‘Ello all *nods* take a seat.
So what have I got cooking (err… no pun intended) for ya? Well, remember a little while ago in that ‘If I played…’ thread Dave mentioned something about ‘I’d like someone to show Kyle what a REAL Kaoshain could do’, and then I said: “Yeah, I’ve had thoughts about that’…well, here is the latest incarnation (now in technicolour*!) of my musings!
(*Actually a lie).
Why am I posting a midseason (possibly get-me-through-early-season) storyline? (Besides to prove I'm not just sat around doing nothing :P ) Well, I want your opinion on it, of course! Without spoiling any it for those people that just really really want to save the surprise (that it is). Mainly, I’m concerned with several issues I’ll address at the end.
Plus I’m not as mean as Heather :P
So what’s this all about then?
The Truth Behind Kaoshian Demons
And Other Related Stuff.
Whereas the gods have their titans and their champions, Nature has her own chosen. Amongst them the dragon was the most prominent. In the beginning, dragons travelled across the entire world. They were Mother Nature’s guardians and protectors, keeping what they saw as a ‘natural balance’. As the world began to change the species divided. Those with great wings made home in the West and flew over the lands like guardian angels. Those dragons without wings instead travelled amongst the seas, keeping safe those beneath the waves. They made their homes in the lands of the East. And in time separation caused the rise of different traits between those in the East and those in the West.
In Chinese legends it is believed dragons had the power to transform themselves into human form. Reference is drawn to the ‘Lung-tik Chuan-ren’ or ‘Descendants of the Dragon’. Dragons feature heavily in Imperial symbols and emblems. Emperor Yu Pang began life as a peasant, but rose to the highest rank – an unheard of accomplishment. In legitimising the ascension, he became the first to claim descent from a dragon and the epithet ‘Dragon-face’ was used to refer to the ruler. In Japan, where the lifestyle owes much to China, rulers adopted the practice of sitting concealed during audiences with visitors. It is theorised this tradition came from China, where it was used after Yu Pang became emperor.
Eastern dragons differ from those featured in Western legends in a number of ways. The Eastern dragon has mainly benevolent and wise characteristics but in Western mythology the role of the dragon is the greedy and jealous opponent of the hero. Western dragons also feature fire breath while the Eastern version is more closely associated with water. Again, it is theorised that Eastern and Western dragons are in fact two different species.
Western dragons also lack the ‘shapeshifting’ ability but in even Eastern mythology this is still very rare. Eastern dragons are also told to breed handsome and attractive offspring upon shapeshifting. The reason there is no record of Western dragons possessing the same ability is because they did not know how to.
In the early days of the planet dragons roamed the lands. There were not as common as the other creatures of the Earth, but there were not as rare as they later became. But dragons they were, and they maintained the balance of the planet and all respected them.
Then the mammals known as ‘humans’ began to spread amongst the globe in all directions. The first contacts with dragons were peaceful, but as human numbers grew and grew this changed. In the East, the people had a respect for all creatures and for the most part the dragons were treated as equals or betters. But in the West the mentality that the Earth was for man to govern caused tension between dragons and humans. As the teachings of the Bible spread dragons grew afraid and steadily withdrew from the Western world and humans grew suspicious of the increasingly rare creatures. They began to gossip of great treasures, and before long dragon slayers roamed the lands searching for dragons and their treasures. English mythology even includes a tale of a King defeating one of the last dragons in combat. In return, dragons became wary and suspicious.
The Eastern dragons learnt of the demise of their friends and, fearing for their own safety, too withdrew from the world into hiding, slowly to die out.
And then the dragons were virtually gone from this world.
As the demise of the dragons began, one Western dragon rejected the lands it had lived in and sought to seek his brothers in the East. He came having left his name behind and so he was given a new name in the Eastern dragon tongue: Koashian, Dragon of Fire.
And Koashian learnt the ways of the Eastern dragons, and in time he too was able to take on human form and walk among the people. But when Koashian decided to mate with a human female, the offspring she gave was like no other from a dragon. It’s skin was of black marble, like Koashian’s own hide, and from cracks in the boy’s skin fire blazed. Like Koashian, the newborn had a tale and on the tip of the tale was a small tongue of fire.
In that moment, when Koashian saw what he had brought into the world he suddenly knew of a way to keep the status quo between humans and dragons. He would father an entire species that could act as the dragon’s soldiers, to equal the numbers of the humans.
His plan was shortly foiled. The Eastern dragons, disgusted at the betrayal of their trust, hunted Koashian down and killed, dragging his carcass into the sea where his fire would be extinguished and the dragon would die. The dozen or so half-dragons he had spawned went into hiding, using their shapeshifting to hide in human circles. Yu Pang criticised their cowardice and instead sought to reach the noblehood he deserved, and became Emperor. But after he was gone Koashian became synonymous with a creature of legend and a demon. Thus the Kaoshian species was born.
Today, most Kaoshian’s are content to live amongst humans as if they are one of them. Over time they have since integrated themselves into Asian society, hiding their true ancestors behind human forms. With little written record or collective history, the progress of time has seen the majority of Kaoshians lose knowledge of their ancestry. Of those that have come to realise their heritage some choose to use their gifts for good, moving amongst the demon world as the guardians of the Earth the dragons saw themselves. Others instead follow the teachings of Yu Pang. They believe the dragon’s blood that flows through their veins entitle them to a nobility they have been denied. Like Yu Pang they seek to achieve the status they believe they deserve. Amongst this faction, Kaoshian is a god and Yu Pang his chief prophet. They seem themselves as children of the Yu Pang dynasty.
Ok…Uh, so are Kaoshians actually demons?
Why is this generally accepted?
Hold on. What disciples are these?
Oh?
Ok, what does any of this have to do with Kyle?
So What Where You Worrying About Again?
Anything else?
Righto, any questions just ask away.
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[LABN] *Psst* Look here
Without giving too much of the above away ... if you DO yead it all then you might also consider that we already discussed some of this idea with this prospective player who never came back. http://unlimitedi.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=834
[LABN] *Psst* Look here
*Psst*
[whisper]hey hey, I've got some big spoilerage to share with y'all. You could call this the start of Matt's Big Project (With Substantial Assisstance From Shaun [i have four weeks until he gets at me for that hehe]), except it already started a while back. Is the coast clear? Cool. [/whisper]
So whats this all about then?
There's more to it than that, right?
Who are they?
Huh?
Why?
And who opens this portal?
Ohhh...
What will he be like?
Wait-
You mentioned disciples back up there, what's that all about?
Right, now I know that was perhaps lacking a little in detail but...hey...I don't want to give everything away ;) What's there is enough to give y'all a heads up and as TBR(tm) draws nearer, I'll probably be releasing some more bits and bobs anyway to give y'all a clearer picture anyway.
What details are these?
(Btw, hope you don't mind me posting this Shaun!)