Regarding the Journeys of Chin-Wa, Swordsman of Nanto, Kingdom of Sho,
in the Dimension of Leafcull, upon the Island of Dereth.


Chin-Wa, standing tall on the hills of Lin.

Harvestgain 8, 14 P.Y. (Feb 22, 2000)


I started my life in the town of Nanto. My father was a master glass-blower, and my mother was a physician who taught me to heal sickness and wounds. I was trained to fight by the local swordmaster, Hai-xing Ninto. I was eager to seek my fortune, but my father stopped me before I left. He handed me a brass lightning tachi, leaping with the power of lightning and thunder. "This was in your family for generations. It is yours now. It is called Rayden, which is the name some call the god of thunder. Take Rayden, and bring honor to the Hoshin family."

I will be leaving in the morning, to the city of Shoushi, where I hear there is trouble with drudges. I think I will have trouble sleeping. With Rayden in hand, I eagerly await the adventures that lie beyond the horizon.

Harvestgain 20, 14 P.Y. (Feb 23, 2000)

I have recently found myself in the town of Shoushi. In a nearby dungeon, I fought drudges of all shapes and sizes. One of them, a particularly large skulker, seemed to be their leader. He had a couple keys on him, which I took, mostly out of curiosity. Another advernturer happened by, and was evidentally on a quest. I overheard him talking about a stone temple, and a locked door. I offered one of my keys to this adventurer, in return for the coordinates to the temple. He sent me to 34.5 south by 70.4 east. I will journey there tomorrow.

Harvestgain 21, 14 P.Y. (Feb 24, 2000)

This morning, I travelled to the stone temple. Within, I found the locked door. I tried the key...and it did not fit. I was exasperated. When I returned to Shoushi, I sold the key to the local provisioner. I told him my story. The provisioner told me there was no need to go hunting for keys in long-forgotten crypts. And so he taught me the secret to picking locks, and sold me some of his fine lockpicks at a discount.

Tomorrow, I will make my way east, to Hebian-to. I feel I have outgrown Shoushi, just as I outgrew my hometown long ago.

Leafcull 26, 14 P.Y. (Feb 26, 2000)

Today, I reached the town of Hebian-to, a quaint yet popular town. On my way out of Shoushi, I met a man at the outpost named Lou Ka. He had lost his Yoiji (broadsword) in a dungeon. But I was too powerful to enter the tunnels where he lost his blade. Perhaps another adventurer can help him someday.

But I find that I like Hebian-to. Everybody seems to know everybody else. There is a nearby island, where the ruins of a fortress stand. I was introduced to this island by a brave man named Blakheart. He took me under his wing, showed me danger and despair, as well as hope and self-reliance. He also gave me better armor than the tattered studded leather that I was wearing. Blakheart is a man of unending generosity, with a spirit of fire. He showed me around the island, including the lifestone at 33.7 south by 79.9 east. The ruins were at 34.2 south by 80.7 east.

I was so impressed with his leadership and strength that I swore fealty to him at the end of the day. And he hasn't let me down since.

Upon joining Blakheart, I became part of a greater allegiance called The Order of Lost Light. Blakheart tells me tales of the others, particularly the most experienced ones. The tales he tells rivals any legends I have ever heard. I look forward to meeting my brothers and sisters of lost light someday.

Frostfell 8, 14 P.Y. (Feb 27, 2000)

Today, I explored the sewers underneath Hebian-to. The entrance was located at 38.8 south by 83.8 east. There were fairly tough monsters there, like blue wasps and grey rats. But there was nothing especially valuable.

Frostfell 20, 14 P.Y. (Feb 28, 2000)

Today, I ventured onto the island by myself. Blakheart had told me that there were always adventurers there, so I thought I'd see how well I'd do by myself.

Upon arriving, I found many brave souls there, fighting the forces of evil. One of them, Al-En Tamdon, would constantly recruit everybody that entered into a fellowship he called "The Corpse Looters." And I found myself welcomed into their organization as soon as I arrived! In total, our numbers approached fifteen, and among us all, we dominated the island. The ruins, the sea, and all the land in between were ours. Five adventurers in particular stand out in my mind to this day, as we stuck together in a band within the Corpse Looters and patroled the beaches of the isle. They were Al-En Tamdon, warrior of the western deserts and instigator of our fellowship; Gaoi Otemae, a sorcerer; Aljay, an archer; and the lass Wen-Ha Ishara, a fellow warrior.


