Blackened Lips;

[Lu Xiang]

Quest: All Mine!
Mod: No
PvP: No
Description: It all belongs to you! Show these worthless worms that you are truly the Emperor of China and that everyone should bow to you.

Xia Fuzhi; the first of the King's men. Depending on what king you worshipped. The Emperor was over, the sky was slowly fading as the land eroded and died. His services were valiant, loyal and damn right evil for the Iron Crown - The only man worthy to rule China in the current situation.

Lu Xiang.

The citadel was in full swing now; nobody dared intercept them and before they knew it - it would be too late to undo the tainted chains of destiny. The forces of Iron Crown grew by the day, more and more people flocked to its safe sanctuary.. whilst the wars raged on the outside of the walls.. a war was being prepared on the inside. The world was blind; seeing no further beyond the thick limestone walls. Its walls were high, its defences even higher by now. Lu Xiang risked nothng; the men who attempted to make their way to Ice Crown without staying.. well lets just stay, they won't be returning to the outside world... at least for a long time.

It was time to stretch the arms of despair a little bit, as the Black Rider stop behind the main gate of the Citadel; the damp wooden gates creaked opening ever so slowly revealing a completely armoured man. Rather then a smooth, shining finish to his armour - it was rough and untended too; but not to the extent it had lost value or rusted, infact it was just a valuable and strong as any other armour.. intended only to spread fear and authority. The horse itself had a head guard, running from the top of its head, down across its nose. A fierce looking mask for the steed, promoting the flare in its rare saturn eyes.. the horse flickered its tale before pushing itself up on its hind legs, roaring with a huge "neigh.."

The hooves connected back to the floor, with the thunderous pound before setting off. Over the draw-bridge, with a constant thud of dead horseshoes. He was the Tongue of Iron Crown. What his lord willed, he would do. Trapped within the armour; his fate was sealed. The steed was a huge, complete black thing. Covered in muscles - obviously made for speed and power. Probably one of Lu Xiang's prized horses; donated to his Tongue now. The man who spoke nothing but the viscious cold deeds of his master.

"Ride..."

He murked, his voice had never been the same since his torture..Tortured for being the same as you and I. Unfortuantly he fell into the hand of Lu Xiang; fighting for what he believe in. The man broke him down, straving him and torturing him endlessly. Eventually he fell before the might and dominion of the Iron Crown, swearing to serve. The armour rarely came off, other than to wash. His voice had suffered from some sort of beating; it was hard to understand him, especially beneath his helmet.. it was an echo.. a deathly and satanical one at most. The horse understood the cold tones and together they races against the pious wind; striking right through it.

Xia Fuzhi himself, was a slender.. extremely thin man. His armour bulked him out ever so slightly.. but the starvation he had never really got over. Beneath his clothes, most of his bones were visable and he barely out due to insomnia and not wanting to remove his armour. Obviously he eats enough to contrict energy to permit the dark deeds; but never over endulgence. His long black hair is always tied up and never shown beneath his suit of iron, only with most of his physical traits.. hidden from the world.

[Lu Xiang]

Every man had their price, no matter how stubborn or diligent. Every man wanted something, some were easier to please than others. But in the end, every man could and would be broken. Through the cob-wedbbed forests; untouched places that people would dare. Signs of death, betrayal, slaughter and crime.

People neglected the past.. Lu Xiang would ressurect it.

[Bandits]

He would make an ally of his enemies, enemies. The bandits were first; obviously small groups of wanderers, causing trouble raping and pillaging. Xia Fuzhi was sent to every camp, arising a meeting between the great bandit lords; if they wouldn't work with him.. then they would die. Summoned to The Sun rock; beneath a small outpost on the outskirts of Xia Pi. They appeared, in their numbers. Cursing that they had been let down by Lu Xiang and his blasted rider.. starting to leave.

The giant black horse appeared, at the top of the mountain; staring heartlessly at the pathetic men below. Before storming down the mountain and meeting them at the bottom, his iron platted feet; suspending down from the strirups of the horse and onto the blighted plains ground.

