Isle of the Golden Dawn

Overview:

The "Golden Isle" is a small and mountainous island. To the west lies the Endless Sea, to the east lie several small islands and the mainland known as the Greater Continent. The cultural and religious centre of the Golden Isle is called the "Temple of the Four Winds". This monastery is set at the base of a great mountain known as "Amon Tez". A small city has gradually evolved around the Temple. This is known simply as the "City of the Temple", or Temple City, and has become the centre of commerce for the Island.

The rocky and treacherous southern coast is home to a tribe of Sea Elves, as it has been for centuries. They keep to themselves and are rarely seen by humans.

Occasionally, ships arrive at the island to trade with the monks of the Temple and other inhabitants of the Island, exports include fish, rice, and silk.

The monks of the "Temple of the Four Winds" have lived on the island for almost two centuries. The Island is a place of peace and tranquility. The monks live their simple lives of prayer, farming, and spiritual development towards enlightenment.

The Temple (or Monastery) is a centre of great wisdom and learning, its origins coming from the Island of Lao-Shang almost two centuries ago. Many pupils are sent as children to the Monastery by their parents with the knowledge that the education gained there is unique. This is not to say that adults do not also enrol themselves at the Monastery. These later students must pass tests of entry to show their aptitude before being admitted to the brotherhood.

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History:

The original Temple of the Four Winds was built on a plateau in the northern mountains of Lao-Shang. There the monks were greatly respected and the temple endured for many centuries. It became a matter of prestige to defeat a monk of the Four Winds or to join the Temple, neither was an easy task.

In the year 128 (Melgaran Age of the Empire), the Kanpaku (Regent of the Emperor) of Lao-Shang called upon the monks to help defeat an invading army from the north. Two hundred and eighty seven monks responded to the call, and marched out to intercept the advancing army of several thousand. The monks not only managed to stop the advancement of the army, but they succeeded in routing the enemy army completely. This was such an alarming display of power that the Kanpaku eventually sent his own army against the normally peaceful monks. The army laid siege to the Temple for four months.

Meanwhile, there was a monk in the Temple by the name of Yeamon. He was one of the monks who refused to answer the call of the Kanpaku and go to battle. To recover from his perceived loss of face, he made a private and most treacherous deal with the Kanpaku. In return for his assistance in gaining entrance to the Temple, Yeamon would be made grandmaster of a new Temple in its stead.

Late one night, Yeamon opened the gates for the waiting army and the soldiers charged into the Temple. A great battle raged within the Temple’s walls and much blood was shed. But Yeamon’s treachery did not end there. The evil monk pretended to fight with his fellows for much of the night but, at a critical moment, he turned on his brothers and slaughtered them, for his fighting prowess was formidable – even by the Temple’s standard.

After the monks were killed Yeamon searched for the body of Grandmaster Yoshi but he could not be found. In a rage, Yeamon set fire to the Temple and it was razed to the ground. Meanwhile, Yoshi saw the futility of trying to save the Temple and was escorted out of the Temple by ten monks, many of these were previously injured in the battle. They escaped through secret ways to the coast where they were welcomed by a faithful patron of the Four Winds. This man gave them his sailing vessel and provisions, and the monks set sail that very night into an uncertain future.

The eleven monks were sailing north for more than a day before the Kanpaku learned of their escape. He sent several of his fastest ships but foul weather prevented them from finding the fugitives. The monks, also, were beset upon by severe winds and a storm drove them far off course. Storms were very common in those parts. Their boat was overturned and they would have drowned but for a tribe of Sea Elves. The Elves rescued the monks and carried them to the island on which they lived. The Sea Elves recovered most of their provisions and invited the monks to stay on the island. It didn’t take long for the exiles to settle down and continue their peaceful, simple lives. Today these monks are reverently referred to as "the Eleven Fathers" (even though four of the monks were female).

Later, the patron who helped the monks escape was captured by the Kanpaku. He was rescued by members of his family and they, also, managed to leave the island along with rest of his family. Once again Sea Elves discovered the family as they floundered in a storm and delivered them to the others.

A great mountain existed on this island, and work on a new Temple of the Four Winds began in the valley at its base. A new age of prosperity was foreseen by Grandmaster Yoshi, and so he named the island, "The Isle of the Golden Dawn".

