The Brotherhood of Thieves (aka: The Brotherhood)
Affiliation: Black Clan (unaffiliated as far as any know at this time)
Clan Headquarters: Tai Shan Mountain, Zhongyuan Province.
Current Leader: Black Panther, Overlord of The Brotherhood
Lost Dragon: Ji Longfeng, “The Divine Spear”
Weapon: Ji Longfeng used a spear.
Kung Fu Style: The Brotherhood’s Kung Fu is based on The Six Harmonies combined with Ji Longfeng's Divine Spear techniques. It revolves around the correct concentration of one’s Chi and one’s physical driving force, much like the thrust of a spear. Disciples are taught to reach an opponent as quickly as possible, then drive through them with shocking attacks and direct footwork.
Location: Tai Shan is the Eastern Mountain among the Five Great Mountains of Zhongyuan. With its rugged terrain, the mountain provides a natural stronghold for the heroic bandits of The Brotherhood of Thieves.
Clan Overview
The clan is an organization of thieves, robbers and brigands unified by a noble purpose: To overthrow corrupt officials and redistribute their wealth to the defenseless poor. Noble indeed, but their methodology has resulted in them being labeled a Black Clan in the eyes of Shaolin and Wu-Tang, and as outlaws wanted dead or alive by the government.
As with any organization comprised of and run by criminals, there are many undercurrents of corruption and violence boiling just beneath the surface. The clan leaders use coercion to ensure loyalty, and punishments levied out against disciples who break the clan’s rules are swift and severe.
The Brotherhood consists of Eighteen Fortresses, as well as hundreds of small dens. Their widespread network rivals that of The League of Beggars. Every three years, a competition is held among all the dens and fortresses, which serves to expel the weak and promote the strong into their eighteen council members.
“The Brotherhood is the hope born of poor people everywhere.” In the wake of the new dynasty, The Imperial Emperor instituted many new taxes and levies across The Land. Many commoners were drained beyond their means by greedy local officials who abused their power and demanded unjust amounts of money. Peasants who had scraped all their lives to provide for their families suddenly had their lands and meager savings taken from them. As a result, many merchants were forced into bankruptcy, and honest men and women had to become bandits, merely to survive. For a time it seemed there were more criminals than honest men in Zhongyuan Province. But, with the formation of The Brotherhood, a flicker of hope was born. The criminal elements were brought together under one banner and their efforts were directed against the tax collectors, not the common man. Now, at last, the peasants could walk the streets, no longer the targets of thieves, and receive riches back from The Brotherhood…riches that were wrongfully taken from them in the first place.
Style: When the philosopher Gu Long once said, “The most fearsome enemies are your closest friends,” he may very well have been referring to disciples of The Brotherhood. All the members of this clan are thieves, and they think as criminals think, despite the noble ends of their thievery. Though they are loyal to their clan, that loyalty stems from fear, coercion, and the knowledge that a friend today might become your assassin tomorrow, if you were to offend the wrong clansman. Since most peasants and criminals have little, if any, formal education, their speech is typically of the lowest caste. Indeed, a brutish manner and mentality is almost considered cultivated behavior among them. Since they are used to living in harsh, mountain terrain they are quite skilled at turning nature to their advantage. It has been said that The Brotherhood is invincible on its own ground. When disciples are not training their martial arts or marauding in packs, you may find them engaged in rough but friendly competition, or playing games of chance.
Clan Slogans: A noble thief steals not for his own relief.
Common Farewell: “Take what you will, share what you can!”
Membership Requirement: Since there can be grave distinctions between common and noble thieves, one can only join the clan through reference and recommendation. This helps to protect the clan’s secrets and also makes those who give their recommendations liable for those who are inducted. If a clan member offers his recommendation of a disciple, and that disciple turns traitor, both will be subject to the same punishment, which could be either banishment or death. Since the clan has recruited many disciples who are ex-government officials, they have access to plenty of information about newly joined members. One may join the clan on achieving Cheng 6 of Losing Self.