"What is the meaning of this?"

Yelled a man who couldn't hold his tongue, his beard stretching almost as far as his ego; Xia Fuzhi waltzed straight past him pushing through the crowd of bandits before presenting himself to the shocked audience. It was roughly midday, the sun shone perfectly down onto them. A little mudded trail, dried up from the heat allowed the seperations of the clans as a lot of hostility was shared between them, ancestorial rivalries.

"My...lord....Lu...Xiang...summon...you."

He exclaimed, from his hollow helmet.. the audience turned away from their bickering before questioning this man. Almost mocking him for his useless speech. Half of them were uneducated and could speak alot better.

"He...offers...paradise...to...them..who...serve.."

He finished, they looked at eachother.. still questioning this mans reasoning. But before they could outburst in a rage Xia Fuzhi presented a bag from his horse before launching it to the closer leader. Inside was a rounded object, the leader looked up at him before opening the bag like his fellows instructed him to do. Disgusted he dropped the bag to the floor before a head rolled on the floor.

"That's Yan Feng! Leader of the Riders of these lands.. no longer will we have to fear being trampled."

The man who had spoke earlier exclaimed, hopping around. A mixed atmosphere in the air. Where did this man get the head from? And what was he asking. A silence elapsed before another man spoke out.

"Lu Xiang expects us to serve him, but he has cut the chains of our prison. We won't be bought or sold so easily!"

A roar of men from a single tribe as the men promoted even more hatred within the group as everyone else rolled their eyes and growled.

"You... misunder..stand....i'm....not...here...to...negotiate...with you.."

The hollowed iron spectre announced, before booming a deathly laugh then presenting another bag and launching it to the ground.

"You...will...serve...or...you...will...die"

Xia Fuzhi, finshed. The man who opened the first bag passed it to a man beside him. Not willing to see if he had another head. Fortuantly inside was gold, enough gold for every man within the company to buy several horses at least.

"You can't expect us to work together!"

Xia Fuzhi laughed, again. Before stepping down from his altar for a moment before making his way to the new man who had announce such a claim. He looked at him up and down, before running his iron finger nail across his face. Within a matter of seconds his blade had been pulled and completely run him through. Leaving him to drop on the floor; his company collapsed around with him to comfort his pain.

"There....is....service...and...there...is death...Much..gold..rewards... and...revenge."

He announced, the more greedy of the bandits became more inclined to offer their services. Revenge, they owed alot. Gold, they couldn't live without. A man stepped forward before bowing.

"Me and my brothers from Blackrock, swear our allegiance to Lu Xiang"

Six of seven others dropped down to their knees also.. Not long before another clan, and then another. Half of the company was on their knees within the matter of a few minutes. Xia Fuzhi laughed before bowing.

"My...lord...looks...forward...to..meeting...you."

He exclaimed, having one more trick up his sleeve to push the men not willing to bow, down to their knees. If gold wasn't enough and revenge didn't give them anything.. then how about..

"Much..fame..to...be...earned...Prove...Lu Xiang... you...will....be....remembered."

An unwilling man fell to his knees, before his bretherin around him pulled him up from the floor.

"What are you doing?"

They cursed, attracting the attention of everyone around them..

"Doing something with my life; i'm tired of running around. With Lu Xiang we can make something of our clan."

He responded, falling back to his knees.. before his company feel down honourably, respecting their leaders request. Everyone was on their knees now, other than the clan who Xia Fuzhi had murdered their leader.

"Tie...them...up....we...march...to...Iron..Crown.."

He exclaimed, pulling some rope out and tossing it to some willing new bandits who had pledged their allegiance. If they wouldn't offer their allegiance.. then he would force it. They would be sent to Iron Crown to be worked into submission, whilst the rest enjoyed a better life. They were outnumbered and pinned down, gagged and bound with ropes before being made to walk all the way to Iron Crown in dishonour.

"Behold..."

