Vidyadhara/History

A summary of historical events involving the Vidyadhara.

Early History

The Vidyadhara originated from a region in the waters of the Ancient Sea known as the Roiling Deep on an unnamed ocean world. It was said that back then, they could use their powers derived from Long to change the form of any creature, as easily as children playing with modeling clay. The Vidyadhara had a tradition of selecting High Elders. These High Elders were not only leaders of their clans, but also individuals who possessed the power of the dragon ancestor and could transform into draconic forms.^[1]

One day, when they could no longer control the powers of their dragon ancestor, all of the creatures in the entire ocean became deadly towards them. The fish were toxic, the sea beasts hostile, and even the aquatic plant-life could prey on them. Eventually, even the micro-organisms in the Roiling Deep became dangerous. They multiplied until the oceans were no longer fit for their survival.^[2]

Later on, they became a major member race of the Xianzhou Alliance, and the entire delve of Scalegorge Waterscape on the Xianzhou Luofu was said to have been brought over from their homeworld, including the waters of the Lunarescent Depths. Water from the Roiling Deep was also brought onto the Xianzhou Fanghu.^[3] In the Year 4800 Star Calendar, the five lineages of the Vidyadhara made an alliance on the Xianzhou Yuque, putting their sacred vow into writing: "This oath shall remain unbroken, standing stronger than even earth and steel."^[4] Glaciator Marum signed the covenant with the Alliance on behalf of the Vidyadhara, and the five High Elders were bound to keep watch over the respective plaguemarks of each Xianzhou ship. To accomplish this, Imbibitor Lunae Yubie, High Elder of the Luofu at the time, made a decision to move the entire delve of Scalegorge Waterscape underwater to help the Luofu seal the Ambrosial Arbor. The statue at Dragonvista Rain Hall was erected in honor of this.^[5][4] As a reward, the Alliance granted the Vidyadhara the Xianzhou Fanghu to rule as an autonomous ship.^[6]

At some point, the previous Caelorum Venti fought valiantly and slew a herd abomination named the Hundred Hands. The Caelorum Venti Pavilion in was built in the Moon Delve of the Xianzhou Yaoqing to commemerate this, with 3000 Vidyadhara craftsmen working over 20 years to build the pavilion with large slabs of jade and moonstone.^[7]

Dan Feng, the previous Imbibitor Lunae, was a member of the High-Cloud Quintet. Their group accomplished many feats such as driving out the borisin invading Thalassa, destroying the alliance between the Houyhnhnms and the wingweavers in the Abundance Axis, rescuing the Xianzhou Yuque, and defeating the living planet Ketu Mirage. He became one of the most prolific Vidyadhara of his time.^[8][9]

Due to the nature of the Vidyadhara's population, it took an effort on Dan Feng's part to convince the Preceptors to allow Vidyadhara cloudhymn magi to join the battle on the frontlines in Jing Yuan's plan to defeat Ketu Mirage. Although it was certain countless Vidyadhara would lose their lives, with no chance at a molting rebirth, Dan Feng believed the Vidyadhara could not become a part of the Alliance's destiny if they did not also share in its joys and sorrows, and only remained bystanders to everyone else's suffering.^[10] However, approximately a hundred years later, the High-Cloud Quintet fell apart.

The Sedition of Imbibitor Lunae

Sometime after, in the Year 7379 Star Calender, Dan Feng went on to commit a great crime by tampering with the Transmutation Arcanum. His actions were described as "embracing immorality and breaking the ban, thieving immortality and inciting riot."^[11] Dan Feng had two goals in mind when making changes to the Transmutation Arcanum: he attempted to use its power, combined with Shuhu's flesh, to resurrect his fallen friend Baiheng, and also allowed other species to be incorporated into the Vidyadhara, giving the Vidyadhara the possibility of replenishing their population. However, this instead resulted in the creation of a draconic abomination that wreaked great destruction on Scalegorge Waterscape, which the remaining members of the Quintet were forced to put down, resulting in damage to the seals, 12 Preceptors, 253 Pearlkeepers, and 116 alchemists and healers being wounded. 1285 Vidyadhara completely perished in this disaster, and over 3000 were still missing at the time of the incident.

