Story 1: Land of the East
"Here we go again."Nikolae stepped off the boat and planted his feet in the Chinese harbor. The crowd behind him quickly shuffled passed him into the town, as Nikolae took China into view. Nikolae had heard about the beauty and exoticism in the great land of the Orient before. If those stories were true, what the hell happened? Telegraph poles and trash bins are scattered on throughout the streets. The buildings are of a Western-Romantic era style, a train and it's station are positioned to the northeast of the Prussian. Nikolae had seen Japan industrialized, but this was ridiculous, it felt like he was back in Europe!
Shrugging, Nikolae walked off the harbor, and stopped before crossing the street to let a marching regiment of Imperial Army pass him. Right behind them a large roofed wagon rolled past, but it was small and it had no horse. Nikolae realized this was a car! Times had change since he'd lived off of continental land, as cars, once just novel and for sport, were now used by as a practical source of transportation. Moving on, Nikolae took a breath of the air, and began his adventure in this new country.
Nikolae's armament contains a Winchester 1895, which he purchased for a good price off an American Merchant, to complement his old Wrustbalgr Longsword, a blade that's been kept and tested by Nikolae for many years now.
Name: Nikolae Kriegsmacher
Gender: Male
Age: 30
Faction: Neutral Foreigner (Deutschland)
Religion: Protestant
Primary Weapon:
Secondary Weapon:
Attributes:
+: Agility, Perception
- Stealth, Intelligence
Health: Normal
Inventory: Winchester 1895, Wrustbalgr Longsword
Had it been weeks or months now? It didn't matter. All Antonio knew was that it was good to be out of Spain, and now, out of Europe. There would be no way for anyone to track him now. Tacking winding paths and anonymously boarding trains, getting out of Spain was the hard part. Now it was just simply using his remaining money to hire rides until he reaches China. Currently, Antonio was riding in a private carriage to his final destination. All lawful lands are lawless lands when war breaks out. The bandit grins just thinking about the legends of China's hordes of gold, silver, bronze, jade, and jewels hidden all across the land. While musing about his future, the Spaniard falls asleep.....
Hours later, as mid-night turns to early morning, the Afghan driver wakes Antonio up. "We're arriving soon." Antonio yawns and stretches his arms before peeking out the carriage windowless door. The bandit questions, "Here? All I see are trees and mountains!" The driver adds, "Just a moment..."
The carriage makes a turn and there it is: a huge city bustling with people and animals, right in the distance. However, Antonio notes that the bricked style of the buildings of the city look Middle-Eastern, and he almost questions whether he's still in Afghanistan when the carriage passes by a sign in unmistakably Chinese script. Just short of a downwards path, the carriage stop. "We can't go any further," states the driver, "as the Chinese like to stop any foreign carriages and carts here since they could contain invaders. But it isn't far....and I'd like my payment please."
Antonio is holstering a Stattmacher, a prized Austrian-Hungarian gun he'd picked up in his looting. In a pouch on his side Antonio carries five Vasic Grenades, the earliest design of the true hand grenade that would be used even a century from now. They are heavier and produce less shrapnel then their modern counterparts, but explode to the same effect.
Name: Antonio Fernandez
Gender: Male
Age: 27
Faction: Bandit
Religion: Catholic
Primary Weapon: Rifle
Secondary Weapon: Bombs
Attributes:
+: Perception, Intelligence, Charisma
-: Strength, Endurance, Dexterity
Health: Normal
Inventory: Stattmacher Rifle, 5 Vasic Grenades
Henry had the authority right on his tail. It was pitch-black, but gunshots, horse-hoofs and dogs were sounding loudly behind him. He was racing down the steep hill, his gun empty and his knife missing. He ran forward for cover, but it turned out the open space in front of him was a concealed cliff face which he was at the bottom of. Henry turned around to see the police chief riding at him full speed, but not on a horse, but the top of a train. Just before it struck him, the train whistle blew...
Henry bolted awake in his seat. The other passengers gave him a second's look, before standing up and disregarding him. He looked out the train window. The landscape was a beautiful rolling valley. Outside there was the boarding platform, and past that a trading outpost combined with a small village. Henry made a small smile, there was no way anything in his past would no out of all places in the world, he'd end up here. He stepped out to start his new journey in this foreign land.
Henry is holstering a 1899 C Mauser Pistol, a classic German gun, and a Throatcutter, an English knife modeled after the American Bowie.
