Riddle's Keeper Lore Drop 6
Fan Ju-long, the Demon of One-Thousand and Yue Lien, Lotus of One-Thousand
When the Warriors of One-Thousand appear before Vera in The Lost Princess, there are six of them, each turned to Arlys’ service. Umr At-Tawil mentions later that the Warriors numbered ten in all. Today we will talk about two of the six who did not escape Her influence: Fan Ju-long and Yue Lien.
Fan Ju-Long was a warrior dating back to the old kingdoms beyond the far-eastern land of Seika, where he is regarded as a legend. He was the right hand of a tyrant, who ruled the land by holding the country's child emperor hostage. Ju-long's sheer might formed the linchpin of the tyrant's plot; without Fan Ju-long, the tyrant would have been overthrown at an instant. However, the tyrant was a clever man who knew the desires of his subjects, and kept Ju-long's loyalty by giving him a woman: Yue Lien, the tyrant's most treasured dancer.
Fan Ju-long was in love the moment he laid eyes on Yue Lien, and desperately sought ways to make her happy. Lien was repulsed by Ju-long at first, but she would prove as cunning as her liege. As she warmed up to him, she found she could manipulate Ju-long with her wiles, and began to prod him along in a scheme of her own: Ju-long was strong, but the tyrant was a parasite...The throne ought to belong to Ju-long, with Lien as his empress.
The people suffered under the tyrant's rule. The land withered under the people's suffering. The state as a whole was crippled by the land's withering. A rebellion had been brewing beneath the tyrant's notice, and before the tyrant realized what was happening, a coalition of three great factions was at his door. This was Ju-long's chance. The warrior turned on the tyrant and slew him with a great swing of his halberd, and then took command of the tyrant's forces. Emboldened by Ju-long's ambition, the late-tyrant's army surged against the rebels behind their new lord.
Having been bid to stay back, Lien watched from a high tower as her lover rode out to meet the rebels in combat. She vanished shortly after his blade first met the enemy.
Fan Ju-long took to war on a steed that was faster than any had ever seen. The pair of black peacock feathers affixed to his demonic helmet made him the very vision of a meteor sent from Hell when he crashed into the rebel lines. Men scattered and limbs flew with each swing of Ju-long's halberd as he carved into the rebel lines. Swing after bloody swing would see Ju-long ever closer to the rebel leaders while sending men fleeing straight onto the blades of Ju-long's troops. Soon enough, Ju-long stood before three men; the leaders of one of the factions. One of the three, a regal man with a gloriously-kept beard, stepped forward. He bellowed his name, Guang Shen, and thrust his halberd toward Ju-long, challenging him to single combat.
What became of the duel between Fan Ju-long and Guang Shen is not known to the people of the Far East, only that both men were never seen again. The absence of their leader caused the late-tyrant's men to rout, and this event would cause the empire to be split into three kingdoms, each belonging to one of the factions responsible. These kingdoms would go on to wage a great war...With or without Ju-Long and Shen.
Of course, their fates are known to Umr At-Tawil, for he saw both Ju-long and Shen as too important to lose, and intervened by spiriting the two to Jasconius. Both men were outraged, but soon came around for their own reasons. Ju-long saw that Lien stood with Umr, apparently having proven her mettle when she lashed out at him as he appeared to her in the high tower. Ju-long and Lien were glad to be rid of the troubles back home, and happily became two of Umr's Warriors of One-Thousand, taking up the names of the Demon and the Lotus, respectively. Shen, angered to be separated from his brothers, came to understand the gravity of Umr's mission, and joined the Warriors with the name Bearded King.
During the titanic clash at Old Cagliostro that would shape the course of history, Fan Ju-long was at the head of the Warriors of One-Thousand when they charged against the dark goddess with Yue Lien close behind. Even Vali, Dragon-Knight of One-Thousand, could nary keep up with the Demon and his Lotus. Alas, for all of their ferocity, it would be centuries before they or any of the One-Thousand were seen again...
