should be able to find a path around their Floyd | location. Floyd | Floyd | How will you approach the army? Floyd | Floyd | A: We will avoid the army and go straight to the monastery. Floyd | B: I want to get firsthand information about the foreigners. We will Floyd | scout their army before going to the monastery. Floyd | C: I want to meet Gower for myself. We will make contact with the army Floyd | in the open. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > You make your way down to the outskirts of the foreign camp. You time Floyd | your arrival to the hills below the monastery so that you can see the Floyd | foreign army as dusk is falling. You and your company keep off of the Floyd | road and travel through the bamboo forest that lies in the hills Floyd | beneath the home of the Order. Gower's army looks nothing like the Floyd | organized Imperial Army?instead, they are dressed in a variety of Floyd | foreign clothing, with nothing resembling a uniform. There is very Floyd | little that resembles armor, but then, you do not wear armor, either. Floyd | What is distressing about their encampment is that you see a number of Floyd | cannons and hand cannons?supplies that are commonly used by the Floyd | Imperial Army, though of a different style. Floyd | Floyd | The Order of the Peach Tree, with their reliance on the physical and Floyd | spiritual arts of battle, has nothing like cannons at the monastery. Floyd | Floyd | From within the shadows, you can see that the size of the army has not Floyd | been exaggerated. Probably five hundred men are here; though that is a Floyd | small force compared to the Imperial Army, the monks and students that Floyd | live at the monastery would be facing odds of five to one. Even with Floyd | the support you bring, the odds are bleak. One outright fight could be Floyd | disastrous if the men are skilled at combat, especially given their Floyd | likelihood of bringing those explosive weapons into play. Floyd | Floyd | A: I have seen what I want to see. From here we can cut over to the Floyd | path that leads to the monastery without being noticed. Floyd | B: I want to sabotage their camp. Floyd | C: I am concerned about those cannons. I want to seek out Gower to Floyd | negotiate. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > Your location is reasonably close to the monastery path, and you are Floyd | able to parallel it from inside the bamboo forest until you are out of Floyd | range of both the army and Gower's scouts. You reach the gates of the Floyd | monastery without further complications. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | Your arrival at the monastery is greeted with cheers from the monks who Floyd | remember you. Among the students, there are whispers?clearly, you've Floyd | been spoken about by your old teachers, you hope with compliments Floyd | rather than as an example of what not to do under their instruction. Floyd | Floyd | But it is Abbot Bao who is most relieved by your presence. The abbot Floyd | has aged in the decade you have been away, and the current situation Floyd | weighs heavily on him. He calls you into the Inner Temple to share what Floyd | you have learned. When you tell him of your journey and what you have Floyd | learned of the foreign army, he greets your news with a blank Floyd | expression, taking it all in without judgment. Floyd | Floyd | "You have been in the world, my student," he says slowly, "and I have Floyd | been here in the temple for far too long. I fear this decision is Floyd | beyond be, and I ask your advice. How do you think we should deal with Floyd | these foreigners?" Floyd | Floyd | How do you think the monks should face the foreigners? Floyd | Floyd | A: We should negotiate with the foreigners. Floyd | B: The monastery is well fortified. We can defend it against an Floyd | outright attack and withstand a siege. Floyd | C: I will challenge a champion from the foreign army in single combat. Floyd | D: I will call the forces of nature against the foreign army. Floyd | E: We will create a ruse, making the monastery look better fortified Floyd | and populated than it is. Floyd | F: I will defer to another of Abbot Bao's advisors and abide by that Floyd | decision. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > You are sure that the foreigners can be made to see reason, and Abbot Floyd | Bao allows you to take the lead. Along with a few of your followers, Floyd | you travel down to the camp. The perimeter guards see you coming and Floyd | greet you in their foreign tongue, probably calling for you to halt. Floyd | Floyd | "Greetings," you say, holding your hands open in a position you hope Floyd | they will view as peaceful. "I am Zhuge Meili, a monk of the Order of Floyd | the Peach Tree. I am hoping to converse with George Gower." The guards Floyd | escort you to a large tent in the middle of the encampment. One steps Floyd | inside and holds a conversation in the foreign tongue; after a moment, Floyd | he returns and ushers you inside. Within, the walls are illuminated by Floyd | glass lanterns, and a bespectacled man with a mop of gray hair tied Floyd | into a tail at his neck stands in greeting. Floyd | Floyd | "I am George Gower," he says, his accent clear and his mastery of your Floyd | language evident. "I understand you requested a meeting?" Floyd | Floyd | "I am Zhuge Meili," you say. "I have come to discuss the matter of the Floyd | monastery above us." Floyd | Floyd | The pale man grins, and you begin to suspect that the gray in his hair Floyd | is affected?he looks as though he must be in his early thirties at Floyd | best. "Ah, I am glad to hear it," he says. "It's been such trouble Floyd | getting you people to converse openly about anything. There's always Floyd | some matter of tea to be shared, or vague references to spirits and Floyd | ancestors and other bothersome things. Always happy to meet someone Floyd | with a straightforward perspective." Floyd | Floyd | A: I explain the monks are interested in a peaceful outcome to this Floyd | situation and wish to negotiate. Floyd | B: I lie and say that the Emperor is sending troops to make sure the Floyd | matter resolves quickly. Floyd | C: I explain that the monks do not intend to leave the monastery, and a Floyd | siege will end badly for his men. Floyd | D: I lie about the number of warriors available to the Order, claiming Floyd | that we are ready for an attack. Floyd | E: I believe we are at an impasse. He can offer his surrender, or he Floyd | will face the Order in battle. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > "And reasonable too!" Gower crows. "I knew I liked you the moment you Floyd | walked in. Would you like a cigar?" He holds up a sweet but noxious Floyd | smelling tube of wrapped herbs, and you shake your head. "No, no, none Floyd | of you seem to. A pity, really, but you'll learn. Well, then, to Floyd | business. We're quite interested in the location your monks have taken Floyd | up on that mountain. Quite defensible, by all appearances, but close to Floyd | a major trade route. Seems like an excellent place to camp an army. And Floyd | your people don't seem to be doing much with it aside from jumping Floyd | about at each other, occasionally using sticks, as far as I can tell. Floyd | Looks a bit silly to an outsider, I have to say. Could really do that Floyd | sort of thing anywhere." Floyd | Floyd | A: I cannot stand the condescending tone this barbarian is using. Floyd | Negotiating will get us nowhere. Floyd | B: I explain that the monks are teachers, scholars, and warriors, well Floyd | respected in the Middle Kingdom for their knowledge. Floyd | C: I question his desire to have an army. Does he expect to challenge Floyd | the Emperor? Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > Gower has the good grace to look sheepish. "Heavens, no!" he Floyd | protests, but you see the insincerity behind his statement. "I intend Floyd | to raise my men to protect the good of the Middle Kingdom. There are a Floyd | number of outside interests not nearly so benevolent as me and mine. Floyd | When one of them comes to threaten the well-being of this land, surely Floyd | your emperor will be glad of an ally." Floyd | Floyd | If he has convinced himself of this lie, there is really no sense in Floyd | negotiating along this line any further. You'll have to try a different Floyd | tactic. Floyd | Floyd | A: I lie and say that the Emperor is sending troops to make sure the Floyd | matter resolves quickly. Floyd | B: I explain that the monks do not intend to leave the monastery, and a Floyd | siege will end badly for his men. Floyd | C: I lie about the number of warriors available to the Order, claiming Floyd | that we are ready for an attack. Floyd | D: I believe we are at an impasse. He can offer his surrender, or he Floyd | will face the Order in battle. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > Gower begins to smile, then looks at your face and sees how earnest Floyd | you are. "You're quite serious," he says, and you hear a note of Floyd | astonishment in his voice. He studies you for a little longer, then Floyd | runs a hand over his grayed hair, and you begin to suspect that it's a Floyd | wig, some sort of affectation with no purpose that you can see. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | But instead of speaking, he takes a swig out of a metal flask; the Floyd | liquid smells a bit like rice wine, but stronger, with an acrid odor Floyd | that threatens to burn your nostrils on a whiff. He mutters a foreign Floyd | word in a tone that makes you guess it was a curse. "All right then, Floyd | Zhuge Meili. Here's how you can prove to me that your monks are the Floyd | knowledgeable warriors you claim they are. We'll each choose a champion Floyd | who represents the best of our fighters with the best of our weaponry. Floyd | If you?or the warrior of your choosing?can best who I select, then I Floyd | will acknowledge we have something to learn." He tries for a smile, but Floyd | doesn't quite manage. "We've a long tradition of this sort of thing Floyd | where I come from." Floyd | Floyd | "So do we," you assure him, before he can launch into further Floyd | explanation. Floyd | Floyd | "If my champion wins," he says, "then you'll agree to vacate the Floyd | property." Floyd | Floyd | This seems a lot to agree to without the permission of Abbot Bao. "A Floyd | reasonable suggestion," you say. "I will confer with the abbot and send Floyd | a message confirming the terms." Floyd | Floyd | "I'll expect word by tomorrow morning," Gower says, rising. You stand, Floyd | and he thrusts a hand at you; you realize just in time that he means it Floyd | as a sign of agreement, not an attack. You meet his hand and shake it Floyd | as you rise from your own seat. Floyd | Floyd | When you arrive at the monastery, you explain to Abbot Bao what has Floyd | transpired, and though he is concerned about the possible outcome, he Floyd | is eager to resolve the conflict without massive casualties on either Floyd | side. Given your role in the negotiation, it does not surprise you when Floyd | Abbot Bao selects you as the Order's champion. To make a point, you Floyd | have decided to face their champion empty handed. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | You walk confidently down the path as the time of your meeting Floyd | approaches. Many of the monks follow you, as much to witness the battle Floyd | as to provide you with support should the foreigners prove Floyd | dishonorable. Just before the camp of the foreigners, a space has been Floyd | cleared, and a young man wearing a cutlass and wielding a hand cannon Floyd | stands next to George Gower himself. Floyd | Floyd | "Greetings, Zhuge Meili," Gower says cheerfully. "This is Erasmus Floyd | Fontaine. He'll be your opponent today." Floyd | Floyd | Fontaine looks up at you from his hand cannon and you see clear hatred Floyd | in his eyes. This man means to kill you, regardless of any agreement Floyd | you might be able to reach with Gower. Floyd | Floyd | "Should your man die, I expect you to continue to honor our agreement," Floyd | you shout out, so that everyone can hear. Floyd | Floyd | Fontaine snorts. Floyd | Floyd | "Of course!" Gower says, waving away your concerns as though they are Floyd | unmerited, and as though you have not just called his honor into Floyd | question. "We've agreed to the terms, monk. Shall we get on with it?" Floyd | Floyd | >Next | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | Without waiting for you to agree, Fontaine lifts the hand cannon and Floyd | shoots. Floyd | Floyd | A: I dodge beneath the shot, closing so that his weapon becomes Floyd | useless. Floyd | B: I use my chi to leap over his shot and attack him from above. Floyd | C: I fade slightly to the side, allowing the bullet to graze my Floyd | shoulder, before closing the distance. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > You leap faster than the bullet fires, feeling it pass below you as Floyd | you descend on your opponent. He raises his hand cannon at you in the Floyd | air, but you are already on him, using your higher vantage point to Floyd | execute Parting the Clouds?which rakes twice across his face before Floyd | piercing the pressure point called the village rain, the notch right Floyd | between the clavicles, with an Immortal Man strike. The strike drives Floyd | him downward as your full body weight presses on top of him, and as he Floyd | hits the ground, you feel your fingers crush his windpipe. The Floyd | foreigners, who had begun to cheer when Fontaine shot, fall deadly Floyd | silent. But Gower simply nods at you. "It seems I have underestimated Floyd | you," he says. "We will abide by our agreement." He says something in Floyd | the foreign tongue and you tense?but immediately, the foreigners turn Floyd | away, heading back into their camp. Within hours, they have started a Floyd | retreat, leaving the Order of the Peach Tree to once again decide its Floyd | own fate. Floyd | Floyd | You are hailed as the hero of the hour, and it is clear your prestige Floyd | has grown among the members of the Order. For your own sake, you are Floyd | glad of the success you had in defending the monastery, and are Floyd | relieved that another challenge is behind you. Floyd | Floyd | >Chapter Seven: The Imperial Challenge | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | After the conflict between the Order of the Peach Tree and the Floyd | foreigners at the monastery, events seem to pass quickly. News of the Floyd | foreigners is hard to avoid: more of their ships are landing in the Floyd | fishing villages they took over to establish their own port. While Floyd | their numbers increase, they are also making a clear attempt to Floyd | insinuate themselves further into the Imperial Court. George Gower has Floyd | taken up residence in Xiaonanhai, and the rumor is that he calls on the Floyd | Emperor every day, trying to mold a space for himself as an Imperial Floyd | advisor. Floyd | Floyd | Or, some whisper, as the man who will try to steal the Emperor's Floyd | throne. Floyd | Floyd | But though tensions are high, the violence has slowed. The Blue Scarves Floyd | Rebellion has continued with raids, hassling the foreigners at every Floyd | opportunity, but there have been no large-scale battles. It is though Floyd | everyone is holding their breath. Floyd | Floyd | What do you think the foreigners will do next? Floyd | Floyd | A: I am still not concerned with worldly affairs. At this point, if I Floyd | weren't also seeking to detach myself from emotional reactions, I'd be Floyd | annoyed with everyone pointing them out to me. Floyd | B: Clearly, there is a reason behind their change in tactics. I analyze Floyd | their locations to determine what outcome they may seek. Floyd | C: They are saving their resources for a large fight. I make discreet Floyd | inquiries into their weapon stores and the supply chain between Gower Floyd | and his men. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > You acquire a large map and start marking the rumored locations of Floyd | the foreigners on it. They are densest at the shoreline, but while more Floyd | are landing there, there is a trend from the shore northward, toward Floyd | the capital, skirting the marshes when possible. It makes perfect sense Floyd | now why the foreigners wanted control of the monastery: its location is Floyd | directly in the path of the settlements the foreigners have been making Floyd | over the past twenty years. Floyd | Floyd | But the presence of George Gower at the capital makes you suspect that Floyd | he is not planning to lead an army against the Emperor. If anything, Floyd | you see wisdom in the rumors that he hopes to gain power through Floyd | influencing the Emperor, rather than replacing him. Given how the Floyd | foreigners have treated the people they've displaced, Gower having the Floyd | Imperial ear could be disastrous for the Middle Kingdom. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | You get a clue into Gower's plans the spring after the attack on the Floyd | monastery. It arrives in the form of a summons: sealed with blue wax Floyd | impressed with the shape of a rampant lion, the bleached white paper is Floyd | so stiff it crackles when it opens. The letter reads: Floyd | Floyd | "To Zhuge Meili: Floyd | Floyd | "Based on the reputation of your skill and honor, you have been Floyd | selected to compete in a fighting exhibition for the entertainment of Floyd | the glorious Emperor. The fight, which will take place in an arena now Floyd | being constructed just south of the Imperial capital, will feature two Floyd | warriors of my native country on horseback, wielding the weapons of our Floyd | lands. You will fight alongside a captured rebel and traitor to the Floyd | Middle Kingdom, Lu Jin, who will be released from the Imperial dungeons Floyd | for the event. The outcome of the combat will settle a wager between Floyd | myself and the Emperor as to which nation boasts superior fighters. Floyd | Floyd | "As a reward, the winners will be granted lands and a title by the Floyd | crown, and, should it be relevant, receive a pardon for crimes against Floyd | the Empire. More, however, the winners will have the prestige of having Floyd | defended their country's honor. Floyd | Floyd | "An Imperial guard will be sent to accompany you. Floyd | Floyd | "Cheers, Floyd | Floyd | "George Gower" Floyd | Floyd | It looks as though you will be unable to simply decline participating Floyd | in this competition. How do you react to this summons? Floyd | Floyd | A: Lu Jin, a prisoner? Of course we will fight?and win?to insure his Floyd | freedom! Floyd | B: This is our moment to prove the foreigners are unworthy. We will Floyd | fight for the honor of the Middle Kingdom! Floyd | C: This is sure to be a farce, with the game board aligned against us, Floyd | but we will triumph regardless?by whatever means necessary. Floyd | D: I have no interest in fighting in this competition. I will escape Floyd | before the supposed honor guard arrives. