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Message: <blockquote data-quote="ForceUser@Home" data-source="post: 255421" data-attributes="member: 4945">Session One, Part 1LEI SAT at a creaky table in the dim eating hall of the hostel, pushing rice around his bowl with a finger. A warm mug of wine brushed his hand, and his leather scale armor creaked as he shifted his weight and adjusted the chakram on his belt. He was a young man, fit and strong, and still had most of his teeth. His nose lay at an angle; victim of a youthful brawl, and his muscled arms bore the scars of battle wounds recently healed. The noise in the hall was tremendous, as local laborers ate and laughed and talked with the fervor of howling monkeys, while weary travelers, mercenaries, and merchants relaxed from their day on the dusty road.It had been a hot, dry summer in Thang Long. Lei had spent the better part of the season looking for a lucrative contract with a wealthy merchant, but that endeavor had yielded no fruit. The money he’d made fighting in Burma had run out, and he was preparing to move on from this quiet little empire to bloodier – and riskier – regions. ”The question,” he thought as he absently stirred his food, “is which is the better prospect - Champa or Xiao Lung?” The Chamdar king had long ago set his eyes on Dai Viet and Siam, so there was opportunity there for mercenary work. On the other hand, the Mongol overlords of Xiao Lung always had a need to maintain order in some far corner of their vast empire; work there was guaranteed. Lei was loathe to work for Mongols, but they did pay well.As he sat and mulled over his prospects, a pair of men entered the hostel and scanned the room. One was tall and aristocratic of bearing, with red robes of state trimmed in gold. His eyes were sharp and heavy-lidded, his face gaunt, and his beard thin and wispy under a nobleman’s round, flat-topped hat. A mandarin. To his left and slightly behind, a shorter but thicker man flicked his gaze around the eating hall, never resting his eyes on anyone for too long. His muscles bulged against a remarkable suit of iridescent banded mail, and across his back lay strapped a massive two-handed scimitar, gilt in gold, with an ivory-and-gold handle carved to resemble a noble T’ien Lung dragon in flight. The dragon’s head was the sword’s pommel, and its eyes were inlaid with emeralds. Lei always sat with his back to a wall, a habit he picked up while campaigning. Thus, he noticed the entrance and bearing of the two men. As he watched them survey the room, the mandarin looked in his direction, paused, and began to stride through the busy restaurant toward Lei. Peasants and merchants bowed quickly and hustled out of his way.   “You are Long Lei, of the Giang province of Xiao Lung?” asked the mandarin.“Uh, yes.” Lei half stood up from the bench and bowed cautiously. “What can I do for you, your honor?”The official sat down at the table, arranged his robes, and spoke. “Your reputation as a fighter distinguishes you from the caravan-guard rabble that the merchants here choose to employ. I am Yao Ren Phai. I wish to hire you to bodyguard an employee I value. There is travelling involved. I will pay you 200 taels now to put you on retainer, and an additional 120 taels per fortnight until further notice.” The mandarin – who in announcing himself as “yao ren” indicated that he was a sorcerer as well as a government official – looked at Lei and waited.“Ah…um, that sounds good,” ventured Lei, taken aback.  “What is this employee’s name? And where will I be travelling?”“He is Nguyen Qai Tran. He is staying at an inn not far from the east gates. You will travel where I require you to travel. Are the terms acceptable to you?” The yao ren squinted at Lei and absently stroked his whiskers. The bodyguard scowled and looked around.“Yes, um, yes. Thank you, master Phai. I will seek out master Tran at once.” Lei stood and bowed again, confused. This was not how he normally did business, but the pay sounded terrific! “Then it is done. Report to Nguyen Qai Tran at the Singing Serpent hostel. He will direct you further regarding your duties.” And with that brisk dismissal, the mandarin stood and walked away. Once again, the crowd parted to let him pass. The bodyguard, who had not been introduced, paused to scowl again and toss a pouch at Lei. It clinked when it hit the table. Lei sat and stared at the pouch for a while. A smile crept across his face, and he reached for it.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</blockquote>

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