Geography and Climate:

The Isle of the Golden Dawn is a small volcanic island which lies between the Endless Sea and the land mass known as the Greater Continent. It measures about 150 miles from the east coast to the west coast and about 50 miles from north to south.

With the exception of Temple City, most of the island’s inhabitants live in villages in the fertile plains to the north-east of the island. The western half of the island is quite mountainous and home to few people but several small tribes of goat-herders.

The southern coast of the isle consists of rocky, barren shores with dangerous cliffs and fierce winds. The treacherous sea is never calm here and ships have been smashed upon the isle’s jagged rocks. There are many caves and pockets in the cliff-faces and some of these caves spend more time under water than above it. It is these caverns that are home to the reclusive Sea Elves. Some of these Elves are the same ones who rescued the Eleven Fathers almost two hundred years before. The long-lived Elves are rarely seen by other inhabitants of the island.

The climate is mild on the average; with warm, wet springs; summers that are usually hot and wet; mild autumns; and cool, dry winters. On the north-eastern plains the climate is sub-tropical with patches of steamy rainforests that are more common in southern lands such as Sthyssia and Ling-Tzu. The rice paddies need little irrigation due to the regular periods of rain.

It snows regularly during winter in the Sunset Mountains to the west, but temperatures never drop below freezing in the east. Most of the severe storms and cyclones blow in from the Endless Sea in summer, but the Sunset Mountains stop their fury, and most of the Island is spared the destructive force of these winds.

Flora and Fauna:

Common crops include wheat, rice, rye and hay. Eastern forests are sub-tropical and consist of the large, broad-leafed trees commonly found in rainforests. The mountainous half of the island has sparse forests consisting of spruce, pine, cedar, and mountain ash. The monks cultivate a few healing herbs as well as a handful of spices which they export to the Greater Continent.

There are no large or dangerous animals on the Golden Isle. Farmers keep cattle, sheep, swine and chickens. In the mountains, goats are herded rather than cattle and sheep. Cattle consists mainly of oxen which are used for transport as well as heavy work in the fields. Horses are rare and very expensive. In the Sunset Mountains there lives a small flock of Great Eagles. The farmers from mountain villages have a curious arrangement with the Eagles, whereby they leave a weekly offering of sheep or goats and in return the Eagles don’t steal from the farmers’ herds. The Eagles are capable of flying great distances very quickly and never fail to find food sources to support their enormous appetites.

People and Cultures:

The Golden Islanders are a curious mix of Lao-Shangeze and Lunarian stock. When the monks first settled on the island, the first people to make contact with them were the Lunarians (who were known to be great explorers and adventurers). Some of the Lunarians settled on the island and their descendants are there to this day. Over the generations the two races have intermingled and gradually blended into one race.

Generally the Golden Islanders are of average height and slight build. Their fair, slightly yellowish complexion is unique. Their noses and eye slits are narrow like those from Lao-Shang, but their eyes are subdued and colours range from brown (like the Lao-Shang) to blue or grey (like the Lunarians). Hair is almost invariably dark brown or black and is usually straight. Most monks keep their hair short and many shave it off altogether (this is compulsory for Sons in training at the Temple).

Clothing consists mainly of kimonos or tunics, loose pants, and sandals with a wide sash tied about the waist. Farmers wear only loose pants and no top. Monks at the Temple wear the traditional blue or grey kimono tied with a black sash, no footwear is permitted within the walls of the Monastery.

Religion:

The Temple of the Four Winds is the religious and cultural centre of the Golden Isle. The monks don’t worship any one deity, nor do they have any strict religious disciplines. Rather, they respect and pay tribute to all of the deities and spirits of nature, and strive not to please nor displease them, but to understand their ways and attempt to live in harmony with them.

The philosophy of the Monastery is pseudo-religious, respecting above all the power of the individual. The monks undergo spiritual training which emphasises the simultaneous development of both mind and body. To this end they become masters of combat forms, both armed and unarmed, not to become great fighters, but to learn their own physical powers and limitations. The Temple teaches a philosophy and a way of life to its pupils. These pupils undergo a rigorous mental discipline, honing their minds to perceive and understand the mysteries of the cosmos.