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > Gower wouldn't have planned a simple competition without being sure Floyd | that the odds were in his favor. He expects to win more than an Floyd | event?he is using this as one more step to gain the Emperor's ear. The Floyd | mere fact that he is having wagers with the Son of Heaven is Floyd | unbelievably presumptuous. Floyd | Floyd | Whatever it takes to prove that the foreigners are unworthy, you will Floyd | make sure it is done. The following week, a group of Imperial soldiers, Floyd | led by Commander Rong Jue, the son of Governor Rong, arrives to collect Floyd | you. The procession has all the trappings of an honor guard, but from Floyd | the way they watch you, you know that?like you?they consider you a Floyd | prisoner. As you travel to the capital, how do you pass the time? Floyd | Floyd | A: I talk to Rong Jue, hoping to find out more about what is happening Floyd | in the capital. Floyd | B: I tell stories and jokes, trying to set the soldiers at ease. Floyd | C: I cast an oracle bone to determine whether the Imperial Challenge Floyd | will have good results. Floyd | D: I say nothing to anyone. Traveling in silence will be my rebellion Floyd | against Gower for forcing me into his contest. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > The commander does his best to fill you in on the details of Floyd | Xiaonanhai life. You can tell that he is trying to give a fair account Floyd | of the foreign presence in the capital city, but you suspect that he Floyd | has no fond feelings for George Gower or the foreigner's position at Floyd | court. If Rong Jue's feelings are representative, you may have other Floyd | allies inside the Imperial city. Floyd | Floyd | In addition, Rong Jue informs you of how the contest is to work: you Floyd | and Lu Jin will face a pair of foreigners wearing what Gower calls Floyd | "courtly" armor?which Rong explains means outdated armor designed to Floyd | stand against hand-to-hand combat but not hand cannons. The exhibition Floyd | will start on horseback and resolve on the ground, as long as one Floyd | member of each team is alive. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | No matter how many times you have been to Xiaonanhai, it never ceases Floyd | to take your breath away at first sight. As you crest the last hill Floyd | between you and the capital, the walled city stretches out in front of Floyd | you, fading into mist, so that it appears that the city itself extends Floyd | forever. A river runs through the center of the city, and one wall of Floyd | the palace rubs against it like a cat against a friendly hand. The Floyd | palace itself towers above the rest of the city, its golden calligraphy Floyd | catching stray bits of light that float in through the mist, making it Floyd | seem as though the whole building sparkles. Floyd | Floyd | Xiaonanhai is the center of the Middle Kingdom, its heart and its Floyd | breath. It is a testament to the working of humans, and proof that Floyd | human hands can create something lasting. It also buzzes like a hive of Floyd | angry bees; anyone within its walls must be wary that they are not Floyd | stung by criminals and bureaucrats alike. Floyd | Floyd | The soldiers are eager to get you to the palace, given that you have Floyd | arrived the day before the competition, but you persuade them to stop Floyd | by Tai Thong, a pastry shop you remember fondly from the last time you Floyd | were in Xiaonanhai. The proprietors treat all their customers like Floyd | family, and the atmosphere gives a sense that, through pastries, one Floyd | can achieve both peace and prosperity. You make a small purchase, Floyd | setting a pork bun aside for Lu Jin, as Rong Jue thinks Lu Jin will be Floyd | released into the custody of the Imperial soldiers as soon as you Floyd | arrive at the palace. Floyd | Floyd | Instead, however, you are escorted to a guest room in the palace, Floyd | attended to by servants, all with the intent of making you comfortable Floyd | while you wait for hours for further news. All of you ignore the fact Floyd | that soldiers are stationed outside your door. Finally, after night has Floyd | fallen, a thin and damp Lu Jin is ushered into your room. They have Floyd | clearly just bathed him, in order to look presentable, you assume, for Floyd | your competition. Floyd | Floyd | A: I go to Lu Jin's side immediately to make sure he is unharmed. Floyd | B: We don't know who might be watching. I gesture to the table in the Floyd | guest chamber and offer Lu Jin a pork bun. Floyd | C: I nod to Lu Jin and wish him a good night. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > Lu Jin joins you at the table and accepts the pork bun, not wasting Floyd | any time eating it. "So," he says finally, "I suppose you have a plan Floyd | to defeat the foreigners. I hope you'll consider my ideas as well." Floyd | Floyd | You agree to listen to Lu Jin's suggestions, though as he has been Floyd | incarcerated for months, it appears, you wonder how he could have Floyd | anything useful to add. As you sit together, Lu Jin gives you all the Floyd | information about the competition he has been able to glean. The two Floyd | foreign competitors are masters of an old sport combat style called Floyd | jousting that is rarely practiced in Gower's home country except for Floyd | entertainment. They will be wearing thick plates of armor and carrying Floyd | shields, using long lances to try to unhorse or kill you in a direct Floyd | charge. You will be provided with ji, spear-tipped halberds that have Floyd | crescent blades around a sword-breaker on either side of the