This incident would come to be known as the "Sedition of Imbibitor Lunae." Bailu's instatement as Dan Feng's successor as High Elder and the dragon heart going missing were direct consequences of the event.^[12] This event sparked widespread turmoil, and was considered an act of rebellion against the Xianzhou Luofu and a stain on Vidyadhara history. The Luofu Vidyadhara were greatly divided on the matter; there were those who sided with Dan Feng and those who sided with the Xianzhou. It was a controversial time of great unrest.^[13] The Cloud Knights joined forces with the Vidyadhara Preceptors to arrest Dan Feng. His punishment, a forced hatching rebirth, was carried out, and his subsequent incarnation was held in the Shackling Prison for a period of time before being exiled from the Luofu, which went against the agreement between the Alliance and Caelorum Venti.^[14]

Sometime after, Lady Bailu was selected to become the next Imbibitor Lunae, though she did not possess the same level of power as previous High Elders, and the power of dragon transmutation was not passed on intact, as the Transmutation Arcanum may not have been carried out in full. Caelorum Venti sent a missive to the Luofu Preceptors inquiring about her condition.^[5][15] After Dan Feng's imprisonment and rebirth, several Vidyadhara still supported and worshipped him in secret, writing several literary works and dramas about the Sedition of the Imbibitor Lunae from the perspective of supporters, which caused groups to form that stood against the Alliance.^[16]

Third War of Abundance

On the year 8072 Star Calendar, during the Third Abundance War, the Yaoqing and Fanghu alerted the Luofu about the assembly of the Denizens of Abundance, the revival of Ketu Mirage, and their attack on the Fanghu. The Luofu dispatched four brigades of Cloud Knights to help them fight, but they were still facing defeat. The Reignbow Arbiter then descended onto the battlefield and annihilated the borisins' fleet using their Lux Arrow. Nearly one-fifth of the Xianzhou Fanghu's delves were destroyed as a result of collateral damage.^[17]

Yunhua, the head of the Luofu Alchemy Commission, and her apprentice, Lingsha, were banished to the Zhuming after she performed certain healing arts on Dan Heng, who had just finished his hatching rebirth, so that he would regain the memories of his past life, believing that restoring the High Elder's knowledge of his past life would allow the Vidyadhara to resume their duty as the guardians of the Ambrosial Arbor, quelling the strife within their clan and bringing everything back on the right path.^[18] There, Lingsha studied under Ardens Regia.^[19]

Ever since the third Abundance War, the Fanghu had adopted self-preservation policies to recuperate. As a result, they had had cut off most of their regular communications and trade with the other Xianzhou ships, a decision from the Glaciator Marum, the Fanghu's High Elder, implicitly stemming from the Vidyadhara's inability to produce offspring.^[20]

Stellaron Crisis

Sometime around March 18, 8100 Star Calendar, High Elder Bailu escaped the Alchemy Commission with help of Banxia. Around the same time period, the Astral Express Crew arrived on board the Xianzhou Luofu due to a warning from the Stellaron Hunters about the upcoming Stellaron crisis. They were followed by Dan Heng, the banished reincarnation of Dan Feng, who was worried for the safety of his companions. Shortly afterward, the Stellaron crisis began as the Ambrosial Arbor was resurrected with power of the Stellaron. Bailu met the Express crew in the Exalting Sanctum after they saved her from rampant mara-struck monsters. After meeting the Trailblazer again, Bailu discovered that Banxia was a former member of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus, but still upheld her agreement to help heal her beloved, Liangmu, after finding him. Though eventually becoming mara-struck, Banxia managed to meet with Liangmu for a brief moment before he ran away in fear and she succumbed to the mara. After putting her to rest, Bailu and the Trailblazer found Liangmu in order to heal him.^[21] Bailu then decided to lay low in Central Starskiff Haven for awhile before returning to Exalting Sanctum, and eventually, the Alchemy Commission.^[22]

Meanwhile, Dan Heng was proceeding towards the Alchemy Commission along with Cloud Knight Sushang and traveling merchant Luocha, whom he met along the way. After reaching the Healer's Market, he parted ways with the two, slipped away from the Cloud Knight safe zone, and took a boat to Dragonprayer Terrace. There, he was confronted by Blade, who was accompanied by Kafka. As the two fought, Yanqing, a Cloud Knight Lieutenant who had been tracking Blade and followed Dan Heng from the Alchemy Commission, intervened. Blade still managed to land a serious blow to Dan Heng, which triggered the reveal of his Vidyadhara form. Yanqing decided to fight both of them at once as they were both criminals, but was soon defeated, with Kafka using her Spirit Whisper to break up the fight before Jing Yuan stepped in. The General let the Stellaron Hunters leave, then coaxed his old friend's reincarnation into joining him at Dragonvista Rain Hall at Scalegorge Waterscape, citing that his friends from the Express were there.