The ultimate goal is to achieve "enlightenment" or Tao. Also known as "the Way", Tao is not a god or after-death destination, but a state of being. It appears in the simple, the tranquil, the flexible and the spontaneous. Ultimately, Tao stems from Wu or "nothingness", and can only be attained by wu-wei, or "non-action". Tao was once compared to water, which is infinitely yielding, but eventually wears away stone. Anyone who achieves Tao, achieves excellence.

Karma

The basic concept is that karma is shaped by your actions, so it pays to think carefully about what you are doing and why. It is believed that every human being goes through difficulties in their lives in order to learn about themselves. This may be why some people go through similar problems over and over again, because they did not grasp the lesson the first time.

The monks believe that the path towards the Tao lies in the ability to cease to create karma. As a person ceases to be an instrument of thought they operate more and more as an instrument of expression. Eventually they become their pure Self. This, in turn means moving towards ending the cycle of birth and rebirth on this planet, and within all the universes of duality. As a result of this, the being becomes spiritually free, becoming an instrument of expression for Spirit and able to move onto the next level of existence.

"…once you discover this Light and learn to live by it, your whole existence will be changed. Love will permeate your very being and it will burst from the pores of your body, transmuting all dross into sterling gold. Love is both the means and the goal of life. Love, Light and Life are but different facets of the Tao. Try to become a channel for the Tao and the Tao will then flow through you. This is not something impossible, but it is the very pinnacle of all human endeavours."

- the Book of Pan Chan.

Light and Dark

There cannot be one without the other. The monks believe that in order to achieve true balance, one must acknowledge, understand, and work with both. Darkness does not necessarily mean evil. Darkness encompasses such things as death, and all the things that are traditionally viewed as "negative", but that are also perfectly natural and necessary aspects of the cycle of life. A lioness is not considered "evil" because it kills the zebra. Likewise the zebra is not considered "good" because it is the innocent victim. Nature does not pretend that darkness does not exist - in fact darkness is an integral part of life, and without it there would be no balance. To have no darkness would be like having day without night, light without shadow, life without death, etc.

Society:

The Monastery is the central authority on the Isle. The Inner Council is the governing body of the Monastery and hence, the rest of the island. It is formed by the Grandmaster, the eight Masters of the Ways, the four Masters of the Winds, and any retired brothers (called "Seekers") who wish to attend. It also sometimes includes the Master of the Hwa-rang (see below) if his knowledge is required. The council is responsible for the actions of the Isle as a nation, and for the administration of its laws. Each village has its own resident master who maintains order. These masters are answerable to the Inner Council.

Policing of Temple City is performed by the Hwa-rang - a type of itinerant Police Force. All Sons in training must spend some of their time in the Hwarang.

Status ranks are as follows:

• Grandmaster (1)
• Masters of the Winds (4)
• Masters of the Ways (8)
• Seekers (0 - 10)
• Masters (20 - 30)
• Brothers (variable)
• Son (200 - 500)

New students (of either sex) at the Monastery are called "Sons" and training usually lasts between ten and fifteen years. The students are given many trials and tests during these years. This culminates in what is called "the Test of Leaving". About ninety percent of students drop out before reaching the Final Test.

Upon successful completion of the Test of Leaving, the student progresses to the level of "Brother" and is free to leave the Monastery, having completed the training. Many Brothers take to wandering the land in search of personal understanding and enlightenment. Others use their skills for the destruction of evil and do the bidding of the Inner Council in the outside world. Some monks even settle down in society, usually with a family.

Occasionally, a monk will return to the Monastery after years of wandering to follow his own personal path. These are given the title "Seekers". They have no responsibility for maintenance (including their own), their daily needs are provided by the Monastery. Many are philosophers or scholars who have led a full life and have returned to the Golden Isle to seek further personal insight in semi-seclusion.

Under each Master of the Way (see below) there are several Masters who help with the training of that "Way". These Masters are usually of different Winds (or Realms) and thus can teach various aspects of each Way. The Masters usually instruct the younger (less advanced) Sons, while the Master of the Way dedicates his time to those Sons who are nearing the end of their training.

