WUXIA INSPIRATION: TAI CHI MASTER (TWIN WARRIORS)

Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate (WHOG) draws on a number of sources for inspiration. I watch a lot of wuxia movies and TV shows, and these have had a big influence not only on Ogre Gate, but on Sertorius and many of my d20 campaigns. I am hoping to share some of my favorite movies and shows in the genre here as we work on WHOG.

Note: I am writing these as a fan of the genre. I am not a movie expert or an expert in asian cinema. These are my own observations based on what I have learned by watching wuxia and kung fu movies, and by reading about them through interviews and books. But my knowledge is quite limited and I am an English speaker. So understand that my commentary comes from this perspective. 

This review contains many spoilers.

INTRODUCTION

Tai Chi Master (also called Twin Warriors) is a 1993 release directed by Yuen Woo-Ping (Drunken Master, Iron Monkey and True Legend) that stars Jet Li (Junbao), Chin Siu-ho (Chin Bo) and Michelle Yeoh (Siu Lin). 

This is my favorite Jet Li movie from the 90s. There is something special about Hong Kong films from that period. I like a lot of the new stuff that is available, and I like a lot of the much older stuff as well, but the 90s action movies from Hong Kong have a nice blend of serious fighting, slapstick and athleticism. I think this is largely thanks to exceptional directors like Yuen Woo-Ping (who also did the action choreography for American movies like Kill Bill and the Matrix) but also because of incredibly athletic and skilled actors like Jet Li and Michelle Yeoh. This was also just a time when Hong Kong action seemed to be at its apex. 

Jet Li wasn't just an actor who learned a bit of Kung Fu, he had a background in Wushu and was a member of the Beijing Wushu Team as a child. In addition to this he studied many other martial arts. This shows in his performances. Michelle Yeoh, though she didn't have the same martial arts background, had training as a ballet dancer from a very early age, which I think is equally beneficial for action movies. When you have two action stars of this caliber in a martial arts film it shines in part because there is never a single moment where you doubt their movements, where you can see this is just an actor striking a pose. And that talent is essential for making a film like Tai Chi Master work because the action choreography is so fast, witty and precise. This is the kind of movie, if you don't pay attention to every movement, you really miss out. 

TAI CHI MASTER

The movie opens at Shaolin Temple, where two young students, Junbao (Jet Li) and Chin Bo (Chin Siu-ho), are introduced for the first time by their master. Junbao is the senior student, already a disciple of Shaolin, while Chin Bo is new. As soon as the master leaves, Chin Bo talks Junbao into addressing him as senior when others are not around and this begins a lifelong lopsided relationship with the mischievous Chin Bo leading the kind hearted Junbao on a path of difficulty. The two become close friends, and while Chin Bo clearly has a darker, less naive, nature than Junbao, the structure and safety of Shaolin Temple seem to keep him on a relatively stable path. Over the years their Kung Fu improves greatly and their bond strengthens. 

When they are young men, Chin Bo participates in a competition to advance into another hall of the temple. He competes against Simpao, who cheats by throwing dust in Chin Bo's eyes. Blinded and enraged, Chin Bo attacks in a rage, pounding Simpao with foot and fist, nearly killing him in the process. This angers the Master overseeing the competition, who banishes Chin Bo. A brief fight breaks out, with Chin Bo striking the Master. It ends with both him and Junbao being cast from the temple. Before they leave, their Master (not the one who issued the banishment) gives them parting advice and forgives them. He has faith that Junbao's kind nature will see him through in the world beyond the temple, but he fears that Chin Bo may go astray. He hands Chin Bo the Book of Chi, saying  he should read it if he ever falters. 

Junbao (Left) and Chin Bo (Right)

In time they find their way to a city that is under the authority of the Eunuch governor Liu, who is effectively crushing a local rebellion. It becomes clear that the governor taxes the population unfairly and this is what gives rise to the rebels. 

In the streets they meet Siu Lin (Michelle Yeoh), a wandering musician looking for her husband who left her for wealthier woman related to governor Liu. They also meet the delightful Reverend Ling (Yuen Cheung-yan) and Miss Li (Fennie Yuen), a righteous hero who steals back money from a group of thugs for an elder merchant. Jun Bao and Chin Bo help Miss Li fend off the bandits, then dive into a tavern where they once again encounter Siu Lin. In the tavern, Chin Bo "adapts" to the outside world by eating meat and dreaming of riches, while Junbao continues with rice and bean curd. Siu Lin finds her husband seated at the tavern with his new wife and tries to give him her Sanxian (a stringed instrument that clearly has sentimental value to her). The wife and Siu Lin fight over the gesture in one of the better and more humorous battles of the film. 

