The Story So Far ...

Below you will find the tale of Jojii's Sword, from its humble beginnings to the present day. Some of the events described are highlighted in separate articles within the Archives area of the web site. Will you join us? What mark will you leave?

Jojii's Sword formed in the earliest days of the migration from Ispar to Dereth. When Basho Genji met the venerable Arashikage, Genji's anxieties about his new home lessened. Basho Genji had been tricked into making the trip through the portal, and his training under the Isparian master Murasaki Tanka was not complete. In addition, Murasaki had been in danger when Genji left. But Arashikage was a man who had known Murasaki Tanka, and knew that his duty was to continue training Basho Genji in Dereth.

As Basho Genji traveled the land, he met many noble individuals: Akemi, Pew the Mottled, Iwata, Shinjin Myoken, Ma Zhirui. Asoka, an old mystic and monk who had lived near Genji's home in Ispar, found the young warrior and began to offer his counsel. Ananda, a monk reputed to be centuries old, would flit in and out of the warrior's life to offer cryptic riddles and sage advice. As the group grew in strength and number, it took on various missions both to aid the citizens of Dereth and to practice toward an understanding of the Four Stones.

As word and power grew, Jojii's Sword attracted the attention of a cult known as the Ch'Kari. Little is known of this group of desert mystics, but two things soon became clear. The group had extensive powers over the undead. They also had connections to the father of one of the members of Jojii's Sword: Lord Yoshioka Kempo, who had sired Akemi. Strange links began to show immediately between the warriors of Jojii's Sword, the cult and the Isparian Sho lord. It was as if fate had brought them all to Dereth. Shinjin Myoken had been a slave of Yoshioka's. Yoshioka's warriors had burned down a monastery at which Shinjin had lived and both Asoka and Ananda taught. Murasaki Tanka had once taken the Basho Genji as a boy to Yoshioka's estate to dismiss the lord's requests for training. The Sho lord had been figthing Alluvians in the Isparian deserts, the rekindling of an ancient war over the trading route known as the Porcelein Road -- a war in which Pew the Mottled had fought. There were even indications that Yoshioka had hired the Ch'Kari cult to track down the teacher Murasaki Tanka and Basho Genji in order to punish them for their refusal to train his soldiers.

And so Jojii's Sword took on new challenges in order to uncover the threats posed by the cult and by Yoshioka. Kikuchi Kentaro, a new member of the group at the time, was captured by the cult and imprisoned near Uziz. His rescue was the first of several trips to that mystical and evil town. Basho then discovered a way to bring his teacher to Dereth, for the old man had been magically blocked. The Ch'kari killed Murasaki Tanka as he entered the world, having first cast a spell to sever his ties to the lifestone. They imprisoned Genji near Uziz. Both Kikuchi and Basho suffered horribly during their separate captivities in Uziz, but Kikuchi was possessed by his devilish captors. This eventually led to his own honorable suicide, for he had begun to bring evil into the group.

Shinjin Myoken, in an effort to test the unity of the group, recruited several to act as comrades to the cult. Basho Genji, with the help of Iwata and others, was able to keep the group focused on the Unity of the Four Stones and of its membership. Jojii's Sword passed Myoken's test. Basho realized that the lesson of Unity had been necessary, and so rewarded Shinjin with the role of inquisitor. Iwata, for his loyalty, was made Basho's lieutenant.

Talon Loneblade came to the group, and with him came further news of a connection between Yoshioka and the Ch'Kari. The two dangers facing Jojii's Sword were finally confirmed as one. In addition, the growing threat of the Shadows seemed also connected to Yoshioka's plot to take control of both Ispar and Dereth. Or, perhaps, Yoshioka was merely a pawn of the Shadows. Jojii's Sword uncovered the intricate links between these three evil forces and helped to foil their plans to conquer the two continents.

But Yoshioka would not be beaten. He soon appeared in Dereth. He tempted Jojii's Sword with the powerful and legendary Koji's Blade, but the group of warrior monks knew that it was a plot. Jojii's Sword had grown and new friends, such as Dai Quat and Miadanu, helped to expand the group's understanding and power. But Yoshioka proved that he was strong, as well.

The mysterious Liam O'Rouke brought word from Ispar of the death of Basho's parents. Genji's detachment was challenged once again, as it had been with the death of his teacher. Yoshioka offered him a way back to Ispar, an unknown and invisible portal. No doubt the merchant lord planned the destruction of Jojii's Sword in Basho's absence, but Basho Genji knew to trust his friends and students. He departed for Ispar in order to save his sister and avenge his parents, but he was conscious of several things. He knew that Yoshioka would try to destroy both him and Jojii's Sword. But he also knew that Jojii's Sword would prevail.