When the Warriors of One-Thousand appear before Vera in The Lost Princess, there are six of them, each turned to Arlys’ service. Umr At-Tawil mentions later that the Warriors numbered ten in all. Today we will talk about two of the six who did not escape Her influence: Fan Ju-long and Yue Lien.
Fan Ju-Long was a warrior dating back to the old kingdoms beyond the far-eastern land of Seika, where he is regarded as a legend. He was the right hand of a tyrant, who ruled the land by holding the country's child emperor hostage. Ju-long's sheer might formed the linchpin of the tyrant's plot; without Fan Ju-long, the tyrant would have been overthrown at an instant. However, the tyrant was a clever man who knew the desires of his subjects, and kept Ju-long's loyalty by giving him a woman: Yue Lien, the tyrant's most treasured dancer.
Fan Ju-long was in love the moment he laid eyes on Yue Lien, and desperately sought ways to make her happy. Lien was repulsed by Ju-long at first, but she would prove as cunning as her liege. As she warmed up to him, she found she could manipulate Ju-long with her wiles, and began to prod him along in a scheme of her own: Ju-long was strong, but the tyrant was a parasite...The throne ought to belong to Ju-long, with Lien as his empress.
The people suffered under the tyrant's rule. The land withered under the people's suffering. The state as a whole was crippled by the land's withering. A rebellion had been brewing beneath the tyrant's notice, and before the tyrant realized what was happening, a coalition of three great factions was at his door. This was Ju-long's chance. The warrior turned on the tyrant and slew him with a great swing of his halberd, and then took command of the tyrant's forces. Emboldened by Ju-long's ambition, the late-tyrant's army surged against the rebels behind their new lord.
Having been bid to stay back, Lien watched from a high tower as her lover rode out to meet the rebels in combat. She vanished shortly after his blade first met the enemy.
Fan Ju-long took to war on a steed that was faster than any had ever seen. The pair of black peacock feathers affixed to his demonic helmet made him the very vision of a meteor sent from Hell when he crashed into the rebel lines. Men scattered and limbs flew with each swing of Ju-long's halberd as he carved into the rebel lines. Swing after bloody swing would see Ju-long ever closer to the rebel leaders while sending men fleeing straight onto the blades of Ju-long's troops. Soon enough, Ju-long stood before three men; the leaders of one of the factions. One of the three, a regal man with a gloriously-kept beard, stepped forward. He bellowed his name, Guang Shen, and thrust his halberd toward Ju-long, challenging him to single combat.
What became of the duel between Fan Ju-long and Guang Shen is not known to the people of the Far East, only that both men were never seen again. The absence of their leader caused the late-tyrant's men to rout, and this event would cause the empire to be split into three kingdoms, each belonging to one of the factions responsible. These kingdoms would go on to wage a great war...With or without Ju-Long and Shen.
Of course, their fates are known to Umr At-Tawil, for he saw both Ju-long and Shen as too important to lose, and intervened by spiriting the two to Jasconius. Both men were outraged, but soon came around for their own reasons. Ju-long saw that Lien stood with Umr, apparently having proven her mettle when she lashed out at him as he appeared to her in the high tower. Ju-long and Lien were glad to be rid of the troubles back home, and happily became two of Umr's Warriors of One-Thousand, taking up the names of the Demon and the Lotus, respectively. Shen, angered to be separated from his brothers, came to understand the gravity of Umr's mission, and joined the Warriors with the name Bearded King.
During the titanic clash at Old Cagliostro that would shape the course of history, Fan Ju-long was at the head of the Warriors of One-Thousand when they charged against the dark goddess with Yue Lien close behind. Even Vali, Dragon-Knight of One-Thousand, could nary keep up with the Demon and his Lotus. Alas, for all of their ferocity, it would be centuries before they or any of the One-Thousand were seen again...
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