By Jason C. Marshall (JCMarshall@sympatico.ca) for the Celetial Court.
A pair of massive gold dragons stood on either side of the central platform. A lone woman stood upon the platform, dressed in traditional robes and holding a sword made of gold.
She raised the sword and her voice, though quiet, carried the length of the hall.
"My children. We are here to welcome a new member of the line into the fold."
A lone kindred walked forwards from the wings and bowed to the woman. He then walked forwards and knelt. He bowed his head and held out his hands, palms up.
The woman reached out and placed the sword in his palms. "Are you worthy?"
The man nodded. "Then prove it. Destroy me."
The man looked at his bloodline's progenitor. Lung Jih smiled. "It is a direct order. Destroy me. Put the sword into my breast and sever my head."
The man rose, the sword gripped in one hand.
"Do it!"
The sword rose and swung. Their was a explosion of light and Lung Jih vanished in a blaze of color. The man stood there, sword still in the strike position.
Lung Jih stepped out from the shadow of the left statue. She walked forwards and took the sword from the man. She touched him lightly on each cheek.
"Good."
She turned him to face the assembled kindred.
"My children. Welcome our newest to your fold."
The amassed kindred nodded in unison. A single voice of acknowledgment echoed from them.
Though Lung Chiute's attempt at rising to power was unsuccessful, one major thing occurred during his short three year rule of the outer provinces. His daughter met and was embraced by a wandering Gangrel, who's name is lost to the history books, but many hint that it was the first childe of Leliah, who was the second childe of Lilith, founder of Clan Gangrel.
At first Lung Jih hid her condition, feigning sickness and ill health, but her older brother soon discovered her new found unlife. He questioned her for hours in private. Servants are said to have heard Lung Cao shout, rant and rave, even strike his sister. Through all of this she evidently did nothing except talk in a quiet voice. When Lung Cao left the room he was deeply changed, both physically and emotionally. At some point, not only had Lung Jih convinced him of the benefits of her new condition but had also ghouled him.
The following evening, in final battle between Lung Chiute and Sun Jian's forces, he fought like a demon, claiming dozens of lives in defense of his father. In the end, though, he watched as his father died, pulled from his horse and run through by multiple swords.
Following the battle he watched as the general dragged his sister from her room and hurled her to the ground next to him. Lung Jih managed to convince Sun Jian's general into letting her live through the use of both her looks and her new found disciplines. He agreed, but only if she were to become his wife. She initially refused, but then the general offered to spare the life of her bother Lung Cao. She reluctantly agreed.
In the following months Lung Jih and her brother were taken across China to met with Sun Jian himself. The ruler was immediately taken in by her looks and mannerisms. Lung Jih beguiled him and ghouled him. His "death" some two years later was seen as a bad omen for the house's future. In reality Sun Jian was been embraced by Lung Jih and joined her and Lung Cao in the creation of the Jen Lung, the first house, that of the Dragon.
As the years passed, the newly created Lung bloodline oversaw the rise to power of Sun Jian's family. They also saw two other major families rise to power also, that of Cao Cao and that of Liu Bao.
The fledgling Celestial Court attempted to influence the outcome of the coming battles for control but soon discovered another bloodline of kindred manipulating the descendants of Cao Cao and Liu Bao. They were known as the Kwai Tao.
The resulting final war saw the near decimation of the Kwai Tao and the Lung rise up into power. Though the Lung survived more intact, they realized the need for allies and so Lung Jih let Sun Jian create a bloodline of his own.
Sun Jian's childer were warriors first and politicians second, a perfect combination to the politician first and magician second Lung.
The initial meetings between the remaining Kwai Tao, Lung and Jian bloodlines saw Lung Jih and Lung Cao dominate the meetings and soon the Jen Lung was created. They immediately began setting up rules of conduct for all kindred in China. The formed the first Dragon Council and issued the first set of royal decrees.
The Celestial Court was born.