Through the nefarious schemes of the powerful Daimyo Yoshioka Kempo, the school of Jojii's Sword and their founder, Basho Genji were convicted in Ispar of treason by no less than Emperor Kou-- leader of the Sho people. Yoshioka was able to sell the idea that this group of monks plotted to murder the Emperor.

The school was closed in Dereth and Basho Genji was thrown into prison in Ispar. Sho Ambassador Soten Ri sought the fugitives from the school who ran rather than turn themselves in. Curiously, rather than close the school, Jojii's Sword swelled in numbers adding a number of hardy and fearless adventurers. Shiraz, Tong Tai-Da, Munib al-Bashere, Nikolas Karakosta, Mo-Ki-Dinn, Mauvrim, Freya and Kirana joined the circle. They regrouped and met in secrecy.

After Ma Zhirui was captured by Soten Ri and Ma Jun Mao, Yoshioka failed to turn in Zhirui to the Emperor-- which raised the Emperor's suspicions that Yosioka's motivations were not pure. In an act of defiance, Yoshioka severed the forefinger of Zhirui mailing it to the Jojiists. The Emperor hearing of this act sent his son, Shinran Shonin, to Dereth to investigate his suspicions about Yoshioka.

Zhirui successfully escaped Yoshioka's prison thanks to Soten Ri. An itenerant blind, healer, Joshua Blue healed Zhirui's finger almost to normal.

Kageshiro, Captain of the Guard for Yoshioka and a turncoat, fed information to members of Jojii's Sword, hinting that incriminating evidence against Yoshioka would be found at a hidden lair in the desert-- the Tomb of the Dead. Yoshioka had angered the Dericost nobles when he aligned with the Virindi. Yoshioka's treachery to the Dericost, would come back to haunt him. Led by Shiraz, adventurers discovered a book within the Tomb of the Dead-- in the book, information was discovered that incriminated Yoshioka in a plot to murder the Emperor himself and to frame the Jojiists.

The Emperor himself arrived in Dereth amidst pomp and circumstance-- ready to arrest all of the members of Jojii's Sword himself. He was accompanied by the politically astute Chamberlain Kamibayashi.

Tong Tai-Da bravely took the book of evidence to Soten Ri and Ambassador Ri turned in the evidence to the Emperor. Reviewing the information, Emperor Kou pardoned the school and reinstated it. But, chided Iwata and the school leaders for tainting the group with non-Sho and sending them to relative exile in Nanto. Chamberlain Kamibayashi was benind this manuver, reminding the Emperor that true Jojiists would only be those of Sho heritage.

Led by family business, Shiraz disappeared presumably to Ispar for a while. Hearing of Shiraz's disappearance and rumors that Yoshioka was caught and imprisoned in Ispar by the Emperor, Dai Quat travelled to Ispar.

As Dai Quat explored Edo prison, searching for the presence of Yoshioka Kempo, Quat witnessed Sir Candeth Martine followed by two Grand Inquisitors, help to break Yoshioka free from prison. As Martine opened a portal back to Dereth, Dai Quat jumped into the portal.

The portal materialized on Marae Lassel, at the stronghold of Martine-- Martine's Holding. There, the two men engaged in a dialogue of opposing forces.

As the new island opened to adventurers, many new adventurers and old faces reentered the land. Damien Skye, of the Stone Thunder clan reappeared, but with a loss of memory for what had happened for nine years of his life. Skye was determined to find the Olthoi killers of his fiance.

Trimfect, thought to be missing from Dereth, mysteriously reappeared. She hinted that she was held captive at the Bandit Castle by Virindi and that Randor might have been abducted there at the same time. Randor had no knowledge of this event.

Miadanu and Randor were married, and in spite of the tragedy of Miadanu's monarch, Ardune, leaving Dereth-- the happily married couple bought a cottage in the far Northern Reaches of Osteth.

Rei Magi joined Jojii's Sword immediately engaging in the search for information about the mysterious Kikuchi Masako. Brining in his mysterious ward, Verdancy Child, Magi went to the desert to meet Angra al-Hasib who had knowledge about Masako. The meeting was interrupted by strange forces in the desert, at night.

Sayyima bint Angra, returned to Jojii's Sword and sought their help in finding Kikuchi Masako. Rei Magi, Darryn, Nyneve and Iwata met with the Angra's in Al Jalima only to have a dark presence whom some thought was Yoshioka Kempo, interrupt the meeting ...

Stay tuned ...