Later Chin Bo and Junbao stay at the tavern with Siu Lin and Miss Li, Junbao content to sleep on the floor and Chin Bo wishing for a better life. It becomes clear the tavern is a  front for some local rebels who Chin Bo becomes friends with. 

Siu Lin

Initially Chin Bo and Junbao try to earn a living demonstrating their Kung Fu in the streets. But when officials take their earnings, telling them they must pay several taxes in order to perform, things change. Chin Bo leaves with the official to join the governor's army, while Junbao returns to the tavern and the rebels. 

The two meet again later, after Chin Bo has been in the army for a while. Both have grown out their hair and no longer look like monks. Chin Bo has changed but they are still friends. He even helps Junbao deal with a soldier that was bullying them at the tavern. 

Later Chin Bo competes before Governor Liu for a promotion but is told he is too reckless (later the governor reveals this isn't the real reason he didn't promote him). Soon after, Chin Bo rushes to the tavern to tell his friends and the rebels that soldiers are on their way. Most of them manage to escape but some are caught by the Governor's men. Chin Bo offers to be their inside man and they plan an attack on the governor. He helps them sneak into Governor Liu's camp, but when they arrive at his tent they are surrounded by soldiers and Chin Bo disappears. It becomes clear he has betrayed them and most of the rebels are cut down. Junbao and Reverend Ling manage to escape but both Siu Lin and Miss Li are captured. 

Chin Bo takes Miss Li to his tent and tries to ply her with luxuries. He says he did everything so they could be together, but she attacks him. Governor Liu enters the tent, boasting that eliminating his need for women is what has made him a success in life. He tells Chin Bo that Miss Li made an attempt on his life and must be dealt with. With very little hesitation, Chin Bo strikes her in the back of the neck, killing Miss Li instantly. At this point it seems there is no possibility of redemption for him. 

The rebels betrayed by Chin Bo

Governor Liu expresses an interest in recruiting Junbao and tells Chin Bo to ask him to join him and the emperor or be killed. I don't know how if the dialogue in this scene was translated with an eye for an American audience but it feels quite reminiscent of the Empire Strikes back in this moment. To lure his friend, Chin Bo ties Siu Lin to a cross and waits with his men. When Junbao arrives to rescue her, Chin Bo offers him a place next to him in Governor Liu's army. Junbao refuses and tries to rescue Siu Lin. While Chin Bo's Kung Fu is visibly superior, Junbao and Sui Lin retreat and go into hiding with Reverend Ling. It is an interesting battle, starting out with Junbao as the rescuer, he ultimately is saved by Siu Lin when the cross collapses.

The affects of the betrayal are catastrophic for Junbao, who goes mad over the following weeks. Sui Lin and Reverend Ling desperately attempt to help him as he talks with statues and believes himself to be a duck. This transformation is played mostly for humor and ends  when Junbao starts reading the Book of Chi and begins to understand the Dao. This culminates in him mastering Tai Chi, a style more suited to his nature. 

Chin Bo is made a lieutenant and continues to earn praises from Governor Liu who is invited to the capital for an audience with the Emperor because his province is one of the few not destabilized by rebellion. He tells Chin Bo he wants the rebels completely rooted out in the meantime. Chin Bo starts a bloody campaign to weed them out, killing women and children in an effort to find Junbao's hiding place. When word of the slaughter reaches Junbao and Siu Li, they decide to strike. 

Armed with his new powers in Tai Chi, Junbao is now prepared to face his old friend. First they attack and capture Governor Liu. Then they use him as a hostage to get into the army camp and deal with Chin Bo. Their plans begin to fall apart when Chin Bo kills the governor. But this loses the loyalty of the soldiers and they do nothing to stop Junbao from battling their general. 

The two have an epic battle, with Junbao's using his Tai Chi to turn Chin Bo's aggression and power against him. At one point, Chin Bo begs for his life, vowing to mend his ways, but uses the opportunity to attack. Junbao fends him off and kicks him into the air, where he is impaled on the spear tips of the standing soldiers. The film ends with Siu Lin and Junbao parting ways and Junbao returning to the Shaolin Temple. 