Any Brothers within the Monastery also help with the training. This is usually done informally when there are large classes or when each student requires individual attention.

There are eight Masters of the Ways. Each specialises in, and is head of one particular school within the Monastery. Each school represents one particular aspect or Way that is dealt with at the Monastery. All schools teach each of the four Realms and the Masters of the Winds (see below) teach at each of the eight schools in turn.

Masters of the Ways

• Master Junel - Master of the "hard" style of unarmed striking arts involving the use of hands, feet, elbows, etc.
• Master Wanel - Master of the "soft" style of unarmed combat. It includes sweeps & throws, locks, avoidance, etc.
• Master Weapon - Master of martial weapons in all their forms and styles.
• Master Body - Master of the body, knowledge of gymnastics and acrobatics, anatomy, healing, strike zones (vital points), etc.
• Master Spirit - Master of control of the inner self. Self discipline, chi development, meditation, etc.
• Master Lore - Master of knowledge, keeper of the Library.
• Master Mentor - Master of teaching, administers training programme.
• Master Gate - Master of "interactions". Diplomat, psychologist, he interviews new students and takes care of negotiations with outsiders.

There are four Masters of the Winds. Each of these Masters was once, previously a Master of the Way. So each of them can be a Master of any one of the eight Ways. They don’t belong to any one school, rather, they divide their time teaching at the different schools in turn. Each Wind represents one of the four main Realms of Knowledge: Arms, Stealth, Magic, and Spiritual.

Ever since the founding of the Temple of the Four Winds, there has been a Grandmaster. He is the wisest and most proficient of all the monks. He is the father and Master of the Monastery. All look to him for spiritual guidance and support. He has the final word in all affairs concerning the Golden Isle and can overturn a decision of the Inner Council if he deems it wise. When a Grandmaster dies or abdicates his position, a new Grandmaster is chosen. This decision is made by the Inner Council and the new Grandmaster is usually selected from one of the Masters of the Winds.

Politics and Power:

The Isle of the Golden Dawn is a politically neutral state owing no allegiances to any of the great powers. In the year 170, Magna Terramaris sent envoys to the Golden Isle. The monks agreed to pay an annual tribute to Magna Terramaris in return for peace. These days the tribute is still paid but in the form of education for Melgaran nobles (although these children receive no special treatment, Melgarans are taken into the Monastery before students of other nations are chosen). It is extremely rare for Melgaran nobility to complete the Test of Leaving. Many drop out long before this stage. Most wouldn’t be accepted at all except for the previously mentioned arrangement with the Empire.

Students have travelled from every known country to study with the monks. From Norland down to Sarahahl, it is universally acknowledged that the Temple of the Four Winds offers the finest education in the known world and Brothers of the Monastery are welcomed in almost every court.

Due to the influence of Yeamon on Lao-Shang during the early history of the Golden Isle, the monks are considered deadly enemies of Lao-Shang.

The Law:

There are very rarely serious crimes on the Golden Isle, and most of those are perpetrated by outsiders - usually traders or sailors. For minor offences, trials are usually small, private affairs, being conducted by the Master of a local village. Fines are typical punishments and the money is given to the victim, or treasury of the local village. The accused defends himself and the aggrieved party acts as prosecutor. Trials are usually fast moving, emotional, and heavily reliant on the judges opinion of who is right or wrong.

More serious crimes are conducted by the Inner Council. These trials are very rare. The worst punishment is banishment from the island, the punishment for returning is slavery. The death penalty is never given.

Golden Islanders tend to be law-abiding, probably due to the fact that most of the population has studied at the Monastery at some time in their life, and their spirits have been guided towards peace and spiritual harmony. There is also a close bond between them as most of them are related in some way - nearly everybody can trace their family lines back to one of the Eleven Fathers.

The Hwarang is responsible for conducting captures and arrests. Criminals are held in a temporary cell in a local village to await a trial. The only permanent prison is in Temple City but criminals do not spend much time there. They are quickly placed on trial and subsequently punished.

There is no general law regarding the carrying of weapons on the island. Unless a student is training with a weapon in the Monastery under the supervision of a Master, it is forbidden to carry a weapon in the Monastery grounds. It is deemed an insult to the spirit of the Temple. Those bearing weapons will be severely reprimanded and asked to surrender them immediately. Those refusing to do so will be asked to leave.

