TAO QI GUI

(taow CHEE Gway)

By Chris Jones (dartfrog@hntp2.hinet.net)

Description

In a world where the light of the sun doesn't shine as brightly as it did in ages past, and the darkness of the human heart eclipses the inner light innate in every human soul, there is one race of creatures that remains almost unaffected by the perpetual downward spiral of society: the Tao Qui Gui. Known throughout history as mischievous pranksters, the Tao are, in truth, not as devious (nor half as ill-tempered) as the traditional stories relate. In fact, mischief is not so much a function of their behaviour as it is a side effect of their lifestyles. Chinese mortals often relate grim faerie tales of the Tao to their children, hoping to terrify them into proper filial respect for their elders and family: As the saying goes, a child who doesn't know his duty to his family doesn't deserve to have a family, and it is often whispered in dark voices that the Tao steal away such children right from under their parents' noses. What they do with them once they have them is best left to the imagination, the parents say. This myth, however, couldn't be further from the truth as the other Jin will attest. The other Kithain regard these awkward little disjointed goblins as the creation of a seriously twisted and warped imagination, and when one walks into the room everyone in his right mind heads for the nearest exit at top speed. But not because the Tao are malicious, evil little child-napping imps. Quite the contrary, actually. They usually have very pleasant personalities, if you can get past one undeniable hitch: the Tao are absolutely insane.

From the moment of birth until their last breath is exhaled, the Tao doesn't see the world the way other mortals or even Changelings do. While it can be said that every Jin ever born sees the world through their own rose-coloured shades, thanks in part to the Glamour that infuses them to the core of their being, the Tao actually look at it through someone else's eyes entirely. Like Don Quixote in the famous novel by Cervantes, every Tao ever born is unable to differentiate the reality in their heads from that of the world around them. In ancient times, when the Dreaming was still a part of the world of Man, they knew no reality other than what the ever-shifting chimerical world gave them, and this is still true today. Visions come and go to them as often as other people change their clothes or minds, and with each new arrival coming down the line, the Tao are seamlessly able to integrate themselves into the new 'scenario' or 'story' with no fore- or after-thought whatsoever. Naturally, those Kith that are present while this happens tend to know not what to anticipate at any given moment from the Tao. As can be expected, Bedlam tends to follow them around like a tame wolf. To further compound an already strange situation, the particular personal fantasies that occupy a Tao's mind are not limited to them alone. For reasons unknown, they have a connection with the Dreaming that no other Kith can even begin to comprehend.

The elephant-eared Zhu Ru historians claim, in their typical authoritative tones, that the Tao were birthed from an aspect of the Dreaming that many Kithain are afraid to even admit exists: Madness. Some scholars go so far as to theorise that this aspect is the one that is closest to the essence of what the Dreaming really is (not even the Jin can totally grasp the mystery of its nature, it would appear, and much debate is devoted to it). Whatever the case maybe, the Tao certainly have a special of connection, for no other Kith is as close to the ephemeral Dreaming's true nature as they are. As a result, they are like big rocks falling in to a calm pond where-ever they go. The chimerical aspect of the world all around them will always conform to whatever visions are dancing around inside their head, and this is what more often than not drives the Kithain up the wall and into the waiting arms of Bedlam. All chimerical objects and creatures suddenly take on appearances and behaviourisms appropriate to whatever movie is 'now showing' in the Tao's head, shifting as rapidly as the visions come and go. Needless to say, this can be quite maddening. This in and of itself, the augmented Don Quixote syndrome, does not make them insane. The Tao are actually quite well adjusted to this 'camera obscura' through which they view life. As the Indian Buddhists say, "all is maya" and for the Tao this is true. The power and beauty (and sometimes terror) of the Dreaming is woven so deeply into their nature that it could be safely said they are but remote satellites of a deeper, underlying reality where the only truth is what you make of it, swirling around like little chaos balls in a boiling pot of water just waiting to reunite with one another and fuse, only to create something bigger, grander, and yet more unpredictable. When a group of Tao get together (in what they call 'crews'), the only certainty one has is that anything can and will happen. It is well known throughout the Middle Kingdom that when a crew forms any Jin caught 'out in the open' are at high risk. Word travels swiftly to all Freeholds, warning them in no uncertain terms to bar their doors against their arrival. Some local lords and ladies of the Court have even passed decrees outlawing all Tao from coming within a 50 mile radius of their Freeholds. Just because the Tao are immune to the effects of what they have wrought doesn't mean the other Kithain are. They tend to inspire Bedlam where-ever they go, and where a crew goes it is guaranteed that more than a few Changelings will disappear in a cloud of Bedlam induced vapour.