SLAPSTICK BUT SERIOUS SWORDPLAY 

Tai Chi Master has it all: open-hand fighting, swordplay, improvised weapons, slapstick and pathos. At the start of the film, many of the fight scenes are filled with visual humor, but this diminishes over the course of movie as it grows more serious. It is the kind of film that is intended to make the audience experience a range of emotions from laughter to tears and does so effectively. The wit is all spot on, but it isn't used as an excuse to cut corners on the action. In fact the humor in Tai Chi Master is an outgrowth of the exceptional fight choreography. 

Junbao and Chin Bo in disguise

The whole cast is brilliant but Jet Li and Michelle Yeoh stand out for their highly athletic performances. They are aided by wires and good editing, but none of this is to cover up any lack of skill. Their movements are clear for the audience to see, not concealed by the camera. 

While the story is quite simple, it develops effectively and the action keeps a steady pace throughout the movie. The main focus is the relationship between Junbao and Chin Bo, but the other characters all go through similar transformations. Ultimately the message that repeats is the past makes you what you are, but shouldn't be your burden. One needs to let go in order to move forward. When Junbao achieves understanding of the Dao, this appears to be one of his key insights, and results in him letting go of his past and friendship with Chin Bo. Similarly Siu Lin lets go of the loss of her husband. 

Junbao and Siu Lin take Governor Liu hostage

Tai Chi Master is must see for martial arts fans, and also great fodder for gaming. The situation, more than the story itself, lends itself to an adventure. Every campaign can use an evil governor and rising rebellion. Chin Bo makes a strong villain, a hero fallen from grace. While Junbao, Siu Lin and the rebels resemble a pretty typical adventuring party. 

The World of Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate: Qi Xien

I just wanted to talk a bit about the setting of Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate and how that has evolved during development. Initially we were aiming for a much smaller word count, so the setting material was going to be brief. Over time we our page count goal grew and we explored the setting in more depth. What we wanted to create was a setting that facilitated adventures from our favorite wuxia films and series that could also support martial arts fantasy adventures. While it is inspired by Chinese history, and to some degree an analog, we also allowed it to take on a life of its own, as each unique element to the world demanded we go in some different directions. 

Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate is set in the world of Qi Xien, a place that exists in the same cosmology as Sertorius (which takes place in Gamandria). Qi Xien was created by the supreme goddess (known in Ogre Gate as Xian Nu Shen) who saw Gamandria as a failed creation, torn apart by the chaos of godly magic. She established Qi Xien as a more perfect reflection of her will and nature. But centuries ago something from Gamandria broke through and upturned the natural order of Qi Xien. Qi came into the world for the first time and the walls between realities cracked. A great evil was at the helm of this invasion: Yao-Feng a powerful sorcerer who brought with him an army of Ogre Demons. Known as the Demon Emperor he enslaved the world and all lived under his iron grip. However two noble heroes emerged who learned to use the Qi energy that came with Yao-Feng. They developed the first Kung Fu techniques and led a rebellion that drove back the Demon Emperor and locked him in Yao Gong Palace (Ogre Gate). In the wake of this there was prosperity but also war. Despite the absence of Yao Feng the world was forever changed by the presence of Qi as demons and spirits entered the world and martial experts used Qi to devise intricate systems of fighting.

Nearly 100 years ago the world experienced its greatest ruler: The Righteous Emperor. However he was followed by his son who lacked the father’s noble character and chose to emulate the reign of Yao Feng. Once again the world was plunged into oppression and many provinces rose up against the tyrant. 

Now most of the martial sects have retreated to their temples and villas in the Banyan region, a place just outside the emperor’s reach. Initially they worked together to continue fighting against the emperor but now, 97 years after his reign began, they are occupied with their own bitter feuds. 

This is the basic set-up of Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate. One thing we had to do was fit the setting's religions and philosophies to match the specific details of its cosmology and history. This is where the analog took on a life of its own. There are still many elements in the game drawn from real Chinese history and culture. The Confucian virtues are there, the five elements are important, there are traces of Buddhist and Daoist thought (though no clear 1 to 1 analogs to these religions). The core system of thought in the setting, Dehua, is modeled after Confucianism and cleaves fairly close to the source material. The current era of the setting is inspired primarily by the Song Dynasty (though again the details are different). 