Name:Henry James
Gender: Male
Age: 42
Faction: Bandit
Religion: Protestant
Primary Weapon: Pistol
Secondary Weapon: Knife
Attributes:
+: Strength, Agility, Instinct
-: Stealth, Charisma, Dexterity
Health: Normal
Inventory: 1899 C Mauser Pistol, Throatcutter
Chen woke up to the sounds of a collection of gongs. Stretching, Chen got up from his bunk and slipped on his military uniform. For him it consisted of a blue, robe-like two-piece wear for both his upper and lower body. He slips into a his pointed-toe black shoes and looks around. It seems that most of his comrades have awaken before he has. It's been three months since he had started training in Xin Lo, a village sympathetic to the boxers and that has allowed them to use it as a base. After seeing the economic downturn of china, Chen left to join the rebel cause. After washing up in the barrack common bathroom, Chen steps outside the barracks to survey the outlying area.
It's the same as usual. Near the fields in the center of the village, Boxers are already training and sparring in the field. The captain of the regiment barks out messages like,
"The foreigners may have an infinite number of guns and cannons, but a thousand tons of gunpowder does not way more than a true man's fighting spirit!" Meanwhile, other Boxers are heading to the dining house to get their breakfast. Meanwhile, Chen sees high-ranking officials walking into the village library which now doubles as the commanding center of Boxers in the region. After taking this in, Chen now decides how to start his day....
Chen carries two weapons. One of them is his Yamo, a Qiang (spear) that starts as a basic wooden staff, but is sectioned off by a spiral spear-handle before ending with a pointed metal spearhead. His other is a Zhuge Crossbow, a common type of crossbow with repeating capabilities, allowing it to fire nearly as fast as a rifle.
Name: Chen Yu (Style name Zijin)
Age: 22
Faction: Righteous Harmony Society
Religion: Buddhist
Primary Weapon: Spear
Secondary Weapon: Crossbow
Attributes: (Leave them blank except for + and - Attributes)
+: Endurance, Agility, Toughness, Stealth
-: Intelligence, Will, Instinct, Charisma
Health: Normal
Inventory: Yamo Spear, Zhuge Crossbow
Leia sat leaned her back on the railings of the steamboat as it sailed through the Chinese river. To start her career she'd need to report all interpreting findings in this mystic land to the west. However, as she brought her pen down on her journal, she could come up with nothing. Back in the Philippines, she'd manage to snag a ride on an American steamer carrying Filipino and American soldiers to assist in some great struggle in the Chinese mainland. Perhaps Leia would even see some action about how these Asian mainlanders carried out the ancient art of war. (One of their men even wrote a book on it!)
As her writer's block began to annoy her, the American ship thankfully docked on a port to the side of the river. Looking behind her, Leia could see the Americans had set up some sort of military town. There were small houses, which looked to have been taken from Chinese occupants, as well as small, "lemonade-stand" style shops where food and wares were being sold by mainly Chinese merchants. How interesting. The battalions of Alliance soldiers thundered into the town, and Leia followed behind them on the first step of her new experience.
Leia carries a sheath at her hip containing a Kampilan Sword, a hereditary sword Leia had received, it was an ancient weapon that dominated Filipino warfare with it's large size. In a shorter sheath Leia carried a Machete, a hacking and slashing tool important to many aspects of not only warfare, but daily life.
Name: Leia Sano
Gender: Female
Age: 21
Faction: Neutral Foreigner: Philippines
Religion: Catholic
Primary Weapon: Sword
Secondary Weapon: Knife
Attributes:
+: Agility, Instinct, Charisma, Dexterity
-: Endurance, Perception, Toughness, Luck
Health: Normal
Inventory: Kampilan Sword, Machete
Kenshin had fought the Chinese before in Korea. And he was at it again as a veteran. He was stationed in a forest settlement, a town under Japanese and British control. The English had been a major influence in the Imperial Japanese war, and Kenshin found them an interesting bunch of people. They drank their tea not for inner peace and calming, but like it were a tonic that they would die if they didn't ingest it. They preferred thrusting swords unlike their French or German counterparts with their slashing blades. Strangest of all, to the system to personally know an Englishman was backwards; you had to approach him with discussion of politics, science, philosophy, religion or some other grand subject. After a few discussion, then you could finally discuss things like his family, his feelings and his tastes. Kenshin never could see how such a secretive group could have produced the jovial loud Americans.