haft. Floyd | Floyd | "Their armor is an advantage on horseback, but we'll move much faster Floyd | than they will on the ground," Lu Jin theorizes. "And they'll have Floyd | limited visibility due to their helmets?we should be able to stay in Floyd | their blind spots, again if we can bring them to the ground. The hard Floyd | part about the armor is that it offers very few openings: their eyes Floyd | and at the softer armor covering their joints?which is still heavy Floyd | enough to deflect a blade." Floyd | Floyd | Your brain begins working around these issues. "We'll need to figure Floyd | out their other disadvantages," you say, almost to yourself. Floyd | Floyd | "Or you could ask for help," says a familiar voice. The only remaining Floyd | palace servant steps forward, and you instantly recognize Feng, despite Floyd | the fox spirit's new disguise. Lu Jin looks at you in confusion, but Floyd | you just nod for him to listen. "I can offer you these," Feng says, Floyd | rolling two small vials out onto the palm of her hand. "Poison enough Floyd | to coat one blade each." Floyd | Floyd | Lu Jin begins to reach for the poison. Floyd | Floyd | A: Feng has never led me astray before. This is a clever plan, even if Floyd | it is dishonorable, and I am confident we can execute it without Floyd | notice. Floyd | B: Feng is a fox spirit?my companion or not, tempting monks into Floyd | dishonor is in her nature. No good will come of taking up her offer. Floyd | C: If we were caught using poison, we would be shown as dishonorable Floyd | opponents. We cannot risk that loss of face, so we cannot accept the Floyd | poison. Floyd | D: We will not stoop to such a dishonorable tactic! Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > "We cannot do this," you say firmly. "If we were to be caught, the Floyd | consequences not only to us, but to the reputation of the Middle Floyd | Kingdom, would be disastrous." Floyd | Floyd | "Then let's not get caught," Lu Jin says excitedly. "We need this sort Floyd | of advantage, Zhuge Meili." Floyd | Floyd | You look at both Feng and Lu Jin, giving them your best teacher stare. Floyd | "No," you say, "we don't. We can use the sword breakers on the ji to Floyd | open their armor like peeling off a can if it comes down to it. But Floyd | this?someone will find out eventually. And everything we're seeking to Floyd | prove?that we are better fighters than the foreigners, that the Middle Floyd | Kingdom has greater honor?will be completely undone." Floyd | Floyd | Lu Jin weighs your words, then turns away. "May your confidence be Floyd | merited," he says bitterly. You say goodbye to Feng, and both you and Floyd | Lu Jin agree to turn in for the night. As you are falling asleep, you Floyd | think you hear voices, but you put it off to being the palace servants Floyd | going about their work. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | The next morning, you and Lu Jin are escorted by no fewer than twenty Floyd | armed Imperial soldiers, including Rong Jue, to a field north of the Floyd | city wall. There are raised stands of seating, crafted, you suspect, Floyd | from bamboo, and a pavilion is on a raised dais overlooking an oblong Floyd | arena. The whole thing looks very odd to you, and Gower's work is Floyd | evident in everything from the pennant flag decorations to the strange Floyd | rope, suspended at chest height, that divides the arena. Two riders, Floyd | completely covered in steel armor, stand next to two horses at the far Floyd | end of the arena; you and Lu Jin are escorted to two waiting horses and Floyd | a weapons rack at the other side. Floyd | Floyd | Now that the moment is upon you, how will you prepare for this Floyd | competition to begin? Floyd | Floyd | A: Select a weapon from the rack. Floyd | B: Greet our opponents so that the combat begins with honor. Floyd | C: Examine the horses to make sure they are in good condition. Floyd | D: I am ready for battle! Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > You look over the horses and check their equipment to make sure that Floyd | nothing has been tampered with. Sure enough, you see that the tie Floyd | securing the saddle on one of the horses has been sliced, and that the Floyd | other has a burr in its bridle. Floyd | Floyd | You call for Rong Jue, who comes over immediately. "Is there a Floyd | problem?" Floyd | Floyd | When you explain, Rong Jue's face goes dark. But before he can say Floyd | anything, you suggest, "Could you bring us two fresh horses?" Floyd | Floyd | He nods shortly. "I will see that two stallions are brought from the Floyd | army stables," he says, and you can hear the anger in his voice. "You Floyd | will not be taken advantage of." Floyd | Floyd | A short time later, the commander returns with two new mounts, and they Floyd | are glorious ones, far better than the pair here originally. You and Lu Floyd | Jin bow to Rong Jue, and he returns the bow, saying nothing further Floyd | about the incident. Floyd | Floyd | Do you make any further preparations? Floyd | Floyd | A: Select a weapon from the rack. Floyd | B: Greet our opponents so that the combat begins with honor. Floyd | C: I am ready for battle! Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > There are several ji to choose from, as well as a half-dozen Floyd | straight-edged jian and a pair of hook swords. Lu Jin takes the hook Floyd | swords and flourishes them for a moment before nodding and hooking them Floyd | into his belt. You choose a ji that is almost as weighty as one of Floyd | Master Zhuge's guan dao and a jian that ends in a red tassel, which Floyd | should catch your opponent's eyes as a distraction should the combat Floyd | move to the ground. Floyd | Floyd | Do you make any additional preparations? Floyd | Floyd | A: Greet our opponents so that the combat begins with honor. Floyd | B: I am ready for battle! Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > You do not know the traditions of the foreigners for occasions like Floyd | this, but you see no reason for your fight to begin without honor. You Floyd | strike out across the field until Lu Jin grabs you by the wrist. Floyd | Floyd | "What are you doing?" he hisses. Floyd | Floyd | "Greeting our opponents," you say. "They may not wish to follow our Floyd | customs, but we should represent the Middle Kingdom by beginning this Floyd | fight with honor." Lu Jin sneers. "They are not worthy of such respect. Floyd | Go on your own if you wish." Floyd | Floyd | You leave Lu Jin behind without further argument, walking to the other Floyd | side of the arena and bowing in greeting to your opponents. The two Floyd | armored fighters lift the visors of their helmets, and you see the Floyd | light-skinned faces of two men younger than you are, but clearly Floyd | skilled fighters or they would not be here. Floyd | Floyd | One of them asks the other a confused question, which the second Floyd | answers with a smile. "Hello to you, too," he says to you, his accent Floyd | quite competent for a foreigner. "Lovely day for a battle to the death, Floyd | isn't it?" Floyd | Floyd | You smile politely. "Perhaps it will not come to that," you say Floyd | serenely, imagining Abbot Bao's voice behind your words. "We look Floyd | forward to seeing your skills on display and hope for an honorable Floyd | competition." Floyd | Floyd | The warrior looks slightly embarrassed. "Yes, well, we look forward to Floyd | seeing your skills, too," he says clumsily. "Honor and all that." Floyd | Floyd | The first warrior asks for a translation, and the two of them rattle Floyd | back and forth for a minute, with the first warrior soon looking as Floyd | sheepish as the second. "Nice to meet you," he says, haltingly, with a Floyd | big smile. You bow again and return to your side of the field. Floyd | Floyd | The encounter seems rather suspicious, but you think that by crossing Floyd | the field to greet them, you have inspired some real respect from your Floyd | opponents, which can only work to your advantage. Floyd | Floyd | Do you make any additional preparations? Floyd | Floyd | A: I am ready for battle! Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > You look at Lu Jin, who nods in readiness, and the two of you bow to Floyd | each other. Floyd | Floyd | "We will win," Lu Jin says confidently. You wonder whether he is Floyd | reassuring himself or you. Floyd | Floyd | You tell Rong Jue that you are ready, and he gestures to one of the Floyd | other soldiers. Suddenly, a drum call fills the arena, and you and Lu Floyd | Jin, on horseback, are escorted to the dais. The two foreigners, also Floyd | riding their horses, stop next to you, and the four of you wait as the Floyd | Emperor's silk-enclosed litter is run up to the dais by his guards. Floyd | They stop and lower the Emperor to the ground, where he watches from Floyd | behind the thin curtains. Floyd | Floyd | George Gower and several members of the Imperial bureaucracy take their Floyd | seats near the Emperor's litter. As everyone is settled, one of the Floyd | magistrates calls out, "Let the Imperial Challenge begin!" Floyd | Floyd | The stands, full now of spectators, erupt in cheers. The foreign Floyd | horsemen ride quickly back to their end of the arena. Rong Jue, who is Floyd | providing your escort, hisses instructions to you. Floyd | Floyd | "The foreigners will ride the center of the field?they call it the Floyd | pitch?with their lances," he says. "They are steel tipped and meant to Floyd | kill. But they are accustomed to continuing on the pass, reaching the Floyd | end, and turning around again, based on the practices I have watched. Floyd | You're on the first pass?Lu Jin's second." Floyd | Floyd | He pulls away as you reach the end of the field. "Good luck!" Floyd | Floyd | What strategy do you use to face the foreigners? Floyd | Floyd | A: I am confident I can fight on horseback. Floyd | B: I want to fight on the ground, and will aim to unhorse the rider. Floyd | C: I can take a mounted fighter from the ground. I will get off the Floyd | horse at the pass and attack unmounted. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > You charge down the lane, keeping to your assigned side of the silly Floyd | rope divider. You can see your opponent's strategy: he is seated firmly Floyd | in his saddle, weight forward, his lance balanced across the horse's Floyd | neck so that his shield faces you. His attack is based on momentum, and Floyd | clearly his customary rules expect you to stay where he will hit you. Floyd | Floyd | But one of the first rules of combat you learned was that if you are in Floyd | a place where someone wants to hit you, don't be there. Move somewhere Floyd | else and disrupt their offense to gain the advantage. Floyd | Floyd | How do you plan to unhorse your foe? Floyd | Floyd | A: I stand on the saddle and use my chi to leap onto his horse, Floyd | dragging him to the ground. Floyd | B: I command my horse to leap across the rope and swing my ji to attack Floyd | on his unshielded side. Floyd | C: My horse is stronger than I am; I speak to it in comforting words, Floyd | letting it dart out of the way before it rears to kick my foe from his Floyd | saddle. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "a" | ||
Floyd | > You secure your ji across your back to leave both of your hands free. Floyd | As your opponent bears down on you, you crouch in the saddle, then you Floyd | spring over his lance and tackle him. Your combined weight and the Floyd | change in momentum send both of you toppling from the back of his Floyd | horse. You land on top of him, allowing your full weight to crash into Floyd | him before you roll off and spring to your feet. He clambers after you, Floyd | moving faster than you'd have expected given the awkward weight of the Floyd | armor, though still far slower than you. He draws his sword. Floyd | Floyd | Lu Jin's horse flies past yours, and you realize he is headed into his Floyd | own part of the combat. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | Now that you and your foe are both on the ground, how do you attack? Floyd | Floyd | A: I will outlast him. That armor is heavy, and I can dance around him Floyd | all day. Floyd | B: I will make it look like I am giving him openings, leading him to Floyd | overextend and throw himself off balance. Floyd | C: I will disarm him?whether that means his weapon or his arm. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "b" | ||