After reuniting with the Express Crew and fighting the Antimatter Legion, where Lord Ravager Phantylia was revealed to have masterminded the Stellaron crisis, Dan Heng parted the Ancient Seas of Scalegorge Waterscape leading to the roots of the Arbor. A party consisting of Dan Heng, Jing Yuan, and the Express crew headed into the Lunarescent Depths to undo the already-weakened seals to the Arbor, allowing them passage to Phantylia, who created a new body using the power of Abundance. There, they fought a tough battle, but eventually defeated the Lord Ravager. Jing Yuan was seriously injured in the process.^[23] After leaving the General to recuperate, Dan Heng and the Express crew witnessed the soul-soothing ceremony for Tingyun before meeting with Jing Yuan, who revoked the banishment decree. They prepared to leave the Luofu, but before they left, Dan Heng expressed his desire to meet the current High Elder of the Luofu, Bailu, and make amends for Dan Feng, starting by repairing the seal at Scalegorge Waterscape.^[24]

Dan Heng met with Huanxi, one of Bailu's maids, who urged him not to meet her and instead meet with the Preceptor elders in order to take up the position of High Elder, claiming she did not want Bailu to take on the burden. Luying, a Vidyadhara alchemist from the Alchemy Commission, expressed a different sentiment to Dan Heng, fearing that he would threaten Bailu's position as High Elder, and asked him to leave the Luofu as they were making their way to the starskiff dock. At the Alchemy Commission, they came across General Jing Yuan, who was still recuperating. He gave them some advice before they left, where they were set upon by Vidyadhara assassins just as they met with Huanxi at the docks. After Dan Heng swiftly dispatched the assailants, they group made their way to Scalegorge Waterscape where they met Bailu and exchanged pleasantries. Both Dan Heng and Bailu expressed their disinterest in the High Elder position before proceeding down towards the Dragon Palace.

There, Dan Heng tried repairing the seal but to no avail. Bailu, following his example, started to affect the seal. By working together and combining their powers, they successfully managed to strengthen the Arbor's seal, proving that Bailu did inherit some of Dan Feng's power through the Transmutation Arcanum. However, they were soon ambushed by more assassins concealed by cloudhymn magic. After they defeated the attackers, they discovered there were more concealed enemies looking for them. Dan Heng used mirage echolocation using the various mirage echoes lingering in the ruined Palace to detect and avoid the assassins. While conversing with the echoes, they learned more about the true nature of Dan Feng's crime.

The group managed to reach the surface and met with Huanxi, who declared that she was worried about Bailu, as she had been attacked by assassins. After being questioned about how she knew about the assassins and how they were targeting Bailu, Huanxi revealed herself to be among their ranks and attacked the group with her fellow assassins. In the heat of battle, Jing Yuan joined the fight and assisted them in defeating the remaining assailants. Jing Yuan questions the Preceptors' motives, while Huanxi denied their involvement, insisting that she acted alone. She died before Jing Yuan could bring her in for further questioning. Dan Heng and Bailu reflected on what they learned, Dan Heng observing that while he had inherited Dan Feng's more combat-oriented and destructive abilities, Bailu inherited all of his healing and restorative abilities. Bailu posed that Dan Heng might have been the teacher that had always she needed, and that they might have been friends or disciples in their previous lives. Dan Heng revealed that his worries about Bailu had been assuaged by the Preceptors and that she always possessed true power. Regarding her healing abilities, Bailu assured Dan Heng that Dan Feng might have had a gentle side to him as well, before they both bid each other farewell.^[12]

A thorough examination by the Ten-Lords Commission of the Alchemy Commission's documents spanning several years found that Dan Shu may have been conspiring with suspected Vidyadhara Preceptors for unknown reasons.^[25] Since the incident, Lingsha has been directly appointed by the higher-ups of the Xianzhou Alliance to serve as the Luofu Alchemy Commission’s new Cauldron Master as of August 2, 8100 Star Calendar and purge the Commission of its corruption.^[26] She arrived on the Luofu during the Luminary Wardance Ceremony.^[27]

Change History

References

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