[Lu Xiang]

Take the girls, to become the daughters. And if the horses won't drink.. drown them in the water. The bandits now beneath the banner of Lu Xiang, it was time to turn to the men of the wild. The men who were bred by axe and wood. The fierce warriors, known for their beserker rages; plumming through villages - leaving nothing but a black abyss. They lacked knowledge or interest in gold. Lu Xiang would change that.

[The Wildmen]

The hooves pounded upon the entrance of the small hidden village, sanctuary of these.. wild folk. Skulls, bones and wooden poles scattered around the entrance as a shivering shaman cursed at him at the entrance; before she could finished she found his blade at her neck. A bone between her nose, she smiled. Welcoming him; he was different to the rest.. he was exactly what they had been looking for. She pointed him in the direct to go, before he gently rode down the long forgotten paths. Neglected by the civillized beings; home to the men of the forest. Tall men, known for their brutal strength, long hair and stubborn nature.

The gathered around, weapons prepared as Xia Fuzhi arrived. He pounded to the floor before tying his horse up, now in their lands.

"What's yer bisness 'ere? Talk quickly or i'll gut you like the rest of dem!"

Spoke a voice coming the the front of the gathered crowd, a two handed axe in his hands and not looking too friend, long black hair and a long beard to match it with markings all over his body and face.

"My..lord...Lu..Xiang... sends...his...respects...to...your...tribe."

He said bowing gently, before tossing two more heads on the floor. Heads of the opposing tribe; he had them slaughtered the night before and their village burned in honour. Co-existence wasn't agreeable for Lu Xiang; he scratched their back and now they'd scatch his or they'd suffer the same fate. They knew the faces; you could see it in their eyes. A mix between joy and fear. The war was over, but now their own existence wavered.

"They...suffered...ultimately...Lord...Xiang...rewards...you...he...wishes...your....service."

Xia Fuzhi said, gently place his hand on the mans axe to lower it before flicking his cap over his back.

"Revenge...is...ripe...for...you....The...men....of...the...Emperor...destroy...homes....burn...land...now...you...turn."

He struggled to get the words out, but they seemed interested. Revenge against the men who had driven them out for their new lands; their grand society. The weren't given a place and had to hide in huts and caves from them.

"I don't trust him!"

Shouted a younger man, picking up a huge sword and charging towards him, before being stopped by an elder with a bigger sword. Knowing Xia was only a few seconds away from slaughtering the impatient man.

"What does Lu Xiang want from us?"

The elder asked for the whole tribe, it was an tempting offer.. but there could be a huge catch. He wasn't going to allow his tribe to be eliminated so easily like his rivals.

"You..serve...in...Iron...Crown...fight...much...rewards."

The elder nodded, before talking in his native tongue to his council for a few minutes before eventually arising, presenting his case before The Mouth of Lu Xiang.

"We swear our allegiance to Lu Xiang on one condition; you house our whole tribe within your walls. Man, woman and child."

Lu Xiang had little use for children or women; however if they could reproduce such strong men as these wildmen then it was a deal he couldn't refused.

"Lu Xiang... grants...you...wish...please...make...your...wall...to..Iron Crown...immediately."

Xia Fuzhi announced, climbing back on his horse and saying farewell to them; before passing the shaman woman again, she had a huge smile upon her face. Before he returned to his unit, a small band of warriors, who had several captured from last night on the raid of the rival village. Bound and gagged for their insolence.. if they were a little more stubborn they would've survived.. now they were worthless...Such a pity.

[Lu Xiang]

[Pirates]

Probably the harder to tame, the seamen; along the coasts. Not only in the south but scattered all over the world. Often neglected and left to sail and do crime, drink and be a nuisance to a society. Lu Xiang had ambitions to set up a Corsair society, he needed an armada for himself once he took the war more south or even to other lands. Pirates worked normally with the highest bidder. Lu Xiang had money, and could offer ships. However the newly self-crowned Rui Takiri had upset the system. He was unable to make a personal visit to man, but he made sure he would when the time erupted.. for now he'd deal with the local pirate clans.