The particular madness that afflicts the Tao does not come from Bedlam, which they are (not so strangely) damn near immune to (except the third stage, which is a Holy Grail that they actively seek - it is the 'ultimate rush', a head-long plunge straight into the great cosmic blender that ultimately reunites every Jin with the Dreaming). Instead, their madness has it's origins in Banality, that harsh slap in the face that never stops reminding the Jin that they are more than just a bit odd. Like the Xian, and their Western cousins the Sidhe, the Tao, too, are highly susceptible to the frequent kick in the teeth that Banality delivers. They suffer exceptionally hard from it as it stands for more than just the total antithesis to everything the Jin hold dear, it's a cold bucket of water in the face; it's glass of milk when you wanted gin; it's a Jean-Claude Van Damme flick when you were expecting Jackie Chan; in short, it's a total downer, man. Nothing rains on a Tao's parade like Banality does. Given the way they perceive the world, it is understandable how the cold mundanity of everyday ordinary life washing away their kaleidescope dreams can drive them slowly insane. History and experience have shown that people rapidly lose their minds when their world-view's get pulled out from under them. With the Tao, they go stark raving bonkers and they have the big 'B' to thank for that. As Jin go, they don't last long.

It should be added that the Tao do not forget their friends (or enemies), nor the events that have occured during their chaotic roller-coaster lives. They just get, well, reinterpreted in a new light each time the visions come. Their memories are amazingly clear, and they can remember events, minuscule details, or insignificant trivia from long past with astounding clarity. They seem to never forget anything and this makes many wonder whether or not this is the source of their inspiration for each new vision. Who can say? One thing is certain, though, the Tao do make life interesting. So, with all this going for them, what do they do for fun?

Appearance

It is written that a very long time ago, when the world of the Dreamers was still young and fresh out of the Sundering, the Tao got lost on their way into the world and ended up in the land of various animals. Not knowing the animals weren't, in fact, the Dreamers, they mimicked their forms as best they could (and given their special affinity for the Dreaming, this must have certainly been impressive) and set about harvesting Glamour and insults from them (who says animals don't dream?). Well one day, the now famous Sun Wu-Kong, the King of the Monkeys (and one of the more clever Tao), got bored with a life of picking fleas and masticating banana pulp and so began a long and glorious career in Wandering. Eventually, after trashing Heaven and turning Hell inside out (that is another long story...), he found his way quite by accident into the land of the Dreamers. Imagine his surprise when he learned he and his brethren had taken a wrong turn at Nan Liao and had been living all that time amongst the dullard animals (who do dream, by the way. Just not in Technicolor)! Promptly, he returned and informed his brothers and sisters of their error, and shortly thereafter the Tao moved on to the land of the Dreamers. Unfortunately for them, they had become too accustomed to their animal forms. When they reformed in a more humanoid shape, they were dismayed to discover that they couldn't lose their animal characteristics. To make the short of a long story shorter, the Tao look like anthropomorphic animals, and no two of them look alike. Bird Tao all have different bird features in different places (one might have a full-fledged beak while another might have a human mouth but a small malformed beak for a nose...), and Monkey Tao all have varying monkey body parts, and so on. Unlike their cousins the Yao Jin, the Tao cannot become the animal they (sort of) resemble. But they can become more human looking (see below for more on that ability). Unfortunately, even in a more human state they still retain features of their animal heritage. Sun Wu-Kong, for example, when impersonating his friend Zhu Ba-Jie's fiancee, looked just like her except for the rather peculiar tail sticking out the back of his dress. And his ears were a bit large...

It should be noted that quite a few of the Tao possess characteristics from more than one animal.

Seemings

You Chong (Childlings) haven't yet developed all of their animalistic characteristics, and so they appear the most human of the three seemings. Also, their 'madness' is far less severe than the older Tao, and so it usually they who act as emissaries to the two Courts on behalf of their people (despite their immaturity). Yet it should be remembered that they are still kids, and as such their 'fantasies' often take on a very twisted bent (imagine how illogical kids are when they are playing 'make-believe'...).

Yong (Wilder), having 'matured' considerably, are much more creative and imaginative than their younger counterparts (and more linear in their make-believe). Being young still, they crave Grand Adventures and will do anything to instigate one (or invariably turn even the smallest challenge into an Olympian Quest and an all new set of visions). Their animal features are coming in quite clearly by this time and they proudly strut around like peacocks sporting shiny new feathers. Wilder are becoming certifiably insane by now.

Cheng Chong (Grumps) are the epitome of the insane grandfather every family keeps locked up in the house at family reunions. They are nutty in extreme, and bedlam strikes them down swiftly. As such, there are very few Tao who survive long as Grumps. Those that do resemble most the animals they were in past lives while still retaining their basic humanoid shape.

Lifestyles

Most Tao who can afford any kind of lifestyle don't actually live according to it. Their lives tend to revolve around the visions bouncing about behind their eyes and so they invariably end up living lifestyles that fit with whomever they currently believe themselves to be. Of course, in the mortal world their eccentric behaviour gets them thrown into asylums more often than not, but that doesn't really count as a lifestyle, does it?

