Difference between revisions of "Talk:Ashura"

Jump to navigation Jump to search

Talk:Ashura (view source)

Revision as of 23:47, 23 July 2007

18,478 bytes added ,  23:47, 23 July 2007
a student should flesh this page out...i give all ze history!
 
(a student should flesh this page out...i give all ze history!)
 
Line 1: Line 1:
This is one of the few very sparse house pages we have. it really needs to be embellished and updated because as it is, its a house blurb. --{{User:Askiva/sig1}} 01:56, 23 July 2007 (GMT)
This is one of the few very sparse house pages we have. it really needs to be embellished and updated because as it is, its a house blurb. --{{User:Askiva/sig1}} 01:56, 23 July 2007 (GMT)
Yay References!
The History of the Ashuran Monks
By Daijin Reyn, Ashuran Tiger
Much of the events leading up to the founding of the Ashuran
monks on the 4th of Lupar, in the year 267 AF, are shrouded in
mystery as not much was written down.  At the time, the world was
booming despite the war raging across the lands between Ashtan and
Shallam, markets were flooded with low-price goods just as the
first trade laws were being implemented, (Venom prices etc). But as
most warriors tend to think of the present rather than their own
posterity, nothing could be found of our opening ceremonies or
initial city honors.  Beyond generalities and an announcement by
Tranquility (ASHTAN NEWS # 1317), nothing specific was stated
publicly of our rise into guildhood at all save for one remark:
Elder Statesman Napoloen, Sage of Darkness, now known as "Protector
of Ashtan" welcomed the Ashura into the city of Ashtan:
"I (would) like to welcome the Ashura to Ashtan.  While I believe
they were all already part of Ashtan, it is a pleasure to see that
they have officially become part of the city of Ashtan.  I wish
Tranquility, and the rest of the Ashura founders fortune in their
future endeavours."
ASHTAN NEWS # 1336
Yes, we were already a part of Ashtan well before our official
founding, but the land we call home used to belong to another
organization, the Church of Achaea.  With much of the Divine's
attention previously where we now stand, one could call the area
surrounding our guildhall almost blessed, or cursed..... More of
this will be discussed in the next chapter.
One thing I did find that seems odd, is another group of monks
that were formed in the same year as the Ashura, calling themselves
the "Telusian Monks".  No further record of their existence can be
found at this point, though at the time they were headed by "Dominic
Greywind, Light of Oneiros", now known as the "Grandmaster of Peace".
Of course the warlike, in a world of Divine rivalries will prosper
and those calling for peace will be largely ignored and this could
explain their disappearance.
PUBLIC NEWS # 7786
Origins
Long ago, the Church of Achaea had an outpost on the hill north
of Ashtan.  After the construction of the highways, funded by the
church, the ancient cities of Shallam and Ashtan were grateful for
the increased trade revenue the project had brought to them and
allowed church outposts to be built within their walls.  Ashtan's
simple laws, allowing freedom of all kinds played a role in their
presence as they sought to actively recruit from the population, but
these same laws also secured their eviction from the city....
It is written that Servelan de Vermiis was the greatest of the
Occultists and perhaps the greatest mortal in modern Achaea.  Being
overlord of Ashtan and a skilled manipulator of men and women alike
she had free reign for personal experimentation, building the
Vermiis Orphanage, or the "Loving Hearts Orphanage".  It was in this
place that children were (are?) subjected to experimentation aimed
at extracting fluids from their pineal glands so arcane magics could
be performed with them. "It was ..., in the presence of Isildur,
that she performed the seminal experiment that would merge her with
the Unnamable Horror, father of Humanity, and thus become the first
mortal to achieve Ascension. She is now known as Eris, Goddess of
Chaos."
But there were those who took a stand against these experiments,
notably a man named Gawain.  It is possibly the greatest irony that
the man credited with trying to save countless orphans was also the
first mortal to kill another man, slaying Harlequin, an occultist
deeply involved in such experiments.  He built a halfway house in an
attempt at saving these children but to no avail.  The great founder
of the Templars, now called the Paladins ended his career as a
broken drunk.
The Templars' ties to the church need no explanation, and
backing Sir Gawain and his project, the church drew the Ire of
Ashtan's ruling class at the time, many of them deeply involved with
the occult.  The church's vocal opposition to the occult practices,