The Court was originally headed by three of the Jen Lung, Lung Cao, Lung Jih and Sun Jian. They took up the titles of T'angs, overlords, of the Celestial Court. They relegated the Kwai Tao the position of elite soldiery within the soon to be created Jen Pao. The Lung experienced many growing pains in the following decades. They suffered from internal strife in 581 AD. Rebellious upstarts attempted to seize control of the Lung bloodline. They were put down and then sent into exile.
It was just after the discovery of the Orient by the hung mao, or Europeans, that the Celestial Court erected the mystical wall around China so that they would be able to tell when other kindred not of the Court entered the country.
Members of the Lung contacted the Chinese Wu Lung mages to assist them in the construction of the wall. The Wu Lung elicited an alliance pact of non-intervention with the Celestial Court for their services.
Centered along the Great Wall of China, the Dragon Wall, as it became known was the Celestial Court's strangle hold over the country and the beginning the Jen Lung's domination of the kindred within its borders.
The Lung grudgingly agreed to let the Dragon Wall be dropped when Hong Kong became a trade port. They made sure that the incoming kindred were all met and dissuaded politely that setting up into China was a bad idea. Unfortunately the Ventrue managed to eventually seize Hong Kong. The Lung early await their chance to return to the city and deal with any Camarilla kindred left.
When the Japanese invaded the Lung retreated in the face of the Japanese kindred, who had brought with them mages who harnessed kami, spirits, who aided the invading troops. When they finally left the country, the Lung drove their troops hard into the formerly occupied territories and reclaimed all. The Lung swore revenge on the Japanese kindred.
When China became a communist state, the Celestial Court backed the idea totally, the Lung the most of all. They had already taken control of many of the communist party's members, including the party head.
"They gave us life when we were owed nothing for our service. Since then they have proved a most competitive ally."
Pao Yu: These warriors our are pride and joy. Cultured and trained by our allies the Jian, they are the best.
"We are proud to call the Jen Lung master."
Kwai Tao: As the old saying goes, keep your friends close and your enemies closer.
"We wait. Soon it will be our time again."
Tong Chu: They have helped create the myth of the Jen Pao. Because of them, we have the fear needed to deal with the unworthy.
"We are proud of our place in the Jen Pao. We have found our niche are content."
Men Hu: We weren't aware of this bloodline until it made it presence known by the assassination of several opposition members. We are thankful and have awarded them status.
"The first part of the plan is complete."
Shu: Rats. As the name implies, so does our attitude. They are the lowest of the low.
"They rant and rave about how they're so high and mighty, about how they rule us, body and damned soul. How wrong can they be."
Ch'i chu: They say that they are merely watchers, but we suspect more.
"We watch and record, nothing more. It is this that they fear, the knowledge that we hold."
Mui Tsai: That this bloodline has managed to become as large as it is, is surprising. We suspect that they are ruled by controlled by others.
"Our lot has been cast and we follow it as well as we can."
Yu: A stoic and steadfast people. They are seemingly content in their ways.
"We have never had trouble with the prestigious Lung."
Camarilla: Hmmm, our Hung Mao cousins. They can be trying at times, but at least they keep the masquerade as we do. Perhaps one day we can join with them.
"Well, they have had their masquerade longer than we have. They do keep tight reign on dissidents and haven't suffered anything remotely like the Anarchs or Sabbat yet. Hmmm, all in good time I guess."
Shogun te: Ahhh, our cousins in Nippon. They are a dying breed and soon we will step in to govern there as well.
"They are without honor. They have no concept of war or of diplomacy. If any enter then death shall follow."
Sabbat: These kindred are barred for all times. If any enter they are to be destroyed.
"Self-absorbed, short-assed bastards. They think they're so good, keeping 'their' masquerade and having kept us out for so long. Just they wait till we get our hands on them"
Note also that most Lung are proficient in feng shui, the Chinese art of geomancy (it can be found in the World of Darkness 1st edition on Pg 99-100.)