"For the people of Grand Cathay, loyalty to their Dragon masters is paramount. They take faith from the strength of these lords, and know, as long as they are true to their will, that the empire of Grand Cathay will never falter before her enemies."
- —Wen Zhengsheng, Lord Shugengan[2a]
"Celestial blood grants both unassailable authority and rare mastery of the Elemental Winds."
- —Description of Dragon-blooded Shugengan Lord in Total War: Warhammer III.
A Dragon-blooded Shugengan Lord as depicted in Total War: Warhammer III.
A Dragon-Blooded Shugengan Lord, also spelled Dragon-blooded Shugengan Lord, is a Dragon-blooded noble of Grand Cathay who is a wizard capable of casting spells from the Lore of Yang or the Lore of Yin as a result of their Draconic ancestry. Such wizards, themselves the Human descendants of Cathay's ruling Cathayan Dragons, often lead the Celestial Empire's armies into battle in the name of their ancestors, the Dragon Emperor and the Moon Empress.[2a]
Role[]
Over the centuries, the Dragon Emperor and Moon Empress' nine Cathayan Dragon children have themselves had children, born of the mortal men and women they rule over in their Far Eastern empire. These mortal offspring of the Cathayan Dragons are known as the "Dragon-blooded." In time, these mortal children have themselves become the progenitors of entire noble dynasties, their people able to trace their ancestry back to the Celestial Dragon Emperor himself. While the Dragon-blooded remain relatively rare, there are still many thousands of them in Cathay. Given their lineage and the political and magical power that comes with it, the Dragon-blooded typically rise to positions of authority, as important rulers or magistrates in the lands controlled by their forefathers and mothers.[2a]
Dragon-blooded rise to positions of power in Cathay not least out of respect for their heritage, but also due to the power that comes from being a part of the Imperial family. The Dragon-Blooded Shugengan Lords are the greatest among their bethren, as they are closer to the Cathayan Dragons themselves. The Shugengan are inevitably skilled combatants, natural wizards, and talented political and military leaders. As one can imagine, their lineage can be a source of some jealousy and resentment from other high-ranking Cathayan mortals who lack that ancestral connection, especially when the Dragon-blooded allow their abilities to develop into arrogance.[1]
Concept art of a Dragon-blooded Shugengan Lord as depicted in Total War: Warhammer III.[1]
As magic-users of Grand Cathay, the Dragon-Blooded Shugengan can unleash either the Lore of Yang or the Lore of Yin. Each lore draws its power from the Celestial Dragon Emperor or the Moon Empress, respectively, and is a unique school passed down through the ages among the Shugengan. While they may ride to battle mounted on a warhorse, the Dragon-blooded are uniquely able to ride atop a Jade Longma as the creature respects their innate Cathayan Dragon heritage, the Shugengan not being an exception.[1]
Trivia[]
"Shugengan" seem to be derived from "shugenja," who were the 7th century practitioners of the Japanese religion of Shugendō. They were sometimes also known as yamabushi.
Sources[]
- 1: Total War Blog - TOTAL WAR: WARHAMMER III GRAND CATHAY ROSTER REVEAL
- 2: Total War: Warhammer III (PC Game)
- 2a: Dragon-blooded Shugengan Lord Unit Description