and it's attempts to stop them did in fact break the laws of Ashtan
detailing one's freedom to do as they like as long as no citizen is
harmed.  As orphans are not official citizens they weren't protected
by the laws of the city, and hence, the church was evicted for
unlawful actions.  This sparked a chain of events that would
eventually lead up to the shrine wars between Ashtan and the
church's host city Shallam.
And so it was that the land passed to an order of monks called
the Kharon.  Nestled deep in the seclusion of the Dakhota Hills, they
were a war-like order, and continuously fought with Ashtan.  Legend
has it that the guild often besieged the city and after one such war
they were offered a settlement.  They would stop attacking the city
and join it, gaining free access in exchange for helping defend it
from southern invaders.  They accepted the offer and relocated their
monastery within the city walls and took over the old church grounds.
Being only 39 years old at the time, the guild was relatively young
and the offer of a city home and support system was gladly accepted.
For years the Kharon fought for the city helping to repel many
attacks and joining in offensives alike.  But after a time they began
to disagree with city politics.  Some in the city were pushing for
peace with Shallam and the warlike Kharon rejected this attitude.
After many chose to ignore their position, they finally broke ranks
with Ashtan and the Kharon monastery was removed stone by stone and
relocated to the village of Hashan in Lupar, 238 AF.  It seems odd
now that being upset about a movement for peace would make one move
to a peaceful village out of protest, but it wasn't their first
choice.  Originally planning on a move back to the Dakhotas, they
were thwarted when the Gods decreed that all guilds belong to a town
and Hashan was the only option.  Regardless, this was a devastating
blow to Ashtan, one of it's fighting guilds leaving for a peaceful
village in the middle of nowhere. Seeing Ashtan weak for the first
time Shallam used this as an opportunity for many sieges.
But not all of them left.  Some remained behind, still loyal to
Ashtan, though their monastery was now half a world away.
Empty once again, and with only a building foundation, the land
went unused for 29 years.
Foundations
In an almost constant war with Shallam for decades, the city of
Ashtan, bolstered by the power of many remaining Kharon monks showed
great strength, but their soldiers were leaving.  Over time, one monk
after another chose to leave for Hashan to be with their brothers...
Hashan was the child of Lord Twilight who insisted that all
guildmasters and new inductees be citizens of their host town... and
so it was.  Existing guild members were allowed free choice of
allegiance but becoming guildmaster of the Kharon in 251 AF, Skarash
was forced to leave his position as Archon of Ashtan for the quiet
little village. This left Tranquility as one of the last of the
powerful Kharon with Ashtani citizenship.
Eight years later, Skarash abandoned Hashan for his true city,
gladly handing the title of guildmaster of the Kharon to Tranquility.
But Tranquility refused to leave Ashtan.  Drawing outrage in Hashan
for his blatant disregard for Hashanite law he was branded a fugitive.
Now Napoloen and Neokove (the leaders of Ashtan and Hashan at the
time), were both high ranking members of the order of Lord Twilight
and it may only be coincidence that the two immediately drafted laws
stating that they would not harbor fugitives from the each other's
cities.  Tranquility, now in violation of the new Ashtan law was cast
out.  With nowhere else to go, he joined the Kharon in Hashan.
This was a time of much infighting in Ashtan, as old laws were
being tested by new situations, new laws were suddenly being applied
to old situations, and many great warriors were beginning to leave,
fed up with underhanded politics getting in the way of their swords.
ASHTAN NEWS # 1045
In the year 259 AF, returning to Ashtan, Skarash found the city
he had left behind was hardly the power it had once been.  Years of
petty bickering and constant shifts in city leadership pitted one
agenda against the next as the power hungry waged a constant war of
words in every medium available to them.  With such a high turnover
in leadership positions no city work was actually getting done as
those in power had an average of a couple weeks to implement their
agendas, and often were cut short before their plans for the city
had any result as another took over their position.  So instead,
they spent their time looking over their shoulder constantly, afraid
that with the slightest show of weakness and with one minute spent
NOT campaigning, ten people would be ready to contest for their