Specialty Class: Warrior Bandit, Strategist Bandit, Taishan Bandit, Armored Bandit
Sacred Flower
Affiliation: Black Clan (has covert disciples entrenched everywhere)
Clan Headquarters: Cavernous Lair in the mountainous of Shanxi Province
Current Leader: Enchanting Soul, Matriarch of Sacred Flower
Lost Dragon: The Mistress of Chaos
Weapon: The Mistress of Chaos uses an assassin's knife.
Kung Fu Style: The female disciples of Sacred Flower overcome their male opponents' raw physical power by using illusion, poisons, venoms and long-distance attacks whenever possible. Flying wheels, throwing stars and daggers are preferred weapons over swords, poles and sabers. Summoning Arts and Soul Siphoning arts are two of the more arcane martial arts of Sacred Flower.
Location: Rumor has it that somewhere in the mountains of Shanxi Province, there is a secret cave entrance covered in purple mist. Hunters whisper that this is the lair of Sacred Flower, a clan of beautiful, deadly, female masters.
Clan Overview
The Sacred Flower Clan was founded by a legendary female warrior, The Mistress of Chaos, when she was denied entrance to the male-dominated Shaolin Temple. It is said that, “From every action comes an opposite reaction,” and from that act of discrimination rose a clan of beautiful, deadly, female masters. Their motto: “If men rule the world, women must rule men!” These women know they are not equally matched with men as far as brute strength is concerned, and so Sacred Flower’s Kung Fu techniques are based on seduction, speed and illusion, reinforced with all manner of poisons and venoms. Their weapons of choice are daggers, whips and throwing stars. Disciples of Sacred Flower train night and day to restore the holy balance of Yin and Yang. If the task requires bloodshed, so be it!
“Do not utter the name of the Holy Mistress in the presence of men. Her name holds power which must not tarnished by their foul thoughts.” The disciples of Sacred Flower despise the male-dominated beliefs of Shaolin, and believe Wu-Tang clan has desecrated the Yin and Yang symbol, to suggest that women (symbolized by Yin) encompass all the darker, negative aspects of the universe. Sacred Flower thereby opposes these White Clans as they strive to raise women’s current status in society with their fervent cult-like beliefs. The disciples' revealing clothing is justified as a means to entreat, allure, and conquer men by enchantment. So what is perceived as feminine weakness becomes part of their strength.
“Wipe that smile off your face. I am a commander of Sacred Flower. To leer at me is to invite the wrath of hidden women everywhere. They are where you work, where you drink, in your household. The Mistress has no mercy for those who cross her daughters.” Disciples of Sacred Flower are mindful in all things of the spirit and will of The Mistress of Chaos. While they invite you to become entranced by their beauty, bear in mind that this attraction will be used to either dominate, humiliate, or kill you. Since common women in this male-dominated land are given no voice, Sacred Flower disciples act as their champions. Because illusion was a revered practice of The Mistress, many disciples have made grave personal sacrifices over the past ten years to insert themselves into society, as wives, mothers, concubines, going even so far as donning the robes of other clans.
The role of these hidden disciples is to control men from behind closed doors and between silken sheets, and disseminate important information back to the clan. In short, it is Sacred Flower’s mission to control the men who control The Land.
Style: Although these disciples may speak with a soft tongue to those whom they would seduce and destroy, they do not mince words among themselves. They will not allow admission to a woman who is perceived to be of weak mind or soft will. Failure is not tolerated and mere question of the will of The Mistress is grounds for expulsion. These women protect helpless females, but show no mercy toward helplessness within their clan. When the disciples aren’t spying or fighting, they’re either training or meditating on the occult teachings that were transcribed to them by The Mistress of Cloud herself, who was said to be channeling knowledge from a plethora of arcane spirits.
Clan Slogans: “If men rule the world, women must rule men!” “Let daggers fly in the moonlit sky.”
Common Farewell: “Will of The Mistress be done.”
Membership Requirement: One may attempt to join the clan at Cheng 4 of Losing Self. A prospective initiate must consume one of two Pills Of The Mistress, one blue and one red, to test one’s “purity of soul.” If you (or your soul guide) choose the correct pill, you will survive and be accepted to the clan. If you choose the wrong one, you will die and have to begin the initiation quest again.