Five of The Corpse-looters: Al-En Tamdon, Gaoi Otemae, Aljay, Wen-Ha Ishara,
and Chin-Wa, fighting a water elemental.

Eventually, Al-En had to leave, although it was he who begat the fellowship. So, the lass Wen-Ha began it anew, and she recruited more members; Sun-Zan the warrior, and Zai the archer. And together we called ourselves "La Cosa Nostra."

During our patrols of the beaches, we fought many powerful creatures; elementals, and even one of the strange broken fragments. I learned two things; that water elementals fear lightning, and broken fragments have incredible resilience...unless attacked by a mighty band.

Something happened that day that terrified me more than the great monsters we fought. I lost Rayden in the middle of the sea.

Fortunately, with such a hardy band of adventurers, it was recovered again, tangled in seaweed. Rayden tingled as I pulled it out of the sea water.

These days, I wake up every morning and look out onto the seas north of Hebian-to. And sometimes, if it's a clear day with no fog, I can see the ocean rippling with electricity, where Rayden once rested.

I made many good friends upon that island, and I remain in touch with them to this day.

Snowreap 2, 14 P.Y. (Feb 29, 2000)

Upon this day, I found some ruins at 39.8 south by 81.7 east. The ruins were very dangerous indeed, with undead and banderlings. The undead were no match for Rayden, but the banderlings had powerful guards to contend with. I left the ruins and returned to town.

Snowreap 26, 14 P.Y. (March 2, 2000)

This morning, I awoke to a grey, rainy day. I thought about staying inside my modest room at the inn, and sip tea and work on my journal. But I found a message from Blakheart, asking for my presense at Qalaba'r! I had never travelled beyond the borders of Sho before, and Qalaba'r is about as distant as you can get from my homeland. But Blakheart let me know of a convenient portal at 40.7 south by 81.9 east. And so off I went.

I was surprised how cold were the lands of Gharu'ndim. But the trees around Qalaba'r were exotic and beautiful; tall trees with thin needles stood sentinel across the landscape. Well, Blakheart approached, and had recently aquired an Olthoi sword. I was hesitant to give up Rayden, but the Olthoi sword was much stronger than my lightning tachi. I bundled Rayden in a silk cloth and put it in my pack.

And so Blakheart showed me the land in its beauty as well as danger. There were shreths in the woods, just as vile as in any land. The spirits of the dead were restless in the forest, and would rise to fight endless battles. My previous experience with the undead served me well, as did my new sword. And so with Blakheart's aid, the forests were cleansed of evil for at least another day.

The evening grew long, and it became time to part ways. Blakheart was headed off into the nearby direlands, where I would surely perish if I travelled there. We will journey again another day. So I travelled back to Hebian-to, through the portal at 73.1 south by 18.1 east. It was still raining. I hung Rayden on my wall in my humble room at the inn. I sipped some wine as I watched the grey sky turn black.


The Hoshin family heirloom:
Rayden, the Brass Tachi of Lightning

Coldeve 8, 14 P.Y. (March 3, 2000)

I awoke this morning to a knock at my door. Bleary-eyed, I found Wen-Ha Ishara there in her bold and beautiful armor. I received her with a smile and a hug, we shared breakfast together, and talked of times gone by. Then, I girded on my new Olthoi sword, and the two of us left to the island where we met. The fort had been over-run with monsters again, and adventurers were assembling to reclaim it. And reclaim it, we did.

But I know what you are wondering. Yes, we claimed the fort, and yes, Wen-Ha and I stood tall on top of one of the towers. And Wen-Ha pointed, and said to me "Look, Chin-Wa!" And I looked to the north.

And as though to salute our victory, a single bolt of lightning fell from the sky, and struck down into the water where Rayden once lay.

Coldeve 20, 14 P.Y. (March 4, 2000)

Today, it is raining again, so I decided to stay at home. Ishara came over and we talked about past stories. Her tale has moved me so much, I have added an appendix to my journal, to let her voice be heard.

Tomorrow will be another day for adventure.