position.  All the while, as the city's mortal enemy, Shallam,
continued its assaults, weakness was beginning to show in the great
city of warriors.
ASHTAN NEWS # 1087
Then in 261 AF, as if things weren't bad enough, many of the
infernals suddenly abandoned the city after their guildmaster, Raajin
was evicted for killing a citymate.  Raajin had crafted an alliance
with Tarlin, head of the Paladins of Shallam.  This very well could've
ended the long and costly war and he insisted Ashtan honor a brief
truce while they met with city officials.  But Mordyval would have
none of it.  This man's hatred for Shallam and all of it's inhabitants
boiled over when he heard that a shallamese knight was actually going
to be allowed within the city walls... with his head still on his
shoulders!  He immediately attacked Tarlin and Raajin jumped to
Tarlin's aide, killing Mordyval, and condemning himself to being
outcast.  Furious at their leader's expulsion a large group of
infernals, showing solidarity, joined their leader in exile.  They
eventually called themselves the Exodus Battalion and lobbied to form
a knights guild in Hashan to no avail.  It is perhaps the greatest
irony that the most evil of all knights, now the Maldaathi, were
nearly torn apart after they chose to defend a Paladin.
These events left Ashtan's once great armies gutted and in a
pitiful state.  Time after time Ashtan was defeated by Shallam at
every turn.  Landmarking (claiming important landmarks for either
good or evil) became an effort in futility as Church members greatly
outnumbered the Ashtani and frequently claimed every last landmark.
This increased their power while hindering Ashtan's, who's guilds
often require dark forces for their skills.
ASHTAN NEWS # 1269
Contests for Archon positions continued at a feverish pace as
greed and loyalties divided the city and turned people on each other.
It was in these turbulent times that those once loyal to Ashtan,
regardless of it's current condition began to return.
As the only fighting guild in Hashan, the Kharon were expected
to defend the entire city, and the rest of the peaceful citizens
weren't expected to reciprocate.  They found no defense or comradery
in Hashan, only service.  And that service never seemed to be
rewarded as most Hashanites chose to live in the village to avoid
the war.  If a Kharon was attacked, nobody would come to their aide
or speak up for them as peace was their only defense.
Fed up, Tranquility and a group of other Kharon monks finally
left Hashan, never quite getting along with its leadership, and
returned to Ashtan.  All was forgiven as this was possibly the most
critical time in the city's modern history and great warriors were
direly missed.  The law that had forced Tranquility out was
immediately declared "null" and in the year 267 AF they formed the
Ashuran monks, named after and ever loyal to the great city.  It
was not entirely coincidence that the war between Ashtan and Shallam
turned around suddenly when Ashtan began to work together again,
it's armies strengthened by some of the most powerful monks in the
world.  On or about 273 AF, a treaty was signed ending formal
hostilities though sporadic skirmishes continued for decades after.
ASHTAN NEWS # 1317, 1415
Warriors
To some it would seem a fool's task.  To leave a powerful
guild of monks, disenchanted with their leadership and their
loyalties, and to form another guild with but a handful of war
hardened warriors.  But this is exactly what Tranquility and a few
intrepid souls, his founding secretaries Skarash, Kindral and
Aedessi set out to accomplish.
They would form a guild with values not based on some code
of humility or benevolence.  The Ashura were bred from the oldest
of warriors, it's leadership knew only war since they could
remember and this showed in the training of young applicants.
Strict and harsh methods were employed that not only turned away
some novice recruits, but some younger Kharon that had switched
sides as well.  One of these methods was not telling a new
applicant where the initiates journal was located, allowing them
to wander the city streets for as long as it took to find it.
Some never did.  It was this type of methodology that weeded out
the weak and those who could not think for themselves.  This was
a guild of war.. not a tea club.
ASHURA NEWS #4
Lord Aegis, God of War personally favored the Ashura as its
patron and a new monastery was built on the foundations of the old
Kharon hall.  Atop the same hill that the church once held just
before the Shrine Wars, the Ashuran monastery now sits, having
symbolically captured the hill of their ancient enemies in the
church.
ASHURA NEWS #1
Life wasn't easy in the beginning.  Mistakes were made by
many parties and as we lost several of our brothers back to the