HUMAN GRU IN GAMANDRIA

A female Gru

In Sertorius there are four basic groups of humans: Ronians, Khubsi, Agars and Kash. There are others as well but these are the most prominent in the setting. These are really just cultural divisions, normally drawn on linguistic lines, with people of each group tending to come from a similar place of origin (though this is not always the case) and often sharing similar features (again, not always the case). The Kash are a people who live mainly in the North, typically speak Gruskel or Klerskel and are often a blend of Human and Gru culture (Gru is another race in the game). In some places Humans live among the Gru as fellow tribesmen. 

My current campaign is set in the Vaaran Kingdom of Palus, where there are lots of Gru but also lots of Kash Humans. We have PCs in the party who are Gru and those who are Kash, yet I found myself imagining them all as Gru because their culture is so similar. This happens so much I have to ask my players what Races their characters are all the time, because I keep defaulting to Gru in head. I don't do this with the Ronian character in the party, just the Kash. 

And Gru are definitely not humans. This is how the entry in the rulebook for Gru begins (it does mention they physically resemble the Kash which is a detail I actually forgot about until just now): 

A Male Human (Ronian)

The Gru are a savage Race of creatures resembling light-skinned Humans with wider and thicker features. Their large bodies are ideal for warfare and survival in the cold reaches of the North. Though their skulls are mostly flat, their jaws protrude slightly and are filled with sharp teeth. From a distance, they could be confused with Humans (resembling the Kash), but up close, the difference is unmistakable. Most Gru live to be 60 or 70.

The Gru almost uniformly worship Sur Vanker, a ruthless god of war. Some tribes worship Ranua as well, believing her to be the consort of Sur Vanker. Gru have also been known to worship Sertori and Grims.

The Gru have increasingly been a favorite of mine (as have the Hasri). I think it is kind of fun that some of the Humans in the setting emulate the Gru and have assimilated into their culture enough (or absorbed enough of it from various forms of contact) that the difference is sometimes difficult to spot. 

VAARAN WORD LIST

Because my current campaign is set in the Vaaran Kingdoms I've been developing a list of words and sounds for the local dialect of Gruskel (Vaaran). A lot of this also would apply to Klerskel because the languages are related. I posted an earlier version of this list a while back but this is much more detailed. One thing I tried to do was come up with Gruskel versions of the character names. For instance we have a PC named Garoff the Destroyer, and in Gruskel this would be Garoff Um Varshkeda. I haven't vetted the list for consistency yet so it is possible there are minor discrepancies yet to be weeded out. 

VAARAN WORD LIST

Numbers

Omka: One

Ven: Two

Drek: Three

Drak: Four

Skel: Five

Mar: Six

Gura: Seven

Hurn: Eight

Nesh: Nine

Omga: Ten

Articles

U: Indefinite Article (A or An)

Um: Definite Article (The)

Uf: Partitive Article (Some)

Common words, suffixes and prefixes

-atoon: Grassland inhabited by rabbits or other similar animals

-ash: Belong to or one who does

Bel: Human

Belka: Halfling

Belga: Dwarf

Bashkarna: Warrior

Esmar: King or Chief

-ga: Stone-like or heavy, something that sinks easily

Gash: Related to Ogres

Gasha: Ogres

-gella (pl. Gellars): Killer of

Graevesh: Grim Beast

Grau: Gru

Goff: A Title meaning wise elder or adviser. Someone who doesn’t wield direct power but is influential.

Gol: Hall

Gul-:Sky

Haeva: Mound

Hauch: Fort

Holta: Farms

Horga: Orc

-ka: Pebble or small thing

Keska: Beast

Pen: River

Rue: Sacred or Holy

Rue-Keska: Dragon

-Skel: This has two different meanings, it can refer to speech but also to towns controlled by a lord. 

Sheg: Hasri

Skaug: Forest

-Tel: Free Town

Ursh: Elf

-Ula: Hall

Var: Pure

Varshkeda: Destroyer

Vakla: Metal

Varna: Tavern

Vel: Elder or Elders

Warn: Hill

Prepositions

Harna: Above

Hur: With

Hurfa: Of or From

Jurga: Under

Common Honorific Surnames (More common among Gru than humans)