Specialty Classes: Mistress of War, Mistress of Heaven, Mistress of Cloud, Mistress of Spirit
Heavenly Demon
Affiliation: Black Clan
Clan Headquarters: Cavernous Lair deep inside Mount Yanmo
Current Leader: Soul Catcher, High Priest of Heavenly Demon
Lost Dragon: Emperor Heavenly Demon
Weapon: Emperor Heavenly Demon uses a saber.
Kung Fu Style: Heavenly Demon's Kung Fu techniques were stolen and perverted from other disciplines, and also combined with occult rituals. Sabers are preferred over swords, and for hand-to-hand combat, disciples master Bloody Hands technique, the most deadly combat system ever conceived.
In Chinese martial arts, double-bladed straight swords and single-and-broad-bladed curved sabers are considered very different weapons, with different meanings. Swords are often associated with chivalry and orthodoxy, while sabers are often linked with a more chaotic or independent nature.
Location: Mount Yanmo is avoided by travelers due to its treacherous cliffs and lava valleys. But the nearby villagers have much greater fears. They know that deep inside the mountain there exists a demonic cult of warriors known as the Heavenly Demon Clan.
Clan Overview
“A land governed by the depraved must be conquered through depraved justice, only through fire may it be cleansed!” Heavenly Demon Clan was founded by a cruel, ambitious warrior who, in defiance of The Imperial Emperor and his court, proclaimed himself The Emperor Heavenly Demon and waged holy war against all governing factions. It is whispered by many that Emperor Heavenly Demon truly was possessed by demons as a child, and certainly any who had witnessed his ferocity in battle, would attest that this was true.
“This world is a will to power, nothing more!” Disciples of Heavenly Demon have surrendered to their own darker natures and yielded their nobility to his cause. In return for their loyalty and bloodshed, Heavenly Demon’s disciples have been granted tremendous power and martial art skill from a variety of occult sources. Marshalling their dark skills, Heavenly Demon led the clan to victory upon victory against The Imperial Emperor and his troops in many of The Provinces, for a time controlling more than half of The Land. Only The War of Nine Dragons, a private war waged between the nine major clans of the day, stopped Heavenly Demon from complete domination and his seizure of the Imperial capitol.
“I pray to witness the resurrection of Heavenly Demon in this lifetime.” Following The War, and its mysterious aftermath, word was spread by Soul Catcher, Heavenly Demon’s High Priest, that the master was slain, and by his own decree, signed in blood, the clan was to release its hold on all seized territories and seal its doors until such time as he returned. With much reluctance, they did so, returning to their stronghold at Mount Yanmo. As they continue to train and practice the dark arts their master passed down to them, some await his prophesized return, while others contend to usurp his power.
Style: Disciples of Heavenly Demon are ruthless warriors who believe themselves to be above the laws of The Land. Without mercy they maraud and seize power in the name of their leader, The Emperor Heavenly Demon. Masked and deadly they are as secretive and mysterious as any religious cult. Lower level disciples who join the clan are often those who hold a dark karma within them, one that would not be welcomed in any White Clan. They do not understand why they are drawn to the eternal fire of Heavenly Demon, but once they begin the training, they know there is no turning back. Higher level disciples, who have had a taste of true occult power, often become so ruthless and bloodthirsty they proclaim themselves actual demons.
The mask of a disciple is called a Padan, and it serves three purposes: One, it offers homage to the ceremonial masks that Zorastrian priests wore to shield their breath from touching the Sacred Fire. Two, it promotes secrecy by shielding identity. Three, it escalates the amount of terror in an opponent.
Clan Slogans:
“The warriors road to heaven often leads through hell.”
“Fear is a word our enemies know well.”
Common Farewell: “Crusade in the name of The Emperor!”
Membership Requirement:
One needs to undergo a series of quests to become a disciple of Heavenly Demon, which culminate as a prospective member reaches Cheng 1 of Opening Chi. Other clans receive disciples into apprentice roles at either Cheng 4 or 6 of Losing Self, then accept them as full disciples once they have achieved Opening Chi. But neither Heavenly Demon nor Wu-Tang take on prospective students as apprentices.
Specialty Class: Blood Demons, Phantom Demons, Fire Demons, Storm Demons
Subject: The Black Clans 
Sat Jun 09, 2007 10:52 am