Kharon, a secretary named Enoc stepped up to fill the position
of Archdragon as Tranquility was stepping down. Formally contesting
in 278 AF, he won.  It was agreed that the portrait of the founder
would remain in the guildhall after very little debate, as
Tranquility was still highly respected and quite esteemed.  Without
him the monastery itself wouldn't exist.
ASHURA NEWS # 30
Time passed and many battles were won.  Guild laws were
hardened, as were the warriors within, and many new Deshi arrived
at the monastery, having heard that the Ashura were considered the
most powerful of all monk guilds at that time, as it is in the
present.  A rivalry with the Kharon was cultivated and a guild
war quite nearly broke out between the two as Gijan and Element,
two Kharon, resented the upstart outdoing them in every way
imaginable.
ASHURA NEWS #7
But as time passed, Enoc was seen less and less frequently
and soon Xandu challenged him as Archdragon.  Sunrise followed
suit and after a quick election, came out as the winner.  Others
would follow and our line of succession has seen many great
leaders, Shusen, Ryukishi, Galrog, Revelation, and currently
Rennyn.
Notables and Credits
As time stops for no man.. we are here today, the same as
before.  A powerful guild, the greatest monks in all of Sapience,
but we are slipping.  Now is the time that we must return to our
core values and uphold guild ethics and laws.  The future looks
bright for us all, but let us not be swayed by the insignificant.
Every day fades into night.. and every night is shattered by the
light.  We have not always been.. but we will always be as long
as what is important to us, remains important.
A look into the past grants visions of the future, and now is
the time to honor those who have come before us, with the hope
that their strength continues to linger and their voices continue
to echo through the halls of our monastery.  Below is a list of
notable Ashuran Monks in no particular order.
Azzazzello - A past guild secretary, known throughout the land as a
legendary fighter with near perfect technique.
Shlymysten - A past guild secretary, a tenacious and outspoken
warrior and an excellent tactician.  He was a fine leader.
Xandu - A past guild secretary, he was an adventuresome sort, was
always trying new things in combat, even poisoned weapons to assist
with telepathy.
Tranquility - The guild founder, and first Archdragon.  The reason
we are here, he is known as one of the most feared warriors in
existence.  He was also a former Guild Master of the Kharon.
Aedessi - One of the founding group of Ashura and an original
secretary.  Her skills at organizing guild functions helped get the
Ashura started quickly, and her skills as a mediator solved many
problems.
Enoc - The second Archdragon, replacing Tranquility.  He was an
excellent leader and former OrderHead of Lord Aegis' Order.
Sunrise - The third Archdragon and organizer of many guild events.
He resigned, taking up a quest for the Staff of Divination, never
to find it.
Shusen - The fourth Archdragon, he was an outstanding motivator with
skills in organization that helped smooth out a rough guild
structure.  He oversaw many guild events.
Ryukishi - The fifth Archdragon, was an excellent fighter and a
rolemodel for the guild.
Galrog - The Sixth Archdragon and a former Renshi.  He was an
excellent fighter, even though his role as Archdragon didn't last
very long.
Revelation - The seventh Archdragon.  One of the guild elders,
wise and knowledgeable, he oversaw many changes in the training
structure of the guild.
Skarash - A former Guild Master of the Kharon monks and overseer
of Ashtan. Leaving the Kharon and Hashan behind, he has returned to
Ashtan and currently basks in the glow of retirement as a senior
Ashuran monk.
Kindral - One of the founding group of Ashura and an original
secretary.
Thanks to:
Selene's Beloved Beauty, Alynna Le'dominae-
    For information about the Kharon occupation of the guildhall
    lands.
Skarash Azon
    For handling a countless number of questions regarding pre-
    founding Kharon monks and the Shrine Wars.  Patience comes with
    age and Skarash has an abundance of both.
Tranquility, Founder of the Ashura Monks
    For his accounts of history and explanations of city allegiance.
Kohai Aswan Darkwind, Wandering Tiger
    For helping me find relevant information.
Sempai Oburi Kimura, the Rising Dragon
    For his remembrances of great Ashuran monks.
And finally I would like to thank Jaemon.  Had he not given me this,
or rather, allowed me to undertake this task, you'd be bashing right
now instead of learning.  Long live the Ashura!
--{{User:Askiva/sig1}} 23:47, 23 July 2007 (GMT)
Askiva
7

edits

Retrieved from "https://wiki.achaea.com/Special:MobileDiff/23011"

Navigation menu