For his task on-hand, Kenshin was assigned to patrol the forest for any sign of Muslim Braves, which had been rumored to be scouting the region. Although he would never admit it, Kenshin had a bit of both inner fear and lust for facing this enemy. They wore old-fashioned gear, similar to the Samurai of his own country. During the Shogunate-Imperial war when he was a child, Kenshin's uncle had been sliced to pieces by a Samurai, but he was too young to ever face them. But now was his chance, and they were like a futuristic Samurai, one who screamed like a warrior, but did it shooting at you with a rifle. Kenshin was eager to see any, excitedly stepping out of the forest village. There were caves, ditches, and streams which could all have Brave warriors about them. Now Kenshin decided on which ones to search....
Kenshin carries a Voile Sabre, a French sword he had obtained towards the end of his first campaign from a French arms dealer. In his holster has a Taurro Revolver, an Italian long-barreled six-shooter he bought just before being sent out to quell the Boxer rebellion.
Name: Kenshin Gato
Gender: Male
Age: 24
Faction: Eight Nation Alliance (Japan)
Religion: Kakure Kirishitan (Hidden Christian)
Primary Weapon: Sword (Western style military sabre)
Secondary Weapon: Revolver
Attributes: (Leave them blank except for + and - Attributes)
+: Strength, Will, Charisma
-: Perception, Stealth, Dexterity
Health: Normal
Inventory: Voile Sabre, Taurro Revolver
Wang took the last sip of his noon tea. He was currently stationed at an encampment with his company in Northern China. The others milled about and bantered as they waited for the news to arrive. A messenger would give Wang and his men their first mission in the quest to fight for the empress. How anyone could oppose her Highness was above Wang's understanding, as the Empress and her court were the reason China had not fallen to pieces over her trials and tribulations in the past. But that was an arbitrary thought, Wang's duty was to fight for the empress no matter who her enemies may be.
In that sense, it wasn't the Boxers Wang was concerned about. You see a rebel, you kill him. It was the Eight Nation Alliance. In one area, the Imperial Army and the foreigners could be working together in a cooperative effort. Just a few villages over and they could be killing each other. Every foreigner had to given caution, no matter how helpful they initially seemed. Wang took another sip but remembered his cup was empty. He set it down.
After a few dull minutes, the stallion and his rider arrived. As the company gathered around, the young messenger declared:
"The duty of company N-39 will be to clear the northern Jokpi Mountain Range! It is of the utmost importance that this area is safe of invasion." The group took in the information with mixed feelings. On one hand, mountain travel and fighting was difficult in mountains, one of the toughest terrain in China next to the desert and jungles. On the other hand, it would stop the monotony that crept in with staying at a quiet camp all day. The company leader, a graying mustached captain, saluted the messenger off. As he rode away he bellowed, "You heard him men. Gather any belongings you have and preparations you want to take, we're off in an hour."
Wang is armed with a Turkish Saber, the most famous and straight-forward of the sabers which trickled into China from the Middle East. While a majority of the soldiers of the Imperial Army used rifles, Wang carried around a Musket. While rifles were faster to shoot and could hit farther away, anyone hit with a musket ball, even just the arm or leg, would be out of the fight and crippled, and dead if not healed quickly.
Name: Wang Tsaongpa
Gender: M
Age: 35
Faction: Imperial Army
Religion: Buddhist
Primary Weapon: Saber
Secondary Weapon: Musket
Attributes:
+: Endurance, Perception, Intelligence, Instinct, Charisma
-: Agility, Toughness, Stealth, Will, Dexterity
Health: Normal
Inventory: Turkish Saber, Musket
Somewhere in the western United States, a young boy walks up to his father on a cool June night. "Hey pa', whatever happened to Charley Dalarko?" The youth jumped up upon his father's lap. "Old Dalarko huh? Well, people say many things. Some say he was cornered by a group of rival stick-up men and was gunned to death. Others say he changed his name and moved east to become a businessman. But I think he's just somewhere out there right now...."
Charley Dalarko is in Beijing.
He has a Mauser Pistol and a Bowie Knife.
((I'm pressed for time tonight. There ya' go. :3))
Name: Charley Dalarko
Gender: Male
Age: 31
Faction: Bandit (US)
Religion: Catholic
Primary Weapon: Pistol
Secondary Weapon: Knife
Attributes:
+: Endurance, Perception, Intelligence, Instinct, Charisma, Luck
-: Strength, Agility, Toughness, Stealth, Will, Dexterity
Health: Normal
Inventory: Mauser Pistol, Bowie Knife
Author
Topic: 'Yìhétuán Yùndòng': The Great Boxer Rebellion (Story 11: Chinese Standoff) (Read 24145 times)