In the port, not far from Xia Pi on the Yellow River. Several hundred ships docked. Xia Fuzhi appeared; the wandering messenger recruiting armies for his masters arsenal. Holding nothing more than a torch and his blade, several of his loyal warriors behind him. A ship beside them and a building adjacent to the ship. He laughed, before a minion of his rolled a lit barrel of rum into the structure. The fuse was small; and the barrel wasn't strong but good enough to mortally wound. Destruction was in their nature; the building was actually the prison. And it was pirate hunting season according to the dockmen, who had been so kind to point Xia Fuzhi in the correct direction to the prison.

It exploded, several guards collapsed to the floor; in shock or in pain before the minions entered. Beating the guards down and releasing the pirates. They arose from the smoke and fire of the prison; a tough clans leader, bearded and blackened by the cold un-kind conditions of the prison. He had heard of the man of the black steed.. rumours were spreading of a huge fortress just outside of Xia Pi.. but they were rumours nothing more. Xia Fuzhi tossed the man a letter. Handwritten by Lu Xiang's finest before galloping off down the dock.

"Run... now..."

The rest was up to the Pirates; they were released. Obviously it was in their nature to be stubborn, cruel and betraying. They owed revenge to their holders. Whilst the event took place, Xia Fuzhi's elite had planted gold and weapons upon the ship docked in the harbour; everything was stated in the letter.

Pirates weren't in a single group though; this happened all over the shores. Over twelve prisons reported an explosion of some sort; yet none of them ever captured the man responsible or even saw him. It was reported that over three hundred pirates escaped prison; within the matter of several months. The attacks were so quick and so unpredictable that the guards had no time to resist, hearing stories of a Black Rider releasing these swashbucklers alone.. it was hard to believe.. until their time was up also.

The letter was the fundamental part of this phase, Pirates were probably the smarter of the factions in recruition. Just when you thought you were double crossed; they'd triple cross you. They were educated and well trained in combat and sea-vehicles. Inside the letter, read.

To Pirate Lord,

you have been selected by Lord Lu Xiang to serve; blessed are you. No longer to you have to sit in the chains of the Han; worried to step upon shore without being hunted like an animal. Please make your way immediately to Iron Crown Citadel, where the Lord will await you. Not responding to this letter, will end in the consideration of betrayal and thus the end of your clan. Please do not displease my lord for he is far more cruel against them who do not repay their debts, than any Han official.

Regards,
Lu Xiang.

[Hiei]

And so, through the use of deceit, bribery and threat, Xia Fuzhi does his lord proud by bringing home a large many solders for his army. Bandits, wild men and pirates, now uniting under one banner. The army has become the epitome of darkness.

Rewards:

• 50 Fame
  
• 5 Corruption
  
• 10 Feared
  
• 300 Bandits
  
• 150 Wild Men
  
• 300 Pirates

Bandits
Bands of land-roaming rebels who have taken to the life of pillage and rape, these warriors are formidable warriors, but their real strength comes in their numbers. Equipped with rag-tag weapons and armor, the only advantage these guys have over other soldiers is their tendency to fight dirty.
Strength: Melee Combat against foot soldiers. Strength increase in numbers.
Weakness: Against cavalry. Low quality equipment.

Wildmen
The Wildmen of the woods are feared for their unusual practices and brutal traditions. They carry totems of all kinds, their faces holding as many piercings as the fingers on their hands. Strong, large, but undisciplined, these soldiers are ideal for decimating troops in shorter time.
Strength: Melee combat of all kinds. They hide exceptionally well in forests.
Weakness: Indisciplined and lack of knowledge in arts of war.

Pirates
Ahoy there, matey! These pirates are the variation of bandits on water as the latter are on land. The loot and the booty are their life's necessities and they once do it in freedom, but these pirates have chosen instead to do it for a higher lord.
Strength: Does exceptionally well in water. Strength in numbers.
Weakness: Poor combat skills on land. Low quality equipment.