Floyd | > Part of the art is knowing when to fade and knowing when to Floyd | strike?and knowing when to combine those two elements to launch a Floyd | surprise attack. You keep drawing your opponent into your range, Floyd | deflecting his blows and keeping him off balance. Eventually, he Floyd | overextends himself, and his lunge sends him stumbling forward. You Floyd | strike him on the back of his helmet as he falls, and when you check Floyd | him to receive his surrender, you find that he is sleeping Floyd | peacefully?though he will likely have quite the headache in the Floyd | morning. Floyd | Floyd | Across the field, Lu Jin and his opponent are still locked in battle. Floyd | You hurry across the field to join them. Floyd | Floyd | By the time you reach Lu Jin, both Lu Jin and his opponent are on the Floyd | ground, locked in a sword fight. The foreign warrior is relying on his Floyd | armor to protect him from Lu Jin's blows, and for the most part, this Floyd | strategy works, with Lu Jin's hook swords skittering off the steel. But Floyd | his strikes are slow, and Lu Jin, though wounded, is dancing out of the Floyd | way of his strikes. When Lu Jin sees you approach, however, his Floyd | strategy changes. He darts around behind the armored warrior and hooks Floyd | both of the warrior's arms in his hook swords. Floyd | Floyd | "Now!" Lu Jin yells at you. Floyd | Floyd | A: I am tough enough that I can deliver a knockout blow from beneath Floyd | the helmet, despite the armor between me and my foe's chin. Floyd | B: I deliver a piercing blow with the jian's tip through the hole in Floyd | the helmet, killing him. Floyd | C: I gather my chi and throw the energy at him with a shout, Floyd | momentarily paralyzing him. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > You can't resist the chance to make one final flashy move in this Floyd | combat; you gather chi from the earth beneath you, cradling it in front Floyd | of you until you hear a gasp from the spectators, indicating that they Floyd | can see your chi ball as well. You thrust it at the armored fighter, Floyd | and as the shock of the energy hits him, he collapses to the ground. Floyd | You and Lu Jin stand together, both of your foes out of the fight, and Floyd | as one, you face the dais and give a deep bow in the direction of the Floyd | Emperor. The spectators cheer wildly in the stands, and the drums beat Floyd | in a roll so constant that it sounds like a thunderstorm. The Floyd | magistrate announces you as the winners and Imperial Champions, proving Floyd | the fighters of the Middle Kingdom are superior. You and Lu Jin are Floyd | once again escorted back to the Imperial palace, this time as heroes. Floyd | Floyd | But when you reach the palace, another group of soldiers are waiting Floyd | for you. Rong Jue looks at them in confusion, but a soldier whose Floyd | insignia shows a higher rank demands to take Lu Jin into custody. Floyd | Floyd | "By the Emperor's command, Lu Jin won his freedom,"Rong Jue says Floyd | cautiously. Floyd | Floyd | The ranking officer shakes his head. "That was before it was discovered Floyd | that the rebel coated his blade with poison," he accuses, and Lu Jin Floyd | pales. He draws your jian from its sheath and you prepare to stop him Floyd | from attacking the guards. But he does not lash out at them?instead, he Floyd | stabs himself through the stomach, a deep wound that will bring about Floyd | his death. Floyd | Floyd | "I die a free man," he says. Floyd | Floyd | "And an Imperial Champion," you say kindly. Your old rival's eyes Floyd | flutter closed one last time, and his blood cascades like liquid ruby Floyd | down the palace steps. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | Two days later, you are summoned before the Emperor. Though you are Floyd | required to remain several steps back from the throne, the Emperor Floyd | shows you his face, and bestows one of his rare smiles upon you. Floyd | Floyd | "Congratulations, my Imperial Champion," he says. "You have shown the Floyd | Middle Kingdom that we have much to be proud of." Floyd | Floyd | He does not mention Lu Jin's tragic fate. Floyd | Floyd | "You are welcome in my Court," he says. "Let it be known throughout the Floyd | Middle Kingdom that you are the empire's hero." Floyd | Floyd | The subsequent awards you receive of land and wealth to match your new Floyd | status are almost secondary to that proclamation. Floyd | Floyd | >Chapter Eight: The Dragon Sage | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | You have learned, in all your years as a student, as a monk, and as a Floyd | teacher that life contains surprises. Sometimes the thing that you most Floyd | wanted is the thing most likely to set you back on the path to your Floyd | goals. Sometimes those goals must be set aside to fully live the life Floyd | in front of you. There are moments when you must simply be, existing in Floyd | a time and space that will never again occur. Other times, you must Floyd | act, fulfilling the role that has been placed before you. These are the Floyd | thoughts that enter your mind as you travel with a group of the monks Floyd | of the Order of the Peach Tree to Xiaxue Mountain. Floyd | Floyd | More than twenty years have passed since you first became a monk, and Floyd | the Order is celebrating the hundredth year: the day when the Dragon Floyd | Sage descends to the top of Xiaxue Mountain is almost here. You are Floyd | among the candidates to be chosen to greet the Dragon and ask a Floyd | question. Floyd | Floyd | A: I may be eligible, but I am happy with my life. I would rather Floyd | someone else ask the Sage a question than risk a life-changing event. Floyd | B: I am still concerned about issues of this world, and know that the Floyd | Dragon Sage will have the answers I crave. Floyd | C: I have led a good life, but I am ready to leave everything behind if Floyd | that is what the Dragon Sage requires. Floyd | | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > Whatever happens next, you are prepared to face it. As you learned Floyd | from Master Shen so long ago, do not