Warfare:

The Isle of the Golden Dawn has no standing army to speak of. As previously stated, most of the island’s population has studied at the Monastery and are quite capable in the way of arms and combat. In the Island’s two hundred year history, there has never been any internal strife or civil war. All threats to the island have come from other nations.

Whenever a hostile force threatens, the Inner Council can summon a force of almost one thousand armed monks from the Monastery and Temple City in less than a day. In another day, nearly five hundred more monks can be mustered from the various villages. Every able bodied person on the Isle will answer the call of the Inner Council, this includes women, children and elderly monks.

Economy:

The Golden Isle has no mint so any currency comes from foreign markets. Bartering, the trading of goods and services amongst themselves, is how the economy functions. Hard currency is rarely used except in Temple City, and with outside traders.

Many families are almost entirely self-sufficient, almost everybody is either a farmer or a fisherman. People come to the city to trade for hard-to-get items such as needles, fine thread, certain tools, and other small items and finished goods.

Temple City is the capital of the Golden Isle and it is here that people come to trade. With a population of less than five thousand people, it is hardly a city compared with those on the mainland.

The Isle’s main exports are rice, fish, paper, and silk. Paper is made from rice rather than wood pulp and its quality is almost as good as the rice paper produced in Ling-Tzu. The original silk worms were brought from Lao-Shang by the Eleven Fathers. There are only three known places that trade in silk. One of which is the Golden Island. The other two are Ling-Tzu and Lao-Shang. Many merchants prefer to come to the Golden Isle because the political intrigues of Lao-Shang make it very dangerous for outside traders and Ling-Tzu is too far to travel to make it worthwhile.

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Organisations and Groups:

The Hwarang

This group was formed as a kind of town guard for Temple City. Originally it consisted of volunteer monks from the Monastery, but now every Son must serve in the Hwarang for a period of six to twelve months. This is a formal part of their training and is one of the few times that a Son in Training is permitted to leave the grounds of the Monastery.

These days the Hwarang does not limit itself to the city, they can be seen patrolling all over the island. The size of the island is quite small and it is possible to walk from one end to the other in less than five days. This makes it possible for the Hwarang - who have horses - to respond to a disturbance anywhere on the island, quite quickly.

The Hwarang consists of between thirty and sixty Sons, four to six Brothers, and one Master. They also have access to about two dozen light horses and all weapons in the armoury of the Monastery. They wear no armour of note and have no special uniform. The Master of the Hwarang serves until he dies or retires voluntarily.

The Silkspinners

This is probably the most powerful guild in Temple City, even more so than the Merchants Guild. These people control nearly all of the silk on the island. It has been said that "he who controls the silk trade controls the island." This may or may not be true, the Guildmaster of the Silkspinners has always respected the Grandmaster of the Monastery and has remained loyal to the Inner Council. Should the Silkspinners ever threaten the security of the Golden Isle, you can be sure that the Inner Council will take very strong measures indeed.

The only silk that is not under the control of Silkspinners Guild are the small silkworm caves hidden at the back of the Monastery. Most outsiders don’t even know that these caves exist.

The Thieves Guild

Of all the known towns and cities throughout the world, the City of the Temple is one of the few places where a Thieves Guild, of some sort, does not exist. The Hwarang has an almost supernatural ability to find and capture nearly every lawbreaker on the island. This may be due, in part, to the low population and small size of the island, as well as the close bond between most inhabitants. It may also be due to the genius of the current Master of the Hwarang. The Grandmaster once said that he had the finest criminal mind he had ever known.

Places of Note:

The Temple of the Four Winds

Nestled in a valley near the Sunset Mountains - which take up the entire western third of the Isle - lies the Monastery. It is a centre of great learning and wisdom. People from all over the world travel here to learn from the monks of the Four Winds.

The Monastery itself is a series of buildings in a valley bordered at one end by a huge mountain, called Amon Tez, and at the other by a bamboo wall with a gate, opening out onto a short, bamboo-lined road leading into Temple City. It is in this compound that students stay for a period of more than a decade to study and learn the ways of the monks.