Affinity

Scene

Birthrights

Camera Obscura: To claim that this birthright is one of the more bizarre ones out there would be a severe understatement. It is because of this single ability that most Tao throughout history have been so avoided. Because of their odd relationship with the Dreaming, the Tao seem to be afflicted with a permanent case of Don Quixote syndrome. However, the private little fantasies playing out inside their heads are not as private as everyone would wish. Not only do the Tao see the world (of both Man and the Dreaming) through a filter where everything conforms nicely with their 'take on reality,' but this filter also extends outward into the immediate vicinity of the Tao. When one walks into the room, all Jin present notice that the chimerical aspect of reality suddenly transforms, conforming to what the aforementioned Tao currently believes. This is a natural and, to use the term loosely, somewhat subtle effect. Any Kithain that does not wish to 'participate' in the 'vision' at hand need only spend a temporary Willpower point for the rest of scene he will remain 'immune.' The Tao, though, have been known to pull people (Jin and mortal alike) in 'deeper,' so deep in fact that the victim actually suffers from the same Don Quixote syndrome as the Tao. The Tao does this by spending a number of points in Glamour equal to the victim's current Willpower rating and rolling his own Willpower against a difficulty of 8. Each success means that the victim will be afflicted for 1 day. This can be broken automatically by anyone willing to invest a number of temporary Willpower points equal to the Tao's permanent Glamour rating into the victim. While the Tao are generally quite independent of one another, they have been known to get together and form 'crews.' When they do, they somehow subconsciously all decide on a single shared fantasy. No-one knows how this is accomplished; suffice to say that it is. In these massive shared realities, the dominant Tao is, of course, the central figure, while the others take on the roles of 'supporting cast.' In the unfortunate event that an innocent bystander gets pulled in, he too will become a 'supporting cast' member (though if there are 'casualties' guess who's the first to go? Right, the unnamed Ensign in the red security shirt...) Rumours abound that some few Tao are able to suppress their innate ability to transform the chimera around them, though no-one has ever witnessed this. It has also been said that some Grumps are able to alter the mortal seeming of the world, but those who have done it usually end up dead as powerful, unknown spirits from somewhere suddenly appear and consume them. It is theorised that these spirits are Banal Chimera, but again no-one has ever witnessed this happening...

Man of 1,000 Faces: While the Tao's natural form is something more or less like an anthropomorphic animal, they do have the ability to shift 'forward' into a more human like form. Unfortunately, no matter how human they look, they will always retain some characteristics of their "manimal" form. Curiously, like the ever shifting chimera that surround them, this ability also allows them to assume the form of other people. This is done by spending a Glamour point and rolling Perception + Empathy against a difficulty of 8. The number of success determines the number of successes needed by casual observers to notice the 'difference' between the Tao and the original person (the animal features that aren't lost in the shifting are pretty good give away). They tend to use this ability a lot when they form crews and need a 'supporting cast' for the fantasy they are participating in (again, this is almost all unconscious...).

Frailties

Bedlam's Bedfellow: Because of the chaotic nature of the world in which they live, the Tao always seem to be in a permanent state of Bedlam. Even in the mortal world their delusions still drive them and inspire them, but for some reason they are amazingly resistant to the Dreaming madness that infects the other Kithain. Banality, on the other hand, affects them more than anyone else, including the patrician Sidhe. Tao characters begin the game with one Dementia, and for each permanent point of Banality they gain once the game begins, they add an additional one. Dementia's can range from the simple (such as a new 'invisible companion' who just can't resist pulling pranks on all your friends) to the complex (The Man has come and explained to you exactly why and how you must conquer the world), and can never be lost despite the fluctuation of the character's Banality rating. Naturally, these Dementia's affect a Tao's socialisation, but rather than load the player and Storyteller down with a bunch of cumbersome mechanics representing this it would be better for the both the ST and the player to roleplay this out.

Quote

"Pop quiz, hotshot. A bus loaded full of explosives leaves LA at 2:00pm, and a train leaves Chicago at 3:00pm, both headed for Dallas doing 50mph..."

Outlook

Mei: Excuse me. (Sound of feet running away.)

Wang Liang: About as attractive as a juicy booger. Have you ever heard one laugh?

Xian: They serve us well.

Yao Jin: Like us but different.

Zhu Ru: "Zhu Ru...feel like I do?"

Boggan:Great fun to watch during the Winter Olympics. I love To-bogganing.

Eshu: Gesundheit.

Nockers: Did someone fart?

Pooka: Never heard of them.

Redcaps: I highly recommend pushing them down an elevator shaft.

Satyrs: They're like only better cause you don't have to pay.

Sidhe: Why they hate us so much, I'll never understand. No, on second thought, that's not true...

Sluagh: These guys tell great ghost stories. Brrr!

Troll: "It was a dark and stormy night, and the Troll was sinking..."

Author's Note

The Tao Qi Gui are known among the Japanese as tengu. The most common types are those which were once birds in their past lives.