Chapter 1: Lotus Rises from Water

Wu Meng

The Black Lotus wags a slender finger at you. "The deal was to reveal who hired us. Nothing more. Why would the Quian be interested in making trouble for the Guong, hmm? A man from the Changgok contracted me. Now, that is a sticky web! It means that unless this person was acting alone, either the Changgok are secretly biting the hand that feeds them, or someone in the Guong clan itself is up to something big. Curiously, the Fan do not seem to be involved."

The assassin leans back in his seat. "Well now, that is that transaction concluded. If you also wish to purchase the antidote to the poisoned tea you just drank, make me another offer."

Wu Meng

"Well played," Zhao Xun chuckles. "I was right about you. A worthy adversary. I daresay we shall see each other again." He makes no move to stop you from leaving. "Will you tell me your name?"

Iko

"Yes, give us your advice, priest, before I cut your tongue and send you to your god," one of the thugs hisses, "because that's where you're headed tonight if you've no coin for us."

The man approaches, slowly brandishing a cruel knife.

What do you do?

Are you headed for the East Water Gate then, Meng? It's only a few blocks away. Or are you returning to the Crippled Crane, or Feng's shop? Or somewhere else?

Battle Music!

The thug swears as Iko does the unexpected. The knife clatters to the ground, and both bandit and priest are left empty-handed, though Iko now has a superficial cut across his unprotected palm. (Take 1 damage, Iko)

The three other thugs lurch into action, and so does Dae-Won. While you tussle with the first fellow, the one you haven't disarmed comes at you with a slender knife.

What do you do, Iko?

Feng

Your body grows feverishly hot, but the flames do not come! You try to strangle this lecher, but the man overpowers you, and slams his fist painfully into your ribs! He pushes you roughly against a wall, and covers your mouth with a meaty hand. "I love it when they fight!" he drools in your ear.

What do you do?

Rong Hua

An imposing figure storms out of the tent. "I thought I told you fools to shut-- well, hello... " Atekhramun, for this must be he, licks his lips as he looks you over. "Have these mongrels been bothering you? Come into my humble tent and tell me how I can help you."

What do you do?

---

Feng

A heartbeat before he dies, the thug leader screams in terror as you change, and the ghost inside you makes an appearance. Your hand erupts in flames and literally takes the thug leader's head off. The man's body collapses at your feet, and the flaming, severed head rolls out into the main street for his lackeys to see.

What do you do?

---

Iko

The second thug's weapon swishes overhead as you deftly dive for the first one's knife. You come out of the roll, weapon in hand. Down the alley, Dae-Won appears to have been wounded, but is fending off his assailants with a chilseonggeom ("seven star sword"), a weapon of elven make.

The two that are on you hesitate. Goggling at their leader's burning head, the unarmed one looks ready to run, but the one with a knife has a crazy look in his eyes, and keeps coming.

What do you do, Iko?

---

Meng

You hear a scream just up a head, and the unmistakable sound of blades clashing. You come upon two thugs fighting a wounded elf. Further on another person is fighting two more assailants. Is that Iko? You're not sure. A lump of something's burning on the ground near them.

What do you do?