Bashkarnash: A skilled warrior

Belgella: Killer of Human, Halfling or Dwarf

Gashgella: Killer of Ogre

Goffgella: Killer of a Goff

Graeveshgella: Killer of Grim Beast

Horgella: Killer of Orc

Holtash: A highly skilled farmer

Sheggella: Killer of Hasri

Ruehaeva: A great and holy person

Um Varshkeda: The Destroyer

Vargrau: True Gru

GETTING THE MOST FROM YOUR RESEARCH

I enjoy doing research for projects but sometimes it gets you into a rabbit hole as you struggle to find information on particular details like period clothing or systems of government. With a historical setting, it is a necessity, with a fantasy setting you have more leeway, but with a fantasy analog or even just a fantasy setting inspired by a specific place and time, it is important to research before you write. One side effect of this is it greatly reduces productivity. One can do pages and pages of research and find it amounts to very little text. It varies of course, depending on how fruitful your search is and how much of an understanding you develop of the topic you are writing about. But just to give an example, I did some writing today based on three hours of research and this produced an entry of a little over 150 words, basically the size of this paragraph. 

If you are going to engage in research, there are some things you can do to maximize the product of your efforts. Here are some basic lessons I’ve learned over the years.

Always have a pen or pencil and always take notes. Don’t be afraid to underline or write in the margins of your books but if you can’t bring yourself to do this, consider using sticky notes to mark important sections (personally I have no problem scribbling on book pages if it enhances my understanding). If you don’t take notes, you are going entirely on memory and unless yours is exceptional you risk forgetting crucial details.

Be cautious in your note taking. One of the main ways plagiarism occurs is people take notes directly from their source material and forget to put quotes around it. Later when they start writing from their notes, they risk including sections of text that belong to someone else. So if your notes are the same words or at all similar to the source, place quotes around the text. Better yet, take notes completely in your own words. While this is a legal concern, it is also a time concern, because if you are unsure at any step about this, you will need to review and check your text. If there is a question, just write everything from scratch. 

Use index cards. A yellow tablet is fine, but one problem is sifting through your notes afterwards. If you put everything in 3x5 note cards, that makes it much easier to sort through then gather in a manner that can be turned into a section. They even sell spiral bound index cards with perforations for separating so they are easy to keep together while you take notes on a project.

Gather reliable source material that won’t lead you astray. Sometimes all sources look the same. If you just punch in a google search or go onto amazon, you might find sources that seem useful but either fail to address what you need to know or do so in a manner that misinforms. Be sure to vet your sources before investing time in them. Check out reviews, read historiography bibliographies on the subject you are learning about, ask people who are knowledgeable in the field and be sure to know what field the source comes from. This means you should be wary of sources like Wikipedia or other online resources. Especially be on the alert if you see the same exact text repeated with no attribution on multiple platforms. This is sometimes a sign that something inaccurate has gained some currency through repetition.  Repairing text informed by bad research down the road is a lot more time consuming than preventing it in the first place. Also you just work faster if you have good sources with relevant information from the start. 

Learn to identify good information. Things that are relevant to gaming can actually be easy to miss. The sorts of details you are likely looking for when prepping for a game or writing material for a setting is often idiosyncratic and rather specific. If you stumble on a section in a book that lists off large numbers of details that could be useful, be sure to mark that section down. Chances are if you find a chapter that gets deep into something like commerce or education, you won’t be able to absorb it fully in the first sitting, but when we go to write your entry, and know what it is you need to address, then going back to that section can be useful. 

Understand how much room you have to invent. If it is a fantasy analog or a historically inspired fantasy setting, you should decide how much you want to cleave to history. If the setting is 16^th Century England with the numbers filed off, then you better take good notes and squeeze what you can from them. If you are going for something less rigidly tied to the original time and place, then you have more room to invent, which an be helpful when you encounter gaps in your knowledge. For example if you just can’t find any details on who wore ruffs and why, you can make stuff up that will probably contribute to the feel of the setting in an interesting way. Invention is a time saver. 

Work with the notes you have. Try to build your sections around the research you’ve done and the information you have acquired. Nothing is worse than writing a section on wine making, when never managed to find any information on brewing in the period you are using. Some details are harder to find than others. So try to craft your outline and section headers around your notes.

Don’t agonize too long on one section. Brevity is fine if the information is helpful and accurate. Sometimes you just can’t find the information you want or you can’t find enough to write paragraph after paragraph on a subject. That’s okay. It would be great if you could find more but don’t let the rest of your project suffer as you spend hours or days seeking one piece of info. Just move on to another section and be on the look out for what you need in the mean time. If you never find it, maybe a single paragraph is adequate.