worry over the past or fear the Floyd | future: exist in the moment. If you are the one chosen to question the Floyd | Dragon Sage, you will do the Order proud. And thankfully, you came to Floyd | terms with your eligibility just in time. Abbot Bao, who has traveled Floyd | with the group of monks, draws you aside. Floyd | Floyd | "Zhuge Meili, you have proven yourself to be honorable, and you have Floyd | gained the respect of the Middle Kingdom. The Order has chosen you to Floyd | represent us in speaking to the Dragon Sage. Will you accept this task Floyd | on our behalf?" Floyd | Floyd | You bow solemnly, as the occasion requires. "Yes," you say, and are Floyd | pleased with the clarity of your voice in this important moment. Floyd | Floyd | Abbot Bao returns your bow. Then he surprises you by clapping you on Floyd | both shoulders and looking at you with tears at the corners of his Floyd | eyes. Floyd | Floyd | "You have made me proud, my student," he says. Floyd | Floyd | Emotion threatens to overwhelm you as well, but instead you heft your Floyd | climbing gear on your shoulder, squeeze the old abbot's hand, and begin Floyd | your climb up the mountain. Floyd | Floyd | >Next | ||
| Jacqueline presses the yellow enter button. | ||
Floyd | Though monks have been climbing Xiaxue for centuries, the path is a Floyd | difficult one. You think back to something Master Zhuge once told you Floyd | about mountain climbing?that it is important to think only of the next Floyd | step, and that soon you will reach the top?and it makes you smile. You Floyd | wonder now where the Veiled Dragon may be, and whether she is still Floyd | writing poetry. Floyd | Floyd | You think for a moment that you see a flash of red?like the tail of a Floyd | fox?against the mountain snow, but when you look, it is gone. Floyd | Floyd | The way is cold, and the air is thin, but you go at a steady pace, and Floyd | the activity keeps your body warm. You reach a large cave near the Floyd | peak, which provides you with shelter against the wind, just as you see Floyd | a thin shape spiraling down from the Heavens. Though the sky is covered Floyd | in clouds, every once in a while, light catches off the yellow scales Floyd | of the Dragon Sage, who grows larger with every heartbeat. The dragon's Floyd | head is like a camel; its legs end in paws like a tiger's, with each Floyd | toe capped in an eagle's claw. As it comes closer, you see its belly is Floyd | like a clam, its neck is like a snake, and on its head are cow's ears, Floyd | deer's horns, and demon eyes. The Dragon Sage descends, and its scales Floyd | remind you of those of a carp, catching the glimmer of sunlight through Floyd | the clouds as a fish's scales gleam beneath the water's surface. You Floyd | had heard all of these qualities before?scholars have catalogued dragon Floyd | bodies down to the number of scales?but seeing the combination in Floyd | person is breathtaking. Floyd | Floyd | As the Dragon Sage lands next to you, you find yourself holding your Floyd | breath in awe. The dragon chuckles. "Greetings, monk," it says, in a Floyd | voice that sounds like the rumble of thunder. You can feel it vibrate Floyd | in your chest. "The time has come for you to ask me a question." Floyd | Floyd | The moment has come. Long ago, you chose a question, but many years Floyd | have passed, and you have grown and changed. With what you now know Floyd | about the world and what you know about yourself, what question will Floyd | you ask? Floyd | Floyd | A: How can I become the greatest warrior in the world? Floyd | B: How can the Empire return to Heaven's Favor? Floyd | C: What is the first question? Floyd | D: Why do kites fly? Floyd | | Jacqueline says, "Okay, I'm back at the point where the question comes." | |
| Jacqueline says, "And will ask the koan." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "And it appears that everyone is still here for some crazy reason, so..." | ||
| Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "c" | ||
Floyd | > The Dragon Sage's demon eyes stare deeply into yours, and you can see Floyd | your reflection dancing in them. "I have waited for a long time for Floyd | someone to ask that question," it rumbles. Floyd | Floyd | The shared gaze becomes something like the mental combats you have Floyd | practiced, but this is no fight, no challenge of wills. It is an Floyd | invitation, and at once, you see the questions that the Dragon Sage has Floyd | been asked over the years. You begin to understand what wisdom can be Floyd | found in asking questions?and in listening to what is asked?rather than Floyd | in simple answers. The knowledge floods you until you feel as though Floyd | you are overflowing, pouring out of your body because it cannot contain Floyd | the vast stores of wisdom you are receiving. All the questions that Floyd | have ever been asked flow through you and around you like water. Floyd | Floyd | When the flood ends, you realize that your reflection in the Dragon Floyd | Sage's eyes shows the head of a camel, with the antlers of a deer and Floyd | yellow scales that shimmer in the sunlight. The Dragon Sage in front of Floyd | you begins to shimmer and dissolve into light. And you know that in a Floyd | hundred years, you will return to this cave to answer the question of Floyd | another monk. Floyd | Floyd | And in listening to that question, you will learn something more about Floyd | wisdom. Floyd | Floyd | The Dragon Sage has returned to the Heavens. Floyd | Floyd | If you had it to do all over again, what question would you ask? Floyd | Floyd | A: Play again. Floyd | B: Play more games like this. Floyd | C: Share this game with friends. Floyd | | Jacqueline says, "DAVID CALLED IT" | |
| Jacqueline says, "HOORAY" | ||
| DavidW asks, "ah, so that one was the 'you are the new Dragon Sage' ending, eh?" | ||
| Jacqueline exclaims, "Yep! Good job!" | ||
| DavidW says, "hee hee" | ||
| DavidW says, "I am genre savvy when it comes to IF." | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Well, that was worth all the pain of retyping it all." | ||
| Zach says, "Yay" | ||
| Jacqueline says, "Thank you, Alana Joli Abbott! And thank you, ClubFloyd peeps." | ||