The outer wall encloses a compound of considerable size in which many monks reside and train. The area enclosed is roughly semi-circular. Buildings are placed around a central quadrangle in which a great deal of the training and teaching takes place. A waterfall falls in a secluded corner of the compound and a stream meanders its way through a cut channel under the wall and out into the valley.

The following buildings exist inside the compound:

Hall of Leaving

This is a double storey, wooden structure against one of the walls. It is here that students undergo most of the tasks involved in the "Test of Leaving".

The Teaching Hall

A large, double storey, wooden building consisting of a special training hall and various smaller training and teaching areas.

The Masters’ Hall

This building is where the various masters reside. It is a single storey, wooden structure. Each Master has his own room, the Grand-master has several rooms.

The Halls of Residence

These are the sleeping quarters of all non-masters staying at the Monastery. The Halls consist of three storey, stone buildings. They contain large dormitories for the junior students and many small cell-like living quarters for the more senior Sons, visitors, Brothers, and Seekers.

The Worldly Hall

This is one long, low, single storey wooden structure. It consists of a large food preparation and eating area as well as several smaller areas devoted to washing etc.

The Library

This building is made of both stone and wood. It is two storeys tall and contains a basement which is used as a vault where valuable or irreplacable tomes are kept. Very few people know of the vault’s existence. The Library is one of the greatest prides of the Monastery. Although it is not the most famous, nor the world’s largest, it is quite unique. Unlike the greater nations of the world, the Golden Isle does not have zealous and wealthy sages acquiring tomes of awesome expense and rarity. Instead, the Monastery relies on the generosity of its patrons and the promise of transcripts, to acquire works of quality and significance. Furthermore, the Library contains many unique works written by Brothers.

Usually, the Library will loan a work from some other source and transcribe two copies. One copy is retained, the other is returned with the original. This is most often done by Sons in training, and supervised by Brothers of the Library.

It is expected of all Brothers that they, at least once in their life, return to the Monastery to write of their experiences/life since the Test of Leaving. This account is kept in the Library and is made available for all monks to consult. No strictures are placed upon the style or volume of the account and these vary widely. All works in the Library are stored chronologically and indexed by author.

Amon Tez

By far the highest mountain on the Golden Isle. The Monastery is located at its base and its peak is lost in the clouds. Many monks have attempted to climb the mountain but none have yet succeeded. Its sides are steep and most treacherous, small avalanches are common at higher altitudes and patches of ice make it even more dangerous. Emanating from the rock at higher altitudes is a strange aura which dampens all attempts to cast magic spells near it. The only way to reach the top is to either physically climb or fly. The Great Eagles revere the mountain and will not allow any mortal to stand upon the summit of Amon Tez.

Miscellaneous:

The Tasks of Pang Chan

Pang Chan was the son of Grandmaster Yoshi (the founder of the Golden Isle) and in turn he, also, became Grandmaster. Pang Chan was probably the most accomplished monk of the Four Winds of all time. One legend tells of how Pang Chan defeated a god in ritual conflict. This event is used to illustrate the victory of understanding over faith, and the waning influence of the gods.

The Tasks of Pang Chan is essentially an apocryphal biography of the Grandmaster’s early life. It describes his travels, his deeds, his feelings, and how he came to achieve enlightenment and master the Tao. It is not known who really wrote this work. It almost certainly was not Pang Chan.

In particular, the book highlights tasks which the Grandmaster attempted during his travels and failed to achieve. Many of these were subsequently mastered after he had greater experience and more training, some were not. Those goals that were not achieved by Pang Chan have not yet been achieved by any monk of the Four Winds. As such, Pang Chan is regarded as the consumate monk. Every member of the Brotherhood strives to live as Pang Chan lived, and every monk has read and memorised the Tasks of Pang Chan. Many have lost their lives attempting to emulate the legendary Grandmaster.

The most significant of the uncompleted tasks was reaching the summit of the great mountain Amon Tez. This is often referred to as "the Task of Pang Chan". It is prophesied that when someone eventually climbs to the top of Amon Tez, the event will mark the return of the lost Grandmaster. The climber will automatically become Grandmaster of the Golden Isle. Indeed, it is said that the master of Amon Tez will "ascend to divinity" and become even greater than Pang Chan.