The Tale Of Shiro Tagachi
Two hundred years ago, in the Age of the Dragon, the emperor of Cantha ascended the steps of Kaoya Zun Temple. At the very top, in the middle of the ancient bamboo floor, he knelt and bowed his head before the the carved stone statue there- a supplication from a god among men to the gods of men.
The emperor's ritual took place at the same time each year, during the height of the Harvest Festival. And through he did not know it as he laid his head to the cool hardwood, this would be the last time he celebrated the harvest.
A shadow grew behind him, and when he turned his head, he looked up at a pair of drawn swords and the crule grin on the face of his personal bodyguard - Shiro Tagachi. The emperor lost his life that day, as did many other brave Canthan heroes.
At that time, there were three great armies on the continent of Cantha, and all three were present for the Harvest Festival. Hundreds of soldiers poured up the steps of Kaoya Zun Temple to avenge the death of the emperor.
Shiro's skill with a blade was unmatched by anyone on the continent, and he reveled in the carnage. What turned him from the stalwart and honorable man who protected the life of the emperor into the cowardly murderer who stole away the pride of Cantha? Nobody knows. What is known is that two brave champions finally bested Shiro, striking him down with the very same weapons the former bodyguard used to slay the emperor.
Run through the belly with his own two blades, Shiro dropped to his knees on the sanded bamboo floor. He was in agony, blind with rage, and simmering with power he could no longer control. with his last breath, Shiro released one final shout. So filled with malice and evil was Shiro's death wail that as it washed over the Canthan landscape it irrevocably transformed the world - petrifying the forest and turning the sea to pure jade.
Two generations have come and gone since that tragic event. In the intervening years, the Canthans have adapted to the frozen waves and the stone trees. The tale of Shiro Tagachi has slowly drifted into legend, a bogeyman to frighten children at night and a cautionary story for those who would seek great magical power.
But the Harvest Festival is fast approaching once again, and a growing unease has settled over Cantha unlike any since Shiro's death. It is wise to remember the past. for in it, we see the future, and if we are lucky, we do not allow ourselves to make the same mistakes.
